Monthly Archives: August 2020

Malaysia Business Events Industry Commits to a Safe Event Environment

Industry bodies and government sectors engage to ensure effective compliance and adherence to Business Events (BE) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Business Events Council Malaysia (BECM) and Malaysia Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) with the support of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) brought together Malaysia’s venue operators to engage with the Government on thorough monitoring and reporting as well as correct implementation and enforcement of the industry Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Present at the co-ordination meeting were Y.Bhg. Datin Sri Norfaliza, Head of Covid-19 Unit, Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture (MOTAC), Dr. Zulhizzam Hj. Abdullah, Deputy Director, Public Health Development Division, Ministry of Health (MOH), En. Hamzah b Ishak, Director of Crisis Management and National Intelligence, National Security Council (NSC), and Senior Assistant Commissioner M.V. Srikumar a/l Madhavan Nair, Department of Homeland Security & Public Safety (KDNKA), Royal Malaysia Police to share insights with the industry players on compliance and implementation of the SOPs.

“We are appreciative of this engagement with the government to help the industry implement effective measures to enforce adherence to SOPs. We would also like to acknowledge and thank Y.Bhg. Datin Sri Norfaliza who played an instrumental role in elevating our SOPs for consideration and endorsement. It is absolutely crucial for all industry players to commit to ensuring that in all stages of an event, from planning to execution to post event contract tracing, SOPs are strictly and ethically implemented and enforced. This will help the industry to instil confidence in the public and government that it is indeed possible to conduct events in a controlled, safe and secured environment,” said Alan Pryor, Chairman, BECM.

Besides emphasising on the importance of adherence to the SOPs, the engagement session also shed light on the Government’s support to the industry. Large Event Organisers were encouraged to liaise with the MOH and the Malaysia Royal Police in the planning phase of any large scale event to ensure a smooth and safe execution while the Industry itself was urged to reach out to all players, big and small, in the supply chain and to provide feedback through MyCEB on any challenges or problems faced in the implementation of the SOPs and to ensure they have access to the SOPs to ensure correct implementation.

BE industry supply chain is directly affected by no less than six SOPs covering the various activities that take place in differing facilities ranging from hotels and shopping malls to convention and exhibition centres and from special and government events to meetings, conventions and trade shows. The highest benchmark for each category was consolidated by BECM and MACEOS which culminated in the launch of the consolidated BE Guidelines late July. “The venue sector has to take the lead in ensuring conformity to the SOPs and it is imperative to ensure event organisers have ‘covered’ all the requirements in their pre-event planning. The execution in adhering to the SOPs is therefore a joint responsibility. Our primary objective is to demonstrate that events and exhibitions can and are being held in a controlled, secure and safe environment. For this, MyCEB, BECM and MACEOS will enforce strict self-regulation to ensure the BE industry can continue to operate in the new normal,” said Dato’ Sri Abdul Khani bin Daud, Chief Executive Officer of MyCEB.

“We urge all MACEOS members and other BE industry players to collaborate and adhere to the approved guidelines and SOPs.  With venue operators taking the lead to implement the best SOP practices, event organisers will be able to abide by the requirements when executing their events in accordance to the standards of our Ministry of Health”, said Dato’ Vincent Lim, President, MACEOS.

Travel bubbles and cross border travel were also discussed and it was emphasized that these developments are highly dependent on the developing trends around the spread and containment of Covid-19 around the region and the world, as the prevention and control of the pandemic remain the most important priority, as such, virtual participation continues to be an integral option in all types of business events.

PlanetIMEX Evolves With a Splash of Fun

The IMEX Group’s virtual experience returns 12 – 16 October

Business event professionals can dive into a full week of learning, networking and a splash of fun when PlanetIMEX returns on 12 – 16 October.  The playful interactive experience, launched by the IMEX Group in May, has been redesigned with a whole new look and feel, plus new functionality and features inspired by audience feedback following the launch edition.

