Saluting Global Meetings Industry Day

Today, April 8th, marks Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), the annual celebration of the value that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions bring to businesses and local economies around the world. Throughout my career and in my capacity as national chair of the U.S. Travel Association, I am a champion for the many benefits created when people come together to meet and conduct business. While virtual technologies can broaden the reach of content, nothing replaces the value of face to face meetings for relationship building and networking.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on a wide swath of the economy, the impact on the travel and tourism industry in the U.S. has been devastating. And, an important but often overlooked segment of our industry is business travel in all forms. In 2019, the $348 billion spent in the U.S. on goods and services related to business trips supported 2.5 million American jobs. That spending plummeted to $32 billion last year—a stunning 77% drop.

That is one of the reasons why the 2021 GMID theme is “Meet Safe,” recognizing the industry’s commitment to operating meetings and events with health and safety as the top priority. This year’s GMID presents a valuable opportunity to highlight two crucial facts:

One: Safe and successful in-person and hybrid meetings and events are possible and taking place today—in fact, I had the opportunity to chair a safe and productive meeting of the U.S. Travel board last month—in accordance with local health regulations and best health practices.

Two: Our industry has led the charge as early adopters of the measures required to carry forward safe in-person business events.

Airlines, hotels and those that support meeting and event industry professionals know that this is segment is essential to the industry’s recovery. GMID 2021 will spotlight for local businesses, lawmakers and the media the precautions the industry is taking to keep its patrons and employees safe while continuing to ensure value and productivity.

As the former president of Maritz Global Events and a past chair of Meeting Professionals International, it is profoundly important to me to recognize business travel as a driving force of job creation. That’s why I am excited about the broad engagement and incredible slate of events we are seeing for this year’s GMID, from Southern California to New England and well beyond.

Whether you are a member of the travel industry, a professional who misses traveling for business, or a citizen or elected official from one of the hundreds of U.S. jurisdictions that benefits from meetings and business travel, I hope you will join us in celebrating GMID and the eventual resurgence of a vital cornerstone of the American economy.