The Power of Business Events

As we all know, our industry has been challenged like never before because of the global pandemic. It hasn’t been business as usual. The words “resilient,” “pivot,” and “unprecedented” (and “hey, you are on mute!”) have all been words we have heard in repetition for the past 24 months.

Organizations, including our own, had to make the hard decision to eliminate staff and do more with less. We have all had to reevaluate our priorities and be creative with new ideas of reaching our audiences. Destination organizations, our members, had to find a way to engage virtually and still demonstrate the ways their communities are unique.

I have said so many times that I have been inspired by our members throughout this pandemic’s unprecedented challenges.

Destination organizations have been engaging with their communities in innovative ways they have never done before. They have demonstrated their value reaches far beyond “heads in beds” and that they are essential parts of the communities they serve. They have truly brought the term “community shared value” to life by working alongside local stakeholders to serve residents.

Even though we have been pushed beyond our usual limits, we’ve also come to a point where it’s time to step back and realize that as exhausting as these past two years have been, the industry didn’t just survive, it thrived. Now, we are ready to celebrate … and more importantly to accelerate.

As part of that acceleration, Destinations International will be partnering with PCMA to launch Business Events Industry Week , March 23-25, 2022. During this weeklong event, thought leaders in our industry will come together – in person, as we do best – for events that create space for intellectual capital that will evolve and elevate our industry, including our Convention Sales and Services Summit and Destination Showcase.

As we all know, nothing replaces the value of a face-to-face meeting. I am hopeful to see you at Business Events Industry Week, to learn from others in the industry and stay focused on what we are all working toward accomplishing this year – the recovery of the business events industry.