Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/105245
ICI•pg_14-22__BMT_pg3-58 1/22/13 2:21 AM Page 21 WHY HAVEN'T AFRICAN-AMERICANS I MADE MORE PROGRESS IN THE M E ETI N G/TOU R ISM/TR AVE L I N DUSTRY? awoke on February 28, 2012 to a cool, crisp morning with not a cloud in the sky. I pulled back the curtains to my 15th floor hotel room and felt a sense of awe as I sat frozen starring at the Washington Monument off in the distance. At street level I witnessed joggers in various forms of dress out for their daily exercise just as the sun peaked over the eastern horizon. This was it; I had arrived. Nothing could replace the awesome power and sense of belonging I felt than a trip to Washington DC to discuss how to propel America forward as a top international tourist destination. The United States had dropped the ball for way too long as regards to promoting America as a travel destination. Since 9/11 our loss of market share cost the U.S. economy billions. We allowed our arrogance on the one hand and fear on the other drive us underground, but all of that was about to be corrected. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Travel Promotion Act. The Act established a public/private partnership that became known as BrandUSA. I was selected to be on the Marketing Advisory Committee. I felt honored to be trusted with such an important role and correct this egregious error in judgment. Today was our first faceto-face meeting. That morning I dressed quickly. I had a spring in my step as I scurried down to the lobby for breakfast and a quick five-minute cab ride to the meeting site. There would be approximately 60 people in attendance that day from all over the country representing destinations, hotels and just about any entity that had an interest in travel and tourism. Finally the clock struck 9am and we were shepherded from the lobby into the meeting room for all day presentations and discussions. That was to be followed by dinner later that evening at one of Washington's best steak houses. As I took my seat near the front of the room, I couldn't help but notice the jovial mood of the group. It was like the first day of a family reunion – lots of hugs and comments such as "the last time I saw you…" Once the euphoria subsided a stillness settled over the room as we prepared to listen to our first presentation. The pause gave me a moment to take stock of my situation. The light bulb in my over-stimulated brain finally brightened enough for me to realize I was the only person of color sitting in the room. Surely, BY MICHAEL BENNETT there must be other African-Americans on this board. Maybe they just had a scheduling conflict and couldn't attend. I have spent so much of my professional career as the "only" this obvious oversight on my part went unnoticed for a moment. Certainly, promoting America would involve a better tapestry than the one starring me in the face. Where were the other African-Americans? Where were my Hispanic friends? Later that evening at dinner it was brought to my attention that I was the only person of color in the room, as if I hadn't already noticed. The observant lady who brought this to my attention quickly shuttered our conversation when others started drifting over to mingle and network. I could see the embarrassment written all over her face. I have been part of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry for nearly two decades, primarily on the media and marketing side of the business. I have attended investors conferences, trade shows, travel conferences both domestically and internationally. I have written columns for several publications and produced television programs about travel and had the honor to meet several foreign dignitaries along the way. It has troubled me deeply that African-Americans have had such little impact on any level within this industry. For every one step forward in pursuit of diversity, we take two steps backwards. The tired old arguments such as we can't find qualified people or African-Americans don't spend money are just that, tired old arguments that no longer pass the smell test. So what is it? Why such slow, if not down right non-existent progress? Today, there are well over 600 CVBs across the country. Less than 10 have an African-American as a president/CEO. Over the past 20 years we've had fewer than 25 CVB presidents/CEOs combined, even though several organization have had an African-American as second in command or some other lofty position worthy of promotion to CEO. In the hotel business, thanks to the efforts of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers (NABHOOD) we now have over 500 Black-owned hotels up from one in 1995. But even that is somewhat misleading, as RLJ Companies headed by Robert L. Johnson owns approximately a quarter of those. The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) by contrast owns upwards of 40 percent of all hotels in the United States. AAHOA has proven to be a great friend of NABHOOD and works closely with them to improve the African-American plight. When it comes to hotel employment and supplier diversity things have improved somewhat, but progress remains stilted. The Great Recession certainly set us back a few years. Probably the single most egregious lack of progress is in the arena of marketing and advertising opportunities. I have spoken to numerous B M & T ••• November/December 2012 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 21