In order to enhance its advocacy efforts on behalf of the meetings industry, the U.S. Travel Association has created a new board member council that will build a proactive meetings research, communications, government relations and promotion agenda, it announced yesterday.

"The critical meetings, incentives and trade shows industries need a collective voice and U.S. Travel is excited to build on its 2009 successes," U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said in a statement. "We will strive to ensure that the attacks of 2009 never again take place and that the value of this industry is finally understood."

Called the Meetings, Incentives and Trade Show (MIT) Council, the U.S. Travel Association's new group held its first strategy session on March 2, during which it outlined the following initial goals:

• Establishing the value of meetings, incentives and trade shows in the minds of opinion leaders, policymakers and business leaders.
• Driving a proactive legislative agenda that increases domestic meetings, incentives and trade show activity.
• Creating new industry advocates and allies.
• Expanding the U.S. Travel Political Action Committee to include significant contributions from the meetings, incentives and trade show industry.

"U.S. Travel is the only trade organization that brings together destinations and corporations and spans meetings, incentives and trade shows," said MIT Council Co-Chair Christine Duffy, CEO of Maritz Travel. "We're now positioned to take advantage of U.S. Travel's unique research, communications and legislative capabilities to further promote the value of our industry. The pressing need to ensure meetings, incentives and trade shows are seen as an essential part of doing business requires that we have all hands on deck and be working in a coordinated way throughout the industry."

Along with Duffy, MIT Council members include: co-chair Larry Luteran of Hilton Worldwide, George Aguel of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Fay Beauchine of Carlson Marketing Worldwide, Richard Harper of MGM Mirage, Steve Heitzner of Marriott International, Ty Helms of Hyatt Hotels Corp., Susan Helstab of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Christie Hicks of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Tom Mahoney of ITA Group Inc., Mike Massari of Harrah's Entertainment, Steve Moore of the Greater Phoenix CVB, Tim Roby of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, Gary Sain of the Orlando/Orange County CVB and Jeff Senior of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

"U.S. Travel demonstrated its unique ability to defend and promote our industry in Washington and beyond," said Luteran, senior vice president of group sales and industry relations for Hilton Worldwide. "Working with the best minds in the industry, this council will help to align industry-wide activities and ensure a better operating environment." This page is protected by Copyright laws. Do Not Copy