Unite the Events Industry and Help Break a World Record on April 14 

March 31, 2020

Tuesday, Apr. 14 was meant to be a day for event professionals around the globe to meet in person and celebrate our industry. Last year, 275 Global Meetings Industry Day events spanning six continents and more than 50 countries were held on this international day of advocacy.

In light of COVID-19 meeting restrictions, travel guidance and social distancing policies, the Meetings Mean Business coalition has officially postponed in-person participation in #GMID20. In a statement released on Mar. 31, MMBC announced that its goal is to share a new date as soon as possible, and is considering a date during IMEX America, slated for Sept. 15-17 in Las Vegas.

While Global Meetings Industry Day may have been postponed until it is safe for groups to meet once again, there will still be GMID events held on Apr. 14. But instead of face-to-face gatherings, the meetings will be virtual. Here are three ways you can get involved:

The Largest Virtual Meeting in History? 

The 90-minute GMID Goes Virtual webcast, hosted by Meetings Mean Business Canada, India and the United States, aims to break the Guinness World Record for the largest virtual meeting in history. This interactive session will give attendees a forum to have their voices heard, contribute to valuable industry research and connect with each other to celebrate #GMID20. 

The event will be held at 9 a.m. PDT, and will open 15 minutes in advance. In order to break the record, participants need to be logged in for a minimum of 30 minutes. The agenda will include the record-breaking attempt, followed by a discussion of COVID-19 and its impact on our communities, work and families led by MMB Canada. Register for #GMIDGoesVirtual HERE.

A Day-Long Virtual Summit From MPI

If you’re looking for more content, you’re in luck. In partnership with the Events Industry Council and MMBC, MPI will broadcast a live, 12-hour-long GMID: Virtual summit.

The agenda is focused on tools and skills relevant to moving forward during this unique global situation, including sessions on stress management, leading in a crisis and staying agile.

“During this time of extreme change, it is the right time to stay connected,” said Annette Gregg, senior vice president of experience for Meeting Professionals International.

She continued, “At a time when so many of us need and count on community support, resources and reinforcement, we must continue to connect and begin laying the tracks to recovery, driving global stability and expansion. Because we know, when we meet, we can think in ways previously unthought. When we meet, we can change the world.”

A panel of industry leaders will discuss how to navigate uncertainty and move toward recovery. And the stellar session lineup includes many speakers we’ve covered in Corporate Event News: Nifty Method Marketing & Events’ Alex Plaxen, The Amani Experience’s Amani Roberts, Tracy Judge of Soundings Connect, Ruud Janssen of Event Design Collective GmbHTyra Warner from College of Coastal Georgia and wellness expert Lee Papa, to name a few.

The free-to-attend virtual event is open to all event professionals and includes the 30-minute #GMIDGoesVirtual record-breaking attempt. It will be broadcast live from 6 a.m.- 6 p.m. CDT (1 p.m.-1 a.m. CEDT). Post-event, content will be archived and accessible for on-demand viewing by registered attendees only. Register HERE.

Commit to Serving Your Community

MMBC is also calling upon event professionals to commit to community support — and share the details on meetingsmeanbusiness.com/commit2community

In the Mar. 31 statement, officials said, “Many of us have unique abilities to foster support in our communities by doing things such as donating supplies, funds and space. As a coalition, we are committed to bolstering April 14 as an opportunity to unite around the common goal of serving our cities and have started to collect examples from across the industry that do just that.

If you have not already, we hope that you will commit to one or more acts of service that make sense for you and your organization. No act is too small. It’s remarkable to see the numerous actions already underway, even as meetings are being cancelled and travel is being postponed. On or before April 14, please pledge your commitment and go to meetingsmeanbusiness.com to provide details about what you will do.”


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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.