The Invisible Industry Delivering Big for the U.S. Economy: Face-To-Face Meetings and Business Events events not only play a critical role in connecting people and driving business results, they also support 5.9 million jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue. Every dollar spent on face-to-face meetings and business events generates an additional $1.60 for the U.S. economy - an increase of 160%. $2.60 $1.60 $1 Total economic impact Indirect and induced impacts Direct impact Spending and jobs associated with planning, producing and attending an event Spending associated with downstream or "supply chain" costs as well as spending by industry employees that supports the broader economy The combination of direct impact, indirect and induced impacts In 2016, 1.9 million meetings were held in the United States, generating $845 billion in economic impact. Growing Year-Over-Year The economic impact generated by meetings is shared across a variety of industries. Meetings direct spending has expanded 23% since 2009, primarily due to increases in the number of meeting participants. Total Impact $1,000 Total Impact Total Impact $750 Indirect and induced output $500 Direct output $250 $0 2009 2012 2016 Want to learn more about the economic impact of face-to-face meetings? Find the full report at eventscouncil.org. Source: Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy Report© 2018 Events Industry Council. www.sgmp.org 17http://www.eventscouncil.org http://www.sgmp.org