Events Advocacy Group Announces 2024 Public Policy Agenda

With Congress expected to return this week, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) released its 2024 public policy agenda, identifying five key focus areas for 2024, including:

• Ensuring a favorable industry operating environment
• Growing seamless international travel and commerce
• Creating a welcoming environment for the industry in states and cities nationwide
• Championing industry-led decarbonization efforts
• Developing the industry’s future workforce

“In 2024, ECA will be laser-focused on advocating for policies to uphold the role of the business events industry in propelling economic growth, fostering job creation and empowering small businesses nationwide and globally,” said Hervé Sedky, Emerald Holding Inc. President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chair of the ECA board of directors, in a recent press release.

As part of ECA’s 2024 public policy agenda, six issues were highlighted as top priorities for the coming year, including restoring visa operations to pre-pandemic levels, supporting government policies to help attract and train the industry’s next generation workforce and bringing back communicable disease coverage to event cancellation insurance.

The ECA also noted efforts will continue to build upon 2023 successes for the industry, such as amending Chicago’s new paid-leave law to exclude business events visitors, advancing legislation in Congress to expand skills-based training and development opportunities for future workers. Finally, the ECA plans to introduce new advocacy capabilities that will allow industry leaders and advocates to make their voices heard in the political and policymaking processes.

Review the ECA’s 2024 public policy agenda here.