The Washington, DC-based Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance has five top issues for the coming year. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Song_about_summer
Welcoming international conference delegates back to the US and
tackling climate change will be top of the agenda for the Exhibitions
and Conferences Alliance (ECA) this year.
Specifically, the organisation, which was established in 2021 during
the pandemic, wants to restore visas to pre-pandemic levels and
‘encourage smart decarbonisation’.
The Washington, DC-based trade body has this week published its 2023
public policy priorities, which also include lobbying government to
develop the industry’s workforce and ‘ensuring a favourable operating
environment’.
Hervé Sedky, Emerald Holding Inc. president, CEO, and chair of the
ECA board of directors, said: “As the unified advocacy voice of the
face-to-face business events industry, ECA’s 2023 public policy
priorities serve as our industry’s north star as we continue to engage
with policymakers to help drive economic growth, support job creation,
and empower small businesses from coast to coast.”
The ECA board of directors further identified five top issues for the coming year.
• Prevent anti-growth state-level taxation of the industry
• Bring back communicable disease coverage to event cancellation insurance
• Restore visa operations to pre-pandemic levels while making visa processing more modern and efficient
• Encourage smart decarbonisation efforts by governments while
ensuring the right balance between environmental aims and industry
feasibility
• Support government policy and programmes to attract, train, and retain the industry’s next-generation workforce
“ECA will be actively engaged on the issues that matter to the
industry in 2023,” said Vinnie Polito, Society of Independent Show
Organisers CEO and ECA co-president.
“From working on the restoration of visa processing at US embassies
and consulates around the world to fighting back against efforts to
introduce growth-stifling taxes on our industry, ECA will be front and
centre to champion our interests.”
Since its establishment in 2021, ECA supported the post-pandemic
recovery and advancement of the face-to-face business events industry in
Washington and across the USA.
In 2023, ECA will look to build upon its advocacy successes over the last two years including:
• Leading campaigns in 2021 to reopen states and cities for large-scale face-to-face events
• Working to eliminate country-and-region-specific travel bans and
lift pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated inbound
international travellers to the U.S
• Supporting federal relief programmes – which delivered US$800 million to industry small businesses and other stakeholders
• Securing the introduction of legislation that would provide relief
for small businesses, help restore communicable disease coverage and
event cancellation insurance
• Launching ECA Legislative Action Day and ECA Small Business Advocacy Week
David DuBois, International Association of Exhibitions and Events
president and CEO, and ECA co-president, added: “In 2023, we look
forward to amplifying the voice of our industry’s many passionate
advocates in the policymaking process, including at ECA Legislative
Action Day, which will return to Washington, DC in person on June 1,
2023.”
Source: AMI