National Meetings Industry Day Recap

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More than 325 industry professionals gathered together in Toronto to network, connect and learn on Thursday, April 18, 2013, to celebrate National Meetings Industry Day at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The theme "Meetings Mean Me Because..." was carried throughout the event and highlighted in the panel discussion on the economic impact of the meetings industry.

The esteemed panel outlined the economic impact of meetings and how it impacts other industries through the creation and execution of meetings and events. The panel was moderated by Bob Parker, chair of BEICC and president elect of CAPS, whose wit brought about roars of laughter.

Unfortunately, Kevin Hinton, executive vice president of Associated Luxury Hotels International and chair of the International Board of Directors for MPI, was unable to participate due to poor weather conditions in Chicago. Fortunately, Grant Snider, president of JPdL Toronto & Niagara, was able to take his place and provide insight into the world of destination management.

"We need to celebrate the overall contribution of the economic impact from meetings," stated Lori Wagner, charter & group sales manager of Porter Airlines, who was proud to accept the NMID Influence Award on behalf of Porter Airlines. Porter recognized the meetings industry as being a catalyst for change in their organization.

Lisa Mcdonald, COO of Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada and president of CAEM, highlighted the importance of using the meetings industry to influence policy and decision-making to create a starting point to connect with politicians and lobby for a change. She states, "Events are a platform to add value to businesses and enhance the mission of the organization." 

David Whitaker, president and CEO of Tourism Toronto, touched upon the impact of the Microsoft Conference in 2012 on the Toronto economy, leaving a monumental impact on a variety of industries.

Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA, highlighted that the meetings industry is about connecting people globally, whether it is face to face or virtually, and educating communities, countries and families on the importance of the industry. This message was reinforced by Grant Snider in building connections between industry members and other organizations touched by the meetings industry.

Through Twitter, industry professionals were able to tweet their questions live to the panel to delve further into their unanswered questions.

Looking forward to 2014 in Toronto, we hope to raise the level of conversation higher to attract a broader audience, as well as the attention and attendance of government officials. Be sure to continue the conversation on Twitter using Hashtag #NMID14. Our committee was fortunate to work with other local industry organizations on the creation and development of content for this event. 

A special thanks to our sponsors: Ottawa Tourism, Ottawa Convention Centre, Metro Toronto Convention Center, Meetings & Incentive Travel Hall of Fame, Nothers Signs & Recognition, Ignite Business Events Expo, AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions, Showtech Power and Lighting, GES Canada, The Image Commission, D.E. Systems and JPdL.