Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1401511
B M & T ••• July/August ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 4 I am pleased to report that the trav- el/meetings industry is slowly but surely coming back, with major convention des- tinations like Las Vegas, Orlando and Los Angeles easing COVID-19 related restric- tions and reporting an uptick in in-person conventions. While it's still unclear if there will be a "new normal," and if so, what that "new normal" will be, I am nonetheless encouraged at the outlook for the remainder of 2021 and beyond. I was able to attend the highly suc- cessful MPI WEC in Las Vegas in June, which was very well attended (see "Caesars Entertainment Welcomed Meeting Professionals International World Education Conference (WEC 2021) at Caesars Forum Conference Center" in this issue), and am scheduled to attend Destinations International annu- al convention in Baltimore in July. The rest of 2021 is jam packed with vital meetings and conventions hosted by some of the industry's most prestigious organizations. Besides the aforemen- tioned D.I. convention, the U.S. Travel Association's IPW will be held September 18-22 in Las Vegas, followed immediately by the National Policy Alliance (NPA) Annual Conference in Washington, DC September 23-25. PUBLISHER'S MESSAGE 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 2021 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. Solomon J. Herbert Publisher/Editor-In-Chief E-Mail: BMandTMag@aol.com The NPA, headed by Executive Director Denise Tyler, is made up of organizations that represent all Black elected officials, including The World Conference of Mayors, National Black Caucus of School Board Members, National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, National Conference of Black Mayors, National Organization of Black County Officials, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, National Bar Association Judicial Council, Blacks in Government, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and the Joint Center for political & Economic Studies. The NPA deserves to be acknowledged for its continuing efforts to level the playing field in the travel/meetings industry (and other industries) for African-Americans. October continues the comeback, with the Travel Professional's of Color (TPOC) Weekend in New York event, September 30-October 3. Then you can head to Miami for the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD) 25th Annual International African-American Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit & Trade Show, October 6-8 at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, which leads into the Annual Multicultural & Heritage Tourism Summit & Trade Show that unfolds at the same Miami property October 8-10. A newbie is also on the calendar for October – the Inaugural Black Travel Expo, produced by Founder and CEO Maurice Foley – taking place in Atlanta at the Atlanta Marriott Marquise October 14-17. And don't worry, things won't slow down in November. IMEX America is back live this year at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas November 9-11. Once again this year, Black Meetings & Tourism will be hosting a Meet Up for Black Meeting Planners at IMEX where we can network, share information, and learn more about the sponsors who are supporting this event. Normally, IMEX America is held in September, but because of Covid delays, it was moved to November. So BM&T purposely scheduled our Meet Up on Smart Monday, November 8, so we wouldn't bump heads with the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, who will be convening in Cincinnati November 10-13. So please take advantage of these upcoming opportunities to widen your network, further educate yourselves, and support those organizations that are crucial to the growth, advancement and wellbeing of African-Americans in our industry.