Technology in work and life, globalisation and other major trends transforming the meetings industry, per global meetings study released by the German Convention Bureau. The German Convention Bureau has released findings from “Meetings and Conventions 2030: A study of megatrends shaping our industry.”According to Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the German Convention Bureau, “The meetings industry is an economic driver for nations all over the world. As an innovation leader, we envision this megatrends study helping players in the industry develop a future-oriented strategy that can generate business and economic success.”
The comprehensive study revealed the following top five megatrends:
• Technology in work and life: More than 41.6 per cent of respondents identified technology in work and life to be very influential in the future of the meetings business. New forms of knowledge transfer will influence all phases of event planning. For example, the worlds of virtual and live events will blur as planners incorporate virtual components in live events and the number of networked virtual events increase.
• Globalisation and internationalisation: Approximately 28.6 per cent felt very strongly that globalisation will have a major impact. Meetings will be all the more important to address issues that arise through increased interconnectedness of cultures and peoples. Individuals will need to be more aware of nuances among country cultures, preferences and lifestyles as well as speak multiple languages.
• Mobility of the future: Getting to and from events easily and comfortably and with the smallest possible ecological footprint will continue to be an important aspect of event planning. Host organisations will affect this process through the selection of easily accessible event locations and the use of “event tickets” for air and train transportation, among other things. Mobility of the future came in at 26 per cent (very strong impact on the meetings industry).
• Sustainable development: Sustainability will remain a guiding principle to influence all areas of meeting planning, from construction and renovation of venues, to transportation, food and entertainment. One aspect of this development is the increasing “regionalisation” of meetings, where meeting organisers focus more on utilising local suppliers as well as inviting local and regional audiences more than before. Sustainability scored 20.8 per cent (very strong impact on the meetings industry).
• Demographic change, feminisation and diversity: Demographic change was cited by 18.2 per cent of respondents as “very strong.” An increasingly older meeting attendee population will require accessibility, but the implications extend significantly beyond getting around; they affect the meeting format, even the credentials and demographics of the speakers and presenters. Additionally, as more women travel the meetings circuit, features such as additional security for women traveling alone and child care, among others, will need to be considered. Meeting topics and flexible formats will also be shaped by the growing number of females traveling to meetings and conferences. Similar considerations, such a food choices and holiday observances, must be made as the meeting populations become increasingly diverse.
Schultze added, “We already have plans to further study these trends to determine how our value proposition should evolve to maintain Germany’s reputation as a world-leading meeting destination.”
More about the survey
The survey was conducted by the Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment (IZT) on behalf of the German Convention Bureau. It was generously supported by the European Association of Event Centers (EVVC), MCI Germany, Ruhr Tourism, the Seven Centers of Germany, and visitberlin. The multidimensional research project leveraged the best of the behavioural sciences, and consisted of desktop research, online surveys, in-person interviews, scenario workshops and more. The research was conducted in Germany and other parts of the globe over the past six months. More information about the study and its findings are available in German here: www.germany-meetings.com/future.
The GCB’s more than 200 members, representing 450 companies, include leading hotels, convention centers, destinations, event agencies and service providers of the German meetings and conventions industry. Accor Hotels, DuesseldorfCongress and Stuttgart Convention Bureau are Preferred Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Lufthansa German Airlines, Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways) and the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) support the work of the GCB.
The GCB website (www.germany-meetings.com) serves as a useful online tool to find detailed information on Germany, search venues and vendors, get tips for green meetings, catch up on the latest news, access travel guides and much more. Follow the German Convention Bureau on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GermanyMeetings.
