Organisers cannot control world events, but they can allay fears and sweeten the deal for attendees. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Senja
International event organisers face new challenges amid geopolitical concerns and unpredictable changes in entry conditions such as in the US.
Experts say there is no one-size-fits-all approach to attracting international attendees in these uncertain times. Each market faces different realities, whether it’s visa access, geopolitical concerns, or travel confidence, so tailoring outreach is essential.
Piggyback on major events
Aligning conferences with high-profile cultural or sporting moments incentivises travel. Natalie Crampton, director of Dubai-based TEC, says October to December in the UAE is packed with concerts and sporting events, with many clients scheduling their events around Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix and the Dubai 7s.
“We have a conference coming up in November where we will do a three-day seminar ending with the weekend at the Abu Dhabi F1 hospitality. We’ve seen the attendees feedback on this and they are excited to be part of this programme,” she said.
Similarly, Sanjay Seth, SVP and managing director of APAC at BCD M&E observed that event organisers often plan events before or after the Singapore F1 Grand Prix race as a pull factor.
Putting concerns into perspective
Concerns around travel safety are natural, but perspective is key. TEC’s Crampton says Israel/Gaza may feel ‘close’ to Dubai, yet London is geographically closer to Ukraine.
“Helping delegates understand these distances builds reassurance,” she said. “We also highlight how safe the UAE is and back this up with the stats that are available from the tourist board and police department.”
A targeted approach
Seth shared that as the agency operates in 14 markets, and in multiple cities in several of these markets, there is flexibility in choice, with multiple venues and destinations to choose from.
Event organisers should consider the experience they want to create and what different regions/cities can offer.
“Understand the nature of the event and the attendee demographics,” he said. “Are we looking at an incentive programme? A corporate meeting? A large conference? A company retreat? At the same time, what one might consider an ideal destination could suffer a negative event – from a natural phenomenon to a man-made upheaval – that automatically drops it down this list,” he reasoned.
Consider visa realities
TEC’s Crampton added that visa appointment availability (Schengen being a prime example) is a real barrier for the agency at the moment for attendees going from the Middle East/Asia into Europe.
“We have discounted destinations in the past 18 months based on the headaches and difficulties with securing Schengen visas and opted for locations that are far more obtainable such as Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, India and Malaysia,” she continued.