Category: Blog

This Monday’s Insights (8th August) feature brings you a selection of recent industry headlines, including mia chief exec Kerrin MacPhie’s views on the rising rate of event evolution.

Headlines

Kerrin MacPhie, chief executive of the Meetings Industry Association (mia), has shared her views with Conference News on the rising rate of event evolution.

In a new blog last week, Kerrin explained: “When it comes to the evolution of events, no period has been more prominent than the last 30 months. Whether due to external forces shaking up the sector’s framework or disrupted capabilities inspiring innovation, our infamously fast-paced sector has shifted up a new gear to truly push the boundaries. Now is not the time for the sector to rest on its laurels. Events are still evolving today, at a pace faster than ever before.”

The blog covers Kerrin’s views on everything from the Metaverse, net zero and hybrid event solutions to recruitment and demonstrating the industry’s strength through data.

Check it out here.

Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO, EDGE Venues has shared her latest opinion piece, focusing on the industry’s readiness for recession.

Read it here!

The IMEX Group is set to remodel the professional learning programmes delivered at both of its global trade shows with the appointment of Tahira Endean as Head of Programme.

Vancouver-based Tahira’s new role signals a new era for IMEX. A three-year education strategy will capitalise on IMEX’s free-to-attend programming to meet the industry’s thirst for knowledge and continuous development while embracing a growth mindset.

The IMEX education programme was envisioned and developed in 2005 by Dale Hudson, Knowledge and Events Director. It has grown in size and quality over the last 15 years, adding substantial value to the visitor experience. Tahira’s addition to the team will build on that legacy. She’ll work with both the IMEX Marcomms and Knowledge and Education teams to design learning programmes that enrich the show’s value proposition and deliver measurable business benefits.

Tahira explains: “We’re focused on designing learning with buyer requirements in mind first and foremost as we want them to have meetings that are enhanced by education at the show. Our combined aim is for attendees to leave each session with tangible takeaways that also support their meetings onsite. IMEX’s legacy of tailored education that meets the particular needs of agencies, associations and corporate event professionals has always been strong; we’re looking to build on that too.”

“As a veteran of the MICE industry and self-confessed event nerd, I recognise IMEX as the professional home for our global industry. The opportunity to provide knowledge that helps us all develop and grow through turbulent times is important and to do it with a team as committed, passionate and talented as IMEX is really exciting.”

The West Midlands has outlined its ambitions to bring more international sporting events to the region. According to Access All Areas, over 250 delegates from governing bodies, global associations and professional sporting organisations came together for a sports economy day at the University of Birmingham’s Exchange building.

Officials from federations including World Athletics, the International Boxing Association and the International Extreme Sports Festival heard from speakers including Commonwealth Games minister Nigel Huddleston MP (pictured), leader of Birmingham City Council Ian Ward and Trudy Lindsdale, CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Themes at the day included:

• Building sustainable sporting facilities
• Innovative fan engagement
• Sports events legacy
• Strengthening and enduring international relationships

Read more on Access All Areas, including details of the The West Midlands Major Events Delivery Plan, led by the Business and Tourism Programme, (BATP).

IACC’s latest Meeting Room of the Future barometer is a mixed bag of positivity and caution as the international meeting venue recovery continues. According to Meetings and Incentive Travel, Mark Cooper, CEO of IACC said: 

“The start of 2022 has shown some excellent progress in recovery however, there are still some key areas where venues need support, particularly in staffing. IACC will support its members and community over the next year, by providing important personal and professional development opportunities as the industry continues to repair the skills and knowledge shortfall that exist.”

Read the full M&IT feature here, which includes a link to the full report from the IACC.

Double Take

In a new episode of the Event Industry News Podcast, Dawn Lauder – head of international conferences at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) – digs into her learnings from COP26.

