Online events have become one way for the MICE industry to survive the pandemic. And for this reason, last year undoubtedly belonged to applications such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Clickmeeting and others. To communicate and organise events, mainly in the virtual world we had to adapt to the new tools.
Unfortunately, the MICE industry has not returned to business as usual yet and we still cannot meet for all kinds of events. Many of these online applications will stay with us helping participants join the conversation and to maintain the relationships. This is also why I enjoy using such platforms as Hopin, Swapcard and Hubilo during online events. Why? because also you can’t travel but still keep in touch with your audience, grow your network from a distance and learn and exchange experiences.
During different types of video meetings, the behaviour of the participants was different. It seems to me that the longer we have to work from home, the more often there have been situations where a participant has not turned on the camera during such events, even though others have activated this feature.
This can be more comfortable AND convenient as you don’t have to worry about the look and background in the frame. But are you sure this is polite? However, in my opinion, when taking part in a webinar or broadcast with an online discussion, you should show your face. When delivering online training myself, I rely on interaction rather than speaking to black screens.
Clubhouse found its niche
However, people want to engage with each other, especially if they have similar interests or want to know more about a particular topic. Why is Clubhouse popular, because you don’t show your face. Easy to connect, and interact, wherever you are. This has contributed to the popularity of the Clubhouse app, which admittedly has been around since early 2020, but It became more popular towards the end of last year.
Podcasts that we can listen to at any time have been popular for many years. But Clubhouse works a little differently, setting the standard for the whole Social Audio trend.What is Social Audio? It’s like a radio station that is co-created with the listeners.
In so-called rooms, the organiser can give voice to participants, who are only visible as profile icons. There is no video, no pictures, no texts, just the sound itself. Clubhouse gave its users the feeling of authentic conversations and a return to interpersonal relationships from before the pandemic.
Clubouse set the standard for the whole Social Audio trend.
In its initial phase, the application also gained popularity thanks to the effect of inaccessibility. To be able to create a profile, you need to have an invitation to join from another use.
Clubhouse used FOMO to attract users, a smart move. Conversations can’t be recorded, you have to join live like the radio. In January and February this year I spent a lot of time listening to and participating in various talks given by people in our MICE industry.
Clubhouse can be seen as an extra medium. The app is only available for Apple devices which undoubtedly limits its growth. The Clubhouse app has been downloaded by 13 million people worldwide. In December 2020 they had just 600.000 downloads.
Clubhouse for eventprofs
Is it worth investing time in acquiring knowledge and creating a profile in Clubhouse? The first destinations and MICE industry representatives have already created their profile on Clubhouse and take part in discussions, organise meetings and conversations with interesting guests. Some examples are:
- Ljubljana Talks by Conventa and Ljubljana Convention Bureau
- EventMB
- Inluencers from the MICE industry
? Top 10 Tech Trends for 2022 with @MariskaKesteloo at Knowledge Theatre @IBTMevents #IBTMWorld today.
? Would you like to know more? Send us a DM.#InfluencerMarketing #eventprofs #contentcreators #b2bmarketing #ibtm21 #ibtm pic.twitter.com/tpPJTDg7ZJ— wordofmice (@wordofmice) December 1, 2021
What is the future of Social Audio?
The app is constantly evolving and introducing new features for users. Clubhouse launched in October the ability to record and replay conversations. And what’s more? You are able now to download shareable 30-second clips.
I don’t know what the future of Clubhouse will be, but without a doubt social audio in general is already one of the most important trend in marketing 2021. The avalanche has started and nearly 30 startups have already used this concept.
Of course, the other platforms are following the trend: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (Microsoft). They are creating their own versions and plan to add new functionalities for their users. They are creating their own versions and plan to add new functionalities for their users:
- Twitter Spaces launched in spring 2021 – find out more about Associations Space on Twitter Spaces
- Facebook launched its own podcasts and such novelties as Soundbites, Live Audio Room or Sound Studio. Find out more.
- Spotify launched Greenroom
Facebook, Twitter and Spotify have the Clubhouse advantage in the form of existing users of the services, they will simply roll out additional functionality, it will be available on iOS and Android mobile devices.
Keep an eye on the market and see what happens in 2022 and how social audio will evolve. Jaroslaw Marciuk
AssociationsSpace – join associations` talks on Twitter Spaces
Twitter Spaces? What’s that? Haven’t you heard of a new way to interact, engage, exchange knowledge and learn? Twitter Spaces is a new feature of Twitter, which allows live audio streaming with invited speakers. Basically, it works like Clubhouse, but on Twitter, and is way better!
