My Twitter bud Greg Ruby pointed me to another Twitterer that was riffing on the impact of canceled meetings. Mike McAllen works in the meetings industry...so, he has an agenda. But, that also means he has working data that those outside the industry don't.
That's the problem with industry experts, the other side always discounts them as driven by self-interest. But, the other side doesn't have access to the data. So why does anyone listen to them? Nobody Trusts Nobody. And the Media only wants conflict.
But, that's beside the point. Mike has tweeted some interesting factoids as of late. Thoughts that (after confirming) would be great talking points for the meetings industry:
• The meeting
industry is larger than the automobile industry.
• Incentive trips are (provided to)...people...meeting sales incentives.
• This Country needs to
understand how corporate events bring money TO the economy. LOTS of
JOBS are lost each time an event is canceled!
• State Farm Insurance cancels a trip to Las Vegas. 11,000 rooms go unfilled.
Let's continue to gather the facts. This is our opportunity to define the conversation.
Bill-
I agree and thanks for noticing my tweets. I would love to gather more facts and data on the benefits of face to face meetings, events and try to educate the public on how these meetings are a good thing and how they infuse money into the economy.
Mike
www.MeetingsPodcast.com
www.GrassShackRoad.com
Posted by: mike mcallen | February 16, 2009 at 12:37
Mike...
You keep finding them and I'll keep posting 'em :)
Thanks!
Posted by: Bill Geist | February 16, 2009 at 12:53
Nothing wrong with self-interest. Any politician out there without? Did a re-tweet of this. The message needs to get outside our industry to the media at large.
Lack of coverage is another sign of pitiful lobby our industry has. 1,000 car jobs going south, the outcry is all over the media. 10,000 lost due to non-travel, who cares?
Posted by: Joe | February 16, 2009 at 14:34