UK – International Special Events Society (ISES) President Richard Foulkes has said the number of trade associations supporting the meetings and events industry is “confusing” and “expensive” for potential members.
Foulkes was speaking following the inaugural joint executive committee meeting this month between ISES and Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Presidential teams. The new committee was co-chaired by ISES Past President Zanine Adams and MPI Past President Anthony Hyde.
The associations say they set up the joint executive committee to explore membership benefits across both associations, adding the move was was also in reaction to frustration with “an already oversubscribed trade association presence”.
Both associations promised to jointly promote activities to each other’s membership and offer rates to encourage cross event attendance.
The also agreed to co-ordinate events and avoid date conflicts. Each association would lead in its own specialist event niche, with ISES representing the creative events industry and MPI representing meeting professionalism and educational forums.
ISES and MPI also agreed to meet under the mistletoe again this Christmas and encourage other wider industry associations to participate in their annual festive event.
Foulkes believes the two international trade associations can learn from each other and “demonstrate economies of scale”.
MPI President Fiona Pelham said there was an opportunity to demonstrate a higher value membership by exploring a collaborative working relationship with ISES. “We are two very complementary UK associations, both with international networks that respect each other’s niche. Together we can share best practice and provide richer education and opportunities to connect,” Pelham said.
ISES was founded in 1987 to represent those involved in creative event marketing activity and has 7,000 members in 45 chapters throughout the world.
MPI membership is 24,000 in 71 chapters and clubs worldwide. The UK & Ireland chapter has 350 members consisting of corporate and agency planners and suppliers.
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