MEA Chair Update: Steps Needed Towards Our Industry’s Recovery
MEA CHAIR UPDATE - NIGEL COLLIN
Steps Needed Towards Our Industry’s Recovery
You may have seen the latest media release from our industry’s umbrella body BECA late last week.
As an alliance of industry associations working around the BECA table, we acknowledged the Government’s support package for the tourism and aviation sector, the modifications to the Business Events Grant Program, and also made the point that the level of support offered for business events will not be sufficient to support the industry or its members in the immediate future.
With the challenges we still face across the country and the nature of the long lead time needed in planning and delivering events, the sustainability of organisations, freelancers and contractors continues to be tested without considered targeted support.
MEA will continue advocating our needs to Government by working in collaboration with our fellow industry associations through BECA. It is through this channel that the industry engages with the Federal Government with a coordinated message, supported by many voices. We also value and appreciate working collaboratively with our industry colleagues around the BECA table, and the continued work of this critical engagement and co-ordinated message to Government about the vital mechanisms needed to reinstate in-person business events.
In addition to this work, what is now also a vital consideration is the other areas of support that we need to address.
When surveying our members and industry professionals at the close of 2020, we asked this question. The messages were clear; 56% of participants wanted a focus on government advocacy, 54% cited support in building client confidence and 52% recognised professional development as an important investment for our future.
The continued investment in the professionalism of our industry will ensure the quality and innovation of our industry grows and this focus on best practice is vital to our recovery. It also assists in our advocacy efforts to demonstrate the value of our industry and the significant economic contribution we make.
As we move forward, MEA will help the industry achieve and maintain best practice through such things as our webinars, professional development, diploma program, mentor program, roundtables, future leaders programs, accreditation, awards and the Evolve conference.
In addition, we also need to focus on building client confidence by advocating the value of business events to industry and the broader market. We will be sharing stories to demonstrate and build evidence of the successful in-person events happening more and more throughout Australia, in a COVID safe manner despite the uncertainty of border management.
We recognise we are a long way from the robust level of activity we need, and the level of restrictions still vary across the states, but we need to focus on showcasing what is able to occur to increase awareness and indeed build the confidence in consumers to invest in events once again. Please help us by sharing your stories on your social outlets.
As we start to see momentum for in-person events occurring, and still working towards the government support needed, it is over to us as an industry to do what we do best. Keep innovating, keep being creative and finding ways to move forward despite the challenges that may be ahead of us.
This is our industry, we built it – and it makes a very significant contribution to the Australian economy and the Australian way of life. By supporting best practice, advocating the value of events to industry and the market, and providing evidence of successful events taking place, we can rebuild client confidence, elevate our voice to Government and start rebuilding our industry.
