More than 4,000 conference planners and suppliers attended the PCMA Convening Leaders convention in Austin, Texas. The event’s Great Debate, sponsored by Visit Britain, saw Saceos president Janet Tan-Collis moderate a debate on technological disruption. The participants were Nick de Bois, chairman of the UK Government’s Events Industry Board, and David Wallace, a three-time mayor of Sugar Land, a city near Houston, who is now an economic analyst. Singapore Tourism chief Lionel Yeo also joined a panel on game changers facing the global events industry.
Among the other highlights was a surprise appearance by Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, who is a native of Austin, and local country music legend Willie Nelson who performed at the closing gala.
