Melvin Tennant: A Discussion on Race and Diversity in the Travel Industry

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Minneapolis has found itself at the center of attention in a national and now global discussion on issues of systemic racism and police reform in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department. In this episode of the SportsTravel Podcast, SportsTravel Editor and Publisher Jason Gewirtz sits down with Melvin Tennant, the president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis and the executive director of Sports Minneapolis. We have a frank dialogue about how Floyd’s death has been felt in Minneapolis, ways that systemic racism has been reflected in the travel and hospitality community, suggestions for better hiring practices within the industry and how sports can help lead the way in recovery not just on this issue but on the many economic issues facing destinations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the topics in this episode:

• What the situation has been like in Minneapolis since the killing of George Floyd
• How Meet Minneapolis engaged its staff in dialogue following community protests
• A recent letter Tennant wrote about the bureau’s response to calls for reform
• The role Meet Minneapolis is playing in local dialogue on reform
• The lack of diversity among leadership at CVBs and sports commissions
• Encouraging a pipeline for potential hires to reflect more diversity
• How systemic racism is being felt in the travel and hospitality industry
• Recent responses to systemic racism in the NFL and NASCAR
• How the coronavirus pandemic has impacted sports events in Minneapolis
• The role of the sports market in the economic recovery compared to other markets

Click here to listen to past episodes of the SportsTravel Podcast