Help our industry succeed!
Uninformed rhetoric demonizing meetings and events is creating the specter of further
regulation and fueling a media frenzy that is paralyzing our businesses, costing
jobs, inhibiting economic recovery and hurting every community in which we live
and work.
Like other industry organizations, we are committed to keeping our community connected
to the latest information and resources to ensure you survive and thrive. We will
update this site constantly with timely knowledge and content. Bookmark it and come
back often. We will monitor, along with our colleague organizations, developments
globally and provide information and solutions wherever you do business. We need
your help!
To learn more please visit www.mpiweb.org and click on Meetings Industry Crisis Center.
TARP - What is it and why you should care?
TARP oversight legislation committee
The U.S. government’s decision to restrict the use of Troubled Asset Relief Program
(TARP) funds for meetings and events has had a far-reaching, crippling impact on
our industry. Whether TARP recipients or not, businesses in all sectors are cancelling
meetings, events and incentive programs – despite legitimate business purposes
– out of fear of public scrutiny. It’s imperative you understand the current regulatory
environment and how our industry is responding. You’ll find the information and
resources you need to get up to speed below.
About TARP
TARP Overview
As meetings industry professionals you would have, over the past month, received
messages from publications and industry leaders regarding the US Treasury Department’s
announcement of new regulations for recipients of funds from the Troubled Asset
Relief Program (TARP). Those companies who have received emergency government lending
from the US Government will be required - through their CEO’s and in compliance
with Board policy - to approve corporate meetings, events and incentive program
budgets ensuring that they can not be viewed as 'excessive or luxury items'.
TARP
Timeline (PDF)
Learn more about TARP
What You Can Do About It
It is vital that policymakers, media and your companies/clients hear directly from
you about the value of meetings, events and incentive travel -- and the serious
repercussions that will come from unnecessarily reducing or eliminating their use.
Your job and future success may depend on it. To help you communicate about this
critical issue, we’ve provided a variety of tools and resources below – with more
on the way.
Contact your elected officials
Speak Out Locally
Web Resources
Share your ideas & actions
Make your business case
Resources
ABOUT US
The Meeting Industry Crisis Center is sponsored by Meetings Professionals International
(MPI) to empower the meeting and event industry to educate and inform legislators,
the media, suppliers, and the general public about the status of the industry amidst
the current economic crisis. MPI promotes the use of meetings and events that drive
business results, build engagement, retain and develop employee talent, generate
ideas and share knowledge that leads to growth. For more information on MPI, please
go to
www.mpiweb.org.