Dawn talks host James Dickson through the ‘corona-coaster’, the prestige of hosting COP26 despite the tension wrought by Covid-19 in the run-up, the sense of team it fostered, the “off the charts” media coverage, maintaining that sense of purpose, why it’s worth reading the subsequent Sustainability Report, how hosting the summit has influenced Dawn Lauder’s manifesto for change and much more.

https://www.eventindustrynews.com/news/podcast-scottish-event-campus-net-zero-by-2030

This Monday’s Insights (1st August) feature brings you a selection of recent industry headlines, including a focus on Birmingham.

Headlines

Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO, EDGE Venues has shared her latest opinion piece, focusing on Birmingham Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. 

Read how the Alexander Stadium came to life to put the UK, specifically Birmingham, on the map for delivering world-class events.

And speaking of Birmingham, ABPCO Excellence Awards is heading to the city’s ICC. 

The 2022 event will take place on 9th December 2022 at Birmingham ICC, supported by the West Midlands Growth Company.

After a summer hosting sporting excellence at the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham will be the perfect location to celebrate excellence amongst ABPCO members and the wider association and not-for-profit industry.

2022 marks the ninth ABPCO Excellence Awards, which take place in different destinations across the UK each year.

This year’s awards will see an increase in categories as well as an opportunity for non-members to enter the awards for the first time.

The Awards, which will take place over lunch on 9th December, will be preceded by educational sessions in the morning as well as an evening networking event on 8th December. Association Director, Heather Lishman comments:

“Birmingham is a fantastic location for our awards, particularly so soon after its hosting of the Commonwealth Games.

We are grateful to the ICC team as well as the West Midlands Growth Company for their support and sponsorship of the event, which will showcase all the city has to offer. Located in the heart of the UK, Birmingham is accessible to all our members and we look forward to welcoming them as well as non-members for our annual celebration of success this December.”

The West End’s first new large-scale theatre in 50 years is opening this autumn.

According to eventindustrynews.com, @sohoplace is on the first newly-named street created in Soho for 72 years, also called Soho Place, and is part of a £300m regeneration project in the area which will see offices, retail space and a new piazza built.

The venue will feature a 602-seat auditorium, rehearsal room, actors’ Green Room, bar, restaurant and a terrace.

Read more about @sohoplace and its curved auditorium, which can be transformed into various other configurations.

Double Take

The Business of Events has published the first of its market sector reports. Conference News told readers that The Business of Events is a cross-sector not-for-profit series of events and reports, designed to raise the importance and profile of business events in the UK, as an economic, policy and societal driver.

Respondents in the international buyer community were asked what areas they consider important when selecting a destination or major venue in a post-pandemic environment. The questions focused on areas ranging from accessibility and ease of travel to venue quality and suitability.

Read more about the report, including a downloadable link on Conference News. 

This Monday’s Insights (July 25th) feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.

Headlines

Tourism boards in England are to undergo a £4m radical restructuring as the Government aims to make it easier for planners to discover the country’s destinations.

According to a feature on M&IT, the Government wants a “simpler structure where tourism boards, otherwise known as destination management organisations (DMOs), are a one-stop shop for visitors to find all they need to know about a local area.”

The £4 million will fund a pilot – in one region – of a new accreditation scheme to highlight the best DMOs, which will be renamed Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs).

The funding will also be used to create a pilot in one region of the country, giving one top-tier DMO or a group of local DMOs the opportunity and investment to restructure under a new model, to show the best their region has to offer.

The changes follow last year’s independent review into DMOs, carried out by the chair of VisitEngland’s advisory board Nick de Bois. The review found the DMO landscape to be overly complex, making it confusing for tourists planning breaks and businesses looking to invest. 

De Bois recommended a tiering model for DMOs, including multi-year core funding. Tourism minister Nigel Huddleston said:

“Whilst I realise it will be disappointing that we aren’t rolling out the de Bois funding proposals nationwide at this point, we also need to be as confident as we can be that public sector investment will be value for money.

