Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance

Happy Thanksgiving from the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance!

ECA was thrilled to join the UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry Global Congress last week for a discussion about advocacy developments in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Thanks to Kai Hattendorf, Peirui Tan, and the entire #UFI team for a great event. #UFICongress #changes2chances

Important read from ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership's Mary Kate Cunningham, CAE on the potential impact of the forthcoming 2025 tax reform debate on association's and their events. Nonprofit associations host more than 272,000 events annually that attract nearly 52 million attendees, support 342,000 jobs, and drive $42 billion in spending in communities nationwide. Changes to their tax-exempt status, or the unrelated business income tax exemption for their events, would jeopardize the work funded by event proceeds and the $35.1 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue they contribute each year. That's why ECA will oppose any change to the tax-exempt status of nonprofit associations and their events that could disrupt the critical work of these groups to the industries, professions, and communities they serve!

????????? ???????????????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????? ?? With tax reform likely to be ???????top policy issue in Washington, DC next year, ECA has released its?2025 tax reform priorities?for the business and professional events industry. ECA encourages Congress to take up and pass federal tax legislation in 2025 that is???????-????????????,???????-????????????????????,???????-????????????, and???????-?????????????????? ???????????????????????to ensure that our industry can continue driving economic growth, supporting job creation, empowering small businesses, and helping to solve our most urgent societal challenges. Link to ECA's press release is in the comments.

This week, ECA is in K?ln, Germany for the 91st UFI Global Congress. For those attending, ECA's Tommy Goodwin will be part of "?????????????????? ???? ????????????????: ?????????????????? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????? ??????????????. ?????????????????? ???????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ??????????????????????," an interactive session with two distinguished industry leaders from Europe and Asia: ?? Barbara Weizs?cker, Secretary General, European Major Exhibition Centres Association and European Exhibition Industry Alliance ?? Stuart Bailey, Chairman, (HKECIA) Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association The session will take place on Friday, November 22 at 11:15 AM in Room Q on level 2 of Koelnmesse GmbH. UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry #UFI #UFICongress

Want a sneak preview of how the business and professional events industry could be impacted by the 2025 tax reform debate in Washington, DC? ECA's Tommy Goodwin recently chatted with Lisa Plummer Savas from TSNN - Trade Show News Network about four areas of tax policy where ECA will be active on Capitol Hill next tear. Article link in the comments. Thanks to TSNN for the coverage of ECA's efforts!

Last week ?????? ???????????? ?????????? published an important editorial calling on Congress to extend Pell grants to short-term workforce training. ECA couldn't agree more! That's why we have been active on Capitol Hill advocating for Congress to allow students to use federal Pell Grants to afford high-quality, shorter-term job training programs for the first time. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility beyond two-year and four-year colleges and universities, students can get the job training and credentials they need for careers in high-demand fields, including those in our industry. Full editorial in the comments.

???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??????????'?? ???????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????? Last week, ECA hosted a special #ECAVotes webinar that took a deep dive into what's on the horizon for the industry next year in Washington, DC and beyond. Susan Hatch from MeetingsNet published a great summary of that session that looks into four key issues on the political agenda that will impact folks on the show floor in 2025 and beyond. They are: ?? Tax reform ?? Workforce development ?? International travel ?? Trade Read the link in the comments to find out how.

ECA is hitting the road (and air!) in the coming days to see our great alliance partners and their members. ???????????????? ????-????: UFI Global Congress, K?ln, Germany ???????????????? ??-??:?EDPA ACCESS, Palm Springs, California ???????????????? ????-????:?IAEE Expo! Expo!, Los Angeles, California UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry EDPA - Experiential Designers & Producers Association International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) #UFICongress #ACCESS2024 #ShowForShows

Thanks to Andrew Warrick from Trade Show Executive magazine for his recap of Tuesday's #ECAVotes webinar featuring Austin O. and Tommy Goodwin. This is a great read if you want a preview of what's on the horizon politically and policy-wise in Washington, DC and beyond for 2025.