January 2023 - EDGE Venues

30th January 2023

ChatGPT for eventprofs, Meet Blackpool, Meet in Kent, footwear activation, & more

This Monday’s Insights (30 January 2023) feature brings you ChatGPT for eventprofs, Meet Blackpool, Meet in Kent, footwear activation, and more.

Headlines

Ever wondered what would happen if you interviewed a Chat Bot?

Neither had we, until we read a new feature from M&IT’s Editor, Paul Harvey, on what ChatGPT has in store for eventprofs – in its own words!

Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT has generated tonnes of media coverage. And Paul’s feature is extremely useful for any event profs who wants to understand the tool capabilities and limitations in terms of managing events.

It’s also very amusing, so take a look, here.

Louisa Watson, Director of Marketing at Wyboston Lakes Resort and Sustainability Director of beam has been recognised as Sustainability Industry Champion.

Commenting on the win at the recent Greengage Sustainability Awards, Louisa told Conference News, “I’m completely overwhelmed. This was a marvellous surprise and a wonderful honour for me and for Wyboston Lakes Resort. I’d like to thank Greengage for the tremendous recognition and also all my colleagues and the beam action group who have helped and supported me in my work.”

Meet Blackpool, Blackpool’s conference and exhibition arm is investing in a campaign to raise awareness for the town’s business events sector.

The marketing initiative will see £450,000k invested in ‘Business in Blackpool, always a pleasure’ – designed to showcase Blackpool’s quality venues, technology, new infrastructure, and entertainment roots.

Michael Williams, managing director, Blackpool Entertainment Company Limited, told Conference News,: “Blackpool has long been synonymous with entertainment and this new campaign has been designed to capitalise on that heritage as a destination for exciting experiences, while promoting our new and significantly enhanced offer for business events.

Visit Kent has launched a new campaign, titled ‘Meet in Kent’, a six-week campaign and part of the next stage of the EXPERIENCE Project.

The project, co-funded by the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme was created to help Kent develop “its experiential off-season economy”. The campaign is also part of a drive by Visit Kent, which strives to help business events suppliers in the county rebuild relationships with their local clients, as well as help them attract a new audience.

Deirdre Wells OBE, chief executive, Visit Kent, said: “With the Meet in Kent campaign, we want to deliver a project that helps to strengthen consumer confidence in business events and create off-peak business opportunities by encouraging local businesses to book their away days, corporate events and team building experiences with business events suppliers that they may not realise are located near to them – here in Kent.”

Skift Meetings has introduced readers to the joy an event activation that brings joy to delegates feet!

Skift’s Andrea Doyle has written a feature – ‘Comfortable Footwear Seduces Planners’ – which demonstrates that it’s not just event profs who are drawn to the idea of easy the burden on their toes during the ‘long days and nights navigating cavernous convention centers’.

M&IT has spoken to eventprofs on the industry challenges of venue response times and staffing levels.

Response times might still be lagging compared to pre-Covid, but M&IT reports that, anecdotally, service levels on site have remained fairly high.

Check out the snapshot of the state of play, including input from EDGE Venues’ CEO, Jacqui Kavanagh.

23rd January 20239th March 2023

Events Apprenticeship Framework, accessibility, sustainability, EBDS explainer, & more

This Monday’s Insights (23 January 2023) feature brings you the Events Apprenticeship Framework, accessibility, sustainability, EBDS explainer, and more.

Headlines

The Events Apprenticeship Framework has been launched by the UKEVENTS (formerly BVEP) Skills Talent & Diversity Working Group to tackle industry’s talent shortage.

The Events Apprenticeship Framework will launch with five apprenticeship schemes, which include: Events Assistant, Live Event Technician, Creative Venue Technician, Live Event Rigger, and AV Event Technician.

It will be overseen by the new Events Apprenticeships Advisory Board (EAAB), which comprises employers and specialist expertise.

Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular route into the industry, with more than 500 Event Assistant apprentices entering the workplace between 2017 and 2021 (IfATE, 2022).

According to UKEVENT’s 2020 UK Events Report, the business events industry employed 700,000 people in 2019. The association’s 2022 data, however, puts the figure anywhere between 140,000 and 560,000, a broad range backed up by UKCAMS and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This reveals the scale of the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector.

With a clear reduction in overall staffing numbers, a structured apprenticeship programme is a sensible solution to tackling the shortage and presents a positive opportunity for growth.

Crowdfunding initiative launches

To help fund the Events Apprenticeship Framework, the EAAB has launched a crowdfunding initiative and has called for the industry’s support via donations and in promoting the new scheme to school leavers, those already working in the industry, or those considering a career change.