“De Bois highlights that there are gaps in information on existing DMO performance and the evidence that has been collected suggests the DMO structures in some parts of England are not currently mature enough to take on significant public funds. Furthermore, we need more robust evidence that state funding of Destination Development Partnerships drives up private sector investment and growth.

“My hope is that our pilot will serve as a proof of concept which, when combined with the rollout of the accreditation system, will give us the information we need to proceed with confidence at a national level.”

Read the full feature here, and view the full Government response to the De Bois review here.

Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO, EDGE Venues has asked ‘The Race for Number 10 – what does it mean for our industry?’ in her latest opinion post.

Read it in full, here.

As enquiries for hybrid events decrease, venues across Coventry and Warwickshire have seen a return to in-person meetings, conferences and exhibitions. 

Conference Coventry and Warwickshire, the region’s convention bureau, surveyed venues from across the region, including Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry Conferences, Warwick Conferences, British Motor Museum, Telegraph Hotel, Eliot Park Innovation Centre and IXL Events Centre. 

One venue, in particular, reported that 75% of enquiries favour face-to-face over hybrid events.

Toby Batchelor, head of commerce, British Motor Museum, said: “Hybrid is still an element of conference and exhibition delivery, but I think it is now being used more as an extension for organisers rather than the focus.”

Paul Jones, managing director, Conference Coventry and Warwickshire, commented: “There has been a huge desire from people to get back to face-to-face events and the inevitable impact of that has been a reduction in enquiries for hybrid events.

“The return to face-to-face events is fantastic for our visitor economy and we have a varied portfolio of venues for event organisers to choose from in Coventry and Warwickshire.”

Read more on the findings here. 

The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) will tackle sustainability at its Autumn Conference on September 1 at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

The event’s theme is ‘Print in Balance – Supporting People and our Planet’ and will tackle wellbeing at work alongside environmental sustainability.

According to IPIA, proposed government legislation, cultural changes, and corporate social responsibility shift will impact the UK print industry. Find out those impacts and what solutions the conference will bring on Conference News.

Andrew Harrison, director of the Event Services and Suppliers Association (ESSA), asks, what does ‘industry standard’ really mean, why do we need standards, and how can we uphold them, especially when the going gets tough?

In an opinion piece for M&IT, Harrison examines why standards matter, especially when under pressure. And with the events industry being so busy, the current shorter lead times and staffing issues, there has never been a more appropriate time to discuss the topic.

Check it out here.

Double Take

ICC Wales has hosted a Protect Duty Roundtable to highlight the role venues and event organisers play in ensuring they are as safe and secure as possible for attendees.

Following ICC Wales’ Protect Duty Report, the roundtable aimed to strengthen the events sector’s response to forthcoming legislation.

The new legislation, also known as Martyn’s Law, will formalize the responsibilities and actions that publicly accessible places must take to mitigate the risk of a terrorist attack.

Heather Lishman, executive director of the Association of British Professional Conference Organizers (ABPCO), said the discussions helped ease some of the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding the new legislation. She continued:

“Protect Duty can sound quite formal and scary, but ultimately protecting someone should be seen as a very positive message – it’s a caring cause, keeping people safe from harm. If we as all stakeholders work together and work out the potential harms together, hopefully we can mitigate the risk as a team effort. ”

Read the full story here.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.

Headlines

Europe’s Events Market is set to be valued at USD $123.9 Billion by 2030, according to a report published by Allied Market Research. The report offers an extensive analysis of key growth strategies, drivers, opportunities, key segment, Porter’s Five Forces analysis, and competitive landscape.

According to coverage of the report in Digital Journal, the corporate sector offers various opportunities for event management companies to contribute to huge revenue generation, which, in turn, augments the growth of the Europe events market.

Digital Journal claims ‘The growth of the events industry is majorly driven by upsurge in frequency of corporate meetings, conferences, tradeshows/exhibitions, and other events. Furthermore, the presence of developed infrastructure and increased adoption of advanced technology in Europe has fueled the growth of the Europe events industry.’