Join AssociationsSpace on Twitter Spaces every Wednesday
We have created #AssociationsSpace on Twitter Spaces with Nadia Rubtsova where we talk about all things related to associations every Wednesday at 3 pm CET / 2 pm UK time. Nadia Rubtsova became a very special social audio emcee. During live audio shows, she will talk with eventsprofs, associations representatives, and meeting planners.
Interested in the MICE industry, associations, sustainable and safe events? Well, then it’s an absolute MUST to join our first and next episodes of the #AssociationsSpace.
You can listen to these short conversations during your coffee break or when you’re out for a walk. If you want to stay on top of trends and get new ideas for associations, tune in and participate in our discussions.
Our first episode will be hosted on May 26th at 3 pm CET on Twitter Spaces and hosted by Word of MICE Twitter profile. Follow Word of MICE and Nadia Rubtsova on Twitter. Don`t miss out because this is not a podcast. You will not be able to listen to Nadia’s talk with the guest later.
Today at 3pm CET we will host our first session here on @TwitterSpaces
#AssociationsSpace, where we’ll talk about #safeevents together with @NadiaRubtsova and @myhelsinki @antti_lumi
See you later ? #associations #association #event #eventmanagement #eventprofs pic.twitter.com/bf3Qv4NsSv— wordofmice (@wordofmice) May 26, 2021
Not sure what Twitter Spaces is and how it works? Log in to your Twitter account and simply tune in. We recommend using your mobile phone and Twitter mobile app. Test it, have fun, improve your digital skills and let`s talk about events, conferences, and associations.
Associations Space – 10 episodes
#1 Antti Lumiainen – Safe events
Associations Space” fire chat series starting on 26th May at 3pm CET in collaboration with Helsinki Marketing. Our first chat with Antti Lumiainen will be an amazing start to our new initiative. Nadia will be discussing SAFE EVENTS and what associations can expect when planning their in-person and hybrid events for the near future. The key takeaways will be:
- The top 3 tips the association event planners need to keep in mind when planning their safe in-person or hybrid events this year
- What support do cities provide for the association planners to guarantee safe events?
- How can the association planners be motivated to plan their in-person or hybrid events instead of virtual ones?
#2 Carolina Goradesky – The future of associations
Nadia`s guest for this episode is Carolina Goradesky, PMP, CMM – Events Manager at FIDI Global Alliance. Here’s what we’ll chat about:
- Which trends do we see in association’s events?
- What is the role of sustainability?
- 360 Community & engagement
Fancy a great conversation?
Join our weekly fire chat – the #AssociationsSpace, hosted by @wordofmice! Tomorrow at 3pm CET with @cgoradesky: what is the role of sustainability & 360 community.#eventprofs #associations #eventmanagement pic.twitter.com/BdxpRs0VYV— Nadia Rubtsova (@NadiaRubtsova) June 1, 2021
#3 Antti Lumiainen – Sustainability and associations
This time Nadia encourages you to grab your smartphien to talk about sustainability and associations together with her guest Antti Lumiainen from Helsinki Marketing. They will exchange our views on…
- What role do associations play in contributing to the economic and social sustainability and development of regions?
- What are the benefits of sustainable development for the associations?
- How can sustainable events help associations generate revenue and members’ engagement?
#4 Paula Blomster – Sustainable events and associations
t’s been a tough year for the entire event industry, but venues have been doing such an outstanding job to make sure that in-person events are possible in the nearest future. This is not only about safe events, but sustainable events which will be again our focus very soon.
A fascinating discussion with Paula Blomster, Congress Manager of one of the biggest Expo and Convention Centre in Finland- Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre. Eventprofs will talk about:
- What is ISO 20121 standard and how can associations implement it in their events?
- The United Nations sustainable development goals.
- Explore new ways to reduce and offset event’s carbon footprint.
#5 Mariska Kesteloo – B2B Influencer marketing and associations
Events are the lifeblood for the associations… Events drive revenue, give exposure, and expand the membership base. So how can you create a bigger awareness for your association’s events? This episode will feature our very own Mariska Kesteloo, the founder of Word of MICE, an expert in B2B influencer marketing. What to expect?
