The research found that for event legacy to be truly achieved, it must lie at the heart of an association or not-for-profit’s mission and strategy, rather than be limited to a specific event. It also revealed that although destinations facilitate conferences and events, providing relevant local support, they cannot drive the achievement of legacy. Instead, it is up to the associations and not-for-profits coming to a destination to define their own goals, needs, and desires.

“Associations and not-for-profits are legacy organisations. They exist to provide long-term value to their members and the communities they serve. As such, legacy activities must relate back to the goals of the association, rather than being focused on the destination itself,” comments Bas Schot, Head of Convention Bureau.

“These organisations exist to drive the cure for diseases, resolve global social issues, improve education for millions and far, far more. The achievement of those goals and incremental progress towards them are how associations and not-for-profits measure their legacy. Delegates taking part in activities such as painting walls in a local scout hut or tidying a city are admirable and positive ways to help an event achieve its corporate social responsibility goals. However, despite how often it is suggested that such activities are a legacy, it simply is not the case.”

The research goes on to highlight the fact that The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau believes that association events are powerful tools that can bring people together and bring about global change. Destinations facilitate this by creating the perfect physical place for people to gather. However, the creation and success of an event legacy program must start with the organiser’s goals and aspirations.

Bas Schot continues: “Legacy is a term that is often discussed in the context of trade shows, conferences, and other events. However, it means different things to different people and organisations. We wanted to explore the meaning of legacy and how we can support clients in achieving their long-term impact. It was clear from the outset that legacy driven by a destination risks being selfish. If we are to support our association and not-for-profit clients, we must instead see legacy from their point of view and support their goals – not our own.”

The research concludes by demonstrating that the destination’s role is to facilitate the event legacy process by providing the necessary tools, resources, and even financial support.

“Ultimately, our industry should be focused on supporting legacy discussions within associations and providing them with the tools to make their own decisions. It is up to the organisers to define their own goals and aspirations and to create a legacy program that aligns with their mission and strategy. And we look forward to helping them achieve that,” concludes Bas Schot.

The research was conducted in two stages – quantitative research via a workshop with 11 leading international association conference professionals and quantitative survey data gathered from 70* event professionals from around the world.

*The 70 surveyed event professionals can be broken down as:

• 64% in house association PCOs
• 10% agency association PCOs
• 13% corporate conference planners
• 2% charity conference planners
• 11% other

The article The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau reveals research into event legacy first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Ottawa has secured the IEEE Sections Congress in 2023, the 2024 IEEE NSREC, and the 2025 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and CNC/URSI Radio Science Meeting.

In addition to these IEEE conference, in 2023 Ottawa is also due to host the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers and the 28th IAVSD Symposium on Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and on Tracks.

All of these events are set to bring together in excess of 5,000 experts from around the world to discuss the latest developments in technology, share knowledge and explore new ideas.

“Winning bids to host these top technology events is a testament to Ottawa’s reputation as a hub for technology and innovation,” comments Lesley Mackay, Ottawa Tourism’s Vice President, Meetings and Major Events. “We are looking forward to welcoming industry leaders from around the globe to our beautiful city to discuss the latest advances in these fields and to explore opportunities for collaboration and growth. These wins perfectly reflect our ongoing focus on key industry sectors where Ottawa is a world leader, providing the organisers with the knowledge we will not only deliver the necessary conference infrastructure, but they will also be hosted by a city that truly understands their industry.”

In addition to the main events, Ottawa will host many related conferences, side-events and workshops in conjunction with the upcoming conferences. These events provide a unique opportunity for attendees to dive deeper into specific topics, network with peers and explore the latest products and services from within the industry.

With its state-of-the-art conference facilities and vibrant technology ecosystem, Ottawa is well positioned to continue its success in attracting top technology events. The city’s commitment to excellence in all aspects of conference hosting ensures a seamless experience for attendees and organisers alike.

In recent years Ottawa has been chosen to host numerous prestigious IEEE events, including the International Flexible Electronics Technology Conference (IFETC) in 2018, the IEEE International Conference on Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments in 2019, and the 2022 IEEE Conference on Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

The article Ottawa continues technology conferences winning streak with three major IEEE events in the next two years first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Development of business travel in German incoming tourism

The number of international business trips to Germany more than doubled from 5 to 11 million in 2022 compared to the previous year. This means that the business travel segment is recording growth again for the first time after two years of Covid-19-related decline, reaching around 70% of the record level from the pre-crisis year 2019.

