DOMESTIC CONVENTION SALES: Promotions, Sales Calls, Trade Shows and Events
The team’s proactive efforts resulted in 69 presentations, virtual client sales calls and in-person meetings throughout the month of October. Highlights include:
- American Public Health Association
- American Society for Radiation Oncology
- American Society of Landscape Architects
- Alzheimer's Association
- Association of the United States Army
- Cardiovascular Research Foundation
- Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research
- Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
- The Society of Vacuum Coaters
- Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics
IMEX America and Client Event (Oct. 8-10, Las Vegas, NV)
DDC Staff: Elliott Ferguson, Melissa Riley, Dianna Waldroup, Bill Adams, Katherine Russo, John Sklencar, Jenna Wiese, Patricia Najar, Brandon Murray, Emily Vecchioni
Co-Op: Events DC, Washington Hilton, JW Marriott Washington DC, Arlo Washington DC, Hilton Washington DC National Mall, CSI DMC, Encore, Visit Loudoun County, Nationals Park Ballpark Events
IMEX America is one of the world's leading trade shows for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events market. Across three days, over 5,000 carefully selected buyers took part in a series of pre-scheduled appointments with suppliers from all over the world. There were 5,758 hosted buyers from 75 countries. DDC held 130 individual appointments, 7 group presentations and 445 individual contact engagements. Additionally, we hosted two separate dinners with Prestige and Association Management Companies Institute and a reception with McVeigh Global Meetings and Events.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
- BCD Meetings & Events
- Epilepsy Foundation of America
- Maritz
- McVeigh Global Meetings and Events
- Prestige
- Wells Fargo
Helmets to Hardhats (North America's Building Trade Unions) (Oct. 11, Queenstown, MD)
DDC Staff: Jared Kolleh
North America’s Building Trade Unions (NABTU) hosts this annual event for their members from across the country to participate in a golf tournament, fishing competition and rounds of shotguns. DDC sponsors and attends the golf tournament annually, connecting with the planners that host NABTU’s Legislative Conference in DC every year. The organization has contracted its annual programs up to 2025 and is currently working on 2026.
Ravens/Commanders Game (Oct. 13, Baltimore, MD)
DDC Staff: Bill Adams, Katherine Russo, Megan Fariel, Kate Anaya, Morgan Simonet
DDC hosted clients at the annual “Battle of the Beltway” football matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. Washington Commanders. Bus transportation and a hospitality tent offered a lively, informal setting for networking with customers before kickoff. It was a valuable opportunity to engage with Maryland-based clients who are not always able to attend events in downtown DC.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Aviation ISAC
- Barcami Lane
- Consumer Healthcare Products Association
- EAB
- Global Cynergies
- HelmsBriscoe
- Kellen
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network
- Mindgrub
- NAFSA: Association for International Educators
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- Orthopaedic Research Society
- Siemens
- Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine
- Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates
- The Tower Consulting
- Transportation Research Board
Far Hills Race Meeting Tent (Oct. 19, Far Hills, NJ)
DDC Staff: John Sklencar
DDC partnered with a portion of the Northeast CVB Reps group (6 destination partners) to host a group of 50 highly vetted clients at this meeting. The Far Hills Race Meeting or “The Hunt” is an annual steeplechase horse race. We provided a hospitality tent with full catering and then offered a hat branding activation.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Arch Insurance
- Cardiovascular Research Foundation
- Merck
- Novo Nordisk
- PwC
- Verizon
Definite Site Visits
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (Jul. 9-12, 2025)
- 5,700 peak rooms; 24,339 total room nights; 16,000 attendees
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center and multiple venues
Tentative Site Visits
Manageability (May 4-5, 2025)
- 65 peak rooms; 155 total room nights per year; 60 attendees per year
- Multiple venues
Association of African American Financial Advisors (Sept. 9-11, 2025)
- 550 peak rooms; 1,700 total room nights per year; 850 attendees per year
- Multiple venues
GLOBAL CONVENTION SALES: Sales Calls, Bid Development, Strategic Programming, Familiarization Tours, Site Visits and Tradeshows
With a continued focus on proactive client outreach, personalized touchpoints and international bid development, the team engaged prospective accounts and tentative leads throughout the month of October. Highlights included:
- À La Une Event & Voyage
- Alzheimer's Association
- Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand
- Aspire Zone
- Avenue Events
- CloserStill
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- International Association for the Study of Pain
- International Association of Public Transport
- International Combustion Symposium
- International Monetary Fund
- International News Media Association
- Kao Corporation
- Lions International
- TD Bank
- The Hip Preservation Society
- World Bank Group
Post-IMEX AMERICA Familiarization Trip (Oct. 10-13, Washington, DC)
DDC Staff: Tara Miller, Emma Stubblefield
Familiarization trips offer a valuable opportunity to showcase Washington, DC to prospective clients. Following IMEX America in Las Vegas, NV, the global sales team partnered with Global DMC Partners and Quill Creative Event Design to welcome 11 meeting and event planners from the United Kingdom for a customized three-day itinerary. Clients experienced #Only1DC firsthand, learning why they should place future meetings, events and incentive travel programs in the nation’s capital.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- American Express M&I
- Brighter Events - Clarity BT
- Complete Event Solutions
- ETM / CTM Meetings & Events
- FIRST Agency
- HeadBox
- Jack Morton Worldwide
- Reuters Events
- Strata Events - The Strata Group
- SWM Partners Ltd
- Xsem Limited
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress (Oct. 20-23, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
DDC Staff: Melissa Riley, Tara Miller, Shelby LuzziDelegates from 76 countries came together to share knowledge and network, operating from the central theme “Tomorrow Starts Today.” DDC gave presentations and participated in panels. ICCA provided an opportunity to engage with more than 100 associations, as well as UN Tourism Secretary General H.E. Zurab Pololikashvilid.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- International Association for the Study of Pain
- International Association of Public Transport
- International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- International Society for Stem Cell Research
- Rotary International
- World Energy Council
- World Federation of Hemophilia
Tentative Site Visits
Global Tobacco Regulators Forum (April 13-17, 2025)
- 78 peak rooms; 393 total room nights; 90 attendees
- Multiple venues
Upcoming Activities:
Domestic Convention Sales
- Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP) Annual Conference (Nov. 10-13, Denver, CO)
- Sports Events and Tourism Association Summit (Nov. 12-14, Chattanooga, TN)
- Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Greater Midwest Chapter Bowl-A-Thon (Nov. 13, Chicago, IL)
- ConferenceDirect Forum (Nov. 13-15, Orlando, FL)
- National Coalition of Black Meetings Professionals Annual Meeting (Nov. 13-15, Birmingham, AL)
- Turkish Cultural Night (Nov. 14, Washington, DC)
- Wicked Premier (Nov. 20, Washington, DC)
- Connect DC (Nov. 20-22, Washington, DC)
International Convention Sales
- micebook Ventures (Nov. 4-6, Paris, France)
- The Devil Wears Prada Musical Client Event (Nov. 5, London, United Kingdom)
- City Nation Place Global Conference (Nov. 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- IBTM World (Nov. 19-21, Barcelona, Spain)
- BestCities Global Alliance Global Forum (Jan. 24-26, 2025, Dublin, Ireland)
Check out the full Destination DC Member News to learn more about what's going on this month.
