The U.S. Travel Association, which aims to increase travel to and within the U.S., announced it is enhancing its advocacy activities on behalf of the meetings, incentives and trade shows industries through the creation of a new board member council. The goal will be to build a proactive research, communications, government relations and promotion agenda.

The Meetings, Incentives and Trade Show Council (MIT) held its first strategy session on March 2. The group challenged U.S. Travel to become a powerful collective voice for the industry and build capabilities that add to the activities of other meetings-related associations.

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

The Council’s initial goals include:

     * 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; and

     * Expanding the U.S. Travel Political Action Committee to include significant contributions from the meetings, incentives and trade shows industry.

Christine Duffy

Citing the need to ensure meetings, incentives and trade shows are seen as an essential part of doing business, Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Maritz Travel and co-chair of the MIT Council said, “U.S. Travel is the only trade organization that brings together destinations and corporations and spans meetings, incentives and trade shows. 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.

“This requires that we have all hands on deck and be working in a coordinated way throughout the industry,” Duffy stressed.

Larry Luteran

“U.S. Travel demonstrated its unique ability to defend and promote our industry in Washington and beyond,” said Larry Luteran, senior vice president of group sales and industry relations for Hilton Worldwide and co-chair of the council. “Working with the best minds in the industry, this council will help to align industry-wide activities and ensure a better operating environment.”

U.S. Travel will develop a blueprint that clearly defines the industry’s short and long-term goals as well as hire an individual to manage the council and its initiatives on a daily basis.