“Navigating Business Events in Challenging Times” - Future Meeting Space publishes results report of recent research and kicks off 2023 research phase

With its 2023 research topic "Navigating Business Events in Challenging Times", the Future Meeting Space (FMS) innovation network addresses the role of business events in the current era of transformation. The GCB German Convention Bureau and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, together with their research partners, will discuss the changing role of business events in times of multiple and simultaneous challenges. This new research focus follows on the 2022 "Redefining Event Attendance" analysis. The corresponding results report which also includes recommendations for business event stakeholders is now available for free-of-charge download.

Faced with multiple challenges, the events sector has seen a wide-ranging transformation in recent years. This also affects the reasons why people attend business events in the first place. Hence, the FMS innovation network looked at the changing motivation for event attendance and business travel in its 2022 "Redefining Event Attendance" study, with three key findings: Events continue to be very attractive as sources of inspiration. They are also an important tool for attracting and retaining employees. And, thirdly, sustainability and the environmental impact of events matter to attendees. Organising and running events in a sustainable way will be crucial for successful business events of the future. "We need innovative and sustainable ideas now, to be able to shape our tomorrow. Business events are an important source of inspiration, promoting scientific innovation as well as industry expertise in Germany. It will be key that all stakeholders in the meetings industry boost this function in a sustainable way," says Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the GCB.

Analysing the role of business events in times of transformation

The FMS research shows that, after the pandemic, people will continue to seek out face-to-face meetings, attend business events and also again travel more in the future. However, they will make more deliberate decisions than before on whether they attend an event in person or not. The event ecosystem will therefore have to look at the question of what kind of solutions business events can offer in the context of climate change, pandemics, international conflicts or energy issues. At the same time, how to implement events and which strategic approach to use when organising events will be influenced by these multiple challenges. In its 2023 research phase "Navigating Business Events in Challenging Times", the FMS innovation partners will focus on these aspects, using a multi-layered and practice-oriented research approach.

Definition of event concepts and formats

The aim of the research process 2023 is the repositioning of business events in times of change in order to define distinct event concepts and formats. Furthermore, the role of business events as a social space and a place for learning from each other will be analysed as well as how they can support transformation processes. Based on the research results, specific recommendations for the different business event stakeholders will be formulated. "Due to diverse and sometimes simultaneously occurring challenges, it is essential to reclassify the role of business events in order to be able to develop customised formats that are adapted to current requirements," says Dr Stefan Rief, Head of Organisational Development and Work Design Research Unit at Fraunhofer IAO.

The 2023 FMS research topic directly follows on from the 2022 "Redefining Event Attendance" analysis. The corresponding results report can now be downloaded for free here.

About Future Meeting Space

The Future Meeting Space innovation network was launched in 2015 by the GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO with the key goal of boosting the role of business events as a driver of innovation and an essential instrument of corporate communication.

Providing trends research, the Future Meeting Space anticipates relevant developments in the business event ecosystem and identifies requirements for successful events as regards concepts, technology and event spaces. The innovation network develops topic-specific and distinct recommendations for different stakeholder groups and regularly validates them in a real-life lab with what is happening within the industry in practice.

As one of the world's leading destinations for meetings and congresses, Germany stands for innovation, sustainability and comprehensive expertise in key sectors of business and science. Against this background, the GCB and Fraunhofer IAO as Future Meeting Space initiators, together with a diverse range of research partners, take on the role of catalysts for the future of business events "made in Germany".

Research partners for the 2023 research phase “Navigating Business Events in Challenging Times“ are 7Cities , AllSeated GmbH, Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH, DEUTSCHE HOSPITALITY Steigenberger Hotels AG, Didacta Ausstellungs- und Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne Convention Bureau, Encore (represented by KFP Five Star Conference Services GmbH), EVVC European Association of Event Centers e. V., Hamburg Convention Bureau GmbH, Leipziger Messe GmbH, Stadt Münster/Messe and Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland GmbH as well as Radisson Hotel Group.