Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/16726
Publisher’s Message the hype, good or bad, that’s offered about destinations we are considering for our meet- ings and incentive programs, or to recom- mend to our leisure travel clients for their long awaited vacation getaways or weekend excursions. So it’s understandable that tourism repre- As sentatives in top destinations like Nashville, which was recently impacted by devastating floods, or Gulf Coast cities in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama that took a major hit from the British Petroleum oil spill disaster, are more than a little bit con- cerned that accurate and up-to-date information about conditions on the ground be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible. For starters, immediately after the flood waters sub- sided, Nashville government and tourism officials sprang into action, and as a result, the storied city hardly missed a beat, and has been up and running, with business prac- tically back to normal. So any fears you may have had about booking business into Nashville are without merit, and any thoughts you are having about pulling your meet- ing out of Music City should be squelched – the sooner the better. By taking your business elsewhere, not only will you and your group or travel clients miss one of the best travel experiences any destination has to offer, you will be penalizing the city’s front line hospitality and trav- el industry workers, many, if not most of whom are people of color. So do your homework, perform your due diligence, and contact folks like Connie Kinnard, senior vice president of Multicultural Sales & Development for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. She can give you the straight scoop on what’s happening in the city and what to expect when you get there. Even better, if possible, visit the city for yourself and make your own determination. I hospitality and travel industry professionals, we should know better than to believe all of can promise you, you will not be disappointed. And when it comes to the Gulf Coast, if half as much media attention focused on the work being done to lessen, and where possi- ble eliminate altogether any adverse effect the spill had on the tourism industry, as was given to those pointing fingers of blame, or the opportunists involved in all the vicious partisan politics and political posturing, busi- ness in the region would be in far better shape than it is at the moment. This is not to say that BP shouldn’t be held accountable for what appears to be irresponsible behavior bordering on the criminal for their part in the spill. But so much more could have been accomplished, in my opinion, by focusing on the enormous cleanup efforts that have been under way since day one, the quality of those beaches (which is most of them) that have not been effected substantially if at all, and the many resorts, attractions and historical points of interest that have remained open, offering the same superior amenities, service and experience that was available before the spill. As meeting planners and other industry professionals, we should come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in their time of need by bringing as much business to their destinations as possible, rather than jump ship, turn our backs on them, and take our meetings somewhere that we consider “safe.” Understandably you have the responsi- bility of looking out for the interests of your association’s members or those of your leisure travel clients. To do less would be inappropriate to say the least. But to blindly run in fear from a Nashville or a New Orleans because of the often slanted and misleading information being spouted by too many media outlets before checking the facts for yourself would be even more shameful. Solomon J. Herbert Publisher/Editor-In-Chief E-Mail: BMandTMag@aol.com Black Meetings & Tourism is published bi-monthly by SunGlo Enterprises, 20840 Chase St., Winnetka, CA 91306-1207 •Telephone: (818)709-0646/Fax: (818) 709-4753 Copyright 2010 by SunGlo Enterprises. All rights reserved. Single Copies, $6.00 Subscriptions $45.00. Postage Paid at Pasadena, CA. •Postmaster send address changes to Black Meetings & Tourism, 20840 Chase St., Winnetka, CA 91306-1207. 4 Black Meetings & Tourism July/August 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com