Associations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination Partnerships

In this episode of Associations NOW Presents, recorded live at ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition in Indianapolis, host Molly Ferns of the American Association of Immunologists welcomes Melissa Cherry and Colleen Phalen of Miles Partnership to explore how destinations can elevate the annual meeting experience. They discuss why associations should move beyond transactional relationships with DMOs and CVBs and embrace more strategic partnerships that enhance attendee engagement, create authentic local experiences, and support attendance goals. The conversation also explores rising meeting costs, the growing appeal of second- and third-tier cities, and how AI is changing destination research while making strong human partnerships more important than ever.