as suggested earlier,fragmentation best describes the convention and meetings sector with its many suppliers.different types of buyers, and varies locations.1 however there are many industry trade associations worldwide working to pull the disparate pieces together.2 the main organization is meeting Professionals International (MPI), a 30-year-old association based in Dallas with 19,000 members representing 60 countries and nearly evenly divided between meeting planners and suppliers.3 the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), specializing more on the convention side of the industry, was founded in 1957 and has 5,000 members.4 the International Association of convention and Visitor Bureaus,with headquarters in Washington,DC,is the oldest trade association within the industry having been founded in 1914 and represents 1,200 professionals working in more than 500 CVBs worldwide.5 the Convention Industry Council is an umbrella organization representing 30 members associations from the association for convention Operations management (ACOM) to the exhibition services and contractors association (ESCA) and trade show exhibitors association (TSEA) that also administers the certified meeting professional (CMP) program,which essentially affirms that holders of the certificarte are trained meeting planning professionals.6