In her last column as Chief Executive of the Meetings Industry Association, Kerrin MacPhie shares how confidence in the business meetings and events sector holds steady, while the industry prepares for incoming legislative changes.
Our latest quarterly benchmarking report that was published in November revealed an optimistic picture, as the year draws to a close. With average event budgets on the rise and almost three-quarters of respondents stating that they are confident in the future growth and sustainability of the sector – it places the sector in good stead as it heads into 2025.
Despite the demands of incoming legislative changes, the sector is, once again, taking a resilient stance. It is confident in its ability to adapt and evolve to the incoming Employment Law changes and is committed to upskilling its workforce to continue tackling its recruitment challenges head on.
Meanwhile, the sector is taking a proactive stance towards the introduction of Martyn’s Law. We’ve had enormous interest in our guidance that has been specifically designed to help the industry navigate its responsibilities to ensure that venues do all they can to mitigate risks and improve safety standards for all. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, the step-by-step guide can be downloaded from the MIA website.
As many of you will be aware, my tenure as Chief Executive of the MIA is now coming to an end. It has been a true privilege serving the sector and I am immensely proud of all positive changes the association has achieved under my leadership. As Shonali Devereaux takes on the mantle, I am confident that with her passion, expertise, and deep understanding of the sector she will continue to guide the MIA towards realising its strategic goals, while championing the broader business meetings and events industry.
Wishing you all a prosperous 2025.