How can conferences
leave lasting positive effects on host cities and their residents?
All will be revealed, we
are told, when more than 100 meeting industry professionals gather in Bruges,
Belgium, next Monday (14) for the inaugural Impact Day.
Organised by VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau, #MEET4IMPACT, and the GDS-Movement, the event, at the
historic Saint Magdalene's Church, starts with the
premise that the future of conference and business events is at a crossroads.
External factors
like climate change and overtourism demand ‘a resilient new business model’ to
ensure people will be convening long into the future.
The event will showcase new research-backed
practices and methods aimed at maximizing the social and environmental value of
conferences and events.
At its core is the unveiling
of a groundbreaking framework developed by VISITFLANDERS
Convention Bureau. This framework will help
organisers measure and enhance the social impact of their events, contributing
to the well-being of local communities and the
environment.
Keynote speakers at the event
include Piet Colruyt one
of Belgium’s leading social entrepreneurs, Professor
Jan Beyne, an authority on sustainability and the
circular economy, and Geneviève Leclerc (#MEET4IMPACT) and Guy
Bigwood (GDSMovement) who will explore impact funding
and its relevance to the business events industry.
The event will feature
presentations from industry leaders, including The European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD), The European Federation
of Food Science and Technology (EFFoST), and The World Breaking Championship.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
