The first of a series of high-level academic case studies investigating meetings legacies has been published on The Iceberg and Business Events World.
The report has been prepared as part of the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s Case Study Program – see the video below – and adheres to strict academic criteria. It is research-based, includes valid measurable data, and has been approved by JMIC’s international academic review panel.
Part of the Beyond Tourism Benefits series, the new study by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – Conferences: catalysts for thriving economies – provides further evidence that face-to-face networking opportunities can spark global collaboration, lead to global talent transfer, new business opportunities, and open further doors to international trade and investment.
The research by Business Events Sydney (BESydney) demonstrates that business events offer delegates unrestricted exposure to innovative ideas and opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills. The findings support previous studies which show that some of the most significant social outcomes of international conferences have occurred years – even decades – after the event was held, and have made major and positive impacts on associations, government and communities.
The key findings are that:
- 91% of those surveyed agreed that conferences immediately exposed delegates to new and innovative ideas
- 76% agreed that conferences supported the development of global research and collaboration
- 68% said conferences developed knowledge and capabilities of current practitioners and those of the future
- 83% of those agreed that the conference enabled the local sector to showcase its expertise to a global audience
- 41% would like to live and work/study in Sydney as a result of attending the conference
- 7% have applied for a position to work or study in Sydney, enhancing the local expertise on a permanent or semi-permanent basis.
The longer executive summary – which contains links to the the full report, infographics and BESydney project report – is available on The Iceberg here:
Conferences: catalysts for thriving economies
JMIC’s The Value of Meetings Case Study Project. Video: James Latham.
