After two long years of the pandemic, it’s clear there is no substitute for face-to-face professional meetings and events.
That’s why this year’s Global Meetings Industry Day on April 7 is so important. It’s an opportunity for communities around the world to show the benefits of meeting face-to-face — and how we can work together as hosts and attendees to “Meet Safe.”
GMID, led by the Meetings Mean Business industry advocacy coalition, was created in 2016 to spotlight the proven value that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions bring to the economy.
This year’s theme, Meet Safe, will show how safe, productive meetings are taking place — offering a reminder of the importance of face-to-face professional interactions.
With spring around the corner, the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be behind us, but there is still much work to do to achieve a full recovery.
According to Tourism Economics, the U.S. saw a decline of $370 billion in business travel spending in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021 — $180 billion of which was due to the decline in meetings, conventions and trade shows. Steep declines in business travel led to the loss of 1.4 million travel jobs and wiped out $30 billion in travel-generated taxes in 2020 alone.
Bottom line: To get business back, we must get back to business.
For more information on Global Meetings Industry Day, including a tool kit of promotional materials, visit the GMID website.
