The meeting world is changing. You, as a planner, already know that. “Destination” doesn’t just mean where people are traveling, it also means where the industry and your business are going. It means where your client’s business is going. It means where the economy is going.
This brings to light the fact that everything is moving, everything is changing, and all things move through time whether they want to or not. Where they go is largely up to us. This means you are making decisions on where your business goes daily, but others’ opinions and decisions affect those decisions.
So who is driving all this inevitable change? As always there are lots of drivers, but you have to drive as much as you can of your own business. Sure, you have regulations to contend with–more than you did last year, as a matter of fact–but if you use those regulations to create change for good you will have more control than the business owner who just goes along for the ride and drives from the backseat.
For instance, help ensure minimal impact of meetings by studying green initiatives, environmental travel, and social responsibility. You can also educate yourself destinations that appeal to the missions of various companies, which more often include humanitarian missions these days. Help pave the way for the future of your trade by being conscientious today–that will keep you in control of your own little piece of the meetings industry.