Compared to its international competition, Germany has further expanded its position as the number one business travel destination for Europeans with 9.2 million business trips and leads the ranking by a clear margin over France (4 million business trips) and Spain (2.9 million). Within the business travel market, the MICE segment is gaining in importance post-Covid. 60% of business trips from Europe to Germany in 2022 were promotable business trips, i.e., travel related to trade fairs and MICE. With 67 %, this share was even higher for business trips from overseas markets. At the same time, the recovery of promotable business trips is, at 74%, significantly higher than that of classic business trips.

Petra Hedorfer, chairwoman of the GNTB’s executive board: “The development of this market segment is extremely important for us, as the share of business travel in German incoming tourism from Europe is 20%, i.e., almost twice the European average (11%). Business travellers from overseas even reach a share of 33%. In order to continue to be a part of this recovering market in the future, we need to continuously adapt to the changing market demands as they occur in the course of the ecological transformation: More than half of event organisers state in the Meeting & EventBarometer that their clients expect sustainability to be considered. Many players in German tourism have adapted to these challenges: Almost two-thirds of supplier companies have already aligned parts of their offer portfolio with sustainability in mind, and around one-fifth consider sustainability in their entire supply chain. As the most important reasons for this, the respondents cite on the one hand the saving of resources and on the other hand client expectations , which is important evidence of how ecological transformation, service quality and business success are linked.”

Recovery of German meeting and congress market

The development of the German event market in 2022 underlines its transformative power in the face of multiple challenges as well as the ongoing relevance of business events in the communication mix of organisations. In 2022, the real volume of in-person events (in-person only and hybrid events) returned to 48.5% of the 2019 level. The recovery of the market is emerging with the end of the Covid-19 measures from the beginning of the second quarter until the end of 2022. During this period, event volumes return to 66% of pre-pandemic levels.

The number of in-person event attendees amounts to 172 million. Combined with in-person attendees of hybrid events, this figure is as high as 184 million. This means an increase of 246% in the number of in-person event attendance (2021: 50 million). In addition to in-person attendees, there were 28.5 million online attendees in hybrid events last year (2021: 36.3 million) and 53.4 million attendees in online events (2021: 327 million). While the number of online attendees declined, in-person events with digital elements (hybrid events) proved to be the driving force in the event market. In 2022, a total of 2.6 million events with a total of 266.4 million attendees took place in Germany across all event types (in-person, hybrid, digital).

Boost for role of business events as platforms for knowledge exchange

Business trips are increasing significantly compared to the previous year. Due to the lifting of Covid-19 regulations, congresses, meetings and seminars have become significantly larger (in relation to the number of attendees) in 2022 compared to the previous year. There was a strong shift towards larger events with 101 or more attendees and a correspondingly strong decline in very small events (up to 50 attendees). The need for in-person meetings has increased significantly and puts the relationship to digital and hybrid events into perspective.

“Business events are an essential tools for solving complex issues. People who come together in a professional context ensure knowledge transfer, form networks and thus provide the platforms for developing the answers to the big questions of our time. Particularly in an era of multiple, global challenges, they can support the necessary transformation processes and provide a stage for constructive dialogue on multiple levels and in diverse formats,” says Matthias Schultze, managing director of the GCB German Convention Bureau e.V.

The increase in business trips is also reflected in the numbers of international attendees. Their share in 2022 was 3.9% on average (2021: 2%). This means that although international demand is developing more modestly than the domestic market, there is a clear positive trend.

Sustainability increasingly in focus

The in-person attendees of hybrid events together with the attendees of in-person events only form a growing group of people who want to meet in person. These figures illustrate the need for a dual focus on face-to-face encounters and digital networking, which is confirmed in particular by the organisers surveyed with a view to market development in the coming years.

Particularly with regard to sustainability, the sensible use of digital tools is indispensable. In the current survey, the importance of sustainability is generally rated higher than in the last survey. Around one fifth of the supplier companies has already organised their supply chain sustainably throughout. The vast majority of suppliers surveyed are able to address various aspects of sustainability, while less than 10% of respondents are not actively engaging with the topic. For event organisers, sustainable event management has an importance in the upper range with an average rating of 7.1. Differentiated according to different aspects of sustainability at events, catering is just ahead of CO2 compensation and ahead of a certification system. Overall, sustainability is increasingly influencing corporate decisions and thus the entire event planning process.

