DOMESTIC CONVENTION SALES: Promotions, Sales Calls, Trade Shows and Events
The team’s proactive efforts resulted in 147 presentations, virtual client sales calls and in-person meetings throughout the month of July. Highlights include:
- American Association of Physicists in Medicine
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- Association of Black Psychologists, Inc.
- Computing Research Association
- ConferenceDirect
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Government Finance Officer Association
- Krewe of Pyros Foundation, Inc.
- Islamic Circle of North America
- Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
- MasterConnections
- Marine Military Expositions
- National Credit Union Administration
- Planner Hero
- Purdue University
- Stand Together Foundation
- The Securities and Insurance Licensing Association
- Vista Equity Partners
Destinations International Annual Meeting (July 9-11, Chicago, IL)
DDC Staff: Melissa Riley, Dianna Waldroup, Bill Adams, Tara Miller
DDC was proud to attend the industry’s signature gathering for destination organization professionals. The event provided an energizing platform to connect with peers, exchange ideas and explore solutions to the challenges shaping our industry.
From interactive sessions to powerful keynotes, we gained fresh perspectives and forged valuable relationships. A special highlight: Melissa Riley led an engaging discussion at the Emerging Leaders Lounge on “Speaking the Language: Engaging Stakeholders in Uncertain Times.”
Atlanta Sales Mission (July 14-15, Atlanta, GA)
DDC Staff: Dianna Waldroup, Brandon Murray
DDC hosted a one-of-a-kind client event at the Beyoncé concert, offering guests an unforgettable evening of world-class entertainment paired with casual, high-energy networking. The experience provided a dynamic backdrop for building relationships and showcasing the vibrant spirit of Washington, DC.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- American Academy of Religion
- American College of Rheumatology
- American Dental Association
- Association of Energy Engineers
- Points of Light
- Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry
AMCI Engaged (July 21-22, Savannah, GA)
DDC Staff: Kate Anaya, Priscilla Alvarez
This key industry event brings together Association Management Companies (AMCs) to explore current challenges, trends and opportunities within the AMC model. Themed "Business as UN-Usual," the program focused on topics such as workforce shifts, economic pressures, technology innovation and legal developments impacting the association space. DDC connected with current and prospective AMC clients during networking sessions and educational programming.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Agentis Management
- AMR Management Services
- Association Member Benefits Advisors
- Association Resource Center
- Capital Association Management
- FirstPoint
- Global Management Partners
- Prestige Global Meeting Source
- Synergos AMC
Meeting Professionals International Greater New York Reception, Golf Outing and NYC Sales Mission (July 24, New York, NY)
DDC Staff: Bill Adams, Shirley Del Carpio, John Sklencar
Co-Op: Omni Shoreham, DC Drafthouse, Viceroy Hotel
DDC sponsored the pre-event reception the night before the MPI GNY golf outing, and then sponsored the transitional house lunch space at the outing. ART Rooftop at Arlo SoHo held the “Par Tee” reception, with an overall turnout of 110, including 65 planners and 45 suppliers. Prior to the reception, the convention sales team also held pre-arranged meetings with clients to discuss groups in DC.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Arch Insurance Group
- Capital One
- HelmsBriscoe
- IEEE Communications Society
- MetLife
- PepsiCo
- PGIM
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- TikTok
Corporate Event Marketers Association (CEMA) Summit (July 27-29, Austin, TX)
DDC Staff: John Sklencar
CEMA Summit attracts visionaries, industry leaders and innovators who share a passion for creating exceptional experiences. DDC attended and is partnering with CEMA to host additional regional client activations.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Atlassian
- Delinea
- Microsoft
- Salesforce
- Zilliant
CDX 2025 (ConferenceDirect) (July 29 – Aug. 1, Las Vegas, NV)
DDC Staff: Kate Anaya
This exclusive event in Las Vegas connects premier destinations with top ConferenceDirect associates and clients. The multi-day program included sessions and networking opportunities with influential third-party planners. Throughout the event, the DDC team promoted Washington, DC’s competitive offerings, including new hotel developments, vibrant neighborhoods and unique group experiences. Key conversations focused on aligning DC’s value proposition with client goals.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- Advanced Textiles Association
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences
- American Association of Colleges and Universities
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
- Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- ConferenceDirect
- Council of the Great City Schools
- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
- Institutional Limited Partners Association
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Definite Site Visits
American Association of Physicists in Medicine (July 26-29, 2025)
- 2,800 peak rooms, 14,158 total rooms, 4,000 attendees
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center and multiple venues
ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership (Aug. 11-13, 2029)
- 3,561 peak rooms, 13,634 total rooms, 4,200 attendees
- Multiple venues
Tentative Site Visits
Nvidia (Oct. 27-28, 2025)
- 1,230 peak rooms, 4,078 total rooms, 5,000 attendees
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center and multiple venues
Computing Research Association (Nov. 30 – Dec. 1, 2025)
- 40 peak rooms, 87 total rooms, 50 attendees
- Multiple venues
Care USA (March 3-5, 2026)
- 40 peak rooms, 110 total rooms, 50 attendees
- Multiple venues
ALK Positive (July 17-18, 2026)
- 253 peak rooms, 511 total rooms, 253 attendees
- Multiple venues
Federation of Tax Administrators (June 6-8, 2027)
- 280 peak rooms, 925 total rooms, 350 attendees
- Multiple venues
The Securities and Insurance Licensing Association (Oct. 17-19, 2027)
- 670 peak rooms, 2,421 total rooms, 800 attendees
- 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 July. Highlights included:
- AdaCore
- Brighter Events
- CFA Institute
- Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
- Clubhouse International
- D2L Corporation
- Dell
- Diageo
- Eventful
- IEEE Computational Intelligence Society
- IEEE Magnetics Society
- IEEE Signal Processing Society
- International Council on Engineering Systems
- International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
- International Society of Craniofacial Surgery
- International Society of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves
- Mapa Group Travel Spain
- Meeting Encore Ltd.
