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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE I destinations with their heritage certification program and informative workshops. It will also afford BlackMeetings &Tourism another opportunity to present their covetedApexAwards at the FridayAwards Luncheon. From May 21-25, the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow will descend on San Francisco, CA, hosting more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from every region of the USA (representing all industry category components), 1,500 International and domestic buyers frommore than 70 countries, and conduct business negotiations that result in the generation of over $3.5 billion in future Visit USA travel. Overlapping Pow Wow will be the 35th Africa Travel Association’s (ATA) World Congress in Dakar, Senegal.ATA’s signature event in Africa (May 24-29) provides a unique networking, learning and agenda-shaping platformfor hundreds of travel professionals inAfrica, includingAfrican tourism ministers and industry experts representing tourism boards, travel agencies and tour operators, ground operator companies, airlines, and hotels.Many participants from the travel trade, media and corporate, non-profit and academic sectors, are also expected to attend, along with industry leaders from throughout the Diaspora. Following closely behind, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners am happy to report that the spring and summer will get off to a rousing start with a spate of industry conferences that are a sure sign that the meetings/travel business is slowly returning to normal. And while it may take a while for things to return to pre-reces- sion levels, we are definitely headed in the right direction. Kicking off this cluster of industry gather- ings is the annual Indaba conference from May 7-10 in Durban, South Africa. One of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar, Indaba is one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest vari- ety of Southern Africa’s best tourism prod- ucts, and attracts international visitors and media from across the world. This 4-day trade event is expected to attract well over 13,000 delegates from the travel tourism and related industries. Just two days later, and running through May 15, TPOC (Travel Professionals of Color) will host their 9th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Louisville, KY. This organi- zation of travel agents, tour operators and other industry pros will provide excellent edu- cational opportunities for both agents and (NCBMP) Spring Conference will unfold June 1-5 at Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort in Innisbrook, FL. This venerable trade organization, in its 28th year, con- tinues to play a vital role with its educational workshops and general sessions designed to enhance the careers of African-American meeting and event planners. An important component of the conference is the “Lets Make a Deal” tradeshow, which provides planners and suppliers and excellent opportunity to book business with one another. Caribbean Week, one of the more spectacular and colorful events on the sched- ule, will light up in New York from June 5-11, featuring a celebration of the sights, sounds, color, culture and unique vacation experiences of the Caribbean. Caribbean tourism officials, the media, artists, performers, celebrity chefs, fashion designers, models, investors and other strategic partners will converge on New York, combining business sessions and consumer-oriented events with food, fash- ion, entertainment and networking opportunities! Later in June (June 17-19 to be exact), Asia’s leading annual travel and tourism event, the Beijing International Tourism Expo 2011 (BITE) will take place at the China National Convention Centre, Beijing, China. Over the years, BITE has proven its credibility as a platform for networking opportunities and business dis- cussions across the Asia Pacific region. Committed to presenting the highest qual- ity of exhibitors, buyers and visitors across the region, BITE 2011 packs in an enor- mous showcase of tourism destinations and attractions as well as travel-related goods and services. From June 21-23 the Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (AIBTM) Tradeshow, is scheduled for Baltimore, MD. AIBTM is the first large scale exhibition to bring together the world’s entire meetings and events industry in one US location. Their show promises to offer the most focused, indi- vidually qualified buyers a forum where they will connect with exhibitors from around the globe. A one to one appointment schedule means no time is wasted, business is generated and time is maximized. So as you can see, our industry is well back on its way to full recovery. Participate in as many of these conferences as you can, and do your part to keep the momentum going. 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 2011 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 May/June 2011: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com