In times of uncertainty, SMERF meetings are more important than ever.
You won’t hear, “Was this meeting necessary?” coming from many mouths at SMERF meetings. For attendees in the Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal meetings market, or SMERF, consider these meetings crucial.
“SMERF meetings are some of the most resilient meetings that take place because you're not going to miss that sorority meeting, that church group gathering, or your 12-year-old’s sports championship,” observed Brad Dean, CEO and president of Explore St. Louis. “Those are things that people are not going to miss, if they can avoid it.”
From religious events to military reunions and youth sports, the following examples illustrate why SMERF meetings are endlessly essential, and how various groups are growing their success.
Religious Events Bring Mega Attendance
U.S. religious conferences are expected to reach $159.8 billion this year, according to research from IBISWorld.
One of the largest, the Memphis-based Church of God in Christ Convocation, or COGIC, presents a logistical challenge to its hospitality and destination partners. In 2025, COGIC’s International Holy Convocation November 4-9, is in Memphis. In 2026, it will move to St. Louis for five years.
“It’s not easy. Because of its size, quite honestly, COGIC is probably a little big for us,” admitted Kevin Kane, president and CEO of Memphis Tourism. “But we make it work.”
The meeting itself, Kane explained, fits Memphis’ recently renovated convention center “just fine.” The problem, he said, is the general assembly on Sunday, “when all of a sudden their fellowship goes up to 20,000 members.” In the past, Memphis used the FedEx Arena as a secondary venue or a church simulcast, but “St. Louis has a former indoor football arena connected to their convention center that has 50,000-plus seats.”
Explore St. Louis’ Dean acknowledged that the Dome at America’s Center has become an integral part of the city’s ability to host COGIC.
“I have to credit Stephanie Monroe-Brown, who leads our faith-based team,” he said. “It reinforces to me the importance of maintaining relationships with the faith-based planners, because COGIC will have a huge impact on St. Louis for the next five years.”
Military Reunions and Their Importance to Connection and Community
In the military, teamwork and its attendant camaraderie are essential for preserving life and goals. Many who leave feel they will never again experience that feeling of community, which is what makes military reunions so important to attendees.
“When people leave the military, the adjustment to civilian life can be incredibly difficult for a lot of them,” said Sharon Danitschek, president, Military Reunion Network. “For some, it is easy. For others, it ends in suicide.”
Danitschek is currently surveying how reunions impact mental health and to present this information to Veterans Affairs, “so there's a stronger outlook and focus on the positive impact military reunions have.”
For example, when asked, “How did you feel during the reunion?” over 55% said they “could be themselves,” 30% said they felt “a renewed sense of community,” and 25% said, “My spouse or partner understands my military service a little bit more now.”
Just being together starts the healing. “I call it ‘buffet line’ therapy,” quipped Danitschek. “They're standing in the buffet line, and if it's going slow, they'll start talking. That conversation helps to establish a connection that continues.
“Reunions are not just a bunch of guys and spouses getting together and telling war stories. They are putting themselves back together,” she added.
An estimated 15,000 military reunions meet yearly, with the majority in the U.S. (although Danitschek noted there will be reunions that go overseas for a specific anniversary like D-Day). Some are set up as fully functioning nonprofit associations and can negotiate as such. Others are less organized, with perhaps 20% having a brand-new reunion planner each year.
For these, Danitschek has extensive information on her website, militaryreunionnetwork.com, where planners can go for checklists and tips and create a solid RFP.
“Knowing someone has never done it before, the ongoing challenge is just understanding how the hospitality industry works,” Danitschek noted. “When I teach a class in military reunion planning, I ask the planners to start thinking about it as hotels selling time.”
And for the hospitality partner, Danitschek suggests patience and understanding.
“For military reunions, cost is everything in this market,” she said. “They are willing to move their dates, because they want to keep costs down. And alcohol? For the hospitality industry, say, ‘We have a policy against bringing in alcohol, but here's what we can do to help you,’ and provide discounted drinks at the lobby bar. And if you say, ‘Oh, by the way, if we provide it to you, you're not going to have to buy it at Costco or Sam's Club or deal with the overage,’ they’ll pay attention.”
