BCD Meetings & Events’ Rebecca Jones explains why the industry’s real value to host communities goes far past hotel spend — and what it will take to get policymakers to notice.
When policymakers and local leaders think about meetings and events, they tend to picture hotel tax revenue and not much else. That framing undersells the industry’s real footprint. Done well, a meeting can seed a supply chain of local vendors, fund a community project and leave a destination better off long after attendees go home — but only if planners and suppliers build that impact into the program from the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Prevue recently asked Rebecca Jones, Vice President Global Supplier Relations at BCD Meetings & Events, about what destinations are getting right, how client expectations around community and sustainability are shifting, and why the industry still struggles to make its economic case to the people who set policy.
Prevue: Beyond hotel room nights and visitor spending, how do meetings create value for local communities?
Jones: From my perspective in supplier relations, meetings create value when they intentionally spread opportunity across the local ecosystem — not just hotels, but destination management companies, transportation providers, restaurants, local activities, production teams and other local partners. The real opportunity is to use sourcing and program design to reflect local culture, support local business and advance sustainability efforts that help conserve local communities and protect what makes each destination unique. By incorporating authentic cultural experiences and local activities, we can give attendees a stronger connection to the destination while also delivering meaningful economic value that extends beyond the event itself.
Prevue: What are destinations doing particularly well to ensure that meetings leave a positive legacy?
Jones: The destinations doing this best make it easier for planners to connect with strong local partners and make smarter sourcing decisions. They also foster partnerships with destination experts such as Destination Management Companies and CVBs, who can help collaborate with the planners to design programs that deliver the greatest positive impact on the local community while also supporting the objectives of the meeting. They understand that legacy is not accidental; it comes from aligning venues, suppliers, cultural experiences and sustainability choices in a way that feels authentic to the destination and measurable for the client.
Prevue: How has the relationship between event organizers and host communities evolved in recent years?
Jones: It has become much more collaborative and much more strategic. Organizers are no longer looking only for space and rates; they are looking for partners who can help manage risk, support sustainability goals, deliver consistent service and connect the event and its attendees more meaningfully to the destination. That shift has made the relationship with host communities and suppliers more integrated than it was even a few years ago.
Prevue: Are clients becoming more interested in community engagement, sustainability or social impact initiatives tied to their events?
Jones: Yes, absolutely. We are seeing stronger interest in sustainability, smarter sourcing and broader event impact, and that includes community engagement. BCD Meetings & Events’ sustainability guidance emphasizes that sustainable planning includes not just environmental factors, but also social and economic considerations, and BCD has also noted growing client curiosity around initiatives that help local communities.
Prevue: Can you share examples of meetings that have delivered measurable benefits to local businesses, nonprofits or residents?
Jones: One strong example from BCD’s case studies is a 200-attendee automotive incentive in Puerto Vallarta that included a CSR activity designed with a local DMC and community partners; the result was a newly built playground for a local elementary school, completed in about four hours with participation from attendees and the community. BCD has also highlighted an APAC example in which clients supported a bakery that creates employment opportunities for young people with disabilities by purchasing products for events and engaging directly with the initiative — those are just a sample of programs that we have supported.
Prevue: How can planners better connect attendees with the communities they visit?
Jones: The best way to do that is to involve local partners early and build the destination into the event design from the start. It is also important to understand attendee interests and the company’s broader initiatives so the program can be designed in a way that aligns with both, driving stronger engagement while also supporting the local community. That can mean sourcing more locally, incorporating culturally authentic experiences, highlighting local food and wellbeing elements, and being intentional about the story behind those choices so attendees understand the connection to the community they are visiting.
Prevue: What are the biggest challenges destinations face in maximizing the local impact of meetings and events?
Jones: One of the biggest challenges is that not every destination or supplier market is at the same level of maturity when it comes to sustainability, measurement or local supplier readiness. Another is that community impact requires coordination. It takes early planning, the right partners and clear goals. Good intentions are important, but they are not enough on their own. There is also a real need to educate leaders at the local, state and federal levels about the economic impact of our industry and the value meetings and travel bring to communities. That education is supported through advocacy and lobbying efforts led by organizations such as the U.S. Travel Association, AHLA, the National Restaurant Association, Airlines for America, the American Society of Travel Advisors, SITE Global, MPI, and state and local CVBs, among others, all working collectively to keep this issue in front of community and government leaders.
Prevue: How can the industry do a better job of communicating its economic and social value to policymakers and community leaders?
Jones: We need to communicate in terms that are concrete and relevant: how meetings support local suppliers, create business opportunities across the event supply chain, manage spending more strategically, and produce measurable outcomes. We also need to pair data with real examples. When you can show both the operational discipline behind meetings and the visible benefits delivered in a destination, the industry’s value becomes much easier to understand. The current impact of the FIFA World Cup helps bring that message to life, showing how a major global event can drive longer stays, higher visitor spending, broader economic activity across local businesses, and greater visibility for communities, while also strengthening the United States’ position as a destination for future travel, meetings and investment.
Prevue: When people think about meetings and events, they often focus on logistics or travel. What’s the bigger story about the industry’s impact on business growth, innovation, communities and global progress that you think deserves more attention?
Jones: The bigger story is that meetings are not just logistical exercises — they are business tools. They influence decisions, shape direction, drive alignment and create the human connection that organizations need to move forward. From my perspective, logistics matter because they make that possible, but the real impact is what meetings unlock: stronger organizations, better collaboration, true meaningful human connections and more intentional value for the destinations and partners that support them.
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