Halfway There

With the summer season of events well underway, for many in the sector brighter days have arrived in more ways than one. Having issued our latest instalment of industry insights to government in June, there is a clear feel-good factor among event professionals and their confidence for the year ahead. In fact, seven in 10 venues and suppliers are confident about how the sector will perform over the next 12 months – the remaining three in 10 venues and suppliers hold a neutral viewpoint.

With two-thirds of organisations no longer experiencing supply chain issues, the tide is slowly beginning to turn, and the sector is starting to regain control over how it can operate. At the same time, over threequarters have expressed a higher if not the same conversion rate on event enquiries compared to 12 months ago, supporting optimistic forecasts on future business. year. Throughout the two days, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch up with colleagues and get to know new contacts. The event will also be supporting and raising money for Meeting Needs through a variety of activities.

While much-welcome news, we must continue to proceed with a level of caution, recognising well-documented challenges that remain and we as a sector must still overcome.

Staffing challenges for instance remains high on the agenda, as 51% of organisations highlight current staff shortages. Concerningly, a similar proportion (47%) of organisations have flagged distinct skills shortages.

Sian Sayward, Chair of beam, says: “We have been working hard on creating an event that offers real benefits for everyone. The programme is designed with audience involvement as a priority, as well as delivering fresh, relevant and thought-provoking content. It will be a Forum that’s not to be missed.”

Please contact membership@beam-org. uk for information or visit Cognitoforms. com/Beam9/Beams2023AnnualForum2 to register.

Our role to communicate these challenges through the likes of our regular mia Insight reports therefore remains crucial, as we continue to highlight the sector’s position and lobby for sector-specific support. With 90% of event professionals feeling that government isn’t doing enough to support the sector, we are working closely with its departments and key representatives to drive recognition of the sector and secure subsequent support.

To view the latest mia Insight report, visit Mia-uk.org. You can also keep up to date on any developments, guidance, and advice by following the Meetings Industry Association on LinkedIn and Twitter.