A new ecosystem for business events
With its new research project for 2021, the Future Meeting Space (FMS) innovation network is looking at the challenges of the post-Covid-19 era, based on the key assumption that the ecosystem of events will change considerably and for the long term. The FMS initiative, launched by the GCB German Convention Bureau and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, will – in cooperation with altogether 14 research partners – identify influencing factors and cause-effect relationships, analyse the opportunities of this change, and ultimately develop future scenarios. The innovation network’s research activities aim at strengthening Germany’s leading position as an international destination for conferences and congresses and at securing market shares for the future.
Detailed analysis of influencing factors
The latest FMS research project will analyse a wide range of factors that influence the ecosystem of events. In addition to sustainability as a megatrend and the smart linking of physical and virtual venues, the spaces and social environment within which business events are set also play a significant role. This includes the renaissance of rural areas as well as the changing mobility behaviour of people and the redevelopment of city centres. As events are important elements in the communications mix of organisations, new working models also play a major part, such as the increase in mobile working or new co-working models. Finally, the way people learn or share knowledge is also shifting, which affects events as important platforms for knowledge transfer.
“It is a fact that the ecosystem of events will change. The decisive factor for success in this system is to absolutely focus on the needs of customers and participants,” stresses Dr. Stefan Rief, Institute Director and Head of Organisational Development and Work Design Research Unit at Fraunhofer IAO. “When they decide how they would like to spend their time in the future, this decision will be a much more deliberate one.”
Diverse group of research partners
The large and diverse group of research partners that the FMS initiators have been able to attract reflects the relevance of the new research topic. A total of 14 organisations are supporting the innovation network this year, including AllSeated as Virtual Venue Partner, Bayern Tourismus Marketing, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Hospitality, Encore, EVVC European Association of Event Centers, Jena Kultur, Cologne Convention Bureau, Nürnberg Convention, Radisson Hotel Group, 7 Cities, Stadt Münster and Weframe. In addition, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is involved as a Strategic Industry Partner of the FMS innovation network.
Learn more about Future Meeting Space here.
 innovation network is looking at the challenges of the post-Covid-19 era in its latest research.){kind=link}