Global Meetings Industry Day Spotlights Sector’s Economic Power Amid Uncertainty

On April 3, 2025, professionals worldwide will come together for Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID). This annual event highlights the economic and social impact of meetings, conferences, and business gatherings, especially at a time of rising political uncertainty.

The Events Industry Council values the global business events industry at $1.6 trillion.

In 2024, more than $126 billion in meeting and event-related travel spending took place in the U.S. This supported nearly 620,000 American jobs, according to U.S. Travel Association. 

GMID traces its roots back to the mid-1990s when a few members of Meeting Professionals International’s Greater Edmonton Chapter organized a Meeting Planners Day. That initiative grew into National Meetings Industry Day across Canada. In 2015, Meetings Mean Business and the Events Industry Council established North American Meetings Industry Day. The following year, they launched Global Meetings Industry Day as an international event.

Today, the GMID movement is centered around the U.S. Travel Association’s Meetings Mean Business Coalition, “an industry-wide coalition working to showcase the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities.” The body promotes GMID as a “global day of advocacy highlighting the powerful impact of meetings, trade shows, conferences and events on people, businesses and communities.”

What’s On During Global Meetings Industry Day? 

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is offering a free, 8-hour broadcast from 8 am to 4 pm CST. The broadcast will feature keynotes on AI, sustainability, sleep, contracts, RFPs, resilience, and cultural competency.

In addition, hourly updates on the state of the industry will be delivered by Amanda Armstrong, SVP at Encore; Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Rebecca DeLuca, VP of destination sales at LVCVA, Rob Adams, president of Bishop-McCann, and Valeria Serrano, CEO of CTA Event Designer & DMC.

In-Person Gatherings

The MPI St. Louis Area Chapter is offering an afternoon of education and networking at the Sheraton Westport Plaza on April 3 from 11:00 am to 2 pm CDT. 

GMID, The Revelry North End, Charlotte, NC, will be the site of a GMID event on April 3 from 11:30 am to 7 pm EDT on April 3. 

PCMA Capital Chapter is hosting a GMID event at Ronald Reagan Building at 3 pm EDT, followed by a networking reception at 5:30 pm. Naomi Clare Crellin, founder & CEO of Storycraft Lab, will be joined by  Joel E. Roberson, partner at Holland & Knight; Carter Dunham, VP of sales, Production Resource Group; and Nathaniel Holic, membership manager, Association for Fundraising Professionals.

“Navigating the Future of Events in a Changing World” is the focus of the PMCA Greater
Philadelphia Chapter’s GMID on Thursday from 12 pm to 6 pm EDT at Live! Casino & Hotel. 

A GMID event will be held in Denver at the Hospitality Learning Center, MSU Denver, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm MDT.