Convention Sales and Services

DOMESTIC CONVENTION SALES: Promotions, Sales Calls, Trade Shows and Events

The team’s proactive efforts resulted in 92 presentations, client sales calls and in-person meetings in March. Highlights included:

• Access Intelligence
• AMC Source
• America’s Credit Unions
• American College of Rheumatology 
• American Israel Public Affairs Committee
• Ampa Events
• Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development 
• Building Owners and Managers Association International
• Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District
• Enterprise Events Group
• Events Industry Council
• GCG Event Partners
• Hello! Washington, D.C.
• Hosts Global
• Meetings Made Easy
• The SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition
   

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Northern California ACE Tradeshow (March 4-8, San Francisco, CA)
Attendees: Jenna Wiese, Kate Anaya
Co-Op: Hosts Global
Destination DC (DDC) attended and exhibited at the sold-out tradeshow. The ACE show offered networking opportunities with Northern California planners, as well as educational sessions focused on AI, sustainability and leadership. Additionally, DDC participated in a panel discussion with DMO peers to explore the latest trends in citywide bookings, city development and the evolving relationship with a destination management organization. Moreover, DDC hosted 15 clients for a spa event in downtown San Francisco and conducted sales calls throughout the week.
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• George P. Johnson
• Gilead
• Informa Tech
• Site Savvy

Operation Cherry Pie Chicago (March 5-7, Chicago, IL)
Attendees: Melissa Riley, Dianna Waldroup, Katherine Russo, Catherine Fehrens 
Co-Op: Capitol Hilton, Hilton National Mall, Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill
DDC and hotel partners spent three days in Chicago delivering cherry pies to the offices of key accounts downtown and in the surrounding suburbs. These treats are a delicious way to show appreciation and celebrate the beauty of DC’s cherry blossoms. DDC delivered 30 pies, had 17 appointments and two lunches with clients who bring their annual meetings to DC regularly. 
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• Agile Business Media & Events
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• American Epilepsy Society
• American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society
• American Orthopedic Surgeons
• American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine
• American Osteopathic Association
• American Bar Association
• American Hospital Association
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• BCD Meetings and Event 
• Defense Research Institute
• National Association of Realtors
• Radiological Society of North America
• Society of Critical Care Medicine
• Society of Surgical Medicine
• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

National Cherry Blossom Pink Tie Party (March 15, Washington, DC)
Attendees: Shirley Del Carpio, Jared Kolleh
DDC kicked off the spring season with local clients at the Pink Tie Party at Union Station. Clients expressed their gratitude for being included in the National Cherry Blossom Festival festivities. All proceeds from ticket purchases went toward supporting the festival’s mission to keep events primarily free and open to the public. 
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• American Psychiatric Association
• ConferenceDirect
• NAFSA: Association for International Educators
• National Medical Association
• National Industries for the Blind

Operation Cherry Pie (March 18-21, Washington Metropolitan Area)
Attendees: All DDC staff
Co-Ops: Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Kimpton George Hotel, Capital Hilton, AC Hotel by Marriott Washington DC Capitol Hill Navy Yard, Visit Alexandria, Dog Tag Bakery

There’s #Only1DC – a city where partnership and opportunities bloom! In celebration of our members and of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and spring, DDC and co-op partners delivered 385 freshly baked cherry pies to 250 area businesses.

Wizards Suite Event (March 19, Washington, DC)
Attendees: Bill Adams, Shirley Del Carpio, Holly Rattanakone, Jared Kolleh, Chris Li
Co-Op: Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf
Local clients joined DDC to cheer on the Washington Wizards against the Houston Rockets. Clients bonded over shared enthusiasm for the sport and their respective industries, as DDC forged new connections and strengthened existing relationships.
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• American Psychiatric Association
• Leveling the Playing Field
• Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives 
• NAFSA: Association for International Educators
• National Academy of Sciences on behalf of Transportation Research Board
• USA Fencing
• Washington Spirit