Renowned explorer brings the outdoors online 

The October edition of PlanetIMEX offers a full week of creative content with a series of headliners delivering education sessions across two days: 

  • Monday 12 October: PlanetIMEX launches with a full day of creative virtual experiences. Ever wanted to improve your knowledge of wines, take a dance class or try your hand at cooking a new dish? This is a day for exploring, being curious and meeting new people who share the same values.
  • Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 October: Two days of engaging education delivered by experts from around the planet. A series of headliners share their own experiences to shed light on new ways of working, connecting and experiencing the world.  Primary will be explorer, author and photographer Daniel Fox. Fox is an ambassador for LEXUS, ARC’TERYX, SANDISK, and MANFROTTO and has been described as a “modern Henry David Thoreau with the eye of an Ansel Adams”.  Expanding on Nature, IMEX’s Talking Point for 2020 and 2021, the aptly-named Fox will demonstrate how nature has the power to transform both the individual and collective human experience. He explains: “Nature is resilient and a source of priceless teachings. It reminds us that life is not about us, and that there is something far bigger.”
  • Thursday 15 October: A day of specialist education, designed so that event professionals from various disciplines can delve deeper into bespoke learning and dialogue. The Association Leadership Forum is created by ASAE for association leadership, the Executive Meeting Forum is for corporate executives and the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum is for budding event professionals
  • Friday 16 October: PlanetIMEX week is rounded off on with Community Day, an opportunity for connections and content from a range of IMEX Group’s association and other partners including MPI, Site and EventMB.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “We’ve evolved PlanetIMEX so that it continues to deliver really strong content – information that’s vital for the here and now – along with an element of surprise. PlanetIMEX has a whole new look and feel this time around and we can’t wait for business event and meetings industry professionals to dive into our wonderful new world.”

PlanetIMEX returns 12 – 16 October – www.planetimex.com

2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition Breaks Event Registration Record

The 2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition had the highest registration number in the 100-year history of the event. With 14,108 association professionals, consultants, and industry partners registered for the meeting taking place August 10-12, 2020, with 71 percent of those being first-time attendees. Participants were inspired by three engaging keynote speakers and participated in more than 92 education sessions, five Game Changers, and explored 57 virtual exhibit booths representing technology, business, hospitality, and meeting services.

The final attendance breakdown included: 12,813 executives, 544 exhibitors, 207 industry partners, 433 consultants, and 111 others including press, vendors, and staff. The ratio of buyer to sellers was 95 percent buyers to 5 percent sellers.

“I am proud to lead an organization which, even during unpredictable times of change and uncertainty, can provide a much needed space for the association community to come together, share ideas, and have critical conversations that will guide associations to future success,” said Susan Robertson, CAE, ASAE President and CEO. “Throughout the last year of ASAE’s Centennial celebrations we looked back at the lasting impact associations have had on society over the last 100 years. If the overwhelming response to the 2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting is any indication, we can expect the association community to act when called upon, starting with COVID-19 response and legislation, along with the fight for racial equality. I hope the theme of Virtual Annual Meeting will inspire other associations to ‘Make Your Mark’ in this next chapter of history.”

COVID-19 is impacting the association community at all levels. When determining the pricing structure for the event, ASAE considered the potential effect on individuals’ economic ability to participate in professional development programs like the Annual Meeting. The decision to offer a free or discounted virtual experience allowed over 10,000 individuals, who had previously not been able to attend due to travel or budget restrictions, the opportunity to participate for the first time.

Throughout the event attendees shared that the price point and virtual setting made the content, and connections with fellow association professionals, accessible to them for the first time. Another benefit of the virtual event attendees took advantage of was the on-demand session recordings. Many commented that unlike the in-person experience, they were not forced to choose between sessions as they could go back to view sessions taking place in overlapping time slots, or re-watch those that they found of particular interest.

On Monday, Leon Logothetis, Global adventurer, motivational speaker, philanthropist, and author/creator of book and Netflix show, The Kindness Diaries, set the tone for the meeting with his opening keynote presentation about using kindness to find the good in others and individually. He used excerpts from his adventures traveling the globe on a yellow motorcycle to encourage attendees to stop leaving their kindness at the door as they walk into work, but instead bring it to the forefront in order to achieve goals, and create a ripple effect of kindness that will touch all areas of their organizations and beyond.

Shiza Shahid, Co-Founder of Our Place, Founder of NowVentures, and Co-Founder & Founding CEO of the Malala Fund, began the second day of the meeting with a keynote that offered attendees a glimpse into how growing up as a female in Pakistan laid the foundation for how she approached her role as a leader in uncertain times. Shahid called attendees and the organizations they represent the guardians of civilization and implored them to choose to be guided by hope, and not fear, to have the greatest impact on society.

