The IMEX America trade show is about more than making business deals, it’s about supporting the travel industry, its people, and the communities it serves, a longtime events producer said.
Lenny Talarico, who spent many years as an executive for MGM Resorts International before starting his own events company, told a breakout seminar that “one of the best things about IMEX is how it brings people together.”
“People can network, engage and promote causes,” he said.
Talarico pointed to the Search Foundation, a 25-year-old nonprofit that assists special events, meetings, and catering professionals facing serious illness or a catastrophic occurrence. He said travel industry professionals understand the demands others in the business face and can appreciate the “industry people helping industry people” approach the foundation takes.
“When natural disasters happen, the foundation will help event professionals “take the first steps” in their recoveries,” he said, adding that many in the industry are small-business owners without large networks to fall back on.
Talarico also said the travel industry can help communities recover after natural disasters by returning to a market after a disaster in a way that assists the people there without overwhelming them.
He pointed to Maui, Hawaii, where tourists are beginning to come back following the devastating fires in August.
“A disaster doesn’t mean a destination is finished,” Talarico said, “but we need to ask, is it ready?”
“We need to set them up for success, which means balancing the number of visitors with the ability of the destination to provide them quality experiences,” he said.
Taliroco said IMEX America is a powerful platform for getting that message out because it attracts such a large, diverse turn out among people with shared understanding.
“IMEX America is a centralized location that provides industry people the opportunities to support the industry,” he said.
The post IMEX About Travel Industry Giving Back appeared first on Travel And Tour World.
The IMEX America trade show is about more than making business deals, it’s about supporting the travel industry, its people, and the communities it serves, a longtime events producer said. Lenny Talarico, who spent many years as an executive for …
The post IMEX About Travel Industry Giving Back appeared first on Travel And Tour World. Read More Travel And Tour World News Pick, TRAVEL EVENT NEWS, IMEX 2023, IMEX America, MGM Resort, Talarico