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PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) and its partner organization, PCMA Education Foundation, have today, July 6, announced that they will be jointly awarding research grant funds totalling over $75,000 USD in order to advance the second phase of three major meetings industry research initiatives that are sure to propel the development of our industry in 2017.
BUSINESS EVENTS CASE STUDIES
PCMA announced that they are funding research on work that is focused on what the professional, business, academic and economic outcomes of the business events industry are and how they can be best communicated to the respective communities and governments they effect. The project is being managed by the University of Technology, Sydney and is in collaboration with JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council). The project will focus on creating a set of case studies detailing where the outcomes of business events have positively impacted cities around the world. Best practices in the sector will be captured as part of this research and case studies are due to be completed by early 2019.
Sherrif Karamat, COO, PCMA said “By helping to fund this prestigious piece of work with our industry partners, we are helping to prove to the wider world that business meetings and events are a vital part of all our economic futures. For the first time as a result of this work, the case studies generated by JMIC will be thoroughly researched examples of the broader benefits that business events can bring to cities across the globe.”
PCMA EDUCATION FOUNDATION RESEARCH
TRAVEL BOYCOTT
While this is underway, PCMA Education Foundation is supporting two other critical pieces of work into key industry issues that can profoundly impact the business events industry.
First a study around the issue of travel boycotts. These political tools have risen in popularity in recent years to force political or ethical change in the US and abroad. For example, in Charlotte, North Carolina in February 2016, government passed a law allowing transgender people to choose public bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity. The Governor later called this action ‘a threat to public safety’ and within a month, legislature passed a law prohibiting local governments from enacting their own anti-discrimination rules. As a result, many national organizations such as the National Basketball Association decided to terminate their business in North Carolina. This legislation has since been rescinded.
The impact these travel boycotts are having on the business events industry is the subject of this research. The Foundation is contributing $30K USD and the work is being carried out by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), the global association for official destination marketing organizations (DMOs). The study will provide much needed information for event organizers and destinations to navigate travel boycotts as they impact meetings and travel.
FUTURE MEETINGS RESEARCH
For the second study, the PCMA Education Foundation has partnered with the German Convention Bureau (GCB) and the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) to delve into how different types of event participants are impacted by the use of various elements and methodology. Phase one was previously completed, initialled by the GCB and EVVC together with the Fraunhofer Institute of Labour Economics and Organization (IAO). So far, they have identified six so-called future meeting scenarios that match the developments in the industry. The six scenarios show various forms of future events and the second phase will build on those results focusing on identifying success factors for event organizers.
Meredith Rollins, Executive Director of the PCMA Education Foundation said “We’re glad to be partnering with DMAI to understand the true impact of travel boycotts and GCB and EVVC to define how participants will engage with future meeting design. Education is key to success for our industry and both of these research projects tackle issues that will shape our industry today and for the future.”
For media queries from the Americas, APAC, EMEA, and requests for interviews with Sherrif Karamat, please contact: Meghan Risch, PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications PCMA, PCMA Foundation and CEMA educate, inspire, and listen, creating meaningful experiences where passion, purpose and commerce come together. We are the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Our mission is to drive social and economic progress through business events. Headquartered in Chicago, IL PCMA has 17 North American Chapters, regional communities in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, and members in 59 countries. The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), a PCMA subsidiary, advances strategic event marketing and marketing communications for senior-level event marketers and industry professionals. Visit us at pcma.org. The role of the Foundation of PCMA is to support the mission of PCMA through fundraising and grant-giving focused on scholarships, education and research that will advance the business events industry. Annually the Foundation funds over $700K in impact, and since 1985 has funded over 2,500 scholarships, 100 research studies and education programs, and $2.7M in charitable giving. The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) is the eminent community for senior event executives, association peers and industry partners and is an integral component of the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) brand collective. CEMA promotes professional networking opportunities, facilitates peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and drives industry standards. Through strong relationships with strategic partners, CEMA fosters both finding innovative solutions to business issues and continuous focus on members’ career growth. For more information, please visit http://www.cemaonline.com.About PCMA
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