Global Meetings Industry Day Kicks off Worldwide
April 6, 2017
The Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) and leaders from across the meetings industry are joining together today for the second annual Global Meetings Industry Day (#GMID17), with more than 100 events in 90-plus locations spanning nearly 25 countries and six continents.
This international day of advocacy showcases the real impact that business meetings, conferences, conventions, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions have on people, business and communities.
Thousands of industry professionals are participating in today’s events, coupled with a robust social conversation to ensure that elected officials, business leaders, the media and other decision makers understand the tremendous value face-to-face meetings play in generating business success, creating jobs and driving economic growth.
“Advocating for our industry on a global level helps people all over the world understand the unique value of in-person meetings,” said Richard Harper, MMBC co-chair and executive vice president of HelmsBriscoe.
He added, “GMID helps galvanize grassroots advocates to emphasize not only the unmistakable economic impact, but the way people and communities in every corner of the globe benefit.”
Today’s activities include a wide range of events organized by industry partners across the globe that allow meeting professionals to connect on a large scale and celebrate the hard work being done to advance the industry.
More than 175 industry organizations and chapters are hosting or co-hosting events. Here are just a few:
· The illumination of the Empire State Building in blue to celebrate GMID and recognition across New York City including a large-scale ad in Times Square
· A forum discussing sustainable meetings and events in Lusaka, Zambia
· Educational programming and networking sessions in four cities across Spain
· A proclamation from the Chief Minister of Penang, Malaysia
· A panel and educational sessions on the impact of face-to-face in Atlantic City, New Jersey
· A breakfast celebrating the contribution of women in the meetings industry in Wellington, New Zealand
· Rotating meetings scenarios on the High Roller Observation Wheel in Las Vegas, Nevada
· A question-and-answer session for new meeting professionals in Toronto, Canada
· A press conference with local elected officials in Panama City, Panama
· A networking reception for hospitality associations at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California
“GMID empowers meeting professionals and leaders in local communities by providing a platform to globalize the industry’s value story and this year’s day of advocacy has seen increased collaboration between organizations,” said Paul Van Deventer, MMBC co-chair and president and chief executive officer of Meeting Professionals International.
He added, “Harnessing the excitement and energy of these professionals allows the industry to demonstrate that face-to-face meetings contribute to local communities and businesses, no matter the place.”
GMID’s foundation began with Canadian Meetings Industry Day, a longstanding annual tradition that then grew into 2015’s North American Meetings Industry Day (NAMID). Last year was the first global expansion.
To learn more about GMID, visit http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/GMID. Follow and participate in today’s digital conversations @MeetingsMeanBiz on Twitter and by using the hashtag #GMID17 and #MMBusiness.
Partner Voices
Located in beautiful North Carolina, Harrah’s Cherokee is the perfect mountain getaway with breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains and new additions to its resort and conference spaces sure to elevate any meetings or event.
Completed in 2021, Harrah’s Cherokee’s latest $330 million expansion project introduced an entirely new fourth hotel tower, The Cherokee, as well as an additional 83,000 square feet of meeting space with the Cherokee Convention Center. The Cherokee tower brings with it 725 rooms and 70 luxurious suites spread out over 19 floors for a grand total of 1,800 rooms across the entire resort. The new rooms feature a sleek design with an earth-toned color palette and modern amenities. In addition to the new rooms, the expansion also brought with it a luxurious new lobby and lobby bar, a fitness center, a coffee & pastry bar, and a second pool.
Conventions, trade shows, banquets, receptions, and even the smallest, most intimate gatherings can find the perfect arrangement at Harrah’s Cherokee with its 130,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – including the Cherokee Convention Center. The resort offers a myriad of different spaces and configuration options for events, but the largest spaces include the following:
32,000-sq-ft Cherokee Convention Center ballroom with 22 meeting spaces
11,100-sq-ft Cherokee Convention Center ballroom pre-function space
33,000-sq-ft Cherokee Exhibit Hall
6,000-sq-ft Cherokee Exhibit Hall Pre-Function
13,801-sq-ft Council Fire Ballroom able to be reconfigured into as many as four ballrooms from 3,100 to 3,529-sq-ft each
16,815-sq-ft Event Center able to be configured in six different ways to accommodate 100 to 1,500 guests and offers four VIP suites, box seating, and more than 1,100 balcony seats.
In addition to the new accommodations and meeting space, Harrah’s Cherokee has also opened several new restaurants as part of the expansion including Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar which includes the chef’s award-winning burgers and barbeque on the menu. Another celebrity chef has also made their mark on the resort with the opening of Gordon Ramsay Food Market which features eight dining concepts ranging from sushi to New York-style deli sandwiches and classic fine-dining fare. Longtime Asheville favorite, Wicked Weed Brewing Pub has also debuted a new location next to Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center creating the perfect after-event center with its bright and bold design, over thirty different beers, and live music on weekends.
An easy drive from many of the largest cities in the Southeast, Harrah’s Cherokee provides the perfect blend of majestic mountainscapes, luxurious new accommodations, and authentic Native American culture.
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