GETTING TO KNOW – IAPCO
A WORD OF OPTIMISM 2021 started as another year of virtual events across our
Take advantage of change…
industry. A challenging year with a lot of uncertainties. Stephen Hawking once communicated that “Intelligence is With recent news, however, coming from different countries,
the ability to adapt to change”. Well, if the last 12 months is
a bright light is appearing at the end of the tunnel.
anything to go by then our industry is certainly filled with very intelligent people and we don’t have to look far within the
The US travel association has released their travel forecast
IAPCO community to experience just this.
to 2024 using Oxford Economics’ proprietary travel forecasting model. Total spending on Business Travel will increase by 20%
IAPCO PCOs continue to lead the conversations with their
during 2021 and additionally by 23.2% during 2022.
association and corporate clients alike in transitioning business and professional events from traditional, in-person
Restrictions are being lifted and business events are
models, through to new and exciting hybrid formats that
happening again on a local and/or regional level in countries
facilitate both on-line and in-person engagement.
that have contained the virus such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, and in those where their vaccination rate is
There is no clearer evidence of this than when we compare
high, as in the United States and UAE. Venues are turning into
the IAPCO Member Annual Survey data from 2019 to 2020
vaccination centres instead of field hospitals, for example, in
[see pages 6 & 7]. This ability to adapt to change and present
the Prague Congress Centre.
viable alternative options to clients has resulted in IAPCO Members facilitating content and knowledge-share delivery
We all know that people are eager to travel and meet again.
to 6.4 million participants in 2020 compared to the 6.7 million
Nevertheless, we have an obligation as industry professionals
participants in 2019, a drop of less than 5%.
to ensure this is done in a safe way, a way that will protect our staff, suppliers and participants and will keep them healthy.
Had it not been for the sheer professionalism, agility and for-
This year, along with continuing to service our clients, mostly
ward-thinking of the many leaders and their teams across the
in a virtual environment, we will focus on planning the return
IAPCO community, this important knowledge-sharing amongst
of in-person events.
academics, scientists and others would likely not have happened and solutions to some of the world’s greatest
One thing that came out of this pandemic is that organisations
future challenges may not have been discussed and debated.
and associations have realised that education can continue online. This will shift the way we think and design the future
Although faced with challenging situations, professionally
of the in-person meeting. While content will still be the core
and personally, our IAPCO community has embraced change,
of the in-person meeting, more emphasis will be given to
created new opportunities and adapted exceptionally well.
networking, community building, research collaborations and hands-on experience. This will be bolstered with online
As you read through this edition of The PCO, take a moment
participants unable to travel to the event.
to congratulate yourself on how well you too have adapted to change over the past year, what you have already achieved,
One thing is clear, a fascinating year with room for optimism is
and consider what more exciting opportunities await you.
ahead of us. Martin Boyle, CEO Ori Lahav, President 2020-2023 4
| April 2021
