Thousands Sign 'Wall' in Support of Meetings Industry September 24, 2009
By Matt Alderton
Since April, a traveling wall has collected more than 5,000 signatures in support of the U.S. meetings industry, the wall's creators, hotel membership company Krisam Group and DMC partnership Global Event Partners, announced this week.
Known as "The Wall," the traveling structure currently consists of three 8-feet-by-16-feet panels that--when they're eventually combined--will span 48 feet in width.
The Wall, the goal of which is to educate politicians, media and the public about the economic value of face-to-face meetings, reads:
Dear Mr. President, It is a monumental time and we have a bold message for Washington... On the matter of meetings...meetings matter. Meetings are a part of the solution; not the problem.
Endorsed by Meeting Professionals International and the U.S. Travel Association, The Wall so far has appeared at seven meetings industry events, the most recent of which was the U.S. Travel Association's Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 17.
"It's never been more critical that our industry come together and speak with one voice to policymakers, to let them know that travel is part of the solution to our nation's economic woes and not the problem," said USTA President and CEO Roger Dow. "We were pleased to be able to showcase The Wall at our recent Travel Leadership Summit and to add hundreds of signatures in support."
With support from USTA and MPI, Krisam and Global Event Partners hope to bring The Wall back to Washington, D.C., later this year to present it to President Barack Obama and members of Congress.
Said Krisam President Jim Schultenover, "The stories of how so many have been affected by the negative rhetoric towards our industry is compelling and drives us to push even harder to get our message out through vehicles like The Wall."
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