The Professional Convention Management Association and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives today announced plans to develop a "progressive and innovative" strategic alliance, aimed at benefiting members and expanding their global brands.

PCMA represents top meeting professionals organizing many of the largest meetings worldwide. ACTE represents the global business travel industry with senior travel industry executives from more than 80 countries.

Leaders from both associations stressed that the move is not a merger, saying instead it will "increase the size of the pie because of the synergies that exist between us,” according to Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO.

EVENTS COULD CO-LOCATE

Under the alliance, the associations will investigate moves such as co-locating events and sharing research projects. The first such opportunity might come with PCMA's annual meeting, slated for Jan. 10-13, 2010, in Dallas, though no such decision has been made yet.

Members of both organizations will immediately gain access and pricing to each organizations’ member benefits at regular member rates.

“There is a continuing convergence of travel professionals becoming responsible for meeting planning and meetings professionals being asked to manage travel,” said John Folks, 2009 PCMA chairman of the board and president and principal of meetings and event agency Minding Your Business, headquartered in Chicago. “In an increasingly complex and intertwined world, I only see upside to this unique Alliance for everyone. It will absolutely add member value.”

He added that the alliance will help his members "shift their focus from the BEO to ROI."