Celebrating Global Meetings Industry Day

Global Meetings Industry Day on April 7 celebrates the return of safe F2F meetings, and promotes their impact on the economy.

Since its founding back in 2009, the Meetings Mean Business coalition has robustly promoted the value that the MICE industry brings to people, businesses and communities. Today there are more than 60 members, representing all facets of the industry from meeting planner associations to destination CVBs. In November, MMB was formally integrated into the U.S. Travel Association, with the goal of bolstering the coalition’s mission to lobby for the meetings and events industry as it works to rebuild and recover from pandemic-related deficits.

The Meetings Mean Business website offers a rich array of materials, including research reports and tip sheets, that substantiate the importance of meetings and events. These downloadable reports, under a Toolkit heading, are organized by topics: Why Meetings Matter, Corporate Meetings, Economic Impact, Government Meetings and Issues and Crisis Preparedness. A Covid-19 section on the website has content on preparedness and response and a handy state-by-state chart of requirements for in-person gatherings including occupancy limits, mask mandates and travel protocols.

On April 7, the Meetings Mean Business coalition will present the fifth annual Global Meetings Industry Day,  an international day of MICE advocacy. The overall theme, Meet Safe, emphasizes the importance of a safe and successful return to face-to-face events. Many industry organizations, associations, partners and supporters of Meetings Mean Business host educational gatherings on this day to celebrate the positive  economic, business and social impact of the events sector. A GMID toolkit of resources, including information on ways to participate, will be available on the USTA website.

As well, MPI is hosting a 12-hour GMID Virtual Broadcast, running from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Standard Time, giving participants the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from all over the world. This free event will celebrate, commemorate and honor the millions of global events that impact the lives of billions of people every year.