Welcome to the latest edition of Huddle’s Event Industry News. As we head into the holiday season we take stock of some of the recent developments in the meetings, conference and event industry. This time we see new attempts to ensure safety and manage risk as the sector bounces back to meet market demand. 

The return of flagship conferences to iconic American cities, a renewed commitment to sustainable events, and the merger of some industry peak bodies. Check out our quick rundown to stay informed.

Industry supportive of new pandemic risk insurance act

In an effort to provide stability and certainty to event organizers and suppliers, event industry groups in the United States are backing new legislation designed to restore protections for businesses and employment in future health emergencies. Under the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act of 2021 (PRIA) insurance companies would have to offer coverage for event cancellations and other business disruptions resulting from pandemics. 

The bill also envisages the creation of a Pandemic Risk Reinsurance Program to help build resilience to future pandemics or public health emergencies. We look forward to the industry cooperating with government to ensure safe attendee experiences, clarity for event planners and a bright future for the sector.

The bill is endorsed by the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA),the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association, among others. 

Connect Comes to Detroit

Industry leader Connect are getting ready for their marquee summer trade show and conference, being held this year in Motor City. Scheduled for August, 2022 in the TCF Center. 

Organizers hope to welcome 4,000 event industry professionals, from event planners to global tech and transport suppliers, a number more reminiscent of the days before the pandemic and a sure sign of the enormous strides the industry has made in health management and attendee safety. 

The Detroit conference is expected to have a strong emphasis on hybrid events and maintaining attendee engagement in a crowded marketplace, now with rapidly developing augmented reality and artificial reality components entering the event experience. We look forward to seeing what is on offer!

Net Zero Carbon Events?

One exciting outcome of the COP26 conference is growing recognition in the event industry that sustainable and even net-zero carbon events are not only possible, but are a sensible and achievable goal for a marketplace more and more concerned with how business actions impact both the environment and the communities in which event professionals and  attendees live. 

Several event industry leaders have recently committed to the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge or the  UN Race to Zero Campaign. These aim to help tackle global environmental impacts with the goal of net zero carbon emissions for events by 2050. 

We are delighted to see the global meetings and events industry stepping up and making a plan to do its part in combating these global challenges.

U.S. Travel to Absorb Meetings Industry Body

The Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) is being absorbed into the  U.S. Travel Association in a measure to help speed the meeting and event industry’s recovery as live events return in force. 

Meetings Mean Business was charged with improving coordination and cooperation in the event industry and advocating for the sector as a whole. It is hoped that the merged body will be able to pool resources and take advantage of efficiencies to be an even stronger advocate for the travel and events space. We hope this will help empower event professionals to get back on their feet and provide the great experiences and services their clients need. 

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Contact us to start planning your next in-person, virtual or hybrid event. We can’t wait to get started!