- How can your association leverage the data and feedback from your events to foster growth and create more awareness?
- The secret sauce to creating a fear of missing out for your next event.
- How to use social media and influencers to create a buzz around your event?
#6 Ronald Lim – Virtual events and associations. Case study
360 attendees, 2 days, VIRTUAL Conference. This is the Pediatric Oncology Conference, that took place last week and that we will be discussing as a case study during next #AssociationsSpace chat on Twitter Spaces. This episode will feature Ronald Lim, DES, Business event strategist and technologist, Co-Founder of three companies: Creative Rock, Think Event, Conference People, and the official PCO for many Asia-based associations. What are we going to talk about with Ronald Lim?
- Fresh insights. Case study of Pediatric oncology conference
- Main learning points about running a virtual conference: do’s and don’ts
- Preparation for the association
#7 Usman Khan – Revenue generation and associations.
Which revenue streams can you develop for your association? Next Nadia`s Twitter Spaces guest will be Usman Khan, the former director of several Brussels-based NGOs. Currently Usman Khan is the Managing Director of Modus Europe Limited, a firm that provides consultancy services with a focus on health and social care. During #AssociationsSpace they will talk about?
- Revenue-generating activities: Ways to reach financial stability.
- How associations can create more opportunities?
- What are the challenges that associations are facing
#8 Charlotte Otten – Virtual events. Engagement and associations
Charlotte Otten, Head of Events at Solar Power Europe, is going to be next guest of Nadia`s#AssociationsSpace Twitter talk. Charlotte will share how they pivoted to virtual and were able to provide value to their members, partners and sponsors in a completely new environment.. Topics to be covered during the conversation:
- How did Solar Power Europe association pivot to virtual and how its stakeholder engagement strategy changed?
- What new value and benefits did they need to provide to keep members, partners, and sponsors engaged in virtual events?
Have you missed the talk with Charlotte? Below you can listen to May King Tsang`s recorded tips how to create FOMO effect and engagement for your events and confences.
? @wordofmice @NadiaRubtsova + guest speaker @charlottejotten
for your insights in hosting a virtual conference
Thx also @JaroslawMarciuk for inviting me to tune in today.
Here’s my thoughts on how to keep attendees, speakers + sponsors engaged virtually #AssociationSpace pic.twitter.com/tp2CsxdOBD
— maykingtea aka FOMO* Creator *FearOfMissingOut (@MayKingTea) July 14, 2021
#9 May King Tsang – FOMO creation and associations
Why do some events become extremely popular and others are barely “making it”? We’ll be chatting with May King Tsang – the top-level social media expert, the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) creator and live content producer. May King Tsang (also known as MayKing Tea) has amazing experience on all topics related to social media, engagement, FOMO effect and online events. Follow May King on Twitter.
What Nadia and her special guest are going to talk about?
- How to bridge the gap between Social Media + PR for the associations’ events?
- How to engage association’s members on Social media?
? Thank you all for joining #AssociationsSpace @TwitterSpaces with @MayKingTea & @NadiaRubtsova today ?@nourtra00456201 @iamronlim @whatnyomidoes @antti_lumi @EmaPirciu @robert_dunsmore @BigSighMedia @ethanlee #eventprofs #associations #wordofmice @wordofmice pic.twitter.com/oE3Ln9TR5G
— Jaroslaw Marciuk ☕️ Call me Jaro (@JaroslawMarciuk) July 21, 2021
#10 Paulus Torkki – Members` engagement and associations
What do associations members want? Every single association is asking the same question and if not, they definitely should.
In her final #AssociationsSpace Nadia Rubtsova will be talking with Paulus Torkki – Associate Professor of Healthcare Operations Management at University of Helsinki, Partner at the Nordic Healthcare Group, and an active member of various organizations.
Here’s what is are going to be discussed on Twitter :
- How can the associations increase members’ active involvement?
- What (new) value should associations offer to stay attractive for the current and new members?
We would like to thank you all for joining 10 Associations Space talks on Twitter.
Associations Space on Twitter hosted by Word of MICE and brought to you in collaboration with Helsinki Marketing and very special #AssociationsSpace emcee Nadia Rubtsova – Helsinki MICE Ambassador 2020-2021. Posters created by Nadia.
