Ahead of speaking at this year’s Conference News Sustainability Summit, Richard Walker Marketing Manchester’s Tourism Sustainability Manager shares his thoughts around ‘Harnessing the power of events to create more regenerative, inclusive and circular cities'.
Events of all shapes and sizes have an impact on their cities and host destinations, and there is much more the sector can do to reduce their carbon footprint, implement sustainable strategies, enhance accessibility and promote circular economies.
In this article, Richard explores the legacy of conference and events and how they can be used to positively impact communities for years to come.
Whatever the sector or size, conferences and events are known for leaving a strong impact on a destination, particularly by creating an economic benefit felt by venues, hotels, hospitality and cultural institutions. In Greater Manchester, bids won in the financial year 2023/2024 had an estimated economic value of £67.8m for the region, which will support job creation, promote local businesses and help to draw future events to the region.
Also, now more than ever, event organisers are focusing on the environmental impact their event has. Whether it’s the reduction of waste, the transport delegates use to get to and from the event, or even the carbon footprint of the catering offer, leaving as little environmental impact on the destination as possible is increasingly important to organisers.
However, the impact of an event on a destination is so much more than its carbon footprint and the amount of money it brings in. An event legacy is the lasting impact that remains after it has concluded; whether that’s a sporting event, large-scale conference, or a smaller, more niche event.
Gone are the days when a big conference would roll into town for five days and move on; now planners are actively trying to leave their mark on communities, culture, the environment and political landscapes of a place. This attitude is shaping the future of events for the better, and establishing the transformative power of a conference.
A Lasting Effect
The legacy of an event refers to a long-term positive societal impact on a place rather than just a consumption of services. It means an event can carry on giving value to a destination long after it's finished, and creates something beneficial for years to come.
A great example is when Manchester hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2002; this event's legacy is still felt in the city today. The games brought new sporting facilities which have since helped to attract global sporting competitions to the city ranging from athletics to cycling. The Games were also a catalyst for the regeneration of East Manchester, with the creation of Sportcity by the Etihad Stadium, new housing developments, retail offerings and workspaces. Most of all, the event helped cement Manchester’s reputation as a leading sports destination; one that is capable of hosting large sporting events aside from Premier League football matches, and this reputation has secured events like The Davis Cup, The Ashes, The Women’s Euros 2022 and the Para Swimming World Championships 2023.
One of the significant legacy elements of Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games was the Youth Charter which aims to engage young people with sport, art, culture and digital activity, equipping them with a greater awareness of their skills and potential and empowering them to aspire to further and higher education, employment and entrepreneurship.
Making a Difference in the Local Community
Of course, not all events can leave such a big legacy, but if every conference and event came to a place to leave something positive behind, it could have a great impact.
Examples of positive legacy elements include offering work placements to young people, taking cultural events into communities to encourage diversity and inclusion, working with universities to support lifechanging research and innovations, running community health initiatives, or even simply providing more diverse opportunities for networking that are open to the wider community. It’s also a good idea to think about hiring local people and businesses for your event, to create greater opportunities and instantly involve members of the community.
Conference content and speakers can also impact the legacy of an event for both the local area and your attendees, so think carefully about who and what you could give a platform to. The right speaker and the right content will inspire attendees, open their eyes to new ideas and change the way they think for the better. By bringing in disruptive, diverse speakers and new voices from the local area, you can help drive change and forge careers as well as set the stage for new ideas. By featuring local businesses, initiatives and creatives, you will give them a much-needed platform and add local flavour to your content schedule. After all, what is the point in bringing your conference and event to a vibrant city like Manchester, if you’re not going to make it feel local? A good event should engage the local community in some way - when a local community feels invested in an event it will be more successful, and they’ll help raise awareness and drive a bigger impact.
Utilising a Destination's Strengths to Create Impact
Creating a strong, long-lasting event legacy requires a thoughtful and strategic approach, and includes considering the potential impact and outcomes that can extend beyond the immediate event. One thing is certain: for an event to have a lasting impact it must be memorable and carefully planned.
The choice of destination for a conference should therefore depend on how the city can align with an organisation or convention’s missions; how your conference destination supports your wider goals and if the region’s objectives match your organisation’s social value expectations.
For example, Greater Manchester has leading academic institutions and control over post-16 technical education, which provides ample opportunities for work placements to support a variety of industry sectors. Greater Manchester is also working to be a green city-region by 2038 and has many initiatives across the city that drive sustainability. We also have a huge cultural footprint with local creatives, artists and collectives ready and waiting for opportunities to shine.
A Positive Outcome for All
Event legacy holds tremendous potential to positively impact local communities in various ways, whether through social outreach, education, or regeneration efforts. By considering the long-term impact of events, it’s possible to create a lasting legacy that benefits attendees as well as the surrounding community.
Secondly, if your event has a positive, lasting impact, it can build a positive brand reputation and even increase valuable awareness of the event or organisation that hosted it.
Thirdly, it can be a significant driver of economic growth, particularly in the case of large-scale events that attract tourism and generate revenue for local businesses.
So when you’re planning your next event in Manchester think about how you can create a lasting impact and work with some of the brilliant people in our city to make something truly memorable.
Marketing Manchester’s Convention Bureau Team can support you with the logistics of your event planning; from bid writing to accommodation; venue sourcing to delegate welcomes. They also know the ins and outs of this city, including cultural organisations, academics, sustainability initiatives and much more, to help you create an event that has positive ripple effects across the Greater Manchester region.
To find out more about how Marketing Manchester’s Convention Bureau can help you; contact the team today.
You can hear more from Richard Walker, Tourism Sustainability Manager at Marketing Manchester at the Conference News Sustainability Summit on Wednesday 24 July at the Chicago Booth London Conference Centre. Richard will be joining the panel ‘Harnessing the power of events to create more regenerative, inclusive and circular cities' alongside representatives from Meet Cambridge, Visit Belfast and Newcastle Gateshead Convention Bureau.
Learn more about the event here.
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