The U.S. Travel Association is planning a meeting for CEOs of all the major meeting planner associations October 8 in Chicago.

While the associations came together after the crisis created by the “AIG effect” and as part of the Meetings Mean Business campaign in 2008 and 2009, U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow believes it is time the meetings industry reaffirm its common goals. As a group, Dow wants to make sure they are tackling advocacy issues appropriately, sharing resources, and “not working at cross purposes.”

During an interview at the recent ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership annual conference in Los Angeles, Dow also reviewed some of U.S. Travel’s successes of the past year, including the creation of the Meetings, Incentive and Trade Show Council, co-chaired by Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Maritz Travel Co., and Larry Luteran, senior vice president of group sales and industry relations for Hilton Worldwide. The council is made up of vice presidents of the major meeting, hospitality, and travel companies. It is one of four new councils U.S. Travel has created this year to meet the various interests of its constituents.

U.S. Travel has also launched the Power of Travel Coalition, and is building a database of hospitality industry employees who will speak as one voice to Washington, local politicians, and media when challenges to the hospitality industry arise.