The first season of the B2B Influencer Marketing Chat Series
Now more than ever suppliers in the meetings & events industry are struggling; we are all going through a difficult time due to COVID-19 pandemic. But how do you stay in touch with your target audience nowadays? And what kind of content do you post which is relevant today and for the near future? Have you thought of influencers? Perhaps not!
Therefore we want to give you insight, easy to implement tips on a shoestring budget. Because we have a wrong perception of influencers and we want to change your perception. We want to help you to go through these challenging times together.
Now more than ever influencers play a crucial role, they have an audience of followers. These followers trust the influencer and rely on them for tips and suggestions on how to go through these rough times. And it’s not about sales, it’s about trust and relevance.
What are the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Welcome to our LIVE interviews where we talk about B2B influencer marketing in the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events). We speak with people from all around the globe about the role, the meaning, the impact and the possibilities of B2B Influencer Marketing on social media and networking platforms. We share case studies, discuss influencer marketing campaigns for destinations and other suppliers from our industry and beyond.
Our hosts for the first series of 10 episodes are Mariska Kesteloo and Alessia di Raimondo.
Who should join our LIVE sessions on Zoom
People from the meetings & events industry and beyond! Planners & suppliers are welcome. If you are working in a hotel, or for a destination, airline, DMC or at the other side as an event planner, join the session.
A practical interview where you get concrete tips on how to continue your communication together with influencers these challenging times, on a shoestring budget. It’s our aim to support planners & suppliers from the MICE industry with our passion and knowledge about B2B influencer marketing, to spread your story in an appropriate way during this pandemic.
How to join the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Join us every Thursday at 1 pm CEST /12 pm GMT LIVE on Zoom. You can participate and ask questions to our special guests. This is the most engaging way to be part of our series of interviews.
Follow us on Eventbrite and sign up for the next live interviews with influencers, entrepreneurs, and many other interesting guests from the MICE industry and beyond. You can register and participate for free.
World of MICE – events on Eventbrite – free registration
What if you missed a live episode?
In case you missed our live session, listen to our conversation on your favorite podcast channel. We upload the whole interview to the following podcast channels: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Radio Public.
Blog posts
Do you prefer reading over listening? You can read the entire conversation from each interview on our website.
1. Alessia di Raimondo and Mariska Kesteloo
During this episode with Alessia and Mariska we will cover the following topics:
- How to set up a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign in 6 steps?
- How to find the right influencers for your company
- Budget friendly tips in these turbulent times of global pandemic
Listen to our conversation on Spotify podcast or read a blog post How to set up a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign.
2. Patrick de Pauw – Employer Branding
For our upcoming edition we have invited Patrick de Pauw, co-founder from Social Seeder, to talk about employer branding and of course influencer marketing.
What will you learn from Patrick:
- What is employer branding?
- Why is employer branding now more important than ever?
- What is the link between influencer marketing and employer branding?
- And how companies can benefit from the use of influencer marketing and employer branding?
- Receive suggestions and ideas what you can do to keep your target audience and employees engaged
Listen to our conversation on Spotify podcast.
3. Giovanna Lucherini – Destination Marketing
For our upcoming edition we have invited Giovanna Lucherini, director of the Napoli Convention Bureau in Italy to talk about destination marketing and of course influencer marketing. What will you learn?
- Why has Napoli chosen to work influencers dedicated to the meetings & events industry?
- The role of influencers during the campaign and after?
- The outcome of the Napoli Convention Bureau campaign
- The role and responsibilities of influencers during the Covid-19
- The future of destination marketing and the role of influencers
Listen to our conversation with Giovanna Lucherini on Spotify.
4. Ivo Franschitz & Henrik von Arnold – Ambassadors & Influencer Marketing
For our upcoming edition we have invited Ivo Franschitz and Henrik von Arnold, the co-founders of Enited, to talk about the role of ambassadors of tomorrow, and B2B influencer marketing. What will you learn?
- The current definition and role of ambassadors & influencers for destinations
- Why do play ambassadors now and in the near future a bigger role, especially during Covid-19 and after?
- What are the benefits of an ambassadors program on a short and long term?
- How can you adapt your current ambassadors program?
- How do you select the right ambassadors and keep them involved on a long term?
You can listen to our conversation on Spotify.
5. Keith Jenkins – Ambassadors & Influencers
For our upcoming edition, we will host Keith Jenkins, the founder of iambassador – the leading travel influencer network. In this edition we will talk about the challenges of the travel influencers, and the role of influencers now and in the near future in the travel & MICE industry. What will you learn?
