the April 2009 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
the April 2009 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
the April 2009 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
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News<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 10<br />
assistance, had created a public<br />
relations nightmare for companies<br />
that were cancell<strong>in</strong>g events <strong>in</strong> droves.<br />
The USTA cited a poll released <strong>in</strong> late<br />
February by Meet<strong>in</strong>gs & Conventions<br />
magaz<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> which 21% of <strong>the</strong> 135<br />
respondents said <strong>the</strong>y had cancelled<br />
an event “as a direct result of <strong>the</strong><br />
bailout backlash aga<strong>in</strong>st meet<strong>in</strong>gs and<br />
travel.”<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r 38% said <strong>the</strong>ir company<br />
had decided to avoid hold<strong>in</strong>g<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs at upscale hotels and 28%<br />
were forego<strong>in</strong>g golf resorts.<br />
Geoff Freeman, senior vice<br />
president of public affairs for <strong>the</strong><br />
USTA, was quoted <strong>in</strong> The San Diego<br />
Union-Tribune say<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>gs and<br />
events had been relegated to <strong>the</strong> same<br />
level as alcohol and tobacco <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
“new Wash<strong>in</strong>gton”. He said, “That’s<br />
<strong>the</strong> newest s<strong>in</strong>, meet<strong>in</strong>gs and events.”<br />
Meet<strong>in</strong>gsMeanBus<strong>in</strong>ess.com seeks to<br />
organize a grassroots campaign by<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry to conv<strong>in</strong>ce lawmakers<br />
and <strong>the</strong> media that bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel<br />
and events are good for <strong>the</strong> economy<br />
both <strong>in</strong> terms of direct jobs and<br />
spend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a community, but also as<br />
a contributor to a general recovery.<br />
Participants <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> call were each<br />
urged to rally ano<strong>the</strong>r 50 colleagues<br />
to help spread <strong>the</strong> word about <strong>the</strong><br />
value of meet<strong>in</strong>gs, but also to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
employees who may be miffed at<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g told to tighten <strong>the</strong>ir belts while<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir colleagues jet off to a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>g at an upscale hotel.<br />
A newspaper ad be<strong>in</strong>g placed <strong>in</strong><br />
early March confronted Congress<br />
directly with <strong>the</strong> headl<strong>in</strong>e, “Want to<br />
lose one million more jobs? Just keep<br />
talk<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
On <strong>the</strong> conference call, Dow said<br />
<strong>the</strong> travel <strong>in</strong>dustry preferred not to<br />
s<strong>in</strong>gle out <strong>in</strong>dividual members of<br />
Congress for criticism but ra<strong>the</strong>r to<br />
make sure as many local, state and<br />
national political leaders knew of <strong>the</strong><br />
benefits of events and <strong>the</strong> risks of<br />
fur<strong>the</strong>r job loss should <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
decl<strong>in</strong>e fur<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
Reach Roger Dow at (202) 408-<br />
8422 or rdow@ustravel.org<br />
Want to lose one million<br />
more jobs?<br />
Just keep talk<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Op-Ed Article From Philly CVB Underscores Value of Events<br />
By Hil Anderson, senior editor<br />
Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia<br />
Convention & Visitors Bureau was<br />
among <strong>the</strong> first CVBs to answer <strong>the</strong> call<br />
to <strong>the</strong> barricades <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> form of an op-ed<br />
article <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Philadelphia Daily News that<br />
challenged <strong>the</strong> allegedly negative view of<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> U.S. media.<br />
“Our national partners at <strong>the</strong> U.S.<br />
Travel Association are work<strong>in</strong>g hard to<br />
change <strong>the</strong> negative perception by <strong>the</strong><br />
media that bus<strong>in</strong>ess-related travel and<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs are irresponsible practices,”<br />
said <strong>the</strong> March 5 article signed by Nick<br />
DeBenedictis, chairman of <strong>the</strong> Philadelphia<br />
CVB. “We say: No way! Meet<strong>in</strong>gs can mean<br />
not only bus<strong>in</strong>ess opportunities, but also<br />
contribute to job and economic growth<br />
for local communities and can serve as a<br />
justifiable reward for hard work.”<br />
DeBenedictis outl<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> economic<br />
All Americans are angry at <strong>the</strong> recent revelations of bad judgment and<br />
excess by some corporate leaders - especially when <strong>the</strong> result is a taxpayerfunded<br />
clean up.<br />
However, target<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess meet<strong>in</strong>gs and events is <strong>the</strong> wrong answer.<br />
With <strong>the</strong>ir political rhetoric and short-sighted legislation, Congress is<br />
send<strong>in</strong>g a message to TARP recipients and every o<strong>the</strong>r bus<strong>in</strong>ess that<br />
Congress doesn’t want those meet<strong>in</strong>gs to happen. The results are<br />
predictable. Thousands of companies — not just TARP recipients — are<br />
cancell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir meet<strong>in</strong>gs out of fear.<br />
For every meet<strong>in</strong>g that is cancelled, jobs are lost — it’s that simple —<br />
and it’s happen<strong>in</strong>g all across <strong>the</strong> country. 1 out of every 8 jobs <strong>in</strong> this<br />
country is l<strong>in</strong>ked to travel and tourism – and those Americans will be<br />
even angrier if <strong>the</strong>y lose <strong>the</strong>ir job because of political rhetoric.<br />
The overwhelm<strong>in</strong>g majority of bus<strong>in</strong>ess meet<strong>in</strong>gs are not for senior<br />
executives — <strong>the</strong>y are for top salesmen, high perform<strong>in</strong>g employees and<br />
valued customers and bus<strong>in</strong>ess partners. Bus<strong>in</strong>ess gets done and companies<br />
grow because of <strong>the</strong>se meet<strong>in</strong>gs and events.<br />
We’ve released a code of conduct for companies us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
taxpayer dollars. We encourage Congress and Treasury<br />
to embrace <strong>the</strong>se standards — and stop <strong>the</strong> rhetoric.<br />
Visit our website for more details —<br />
www.meet<strong>in</strong>gsmeanbus<strong>in</strong>ess.com.<br />
Meet<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
Mean<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
Stat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Case. The U.S. Travel Association created a full-page newspaper ad rem<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g elected<br />
officials that broad-brush attacks on bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel have consequences on <strong>the</strong> U.S. economy.<br />
benefits that bus<strong>in</strong>ess events brought<br />
to Philadelphia and called <strong>the</strong>m a major<br />
contributor to <strong>the</strong> city’s economy that<br />
could not be ignored despite <strong>the</strong> pullback<br />
on bus<strong>in</strong>ess travel.<br />
“The need to br<strong>in</strong>g more meet<strong>in</strong>gs to<br />
Philadelphia is critical,” DeBenedictis said.<br />
“Each year, <strong>the</strong> largest contributor to fill<strong>in</strong>g<br />
hotel rooms <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> city is people visit<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
conventions and o<strong>the</strong>r group-related events<br />
– an average of 40%.”<br />
He added that <strong>in</strong> 2008, conventions,<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs and groups filled nearly one<br />
million hotel room-nights, accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
PKF Consult<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Philadelphia, PA.<br />
“These visitors spend money <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> local<br />
economy, generate tax revenue and support<br />
more than 88,000 jobs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region,” he<br />
said.<br />
Reach Nick DeBenedictis at (215) 636-<br />
3300 or nickd@pcvb.org<br />
Cont<strong>in</strong>ued on page 14<br />
12 <strong>April</strong> <strong>2009</strong> <strong>Trade</strong> <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> www.<strong>Trade</strong><strong>Show</strong><strong>Executive</strong>.com