VA Voice Newsletter

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

While doing a little research for this post I looked up “quotes about meetings,” and the results were a bit surprising…and negative! The overall perception appears to be that meetings are pointless, time-consuming and a waste of time. Clearly, these folks have never attended an MPI Virginia event! As a chapter and as an organization MPI has always driven the value of coming together to learn and network. Personally, my membership with this organization has always been something that I maintained for my professional and personal growth, and my employer has reaped the benefit of my education.

If you missed the Annual Education Conference – Nourish, you missed a truly great event! The education, food, and friendship were spot on! I can’t thank our sponsors enough for their generosity, and our speakers for sharing their experience.  Don’t be left out next month! Be sure to join us at the Graduate in Richmond, on September 16th.  Rita McClenny, President and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation will share The State of the Tourism Industry in Virginia, the ISA, and the World. We have had the pleasure of Rita presenting to our chapter in the past, and she always brings a high-level, insider view of the growth and sustainability of Virginia’s sixth-largest employer, tourism and travel.

FEATURED NEWS

How Do You Stay Motivated During
Uncertain Times?

As the event industry continues to face uncertainty, event producers shared the go-to destressing techniques and personal mantras that keep them optimistic and focused.

As the event industry once again faces uncertainty, we asked event producers how they're staying focused, motivated and optimistic. 

September Education
The State of the Tourism Industry in Virginia,
the USA, and the World
September 16, 2021

The Virginia Tourism Executive Team presents an in-depth dive into the current state and future projections for the tourism industry in different regions in Virginia, in the Mid-Atlantic, the USA, and the World along with updates on the COVID-19 recovery.

Learner Objectives:

1. Understand where we have come from, where we are currently and where the industry is projected to go in the coming years
2. Understand the current and future challenges and opportunities in tourism
3. Learn how to work together as an industry to achieve success

Rita D. McClenny
President and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation:

Rita D. McClenny serves as president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a state agency charged with marketing the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination and film location. The mission of VTC is to expand domestic and international inbound travel and motion picture production to generate revenue and employment in Virginia.

Tourism and film are instant revenue generators for Virginia. In 2019, tourism in Virginia generated $27 billion in revenue, supported 237,000 jobs, and over $1.8 billion in state and local taxes. The travel industry is the 6th largest employer in Virginia. In 2018, the total contribution of this industry to Virginia’s economy included 4,908 full-time equivalent jobs, $343.8 million in labor income, $813.4 million in economic output, and $102.3 million in total tax revenue (of which $32.9 million was a state and local tax revenue)

November Education
November 4, 2021
11:00 am - 1:30 pm
Virginia Beach, VA

Many conversations about meetings start with the logistics: “What are the dates? How many people? How many room nights?” However, some event professionals are missing the mark when it comes to setting goals for a truly successful event - one that will truly “WOW” the attendees (and client). In fact, research shows that only 4% of people meet their goals each year. Part of the issue may be that using an old, traditional approach to goal-setting often leads to mounting frustration and undue stress. In this interactive, high-energy session, Jan Spence will provide participants with a fresh, innovative perspective on how to develop a game plan to transition from being “just” another meeting supplier or planner to becoming an indispensable strategic partner to their event industry counterparts. Attendees will learn and implement her easy step-by-step process for effectively designing an event, from theme development to analyzing the event once it’s complete. Based on Jan’s extensive experience helping organizations, associations, and individuals explore their full potential, she will expose attendees to a different approach to goal-achieving to ensure all stakeholder expectations and requirements are met.

Learner Objectives

In this session, this clock-hour certified program will leave attendees ready to:

1. Develop a mission statement and integrated communications plan to align with the overall goals and objectives of the event.
2. Apply Jan’s proprietary “Target ABC” method of goal-setting.
3. Monitor and measure benchmarks stay on track with the established strategic plan

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Can you spare 1 hour of your time per month to make our chapter the best it can be? Do you want to develop your leadership skills and create lasting relationships with other industry professionals? VOLUNTEER! We have a variety of opportunities, and when you volunteer your time, our chapter gets credit. The more volunteers and volunteer hours we log, the more incentives we can offer to our members! So help us, help you!