Coupled with the challenges of climate change, we might be tempted to think that the business environment we’re familiar and comfortable with is under dire threat.
We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Australia by comparison with just about every other country on the planet is in an extraordinarily good position. We have an abundance of natural resources that other countries want; a well-educated workforce by any measure; minimal threats to our national wellbeing and are the possessors of a country that millions wish to visit.
This is not the first time there’s been a fuel crisis and it seems that this one may well be the trigger for the development of meaningful alternatives to fossil fuels.
We should not lose sight of the fact that the cost of travel has plunged in real terms over the past three decades and what we might be experiencing is simply a right-sizing to some extent. Travel is intrinsic to the business of meetings and if we’re going to see a decline in long haul travel on environmental or cost grounds, we need to put strategies in place to perhaps “mine” the best and brightest in our regional sphere of interest.
Technology is making video conferencing cheaper and more convincing, with holograms and high definition narrow-casting bringing in expert opinions to conference halls around the world. If it’s not feasible to bring the world’s top five surgeons to Sydney or Melbourne for a conference, beaming them in electronically for two-way conversations certainly is.
While nothing will replace face to face communications, there are plenty of avenues to explore to make meetings more meaningful and a good return on investment. We need now to look to our national and regional meetings for growth and innovation. Most people are happy to come away with one or two fresh insights from a well-organised conference.
As meeting planners, our goal should be to work with our clients in a strategic way to make their events more relevant and inspirational for their audience. With national meetings, there may be benefits to be had from suggesting the inclusion of regional counterparts into the business program in some way, promoting dialogue beyond our borders.
As the only “western” country in a similar time zone to much of the Asia Pacific, Australia is uniquely placed to benefit from increased interaction with our immediate neighbours. The current cha llenges may be a golden opportunity to make that happen.
For more information, contact Bryan Holliday at ICMS Australasia
at 02 9254-5000. www.icmsaust.com.au
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