Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), a celebration of everything wonderful about the meetings industry, is kicking off its seventh year with the theme “Meet Safe,” a redux of GMID 2021’s theme.
While most events across the globe took place virtually last year, more events are now meeting in person. Take a look at how our meetings industry friends are celebrating.
Advocating Voices
Meeting Professionals International is (MPI) kicking off GMID with its State of The Industry Leadership Panel with four of the industry’s leading profs, Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI; Cleo Battle, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism; Amy Calvert, CEO of Events Industry Council; and Greg DeShields, executive director of Tourism Diversity Matters. For those who couldn’t make it, you can get a free recording for all registrants to download.
MPI chapters across the U.S. are also celebrating in their respective regions. MPI Minneapolis will be meeting in person at Delta Hotels Minneapolis from 1-5p.m. to cover the state of the meetings industry and post-Covid experiences, featuring experts from Meet Minneapolis, Experience Rochester, and local and regional meetings industry associations.
Meeting profs in Charlotte, North Carolina, are meeting at the newly expanded Charlotte Convention Center for lunch, accompanied by a speech by the state’s House Budget Writer Jason Saine and the North Carolina Travel Industry Association lobbying team.
Read More: At MPI WEC 2021, Michael C. Bush Laid out the Makings of a Great Workplace
The MPI Meeting Outlook in Charlotte will be presented by Tara Liaschenko, creative executive officer of The Link Event Professionals Inc., followed by a presentation on group travel recovery in the first half of 2022 by Heath Dillard, director of insights for Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, and a live global broadcast at NASCAR Hall of Fame to finish off the day.
PCMA Canada Chapter West is taking to Vancouver Convention Centre for a breakfast, networking session and a presentation by Kati Quigley, senior director of global industry marketing at Microsoft, titled “How Big Tech Fosters Diversity and Inclusion.”
In support of GMID, Omni Hotels & Resorts is donating one meal for every in-house group room during the week of GMID for a total of 50,000 meals to support Feeding America through its Say Goodnight to Hunger program.
Omni properties that can host groups include Omni Amelia Island Resort in Fernandina Beach, Florida; Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas; Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina; Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire; and Omni La Mansion del Rio in San Antonio, Texas.
In a Las Vegas-based celebration of GMID, executives got together at the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign to commemorate efforts over the past year. The five included in the gathering are Michael Massari, chief sales officer for Caesars Entertainment; Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice president for MGM Resorts International; Steve Blanner, executive vice president of hotel sales for Wynn Las Vegas and Encore; and Steve Hill, president and CEO of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Read More: Live Shows in Las Vegas Are Back and Beckoning
“As co-chair of Meetings Mean Business, I encourage everyone to advocate for the industry,” Massari said. “To bring business back to 2019 levels, we must continue to do what we do best—plan and execute extraordinary meetings and events.”
This was a celebration well earned, as an estimated 2.2 million convention attendees were hosted in Vegas since the return of trade shows in June 2021.
Massari continued: “Over the last 12 months, Caesars Entertainment has proudly hosted many conferences at CAESARS FORUM, including PCMA Convening Leaders, Meeting Professionals International’s World Education Congress and Cvent Connect. We look forward to welcoming more meetings and conventions back to the destination.”