Read the article and access the report here.

NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau has reported signs of recovery for the meetings and events industry in the North East.

From April 2019 to April 2022, the convention bureau has facilitated a 73% increase in confirmed enquiries for meetings, events and conferences, with figures from May this year almost at full recovery from 2019. This is the highest performing month for value of confirmed business in six years.

May figures reflect a steady path to full recovery, coming in at 87% pre-covid levels despite the industry being disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, part of NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), work with established partnerships and local academia to help bring meetings, events and conferences to the region.

Paul Szomoru, Director of Business Events, NGI said: “The figures we have received are very encouraging for the steady recovery of the meetings and event sector, and are also testament to the resilience, collaboration and innovation of our team and each and every venue, ambassador and supplier across the region.

“Having a healthy pipeline of events is crucial to the sustainability of the sector and the recovery and growth of the local visitor economy, by filling our hotels, venues, restaurants and attractions, increasing visitor numbers and spend and supporting jobs across the industry.

“It’s a very exciting time for meetings and events in Newcastle, with the opening of the brand-new Sage ICC in 2024. The development is already proving to be a game-changer in the industry, by enabling us to target and attract bigger international events, more national and international delegates and ultimately working towards positioning NewcastleGateshead as the world’s meeting place.”

Read more.

Meeting Professionals International, the meetings and events industry association is unveiling an corporate docuseries on the resurgence of professional meetings and events and the professionals behind the scenes that make it a success.

Experience Professionals: Inside the Industry that Brings People Together explores the relationship between in-person gatherings and events and the many benefits to business acceleration. The irreplaceable human connections that define us are reliant on the coming together of people—live and in-person—to shape and enhance us and our communities. Whether you attend or facilitate, live event experiences provide immeasurable human value and opportunity to everyone involved.

Presented and narrated by former GMA and CBS Today Show Correspondent Taryn Winter Brill, “Experience Professionals: Inside the Industry that Brings People Together” will explore these issues, capturing stories from the people and organizations who work across the meetings and events industry. The program will show how through effective collaboration and education and with the right people, technology, locations, and facilities, industry professionals can deliver meetings that matter.     

The program is presented by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and produced by dBase Media (DBM). Based in Dallas, TX, MPI is the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide and provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities and business exchanges.  

“MPI believes that ‘when we meet, we change the world,’” said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI. “And the evidence of this industry’s impact on driving innovation, technology, learning and advancement is clear — meetings and events have long been among the top contributors for worldwide economic impact, directly responsible for over $1 trillion in spending and 10.3 million jobs.” 

Watch here.

MEETINGS 2023 is set to be held in New Zealand’s Tākina Wellington Conference and Exhibition Centre for the first time, Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) has told Conference and Meetings World.

BEIA chief executive Lisa Hopkins said: “Tākina’s opening in June 2023 is perfect timing for New Zealand business events to showcase in a new destination.”

Read the full feature here:

https://www.c-mw.net/beia-announces-meetings-2023-for-wellingtons-new-venue/

With delays and cancelled flights wreaking havoc on travel, what can event planners do to ensure keynote speakers, VIPs, and others make it to their events on time?

This article in Skift Meetings discusses how pent-up demand, staff shortages, strikes, and Covid have led to delays, cancellations, and disruptions. And it cover the implications if a speaker misses a gig due to travel delays and what can be done to mitigate losses?

Read it here.

Double Take

Business travel will be crucial to the travel industry’s recovery from the pandemic. Yet, when it comes to sustainability, business travel is a big part of the problem, according to a Reuters report.

The report claims that with so few sustainable alternatives to traditional jet fuel, and none expected until after 2030, just 1% of people cause half of all aviation emissions (European non-governmental organisation (NGO) Transport & Environment).

Sustainability and travel are important overlapping factors with meetings and event strategies; read the feature in full here.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.

