The new features introduced to the study by BTC will be presented together with data, numbers and trends relating to the conference market in Italy in 2011.
The economic impact part of the report will be produced at a later stage, as BTC and Federcongressi&eventi are looking to finance it with the involvement of all industry stakeholders.
17 APRIL 2012 – Data from the new Italian Conference Market Report (OCI, Osservatorio Congressuale Italiano), the only study in Italy that monitors and analyses the conference activity in all segments (corporate, association,
government etc) will be presented at BTC, the Italian trade show for the events, meetings, conferences, incentive travel and business tourism industry, to be held on 21-22 June at the Fiera di Rimini Exhibition Centre.
The research has not been conducted for two years, and the last edition was based on data for 2009. Last year, BTC was commissioned to manage the report by association Federcongressi&eventi (which had acquired it from Rimini Convention Bureau and Meeting & Congressi magazine), and renewed its content, calling on the “historic” author Attilio Gardini, professor of econometrics at the Faculty of Statistical Sciences at the University of Bologna.
The Conference Market Report developed by BTC introduces two important new features compared with previous editions: a broader surveying of events venues, to expand the database on which to conduct the research, and a section measuring and analysing the macroeconomic impact of the conference industry on the Italian economy (the only survey of the industry’s economic effect conducted in Italy dates back to 2004).
In June at BTC 2012, Professor Gardini will explain the criteria used to define the new database and to draw from it the representative statistical sample. He will also present the results for 2011, excluding the figures on economic impact: the number of events hosted at Italian venues and their type (conferences, meetings, conventions, symposiums, team building, incentive, etc.); number of conference delegates in attendance; conference attendance days; market trends according to demand type (corporate, association, government and other organisations);
analysis of events by type of hosting venue (hotels, conference and exhibition centres, events venues and historic residences); breakdown of trends by event duration.
Given the complexity of the analysis, the section measuring economic impact will be produced at a later date: the project, which follows the methodology of satellite accounting and the measure of Nace-Clio economic aggregates, will investigate the spending of participants at events and that of promotors; the revenues, cost structure and distribution of income by industry businesses and the direct impact of the industry (revenues, GDP, employment, salaries and other returns).
“The objective of Exmedia (the company that organises BTC) and Federcongressi&eventi to map out a new path for the Italian Conference Market Report will officially be realised at the next BTC”, commented Paolo Audino, Chief
Executive of Exmedia. “The new features of the Italian Conference Market Report are the result of a long process intended to ensure that it is an essential tool for the industry, today and in the future”.
“Producing a quality study that also provides data on economic impact comes at a high price, however: Exmedia and Federcongressi&eventi are therefore looking into ways of financing its production over time with the support of member companies, industry businesses and other third parties” he continues. “A study structured in this way constitutes a valuable operational and reference tool for the entire industry, able to guide strategies and investment, and to grab the attention of politicians and local authorities. We therefore believe that everyone who in some way operates in the industry should contribute – to the extent that they are able and wish to do so – to its production, moving beyond the traditional sponsorship and seeking new forms of cooperation”.
