Responding to one of the most challenging years ever faced by the meeting, convention and exhibition industries, the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) has joined eight other leading industry associations under the Convention Industry Council (CIC) to develop a unique grassroots industry effort to promote the benefits of meeting face-to-face.

The multi-faceted campaign, "FACE TIME. It Matters." encourages organizations in the meetings and events industry to roll out the logo, theme and related marketing tools on their Web sites, in trade partner and consumer advertising, and at their meetings, shows and events. "In addition to incorporating the 'FACE TIME. It Matters' message into our own meetings and communications, DMAI is encouraging all DMOs to incorporate the campaign into their meeting promotions and activities," said Michael D. Gehrisch, DMAI president and CEO.

"DMOs are uniquely positioned to help advance this grassroots effort," says Dan Fenton, DMAI Board Chair and CEO of Team San Jose. "By integrating the theme into our own meeting promotions, and educating planners on the positive impact face-to-face meetings have on the bottom line, we can heighten their awareness further and give them more ammunition to continue bringing these events to our destinations during challenging economic times. Fenton continued, "This campaign, driven by hard data from a national study, validates what DMOs have been saying for years, which allows us to take these efforts to the next level and communicate with a consistent, more powerful message."

The campaign is based on the findings of a recent national survey of corporate and association meeting planners, plus in-depth personal interviews with the industry's leading executives as well as focus groups consisting of corporate and association executives, business travelers and professional meeting planners. This research showed that live meetings build relationships, save time and money, as well as create jobs and power the economy. "DMAI and its members will utilize the Face Time message to promote the irreplaceable benefits of human interaction and relationship building that may only be realized only through face-to-face meetings," stated Gehrisch. We welcome your ideas! Feel free to contact us with comments and other ideas on how we can better articulate the value of meeting FACE to FACE and why It Matters!! Contact them at: cichq@conventionindustry.org