The EAAB says it is “imperative for the sector to have a robust and inclusive apprenticeship framework and to ensure longevity” and encourages any business able to contribute to do so. UKEVENTS has already provided seed funding, enabling a team of volunteers to build a strategy and lay out a clear plan.

Richard Waddington, Chair of EMA and a key figure behind the Events Apprenticeship Framework said: “When you talk to people about the events industry, it’s difficult to explain or understand, the Government doesn’t recognise it as a ‘professional industry’ and schools rarely talk about it as a potential career pathway – our aim is to change this.

“Whilst this is a massive ask in the current financial climate, the industry is crying out for people and there is an enormous untapped talent pool of people we’re not talking to, we need to bang the drum louder, have processes in place and attract people to this amazing industry.”

M&IT Talks are kicking off 2023 with Anna Abdelnoor and Selina Donald about all things sustainability, including:

the way the sector’s approach to sustainability has changed over the last decade
how large events can balance the in-person element with the environmental impact
how the sector should tackle greenwashing
the one thing they would change about the sector’s attitude to sustainability

Find out what part of the sustainability conversation is like Netflix v Blockbuster Video, the missed opportunities of Qatar’s World Cup, and how far you can drive in an electric car:

Conference News has shared that ten of the Association of Event Venues (AEV)’s groups and working groups will start the year with 18 new chairs and vice-chairs leading them.

Rachel Parker, director, AEV, told the magazine: “The AEV convenes 15 working groups, including cross association working groups and the new Multi-Association Security Awareness group (MASA). I would like to welcome the new chairs and vice-chairs who will be playing a vital role in leading each group, communicating its findings and concerns to other groups and the wider industry.”

Skift Meetings’ Andrea Doyle has written a fantastic feature on accessibility and ensuring all attendees, including people with disabilities, can participate.

The piece looks at recognising what’s essential when designing events from the perspective of people with disabilities. It focuses on the insights of accessible design and DEI expert Rosemarie Rossetti, who is paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury.

Read the feature in full, here.

Double Take

M&IT Editor, Paul Harvey has put together a fantastic explainer on the government’s forthcoming Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS).

The Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide businesses with a discount on their energy bills from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The government says that the new scheme “strikes a balance between supporting businesses over the next 12 months and limiting taxpayer’s exposure to volatile energy markets”.

The M&IT explainer covers everything from what support will be available for businesses in our sector, including who is eligible, what discounts are available, and support for businesses that use a very large amount of energy.

Read the explainer guide, here.

16th January 2023

Energy Bill Relief Scheme, UKinbound’s confidence, 2023 meeting industry trends, & more

This Monday’s Insights (16 January 2023) feature brings you the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, UKinbound’s confidence, 2023 meeting industry trends, and more.

Headlines

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will miss out many organisations in the events industry.

A new feature in Conference News explains that the scheme will provide support to ‘Energy intensive’ industries, but that our industry misses out, partly due to not having its industry classification (SIC) code.

The latest Business Barometer data from UKinbound shows confidence levels for the UK’s inbound tourism industry have returned to pre-Covid levels.

Yet, high energy costs for attractions, supply-side capacity issues for tour operators and difficulties with staffing across the industry are likely to be barriers to strong growth and recovery in 2023.

Conducted by Qa Research, the latest Business Barometer survey, held in December 2022, shows that:

Expected or confirmed bookings for Q1 of 2023 are at the same level or higher than they were before the pandemic for over half of businesses
Nearly two-thirds of businesses stated they expected revenue for Q1 of 2023 and booking levels for Q2 of 2023 to be the same or higher than before the pandemic
There is strong demand from US visitors to come to the UK with nearly half of businesses (44%) reporting they are seeing growth from this market

In contrast, businesses were asked what they expect to be their biggest barriers to growth over the next 12 months. For 61% of tour operators, it is ongoing issues with supply chain capacity and for 76% of attractions, their biggest concerns are inflation and the cost of energy. Ongoing recruitment and retention of staff remain a concern for nearly half of all respondents to the survey.

CEO Joss Croft said, “This data currently shows a mixed picture for the UK’s inbound tourism industry.

“It is great to see that many businesses are generally feeling optimistic about this year and confidence levels are returning to levels seen before the pandemic. It is also very positive of course that the UK is experiencing high demand from the US market and the fact that the Chinese market is also now re-opening. Unfortunately, however, our members are still experiencing some fairly fundamental problems.

“Unsurprisingly, inflation and energy costs remain a big concern – particularly for attractions, especially with the scaling back of support with energy bills from April. Our tour operator members are also telling us that they are experiencing issues with their supply chains such as not being able to secure enough quality accommodation for clients due to a reduction in bedstock because of Government contracts. Furthermore, all parts of the industry are experiencing difficulties with accessing the skilled staff that they need.

