HQ #105 / Partnerships for Growth

In this renewed new world for the global meetings industry it is time to reconnect and wake up to the new trends and services that partners have to offer. We are now at the point where partnerships have to be redefined due to unexpected circumstances: pandemics, war and food shortages.

Business events are powerful platforms for real change, cross-sector collaborations, greater community engagement, and better policy development with long-term and positive benefits. We need to ask ourselves again who we can consider as potential partners. If the expectations of planners, organisers and delegates have evolved rapidly as the industry recovers and events call for other programmatic solutions, then it will be time to listen first-hand to what associations have to say in their RFPs.

This HQ #105 brings you several 'Partnerships for Growth' stories, expert interviews and actions taken by destinations at the top of this agenda. In this month's HQ Essential, we talk to Caroline McLaughlin about the role of the AVPN and we went to Budapest to attend the annual AIPC conference. We visited conference destinations that are scoring points with their local networks, such as Athens, Sarawak or Australia. There is also no shortage of strong opinions from our partners with Mark Levin's perspective on building partnerships, going local with the World PCO Alliance and positive change and strategic partnerships from the pen of Martin Boyle of IAPCO.

Taking a more competitive outlook ultimately leads to more effective collaboration. If an association can truly change a destination’s industry forever, a convention bureau can also significantly influence an association’s thought process. So, don't be afraid to partner up!

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