THE IMPACT OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS INDUSTRY FOR DEVELOPING THE BSR AS A COMMON TOURISM DESTINATION Kadri Karu Estonian Convention Bureau

Meetings in Estonia Number of conferences Number of delegates 2014 – ICCA ranking 44 with 74 association conferences Main conference cities Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu Marketing - Estonian CVB, Tallinn CVB, Tartu CVB Meetings industry is part of the National Tourism Development Strategy National Support Scheme for international meetings, sports and cultural events launched in Sept 2015

Benefits of meetings for BRS Direct and indirect economic impact: –Delegates spend more compared to leisure visitor Delegate spend per conference in Finland EUR (FCB) Delegate spend on fun+shopping in Estonia 313 EUR (TCB) –Wider range of services used, longer visits –Tax income to the state and LOC, jobs generated in torism sector and indirectly in others Economic impact of meetings industry: Finland 130 mln; Poland 1 262,6 mln PLN & jobs, Denmark 21 bn DKK, employees, Vienna 898 mln & jobs generated –Export of services Reduced seasonality Potential return visitors

Beyond tourism benefits Knowledge exchange, new ideas Showcasing the competence of the country Learning opportunities for wider local audience Business and scientific contacts, new cooperation projects Attracting investments and talent, boosting innovation Legacy to the local community Positioning and profile of the region, PR

Meetings and events as marketing tools Conference/event as a marketing channel before, during & after Delegate as a potential ambassador for the destination Marketing of a meetings destination supports leisure marketing and vice versa Reaching niche markets

Challenges & opportunities for BRS Recognition of the sector, development and funding Differentiation, differences, perceptions Product development and quality Research, measuring the value and impact of meetings and events, lobbying Maximizing outcomes and impact of meetings Joint marketing and selling the region, especially long haul markets Business exchange and sharing business

THANK YOU! Kadri Karu