In the run-up to Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) on April 3rd, Meeting Planners International (MPI) is hosting four online sessions spotlighting different parts of the world.
Prevue attended MPI’s Europe session on March 13, featuring a group of regional industry executives keen on boosting the continent’s share of the meetings pie.
“We need a strong and confident Europe because of the sheer amount of purchase this region has,” said Alistair Turner, Managing Director of EI8HT PR & Marketing, a specialist research, marketing and creative agency servicing the events industry. “We really want to see European countries flourish,” he said, pointing to the main areas where Europe is coming on strong in the industry:
- Innovation. “Ideas are flowing in a lot of mature markets around the world,” Turner noted. “We want Europe to be a big incubator for these ideas. Europe has a great history in creating great companies.”
- Talent.“In talking about talent migration and investing in grassroots talent, we have a great export of talent around the world,” Turner said. “Europe has a great opportunity to lead in this respect… and has the right to continue to develop its people in new and exciting areas. We want to see this grand lady of the world flourish.”
Meeting Planning 101
Following Turner’s presentation, Rob Davidson, a leading expert in MICE education, spoke about just that: Education—seeking it and procuring it—a trend he says is buzzing around the world, especially in Europe.
“Educating men and women who want to make their careers in the meetings industry has become an important trend,” Davidson said. “The growth in interest the last few years has been huge.”
Davidson said that most planners working today never formally studied meetings and conventions at the university level. “Most planners who have degrees have them in marketing and hospitality,” he said. “Now, we’re finding the industry being served by universities, both online and in person. Many of these courses are stand-alone instead of being part of another curriculum or class.”
What’s Trending in Event Costs
Finally, Felicia Asiedu, Cvent’s European Marketing Director, took the virtual floor on the subject of trends in event costs.
“Inflation has skyrocketed, and it pushes up the cost of everything,” she said. “We’re feeling the squeeze, but our clients still expect champagne on a lemonade budget.”
Asiedu also noted there were political changes affecting planners and events. “Now we have new visas. I tried to ship something and it got stuck in customs,” she said.
Among the other trends Asiedu noted was measuring sustainability. “There’s a mandate on sustainability, and you have to show, not just tell,” she said, giving a few examples of what clients expect to see:
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- Tracking carbon emissions from travel and event activities
- Reporting energy and waste management at venues
- Demonstrating alignment with environmental goals
- Mandated accessibility compliance
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With more on their plates—but less in the bank—Asiedu has some tips for planners. “You need smarter partnerships and stronger relationships. For example, co-locate events,” she said. “Instead of running multiple small events in different venues, we’re combining them. At IMEX 2024, we partnered with a hotel to share costs,” she added.
Another partnership Asiedu recommends: Technology. “Innovative hubs in Europe on the rise… London Tech Week, the Dublin Tech Summit coming up… we need to understand how to use AI,” she advised.
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