MEETINGS MATTER MEETINGS MATTER

On March 30, MPI Carolinas, along with Association of Executives of North Carolina, Charlotte Area Hotel Association, Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina, HSMAI North Carolina Chapter, International Association of Exhibitions and Events Southeastern Chapter, International Live Events Association Greater Charlotte Chapter, National Association of Catering and Events Charlotte Chapter, North Carolina Travel Industry Association (NCTIA), PCMA Southeast Chapter, SITE Southeast, and Tourism Education Foundation, gathered at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), an international day of advocacy championing the benefits of professional meetings and events.

Powered by the U.S. Travel Association’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition, GMID spotlights the proven value that business meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows and exhibitions bring to people, businesses, communities and the economy. This year’s theme - #MeetingsMatterhighlighted the economic and societal importance of faceto-face meetings.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, GMID 2023 saw record engagement, with 45 million impressions worldwide on social media and 70 events held in 35 countries.

At the Bank of America stadium, 250 industry members came together to connect, learn and support the industry.

The event kicked off with lunch sponsored by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and a “Legislative Session” hosted by NCTIA. Andrew Schmidt, president and CEO of Greenville-Pitt County CVB and president of NCTIA; Mike Butts, executive director of Visit Charlotte and VP of sales for Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority; and Joe

Bost, chief advocacy officer for Charlotte Regional Business Alliance; spoke about North Carolina politics and the effects it has on the meetings industry.

In “The Future of Meetings,” Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International, discussed several current topics, including remote work, inflation, RevPAR, distribution of household wealth, employment rate, tech sector layoffs, turbulence across the banking sector, as well as how the media’s influence affects how we perceive information.

During the “Moving Forward Together” panel discussion, moderated by Alison Harding, CMP, CMM, Medical Leverage, panelists Christian Schroeder, Visit WinstonSalem; John Bradford, Curated Events; Patty Richbourg, CHSE, CMP, CASE, GTP, POP, DES, HelmsBriscoe; Robyn Davis, CMP, CITP, Global Eventures; and Jennifer Holt, CMP, Caesars Entertainment; explored how to effectively partner with hotel, CVB and other vendors to source and plan meetings and special events in the current climate.

The day concluded with a reception sponsored by Caesars Entertainment in the stadium’s Vault.

Thank you to our partners – Tepper Sports and Entertainment, Caesars Entertainment, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, The Management Office, Tech Factory, Key Signature Entertainment, Spark by Design, Experience Bold, Curated Events, Vision Entertainment, and Shutter Booth – for making this event possible!

Nicole Filippo, CMP Duke University MPI-CC VP of Marketing and Communications

Centrally located in North Carolina, Winston-Salem is a welcoming meeting destination with a history committed to reinvention and innovation. Named one of the South’s Best Cities on the Rise by Southern Living, Winston-Salem boasts the recently expanded 150,000-square-foot Benton Convention Center in the heart of our vibrant, walkable downtown. Elevate your next event in Benton South’s reimagined meeting space featuring the 24,000-square-foot Gallery Ballroom. Winston-Salem will have you looking forward to playing, meeting, and staying in our hip and historic city.