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Association News
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Meetings Mean Business, by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association News
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Meetings Mean Business, by Timothy Schneider, Publisher, Association NewsLos Angeles, CA – July 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / For the seventh consecutive year, the July issues of Association News and its sister magazine, SportsTravel, include a special section produced in conjunction with Destination Marketing Association International (please see “Serving with Distinction,” which begins on page 23). DMAI is the association to which official destination marketing organizations—also known as convention and visitors bureaus—belong. Each year, our DMAI special section takes on a theme determined by our editorial staff that reflects the environment in which the destination marketing industry is operating.

The first such special section, “Why DMOs Matter,” was published in July 2008 just prior to the Great Recession and before the “AIG Effect” became a part of the meetings-industry vernacular. The theme that year anticipated the need for destination marketing organizations to make the case to both their local communities and the meetings industry about the vital role DMOs play in attracting travel spending to their destinations. Subsequent editions featured even broader themes reflecting the increasing need for advocacy on behalf of the travel industry: In 2009, the special section was themed “Why Meetings Matter.” In 2010, the theme was “Why Travel Matters.”

It was during this same period that DMAI and other industry organizations banded together to support the advocacy initiatives of the U.S. Travel Association. Thanks to a unified industry effort, U.S. Travel successfully shepherded the passage of the Travel Promotion Act, which created Brand USA, a first-ever national DMO funded to the tune of $200 million. Industry unity has also helped U.S. Travel to position the travel industry as nonpartisan and worthy of support on both sides of the political aisle during an era when consensus seems to be completely elusive on Capitol Hill.

One initiative launched by U.S. Travel in early 2009, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition, sought to demonstrate the ROI of bringing groups together for meetings. During this period, I had the privilege of serving on the executive committee of the Destination & Travel Foundation, which helped provide funding for research efforts that made the case for the value of meetings, conventions and trade shows. One such study found that the meetings industry contributes more than $280 billion annually to the national economy and generates $88 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

Over time, the research and advocacy efforts of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition have helped make the case for why face-to-face meetings are absolutely essential for strengthening the nation’s economy. Earlier this year, five years after its original launch, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition was relaunched by U.S. Travel with the support of an impressive array of travel companies, DMOs and industry organizations, including DMAI. The refreshed campaign highlights how meetings create personal connections, drive positive business outcomes and build strong communities. It’s a campaign deserving of the support of every association that organizes meetings. We encourage you to support it by visiting MeetingsMeanBusiness.com.
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Timothy SchneiderTimothy Schneider is the publisher of Association News and SportsTravel magazines, which serve group travel planners responsible for generating 106 million hotel room nights annually. Schneider Publishing also organizes Meetings Quest, America's longest-running series of trade shows for meeting planners, and the TEAMS Conference & Expo, the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers. TEAMS '14 is being held in Las Vegas, November 10-13, 2014. For further information on advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please call toll-free 877-577-3700 or 310-577-3700 if calling from outside the United States.

The current issue of Association News can be viewed in digital format online by clicking here.
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Media Contact:
Timothy Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider Publishing Company, Inc.

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Placement Dates: 07/24/14 – 09/24/14
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