Headlines

The Meetings Industry Association has reacted to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation.

Kerrin MacPhie, chief executive of the mia, said: “We feel that Boris Johnson’s resignation potentially provides an opportunity for the business meetings and events sector as it really feels like wholesale change is in the air.

“Despite the distractions of the inevitable leadership challenge and subsequent ministerial appointments, we may potentially witness positive change such as visa conditions and immigration rules being relaxed. This will assist us to attract the much-needed workforce that left the UK post-Brexit and help business meetings and events thrive, providing much confidence to all – both domestically and internationally.”

She added: “We will have to see how things unfold but what is clear is that collaboration and staying connected as a sector has never been more important.”

Butlin’s is tackling the hospitality skills shortage with a new Chef Academy designed to train, coach and validate current team and new starters to the standard required to operate in all catering venues at its three resorts.

Mark Murphy, Butlin’s, said: “The Chef Academy has been years in the making and we have already welcomed two cohorts of chefs who have worked on several different conferences and events ranging from small events to large corporate gala dinners.”

Read the full feature here.

EDGE Venues’ CEO, Jacqui Kavanagh, joined the panel at Beam’s instant book summit last week.

The instant book summit, which took place DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry, brought together every type of organisation from across the industry interested in digitalising meetings and event bookings.

The event explored the future of venue finding and booking and saw Jacqui participate in thought-provoking content, opening minds as our industry is navigating a new world.

Senior professionals from agencies and travel management companies will came together with hotel and venue groups, independent hotels and venues, many specialist venues and a wide range of specialist technology providers to shine a light on the issues and the way forward.

Event industry recruiter, Robert Kenward, has shared a guide on recruiting and retaining Millennials with Conference News. 

Those born between 1981 and 1996 were apparently the second-largest age group to leave the workforce during the pandemic. So how do we attract and retain need next-generation employees?

Robert covers everything you need to know, including, why people should stop using the term ‘Millennials, or Gen Y, or whichever name clumsily pigeonholes nearly two decades of wildly different people into one handy, but lazy and misleading, description.’

Double Take

Tom Bairstow of NorthHouse has shared how the 2022 Platinum Party at the Palace projection mapping, video design and direction, screen visuals and broadcast graphics came together.

The Creative Director and Founder told Event Industry News how the company ‘delivered unique and dazzling results which transformed Buckingham Palace into the largest projector screen in the world in a show broadcasted to millions globally.’

Check out the full story here, including what Prince William had to say about Buckingham Palace turned into a giant IMAX screen.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.

Headlines

Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT)’s State Of The Industry Corporate report 2022 has looked at why retaining staff is a rising challenge.

Almost half of those surveyed (47%) for the report said it would be difficult to retain talent in the next year.

And one respondent believes it could be down to people moving on from that weren’t right for them, but were taken out of necessity. “After the pandemic lots of eventprofs were forced to move roles and did not necessarily get one that’s the best fit so people are still reshuffling looking for a longer-term role.”

The annual report was discussed in detail at a roundtable event. Here, it was noted that one planner felt there was a growing trend of in-house event organisers being replaced by agencies. ‘Many companies relied on agencies and other external suppliers during the pandemic to help them deliver virtual events, and this could well be an ongoing post-pandemic approach.’

From market saturation to self-improvement and beyond, take a look at what survey respondents say about why staff shortages are impacting the sector in the 2022 report here.

Conference News has shared that £117m worth of events were covered under the Government insurance scheme

The scheme, aimed at helping ‘plan events with confidence’ was said to be worth over £750 million during it’s launch by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on August 5 2021.

Check out the Conference News feature for analysis of the event covered, and comments from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Center Parcs reopening conference and event spaces at two of its UK locations from September following their closure due to the pandemic.

According to a report in BTN Europe, the Venue meetings space at Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, which has undergone a £2.5 million upgrade in the past two years, and Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire will reopen for corporate groups in the autumn.’

