CHICAGO — The 2024 Business Events Industry Week (BEIW) is taking place April 8-11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. and will bring together event professionals to showcase the value of the industry.
Presented by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Destinations International (DI), BEIW aims to emphasize and reinforce the importance of the global business events industry, which is worth more than $1 trillion annually.
“Business Events Industry Week is not just another industry event. It’s a purposeful movement that celebrates our industry’s purpose — bringing people together to make a difference for our businesses, our communities and our audiences,” said Meghan Risch, Chief of Staff and Vice President, Corporate Communications at PCMA. “We are all a part of it, and what we do matters. Collectively, we can make a difference.”
The one-day Showcase will take place April 10. Through booth experiences and experiential activations, industry professionals will be able to connect with partners including venues, destinations, service providers and technology. Designed with the theme of a cross-country road trip in mind, the Showcase will also feature the Roadside Diner where attendees can enjoy food and drinks while they network.
“The PCMA and DI teams engaged with various stakeholder groups to understand what they wanted out of Showcase, and it evolved from creating a convenient event inclusive of thought leadership, doing business and networking — in a setting that challenges the way we do business — to a fun and interactive networking environment,” Risch said. “Who doesn’t love a good road trip with friends?”
Programming also includes the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ (IAEE) Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF), which will be tailored to women of all ages and experience levels in the industry and feature relevant topics to them. With plenty of networking breaks, roundtables and presentations, WLF will provide attendees with the resources and tools they need to succeed.
WLF content includes presentations about adapting to change, creative thinking, weaving professional and personal life together, the importance of belonging, and eliminating burnout and exhaustion among other topics. WLF will take place April 10-11 alongside other events happening during BEIW.
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The PCMA Global Leadership Conference will be held at the JW Marriott, Washington D.C. on April 9. This invitation-only event for the PCMA Board of Directors, Regional Advisory Board members, partners and chapter leaders brings together the different PCMA stakeholders for strategic discussions about the industry’s future and educational opportunities.
On the last day of the event, April 11, attendees will celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day by discussing insights on the current state of the industry and strategies to tackle challenges on the horizon. That night, the PCMA Foundation Visionary Awards, which recognize and honor professionals that are making significant impacts and contributions to their organizations and companies, will take place at the convention center. See a full list of the finalists and honorees for the Visionary Awards here.
“I love watching the activations come together and then watching our supplier and business event strategist partners experience throughout the day at Showcase,” Risch said. “This is also the second year for the PCMA Foundation Fashion Show. Our models have so much fun with planning, and I love how our community shows up in support. And what better way to round out the week than by celebrating and honoring industry leaders at Visionary Awards — it’s the Oscars of the global business events industry.”
This year’s event is held in partnership with Destination DC, Events DC, IAEE, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP).
Reach Meghan Risch at mrisch@pcma.org