The event’s closing keynote speaker, Duncan Wardle, former head of innovation for Disney, shared insights on how to innovate during a time of crisis. Wardle began by stating that diversity is innovation. If someone doesn’t look like you, they don’t think like you, and they can help you think differently. In addition to highlighting the importance of diversity, he shared a list of tools to encourage creativity and innovation among teams. This included scheduling time to talk through successful ideas inside and outside of your industry with your colleagues once a week. Not having time is the biggest barrier to innovation, and when you dedicate time, creativity and innovation will follow.

Next year’s ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition will be held in Dallas, Texas, August 14-17, 2021, at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center.

ASAE thanks the following Alliance Partners for their continued support of the association community:

Strategic Partners
Atlanta CVB
Destination Canada Business Events
Choose Chicago
Experience Columbus
Community Brands
Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
Naylor Association Solutions
Discover Puerto Rico

Corporate Partners
Visit Austin
Caesars Entertainment
Destination Cleveland
Visit Dallas
DelCor Technology Solutions
Fonteva
Louisville Tourism
Visit Omaha
Travel Portland
Visit Salt Lake
Visit San Jose

Event Partners
IMIS by Advanced Solutions International

Bostrom
CliftonLarsonAllen
Experient
Higher Logic
Manifest

Maritz Global Events

Mighty Citizen
MemberClicks
OpenWater
Discover the Palm Beaches

Global Partners
Dubai Association Centre
Korea Tourism Organization
Singapore Tourism Board

Winner of IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award Announced

“A unique and innovative approach to driving sustainability through competition – and with potential beyond the industry.” This is what judges had to say about the winning entry to the IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award.

The Award was given to GDS-Index, the world’s leading benchmarking and performance improvement programme for business tourism and events destinations. The judges scored the programme highly for collaboration and commitment to continuous improvement. The GDS-Index produces a performance improvement report for each destination it surveys as well as sharing best practice through whitepapers. The vision of the GDS-Index is to engage, inspire and enable destinations to become more regenerative and sustainable places to visit, meet and thrive in, and it has grown – now implemented in 58 cities around the world.

The IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award is presented annually by IMEX Group and the Events Industry Council. It was independently judged by Amy Spatrisano, President, AZano; Chance Thompson, ASM Global, Salt Palace Convention Center – Senior Manager, Sustainability and Public Relations / Green Team Committee Chairperson; Courtney Lohmann, CMP, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at PRA Business Events; Jan Peter Bergkvist from sustainable business advisors SleepWell and Roger Simons, Associate Director of Sustainability at Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd. Guy Bigwood, Managing Director of GDS-Movement, was scheduled to receive the Award at IMEX in Frankfurt earlier this year, but he will now be honoured at the Gala dinner at next year’s show in May 2021. 

“The IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Awards are the Oscars of the Sustainable Event world,” Guy says. “It’s a real honour to receive this recognition for all the amazing work that the team, the partners and all the destinations have been doing over the last four years. Together we have catalysed change and are extremely proud of the work we are doing inspiring and enabling DMOs to create more resilient, sustainable and regenerative destinations to visit, meet in and live in.”

Guy is an expert in the circular economy and is leading IMEX’s current ‘NATURE’ research project, which is exclusively sponsored by Marriott International. He is set to discuss his findings as part of a panel session on PlanetIMEX  during its October edition, taking place 12 – 16 October.


ASAE Installs New Officers and Directors for Fiscal Year 2021 to Begin September 1st

New officers and directors for the ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation Board of Directors were installed during ASAE’s Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition held August 10-12.

The ASAE Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2021 was selected by ASAE’s Leadership Committee in June and is carefully assembled to be representative of the organization’s membership profile and diversity – including geography, size, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, skill sets and areas of expertise.

ASAE’s officers for the fiscal year that begins Sept. 1 include Chair Stephen J. Caldeira, president and CEO, Household & Commercial Products Association; Chair-Elect/Chair of ASAE Research Foundation Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, IOM, CAE, president and CEO, National Association of Chain Drug Stores; Secretary-Treasurer Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, president and CEO, National Institute of Building Sciences; and Immediate Past Chair Patricia V. Blake, FASAE, CAE, CEO, Heart Rhythm Society.

