There has been a shift in emphasis in the meetings industry over recent years, with the pendulum swinging away from tourism towards business development and inward investment.
Even if most destination marketing organisations still fall under the umbrella of tourism, the focus has been much less on bed nights and more on knowledge transfer and inward investment.
And rightly so. If the meetings industry is to make its case in the face of mounting concerns over mass tourism and climate change then it must be able to demonstrate its value to wider society.
While doing this, however, it must be careful not to squeeze the joy out of convening.
Martin Sirk writes neatly about this in the next edition of AMI Magazine. In an increasingly hectic, ‘always-on’ world, meetings should be an opportunity to take a step back, too, he argues.
If we become too preoccupied with return on investment (ROI) or learning outcomes, there is a danger congress becomes a mere extension of the workplace and not something distinct.
I wholeheartedly agree – not least because I think how we judge the R in ROI is often biased towards the box-ticking, somewhat superficial, learning culture that now holds sway.
Congress ought not to be about packing your delegates’ heads with as much information as possible so they can go back to the office and say, ‘Here, this is what I have learnt’.
People can go online if they fancy a spot of cramming. No, congress should be about something deeper than that: a chance to throw ideas around, reflect on things in a receptive environment.
It should be an opportunity not just to learn new stuff, but to think about what you already know afresh, and that’s not going to happen if there’s too much pressure to absorb and retain.
That’s why the networking/social element of meetings should not be downgraded in this puritanical push to demonstrate the seriousness of the meetings and events industry.
So much of the good that comes out of meetings has its origins in the coffee-break or the late-night bar, when people get the chance to catch-up with old friends and shoot the breeze.
That’s often when the real business gets done, even if it doesn’t tick any boxes.
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.
