Do you feel confident about the return to live events? Whether a hotelier, event planner, or event attendee, each of us carries some risk and responsibility as we begin to travel and meet in person once again. Join me for an exclusive first look at the successful conclusion of an actual live program, planned by Ashley Lawson, Vice President of Business Partnerships and co-owner of Achieve Incentives & Meetings, and hosted by Manuel Lara, Sales Manager at UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya. Ashley and Manuel walk us through the ins and outs and the highs and lows of planning and executing a live event at this stage of the pandemic. This episode is jam-packed with valuable tips and teaches us what to anticipate and expect to ensure your event's safety and success. Demonstrating strong values of partnership and leadership, Ashley and Manuel have the same goals: to deliver an unforgettable experience for their client and help foster our industry's recovery, learning together as they go.

Ashley Lawson is the Vice President of Business Partnerships and a co-owner of Achieve Incentives & Meetings,  a meetings and travel incentive planning firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a third generation planner, and learned her ABC’s by alphabetizing flight itineraries in the family business. Ashley loves crafting meaningful travel incentives that connect and transform people in powerful ways.  This year, Ashley is focused on being a “Safe Travel Ambassador.” She is visiting a new “incentive friendly” destination each month to learn about and highlight their COVID protocols and tips on hosting events in those destinations. Her hope is that by providing education and resources to the planning community, we can be better equipped to usher in the new era of safe, engaging events. Ashley also serves as President of SITE Midwest.

Follow Ashley's adventures and learn more on Instagram at @ashleyroseontheroad and @achieve_incentives.

Manuel Lara is a Sales Manager at the 5-diamond UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya and has been working in the hospitality business for 12 years. He loves it and has learned everything he knows about hospitality from AIC Hotel Group. He especially enjoys working on the MICE segment of tourism, watching companies motivate their employees or hold meetings to improve the company's growth. It is particularly exciting when his clients' reach their goals with events held at UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya!

Manuel and UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya can be found on Instagram at @manuel_lara83 and @unico2087, respectively.