Events Management in the UK - Essay Example

Events Management Introduction When it comes to managing events in the tourism industry, there are a number of factors that have to be considered aside from the accessibility to a certain destination, transportation costs and other necessary costs involved (Plog, 1974). In the United Kingdom, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) is a sector in the tourism industry that has received increasing popularity and competition in previous years due to the various range of facilities that are made available in the market today. According to reports, the events sector in the United Kingdom has not been performing as well as was hoped. In terms of exhibitions that are being held in the country, declines have been predicted, but the conferences, incentives, and meetings seem to be quite positive. Based on a statement by Paul Thandi, who is an NEC Group chief executive, huge investments are required in order to set up an event. For instance, he has said that £166 million in event facilities (Francisco, 2009). Clearly, this shows that the events sector of the tourism industry means big business and is one that is obviously not easy to plan, organize and manage. In this paper, the researcher would like to discuss the various factors that have to be carefully considered when it comes to organizing and planning such a multi-event tour that is based in the country. What is MICE? Events in the tourism industry often mean MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), and this is a sector that usually involves large groups of individuals who have all planned their trip in advance, and have a reason for going to a particular destination. Meetings, the first component of the acronym, refers to the gathering of a number of people in a certain venue, where they can participate in a conference or carry out a particular activity. There may be a set pattern for such meetings, which means that they may either be schedules or may be on an ad hoc basis. Incentive tourism, which is the second component of the acronym, refers to travel rewards provided by companies to employees as a result of work that has been done well, or goals that have been achieved. This type of tourism is one that is may have a business or educational purpose behind it, but for the most part, it is one that is mainly for leisure or entertainment purposes. Conferences, the third component of the acronym is similar to meetings, but such a meeting is normally smaller in terms of the number of participants. These meetings are usually set for discussions regarding certain topics, solving problems, consultations and finding and discussing facts. In other words, such participatory meetings have specific objectives that have to be achieved. Finally, exhibitions refer to events where products and services are displayed at a certain venue and individuals travel from various destinations just to see these offerings, and to buy them. This is why MICE is sometimes referred to as business tourism, since business matters are often discussed, or exchanged between different parties (ICCAworld, 2008). Managing such an event that involves travelling to a particular destination such as the United Kingdom is one that has to be very well planned for months before the actual event date(s) itself. Usually, MICE tourism involves certain themes that cater to different individuals with different interests and different purposes for travelling. Thus, for a planner who would be organizing an event, these are criteria that have to be taken into consideration. Such events usually run on the concept of bidding, which is handled by convention bureaus in different countries that have been established in the first place in order to organize, market and manage such events. Since events often have demanding clients, or customers, it is extremely crucial for events managers to plan their events extensively in advance. What Makes a Successful Event? When the guests of an event are able to gain something positive from the experience of attending an event, then it would be safe to confirm that the event has been a successful one. This is why event planners, organizers and managers have to first understand the guests themselves, their culture and their preferences. Thus, basic considerations when it comes to planning for an event would be the needs and wants of the guest, what would encourage them to patronize the event and come back. In the tourism industry especially, where guests have to be treated with excellent service, events that are successful are those that have fulfilled the collective desires of all the guests involved. This includes satisfying their physical needs, their mental needs and emotional needs. Aside from the needs, it is also best if event planners, organizers and managers take into consideration to give the guests more than their needs. In other words, fulfilling the guest’s wants further adds to their satisfaction. Setting Goals Events will only be a success if they event planners first set the goals early, even planning the event months in advance to make sure that all bases are covered. In addition, the event should also be properly evaluated based upon the goals since this would be an essential factor to measuring the success or failure of the event. Often, when it comes to judging how successful an event is, managers usually utilize profits as the factor that makes the difference between an event being a success, or an event being a failure. However, what should be more important other than the profit would be the number of guests who continuously patronize the event. In other words, event managers should strive to get as many loyal guests as possible (Wilson, 2004). Tourism in the United Kingdom Tourism, being a global phenomenon is one of the world’s most “popular” industries. It is also the most “volatile” as the world experience setbacks from surging inflation and overall uncertainty in the global economic situation, tourism changes shape. In Europe, the establishment of a common currency among the member states in the EU has meant good news for trade and tourism. In fact, despite the global economic crisis, global travel is expected to grow rapidly in the next 20 years. In fact, world-wide arrivals have increased from 613 million in the year 1997 to an estimate of 700 million in 2000. Forecasts for the year 2010 has estimated 1 billion in world-wide arrivals and 1.6 billion by the year 2020. This means more business for European tourist destinations, since it is the strongest tourism region in the world today. In addition to the monetary union, the removal of