The Event Industry Council (EIC), after discussing the state of the industry at a recent meeting, identified the top five trends shaping the event industry.
“The Event Industry Council is connected to the leading organizations in our industry, and we always take time at our meetings for a healthy exchange of information about what each of us is facing,” said Karen Kotowski, president and CEO of the Council, “Our discussion touched on the changing nature of the industry, emerging technology trends and even the current state of politics.
Below are five key trends that event industry professionals should pay special attention to in the coming year:
- Safety and Security: From natural disasters to terrorist attacks, risk management is a topic that weighs on the minds of many. Given the state of security around the world, it is imperative that the event industry focus on efforts to keep attendees safe. In this regard, council member, the International Association of Convention and Exhibition Center Operators, is currently developing security definitions and regulations for ECCs that meet Department of Homeland Security accreditation requirements. In addition, the APEX council initiative has formed a working group to develop additional resources to meet with professionals to become more knowledgeable and proactive about security issues.
- Workforce. Finding employees with the right skill set to work with clients is something that remains a never-ending challenge. And as the current millennials become the generation with the largest workforce in the U.S., this challenge is accelerating as these have high levels of personal expectations and different learning styles. Those who can effectively meet such expectations will be rewarded with a highly professional, mobile workforce.
- Improving the profession: The fear of diminishing compliance with the profession is constant, as is the ability to provide consistent ROI. Those who want to take the profession to the next level are considering solutions ranging from artificial intelligence to augmented reality. While technology can take people away from face-to-face interactions, these tools do change the way people assimilate content and interact with others. Those who can find an effective balance will help advance the profession.
- The impact of the U.S. political climate. A few questions to ponder: What impact does the global perception of the United States have on meeting attendees and delegates? And how do legislative actions in the U.S. affect meetings and who attends them? These are two very important issues for event professionals, not just in the U.S. but around the world, reflecting the fact that now, perhaps more than ever before, the political landscape will have a greater impact on event planning.
- Mergers and Acquisitions. The business landscape as a whole is still experiencing heavy mergers and acquisitions, a trend from which the event industry is in no way immune. Across the board, M&A activity continues to consolidate major players – and the impact can be very broad. For example, some members noted the fact that M&A activity continues to reduce membership in organizations, which could ultimately impact event planning and execution.
The Events Industry Council, formerly known as the Convention Industry Council (CIC), is a nonprofit federation of more than 30 leading U.S. and international organizations involved in meetings, conferences and trade shows. The Council’s member organizations represent more than 103500 individuals and 19300 firms or properties in all sectors of the industry.
The Convention & Convention Board was originally founded in New York City in 1949 by four organizations – the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE); the American Hotel & Motel Association (AH & MA); the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI); and the International Association of Convention & Convention Bureau Members (IACVB).
In 2000, the organization changed its name to Convention Industry Council. In the years since its inception, CIC has grown to 33 member organizations. The Council is currently headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Virginia.
