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The European Federation of the Associations of Professional Congress Organisers, EFAPCO, promised a “Green Congress in a Green Venue”. And many of the 190 participants from across Europe, who gathered for the Federation’s 5th Congress at the Estoril Congress Center were not to be disappointed.
It was environmentally sound both in the programme content and in the exclusively computer-based registration and communications procedures. Even hotel-to-center transfers were kept to a minimum in the highly walkable resort on Portugal’s Atlantic coastline.
Underscoring the green credentials of the Congress and its setting, one of the highlight sessions, offering a sustainable vision of the industry’s future, was delivered by Pedro Rocha dos Santos, Director of the ECC. His “green” meetings complex hosted the Congress, the Federation’s General Assembly and an IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum, which attracted over 40 of the brightest students in the international meetings and incentive travel industry from across Spain and Portugal.
The Congress had adopted the theme “The World Has Changed: Start Acting”. But that call to action did not mean delegates had to “stop talking”. There was an abundance of that, thanks to an all-happening programme presented by some of the brightest fast talkers in the events industry.
The tone was set by a highly illuminating presentation from Jose Manuel Bastos, Head of Unit Conference Organisation at the European Commission who offered some “inside track” guidance as to how meeting planners could become involved in the organisation of EU business events at a variety of levels ranging from intensive political and technical gatherings to broad-based public meetings.
It mirrored one of EFAPCO’s primary missions, which involves lobbying the EU for greater political, financial and cultural recognition of the professionalism offered by the PCOs and other suppliers who belong to the Federation’s 13 member associations.
A ladies-day format featured contributions from the likes of Anne De Smet, Managing Director of Momentum and President of BAPCO, Belgium’s EFAPCO member association, who illustrated how women were now leading the industry’s future.
And fellow Belgian, Isabella Lenarduzzi, Managing Director of JUMP “Empowering Women, Advancing the Economy” reckoned that equality within the EU would deliver a 27 percent increase in GDP and that women’s energy and talent were the most untapped renewable source of global energy!
Independent Financial Consultant Mariana Abrantes de Sousa spoke enthusiastically about the enduring value of face-to-face events in the era of Facebook. And James Latham, Executive Producer at the re-branded International Meetings Review looked at how the industry’s media had collaborated to deliver a truly international solution in showcasing the sector’s accelerating progress.
The highly energised programme was kicked off by global futurist Rohit Talwar with his animated predictions about the shape of corporate and association meetings over the next decade, and beyond.
Other sessions looked at how the positioning of destinations depended on development of their air links and how using scientific techniques could impact on attendee behaviour and performance at meetings.
Ways of tackling the various global crises – economic, social and environmental – provided undercurrents to Congress thinking, but according to EFAPCO President, Nicolas Le Brun: “The buzz generated by every aspect of the Congress programme gave delegates renewed confidence in the value of EFAPCO membership – and for persuading PCOs in other European countries to form their own associations and join us.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