Caldeira addressed more than 13,000 members of the association community on the second day of the ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting, noting the challenges and opportunities facing ASAE in a year when in-person meetings have ground to a halt due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Chair and you have my steadfast commitment that ASAE will continue to stay focused on strengthening the value proposition for its members,” Caldeira said. “This is how ASAE will build upon its proud and rich, 100-year legacy—by helping its members to successfully navigate through an increasingly complex public health, political, economic, and social climate in the months and years ahead.”

ASAE priorities for the year ahead include completing and implementing a new strategic plan, creatively helping association leaders grow and connect via a multitude of learning programs and platforms, playing an active role in critical conversations around racial inequality and injustice and pursuing a vigorous advocacy agenda on behalf of the entire association community.

“ASAE has redoubled its advocacy efforts on behalf of associations,” Caldeira said. “We are asking Congress to expand eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program to (c)(6) associations and reauthorize PPP until at least December 31. We are also asking Congress to pass the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2020. This bill would establish a system of shared public and private compensation for business interruption losses and event cancellations resulting from future pandemics or public health emergencies. As associations that depend upon in-person meetings and events we (and our members) need access to this kind of insurance. And we’re advocating for the Skills Renewal Act, which would provide Americans who have been laid-off or furloughed due to COVID-19 a $4,000 tax credit to pursue post-secondary skills training and career development. If amended, Americans could use the credit to pursue and obtain industry certifications and other professional credentials.”

The following individuals were also officially installed on the FY21 Boards during ASAE’s Virtual Annual Meeting this week. All “At Large” Directors are ASAE Board members and two of the four will also serve on the ASAE Research Foundation Board.

Directors “At Large” (three-year term)

Scott Beck, FOFD
President and CEO
Tourism Toronto
Toronto, ON
(ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation)

Jay Karen, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
National Golf Course Owners Association
Charleston, SC
(ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation)

Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, CAE
CEO
American College of Nurse-Midwives
Silver Spring, MD
(ASAE)

Lynne Thomas Gordon, CAE
CEO
American Association of Orthodontists
St. Louis, MO
(ASAE)

Irving Washington, FASAE, CAE
Executive Director/CEO
Online News Association
Washington, DC
(ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation)

MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Precker, CAE, lprecker@asaecenter.org, 202-626-2735.

About ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
ASAE is celebrating 100 years of making society smarter, better and safer. The Centennial anniversary represents ASAE’s role as a leader and supporter of progress and innovation in the association industry.  ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners representing over 7,000 organizations. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at asaecenter.org.                                                                  

In Anchorage, the Best Things Always Return

Anchorage is known for its larger-than-life landscapes and cyclical natural splendor — from teeming summer salmon runs to the winter northern lights. Now the city’s vibrant hospitality sector is taking Alaska-sized steps to keep it all safe and open for business.

Convention centers are protected by VenueShield, an industry-leading set of safety and sanitation protocols. Local hotels follow enhanced cleaning programs, and meeting venues offer spacious new room layouts. New outdoor dining areas and pedestrian-only zones give guests more space to keep a social distance while enjoying the city. Proactive measures like pre-travel testing requirements and mandatory facemask use in indoor public spaces further help protect community health, bolstering visitor confidence.

These new practices and procedures help keep the city safe for guests looking to experience the timeless wonder that makes Alaska so unique: the snow-capped mountain peaks, the long summer days, and the beluga whales riding the tide up Turnagain Arm. In Anchorage, the best things always return — and when the time comes to gather again, Anchorage awaits.

ASAE Research Foundation Releases Multi-Year Centennial Research Report

The ASAE Research Foundation released the results of its multi-year Centennial Research Initiative entitled, Impact Every Day, to coincide with the 2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition. This innovative and forward-thinking report delivers research-based evidence supporting the Power of A message: society is better, safer, and smarter because of the work of associations.  

“As we come to the close of our Centennial celebrations, Impact Every Day provides a comprehensive look at the work associations and nonprofits have achieved, and delivers a road map to help guide our industry through a future that is evolving faster than anyone could have anticipated,” said Susan Robertson, CAE, ASAE President and CEO.  “ASAE, through the work of the ASAE Research Foundation, has long held a position in the association community as the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession. The Impact Every Day report demonstrates the importance of that mission.” 

