We are just weeks away from the midterm elections, and government policy is top of mind for business professionals across the country. For those of us in the exhibitions and events industry, that focus is well placed. Decisions made in Washington and in state capitals help determine whether our events can happen, who can attend and what it costs to bring people together.
Advocacy is one of IAEE’s strategic pillars because we are committed to advancing and protecting our industry through government relations, coalition leadership, economic impact storytelling and industry standards. As a founding member of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), we work closely with ECA to make sure the industry speaks with one credible voice.
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Consider what is unfolding right now. The FCC has proposed changes that could make it harder for international exhibitors to bring emerging technologies to U.S. trade shows before final equipment authorization. Our show floors are where innovation debuts, and a rule like that could quietly weaken the reason to exhibit here. In a matter of weeks, ECA brought 100 organizations together behind a single comment letter. That is what collective action looks like.
Meanwhile, proposed changes to federal grant rules could limit whether grant-funded professionals can attend conferences and could add new conditions on venue services. A continuing resolution has paused those changes through December 11, but a pause is not a permanent solution. What happens next may depend, in part, on who is elected in November. Congress is also working to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, coverage that makes large gatherings insurable. The House has already passed its extension with overwhelming bipartisan support, and now the effort needs to cross the finish line this year.
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Not every issue makes headlines, and that is exactly the point. Many of these policies move through comment periods, committee markups and agency rulemakings that rarely reach the average professional’s radar. By the time the effects are felt on the show floor, the window to shape them has often closed. Staying informed is the first act of advocacy.
It is also a shared responsibility. Our industry is made up of organizers, exhibitors, venues, suppliers and associations of every size, and no single organization can carry this work alone. The strongest results come when many voices say the same thing at the same time, backed by real stories about jobs, local economies and the business that happens when people meet face-to-face.
I hope you will take three steps that benefit us all:
Step 1: Learn. Follow the policy issues that affect your events and your organization. ECA Votes, the industry’s nonpartisan election resource, offers a guide to the issues that matter most to our industry, along with tools to help you get involved.
Step 2: Engage. Add your name to industry letters, share your story with elected officials, and invite lawmakers and candidates to see your events firsthand. Nothing makes the case for our industry like seeing it in action.
Step 3: Vote. Check your registration, know what is on your ballot and solidify your plan to vote on November 3.
Our advocacy also extends beyond U.S. borders. Visa wait times, trade policy and international standards affect the global exhibitions community, and our industry depends on the free flow of ideas, products and people. IAEE will keep supporting policies that welcome international exhibitors and attendees, and we will keep contributing to the development of global standards for business events.
Looking ahead, I am optimistic. When our community is informed and engaged, we are a formidable force – the progress we have made together proves it! But the outcomes we want are never guaranteed. They are earned by people who show up, speak up and stay involved long after the headlines fade.
Now is the time to work together to make sure lawmakers understand the value business events bring to the table and that we have a reserved seat.
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Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM is the President and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions
and Events® (IAEE). As IAEE’s president, she is responsible for the management of its full-time professional staff, producing the annual business operating plan and budget, overseeing the support of all meetings of governance units, leading business development, directing fund raising efforts, advocating for the industry and the organization’s members, and providing organizational leadership and strategic counsel to the board of directors. Flanagan also serves as the association’s representative with industry coalitions, partner organizations and strategic alliances. Visit www.iaee.com for more information.