Optimistic future forecast

Based on the turnover from 2022, the outlook for 2023 and 2024 is very positive. All suppliers (i.e., all types of event venues) expect a positive turnover development of around 20 % plus for the next two years. Event organisers confirm this positive outlook: 81% expect a good to very good booking situation in the coming months and anticipate budget growth of around 20% by 2023/24. These optimistic forecasts prove that the staging of events is once again in strong demand despite wide-ranging challenges.

Event market increasingly resilient to multiple challenges

Energy supply, inflation and price increases as well as staff shortages are the biggest challenges for the coming years. Among the most frequently mentioned consequences of the various challenges for suppliers are changes in how buildings are managed and greater price pressure from clients. For organisers, rising costs and budget cuts are among the most challenging consequences.

In addition, the demand for staff and skilled workers has increased compared to the previous year. The need for staff is most noticeable in conference hotels. Almost 70% of them state that they are looking for staff, which has an impact on the workload of existing employees. In order to counteract this situation, the focus is on diversity in teams as well as on the stronger promotion of women. Implementing flexible working time models is another step. “Addressing issues around diversity and equality are important approaches to solving the need for skilled staff and contribute to improving companies‘ competitiveness,” says Ilona Jarabek, president of the EVVC European Association of Event Centres.

Outlook

The results of the Meeting & Event Barometer 2022/23 show that the appeal of events is unbroken. In-person event attendance, which makes up the largest share of all attendees across all types of events, underlines the high relevance of in-person events as a communication tool for companies and organisations. Nevertheless, digital formats continue to be of great importance and will continue to play an important role in the communication mix in the future. Beyond the physical space, the digitalisation creates enormous opportunities to expand the reach of events and to include those who cannot or do not want to be present in person for a range of reasons.

Overall, the German meetings and congress market is resilient and fit for the future in the face of the current multiple challenges. In the future, business events will be characterised above all by short-term planning cycles, a higher influence of sustainability aspects as well as increased staff requirements. At the same time, these conditions create a considerable opportunity to drive new innovative solutions that are sustainable and future-proof.

The article Event market in Germany gradually recovering: Quantitative growth and ongoing development of offerings provide opportunities first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

“Gyder’s new, fully branded apps for event visitors not only improve the visitor experience but also increase revenue by up to 30% for event organisers through advertising and sponsorship” says Gyder CEO and Co-Founder Ben Pearce.

Gyder builds bespoke maps for events within a fully branded smartphone app, which is available for free to event attendees and audiences. The app, which runs on both iOS and Android, improves the visitor experience through a fully configurable, universal platform with functionality such as:

• Live mapping and wayfinding tools
• Comprehensive exhibitor directory
• Exhibitor offers
• Sponsorship and advertising across the whole platform
• Programme and itinerary creation

This year over 500,000 people will download Gyder apps at events including The Game Fair, The Great Yorkshire Show, The Northern Shooting Show, and many others.

“We want to give all organisers the ability to digitise their events quickly without the traditional problems of building an event app from scratch or the unsustainable and costly need to print programmes,” continues Ben Pearce. “Apps are often seen as an expensive nice to have, our mission is to change that perception. Instead, apps should be an integral part of any event, engaging the attendees and audience not just for the time they are onsite but for days before and after, perhaps even 365 days a year.”

Gyder’s platform and apps include a wide range of integrated sponsorship, advertising and offer options, allowing both the Gyder and organiser teams to identify and create revenue generating partnerships. These effectively move the app from an event cost to a source of income.

“Printed programmes can be environmentally unfriendly, have a high cost, and are often outdated and inaccurate due to print lead times. As a result, printed programme sales have declined, reducing revenue from sales, advertising and sponsorship. Event organisers, using Gyder, can reverse the trend to increase income while also helping the environment,” adds Ben Pearce.

Organisers can also benefit from significant amounts of anonymised live and post event data, helping them better understand audience and attendee behaviour, allowing them to improve future events.

Ben Pearce concludes: “The app has been created following in-depth research amongst attendees and organisers to ensure it is not just fit for purpose but also meets the needs of all event stakeholders. This includes extensive functionality without compromising individual privacy concerns, whilst generating new revenues and reducing an event’s environmental impact. Ultimately, our app is a tool to improve the event experience and create value for all.”

