With the word being extensively spread to a variety of MICE industry sectors – the interest is evident with the registrations picking up for the 2015 Event Industry Summit (EIS) at Hackle Brooke Conference Centre on 1 October. Research carried out with a variety of event decision-makers indicates grave concern for the lack of standards within the event management industry.
As the September/October edition of the Meetings magazine points out – ‘it is just too easy to enter the event management arena’. The range of planning abilities, at times outstanding yet with the questionable abilities of many others, are leaving the corporate and association sectors reeling under the weight of who to have on a preferred suppliers list or not. No yardstick, benchmark, minimum standard provides for that feeling of selection satisfaction with the essential re-course when the stated SLA (Service Level Agreement) just does not happen.
The EIS which includes the first exposure to the Professional Planner Standards is drawing registrations with the demographics at this time being:
43% Independent planners
28% MICE venues
18% Staging and production
11% Various other services
Registrations do not include the corporate and association event management who will assess the inputs from Panel 1 – venues and Panel 2 – independent planners. The Buyers Circle will also provide inputs from their internal perspective which clearly will differ between various organisations.
Interest from event management decision makers is keen with both the pharmaceutical and financial sectors confirmed and many others requiring to be kept informed for their inputs in early 2016.
Participation is limited hence registration should not be delayed check www.eventindustrysummit.com and get onboard. It is always better to be on the inside – looking out than on the outside – looking-in.