Informa Connect Pharma Forum (March 24-27, Tampa, FL)
Attendees: John Sklencar, Megan Fariel
Co-Op: Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf
The exhibit-based tradeshow is the largest, most influential conference for meeting and event professionals to navigate the future of medical meetings, address compliance implications and execute contracting strategies with virtual, hybrid and face-to-face. DDC had access to connect with over 200 medical meeting planners and agencies that source and plan for all the major global pharmaceutical companies. 
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• AmerisourceBergen
• Cardinal Health, Inc.
• Gilead Science
• Medtronic
• Pfizer
• Sanofi
• Takeda
   

The Meeting Industry Council (MIC) Colorado (March 25-27, Denver, CO)
Attendees: Katherine Russo, Kate Anaya
Co-Op: Swings Crazy Golf Club
MIC is the largest gathering of meeting planners and others in the meeting industry located in the Rocky Mountain area. Over two days of hosted buyer appointments, tradeshow and education, DDC informed current and prospective members about what’s new in DC. Swings Crazy Golf Club helped promote their venue in Dupont Circle. DDC held five hosted buyer appointments and five key customers for dinner. 
DDC targeted the following customers: 

• ConferenceDirect
• E Source
• HelmsBriscoe
• Keystone Symposia
• Kinsley Meetings 
• Obesity Medicine Association
• Pinnacol Assurance
• PointB
• Tapestry Productions

Definite Site Visits

American Political Science Association 

• Sept. 1-4, 2027 and Sept. 1-4, 2029
• 3,100 peak rooms per year; 11,867 total room nights per year
• 7,000 attendees per year
• Multiple venues 
   

National Black MBA Association 
Sept. 18-19, 2024

• 3,263 peak rooms per year; 11,564 total room nights per year
• 10,000 attendees per year
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center and multiple venues 

Tentative Site Visits

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry 

• March 1-3, 2025
• 182 peak rooms; 585 total room nights 
• 400 attendees
• Multiple venues

Securing America's Future Energy 

• March 1-3, 2025
• 100 peak rooms; 240 total room nights 
• 1,000 attendees
• Multiple venues

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION SALES: Sales Calls, Bid Development, Strategic Programming, Familiarization Tours and Site Visits

The team engaged prospect accounts and tentative leads by focusing on proactive client outreach, personalized touchpoints and international bid development. Highlights included: 

• Alternative Investment Management Association
• Association for Computing Machinery
• Capgemini
• Effective Event Solutions
• Electric Drive Transportation Association
• Financial Times Group
• Foresters Financial
• Informa Connect
• Innovation Zero
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
• International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
• International Communication Association
• K.I.T. Group GmbH
• Meetings Made Easy
• Tata Communications
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Tentative Site Visits

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Signal Processing Society 

• April 3-6, 2028
• 900 peak rooms; 4,400 total room nights 
• 3,000 attendees
• Multiple venues

International Association of Young Lawyers

• Aug. 26-30, 2025
• 150 peak rooms; 815 total room nights 
• 600 attendees
• Multiple venues

Upcoming Activities:

Domestic Convention Sales

• Nationals Opening Day Event (April 1, Washington, DC) 
• Prestige Annual Partner Conference (April 1-3, Frisco, TX)
• ConferenceDirect Annual Partner Meeting (April 7-11, Arlington, TX)
• Destinations International Sales & Service Summit (April 8-9, 2024, Washington, DC)
• Business Event Industry Week and Destination Showcase (April 9-11, Washington, DC)
• North Carolina Sales Mission (April 11, Charlotte, NC)
• Amy Martell Spa Event (April 17, Washington, DC)
• Boston Sales Mission (April 18-20, Boston, MA)
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Greater New York Chapter/ Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP)
• Executive Leadership Summit (April 19, New York, NY)
• Experiential Marketing Summit (April 24-26, Las Vegas, NV)
• Maritz Elevate (April 29 - May 2, Vancouver, Canada)
• Rooftop Event (April TBD, Washington, DC) 

International Convention Sales

• Springtime in DC Customer Familiarization Trip (April 18-21, Washington, DC)
• IMEX Frankfurt (May 14-16, Frankfurt, Germany)
• Associations World Congress (June 9-11, Graz, Austria)
• FIEXPO Latin America (June 10-13, Panama City, Panama)
• The Meetings Show (June 19-20, London, UK)

Check out the full Destination DC Member News to learn more about what's going on this month.