2024 Meet Minneapolis Annual Meeting

At its 2024 Annual Meeting at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Meet Minneapolis announced that it set a record in 2023 for most future group hotel rooms booked. Through the meeting theme of “Changing Perceptions. Positive Impact.,” the convention and visitors association highlighted the work it is doing to impact perceptions and visitor experiences, generate tax revenue for the City of Minneapolis, and directly support more than 33,000 tourism and hospitality workers.

In 2023, Meet Minneapolis brought more than 700 events to the Minneapolis region, welcomed nearly 713,000 people to the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) and helped increase hotel demand in the city by more than 15% year-over-year.

Meet Minneapolis Key Performance Indicators for 2023*

• Future Group Hotel Room Nights Booked: 579,000
  • • • Most ever in Meet Minneapolis history
• Minneapolis Convention Center Revenue Generated: $18.5 million
  • An increase of more than 14% compared to 2022
• Lodging Taxes Generated: $10.6 million
  • More than 20% higher compared to the previous year
• Partnership Businesses: 458
  • 70 new partner businesses were added in 2023

“In 2023, the impact that our industry had on our city was undeniable,” said Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant. “From marquee events translating into record-breaking hotel demand to marketing campaigns resulting in changed perceptions, the efforts of Meet Minneapolis and its partners positively benefited our community, especially in terms of the jobs and livelihoods impacted by our work. We know, however, that there is additional ground to gain to increase our city’s competitiveness in the marketplace.”

New Officers of the Meet Minneapolis Board of Directors

• Chair: Robert Lilligren (Native American Community Development Institute) – Former Minneapolis City Council Member, a citizen of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation, a third generation Minneapolis Urban Indian, and the first Indigenous individual to be board chair of the city’s tourism organization.
• Vice Chair: Tabitha Montgomery (Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Michael Clark (Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel – The Depot)

More 2023 Highlights

• In March, Meet Minneapolis launched a major leisure tourism campaign: “See What All the Fuss Is About.” It was designed to boldly and confidently tell the city’s story to people who used to travel to Minneapolis often – as well as those who are new to the destination. In September, Meet Minneapolis showcased a fall version of campaign to invite visitors to “take it all in” and encourage overnight stays in the city.
• Hotel records were broken on June 13 for the inaugural USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships for the 11-13 age divisions, which took place on June 14-17 at the MCC and during the June 23-25 weekend with an estimated 500,000 people visiting Minneapolis for Pride / Taylor Swift / Kiwanis International Convention. (Go here for more on the record-breaking weekend.)
• In late August, more than 2,500 people – including nearly 900 meeting and event planning professionals – gathered at the MCC for Connect Marketplace, a major convention in the events industry. Attendees were polled post-event and results showed a dramatic shift in perceptions about the city and likelihood of considering and/or booking a future event in Minneapolis.
• In 2023, Meet Minneapolis ran an awareness campaign highlighting the businesses and culture throughout the city’s seven designated Cultural Districts. The campaign delivered 10.6 million impressions with 41,000 clicks.
• The Meet Minneapolis website (www.minneapolis.org) set new website visitor records. The website gained more than three million sessions (a 14.3% YOY increase) where visitors learned more on where to visit, eat, drink, shop and be entertained in the city. There were also more than one million outbound clicks to local business websites.
• Meet Minneapolis social media channels also set a record and generated nearly 49.4 million impressions in 2023 (compared to 30.1 million in 2022) and over 261,800 post link clicks.

Future Tourism Initiatives

• Minneapolis Tourism Improvement District: Used in 200 communities and 21 states, this is a hotel-led initiative that would provide supplemental tourism funding. A task force of hotel general managers is working on the parameters for a Minneapolis TID. Additional steps within the hotel community are needed. If approved, city hotels would enlist Meet Minneapolis for additional sales and marketing efforts to drive even more tourism and overnight stays in Minneapolis.
• Destination Minneapolis: Charting the Future of Minneapolis Tourism: Meet Minneapolis is developing a strategic road map for the future by aligning the public, private and civic sectors around a shared tourism vision. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is chair of the board steering committee which is looking at what Minneapolis needs to remain competitive in the meetings, events, and visitor markets for the next 10 years and beyond.

To access the 2023 Meet Minneapolis Annual Impact Report, please go here.

The Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) is proud to announce the release of new standard industry safety signage, designed to promote consistency and enhance safety practices across the exhibition industry. These print-ready graphics are now available for free use by anyone in the industry and can even be co-branded for added customization.

Safety is of paramount importance in the exhibition industry, and standardizing safety signage plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe environment for all participants. The new signage, created by the ESCA Health and Safety Standards Committee, reflects ESCA’s commitment to industry-wide safety standards and practices.

Julie Kagy, Executive Director of ESCA, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “At ESCA, we are dedicated to advancing safety practices in the exhibition industry. By providing these standard safety signage graphics, we aim to promote consistency and elevate safety standards nationwide. This emphasis on standardization will help lower accidents, leading to stabilized costs by having labor operate under a common set of safety standards.”

ESCA extends its heartfelt gratitude to the ESCA Health and Safety Standards Committee for their diligent work in creating these essential safety resources. Their dedication to improving safety standards in the industry is commendable and reflects ESCA’s commitment to excellence.

Furthermore, ESCA acknowledges the invaluable support and encouragement of the Exhibitions Industry Collective, comprised of six key industry organizations, including the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance
(ECA), Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA), Experiential Designers & Producers Association (EDPA), International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO). Their collective endorsement of these safety signage tools underscores the collaborative spirit of the industry and reinforces the importance of unified efforts for the benefit of all.

For more information and to access the free standard industry safety signage graphics, please visit www.esca.org/resources/health-safety-resources.

Deadline to apply for the IAVM Venue Management School Internship is fast approaching!

Don’t miss the chance to embark on a hands-on learning experience and gain valuable insights into the world of venue management. The internship offers a unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting, working closely with industry professionals and contributing to the success of events.

This is your chance to step into the spotlight, learn from the best, and make a lasting impact on your career in venue management.

Criteria to apply – Candidates must be at least 21 years of age by Friday, June 7, 2024, and have a bachelor’s degree or be currently enrolled in a school of higher education. No late entries will be accepted. VMS 2024 will be held June 8-13, 2024, at the Saddlebrook Resort, near Tampa, Florida. Please note that interns will fly in Friday, June 7th and fly out Friday, June 14h. IAVM provides interns with up to $500 reimbursement for their travel expenses and will cover their room and board during the school.

Application Deadline: February 19, 2024

Click here to apply now!

IAVM’s Mentor Connector Program is an initiative aimed at fostering professional development, networking, and knowledge sharing within our community. Mentor Connector is design to empower individuals, facilitate learning, and drive career growth. Whether you are seeking guidance to navigate your career path or you have insights and experiences to share, we invite you to be part of this enriching journey.

Mentees:
If you are eager to learn from seasoned professionals, gain insights into your field, and expand your network, we encourage you to apply as a mentee. Our mentors come from diverse backgrounds and possess a wealth of knowledge that can help you navigate challenges, set career goals, and achieve success. Click here to learn more about becoming a Mentee!

Mentors:
If you are passionate about giving back to the community, sharing your expertise, and guiding the next generation of leaders, we invite you to join us as a mentor. Your experience, insights, and support can make a significant difference in the professional development of our mentees. Click here to learn more about becoming a Mentor!

We will carefully review all applications and pair mentors and mentees based on their goals, interests, and expertise. Once selected, participants will be notified and provided with further details about the program.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact Robin Covington, Member Care Manager at (972) 906-7441 or email robin.covington@iavm.org.