Sydney to help shape global convention cities initiative
Business Events Sydney, the Seoul Tourism Organisation and Visit London have launched the Future Convention Cities Initiative.
The aim is to bring together leading convention cities from around the world to help accelerate the strategic development of their business event-hosting industry and to maximise the contribution of business events to economic development in each member destination.
Fast Future Research has been appointed as the research partner, facilitator and co-coordinator of the Future Convention Cities Initiative.
Fast Future is also leading the Convention 2020 study on the future of major meetings and events.
Future Convention Cities members will collaborate on research initiatives, share expertise and address critical industry issues together.
The goal is to use business events to spur economic development, encourage inward investment and create knowledge and service economy jobs.
A key aspect will be the development of ideas for best practices to attract leading edge business events and meetings.
Sally Chatterjee, CEO of Visit London, said, “The Initiative will help shape our future thinking about how destinations must evolve to serve tomorrow’s customers and how we can maximise the long-term economic contribution of the events sector.â€
Jon Hutchison, CEO of Business Events Sydney, said, “Our research already shows that business events can have a far bigger and longer term impact for the economy than just the direct revenues of the event itself.
“We have deliberately not tried to hammer out every detail because we want the Initiative to be shaped and owned by all of the members – not just the founders.â€
The Future Convention Cities Initiative will be talking to potential members at key forthcoming industry events including the DMAI Convention, MPI World Education Congress and the ASAE Convention.
Ian Jarrett
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