The recent episode of wasteful spending by members of the General Services Administration who were at a Las Vegas conference has once again called into question the value of professional meetings. For L.A.’s economy, and that of my hometown of Las Vegas, the meetings industry is a multibillion-dollar economic engine that creates jobs and serves as a cornerstone of the entire travel sector. For businesses, in-person meetings are irreplaceable forums to build the relationships and make the deals that propel our economy forward. That’s why all of us must work together to make sure the conversation continues to focus on the true value of meetings and how we can work together to strengthen the industry.

Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago hosted the most important travel convention in the world – the U.S. Travel Association’s International PowWow. Nearly 6,000 of the leading travel planners from around the globe convened for three days at the Los Angeles Convention Center in nonstop business meetings. Attendees from dozens of countries booked more than $3.5 billion in international visits to the United States during the event while Los Angeles showcased itself as a destination for corporate meetings, tourists and major conventions.

The International PowWow itself demonstrates how meetings create value and opportunities not just for attendees, but also for the destination host. This is our mantra in Las Vegas, and was evident here in Los Angeles as downtown’s hotels, restaurants, museums and stores were packed full of visiting delegates.

The GSA’s waste of taxpayer dollars, much like the AIG effect from 2008, has united the meeting’s industry as never before. Our response is clear and unequivocal – government at all levels must be responsible stewards of our tax dollars. However, this should not impede government agencies from responsibly planning and hosting meetings that further their missions and overall effectiveness. The right answer is stronger oversight and accountability instead of a blanket prohibition on all government-sponsored meetings.

Beyond making sure a GSA-type incident doesn’t occur again, our industry’s focus is on three critical areas.

• First, reinforce the value of in-person meetings to businesses, policymakers and the public. The entire meetings industry generates $450 billion for the U.S. economy and supports 6.3 million jobs. These are primarily local jobs that cannot be outsourced. Nearly 40 percent of all business travel is meeting related and is shown to provide a 12-to-1 return for each dollar invested. Moreover, there are also the incalculable benefits that meetings foster – networking, collaborating, sharing new ideas and innovations, and the personal handshakes that close deals.

• Second, our industry is spearheading efforts to improve the overall air travel experience. For Los Angeles, that means streamlining both the Customs and TSA screening processes at Los Angeles International Airport. It includes modernizing LAX and all of the nation’s major airports to meet traveler expectations and accommodate the next generation of aircraft. We are also working closely with the federal government to complete NextGen – a transition from outdated radar to a GPS-based air-traffic control system.

• Finally, all of us must ensure that the travel sector has a designated seat at the table for transportation or infrastructure-related policy decisions. The decisions made today will determine the success (or failure) of local tourism economies for years to come.

We will also continue innovating the overall meeting experience. That means fulfilling each of our clients’ unique needs and expectations. Even in the era of virtual meetings and unified communications, face-to-face meetings remain vital to achieving strategic business objectives. By integrating the best in new technology with a more customized experience, the meetings industry will help businesses maximize their bottom line.

The International PowWow reinforces the value of in-person meetings for our members as well as your city. Top destinations, such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas, must be at the forefront of efforts to achieve these goals and reinforce the value of meetings to the entire economy. With billions of dollars and millions of jobs at stake, there can be no doubt that “meetings mean business.”

Rossi Ralenkotter is chairman of the U.S. Travel Association, and president and chief executive of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.