The event industry gets more attention at the IMEX Politicians Forum

It is always good to see our politicians get involved in the events sector, as an indicator of the growing importance of this market for the economy. In this context, one should welcome the fact that the presence of politicians in the IMEX Forum of Politicians has been the highest since its start six years ago. 25 international representatives (11 more than in 2007) participated in this forum organised by ECM (European Cities Marketing) and IMEX, under the auspices of JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council).
This year’s forum included an interactive section, in which the main political groups presented the situation in their respective regions. Participants stressed, among other topics, the importance of ongoing dialogue with the authorities, the fact of offering added value factors -social and ecological, for instance- to the economic vision and the need to establish a political framework that will enable the industry to promote and articulate its message globally.

One key factor is the good measurement of the importance of this sector, as reminded Jane Lomax-Smith, Minister of Tourism of Adelaide in Australia (where convention tourism is 6% higher than leisure): “The Adelaide Convention Centre organised events that have contributed $70 million to the state’s economy in 2006/07. Having clear measurements, we can see the contribution of this industry to the city and what we need to do in order to support future growth, in terms of transport, work, education and training”.