Research for the report was gathered via case-studies, surveys, and interviews. The case studies represent a cross section of the association community, while the survey data reflects the perspectives of members, non-members, association professionals, and outside stakeholders. Interview participants, industry leaders from outside of the association space, provided perspectives on multiple areas of association practices, including past contributions to society, how best to prepare the industry to face future challenges, and the efforts being taken to foster transformative thinking throughout the association community.  

“Collaboration was key to the development of this ground-breaking research. We could not have produced such a comprehensive report without the support of our volunteer advisory committee who ensured continuous alignment of the research to our guiding principles and goals. I would also like to thank the teams at Westat and McKinley Advisors who spearheaded the data collection, analysis, and interpretation for all phases of research. Finally, thank you to Social Driver, for their help in developing a strategic plan designed to connect with our external audiences,” said Sharon E. Moss, Ph.D., CAE, President, ASAE Research Foundation.  

A sample of the findings show survey respondents overwhelmingly agree that associations have enabled them to contribute to society in their respective fields. Additionally, their expectations for associations to assist in shaping future industry progress and productivity is extremely high.  Finally, interviews with external stakeholders revealed a perception that the largest contributions of associations have been in education, and that they would like to see organizations invest more effort in other areas, particularly workforce development. 

Attendees of the 2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition are encouraged to attend the two Impact Every Day focused education sessions. During these sessions, representatives from organizations that participated in the case study portion of the research will share their stories. Additional research content will be available in the virtual ASAE Research Foundation Lounge. To further explore the research findings and case studies, please visit the ASAE Research Foundation. The full report will be available for download in Fall 2020. 

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is Here for You!

The Centre unveils comprehensive offerings to benefit clients in the new normal

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre), Malaysia’s premier progressive event venue, reveals a complete line-up of comprehensive initiatives and solutions which are designed to attract and better service business events clients in the new normal, under their engagement programme ‘We are here for you’.

The ‘We are here for You’ Engagement Programme encompasses four key pillars; ‘We Care’ which provides a safe and secure, controlled and regulated environment for business events; ‘We are Flexible’ that highlights the Centre’s adaptable partnership approach and willingness to work with clients to achieve mutually successful outcomes and deliver the best event solutions. ‘We Listen’ which utilises the Centre’s strong track record, expertise and knowledge to customise solutions to suit specific client needs perfectly; and ‘We are Supportive’ which focuses on the venue’s commitment to professional development of the industry supply chain and its engagement and advocacy initiatives to advance the promotion, growth and development of Malaysia’s business events industry.

The Centre has launched a combination of initiatives aligned to its ‘We are here for you’ Engagement Programme designed to support business recovery and continuity. These include its new digital solutions under the banner of ‘STAY CONNECTED’, a brand new website, and comprehensive Health & Hygiene Guidelines in line with stringent adherence to Government approved Standard Operating Procedures.

According to the Centre’s General Manager, Alan Pryor, “We have recognised that the environment for business events has been totally transformed by Covid-19 and this provided the motivation and inspiration to put our client’s needs at the forefront of our initiatives and to demonstrate our support, passion and commitment to our industry and its sustainability. We wanted our clients to know we are behind them and ready to support them and provide more choice which will help build confidence and give assurance as they navigate business events both at the Centre and in the new normal.”

Elaborating on the ‘STAY CONNECTED’ solution, Pryor added, “Our digital solutions have been designed to enable business continuity in running meetings and events, and help organisers increase engagement and connect with audiences. Our information technology (IT) and audio-visual (AV) capabilities, dedicated in-house IT team and strong partnerships with internet service providers (ISPs) and technology vendors, allows us to seamlessly deliver digital solutions for events of any size and scale, securely and reliably. This will ensure clients can execute hybrid and virtual events with peace of mind, providing their participants with rewarding and memorable experiences.”

The Centre’s newly launched Website offers many exciting and innovative features to provide a more vibrant and engaging journey to all visitors whether they want to plan an event or visit the Centre. The website is first in Malaysia to have a concierge AI chatbot (named Skye) that has been designed to integrate directly with website content, delivering better overall user experience both for visitors and planners. It also encompasses interactive floor plans and incorporates ‘Visual Story Telling’ techniques to deliver a more immersive experience for visitors.

Dedicated collaterals have been developed to help guide organisers and participants on what to expect in the new normal including a dedicated attendee video providing an overview of its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in regards to venue check-in, event check-in and safety measures, so that event attendees are aware and prepared in advance of the Centre’s health and hygiene procedures, in line with the approved Malaysian National Security Council (MKN) SOPs.