“We have some significant events taking place in 2023 in the UK – most notably His Majesty The King’s Coronation in May swiftly followed by the Eurovision Song Contest and whilst these events will generate a lot of positive attention for the UK, we cannot take this for granted.

“International tourism is a competitive business, and if we are to fully realise the economic benefits from these events and help turbocharge the recovery of the UK’s inbound industry – which is still suffering from ‘long Covid’ due to being the first industry to be impacted by the pandemic and the last to recover – the Government needs to increase its efforts and spend to successfully market the UK to potential visitors around the world.”

Click here for access to the full report.

According to Meetings and Incentive Travel, The Event Marketing Association (EMA) has been taken over by PCMA.

EMA’s membership consists of 800 UK-based corporate event marketing professionals who will immediately become part of the PCMA (US-based professional convention management association). The acquisition follows PCMA’s takeover in 2020 of CEMA – the corporate event marketing association.

EMA chair Richard Waddington said: “The opportunity of merging into PCMA and joining forces with CEMA to grow the representation and voice of the corporate internationally is an opportunity for EMA not to be missed. PCMA will bring far greater resource and capability, the opportunity for greater growth and most important far greater value for our members and partners.”

More on this latest association merger here.

Skift Meetings has published its list of seven meeting industry trends for 2023.

Covering everything from experience-first events, and the ‘weaponization of travel’, to inclusivity and data, this insightful report is a great read for events and meetings profs.

Check out Skift’s overview here, where you can also download the full report.

Double Take

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has joined forces with Stress Matters to provide support and help members make wellbeing a strategic priority.

According to the Event Industry News, the collaboration will see mental health first aid training, a wellness manager programme and a series of webinars and discounted courses being offered to help members reduce the stress of their teams.

The rollout follows a recent mia survey that revealed while sustainability is a key part of the business strategy for 90% of organisations working in the sector, a third admit that they are currently operating without a mental health strategy.

9th January 20239th January 2023

Event CSR initiatives, face-to-face meetings performance increase, communicating with Gen Z, & more

This Monday’s Insights (09 January 2023) feature brings you event CSR initiatives, face-to-face meetings performance increase, communicating with Gen Z, and more.

Headlines

Event CSR initiatives are endless.

Skift Meetings has curated a fantastic list of ways to give back through events. For organisations with a desire to make a difference, the list is stacked with inventive solutions.

With everything from a The Charity Bike Build and Diabetes Cook-off, to Paws For A Cause, Foodbank Showdown and more, this event CSR list is a must-read for event profs.

Check it out here!

Face-to-face meetings performance is on the up!

More than half of event planners say they’ve had a noticeable improvement in business performance since returning to face-to-face meetings, according to etc.venues’ latest research.

Starting off 2023 with this positive news for the industry, Conference News has shared further key findings from the research: Almost 99% of the UK and USA event planners say they value face-to-face meetings “more than” or “the same” as before the pandemic, (up from 82% a year ago and a 22% increase from the start of the pandemic).

Other key findings, including what the research found about the meetings industry’s commitment to sustainability, can be found here.

Northstar Travel Group (“Northstar”), owners of M&IT, AMI and The Meetings Show, has announced changes to its executive team

Jason Young joins the team as CEO, succeeding Thomas Kemp, who has been chairman and CEO since 2009. Kemp will transition to the role of chairman.

According to M&IT, Young has been ‘an innovative leader in the digital transformation of the media industry, as well as a visionary in advertising technology. He spent 20 years with Ziff-Davis Media, the leading IT information and media business, eventually ascending to the CEO position.’

Thomas Kemp said: “We are thrilled to have Jason join Northstar as our new CEO to lead the company in our next strategic transformation as a content, marketing services, event, and data company,” said Kemp. “I have known Jason for over 20 years as a visionary leader integrating data and technology into solutions for media companies and their clients.”

Read the news in full on mitmagazine.co.uk.

Double Take

Should event planners be wary of trying too hard when it comes to talking to a younger generation?

According to Hannah Campbell on campaignlive.co.uk, brand owners in marketing are ‘battling to win the next generation of young consumers. But care is needed if brands are to successfully navigate this generational language gap.’

This is highly to be an issue for event planners too, in communicating with the generation of delegates. According to Campbell’s feature: ‘…Gen Z is shaped by constant connectivity and ready access to information. It is receptive to non-formal channels of communication – and language.’ But, Hannah writes, there’s a fine line to tread to avoid ‘doing the marketing equivalent of dad disco dancing.’

Read the full article here.