- The role and impact of travel influencers before Covid-19
- How travel influencers have pivot their businesses
- How destinations and other suppliers can benefit from influencers and what are the reasons to work with travel or MICE influencers
- What the MICE industry can learn from the travel industry
- The future of influencers for the travel & MICE industry
Listen to our conversation with Keith Jenkins on Spotify.
6. Dries de Geyter & Dennis Lippens – How to measure the success of your B2B influencer marketing campaign?
For our upcoming edition we have invited Dries de Geyter and Dennis Lippens, founders of Deer Lord Games, and passionate digital marketers. In this edition we will talk about the challenges of how to measure the success of a B2B influencer marketing campaign.
A crucial question to ask yourself and your team: how will we know our B2B influencer campaign is a success? This question is often posed as “What is the ROI (Return On Investment)? The exact return is incredibly tricky to calculate, but there are different measures of success and you should be very mindful about how you will quantify success if you want to keep winning. And if you don’t measure your mistakes, you’re doomed to repeat them. What will you learn?
- How to structure your B2B influencer marketing campaign?
- How to define the outcome of your campaigns?
- What are the tools and platforms you can use to measure the outcome?
- The metrics clients and influencers can use themselves to track the data?
- Insights how and when to measure the outcome after the campaign
Listen to our conversation with Dries and Dennis about How to measure the impact B2B influencer marketing campaign.
7. Amanda Thurlow & Sabrina Meyers – How to work with influencers in the MICE industry?
For our upcoming edition we have invited Amanda Thurlow, Sabrina Meyers and not to forget Alessia di Raimondo, all passionate MICE influencers.
A question we receive a lot, how can an influencer contribute to my company? There are many options and possibilities and therefore we will talk with 3 passionate influencer from the industry to gain more insights about their work. Also to which projects they have contributed in the past, the tasks they have done, and of course how the pandemic has impacted their business.
In this edition we will talk about the work of the influencers, and what they can do for your company and the projects they have done in the past. What will you learn?
- Understanding the process; how to work with influencers?
- How to select the right influencer for a campaign?
- How influencers have changed their business during Covid-19?
Listen to our conversation with MICE influencers on Spotify.
8. Rupa Shah – Influencers & brands: what are we allowed to do and what not?
For our upcoming edition, we have invited Rupa Shah, owner of Hashtag Ad Consulting. She’s an authority in the industry and with her years of knowledge, we will dive into this important and often ‘overseen’ topic.
If you are a brand, what are the rules and regulations that you need to apply if you start working with influencers? Yes, there are rules that you need to apply. But some of the criticisms still levelled at it are that it is unregulated; it is the Wild West of the marketing world; that influencer fraud, fake followers and non-disclosure of paid-for relationships is rife. But is that really the case? And is it a global problem or are there just a few rogue states where this kind of marketing anarchy is tolerated?
What will you learn?
- Insights about the rules and regulations for companies if they start working with influencers
- What are the obligations for the influencers who are involved in the campaign?
- Important items about cross border campaigns
- Examples from professional examples who applied the rules & regulations
Listen to our conversation on Spotify with Rupa about ads and regulations for influencers.
9. Julius Solaris – Influencers in the MICE industry
We are excited to announce that we will interview Julius Solaris, one of the biggest influencers from the MICE industry. Julius Solaris is the founder of Event Manager Blog. During this interview we will gain insights about his journey, how he got started with blogging and where’s standing today being acquired by Skift.
What will you learn from Julius Solaris?
- Gain insights from the biggest influencer in the MICE industry; how Julius started with his blog and where’s he’s standing today
- The growing importance of digital marketing
- How to get started as a MICE blogger
- His vision on the world of B2B influencer marketing and influencer marketing in general
Listen to conversation with Julius Solaris on Spotify.
10. Tom Augenthaler and David Wing- B2B Influencer Marketing in different industries
We are excited to announce that in the final episode we will interview Tom Augenthaler and David Wing, both known in the world of B2B influencer marketing. During this interview, we will gain insights into how other industries have implemented B2B influencer marketing, what have they learned from their failures and successes. And besides they will share relevant case studies.
Tom Augenthaler is the founder of the The Influencer Marketer, speaker, consultant and trainer. David Wing founded Wing Digital Marketing. Two passionate founders and fans of B2B influencer marketing.
