GMID’s 2025 celebration showed just how much the meetings and events industry shaped the world
On Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) 2025, April 3rd, the industry celebrated with a global movement highlighting the impact of meetings, trade shows, conferences, and events, featuring events, open houses, and advocacy efforts across six continents.
When a group of meeting professionals in Edmonton, Canada, came up with the idea to have a day devoted to the profession in the mid 1990s, little did they know their gathering would be the genesis of what is now known as Global Meetings Industry Day.
FURTHER READING: EVENT HORIZON
Meetings and events are essential drivers of economic growth and innovation. In 2024, more than $126 billion in meeting and event-related travel spending took place in the U.S., directly supporting nearly 620,000 American jobs.
Beyond business, meetings and events help drive travel, acting as an indispensable source of visitor spending in many destinations. Hosting an event, convention or trade show stimulates local economies by attracting visitors who stay in hotels, dine in restaurants, shop in stores and bring new revenue to the community.
Whether it’s a conference that sparks new partnerships or a trade show that introduces the latest innovations, meetings deliver value that extends far beyond the event itself.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the ways GMID was celebrated this year:
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Broadcast: MPI offered an 8-hour free broadcast from 8 am to 4 pm CST, featuring keynotes on AI, sustainability, sleep, contracts, RFPs, resilience, and cultural competency.
U.S. Travel Association Toolkit: U.S. Travel Association provided a toolkit with key messages, graphics, and social media posts to amplify the message that “#MeetingsMatter”.
PCMA Events: PCMA hosted events, including a 50/50 raffle to support Future Business Leaders of America and a session on navigating the future of events.
Global Events: Venues, associations, convention bureaux, and global meetings professionals hosted open houses, lit up buildings in blue, and published economic data on the industry’s impact.
Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID): was an international day of advocacy showcasing the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions brought to people, businesses and communities.
SITE Global: hosted a virtual event with a live broadcast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. US Central Time.
Cvent: hosted an event in Charlotte, NC, celebrating the economic impact of events.
MPI Chapters: shared updates each hour during the MPI broadcast.
Hourly State of the Industry Snapshots: were delivered by industry leaders like Amanda Armstrong, Geoff Freeman, Rebecca DeLuca, Rob Adams, and Valeria Serrano.
Supplier EXPO: offered a unique opportunity to connect with industry suppliers and learn about the latest products, services, and sustainable efforts.
Roundtable Discussions: focused on different topics impacting event professionals.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
