Association speakers at the Ask me anything session – during the 62nd ICCA Congress in Bangkok – focused on sustainability, contracting, RFP and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and called for a commitment to include “peace” as a legacy in all meetings.
Bettina Borisch, a histopathologist, master of public health and a fellow of the Royal College of Pathology (UK), representing World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), said peace as a legacy should become a “new idea” to be championed by congress delegates who come from all over the world.
Borisch also said ease of getting to the host destination and venue was non-negotiable.
Aaron Tham, Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Asia-Pacific Chapter’s immediate-past president and senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, said sustainability initiatives relating to food sourcing, use of lab-grown meat, and technology application to harness air for water supply were being done at his events.
Panellists were responding to questions submitted on Slido Q&A platform during a fast-paced, 30-minute discussion moderated by Remi Deve, chief editor, The Boardroom magazine.
With events moving from city to city, Noureddine M’ghari, congress and events manager, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, said it relied on building trust with local suppliers.
While creating sustainable meetings was a desired goal, speakers admitted that “budget” was still a crucial consideration.
In a post-lockdown world, Pragathi Tummala, executive director, International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, said contract terms and conditions regarding delays and cancellations were “more carefully” scrutinised.
Flexibility in contract negotiation with partners and stakeholders, and encouraging delegates to invest in their own insurance to attend events are also in practice.
As for RFPs, advice ranged from having detailed bid documents and tasking PCOs to being more sensitive to cost.
According to Tham, TTRA had transitioned its bid format from static forms to short-form video hosting service TikTok.
To be inclusive, there is no “one size fits all” stated Borisch, adding that WFPHA would avoid destinations that did not “respect human rights” while acknowledging it was a “tricky and difficult task”.
Tham suggested including a “caregiver scheme” to give delegates the option to take their children to conferences and for the industry to create this “new business model”.
