The 40-page report published on 12 June by theIACC is based on the testimonies of 275 meetings planners on a global scale. The association des espaces meetings & events, which brings together some 400 members worldwideThis enables us to identify changes over time in practices, expectations and projections, sometimes with marked differences from one region to another.
Among the key findings of the study Meeting Room of the FutureBut it's worth pointing out that certain habits adopted in response to the health crisis are still in place. And in particular the fact that meeting planners still favour larger spaces than before the crisis, with outside options if possible, even if the social distancing measures have been lifted. When questioned by IACC about the evolution of its search criteria for event space following Covid, an organiser of events for associations in the United States mentioned a attraction for places". bigger and airier! We are vaccinated (or, at least, we apply policies requiring vaccination or the wearing of masks), but that doesn't change anything from the last three years when we got used to having a bit more space. Psychologically, it helps reduce tension "he adds.
This trend is all the more crucial given that the physical characteristics of the event space rank 3rd in the list of factors to be taken into account to ensure the success of an operation, according to the study. It should be noted that the content and subjects covered are in first place, ahead of the possibility of networking during the event. However, according to the IACC study, there are differences between regions. The appeal of the networking is much more pronounced in Europe and the Americas than in the African and Australia-Asia-Pacific markets. African organisers place greater emphasis than elsewhere on the value of the event's host destination, and on the use of technology to encourage interaction between participants.
When it comes to choosing their event venue, meeting planners focus above all on the quality of the space. location (75%). This is followed by flexibility of the meeting venue (58%) and the offer of restoration (45%). Good practice in sustainable development In addition, only 1 in 5 organisers (19%) require the host venue to measure the event's carbon footprint. But the report sustainability According to the IACC study, there are major differences between regions. The figure rises to 50% among European organisers, compared with 14% in the Americas.
As for thehybridDespite the fact that the health crisis seemed to have receded significantly, the IACC has given it pride of place in its "Meeting Room of the Future". According to the authors of the report, " The need for greater experience creation, greater flexibility, as well as the rise of hybrid meetings, now means that the technological offres of venues are more important than they were before the pandemic. The practicality and cost-effectiveness of virtual access to conferences, which was highlighted during the pandemic, means that hybrid events are here to stay ". IACC also relayed the testimony of a Rwandan meeting planner in the university sector, according to whom " Teams have become hybrids, and so have most conventions and events. ".
