The Events Industry Council (EIC) this week announced a year-long project that will examine the emerging issues and supporting trends that are most likely to shape the events industry in the years to come.

The study will touch on diverse topics, including but not limited to political and geopolitical issues, economic trends, technology, safety and security, and environmental impact. The work will culminate with a Futures Landscape Report, set to be released in Q4 2024.

“Through the collaborative effort of our members and partners, EIC is excited to lead this initiative with the priceless contributions of our diverse ecosystem. The final deliverable will be a valuable resource in support of our global workforce,” said Amy Calvert, president and chief executive officer, EIC. “While we recognize that our industry will continue to face disruptive forces, we believe this unified effort will equip us to be prepared for the activities that will shape society and business events in the years to come.

“Our global industry has proven to be extraordinarily resilient, and we believe in the need to proactively engage in creating future possibilities,” said EIC Board chair Ana María Viscasillas, MBA, CDME, DES, CED, a business tourism strategist for the Global Visitors Economy, and board liaison and immediate past vice-president for COCAL (Federación de Entidades Organizadoras de Congresos y Afines de Latino América). “Our collective work on the Future Landscape project is designed to dynamically support our diverse stakeholders for our industry’s continued success.”

The project is supported by EIC’s APEX Critical Issues Working Group, led by Mike Dominguez, FASAE, CHSE, president and CEO of ALHI, and industry leaders representing all key sectors.

The Events Industry Council’s global federation includes 34 association members representing 103,500 individuals and 19,500 entities, and 24 Corporate Members with global operations and event teams in countries around the world. The announcement about the project comes on the heels of the recent EIC Board and Leadership Council Meeting in Toronto, where industry leaders engaged in a full-day workshop led by Gaining Edge, a consultancy specializing in the business events industry. EIC’s Council consists of delegates from each of EIC’s 55+ association and corporate members.