1. The Importance of Business Events
KYIV
September, 2017

2. Transforming Economies
Business Events and Economic Transformation

3. Agricultural
Manufacturing
Knowledge Creative
Services
Tourism
Business Events
Hunter
Gatherer
A Short History of Economic Revolutions
250,000 12,000 years 200 years < 100 years 50 years

4. Knowledge and Creative are Higher Levels of a Service Economy
Services
Knowledge
Creative
Intangible commodities.
Delivering things rather than
making them.
Educated workforce -
working with heads not
hands - intellectual vs.
physical inputs or natural
resources.
Exploitation of knowledge
and information.
Hospitality
Retail
Transportation
Customer services
Utilities
Research
Technical support
Education
Information technology
Consulting
Design
R&D
Software
Media
Entertainment

5. Is Kyiv wanting to be a knowledge and
creative economy?
Key economic priorities for Kyiv / Ukraine :
1. Consolidate industrial production
2. Develop agro-industrial complex
3. Improve energy independence /
sustainable energies
4. Promote development of high-tech
industries / information technologies
5. Develop innovative sectors : bio-tech /
nano-technology / hydrogen energy /
artificial intelligence industries

6. Transforming Economies
Business Events and Economic Transformation

7. Business Events Tourism Benefits
Induced tourism > 60%
business visitors likely to return
for leisure purposes within 2
years
Long term bookings creates
investor confidence & inducers
further infrastructure
development
14% of world travelers are
business travelers and they
spend 23.5% of world travel
spending
International business events
visitors spend
3 - 4Xthe average
tourism visitor

8. Leisure Tourism business events
How do Business Events and Leisure Tourism Differ?
Business events differs from leisure tourism in terms of who the customers are, the purpose of
the visit, business drivers, distribution channels and marketing approach. Organisations that don’t
approach business events in a different way than they approach leisure promotion will usually not
be successful.
 Fun
 Exploration
 Relaxation
 Business
 Networking
 Education & certification
Purpose of Visit
 Affordability
 Destination appeal
 Key attractions
 Centres of innovation / large markets
 Quality of meeting venues and hotels
 Air connectivity / Value
Business Drivers
 Individual tourists
 Tour wholesalers / Travel agents
 GDS
 Meeting Planners/AMCs
 Professional Congress or Exhibition Organisers
 Associations and corporations
Distribution Channels
 Strategic / B2C
 Market stimulation
 Broadcast marketing to end consumers (tourists)
 Tactical / B2B
 Bidding / lobbying
 Direct selling to corporates and associations
Marketing Approach
Differences Between Business Events and Leisure Tourism
 Tourists
 Individuals or small groups
 Business people
 Professionals
 300 – 10,000 delegates
Participants

9. Association Meetings and Economic Transformation
Building Global Trade and Intellectual Engagement
Understanding the Overall Economic Impact of Association Meetings
Meetings Tourism (Leisure)Hospitality Related Impact
 Direct Spending
 Employment
 Tax Revenues
Cross-Sector Impact

10. World’s Focus on Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors

11. Platform for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
Showcases
Local
innovation,
products and
expertise

12. Profile for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
Generates
Favorable
Media
Attention

13. Investment for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
If They See it
They Will
Invest.

14. Exports for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
Brings in
Buyers and
Distributers.

15. Networks for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
Business
Contacts,
Trade and
Research Links

16. Access for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
New
Technologies,
New Ideas

17. Knowledge for Host City
 Industry Leaders
 Thought Leaders
 Corporations
 Investors
Local
Professionals
and Students
Trade Associations &
Professional
Societies

18. Building Knowledge Economies
So, all associations are in the knowledge business…
Providing life-long learning
and providing collaborative forums for
Discussion
Knowledge sharing
Innovation
Discovery
and Creation.
Without associations and meetings, you can’t have a
knowledge economy.

19. Building Creative Economies
All creative industries have associations…
Associations support development of creative
industries
and creative industries support meetings.
Creative people collaborate before they innovate
and create.
Without associations and meetings, you can’t have a
creative economy.

