The Stand-Up

January 21, 2025

Edited by Miguel Neves

Hi there,

Last week, nearly 5,000 event professionals converged at PCMA's Convening Leaders in Houston, where a powerful message resonated: embrace a global perspective or risk being left behind. With Asia's rapid ascent in manufacturing and Saudi Arabia's swift visa processes, the global events industry is accelerating like never before.

Kishore Mahbubani, the former president of the UN Security Council, unveiled some staggering insights: China's slice of the global manufacturing pie is projected to soar from a mere 5% in 2000 to an astounding 45% by 2030. At the same time, India is on a fast track to clinch the title of the world's third-largest economy.

PCMA itself walked the global talk by appointing Neil Brownlee from VisitScotland as its first chairperson from outside North America.

Speaking of diversity, here's a head-scratcher: while companies pour resources into DEI, 92% make no mention of age in their diversity initiatives. Yet your next event might gather five generations of attendees, each with their own expectations and needs.

Savvy planners are leading the charge by diversifying their speaker rosters with voices from every generation and moving away from age-restricted networking sessions. We've curated a list of 10 innovative strategies to help you seamlessly integrate all age groups into your events.

Are you embracing a global outlook on the meetings industry? Have you noticed age diversity becoming a bigger factor in your events? Hit reply and share your experience – we'd love to hear your wins and challenges.

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