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Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) co-chairs Fred Dixon and Trina Camacho-London listen to introductory comments from Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.
Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) co-chairs Trina Camacho-London and Fred Dixon reviewed the events industry–wide coalition’s past year and outlined its 2020 plans during a press conference Tuesday at PCMA Convening Leaders.
The coalition not only grew in size in 2019 to 60 members, but expanded its reach, said Camacho-London, vice president of Global Group Sales at Hyatt Hotels. By promoting the value of face-to-face meetings and protecting the industry against threats, the coalition has helped contribute to a healthy meeting economy, she said, and she cited the following statistics:
- $3 billion meeting industry
- $135 billion in spending
- 1 million jobs
- $22 million in taxes
To continue the progress in advocating for the industry, the group has outlined five areas of focus, said Dixon, president and chief executive officer, NYC & Company.
2020 U.S. Elections
MMBC will focus on local government bodies in this election year, engaging with U.S. mayors, city councils, and local chambers of commerce. Dixon said that for the first time, the coalition will attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors to engage mayors directly at their conference.
Fifth Anniversary of GMID
Global Meetings Industry Day, April 14, is the coalition’s biggest opportunity to promote the industry. In 2019, organizers of 275 events from 54 countries registered with the coalition, resulting in 88 million social-media impressions, Camacho-London said.
The 2020 initiative is now in full swing, she said, announcing that registration is now open at meetingsmeanbusiness.com/GMID. This year’s social-media hashtag is #GMID20.
“It’s one of the best occasions of the year to bring our industry together,” Dixon said.
Renewing Focus on Economic Data
In the past, the coalition hasn’t been able to accurately measure the scale of the meetings industry, so the group is planning more research and finding compelling data on market trends and indicators, Dixon said.
Identifying strategic partnerships and coordinating recruitment efforts to grow reach and influence
The group’s ambassador program continues to grow, Dixon said, with 41 industry professionals serving as ambassadors to spread the word about the meetings industry. The coalition also has licensed groups in Canada, which already is active, and Mexico, which will activate in 2020. Other areas, including Africa, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia have expressed interest.
The final focus point is to strengthen the coalition’s digital-targeting efforts to reach external leaders online and through social media.