- NUBA México
- Orange Door
- Racoon Media
- Welcome Break
- World Federation of Hemophilia
- ZS
United Kingdom & Ireland Sales Mission (July 20-25, Multiple Cities, United Kingdom and Dublin, Ireland)
DDC Staff: Melissa Riley, Tara Miller, Heidi Williams
Co-Op: The Hotel Washington
DDC connected directly with over 115 qualified clients through high-impact sales calls, presentations and seven bespoke events. Key moments included an advisory retreat with managing directors from top UK event agencies, a leadership supper in partnership with the In-House Corporate Event Community and a multi-sensory culinary experience that challenged perceptions. These engagements reinforced Washington, DC’s appeal as a compelling destination for business events and incentive travel.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- ABS & Affiliated Companies
- Asembl
- Barclays
- Climate Group
- Dynamic Conferences & Events
- Emc3
- Emota Inzio
- EY
- Financial Networks Analytics (FNA)
- First Event
- HarbourVest
- Herbalife
- Hogan Lovells
- Identity Global
- IFS
- Impact XM
- IR Impact
- Kearney
- NatWest Group
- Nteractive
- Orange Door
- Pure Communications Group
- Strata
- The Collective by BCD Meetings & Events
- Top Banana
- Wood Mackenzie
- Worldspan
- Xsem
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Convene with Sponsorship (July 31 – Aug. 1, Lisbon, Portugal)
DDC Staff: Megan Fariel, Rachel Bomser
IEEE Convene is an annual, invitation-only event that brings together IEEE’s global community of conference organizers and volunteers. Beyond the traditional exhibitor table, DDC hosted a Destination Showcase session, entertaining attendees with a DC-themed BINGO game while highlighting the city’s meetings value. DDC also sponsored the Leadership Mixer. This high-impact opportunity showcased DDC’s value for organizers who do not have traditional meeting planning experience.
DDC targeted the following customers:
- IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference
- IEEE Computational Intelligence Society
- IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Society
- IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory
- IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society
- IEEE USA
- Texas Instruments
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Tentative Site Visits
Nuba Mexico (Oct. 11-13, 2025)
- 52 peak rooms, 156 total rooms, 52 attendees
- Multiple venues
Clubhouse International Site Visit (Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2026)
- 300 peak rooms, 825 total rooms, 400 attendees
- Multiple venues
Upcoming Activities:
Domestic Convention Sales
- STR Hotel Data Conference (Aug. 6-8, Nashville, TN)
- American Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting & Expo (Aug. 9-12, Los Angeles, CA)
- Chicago Air & Water Show (Aug. 16-17, Chicago, IL)
- Connect Marketplace (Aug. 25-27, Miami, FL)
- Maritz Activate (Aug. 26-28, Louisville, KY)
- Washington Nationals Client Event (Aug. 29, Washington, DC)
Global Convention Sales
- Canadian Meetings + Events Expo (Aug. 12-13, Toronto, Canada)
- IBTM Americas (Aug. 20-21, Mexico City, Mexico)
- Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convening EMEA (Oct. 15-17, Rotterdam, Netherlands)
- International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress (Nov. 9-12, Porto, Portugal)
- IBTM World (Nov. 18-20, Barcelona, Spain)
Check out the full Destination DC Member News to learn more about what's going on this month.
