Skills, equity and sustainability are becoming greater priorities for planners, according to a new report by independent think tank The Business of Events.
The 2023 International Planner Sentiment Report illustrates the current
thinking of event buyers from a range of disciplines across the UK, Europe and
North America in terms of their priorities when selecting a destination or
venue.
An audience comprising corporate, association and agency
planners were surveyed over a two-week period in May 2023. The
questions were focused on those areas which planners considered to be important
when selecting a destination or major venue in the current environment.
Tracking the data from 2022, the report indicates a
relatively stable level of sentiment from planners. However, the importance of
skills, equity and sustainability have all tracked higher in this year’s
report, reflecting the increasing importance of those areas within the events
sector and the focus that has been on them during the past 12 months.
Key highlights of the 2023 data include:
• Sustainability
is tracking on average 1.5 points higher across all regions, although remains
lower within the North American market.
• Both skills and talent and equity and diversity are tracking 1 point higher
across all markets.
• Cost and
value for money remain high across all buyer markets
• Destination
brand and market support remain high in importance, but stable compared to
2022.
• Venue
quality and quality of welcome are both seen as highly important, and as with
2022 are of significant importance to the North American market
• Accessibility
and ease of travel continue to be tracking at the top in terms of sentiment.
• North
American planners again regard safety & security the highest importance of
all three regions compared to 2022, ranking it 10, although the UK is tracking
higher, perhaps due to the debate surrounding the forthcoming Protect Duty
legislation in the UK
Martin Fullard, director, news and content, The Business
of Events, said: “As you would expect to see, cost and value for money remain a
key factor in decision making when it comes to selecting a destination or
venue, although more so among UK planners than in Europe and North America.
“Predictably, accessibility and ease of travel also tracks
highly, so destinations with better air and rail links will find themselves at
an advantage.
“Sustainability is tracking 1.5 points higher in all regions
than in 2022, although North America is lagging behind the UK and Europe.
Although, safety and security is ranked far higher among US planners.”
Download the 2023 International Planner Sentiment Report
here.