Gyder was set up in 2019 by Ben Pearce and Stuart Jacklin. The Gyder app is available in both the iOS and Android stores.

The article Gyder to increase revenues and improve attendee engagement through launch of bespoke branded apps first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

In 2022, SLO CAL welcomed 7.47 million visitors, nearly 2019 levels, meaning visitors spent more money during their trips.

“We are ecstatic to share the news of our record-breaking year for tourism,” said Chuck Davison, President and CEO of Visit SLO CAL. “Tourism is the number two economic driver in the region, second only to agriculture. Travel impacts every sector of business and supports local economies across the globe, including right here in SLO CAL. Visitors support numerous sectors across SLO CAL including accommodations, transportation, food and beverage, attractions, retail and more. Between the taxes tourism generates and the local businesses it supports, tourism plays an important role in positively contributing to the quality of life for our residents.”

In 2022, tourism provided $116 million in local tax revenue, which aids essential services in the community. Without the tax generated by tourism, each local household would need to pay an additional $1,929 in taxes to maintain a similar level of community support. Furthermore, each household would need to spend an additional $20,152 to create the same economic impact for local businesses.

Other notable metrics achieved in 2022 include:

• SLO CAL’s tourism industry earnings (total after-tax net income for travel including wages and salary disbursements) $865 million. This is an increase of 16.9% year over year as well as an increase of 6.13% from 2019.
• Tourism comprises 9.78% of SLO CAL’s countywide GDP.
• Tourism contributes $62.7 million in transient occupancy tax revenue, which was a 6.3 percent increase year over year.

San Luis Obispo Mural “Eternal Blossom”

The news comes as the nation celebrates U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) May 8-12. Now in its 40th year, the annual tradition recognizes the essential role travel plays in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses, and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. Marking a 15% year over year increase, tourism puts over 22,000 residents to work each day in SLO CAL, including lodging, food service, arts, entertainment, recreation, ground transportation, wineries, breweries, distilleries and more.

“Visit SLO CAL recently commissioned a resident survey to gauge sentiment of tourism,” continued Davison. “Findings will be released in June, but early reports show that more than two-thirds of residents say that tourism makes the community a better place to live. This study shows locals are more educated than originally thought about the positive impact tourism plays on our region, the dollars it injects into our county and city coffers and its broader significance across the community.”

NTTW also coincides with California Tourism Month, a bipartisan declaration established in 2016 for the month of May. With the annual designation, the state-wide travel organization, Visit California, relies on in-state tourism partners, such as Visit SLO CAL, to continue recognizing the future of travel hinges on a collective resiliency and resolve to create a more efficient, innovative and sustainable industry. In celebration, Visit SLO CAL released the SLO CAL Mural Trail to give Californians, and visitors, another reason to plan their travel to California’s Central Coast.

The article SLO CAL’s tourism industry soared and visitor spending surged to an unprecedented $2.15bn. 2022 first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Sunday, June 11, will see the grand opening of the event at Cubex for an amazing networking dinner, while Monday morning, June 12, will see the start of the show with pre-scheduled and matchmade meetings at the exhibition and one-to-one meeting areas. Tuesday, June 13, will see many more business introductions. Both days include much more than startups of cooperation: the program contains a huge variation with keynotes, coffee breaks, lunch, the end of the day reception, and lots of music by the genius Song Division. The Monday evening program will bring all participants to the newest jewel of Prague’s event venues, The Pilsner Urquell Experience.

“We are thrilled to host the Events Club Forum 2023 evening at Pilsner Urquell Experience, the new Prague Brand home, which tells the amazing story of the world’s first golden pilsner in a unique and immersive experience. Our guests will enjoy the best of Czech hospitality with an unforgettable experience.” said the venue’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Ondřej Veselý.

Alain Pallas, Managing Director at Europe Congress, stated: “We’re looking forward to this new edition of Events Club Forum. Having an event where you can choose the type of promotion that matches your strategy best and meet with your most likely next business partners is a key value. We have added plentiful new experiences for all participants, such as an extra networking dinner evening, and will still be able to present many surprises at the forum. We can’t wait to show it!”

Events Club Forum’s core partners are the Prague Congress Centre, AV Media, AIM Group, DZK, and seven leading Prague hotels: Marriott, Radisson, The Julius, Holiday Inn, Vienna House by Wyndham, Lindner, and the newly opened Almanac X. The main partner of the event is the Czech Convention Bureau, part of Czech Tourism.

