Despite the gradual reopening of borders, the market for meetings & events is in theexpectation and professionals across the Channel are no exception. CICA (International Congress and Convention Association) decided to survey just under a hundred of its members at the United Kingdom and in Ireland. The aim was to find out how these professionals feel, and how they see the future. Unsurprisingly, business is still slow. A large majority of those surveyed (64 %) reported sales volumes and requests for information of less than half the normal level. In 11% of cases, the volume did not even reach a quarter of normal activity. British and Irish professionals also expect to have to be patient: only 6% of them expect a return to normal activity within the next few months. next six months. Three quarters of respondents (76%) believe that it will be necessary to wait more than a year.
As for new working habits developed as a result of the health crisis, they now seem to have become common practice. For example, 90% of those surveyed expect the flexible working part of their future. This is good news on the face of it, given that the majority of them (52%) say they are very much in favour of teleworking, compared with 10% who reject it.
" Although [the polls] contain some disappointing statistics, there is still room for optimism as we work together to ensure that the meetings industry in the UK and Ireland emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than ever. "says Diane Waldron, President of the ICCA UK and Ireland Chapter.
