Making the case for the event industry is not an easy endeavor. I have been working in this industry for quite some time and my mother still does not understand what I do or what this industry is about—and I assure you it is not a matter of not trying. Having a manifesto in place which allows us to sing from the same hymn page is a great starting place, but much more is needed. Luckily there are some great role models.
These are the numbers
Being based in Brussels, I am fortunate enough to see “advocacy in action” from the first row.
But some figures first.
The European Union Transparency register is a database listing ‘interest representatives’ (organisations, associations, groups and self-employed individuals) who carry out activities to influence the EU policy and decision-making process. There are about 12,000 organisations registered. There are about 50,000 individuals lobbying the EU. And there are more than 1,500 individuals having access to the European parliament.
The cost of lobbying is also staggering. Just as an example: when in 2023 the EU Commission was preparing legislation on the use of data, tech companies ramped up their lobbying investment to 113 million USD. Needless to say, this type of effort is out of reach for AIPC.
A few definitions
However, there are things that we are doing, albeit not on a stand-alone basis. But before going there, it is perhaps worthwhile to clarify some definitions as there can be some confusion.
Advocacy is about attempting to bring positive change. An example could be educating an elected government official on the positive impact of the event industry. Lobbying is taking it one step further: it involves engaging with policymakers in order to support or oppose certain legislation that impact your organisation. Or putting it differently: asking somebody to vote against or in favour of a legislative proposal.
At EU level, AIPC tries to advocate, in collaboration with the colleagues from other associations such as UFI and ICCA, by providing education and information to policy makers, for example at the IMEX policy forum in Frankfurt or during the EU Roundtables in Brussels.
The challenges
The first challenge with advocacy however is timing: you have the biggest influence when policy makers are still in the process of defining the issue as shown on the graph below. The pandemic and the related policy decisions demonstrated that the event industry was not prepared at all and that we came in late in the decision process (in all fairness, we were not the only industry in that position).
The second challenge is that you need to master the four P’s in order to advocate efficiently and effectively:
- Politics: Understanding the political context and the existing dynamics is key to know when and how to engage with stakeholders.
- Policy: Identify the relevant public policies, monitor their developments and assess the expected impacts on your organisation.
- Process: Mastering the decision-making process is essential to identify key milestones, know what coming next, and adapt your advocacy strategy.
- People: Advocacy is all about relationships. Your relationships with the people you need to engage with are critical to success.
So, is it impossible for the event industry to do this? Definitely not. But is does require clear objectives, a structure and consistency in messaging and communication.
The Canada example
A great example is Meetings Mean Business Canada. This group has a clear set of three priorities: demonstrate the business events sector’s essential contributions to the Canada economy, Improve the travel experience and re-establish Canada among the top international business event destinations. A data collection process is in place, allowing to share up-to-date information. And this dissemination of information is made easy by “ready-to-use” collateral which is available on the website, whether it’s infographics, factsheets, videos or social media assets.
In addition, they have put significant effort in mastering the four P’s, resulting in structural engagement with policy makers via Parliament Hill Days, including a social event (cocktail) and private meetings with key stakeholders. All this is underpinned by continuous communication with the industry stakeholders, ensuring end-to-end alignment.
Advocacy might seem a bit like the work of Sisyphus, but as the Canadian example demonstrates, it is possible to achieve tangible results and have an impact. It is simply not easy… to say the least.
Sven Bossu is CEO of AIPC, which represents a global network of over 200 leading centres in 55 countries with the active involvement of more than 1000 management-level professionals worldwide.www.aipc.org