A new research project has been launched to help define the
factors that guide event organisers’ selection of destinations, venues, and
service providers.
Insight gathered through the project, initiated by the German
Convention Bureau (GCB) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering
IAO (Fraunhofer IAO), will help ‘futureproof the business events ecosystem’ the
GCB said.
Over 20 organisations, including Cvent, Visit Berlin
Convention Office and Centre for Convening Minds, have signed up as research
fellows for the project, which has been launched under the newly formed Research
Centre for Future Meeting Studies (rcfms).
The inaugural rcfms project focuses on understanding which
factors will shape the future selection of destinations, venues, and service
providers. This selection criteria will then be translated into decision making
models.
Relevant aspects to be explored are sustainability,
technology, the use of platforms, value for money considerations and
others.
Dr Stefan Rief of Fraunhofer IAO said the research aimed ‘to
map what makes destinations, venues and service providers stand out as
appealing choices’ with both supplier perspectives and organiser decisions
considered.
“Our focus is on harmonised selection processes that boost
efficiency, comparability and market visibility,” he said.
Rcfms will build on the Future Meeting Space innovation
network which was launched by the GCB
and Fraunhofer IAO in 2015 to help identify developments and opportunities for the business
events sector.