trade restrictions has meant that there would be an expected rapid growth of trade and tourism within the continent. In fact, the Tourism 2020 Vision study, which was published by the World Tourism Organization, forecasted Europe to eat up international tourist arrivals between 1995 to 2020, with an average annual rise of 3.1 percent. Furthermore, by 2020, the level of international tourist arrivals in Europe will reach to almost 717 million, doubling the numbers calculated in the year 1995 (World Tourism Organization, 2009). In the United Kingdom, the tourism industry has attracted millions of tourists in the past because of its rich culture, heritage and history. Central London, in particular, draws the most number of tourists, due to popular and historical landmarks such as the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. Other popular sites include the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, Madame Tussauds, Tate Britain, the London Borough of Camden, Regent’s Park and Camden Town among many more others. With the country being a destination with a large number of sites to visit, it seems natural to hold more events in the country in order to draw in tourists. The researcher feels that when it comes to holding an event, it seems best to hold the event in a venue where the travelling tourist would be able to have the advantage of visiting many popular locations, even if the event is scheduled to be held in one venue only. In the following section, the researcher shall discuss the various considerations that have to be undertaken by the event planner, organizer and/or manager so that any event managed would likely be a success. The MUAR Model There exists an events management methodology with an acronym of MUAR, which stands for methodical, uniqueness, academic and receptive. According to Romisali (2009), by being methodical, event planners are able to save on their time, effort and finances if they are able to plan a well structured event. When it comes to event planning, one of the first steps that are usually present include a group of individuals brainstorming prior to the event date itself. During such sessions, planners would also need to do contingency planning so that any issues that may arise during an event can be easily resolved. Based on Romisali’s model, planners have to always consider the ideal venue for the event. Naturally, it is best that the event venue should keep up with the theme and the objectives of the event. The space required for the event is definitely a crucial factor to be considered. Thus, planners should have an idea of how many guests would show up at an event, to avoid any post event complaints. The parking space for the vehicles of the guests should also be planned out, and should a welcoming committee be present (as would be desirable), the event planners have to consider the composition of their team in charge of certain duties. According to Romisali (2009), planning the composition of the team members who would participate in handling the event, is an important factor since it has a direct impact on other issues with regards to management. Of course, other factors to be considered include the health and safety of the guests, so having medical assistance on standby as well as security is definitely a factor that should never be missed out. Uniqueness is the second component of the acronym and is what would set apart an event from the others. In the tourism industry, having an event that has a unique concept and one that has a different atmosphere altogether is something that would encourage guests to keep returning. Thus, attention must be paid to every single detail such as the venue, the sights, the sounds, and even the furniture inside the venue and outside of it. When planning the concept of the event, what should be taken note of would be the demographics and the psychographics of the guests who would be expected to show up at the event. By understanding and knowing the different tastes of these guests when it comes to music, food and even the event attire, event organizers would be able to pick out the appropriate theme as needed. The third component would refer to the academic and intellectual values involved when it comes to planning the event. This may refer to the invitations that are sent out to the guests, their reception, any introductions or speeches that have to be made, the entertainment to be provided, and how the event would close, are all carefully thought out before the event so that the guests would be more likely to enjoy their experience. Thus, the sequence of all the activities or schedules involved in the event should be logical and would be of great help to the guests, who may be travelling to the venue for the first time. A perfect example of this could be the placement of name tags on the uniforms of the events team so that the guests can easily recognize the team members if ever help is required. In addition, guests are more likely to air their opinions/suggestions about the event if they are familiar already with the name of the members of the staff. Team members should also be assigned to keep track of all the guests who are attending the event, since this would be a gauge of how successful the event is. The fourth component is the receptive component. This refers to the entire atmosphere of the event and how receptive the guests are to the event. Thus, event planners, organizers and managers have to make sure that full pauses are still fun for the guests so that there are no lull moments in between. Thus, the planners should design the activities of the event in such a way that they keep in mind the attitude, the culture and the status of the audience. Aside from scheduling the event at a venue, it is also important to keep the time of the day in mind. This makes any fun breaks in between the event to still be entertaining for the guests as long as the event organizers are creative enough. Event features that have to be taken into account include the duration of the entire event, the time required to set up the event, the selection of the venue, considering any weather forecasts, the sequence of the event’s programs and the tempo of all the activities to be encountered by the guests during the entire event. What Event Managers Should Focus on According to Rogers (2005), the business benefits that result from a well planned and handled event can be even more possible if event managers focus on a number of developing factors. These are namely: the common vision that the manager shares with his/her team, the development of a sense of intimacy with all team members that is based