The State of Corporate Travel and Expense 2022 33 SKIFT + TRIPACTIONS pandemic travel recovery. And not only are meetings, conventions, and events coming back as strong as ever, but they are helping to establish the efficacy of mask and vaccine protocols in creating safe, low-risk environments. Citing findings from a research partnership between global events leader Freeman and computational modeling software company Epistemix, Trade Show News Network reported in August 2021 that “ large in- person business events are safe and do not increase local COVID-19 case rates .” Quoted in the story, Freeman CEO Bob Priest-Heck stated that, “Based on the data we’ve seen, attending an in-person event is no riskier — in fact, less risky than essential daily activities.” He added, “Businesses and organizations want to get back to events for critical commerce, networking and exchange of ideas. This research provides the f ramework for doing so safely.” Skift spoke with three meetings industry leaders in the bellwether Las Vegas market for their f rontline perspective on adapting to the pandemic challenge. Michael Massari, chief sales off icer for Caesar Entertainment, currently co-chairs the D.C.-based Meetings Means Business Coalition. Stephanie Glanzer is chief sales officer & senior vice president of sales for MGM Resorts International. Chandra Allison is senior vice president of sales for The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Together, they manage a combined 8.4 million-plus square feet of group space supported by nearly 88,000 hotel rooms in Vegas alone. With yet more inventory in regional markets across the U.S. and abroad, the trio, in ordinary times, is responsible for thousands of annual meetings, conferences, conventions, and events worth hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues. From an uptick in creative ways to keep remote workers connected and engaged, to higher f requency strategic and collaborative events, there is clear evidence that meetings are propelling business travel in both traditional and unexpected ways. Skift: What is the current demand for meetings and events in Vegas, and how would you say that demand is a larger indicator of business travel recovery? Massari: Demand is off the charts. We recorded $600 million worth of contracts during the pandemic. That’s an all-time 12-month record for our company, and future bookings are better than ever. Those are related and signify an enhanced understanding of the value of meeting face-to-face. Take that away for a year and if people did not realize the importance before, they clearly do now. Glanzer: Since reopening, we have successfully hosted more than 1,500 groups and counting. Attendance has reached as high as 20,000 delegates. In early August, we hosted an event for nearly 7,000 people. While the Delta variant has caused some short-term decline, this trend continues into the fall and picks up dramatically in 2022 as we continue to see strong commitment and pacing through signed contracts. Along with the strong desire to reconnect in person, the uptick in demand also reflects growing comfort and confidence in resuming business travel. Allison: While adjusting slightly for impact f rom the Delta variant in the near term, our key performance indicators such as lead volume, site inspections, pre- planning, and business pace were all at or exceeding 2019 levels. As vaccination requirements and other factors rapidly change the environment, we remain encouraged by the high business demand. Skift: What factors are currently driving business travel? Glanzer: I think that there is an emotional component, a feeling. People are rediscovering, or realizing for the first time, true appreciation for getting back together in person. From a business standpoint, another element which we have heard