ICCA Reinvents Annual Association Meetings Statistics Report

The international association meetings industry has changed how it does business over the past year and as a result, the Research Department of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has now reinvented how it assesses and presents the 2020 ICCA Statistics Report on the association meetings market. This latest report reflects the changing needs of the industry. It provides a more accurate representation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association meetings globally. In addition, it acts as an enhanced tool for guiding the industry out of the health crisis and into new stronger future.

The 2020 ICCA Statistics Report consists of meetings that were intended to take place in 2020 and indicates what became of the meetings. The report includes analysis on the economic impact of meetings in 2020 compared to 2019, revenue loss, and several additional key parameters. New categories have been added to represent the full spectrum of solutions that event planners implemented in 2020; such as virtual and hybrid meetings, postponement, cancellation, and relocation.

Key findings include: • While 44% of meetings were postponed in 2020, the vast majority of those meetings remained loyal to the original destination. • Virtual and hybrid meetings have helped associations attract bigger audiences in 2020, compared to face-to-face meetings in previous years. • Analysis of the economic impact of COVID-19 (total expenditure 2019 vs. 2020) indicates the industry’s strong desire to return to face-to-face meetings. However, in the future, meetings are likely to include elements and best practices from virtual and hybrid events.

KOBE WATERFRONT TO GET NEW ARENA

Kobe city will construct a new 10,000 capacity arena as part of a larger revitalisation plan for the Kobe waterfront area.

Due for completion at the end of 2024, the arena will be predominantly used for professional sporting events, concerts and international conferences. It will be one of the largest in the Kansai region, which includes Osaka and Kyoto. The arena will also include several indoor and outdoor dining facilities, an event space (max 3,000 capacity) and a park and recreation area.

Other plans for the revitalisation of the waterfront include a theatrical aquarium, chocolate museum and a classic car museum, scheduled to open autumn 2021. The iconic Kobe Port Tower will be renovated in 2023 with new viewing platforms and dining facilities. A cable car will also feature by 2025 and will connect the popular shopping and dining district of Harborland with the waterfront area. The cable car will offer spectacular views of the harbour, city and surrounding mountains.

ANATO 2021 TOURIST SHOWCASE, SET TO RESTART TOURISM INDUSTRY IN COLOMBIA

The ANATO Tourist Showcase will be held from 16-18 June in Bogotá, Colombia.

More than 7,700 professionals from the sector per day have registered for the event that will be joined by 700 companies between exhibitors and co-exhibitors to give a sample of tourism products and services adapted to the new reality of the travel market.

This will be the first big face-to-face tourism event in Colombia and Latin America in 2021, allowing for the sector to re-establish its relationships and commercial alliances.

“The recovery of tourism should be a priority and therefore the Association has joined all its efforts to carry out this event. The paralysis in the travel industry has not only affected tourism but also other sectors that depend on it and therefore we must work to move it forward together” said Paula Cortés Calle, executive president of ANATO.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun, who is one of the official partners of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has called for the Summer Games to be cancelled due to the risks to public safety and strains on the medical system from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of the Japanese public are opposed to holding the Games this summer, due to tens of thousands of athletes and officials arriving in the country, that has remained closed to foreigners since last year and where the vaccination programme has been slow to proceed. It is already struggling with a 4th wave of infections across the country.

The question to totally cancel the games has been talked about since its postponement back in 2020. After such huge investment from partners, sponsors, hotel expansions, etc, the question is how and who will reimbursement all those companies. As the months go by, it appears that this ‘health crisis’ is a never ending story with many nations having dug themselves into such a huge hole, they have no way to climb out. The forthcoming boomerang facing economies and societies is just around the corner and time will tell for how long the ‘crisis’ will go on for.

FITUR 2021 SPAIN'S TOURISM MINISTER: 'WE'RE READY TO WELCOME BACK TOURISTS'

Spain's tourism minister Reyes Maroto has said that Spain is ready to welcome back tourists and host large-scale face-to-face events.

At the opening of FITUR for a face-to-face event that saw over 50,000 attend the 3 day trade fair, by far the biggest public gathering to take place in Spain since the pandemic, and the biggest test of the country's ability to hold large face-to-face events safely.

"The decision to run this event is not just about tourism," she said. "It's that we can now begin to be here. The idea is to show that Spain is a tourist destination with all the safety measures needed for an expo like this where there is no problem to hold face to face event like this."

There are more than 5,000 delegates at the event plus exhibitors from more than 60 countries – although this is a huge reduction from last year's event which saw 165 nations represented. With reduced capacity, all attendees also have to pass an antigen COVID-19 test 24 hours before they arrive. Over the past year, Spain's tourism industry saw 70 million less international tourists plus 92 million less trips from Spanish citizens, resulting in losses exceeding UK£86.22 million compared to 2019.

As vaccination programmes move faster forward around the globe, many tourism-dependent economies are keen to attract visitors and now is the time. We have to learn to live with Covid-19.

HONDURAS PRESENT AT FITUR

A Honduran delegation attended the recent edition of FITUR recently, headed by the Minister of Tourism. The presentation aimed to maintain, strengthen and expand the air connectivity that Honduras has with Spain.

In addition the aim was to keep Honduras in the minds of European wholesale tour operators that have always been interested in the country.

REGENERATING THE ADVENTURE INDUSTRY AT THE HYBRID PATA ADVENTURE TRAVEL CONFERENCE AND MART 2021

The Hybrid PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2021 took place recently through both on-ground, in Clark, Philippines, and online formats. The two-day niche event attracted 582 delegates from 53 destinations in attendance including international delegates comprising 56% of the total. With both travel mart and conference elements, the B2B trade mart welcomed 67 seller organisations from 13 destinations and 65 buyer organisations from 28 source markets.

The event, which was organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in partnership with Platinum Sponsor, the Philippine Department of Tourism, brought together international experts at the forefront of the adventure travel industry to explore the nuances, trends and dynamics of one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors.