The leaders of the U.S. meetings industry wrote a letter to their members to ease the political tension.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online Can Meetings Survive the U.S.-Canada Chill? The leaders of the U.S. meetings industry wrote a letter to their members to ease the political tension.   David McMillin, Skift Meetings Head of Content September 22nd, 2026 It’s the best week of the year: a chance to see all the work that goes into planning a meeting come to life. I’m writing this approximately 24 hours in advance of my inaugural Skift Meetings Forum in New York. The rest of the Skift team is in the midst of preparing for a week of action with four (!) other programs. They’re doing the stay-up-too-late and wake-up-too-early routine that you know all too well. It’s a reminder that meeting professionals routinely make what seems impossible a reality. While the week of a meeting makes me focus solely on what our team needs to do, the rest of the world isn’t slowing down. Andrea Doyle caught up with Don Welsh at Destinations International after he assembled a who’s who cast of U.S. association leaders for an open letter to their audience members who live north of the border. Head below to learn more, along with a look at a new not-quite-finished event measurement certification and a roundup of tools that can help you find a more creative venue. — David McMillin PS. If you aren’t joining us in New York this week, be part of the next best thing. We’ll be hosting a webinar on Wednesday, September 30 to unpack all the insights from Skift Meetings Forum. Register today to join our editorial team for the conversation.       WEBINAR Join the Skift Meetings editorial team for a full debrief of all the action at Skift Meetings Forum. We’ll unpack what we learned on stage and what we heard in the conversations throughout the day. Sponsored by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Experience Kissimmee. REGISTER NOW             FEATURED STORIES A New, Partially-Finished Certification Aims to Help Prove Events Work By Andrea Doyle The Event Marketing Measurement Association is betting planners will pay to learn measurement before a course fully exists yet. The certification's real test will begin when all the chapters are finished later this year. GET THE STORY U.S. Meetings Leaders Break Silence on Canadian Tensions By Andrea Doyle Industry leaders say Canadian attendance is being affected by political tensions, and decisions made now will influence where organizations meet for years. GET THE STORY 6 Tools for Finding a More Creative Event Venue By Barbara Scofidio Which one you pick isn’t necessarily about the venue database. It’s about whether you or the venue ends up paying for the referral. GET THE STORY             FREE REPORT Our new research offers a look at how at corporate meeting planners are navigating the current landscape. Download it today to learn how 111 in-house corporate planners are dealing with geopolitical pressures, ROI expectations, AI, contracts, and more. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Caesars Entertainment and Convene. GET THE REPORT             WORTH YOUR TIME Five things worth your time today. Be ready to work the room with these tips for making a strong first impression. Find out why half of corporate planners are amending their contracts. Get to know the most powerful women in the meetings industry. Read the inspiring story of a meetings veteran’s battle against cancer — and what it taught her about controlling her destiny. Take a look at eight new and improved gaming resorts that are working to attract more group business.             SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS The Brand USA Blues The potential dip in Canadian visitors to the U.S. is dominating the conversation now, but the stream of visitors from the rest of the world may also slow down in the near future, too. Skift’s Bailey Schulz reports that Brand USA is looking ahead to 2028 with the potential for “limited resources,” according to spokesman Chris Heywood. The organization is focused on the leisure side of international travel. However, the work it does — creating and investing in media that promotes America as a place to put on the must-visit list — certainly can’t hurt in getting prospective attendees to decide to make the long haul here for a program. If you’re hosting a program in the U.S., it’s worth having a conversation with your marketing team to figure out which parts of the world you want to focus on with your next program and how you can sell them on making the journey.             Skift Meetings Toolkit Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events. EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT             Thanks for being a regular reader. We are switching to a new email platform. Why? This change will allow for better delivery, and more engaging newsletters. Please take a moment to add this new email address to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving your newsletters without interruption. During this transition, these emails might land in your promotions or spam folder. To ensure you don’t miss out, please move this newsletter to your primary inbox.       1    DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL. 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