#ExhibitionsDay Hosts Record 125 Attendees, 100 Meetings on Capitol Hill

June 12, 2018

This year’s #ExhibitionsDay, held June 5-6 in Washington, D.C., drew a record-breaking 125 trade show professionals to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional representatives in more than 100 meetings.

“2018 marked a record year for Exhibitions Day in Washington, D.C. with 125 attendees and 100 meetings on the Hill. The four areas of focus during all of our conversations with Congressional members and staff were Hotel Anti-Scam Legislation, Safety and Security, Global Travel Facilitation and Airport Infrastructure Enhancements,” said IAEE president and CEO, David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA.

He added, “The U.S. exhibitions industry is strong with $91 billion being contributed to the national GDP in 2017. Advocating for our industry and meeting with federal lawmakers affects positive change and increases awareness of our importance in the global marketplace.”

Attendees came from all over the United States to meet with their local reps to talk about the pressing issues in the trade show industry.

The event kicked off June 5 with an opening reception before everyone hit Capitol Hill the next day.

HERE is video coverage from CNTV on the event. 

Here are a few quotes from participants:

“I loved attending #ExhibitionsDay!   Walking around the different buildings on Capitol Hill really made me feel like I was part of the Democratic process.” - Amy Durkin, CEM, CMP, director of events, National Catholic Educational Association

“Las Vegas is a top travel destination and exhibitions and events are key to driving visitation. Exhibitions Day provides a great opportunity to interact with valued partners and decision makers to highlight the importance of our industry and what it contributes to the overall economy.” - Alex Land, CEM, sales executive, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

The opportunity to share the message with congressional leaders that our industry represents $91 million is powerful. The fact that over 100 industry professionals are aligned and spreading the importance of our issues on one day is rewarding.” - Angi Van Berg, CEM, vice president of Trade Show Sales, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau

Besides the advocacy in D.C., there were events held all over the U.S. including at IAEE chapters in Northern California, New York and the Midwest to name a few.

In addition, there were a bevy of tweets under the #ExhibitionsDay hashtag from destinations like Columbus and Las Vegas, as well as companies such as T3 Expo and a2z, Inc.

Want to share your story on why face to face works on the Exhibitions Mean Business web site? Go HERE

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