It’s ‘nature-rich escapes’ are already in high demand, as Center Parcs told BNT that ‘bookings for conferences and events had already exceeded pre-Covid levels and enquiries from booking agents were now up by 10 per cent compared with 2019.’

Read the news here.

EIC has launched an enhanced framework for sustainable events.

Exhibition News told readers the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards is comprised of eight standards ‘designed to assess events and industry suppliers in support of environmental and social responsibility.’

Originally created in 2019 to replace the APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards, the Sustainable Event Standards provide guidance and metrics for event professionals at all stages of their sustainability journey.

Find out more about the changes here, which include :

• Foundations Level
• Improved Ease of Use and Expanded Criteria
• Integrated Property Standard
• New Certification Cadence
• Clearly Defined Roles

Doubletake

Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has seen a significant increase in demand for in-person events, with up to 127 global meetings (51 conventions and 76 exhibitions) booked at the venue from 2022 to 2024.

Alan Pryor, the Centre’s General Manager, told Kongres Magazine:

“We definitely are seeing an improvement in Malaysia’s business events landscape after two years, which were heavily impacted by the pandemic. Malaysia as a destination has demonstrated its capability to create a safe environment for business events moving forward and the strength and resilience of its supply chain and logistics, showcasing flexibility and agility in the face of a global crisis.”

Read the report here.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the last week.

Headlines

A collaborative design team will deliver a multi-million-pound renewal of the Barbican Centre. 

According to Conference News, the project’ aims to provide new opportunities for the Barbican’s community of artists, audiences, organisers, delegates and partners, as well as boost the building’s accessibility and environmental performance.’

The winning team includes architects Allies and Morrison; Asif Khan Studio; engineering and sustainability consultancy – Buro Happold; heritage experts from Alan Baxter Ltd; theatre, acoustic, and digital consultancy, Charcoalblue; landscape architects, Hood Design Studio, lighting design agency, les éclaireurs, and artistic advisors Isaac Julien and Nadia Fall.

Read more about the £50m-£150m project, the team’s experience, and thoughts from Jackie Boughton, head of business events, Barbican, here.

ABPCO has welcomed new joint chairs. The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers AGM, which took place digitally on Tuesday, 21 June, and saw Emma Duffy and Sarah Byrne begin their two-year tenure as joint chairs of the association.

The online AGM was attended by over 60 ABPCO members, who joined to hear details of the association’s recent successes and future plans.

The incoming chairs thanked the previous chairs for their achievements before outlining their ambitious plans for the coming years, which focus on five key pillars.

Read more about the five pillars, alongside the AMG’s focus on ABPCO’s core values, here.

Patricia Yates has been appointed as CEO of VisitBritain/VisitEngland, following a competitive external recruitment process.

Previously Director of Strategy and Communications at VisitBritain, Patricia was also Chair of the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group and deputy CEO.

VisitBritain/VisitEngland CEO Patricia Yates said: “I am honoured to be appointed permanent CEO and will be continuing our focus on building back visitor spend as quickly as possible, supporting the industry and driving the visitor recovery, playing our part to deliver the ambitions of the UK Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan.

“I look forward to continuing to working with all our stakeholders with a strong focus on external engagement, rebuilding our industry to ensure it is one of the most successful and productive sectors of the economy and to making the strongest possible case for one of the UK’s greatest sectors.”

Doubletake

isla, the sustainability body for the events industry, is hosting its first forum to engage UK venues in accelerating the transition to Net-Zero and creating a sustainable destinations for events.

The forum will include senior representatives and sustainability leads from a group of prominent UK venues all working towards the sustainable industry goal.

Participating venues are ExCeL London, ICC Wales, De Vere, Edinburgh International Conference Centre and Manchester Central. The Association of Event Venues, VisitBritain and membership organisation Unique Venues of London will also take part in the forum.

Read more about the event, and comments from Anna Abdelnoor, co-founder, isla, on mitmagazine.co.uk.