What will you learn from B2B?
- Gain insights how other industries have implemented B2B influencer marketing
- The failures and successes stories
- B2B influencer marketing case studies
- The role of influencers and thought leaders in a B2B environment
- Their vision on the future of B2B influencer marketing
Listen to our conversation with Tom Augenthaler and David Wing on Spotify.
Jois us
If you have an inspiring story and/or experience which could be relevant for our audience, please contact us: mariska@wordofmice.com
Meet Word of MICE
Word of MICE is the first and only global influencer community for the MICE industry. We inspire hotels, venues, destinations and other suppliers to employ Social Media Influencers as an integral part of their brand strategy and explore the true potential of influencer marketing. We create unique creative, tailor-made campaigns for all suppliers in the MICE industry over the globe.
Our B2B clients appreciate our years of experience in the MICE industry combined with an innovative product to bring their brand awareness to the next level.
Hear Me, See Me, Include Me
What I absolutely have to tell you about is the video Hear Me, See Me, Include Me. From the moment I first saw it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Its creator Megan Strahle, who has been working in the MICE industry for many years and is primarily focused on sustainability in the meetings industry. Mariska and I had the opportunity to work together with Megan, and we both never noticed that Megan had a disability.
Only after watching her video, I really understood how important her voice is. I don’t want to summarise the whole video and I encourage you to watch it for yourself, but do want to point out a few things that particularly caught my attention.
Hear Me, See Me, Include Me
In the video Megan talks about invisible disabilities, disabilities that at first sight can lead to misunderstandings, negative perceptions or judgments of a person. Just because a disability is not visible does not mean it is not there.
As Megan says, people with disabilities face new limitations in this pandemic era. We all know that when meeting online, the element of human contact is missing. Networking on Zoom, online seminars, virtual trade shows and conferences, hybrid congresses have opened up new opportunities to participate in global events, but have also paradoxically created new barriers for people with disabilities.
For example, hearing and listening. This was particularly memorable for me. “Hearing isn’t just what happens, hearing is something I have to work on” – Megan syas.
You have to be able to see the person speaking and read their lips. Unfortunately, wearing masks also took away the ability to receive the content correctly. Megan’s film can be watched here below.
Good examples and things could be done way better
The Zoom and Clubhouse apps are two examples of how certain things could be improved for people with disabilities. Zoom did not have free subtitles for app users, unli. e the Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Skype platforms. A significant change was only brought due to a lawsuit. Lawsuit Against Zoom Claims Closed Captions Surcharge Discriminates Against Deaf Users.
On the other hand, a very good example on how to prepare for a virtual event and taking into account the needs of people with disabilities was TEDx London Women`s Event 2021.
In the video, the author shares tips on how to improve the organisation of events in closed spaces and for online events. Additionally, you can find out what employers can do to make work easier for disabled employees and on how to improve communication. Everyone wants to be part of groups, local communities and the events. And these rights should not be taken away.
Over a week ago I created and shared this video. I had fully expected five people maximum (including my mom!) would watch it. The response has been overwhelming & with my dissertation due date looming, I didn’t have the time to fully realize the impact (1) https://t.co/PTEPmEDUX2
— Meg Strahle (she/her) (@megstrahle) August 31, 2021
Disability in the world #WeThe15
The Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games (24 August to 5 September 2021) just finished in Tokyo. Many countries were represented by people with disabilities. The athletes won many medals, gold, silver or bronze and brought us touching moments and many reasons to be proud. What all athletes and disabled people have in common, however, is the great achievement of fighting their limitations and weaknesses every day.
Do you know how many people live with a disability in the world? People with disabilities are 15% of the world’s population. The #WeThe15 social campaign is asking attention for people with a disability. I encourage you to watch the video on the official Youtube channel of the International Paralympic Committee.
What can you do?
Do we have important challenges for the MICE industry in the coming months and for upcoming planned real, hybrid and virtual events? Yes, we definitely have.
Can we also take into account the needs and expectations of people with disabilities to make these events more welcoming and accessible to a wider audience? Yes, we can! People with disabilities are also part of your target audience!
Let each of us think about what we can change and improve. Sometimes you really don’t need much.
It starts with being aware and listening to the suggestions of people with disabilities. Let’s start by spending 30 minutes watching the film Hear Me, See Me, Include Me.
Jaro(slaw) Marciuk. Thank you Meg for sharing your story.
