ON POINT ARTICLES
FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY - READY, NOT TO GO BACK Author: Flaminia Roberti, Global Sales Director Member: AIM International, Italy Perspectives on the resumption of the events market, the
Also, the Covid pandemic has accelerated a process that
evolution of meeting formats, the legacy of the pandemic,
began many years ago, putting us in front and centre, perhaps
the lessons learned and the new routines that need to be
in a slightly bold way, forcing us to face new realities that
reviewed. These topics are all covered in this in-depth
required us to be fast, flexible, use new skills and mindset and
interview with Flaminia Roberti, Global Sales Director
build new business models. This has also meant that we have
of AIM Group International.
fundamentally reshaped our future and that of the industry. The only thing that is certain now is that tomorrow will be
With the end to the crisis foreseen by many countries and
different from today, which is certainly different from yester-
with the resumption of in-person events, we asked Flaminia
day, but hasn't this always been what is called the “normality”
Roberti, as Global Sales Director of AIM Group International
of the Meeting Industry?
with a deep knowledge of the market, about her vision and her outlook for the meetings industry.
What do you anticipate for the recovery of events? Which formats will be more prevalent?
How did the event professionals react to the
Today, more than ever, content is king. In the same way, the
crisis caused by the pandemic?
need to share “knowledge” within communities using relevant
Our mission as meeting planners is to design the best possible
and engaging topics is still highly relevant as is the need to f
meeting experience, but no one dictates that this experience
oster human interaction. What we cannot predict today is what
has to be face-to-face, so we moved the experience online.
format will be used in the future to meet these needs.
Definitely, over the last few months we have had to reinvent ourselves and totally revise how we spend our days. We also
I believe that the new reality will mean that we broaden our
had to seize new opportunities and transform concepts all the
horizons and we will begin to accept that where and when
time, making creative steps along the way with great flexibility.
events will “happen” will be less important than the why.
I suppose this is one of the principles of our profession, isn’t?
The national meetings market and corporate events will be the
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| September 2021
