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Destinations International Releases “Tampa Case Study: Empowering Communities Through Inclusive Business Events”

Destination professionals and meeting and event planners encouraged to champion engagement and social inclusion to enhance events, create impact

Las Vegas, NV (October 8, 2024) – Destinations International (DI) today announced the release of “Tampa Case Study: Empowering Communities Through Inclusive Business Events,” a report detailing its concerted approach to planning the DI 2024 Annual Convention in Tampa Bay to maximize intellectual capital and community engagement. The report was produced with the support of the Destinations International Foundation and released at IMEX America.

In 2023, when DI announced the selection of Tampa Bay as the site of its 2024 Annual Convention, some association members expressed concern given recent anti-DEI legislation in Florida. After discussion and consultation with key stakeholders and Tampa leaders, DI decided to proceed but set a specific goal of putting to the test its long-held belief that deliberate engagement is more effective than boycotts.

The Tampa Case Study explores the consultations, strategy, planning, implementation and outcomes of this engagement, and demonstrates how the event succeeded in fostering meaningful connections, making an impact and leaving a positive legacy. The Annual Convention was organized to align with seven of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to emphasize quality education, gender equality, decent work, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, peace, justice and partnerships. These goals were integrated into the planning process to ensure long-term impact and community support.

The results speak for themselves. The 2024 Annual Convention was DI’s largest ever, with nearly 2,000 attendees, including participants from over 30 countries and territories. DI worked closely with local vendors and non-profits, engaged with diverse communities and the event delivered an estimated direct local economic impact of $3.78 million, including lodging, food & beverage, retail, recreation and other spending.

The Tampa Case Study is divided into five parts offering valuable insights and actionable strategies for event strategists and destination professionals spanning sales, marketing and community engagement functions. The case study is accompanied by a detailed toolkit that provides actionable guidance for meeting and event planners and destination organizations to implement similar inclusive strategies when planning and hosting events.

“Choosing Tampa was a purposeful act to promote engagement and understanding,” said DI President & CEO Don Welsh. “With outstanding support from Visit Tampa Bay and the local community, we were able to demonstrate and document the tangible benefits that come from investing in social impact and inclusion, as well as confirm our long-held belief in the importance of active engagement in the communities we visit.”

Sophia Hyder Hock, DI Chief Inclusion Officer and lead author of the report said, “Our vision extends beyond a single convention to creating a lasting imprint of inclusivity in Tampa and a model for others to follow. We sincerely hope this case study and toolkit serve as an informative and actionable document for destination organizations, event strategists, policy makers and anyone seeking to unleash the potential of travel to benefit local communities and foster social inclusion.”

The report “Tampa Case Study: Empowering Communities Through Inclusive Business Events” and accompanying toolkit are being made available as a free resource. Both documents, a brief video and additional information about DI’s approach to social inclusion can be found at https://destinationsinternational.org/tampa-case-study.

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About Destinations International
Destinations International is the world’s largest and most reliable resource for destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. With more than 8,000 members and partners from over 750 destinations, the association represents a powerful forward-thinking and collaborative community around the world. For more information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.