INDUSTRY INSIGHTS – Part 1

Industry insights for 2022 – Part 1

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Esmaré Steinhöfel, regional director (Africa), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)

Normality has still not returned for the business events industry this year. Most events were still held virtually with some hybrid meetings organised mid-year bringing together a smaller number of in-person attendees vs digital.

On a positive note, three new members joined the ICCA Africa community in 2021: the Ethiopia Convention Bureau, the Zambia Tourism Agency, and the Niger Convention Agency. In fact, the Niger Convention Agency is the first member based in West Africa. This is an indication that destinations in Africa are beginning to see the value of Convention Bureaux promoting business events.

On the road to recovery, many convention bureaux are launching recovery strategy campaigns; for example, the Zimbabwe Convention Bureau began a campaign #MeetInZim.

The restart of tradeshows such as IMEX America in Las Vegas and IBTM World in Barcelona – both held in November 2021 – is a good signal that in-person tradeshows will become the norm once again, in 2022. The new year will also see the start of Meetings Africa taking place from 28 February-2 March at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The latest ICCA Association Meeting Needs Survey, indicates that 38 per cent of regional and international associations interviewed are planning to schedule inperson meetings for 2022. There is also a clear trend towards regional meetings. RFPs are changing for many associations, with the most common mentions including changes to cancellation options and force majeure clauses, hybrid meeting requirements and flexibility regarding delegate numbers and dates.

A key finding from the recent ICCA Global Association Meetings Report shows that 2022 will be the year of hybrid events vs virtual. Associations would like to return to in-person events but retain some of the benefits of virtualisation, such as making events more accessible to more people.

The DestinationNEXT 2021 Future Study report identified the three transformational opportunities for the business events industry going forward: destination alignment, sustainable development and values-based marketing. Personally, I am really looking forward to seeing all ICCA members and industry friends next year as face-to-face cannot be fully replaced with digital alternatives.

Justin Hawes, president of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES)

Looking back on 2021

The past year has, once again, been very difficult for our industry as ongoing lockdowns and government restrictions on gatherings have meant that we have not been able to operate for most of the year. This has been exacerbated by the fact that many other industries have been able to function at near-normal levels. People have become Covid-weary and sympathy levels for our industry’s suffering has waned.

This year, we continued to adjust to the shock of a pandemic bringing the world to a standstill, and we have pivoted to ensure the viability of our businesses. We have done everything we are able to do to survive.

However, the ongoing changes in lockdown levels and subsequent restrictions on the number of people allowed at events, have created uncertainty in our industry. Most of our events need to be planned well before the event, with some exhibitions organised years before the show takes place. The uncertainty around restrictions has made planning impossible.

The lack of understanding about the value of business events and the manner in which they are able to be regulated has been frustrating. There have been no restrictions on the number of people allowed at shopping centres, while we have had restrictions placed on conferences, meetings, shows and events, where people could easily be screened and monitored.

The lack of delivery on the promised TERS payments has been another source of great stress as business owners in our sector have fought long and hard to get some relief for employees who have been unable to work all these months.

On a more upbeat note, the pandemic may have had a positive impact on greening, despite the use of disposable masks and sanitisers and everything being wrapped in protective plastic. While there is no substitute for faceto-face communication, there will probably be more virtual meetings going forward, cutting down on travel and carbon emissions.

And looking forward to 2022

This year has ended on a positive note with some large shows taking place and many more shows and events being planned for the first quarter of 2022.

Limited resources

Unfortunately, it’s not simply a case of releasing the pause button now that events are taking place. Businesses have incurred debt to stay afloat and have lost skilled staff members to other industries. Our resources are strained. Also, we see internationally that many events are being crammed into the calendar, further straining the industry’s resources. We would rather face this problem than have no projects, but it does make things difficult.

Higher costs

Having lost many staff members, companies may have to contract-in expertise which will drive up the cost of labour. These costs will drive up the prices of our services. Our customers are also financially strained, and I anticipate the events will be leaner and will have to deliver even more value for money.

Hybrid events

I think a hybrid element will still be around for events in 2022, as travel will remain difficult. However, we have seen how costly hybrid is, as one is almost required to organise two separate events. The logistics of organising hybrid events have become easier, but they are still a challenge. With regards to exhibitions specifically, an online exhibition is an oxymoron – the value of an exhibition lies in its face-to-face interaction.

Efficiencies

The good news is that we have become more streamlined and efficient. Our staff are committed to our success and are prepared to work harder than ever. With limited resources, we have become more aware of costs and more efficient in our work processes. Things are looking up for 2022 and it should be a good year, as more and more people are driven to re-connect with their customers, colleagues and friends. Our fingers are firmly crossed that lockdowns and restrictions on gatherings are a thing of the past as we manage meetings, events, conferences and exhibitions sensibly and safely in the coming year.

Jacqui Nel, the International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA) board member and chairperson of the Industry Relations Working Group (IRWG)

The last two years have certainly been unpredictable!

It has been so important for IELA to encourage and keep its members engaged. IELA achieved this through several activities that touched on the following themes: IELA reload; Get future ready; Connected minds; Tailwind and the New normal.

As more people become vaccinated worldwide, governments have begun to lift the stricter lockdown regulations, allowing economies to recover.

