September 10-12 IMEX America,
Sands Expo Center, The Venetian
Resort Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, NV.
www.imexamerica.com
September 11 MFHA Regional
Roundtable, hosed by Texas
Roadhouse, Louisville, KY. For more
information visit https://mfha.net-
/events.
September 11-13 National
Association of Black Women in
Construction (NABWIC) 2019 Mid-
Year Meeting, Embassy Suites DC
Convention Center, Washington, DC.
www.NABWIC.org
September 22-29 Discover
Durban, Durban ICC & Exhibition
Center, Durban, South Africa. For
information email EVENTS@CAL-
BCC.ORG.
September 26 MFHA Regional
Roundtable, hosed by Darden,
Orlando, FL. For more information
visit https://mfha.net/events.
October 3 MFHA Regional
Roundtable, hosed by Sysco, Houston,
TX. For more information visit
https://mfha.net/evente.
October 15-17 Annual Pan
African Global Trade & Investment
Conference, California State University
Sacramento, Sacramento, CA. Visit
www.panafricanglobaltradecongfer-
ence.com or call Al Washington at
(626) 243-3614.
November 3-5 20th Annual
LGBTQ Tourism Forum @ Vdara Las
Vegas, Community Marketing &
Insights, Las Vegas, NV. https://com-
munitymarkinginc.com/lgbtq-learn/
November 6-9 2019 ANA
Multicultural Marketing & Diversity
Conference, ANA, San Diego, CA.
https://www.ana.net/conference/sho
w/id/MCC-NOV19
November 7, 2019 Latinas in
Business Inc. 5th Annual Latina
SmallBiz Expo & Pitch your Business
Competition, Latinas in Business Inc.,
New York, NY. Visit https://latinasin-
business.us or email Susana@latinasin-
bussiness.us for more information.
November 7-18 African Diaspora
Tourism tour of South Africa. Visit
www.africandisporatouris.com, email
Kitty Pope at KPope@African-
DiasporaTourism.com or call (678)
499-6562.
November 13 MFHA Regional
Roundtable, hosed by Coca Cola,
Atlanta, GA. For more information
visit https://mfha.net/events.
November 13-15 CruiseWorld, a
Travel Weekly Event, Fort Lauderdale,
FL. For more information, email
emorales@travelweekly.com.
November 13-16 National
Coalition of Black Meeting
Professionals Annual Conference,
Hyatt Regency New Orleans, New
Orleans, LA. ncbmp.com or (571)
366-1779 for more information.
April 30-May 2 Travel
Professionals of Color (TPOC)
Preconference Activities, Four Points
by Sheraton Miami Airport, Miami, FL.
tpocassociation.com
May 2-10 Travel Professionals of
Color (TPOC) 2020 Conference
Cruise, sailing aboard Carnival Horizon,
Departing Miami, FL with ports of call
in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. tpocas-
sociation.com
May 12-14 Texprocess Americas,
Georgia World Conference Center,
Atlanta, GA. For more information
contact Amy Hord at (678) 732-2403
or amyhord@usamessefrankfurt.com.
B M & T ••• September/October 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com
5
PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Solomon J. Herbert
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/
EDITOR
Gloria Herbert
GRAPHIC DESIGN: POP MEDIA
GROUP
Robert Ingram
GRAPHIC ARTIST/WEBMASTER
Solomon J. Hebert II
FOCUS ON M.I.C.E. EDITOR
Matthew Thomas
TECH NEWS EDITOR
William G. Herbert
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rebecca Bernard
Edith Billups
Victoria Head
Brienne Herbert
Roy Jay
Cheray O'Neal
SALES MANAGERS
Regina Buggs
MARKETING/EDITORIAL
Andrew Ingraham
O.J. Webb
OFFICE MANAGER
Dorothy Canty
HUMAN RESOURCES
Barbara Harper
For high quality article
reprints of 100 or more,
please contact
Reprint Management
Services at (717)399-1900.
The Authority on African-American
Conventions & Leisure Travel
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
2020
B l a c k M e e t i n g s To u r i s m
COVER STORY
• A CONVERSATION WITH MELVIN TENNANT
FEATURES
•
AFRICAN-AMERICAN GUIDE TO MEETINGS,
INCENTIVES & TRAVELING IN THE NORTHEAST
• WELCOME TO DAKAR
•COMMISSIONER LESLEY "LES" MILLER, JR.
LOVES TO TAKE A 'MEETING'
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KATRINA'S CORNER
AREA GUIDES
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, OHIO, TENNESSEE,
LOUISIANA, FORT WORTH, ARKANSAS,
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Meeting and incentive planners can keep abreast of discount
offers and package deals being offered by visiting Black Meetings
& Tourism's website – blackmeetingsandtourism.com – and click-
ing on the "Meeting Planner Packages" link. Here you will find
many cost saving and often time sensitive deals that can help you
bring your meeting in on time and under budget.
MEETING PLANNER PACKAGES FOR GREAT SAVINGS
COMING IN: NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019