“We are truly excited about hosting the second edition of the Events Club Forum this June in Prague. Last year, the event turned into a great success, and we are happy to take advantage of the opportunity to present our unique MICE offer or our destination again. We see great interest from all the participants—suppliers as well as buyers—and we hope that the combination of networking and education will make the event memorable for everyone. This year we are focusing more on the presentation of regional offers that will be visible not only during the event itself but also during the following ‘Fam-trips’.” Tereza Hofmanová, head of the Czech Convention Bureau, mentioned.

The article Events Club Forum 2023 opens on June 11th first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Developed in conjunction with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, the report shows that visitor travel spending increased 26% from 2021 across all sectors bringing in a total of $ 7.1 billion in spending, equating to more than $19 million each day in visitor spending across the region. This increase in tourism and visitation provided $812 million in state & local tax revenues to support essential services and saves each household in Greater Palm Springs $5,000 in taxes. Another key highlight from the study is the number of jobs -49,137- sustained by tourism in 2022. This represents 1 in 4 jobs in Greater Palm Springs, from executive and management roles to frontline staff and entrepreneurs across a range of sectors that includes lodging, food and beverage, retail, recreation, entertainment, transportation, and more. This shows a great success story of the destination’s job force recovery, as tourism-generated job numbers dipped down to 37,251 in 2021.

“Our goal is to promote our unique and diverse destination to the world while advancing regional collaboration to improve the quality of life for our residents and partners,” said Scott White, President & CEO, Visit Greater Palm Springs. “The impact of tourism continues to play a key role in supporting this mission to our community. We feel a great sense of purpose that our industry supports local businesses, jobs, and residents alike, and we are committed to the future success of tourism. I am proud of our team and grateful for the support and leadership from our Board of Directors and our JPA Executive Committee, which allowed our team to elevate sales and marketing efforts before and after the pandemic. This has kept our destination top of mind with both consumers and group clients.”

“Tourism is the number one industry in the Coachella Valley and continues to play a key role in Greater Palm Springs’ economy,” said Rolf Hoehn, Board of Directors Chair, Visit Greater Palm Springs, and Director of Business Development for Desert Champions LLC/Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “With continued and growing interest in our destination by visitors from around the world, we celebrate the industry and its powerful contribution to support our region and its residents.”

“Regional collaboration among the valley cities has been a pillar of our tourism ecosystem, allowing us to grow domestic and international awareness of all that the entire Coachella Valley has to offer,” said Gary Gardner, Desert Hot Springs City Council Member and Visit Greater Palm Springs Joint Powers Authority Chair. “The jobs generated, the money spent by visitors, and the taxes generated, all support so many of the vital resources in our communities which in turn directly impacts our residents’ way of life.”

Established in 1983 by the U.S. Travel Association, National Travel and Tourism Week is an annual celebration of the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, inspiring new businesses, and elevating the quality of life for Americans every day. Each year the initiative has a new theme, with 2023 being “travel forward,” spotlighting the industry’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating diverse communities, creating fresh job opportunities, inspiring new businesses, and uniting millions of Americans in a fundamental connection – travel.

While the U.S. Travel Association has adopted the “forward” thematic direction for 2023, VGPS has been committed to progressing the industry for years, moving from a marketing organization created in 1989 to leading destination management. VGPS continues to have a special interest in creating a robust talent pipeline from the local community to good jobs by strengthening the connection between education and hospitality; championing a welcoming and inclusive resident and visitor experience through DEI initiatives; and conserving the destination’s resources, both culturally and physically, through responsible tourism leadership and messaging.

An example of this industry training can be seen during National Travel and Tourism Week’s annual recognition of the industry. Throughout the week, VGPS will connect local tourism partners with a series of activities that include:

