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Human resources issues in the business events industry

Human resources issues in the business events industry

Celuch, Krzysztof and Davidson, Rob (2008) Human resources issues in the business events industry. In: Ali-Knight, Jane, Robertson, Martin, Fyall, Alan and Ladkin, Adele, (eds.) International perspectives of festivals and events - paradigms of analysis. Advances in tourism research . Elsevier, London, UK, pp. 241-252. ISBN 978-0-08-045100-8 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-045100-8.00016-8)

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Abstract

The extent to which any city or country may be successfully branded, positioned and promoted as an events destination depends largely on the availability of a wide range of resources within the destination itself. These may include infrastructural, natural and cultural resources. However, increasingly, attention is focusing on human resources as a critical success factor in the events industry in general and the business events sector in particular. The dedication, expertise and creativity of all events professionals operating in any destination are clearly of great importance in determining that destination’s level of success in this industry. But while this has been widely acknowledged in the case of the men and women who conceive, plan and deliver the actual events (with job titles such as events managers, events planners and events coordinators), far less attention has been paid to the human resources element represented by those professionals who are responsible for marketing their destinations as attractive places in which to hold events. As competition to ‘win’ events of all types intensifies worldwide, it is becoming clear that the degree of success of any city or country in attracting such events depends partly on recruiting and retaining professionals of the right caliber into these key destination marketing positions. Destinations that are eager to succeed as places that host highly lucrative business events such as conventions and incentive trips need to attract and retain professional staff capable of using their initiative and innovative skills to secure these types of events for their particular city or country.

Nevertheless, despite the widely-acknowledged importance of the role played by marketing professionals in attracting events to their destinations, very little is known about how these vital stakeholders are educated and trained for, as well as recruited into, such positions. This chapter therefore explores the issue of the education and careers backgrounds of professional staff in destination marketing organizations, with particular emphasis on those who are responsible for attracting business events to their destinations. It examines the extent to which the educational community is contributing to preparing young people for employment in these organizations and investigates the career paths that currently lead to this particular occupation.

Item Type: Book Section
Additional Information: [1] Available online 28 September 2009 [2] This Book is no longer available in print, an electronic version is available
Uncontrolled Keywords: MICE, convention bureau, business events, conferences, education, training
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Business > Department of Marketing, Events & Tourism
Related URLs:
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2016 09:15
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/5734

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