Make your voice heard and help protect gaming communities by telling Congress to stop the attacks against business travel. 

In recent months, travel for meetings, events and performance incentives (ME&I) – particularly to gaming destinations – has come under attack from media and elected officials who have sought to score "political points" by deterring corporate travel.

This recent crusade is having a drastic impact on gaming communities across the country.  Businesses receiving taxpayer assistance and others concerned about becoming the next "easy target" are canceling ME&I travel, which threatens jobs and revenues throughout our industry.   

The AGA has joined forces with the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) to play an active role in its major, multi-faceted campaign -- “Meetings Mean Business” – to restore common sense to the debate. 

One of the key components of this campaign is a nationwide grassroots effort aimed at educating members of Congress and key decision makers about the vital role ME&I travel plays in our businesses and communities.

In order for this effort to make an impact, it is vital that policymakers and the media hear directly from gaming industry members, executives, employees, customers and business partners about the value of ME&I travel to the industry and the impact of less travel on the communities where they do business.

The USTA has created a toolkit to help formulate responses to the sustained, unfair attacks on ME&I travel. The suite of materials includes: 1) documents to educate you on the value and economic impact of ME&I travel; and 2) resources to help you develop your own communications for policymakers and the media.  Because the impact of these attacks is particularly significant in gaming communities, the AGA has adapted some of these materials to focus more directly on the gaming industry. 

Gaming-Specific Tool Kit Materials Developed by the AGA:
Gaming Industry Talking Points
Sample Letters to the Editor
Sample Letter to Member of Congress
Congressional Contacts for Commercial Casino Jurisdictions (xls)

Additional Materials from the U.S. Travel Association Toolkit:
Economic Impact of Business Travel
Economic Impact of Business Travel by State (xls)
Local Impact of Cutting Business Travel
Value of Meetings
Convention Centers by State
What Others Are Saying
News Stories

Here’s how you can help protect gaming employees and the local communities where we operate:

1. Contact Elected Officials! Using the campaign talking points and sample letters, call, e-mail or send a letter to Senators and members of Congress written in your own words to inform them of the value of business travel and the victims when travel is deterred.  Use the "Congressional Contacts for Commercial Casino Jurisdictions" chart to help you identify the right people to contact or send a letter directly through the "Meetings Mean Business" Web site.
2. Speak Out Locally! Look for opportunities in your local newspaper to make your voice heard. Use the sample letters to the editor and the campaign talking points to draft and send your own letter to the editor of your local newspaper. It is important to keep your letter to about 150 words and follow the guidelines of your local paper.
3. Get Others Involved! Share elements of this toolkit with your employees, co-workers, customers and business partners and ask them to get engaged. 

The AGA encourages everyone in the gaming industry to take an active role in this campaign and make your voice heard.   

If you have any questions about the AGA’s efforts on this issue, please contact Brett Hale at bhale@americangaming.org or Dorothy Jackson at djackson@americangaming.org.   For more information and ideas about how you can get involved in the broader national campaign, visit the Meetings Mean Business campaign headquarters or the U.S. Travel Association Web site.