• Monday, May 8 (4-6 p.m.) – Industry Happy Hour, an evening of celebration and giving back featuring local food vendors, music and resources for partners, a raffle to support the Greater Palm Springs Tourism Foundation, and opportunities to donate to local charity FIND Food Bank.
• Tuesday, May 9 (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – LifeStream Blood Donation, a nonprofit, independent blood bank that is the exclusive provider of blood products and services to all hospitals in Greater Palm Springs. Donations accepted.
• Wednesday, May 10 (10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) – TEAM GPS Champions class with lunch provided by Clandestino. Learn more about Greater Palm Springs and gain a better understanding of the community, along with all the attractions and activities available to visitors.
• Wednesday, May 10 (10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) – “Maximizing Your VGPS Partnership” workshop. Visit Greater Palm Springs members can learn how to update their account, listings and images, as well as add events and special offers. Workshop includes review of benefits, co-op opportunities and partner resources.
• Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12 – DEI plan workshop with Travel Unity. Attract and retain employees and develop a better understanding of customers with a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy. Travel Unity is a nonprofit focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel through individual and community empowerment. Three sessions are available:
• Thursday, 2-5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. – noon; and Friday 1-4 p.m.
  All events will be held at the Visit Greater Palm Springs office located at 70100 Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage next to Las Casuelas Nuevas.

In addition to National Travel and Tourism Week, May is California Tourism Month, the state of California’s official observance of tourism’s essential role in the state’s economy and identity. This year, Visit California and California’s tourism industry are celebrating the ongoing strength and resilience of California’s travel industry after the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

The article Visit Greater Palm Springs highlights record-breaking visitor spending first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Hosted by the Costa Rica Convention Bureau, the event was held at the Costa Rica Convention Center. In addition to the conference, attendees also had the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of San José during a post-conference city tour.

“The recent UFI LATAM Conference held in Costa Rica was an exceptional event that gathered the major leaders of the exhibition industry in the region. We are honoured of having been chosen as the host of this unique experience and we are extremely grateful to the organisers for their tremendous hard work in putting together an event of this kind. We are very much looking forward to the next edition and we will remain committed to UFI in the promotion and growth of the exhibition industry in Latin America,” says Dennis Whitelaw, President of the Costa Rica Convention Bureau.

“As in the other markets around the world, Latin America has moved on from the rollercoaster events in the past 36 months. The focus is on growth and change, and that was very present throughout the sessions and meetings during this conference. UFI members came to compare where they stand, to look for partners and business opportunities, and to hear about the latest developments in the region and globally on issues from sustainability to talent development,” says Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO.

UFI LATAM Conference 2023

Over the course of the three-day conference, speakers from across the region covered a multitude of topics. Immediately setting the tone, the first panel zoomed in on the accelerating speed of change and envisioned how the industry will continue to change in the coming years. A highly rated session on marketing strategies with a renewed customer focus was followed by best practices from Mexico and Colombia on activating and using data insights and smart technology for the development of show portfolios. Updates on sustainability activities and the progress of the global “Net Zero Carbon Events” initiative were well received, as were the insights into global and regional trends on current innovations of public and events-related infrastructure.

The second day saw sessions dealing with the role of MICE industry associations and convention bureaus for successful shows, talent challenges and opportunities, and the fast-emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the future of events. Finally, the closing session was built around bridging the exhibition markets between Latin America and the US.

While the sessions are a key element of every UFI event, the LATAM Conference delivered a multitude of opportunities for matchmaking and networking. 412 meetings among participants were arranged during two specific matchmaking sessions, produced on-site by event partner “Two 2 Tango”. And besides networking breaks, a number of social events provide a multitude of networking opportunities – from the traditional UFI run to the dance floor at the closing night’s gala. There was also a special night out at the Parque de Diversiones, San José’s Theme Park area that opened exclusively for conference participants, providing a relaxed setting – and the opportunity to take rollercoaster rides, which proved very popular.

The third day of the conference offered the opportunity to go on a post-conference tour of San José. Attendees were able to enjoy the abundance of nature, culture and history that the city has to offer. They visited the Doka coffee plantation, which earned the ‘Historical and Architectural Heritage’ designation in Costa Rica, as well as the La Paz Waterfalls Park, one of the country’s natural treasures.

Last but not least, the conference provided an opportunity for the industry leaders who are standing as candidates in this month’s Chapter Leadership elections to introduce themselves to UFI members from across the region.

As usual, videos of all sessions will be made available to UFI members and conference participants in the coming days on demand.

As the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, UFI organises annual regional conferences in Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East/Africa, as well as the UFI Global Congress. The next event will be the UFI MEA Conference which will be held in Doha, Qatar this 9-11 May. The Global Congress will take place in Las Vegas, USA, from 1-4 November.

