People 8-1-2003

Meetings & Conventions: People August 2003

People

By Terence Baker

Tanya Hall, CHME , is executive director of the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau.

How did MAC come about? It was created in 1987, when Philadelphia was repositioning itself as a conventions destination. We have a three-pronged objective: sales, economic development and community development.

Where did your initial business come from? From the African-American market. When we started, that market was a $35 billion industry; today it represents $80 billion. In Philadelphia, MAC brings in about 12 percent of meeting and convention bookings, although we like to think that, through our community work, the figure is higher. The Hispanic market is our second-biggest niche, and the Asian and Native American markets also are promising.

How is the community involved? Some of our new focuses are on heritage tourism, local music and entertainment. We try to make sure diversity is discussed at every level, to ensure they get the story correct from a minority standpoint. Also, for 10 years we’ve organized a Hospitality Education Day to educate schoolchildren about the industry and the opportunities it provides.

How has your profession evolved? When I started out in 1988, and I was one of three African Americans working in hotel sales here. There was hesitancy to employ us in anything other than support roles; today we have seen a 600 percent increase in minority hotel sales positions.

PLANNERS

Coffey named manager at NAMTA
Katherine Coffey has been promoted to association manager of the Huntsville, N.C.-based National Art Materials Trade Association. Since 2000, she served as NAMTA’s assistant executive director.