This has brought IELA into the next phase: Return – Recover – Reconnect – Reskill – Renew and Reimagine.

Currently, the exhibition industry is observing some movement in the sector, with a slow return of exhibitions in many parts of the world. It is exciting to see associations being bold and courageous in taking their events live and opting for faceto-face events. Of course, a hybrid event is attached for those still unable to travel.

Recovery has been made possible for many companies such as venues, organisers and suppliers.

As one of our members commented when stepping back onto a show site, she felt a mix of feelings similarly before a first date: “the excitement, the suspense, the fast beating of your heart and dry mouth”.

People are so excited to be back on the floor of an exhibition and even more excited to reconnect with one another after such a long time.

Humans need that connection with one another, it is a big part of who we are and it’s an even bigger part of doing business with each other. Exhibitors require this connection to grow their business.

However, many people within our industry had to change careers to survive. IELA’s training manual and content library, together with IELA’s exhibitor and organiser portals, allows our members the ability to reskill their new staff, bringing new excitement and capturing renewed energy to integrate into our world of exhibitions.

This year’s IELA Conference embraced the theme ‘A Beginner’s Mind’. We all need to think out-of-the-box and reimagine, as I believe now is the time to rewrite the rules of good governance, going forward into our new normal.

Our new reality involves the reset of our cost structure, attracting talent and reskilling our staff in accordance with new needs. One renewed strategy centres on sustainability, which has been taken another step further with IELA signing the Net Zero Carbon Event Pledge presented at COP26 this November.

In 2022, IELA will focus on supporting its members in setting up a sustainable structure that is suitable for their companies. Transportation via electric vehicles will be the future. Although maybe not applicable right now in South Africa, but with a 2030 objective and the willingness of all, this is our target, including recycled packing systems and new travelling solutions for freight between locations. In addition to this, the association’s latest project is the IELA Career Center, supporting our member talent sourcing efforts.

LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS

Glenton De Kock, chief executive officer of SAACI

With the final days of 2021 rushing towards us, the business events industry is witnessing the hosting of several in-person or hybrid events and exhibitions. The initial schedule for the first six months of 2022 looks promising with the announcement of dates for Meetings Africa 2022. Despite early industry predictions that the recuperation of the meetings, incentives, conventions, and events segment (MICE) could take years, South Africa seems to be experiencing a phased rebound. The country’s severe restrictions on how the business events industry may operate may have something to do with this.

I am encouraged by the slow and steady vaccination uptake.

As we approach 2022, we know that events aren’t what they used to be. The process of planning, organising, promoting, and executing industry events has been transformed in response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

So how will we possibly proceed in 2022?

Safety and cleanliness: Event safeguards, and health and safety protocols covering areas such as environmental hygiene, technology and equipment, communication and public awareness, food safety, customer experience, workforce safety and temperature screening are now part of creating a safe environment to avoid Covid-19 infections. The industry will have to continue to take precautions where possible.

Connectivity: Improvements in wireless network connectivity at venues that are designed with robust and scalable 5G capable architecture, ensuring that the visitors attending conferences, meetings and other special events have reliable and seamless connectivity throughout the entire venue will be a standard requirement.

Small, but more frequent: In building back confidence and in line with the restrictions that the Business Events Industry has experienced for 20 months, small, but more frequent business events will aid the recovery process. This approach may be acceptable for corporates and some government departments to return to in-person meetings as witnessed in certain parts of South Africa. While not economically viable for some, it will build confidence as the industry recovers.

Skill upgrades: Expertise in organising world class virtual and hybrid events, is one of the most coveted skill sets in the industry right now. A virtual events marketer doesn’t just organise events – they produce and direct video content, grasp the pros and cons of different technical platforms, know how to moderate online comments and discussions, and put together digital marketing campaigns that amplify the impact of their content.

In a hybrid world of business events, we will continue to seek that sweet spot that not only drives online attendee participation, but also drives sponsor return of investment.

So, while 2021 was not 2020, we are sure that 2022 will be the year we ignite the business events industry in our beloved South Africa. See you at an in-person event in 2022!

EXSA board members

As we close the door on a turbulent 2021, some of the EXSA board members have made their predictions as to how they see 2022 unfolding:

Jacqui Nel, said: “It was an exciting time for all of us when the President announced that he was taking our country down to level one, which allowed our industry a chance at recovery. Within a short period, we witnessed the Cape Town Marathon, African Energy Week in Cape Town and the IATF in Durban. It was an exciting time for all of us, as we stepped back onto the show floor with an excitement and enthusiasm of seeing old friends again. There was a sense of gratitude from every person you bumped into. Of course, safety remained top of mind, however, it was not without its challenges. As we look to 2022, we continue to see the increase in vaccinations. There is a hope we will remain at level 1 going forward into 2022, however as we have seen before there is still a degree of uncertainty, especially as the Covid numbers are on the rise in Europe again. On a positive note, the elections certainly proved that events could take place safely and without our infections increasing, so this is an incredibly good sign for us and a cause worth fighting for. With many countries beginning to push forward and have face-to-face exhibitions, there is a good possibility that more exhibitions will return in 2022, although they may be on a smaller scale than previously.”

Liam Beattie, said: “Traditional conferences and exhibitions will adjust