In line with the ‘We are Supportive’ pillar, the Centre has been heavily involved in a variety of activities to help in the promotion, growth and development of Malaysia’s business events industry. These have included the recent sponsorship of the Business Events Council Malaysia (BECM) and Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) launch of the ‘BE-READY’ initiative; and support for the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) WebEDGE initiative, which will help enhance the professionalism of Malaysia industry supply chain. The Centre has also been working with Informa Markets to create educational video content demonstrating how exhibition SOPs would be implemented in the new normal.

Pryor concluded, “All our initiatives under each pillar of our “We are here for You” Engagement Programme demonstrate our passion for what we do and we are thankful and happy that we are back to business again. We want to reiterate to clients and the industry supply chain that we are operating, we have done our homework, we are safe and we are ready to execute any type of event.” For all the latest news on the Centre, visit www.klccconventioncentre.com or follow on social media (Facebook – @klccconventioncentre, LinkedIn – Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Twitter – @klccconvention and Instagram – @klccconventioncentre).

PCMA Foundation’s Accelerating Reskilling Is the Way to A Successful Recovery

The Accelerated Reskilling Campaign Launches with the Goal of Helping 1000 Events Professionals

The PCMA Foundation launches the Accelerating Reskilling Initiative, a vital campaign to help the business events industry professionals, profoundly impacted due to Covid-19, recover and thrive. The impact of the pandemic and resulting economic crises will reshape the skills needed for those in the events industry to be successful. In recognition of this need, The PCMA Foundation has stepped up to help business event professionals, their supplier business partners, and supporting communities everywhere recover.

Accelerating Reskilling, a PCMA Foundation fundraising campaign anchoring PCMA’s Recovery Discovery initiative, has a goal to raise $250,000 by the end of 2020 to support the immediate reskilling of 1000 business events professionals, with the vital new skills they need for industry recovery and beyond.

“Together as a community, we can bring these educational opportunities to our industry. The events industry has always been generous when a need has arisen, this time is no exception. We cannot do this alone; it will take all of us working together, towards one goal, for our industry to recover,” Valerie Sumner, PCMA Foundation Chair said. “We know funds are short for many of us, even the smallest contribution has tremendous reach. Through the efforts of our community, we can accelerate recovery for our entire industry.”

ABOUT THE PCMA FOUNDATION
The role of the Foundation of PCMA is to support the mission of PCMA through fundraising and grant-giving focused on scholarships, education, and research that will advance the business events industry. Annually the Foundation funds over $600K in impact, and since 1985 has funded over 1,600 scholarships, 100 research studies and education programs, and $2.5M in charitable giving.

ABOUT RECOVERY DISCOVERY
PCMA’s Recovery Discovery is an ongoing campaign of research, reskilling,
event experimentation, and education to help our members and global
stakeholders navigate their businesses and careers to a place where business events professionals, organizations, brands and communities will thrive through the pandemic and beyond. This plan has three core elements as recommended in PCMA’s Business Event’s Compass Reporting service;
participant engagement, business models, and reskilling. The Accelerating
Reskilling Campaign is another key step along this journey towards recovery.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Company: Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
Press Contact: Jacqueline Thomas
Email: Jthomas@PCMA.org
Phone: 1 (312) 423-7276
Website: https://www.pcma.org/

Visit Britain Updates

Currently, US travelers are still required to quarantine upon arrival to the UK, however these decisions are being re-evaluated regularly. For the most current information on travel updates and restrictions to the UK, please continue to visit gov.uk.

The US is an incredibly important market for the UK, its largest and most valuable inbound visitor market, with our tourism businesses welcoming millions of US visitors every year.

Our job right now, while Americans dream of future travels, is to ensure that every aspect of the tourism industry is as safe as possible and ready to go for your return.

Since the start of the British tourism industry reopening last month, we’ve seen Britain come back to life – even if we can only admire from afar.

With major attractions opening their doors, such as the Tower of London, London Eye, and the National Gallery (did you hear? the Duchess of Cornwall paid her first visit back just last week!), our industry mark, We’re Good To Go, has served as a ring of confidence for both businesses and guests during this time. Over 30,000 businesses have joined the scheme – and that number continues to rise. When Americans are able to travel to Britain once again, our tourism industry will be ready to welcome you with open (and clean) arms!