Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) is an international recognition of the positive social and economic benefits that meetings, trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, conventions and incentive travel programs bring to people, businesses and communities.

GMID is not just a day to celebrate…

• It’s an opportunity to raise awareness among federal decision makers about our industry’s long road to recovery
• It’s a reminder: Our hardest-hit businesses still require support and services
• It’s a call to action: Canada must market itself more aggressively on the world stage if it hopes to attract crucial international business events that will help sustain economic recovery

Here’s what MMBC is doing to advocate on behalf of
Canada’s business events industry

We’re engaging with Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, to reiterate the importance of the meetings industry to Canada’s economy, the issues we face and the support our industry still requires. Read our letter to Minister Boissonnault.

Media relations: Experienced PR agency TartanBond has been engaged to connect with national media outlets to help tell our industry’s important story. Read our media advisory.

Tourism Industry Association of Canada: We’re tapping into TIAC’s advocacy expertise and amplifying MMBC messaging through TIAC’s communication channels.

Tool kit: We’ve created a tool kit that industry members can use to promote awareness, including a GMID logo for Canada, social media graphics and more.

Promoting industry-hosted events and #LightingUpBlue: On March 30, industry associations across Canada will mark GMID by hosting educational events and encouraging their local convention centres, meeting venues, hotels and attractions to light in blue.

MMBC is promoting #LightingUpBlue on LinkedIn and Twitter. Be sure to tag MMBC in your posts.

Click here to register for an industry GMID event.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Here are just a few of the actions industry members can take to advocate on behalf of the business events industry:

Invite your local, provincial, territorial and federal political leaders to attend a GMID event.

Light Up Blue: Invite your destination convention centre(s), meeting venues, hotels and attractions to mark Global Meetings Industry Day by Lighting Up Blue on March 30. (Use any of the following blue hex codes: #164781, #2ebbe8, #3970b8, #6284c3, #7dcef3, #9ed7f5)

Use the hashtag #LightingUpBlue when posting on social media, and don’t forget to tag Meetings Mean Business Canada in your posts.

In early March, provide your local, provincial, territorial and federal political leaders with a Proclamation template to declare their support for the meetings industry. Share the completed and signed proclamation with us and we’ll post it on our website.

Send a letter directly to your Member of Parliament.

Pick up the phone and call your Member of Parliament. Click here to find your MP’s contact info.