The article UFI LATAM Conference brings industry leaders together in Costa Rica first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Now in its 7th edition, the UFI NGL Grant is aimed at promoting the next generation of professionals trying to establish their place in the exhibition industry. Mentorship and networking with the leading exhibition executives make NGL the most prestigious talent accelerator programme in the industry.

To qualify, applicants must have a maximum of 10 years of work experience within the exhibition industry and must still be working in the industry. The programme is sponsored by some of the leading global exhibition organisers: Clarion, dmg Events, Emerald, Informa Markets, RX and Tarsus.

The 2023 NGL Grant winners are:

• Otero Finiti – Business Development Executive, Expo Stars Interactive, UK
• Elizabeth George – Sr. Lead, Content & Programming, HIMSS, US
• Tehchad Kittiboonya – International Sales Manager, VNU Asia Pacific, Thailand
• Aya Moatamed – Data Analyst, Informa Markets, Egypt
• Amy Saleh – Operations Director, Hannover Fairs, Australia

The mission for the 2023 NGL project is to write a new blueprint on how to plan and operate events that help industries to evolve, help businesses to trade and learn and help every participant to benefit personally from their participation.

Spread over a period of 6 months, the grant winners are given the opportunity to develop their project under the guidance of UFI team, NGL alumni and industry leaders. The 2023 winners will kick off their project at the UFI European Conference in Maastricht this 13-16 June 2023. They will also be able to present their project at the UFI Global Congress in Las Vegas this 1-4 November 2023.

The Jury:
The jury was chaired by Michael Duck – UFI President and Executive Vice President of Commercial Development at Informa Markets – and included:

• Daniella Antes – Director, Talent Acquisition, Emerald
• Premila Braganza – Head of HR, dmg Events
• Daniella Galante – NGL Grant 2022 winner and Digital Marketing & Creative Manager, RX Africa
• Kurt Gamauf – Director of HR, Global Projects, RX
• Nidhi Grelaud – Programme Manager, Content and Communities, UFI
• Kai Hattendorf – Managing Director and CEO, UFI
• Justine Kendall – Sr. Manager, HR and Employee Benefits, Clarion North America
• Sean Ongers – Head of Global Learning and Performance, Informa Markets
• Rachel Wimberly – EVP, Business Development and M&A, Tarsus Group, US

“The UFI NGL grant has aimed since its inception to foster the next generation of professionals who are looking to find an exciting career in the exhibition industry. The theme of the NGL Grant is carefully chosen keeping in mind topics that are of critical importance to the future of our industry […] The overwhelming global response received for the UFI 2023 NGL Grant has shown how special this programme has been for those who are finding their place in this industry. The quality of winners we have seen over these years has been impressive”, says UFI President Michael Duck.

The Jury adds, “We really enjoyed receiving so many fantastic applications again and would say that the bar is being raised every year! We were particularly impressed with the diversity of entries from all over the world and across a variety of stakeholders within our industry. We thank all applicants for their creativity and thoughtfulness in both their videos and letters, which were just outstanding. Given the great quality of the submissions, selecting our finalists was a very tough decision. We would like to thank everyone for their wonderful efforts, and of course many congratulations to our winners!”

UFI congratulates this year’s NGL winners and looks forward to supporting the five selected next generation exhibition industry leaders as they work together to bring innovative change across the industry.

The article UFI announces winners of Next Generation Leadership Grant 2023 first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

The Create Your Event tool takes the organiser through a series of simple questions to refine their choices. This includes:

• Programme elements – venue, activity, restaurants and hotel
• Date – month and event duration (from 1 day to 5+ days)
• Delegate numbers – from 10-300+
• Style – sustainable, historical, modern, city centre, cultural and more
• Theme – Hague highlights, hidden gems, adventurous etc
• Comfort level – 3* to 5*

Once selected, the tool provides a range of potentially matches and itineraries for the event* as well as contact options to tailor the programme and recommendations from concept to fruition.

The system includes all the city’s major hotels and venues as well as a wide range of activities meaning an almost limitless number of possibilities.

“This tool provides a fantastic first step for individuals organising events in The Hague,” comments Bas Schot, Head of The Hague Convention Bureau. “It gives an opportunity to see what we have to offer and how all the different elements can be built into a truly inspiring programme using incredible venues and hotels. Backing up the new tool is our incredible team of experts, on hand to help turn the system’s suggestions into a reality.”

*All suggestions are subject to availability

The article The Hague launches digital platform to build event programmes first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.