Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10149
in the African-American community have been espousing for years – the power of the Black dollar is a force to be reckoned with. As part of this effort Ingraham advocates establishing a reservation system for meeting planners to target Black-owned hotels for meetings and conventions. The ink on the alliance agreement is still drying so feedback from Coalition membership is still coming in, but Beene- Venson believes members will gravitate in large numbers to Black-owned properties as they become more aware of those venues. One of Beene-Venson’s first priorities is to establish this pipeline of information to the Coalition membership. How that will be done is still to be determined. As many readers of this publication already know, typically during down economies such as the current recession, several destinations and venues at large make a concerted effort to attract the African-American meeting and convention business then fade away into the sunset once the general markets recov- er. While this may continue into the near future, having a pipeline to NABHOOD member properties and actually using these properties regardless of market conditions will provide an economic shot in the arm to Black-owned hotels. And redirect- ing dollars to friends will strengthen our collective bargaining power in dealing with those who only target our business when times get tough. Business priorities will still drive how meeting planners approach their task and represent their respective organiza- tions. In her capacity with the United Methodist Church Beene- Venson’s numerous meetings in any given year range in size from 12 to over 6,000, so diversity in the kinds of properties she and others seek is key to her success. “Some hotels have great room capacity and not enough meeting space and others have great meeting space and not so great room capacity. And that’s true whether those properties are Black-owned or otherwise,” explains Beene-Venson. But having a pipeline to available Black-owned properties will at a minimum allow NCBMP members to direct business where appropriate to those venues whether as a host hotel or a prop- erty that can handle the overflow. Education and employment was stressed over and over again by both parties to this alliance. Establishing a pipeline of opportunities for advancement can only benefit the industry as a whole. This is networking and coordination at its finest and should be pursued with all due diligence. This collaboration is so new that Beene-Venson believes her immediate goal is to share more of the vision of the strategic alliance opportunity with NCBMP membership not only to show what the Coalition leaders are doing, but more impor- tantly to hear from the membership on the best way to utilize this alliance and improve upon its promise of economic oppor- tunity for all. Strategic alliances at times are complicated and contentious, but this alliance seems like a no-brainer and if administered properly will be a win/win for all parties. Both parties are look- ing to create the cohesion necessary to ensure success and build wealth within our community. 56 Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com