Industry bodies weigh up responses to crisis

CANCUN The downturn in the global tourism industry, including business tourism, conventions and incentive travel, is forcing the industry to review the damage inflicted on it and how to restore confidence in the market place. This was a major theme at the International Congress and Convention Association's Congress and General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico. Two sessions were held by ICCA members under the banner "Meetings Industry in Crisis" in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York. The first was introduced by Business Events Council of Australia manager Ms Elizabeth Rich. She called on representatives to report on their regions. Most international events in the Middle East had been cancelled, postponed or moved but in Asia Pacific, although delegate numbers were down, association business was hardly affected. Ms Rich challenged ICCA members to look seriously at the future. "Suddenly our industry's own worst enemy has become not terrorism but ourselves," she said. "We spend too much time competing with each other when we should be looking at the broader picture. The time has come to take teleconferencing and virtual meetings seriously." ICCA President Ms Tuula Lindberg said: "September 11 may turn out to be the catalyst for meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition-related organisations to start working together," she said In London the following week, Reed Travel Exhibitions managing director Mr Tom Nutley invited members of the Joint Meetings Industry Council, including ICCA, to a "coalition meeting" on the crisis. They agreed to pool information on responding to changes, stimulating the market and trying to establish a better understanding of the industry.