Insight: Issue 151 | Wed 30 August

Whats been cookin’

Dinner’s out, and we’ve dished you up a hot broth of events based tastiness. Bon appetit.

This week: SEC to host AMEE’s annual conference; MCEC launches new resources to help event organisers make a positive impact; Tips to make your trade show more profitable; Shining a Spotlight on Scotland’s Booming Film Industry; IBTM World reveals agenda for Association Leaders’ Forum

SEC to host AMEE’s annual conference

Good news for Glasgae – the SEC has just hosted AMEE’s annual get-together from August 26-30, 2023. This year, the AMEE (Association for Medical Education in Europe) introduced an initiative as part the conference that fosters career growth in Health Profession Education. In an exciting collab with the University of Glasgow, the association invited 20 S5/S6 students from various schools to attend on the Sunday – a roster including St Roch’s Secondary, Notre Dame High, Holyrood Secondary (to name but a few). In order to gauge the impact that the event has had on students, AMEE will be harvesting student feedback, and continuing its legacy via focus groups, emails, and online forums. When it makes its G-town return, the AMEE will further evaluate by looking at participants’ career paths and their reasons why.

Aileen Crawford, head of Glasgow Convention Bureau, said: “It’s heartening to see an association such as AMEE use its conference to launch an initiative to inspire young people at the start of their career. This is a unique opportunity for students in Glasgow to network with conference delegates, experience the conference environment and build lasting relationships with the AMEE community.”

MCEC launches new resources to help event organisers make a positive impact

Smiles all round – MCEC’s Positive Impact Guide has landed.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has dropped its online toolkit for embedding corporate social responsibility into events. If you check out the venue’s website, you’ll be able to access the guide, a nifty resource that gears up event organisers to create positive change for delegates and the community. Alongside championing sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility offerings, the PIG (we’re calling it) encourages acknowledgment of Traditional Owners, waste reduction, children’s charity support, and Yarra River conservation. MCEC’s partnership initiatives, like OzHarvest’s Cooking for a Cause program, enhance delegate experiences while giving a helping hand to those in need. A real one of a kind, the MCEC is the only venue with a bona fide partnership with food rescue organisation OzHarvest – throw another shrimp on the barbie.

MCEC’s Head of Advocacy, Impact & Reputation Rohan Astley looks to the future: “We’re hoping this resource is just the beginning, and that in the future we can continue to offer new ways for our customers to make an impact in the community,”

Tips to make your trade show more profitable

Looking for a little wisdom on improving financial viability and boosting the cold hard cash return on your upcoming trade show. You’re in luck. Dakota Murphy is here with her handy how-to’s on minimising expenses and maximising profits.

We’ll sum up a few of her key takes.

Opting for a lower-cost venue

Explore conference centres off-peak or weekends, cost-effective uni venues, and public spaces. Barter for inclusive services and scope around for discounts on long-term rentals. Creative deals can involve venues as stakeholders for savings.

Be competitive on price for healthy profit margins

Looking for all out trade show triumph? Set competitive exhibitor fees for your trade show; balance competitiveness and profit margin. Research industry pricing, factor in attendance, networking, and those added extras for premium rates. Bundle packages and tiered pricing could also bolster revenue potential.

Save on promotion costs

Get thrifty. Market your trade show effectively while cutting costs. Start with free or low-cost tactics like blog posts and media pitches. Leverage partnerships, influencers, and sponsors for wider reach. And how’s about opting for targeted paid ads when needed, analysing sources for optimal ROI?

Shining a Spotlight on Scotland’s Booming Film Industry

Meet Fiona MacKinnon: VisitScotland Business Events lead and indie flick star of ‘Stella’.

In a recent convo with EventsBase, she gave her take on Scotland’s film industry growth and its synergy with business events.

We’ll hit you up with some key quote-age from the Q&A.

Can you tell us more about Scotland’s film industry?

“Scotland now accounts for around 15 per cent of total stage space outside of London and the South east of England, and the country’s vast dramatic panoramas, rugged landscapes and grand cities have long provided a pull for international film makers. Films such as Harry Potter, James Bond (Skyfall), the 2023 Netflix movie Tetris, independent movie Stella, and the newest film in the Indiana Jones franchise, Dial of Destiny, have all been filmed in the country.”

Why is film so important to Scotland?

“Film puts Scotland on stage and has an important role in inspiring visitors to come to the country. According to Screen Scotland, there were 656,000 overnight screen tourists in 2019 worth £64.9 million in visitor expenditure for Scottish businesses because of screen tourism activities.”

What infrastructure is available to film makers?

“Scotland has a large number of skilled professionals and gifted actors, directors and writers, with film courses available at most of the country’s major universities including Edinburgh Napier and The University of Glasgow, providing a constant pool of talent.”

Move over, Hollywood. We’ve got this covered.

IBTM World reveals agenda for Association Leaders’ Forum

IBTM World’s revamped Association Leaders’ Forum, a collab shindig with ESAE, is set to unfold at Barcelona’s Fira this Nov 28. The forum emphasises the event pro’s role in shaping culture and business’s future. The reimagined format involves high-level presentations, lightning talks, and interactive debates to “infuse energy and foster culture” amongst its participants. ESAE President Mike Morrissey will explore 2024 association trends, followed by a back and forth moderated by Mohamed Mezghani on travel and sustainability. And if that wasn’t enough, a panel of association top dogs will discuss positive world-changing impacts, covering ESG, DEI, and CSR.

Mike Morrissey gave his take on the event: “When associations come together to share knowledge and ideas, we know they can really make a difference. This forum is a space for association and events professionals to debate the issues that are unique to them.”

We’ve reached our journey’s end for this week unfortunately.

But alas, we’ll be back next week as always with some more intriguing events punditry.