The Business of Events announced its collaboration with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) to introduce the Global Advocacy Alliance.
Scheduled to run during the ICCA Plenary at IMEX Frankfurt, 13 May 2024, this initiative will convene 200 industry leaders to foster dialogue and share best practices in advocating for the event sector to governmental bodies at local, regional, and national levels.
Supported by Gevme, the session will feature insights from industry leaders from politics, destinations, consortiums, convention bureaux, and venues.
The ICCA Global Advocacy Alliance aims to equip participants with practical knowledge and tools to effectively champion the interests of the event sector, thereby facilitating its growth and recognition. Through a comprehensive approach, the alliance will address key areas including:
Educating on Advocacy: Providing resources and guidance on the significance of advocacy for the business events sector, emphasising its role in economic development, community engagement, and cultural promotion.
Highlighting Economic Impact: Showcasing data and case studies demonstrating the economic value of business events, including revenue generation, job creation, and support for local businesses.
Emphasizing Social Impact: Illustrating how business events contribute to social development, such as improving community infrastructure, supporting local causes, and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
Stressing Cultural Significance: Outlining how business events serve as platforms to showcase and celebrate the cultural heritage of destinations, fostering cross-cultural exchange and understanding.
Encouraging Corporate Engagement: Providing strategies for engaging corporate brands in utilising events as effective communication and marketing tools, emphasising the unique value of live events in audience engagement.
Facilitating Government Advocacy: Offering guidance on engaging with governmental bodies to advocate for policies and initiatives supportive of the business events sector, beyond mere lobbying efforts.
Promoting Soft Power Initiatives: Highlighting the role of business events in driving trade, investment, and soft power initiatives for destinations, leveraging events to enhance global perception and attract inward investment.
The culmination of this initiative will be a comprehensive toolkit designed to aid stakeholders in advocating effectively to governments.
“The Global Advocacy Alliance is a key part of ICCA’s commitment to advocacy, said ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer members the opportunity to learn how to more effectively communicate with key stakeholders to advocate for their respective sectors to governments and policymakers. By advocating for the best interests of our industry, we contribute to the collective growth and upward trajectory of our community as a whole.”
Martin Fullard, Director of The Business of Events, who will be chairing the event, remarked, “Advocacy is one of the biggest challenges our industry faces and is globally recognised as imperative. The idea behind this event is to bring together industry leaders to share best practices and create a toolkit for everyone involved to utilise in their advocacy efforts.
“Through this new advocacy alliance, we aim to empower convention bureaus and other stakeholders with the templates and tools they need to effectively engage with policymakers.”