In Colorado Springs, a destination with 45,000 active troops in five arms of the military, the city has launched a “Military Welcome” page that encourages local businesses to offer discounts to military reunions and veterans in general.
“With us having such a strong SMERF business community,” said Lee Reijgers, diector of sales at Visit Colorado Springs, “many of our hotel partners recognize the need for cost efficiency and are willing to accommodate and go above and beyond to support all our clients. We'd encourage groups to be as flexible as they can with our hotel partners. Ask for what you need, know your non-negotiables, and be willing to give on some of the other details like dates and pattern.”
[Related: Coastal Virginia Offsite Venues That Celebrate the U.S. Military]
Youth Sports Continue to Thrive
The U.S. youth sports sector represents a small but thriving portion of the education market, worth $37.5 billion in 2022, according to Statista, with 54% of children 6-17 participating that year. Planning for these events is done by adults, some of whom are professional sports organizers, looking for Olympic and other amateur prospects.
“Sports associations and publishers have meetings for the destinations and event organizers,” said Tammy Dunn, Snohomish County Sports Commission executive director. “Sports organizations such as USSSA, USA Softball, USA Lacrosse, USA Hockey, USA Wrestling, US Youth Soccer host sports meetings/tradeshows for their members.”
With so much professional interest in youth sports, it might be hard for fledgling planners to find their way. Dunn suggests that these have a detailed RFP, including timelines, expectations and requirements; gather multiple quotes from vendors and build relationships.
“A good relationship can help with future negotiations and better win-win situations for both the vendor and you,” she said. “Relationship building is invaluable, as people tend to do business with people they know. This leads to repeat business and increased business due to referrals.”
“We can leverage our long-standing relationships with area organizations to develop meaningful partnerships,” agreed Brock Bradley, national account director at Visit Seattle. For example: “In advance of the March 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, Visit Seattle worked alongside the NCAA, University of Washington, Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Sports Commission and more to make this an unforgettable experience for the student athletes, their families, and fans.”
[Related: 7 Crowd-Flow Tips From a Sports Venue Veteran]
The World’s Biggest Powwow
There are nearly 800 Indigenous tribes in the U.S. and Canada, and members from these have been attending the Gathering of Nations (GON), a powwow set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for more than 42 years.
“When I was the dean of students at the University of New Mexico (UNM) at Albuquerque, I was the supervisor for the first powwow that was on campus, and it was very successful,” recalled Derek Mathews, GON’s longtime organizer. “Once we moved off-campus to the fairgrounds in 2017, it began to grow and flourish, and people encouraged us to keep going.”
Here are GON’s three tips for success gleaned from four decades of convening:
- Word of Mouth (and Internet). The event became known as the Gathering of Nations. As word of mouth spread (partly through the Mathews family’s roadtrips), the powwow grew to up to some 90,000 attendees and a streaming viewership of five million in 2024, thanks to early Internet adoption. “We started streaming back in 2007 or 2008,” Mathews said. “We started doing the livestreams, and last year was the largest online viewership.”
- Sponsors. GON has many hands-on sponsors, local and national, which can be seen on its website. This year, the U.S. Post Office is bringing volunteers “to help in the ticket windows and that kind of stuff.” On April 25, in GON’s teepee village, Steve Monteith, the USPS’ chief customer and marketing officer and executive vice president, will serve as the dedicating official for First Day of Issue Ceremony of “Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture.” Should attendees also need sponsoring, “it happens externally, as in a tribe will sponsor a bus load of people.
- Diversity of Content. Today’s powwow is the largest of 200 or so in the U.S. and Canada. There are singing and dancing competitions, a traditional horse and rider regalia parade, Miss Indian World competition, a trader’s market and more. “We've got the Stage 49 contemporary stage with rock and roll, reggae and everything. Also, a few years ago, we erected a teepee structure that is 64 feet tall. It doesn't have a skin on it, just the poles. It's another common place to sit and relax,” Matthews said.
“Miss Indian World is a cultural pageant. It’s all about culture and tradition. Many tribes with different cultures go through a rigorous five-category competition. Native women use it as an example of being strong, involved in your community and a positive representation,” he added. “The current Miss Indian World, Cassie John, told us that as a little girl, she always dreamed of being Miss Indian World. Her mother made her a crown when she was little!”
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