20. Economic Transformation
Trade & Intellectual Engagement
Business Events
Business Events Industry
Development

21. Attracting business events can be a
powerful strategy for KYIV
GOALS
Attracting Foreign Companies
Start-ups / FDI
Global centre of innovation
Economic Development
Knowledge transfer
Business networks
Research links
Trade links
New technologies
Distributors
Foreign buyers
Building global Innovation links
Foreign investors
Connections
Global thought leaders
Business Branding
Business Visitors
Exports
Talent Attraction
BUSINESS EVENTS LINKAGES

22. Key Driver of Success :
A Strong Convention Bureau

23. Why Does a Destination Need
a Convention Bureau?
 Client Expectations
 Pro-active Bidding
 Destination Information
and Support
 Coordination of
Suppliers / Bids
 Liaison with Government
“Associations will not consider a
destination for their conference
unless they have a capable
convention bureau “
Association Executive Seminar
IMEX, Frankfurt

24. MICE buyers prefer to work through a Convention Bureau as a
one-stop shop
Key Actors in MICE Marketing
Convention Bureau
Local and National Government:
 Supports the MICE market through investment in
facilities
 Financial support for CVB
 Protocol
 Traffic and security support
 Special events permits
 Subvention
Unique Roles of the Convention Bureau:
 One stop shop
 Represent the entire destination to MICE buyers
 Researches potential congresses, organizes site
visits and prepares bid packages
 Supports development of exhibitions
 Attendance promotion at events
 Industry development and coordination
Hotels
Convention Centre
Destination Management
Companies (DMC)
Local Host Committees
Government
Professional Conference
Organizers (PCO)
Local Host Committee:
 Issues a formal invitation to the
group organizing the meeting
 Works with the CVB during the bid
 Plans social program during the event
PCO:
 Contracts with the meeting planner
 Handles on-site logistics – hotel
rooms, registration, housing, local
transportation, sponsorship,
meeting preparation, social
program arrangements,
entertainment, etc.
Tourism Services Org:
 Ground transportation
 Logistics
 Organizes pre- and post- tours
and incentive trips
Hotels:
 Provide room blocks for bid
 Banquets and catering
Convention Center:
 Cooperative sales
effort with CVB
 Primary meeting
facilities
 Event catering
Exhibition Management
Companies
Exhibition Management Companies
Trade and consumer show producersEvent Management
Companies
Event Management Companies
Event producers

25. What is a
Convention Bureau?
 Official destination marketing organization
 Independent, impartial and unbiased
 “One-stop-shop” for buyers
 Convention sales (bidding)
 Tactical vs. strategic

26. Why is a Convention
Bureau Important
Serbia as a case study

27. Source: ICCA Statistics 2006 - 2014
Serbia’s growth 2006-2014
The Gaining Edge has been engaged to
develop Strategy for Implementation of the
Serbia Convention Bureau from 2005 till
2007, when the Serbia Convention Bureau
was finally established.
In the second phase the Gaining Edge
provided establishment support, as well as
industry trainings from 2008 till 2011. That
was the period of the exponential growth
when Serbia used to be the fastest growing
destination in Europe.
Over this period (2007-2014) Serbia became
one of leading Eastern European
destinations, comparing to other similar,
emerging countries, such as Slovenia,
Slovakia or Bulgaria.
Serbia Case Study

28. Source: ICCA Statistics 2006 - 2014
Belgrade’s growth 2006-2014
Belgrade, capital of Serbia, started with just 9
international association meetings in 2006
and that year was one of the weakest capital
cities in Eastern Europe.
After activation of convention bureau in
2007, Belgrade used to be the fastest
growing city destination in Europe reaching
52 international association meetings in 2014
and became the leading destination in the
region of South East Europe.
With 52 international association meetings in
2014 Belgrade became #4 city in Eastern
Europe, after Prague (131), Budapest (106)
and Warsaw (64) which have been already
established and well known international
destinations.
Serbia Case Study