During UFI’s European conference in Cologne I presented to a room of around 200 delegates on AMR’s white paper – how to structure the events organiser of the future. Essentially, it’s a survival guide to help event organisers navigate the unprecedented change we face across the industry.
The topic certainly resonated with delegates as many took to Twitter with great enthusiasm, sharing snippets of content ‘in real time’ as I presented. By the end of the session, it was encouraging to see so many Tweets on the subject.
For instance, many delegates shared statistics such as:
• UFI’s @kaihattendorf: 80% of revenues are coming from selling floor space. But this segment has the lowest growth perspective, compared to the exhibition ecosystem
• @pwoodwardhk: Event tech market will grow 15-20% a year in the next 5 years
Other delegates agreed on the importance of planning for the future. However, no-one in the room put their hand up when I asked if they had an organisation-wide data and digital strategy:
• @UFILive: To thrive we need to innovate, we have to be superior innovators.
• @GES_Christine: Visitor satisfaction wanes over time – urgent need for greater engagement strategies
After the conference, numerous people shared and liked the white paper on LinkedIn, and others asked for a copy of the presentation. It’s re-assuring to see organisers re-thinking their strategies and structure for the future.
