November 17, 2020
By Mike Fletcher

The spectre of Brexit should not be a key long-term issue for those meetings and event planners who have put short-term preparations in place, according to London & Partners’ Allen Simpson. 

Speaking during Cvent CONNECT® Europe Virtual, the MD of Strategy and Corporate Affairs for the UK capital’s promotional body, stressed that the more pressing long-term issues for planners will be around sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of their activity. 

He told delegates: “A broader move away from globalisation, together with creeping barriers to international trade, has been happening around the world for the past 15 years, so of course there will be increased challenges around sanding the gears for any sector that is internationally focused. 

“However, events businesses are exceptionally adept and creative at solving problems so will find smarter ways to work across borders. For me, the big commercial driver over the next five years won’t be what happens on 1 January 2021 - it will be how destinations and event planners respond to corporate CSR requirements to reduce the carbon footprint of their travel and meetings activity.”

Simpson went onto list four key areas that meetings and event planners should be focused on for the short-term in order to ensure they’re as prepared as possible for Brexit. 

These include:

  • Making sure that practical considerations, such as how staff will get in and out of the EU, have been thought-through 
  • Contingency planning for what happens if goods and services get held-up 
  • Regulatory risk assessment to ensure that cross-border finance and data handling can proceed 
  • Having a true understanding of the commercial impact that a change in people’s behaviour may have on MICE planning both short-term and long-term. 

“Short-term preparation involves knowing the problems to solve - so understanding what the costs will be, what the rights of access will be, what tariffs will be in place and how they’ll be applied, plus how the regulatory environment will work,” Simpson continued.

“By understanding the detail and finding solutions ourselves - instead of hoping that the politicians will find them for us - the events and business tourism sectors will be well-set to serve a more positive view that beyond the spring, there will be a real demand for face-to-face activity and in-person experiences.”

Long-term however, Simpson repeated his belief that the carbon footprint of the meetings and events industry will be up for scrutiny, especially from large corporates with CSR targets to meet. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated moves towards virtual and hybrid events. As CSR teams challenge the need to travel or attend meetings, training and conferences around the world, those planners who have integrated virtual meetings technology into their offer will continue to stay relevant and have a competitive advantage both now and in the future.”

To access 'Have You Forgotten About Brexit? The Looming Impact of Brexit on the Events Industry' or any of the other sessions that took place during Cvent CONNECT® Europe Virtual, register here

Mike Fletcher

Mike Fletcher

Mike has been writing about the meetings and events industry for almost 20 years as a former editor at Haymarket Media Group, and then as a freelance writer and editor. He currently runs his own content agency, Slippy Media, catering for a wide-range of client requirements, including social strategy, long-form, event photography, event videography, reports, blogs and ghost-written material.

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