Forward to the future – Our global community
IN A FIRST COLUMN FOR CMW , ICCA CEO SENTHIL GOPINATH SAYS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BUSINESS EVENTS INDUSTRY TO REASSESS ITS CORE VALUES AND MISSION
O ur outlook through the current challenges has been one of optimism , collaboration , flexibility , and openness to change and we ’ ve been able to align more closely with our customers ’ needs .
We ’ ve all been impacted by the acceleration of digital transformation and nearly all of our association community members have told us that technology affected the way they conducted meetings in 2021 . We anticipate associations will include best practices and elements of virtual and hybrid events into their future meetings .
Different technologies and ways of working will also require new skills and knowledge and we turned to academics and industry experts to help us design the ICCASkills global business events curriculum . The educational programme will provide a much-needed global standard for the industry and is an investment in the success of events professionals - our most important resource .
For the 60th Annual Congress in October 2021 , ICCA implemented a hub-and-spoke event model that featured a Congress host in Cartagena , Colombia , and five Congress Hub locations worldwide . Delegates could also participate on a virtual platform and flexible registration allowed people to change their registration type without an additional fee . This model has resulted in a record number of Congress attendees during a time when many are still dealing with travel uncertainty . We expect the hub-and-spoke model will be replicated by larger associations that have the capabilities to make it viable .
Association meetings in 2022 Our outlook for the near future is a steady return to face-to-face association meetings and the overall recovery of the business events industry .
Associations are pivoting to new tools and strategies for engaging their delegates virtually and providing them with a seamless digital experience . We ’ ve talked to associations that are considering adding lounges where on-site delegates can interact with the digital audience . Event organisers are more carefully monitoring online Q & A at hybrid events so the audience feels like they have an in-person presence . Meetings organisers are keen to invest in technology that can help them create moments of serendipity both online and on-site .
Event trends and strategies To recap , the ICCA Kaohsiung Protocol in December 2020 highlighted accelerating trends in four pillars that showed a heightened set of priorities across the industry .
1 . Enhanced Engagement & Value The due north for the industry is building events around the unique needs of the end user to improve engagement and deliver customised value year-round .
Above : Senthil Gopinath
2 . Digital Restructure & Hybrid Events Creating a digital , omnichannel culture across any organisation and its value chain will build networks , increase audience reach , and deliver better business intelligence and outcomes .
3 . Shared Risk Management New contractual agreements and insurance products must be developed to ensure risk is evenly managed across all actors .
4 . Innovative Business Models A new platform business model and expanded partnerships are required to diversify markets and develop revenue streams more equitably and sustainably .
Destination strategies The ICCA Global Association Meetings Protocol , published in December 2021 , is phase two of this project and take-aways were again bucketed into four pillars to identify overarching themes .
1 . Sustainability , Equity & Legacy Sustainability ; equity , diversity and inclusion ; and legacy are now top of mind for association clients when it comes to site selection . Therefore , destinations should dedicate more resources to deliver on those priorities more effectively .
2 . Crisis Planning & Mitigation Protocols to enhance safety , health and security should be enhanced to protect against future cataclysmic shocks and stresses that impact business events .
3 . Advocacy & Policy Association Clients are asking destinations and their partners to advocate stridently for reducing barriers to travel .
4 . Sector & Community Alignment Providing access to local clusters of advanced industries and community leaders is critical for attracting business events in those industries . Selling brainpower as well as buildings improves competitiveness for the destination and enhances legacy outcomes for the client .
ISSUE 116 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 47