IACC
Is your venue future proof?
Mark Cooper (pictured below), CEO
of global venue association IACC, says
that, as the industry evolves, planners
must continually evaluate all elements
of the meeting experience, while
operators and suppliers must ensure
they are meeting and anticipating the
changing needs of planners.
his year we introduced our
fourth annual IACC
Meeting Room of the
Future™ report, designed
to highlight the needs of the global
meetings industry as it continues to
develop at a rapid pace. For this study,
we looked specifically at experience
creation, meeting room space and
design, technology trends and internet
capabilities, as well as culinary trends.
We surveyed 250 meeting planners
and industry experts across five
continents, and suppliers, which
included global meeting space
designers, architects, technology
companies, furniture manufacturers and
nutrition experts, to find out how they
are responding to the changing
expectations and needs of meeting
planners.
Some of the key findings and trends
that emerged and will impact meeting,
conference and event venues in 2020
and beyond were:
Sustainability
Ethical operations and sustainable
practices are a top priority for meeting
planning. Our report revealed that 44%
of respondents believe ethical operations
and sustainable approaches to events
will be one of the most important
elements for venues by the year 2024.
It won’t just be about the small
offerings, such as replacing plastic
straws, it will be about wider venue
do technological advancements and
defence against them. It’s important to
uncover your biggest security risks to
know what needs to be done in order to
protect against the next generation of
cyber attacks.
Technology
The report also revealed a dramatic
increase (up 8% from 2017 to 85% in
2019) in the number of meetings which
are integrating new technology, such as
audience participation apps, projection
mapping and screen-sharing. This is
coming from the desire of participants
to be an active part of meetings and
events, and to be able to have a say in
what is happening. To keep up and stay
relevant, venues must begin to offer
more collaborative technologies to
clients free of charge.
44% of
respondents
believe
ethical
operations
and
sustainable
approaches
to events
will be one
of the most
important
elements for
venues by the
year 2024.
Food and beverage
Another area we’re expecting to see a
focus on is venues’ approach to food and
beverage, both in terms of sourcing and
provenance, and also food waste.
A staggering 62% of Meeting Room of
the Future respondents said that they
look at how a venue manages its food
waste before booking their event.
In 2020, the evolution of technology
and shifting attendee expectations will
continue to redefine trends.
For more on how to participate in the
next IACC Meeting Room of The Future
initiative visit: iacconline.org
operations, management and ethos.
We’re seeing a rise in the number of
eco-friendly venues being booked by
meeting planners. At IACC we
showcase venues that have achieved
IACC Green Star Certification, by tier
(Platinum, Gold or Silver) on our
environmental initiatives page to make
it as easy as possible to find an
eco-friendly venue.
Security
Cyber attacks continue to evolve. From
computer worms to large data breaches,
attacks come in all shapes and sizes.
Our report highlighted 27% of
respondents who believe cyber security
will become a greater priority in the
next three to five years, with 76% of
planners reporting concern about cyber
security when implementing new
technologies into their events.
While threats continue to develop, so
ISSUE 104
Founded in 1981, IACC
is an association dedicated
to representing the best
meeting venues globally.
All 300 members meet a
set of stringent Quality
Standards and agree to a
Code of Ethics.
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CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
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