The Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers (AIPCO) has seen a ’significant’ improvement in the outlook for its sector, according to a survey carried out with its members.
The survey showed the majority of respondents felt their business was perming better in 2012, with none believing it was worse. There was also encouraging results in terms of delegate attendance, with over a third of AIPCO members saying their meetings saw a 20 per cent, or above, rise in attendance figures. A key trend was the increase in the number of services offered by Professional Conference Organisers.
“Half our members increased the services they have provided their clients,” says Chair of AIPCO, Jean Evans. “This is part of a real shift towards working with associations on a longer term basis. It’s no longer enough to deliver one great event; you have to bring a strategic insight to the table that will deliver on the return on investment.
“Even working within the constraints of the financial climate, we’ve had to improve both the range of services we provide as well as the level we can offer them at. As a result, we’re now truly able to compete on the international stage,” she says.
One of the main areas of concern highlighted by AIPCO members was the continued drop in exhibition and sponsorship revenue, with the private and public sector still reluctant to invest as heavily in marketing spend as they did in the past.
The three key future trends identified by AIPCO members were a greater increase in strategic management and consultant services, making destination management services a core part of the business and the advent of content capturing of conference and the sharing of that knowledge online.
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