Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CIC's charge includes facilitating the exchange of information and developing programs to promote professionalism within the industry. By its nature, the CIC provides an impartial and inclusive forum for APEX and the development of accepted practices for the industry.
APEX Commissioners serve as spokespeople for various industry segments and are responsible for the general oversight of the initiative. The industry panels, supported by the Technology Advisory Council, are where the work of developing accepted practices was done. Recommended practices are delivered to the industry at large for review and comment. Final recommendations are voted on by the APEX Commission and the CIC Board of Directors.
See the APEX Structure for a diagram of the groups of people involved.
The APEX Commission is a volunteer body that is responsible for general oversight of the APEX initiative. Each commissioner represents an industry segment and has responsibilities including:
- Serving as the key representatives from their segments of the industry
- Ensuring their industry segments are adequately represented on the industry panels
- Serving as enthusiastic and motivational forces to champion the APEX initiative
- Securing the commitment of the stakeholders to implement accepted practices
Click here to see the list of Commissioners and the industry segments they represent.
How will the industry benefit?
Some of the results of accepted practices implementation will include:
- Time and cost savings
- Eased communication and data sharing
- Enhanced customer service
- Streamlined systems and processes
- Increased operational efficiencies
- Better-educated, more professional employees
In short, it will make the industry more efficient, freeing up valuable time to devote collaborative energies to broader, more pressing industry issues.
Why does the industry need accepted practices?
According to the Convention Industry Council's 1994 Economic Impact Study, the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry is a 365-day-a-year business that:
- Operates both in large cities and small communities across the country
- Generates more than one-third of the hotel industry's $66 billion annual revenue
- Accounts for 22% of airline industry operating income
- Directly supports 1.57 million jobs in the U.S.
- Generates over $12.3 billion in sales and income taxes
- Is the 22nd largest contributor to the GNP
This multifaceted industry is composed of buyers, sellers, and third parties whose interests do not always intersect, and whose business practices do not always translate. The industry currently has no standards or accepted practices in place to guide and coordinate the various segments in their operations.
What topics do the initiative address?
Panels addressing key areas of the industry will work to develop recommended
accepted practices. Each panel has a formal charge, which serves as
a guide to direct its work. Click
here for a list of panels that have already been completed; click
here to view works in progress.
Who serves on the industry panels?
Each panel is composed of volunteers who bring unique perspectives to the development of recommended accepted practices. Volunteers are selected by the Commission. The goal is to have a representative on each panel for as many industry positions as possible.
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