Besides having the opportunity to meet with about 130 exhibitors from meeting-friendly cities, attendees of Destination Showcase held February 5 in Washington, D.C. could also earn continuing education credits thanks to a new partnership between event host Destinations International and the Professional Convention Management Association. And with nearly 900 planners in attendance—a figure 10 percent higher than in 2019—the partnership is likely to continue in future years.
This year, the schedule for Destination Showcase provided about four hours of educational sessions, a change from years past for the one-day show known for featuring destination exhibitors. To start the day, breakout sessions addressed topics such as event design, leadership and people-influencing skills, digital event marketing, and working with convention and visitors bureaus.
Afterwards, PCMA CEO Sherrif Karamat (pictured here) addressed the show’s changes during the general session; he was followed by leadership expert Sara Ross, who shared real-life stories of success and failure from Fortune 500 firms striving for better-performing leaders and healthier teams.
Even during the four hours of exhibit-hall time, a series of brief educational sessions took place at the Accelerate Stage on the show floor. There was also a stress-reduction area filled with shelter dogs that attendees could sit with, give treats to, and pet. Karamat made the rounds during exhibit hours to talk with and answer questions from attendees and exhibitors.
