DUBAI — Heidi Welker, Meetings Mean Business Canada (MMBC) chair and SVP Business Development & Industry Partnerships, Freeman Audio Visual Canada, spoke at the 57th ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Congress today in Dubai.
In a session featuring Welker; past MMBC chair and president & CEO of Meeting Escrow Inc., Grant Snider; and Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, executive director, Business Events Canada, the group provided insight into why MMB was started in the U.S. followed by the licensing benefits the Canadian business-events industry realized in its efforts to be recognized as an important contributor to the Canadian economy.
The session also highlighted the success achievable through MMB’s advocacy, data, funding and educational efforts.
“I think success for business events is the same regardless of the country you live in. By example, for us in Canada, success means we have the resources and assets in place to effectively inform public policy and mobilize business-events-industry participants,” says Welker. “Success means that we become a unified source of curated data regarding the Business Events industry in Canada. And, finally, success means that we remain laser-focused on the importance of Business Events, face-to-face meetings that have tremendous economic, social and community-building benefits for Canada.”