on closeness, the value of sharing and mutual trust between all members of the events staff; focusing on delivering results (rather than control); and the joint development of processes or procedures in relation to delivering the service and monitoring it. Aside from simply working with the staff members who are all part of handling the event, managers also have to deal with suppliers who make up the components of a successful tour. These suppliers may belong to the hotel sector, the transportation sector and the food and beverage sector, all of which make up the entire hospitality industry. According to Koulikoff-Souviron and Harrison (2006), a high degree of trust is placed in the supplier, with the client being the event manager, who is responsible for making sure that he/she does his/her part with handling the business deal, and on the supplier must also handle his/her own responsibility of delivering the promised services in order to allow for a successful event. The Motivation to Travel to the UK According to Crompton (1979), a tourist’s motivation to travel is a critical factor to understanding why individuals decide to travel in the first place. Thus, event managers, planners and organizers have to really conduct studies to ensure that they are aware of what the tourist looks for before travelling to a certain place. There exists a concept known as the ‘push and pull’ factor, both of which are helpful in trying to get to know more about the guest. There also exists a psychological factor that may connect both sides and this is the concept of emotion (Goossens, 2000). Research has shown that there is an interrelationship between the mentioned push and pull motives that have a significant influence when it comes to tourism and the marketing strategies associated with it (Baloglu & Uysal, 1996) According to Uysal & Hagan, (1993), push factors consist of intangible variables that are created in order to provide the tourist a certain sense of satisfaction thanks to travelling. According to Crompton (1979), push factors are associated with ‘socio-psychological motives’ that help the tourist escape from his/her usual environment. It also allows the tourist to have the opportunity to explore, to discover himself/herself in the process, and of course, to relax. There is also a certain sense of ‘prestige’ that tourists can’t help but feel when they travel. Also, one must not forget the opportunities that travelling provides for the tourist in terms of cultivating relationships among other individuals of a different culture and of a different community. Push factors are also associated with another concept that refers to ‘cultural motives’ which in turn attracts tourists because of the ‘novelty’ of a certain culture and of course, it also provides the opportunity for tourists to be educated about cultures, communities and societies that are far from their own. Pull factors, on the other hand, depend largely on the attractiveness or the unattractiveness of a destination, its facilities, amenities and resources. Such pull factors may also consist of the tourist’s perceptions, emotions and expectations of the destination. However, according to Crompton (1979), among the two concepts, it is the socio-psychological concept that has a higher chance of attracting the tourist when it comes to developing and promoting the tourist product and/or service. In this light, it is important for tourism experts to identify the push and pull factors of a certain group of individuals with regards to their race and age, since this would serve as the basis for the development of current marketing plans that would attract and satisfy potential travellers. In addition, experts agree that travel motivation has been the driving force for decision-making and it is based on individual needs and desires that can only be influenced but cannot be controlled (Pearce & Lee, 2005). Conclusion In this paper, the researcher has outlined the important considerations in making a successful event in the United Kingdom, with reference to different areas in the country where possible locations can be utilized as an event venue. The MUAR model is a model created by Romisali (2009), which states the methodology that is required for an event to be successful. In addition to the teamwork by the staff members, it is also important to gather as much participation and cooperation from the suppliers as well, who also help the increase in tourist visits by providing their tourism products. These include accommodation, transport, and other forms of entertainment. References Baloglu, S. And Uysal, M. 1996. ‘Market segments of push and pull motivations: A canonical correlation approach, ‘ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 8 (3), (1996) :pp. 32- 38. Crompton, J.L. ‘Motivation of pleasure vacation, ‘ Annals of Tourism Research, 6 (4), pp. 408-424. Koulikoff-Souviron, M. and Harrison, A. ‘Buyer-supplier relationships in inter- and intra-organisational supply contexts: the unobtrusive yet pervasive human resource picture,’ International Journal of Logistics, Vol. 9 No. 1, (2006): pp. 75-94 Francisco, L., 2009. ‘Venues defiant as exhibition revenues take a hit,’ p. 13. Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Ogden, S. and McCorrison, E., ‘How do Supplier Relationships Contribute to Success in Conference and Events Management?’ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, (2007): pp. 319-327. Pearce, P. L., and Lee, U. ‘Developing the travel career approach to tourist motivation,’ Journal of Travel Research, 43, (2005): pp. 226-237. Plog, S.C ‘Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity, ‘ Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 14, no. 4, (1974): pp. 55-58. Romisali, R. (2009) The Event Management Methodology. Retrieved on August 11 2009 from http://www.event-management- uk.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3114 Rogers, P.A., ‘Optimising supplier management and why co-dependency equals mutual success,’ Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 4 No. 1, (2005): pp. 40-50. Uysal, M. Hagen. L. A. R. ‘Motivation for pleasure travel, ‘ YNR’s Encyclopaedia of Hospitality and Tourism, (1993) pp. 798-810, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Wilson, J. ‘Special Events: Defining goals, planning and measuring success.’ The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances. Vol. 17, No. 4. (2004): pp. 150-151. World Tourism Organization . World tourism in the face of the global economic crisis and influenza threat. Retrieved August 12 2009 from http://www.unwto.org/media/news/en/press_det.php?id=4181&idioma=E Read More