Event Management and Operations: Literature Review and Proposal

This report offers a comprehensive overview of event management and operations, beginning with an introduction that defines event management and its key activities. The report is divided into two tasks. The first task presents a literature review focusing on the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, exploring contemporary issues such as virtual meetings, technological advancements, and managing accommodation contracts, and the importance of corporate social responsibility. The second task provides a formal conference proposal for the World Association of Travel Agencies, outlining the conference's rational background, objectives, and structure, including networking, leisure activities, and a formal dinner. The report highlights the significance of addressing contemporary challenges to enhance the performance of travel agencies and foster sustainable competitive advantages in the tourism industry.

Event management
and operations

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Literature review..........................................................................................................................3
TASK2.............................................................................................................................................6
Formal conference proposal........................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Event management is referred as the application that is related to the project management of
creating and developing small as well as large scale corporate and personal events like
conference, formal parties, ceremonies and concerts. In order to manage an event, there are
various activities are included which is performed by the event manager such as studying the
brand effectively, identification of target audience, evaluating the concept and objective of event
and examining all technical aspects before launching event. The procedure of managing and
coordinating the event is termed as the event planning which includes budgeting, scheduling,
coordinating, site selecting and many more. This report is divided into two tasks, first one
contains the literature review on the contemporary issue of MICE sectors which is a meeting,
incentives, conference and exhibition sector that is related to tourism in which number of persons
planned to bought together at per decided venue and in second task all information about
conference is being covered.
TASK
Literature review
According to the views of Anagnoste, (2017) the MICE is stand for the meeting, incentives,
conferences and exhibitions industry which main objective is to conduct tourism industry. All
four factors have their own meaning such as meeting that is held in conferences rooms or at
convention centres. It is basically a single day event in which a group of professionals come
together to address challenges as well as goals of organisation. Incentives are defined as the
travel rewards that are provided by the companies to their employee for their excellent work
performance. Conferences is the advance level meetings that is designed for large number of
corporate groups to share their views and knowledge among all group members for several days,
it not includes the only the key members of organisation but other guest speakers and general
public as well. Last factor is exhibition is defined as the trade shows in which organisations
promote their products and services to the public as well as it facilitates the organisation to make
effective professional relationship. In current scenario the demand of meeting, conferences and
incentives are raised that enhance the activities of respective sector continuously. In order to
perform activities in efficient manner the sector have to face various challenges and problems
that affect the sustainability of industry in current competitive environment. There are various

contemporary issues such as retaining the market share in continuous enhancing competitive
market place, this issue is faced by every respective sector of industry. Some of contemporary
issues that are faced by the respective industry that the meeting is conducted on virtually or face-
to-face, keeping all technological factors in conference and meetings and managing all
accommodation contracts. Industry evaluated all these factors and then take decisions
accordingly. Contemporary issues affect the functioning and performance level of organisation
so, it is necessary to develop effective policies regarding them in order to sustain in competitive
advantages.
According to view point of (Boer, 2017) virtual meeting or destination meeting is the
contemporary issue that is faced by the MICE industry. In current scenario virtual meeting is the
most likable option to held conference and meetings through internet. Virtual meeting provides
an opportunity to the members to engage through the internet and conduct meeting with out
having any kind of disturbance and distraction. These types of meetings are appealing by the
organisations and members because it allows them to attend meeting with out booking hotel or
on spending on transportation. Virtual meetings are cheaper them the destination meeting. On the
same time both type of meetings has their own meetings. In some events, it is necessary to meet
all members personally as well as if some one is only interested in the topics, then virtual
meeting is the better option for them. Some times huge networking opportunity attracts all team
members to take part in the destination meetings effectively. So, both types of meetings are
essential in current scenario. It is not easy for the MICE to handle both type of attendance if
effective manner.
According to the views of Brito, Júnior and da Costa Diniz, (2020) technological
advancement is most important contemporary issue that affect the activity of any event
programmes such as conferences and meetings as well. Technology involves various aspects that
are enhancing at fast rate and increasing the expectation level of attendees as well. In event
management and operational activities, technological advancement helps to MICE industries to
book hotel, book plane tickets and access the event all information to other participants without
any hassle through the any device with the help of internet at time of their convenience. So, all
event planners and managers of respective industry need to improve their technological factors in
order to established streamline communication as well as logistics with all meeting planners and
members to make them aware about all information regarding time, venue and other necessary

factors and reduce redundancy or mistakes. In order to contact with all meeting members good
internet and wi-fi services are required that limits the respective organisation to connect with
others in effective and efficient manner. There are continuous advancements are happened in
technologies that contains too much cost. For the small organisation, it is not easy to implement
all these advancements within organisation. Sometimes network problems also affect create the
problem for the MICE industries that conduct the travelling conferences. Various events need the
implications of technological aspects in order to reach audience world widely that is not beard by
the low capitalised organisations. Organisations which are dealing with meetings and
conferences have to keep in touch with all technological updates that facilitates the organisation
to gain various sustainable competitive advantages. Knowledge of current technical aspects
impacts on meeting high productivity and performance level.
Modern technology factors are the major trend that affect the MICE industry and
completely change its management and operations as many organisations adopt the e-conference
as a substitute of face-to-face meeting and conferences. Operational cost of these organisations is
the biggest restraints in the growth of MICE industry (Din and Paul, 2019). Virtual meeting is
the option that facilitates the organisations to eliminate the travel expenses in order to get various
growth opportunities in future. These technological factors help or reach wide areas of team
members and reduce the unproductive charges on the other hand, it requires huge creativity,
experience, investment and logistics that enhance the initial cost that affect the overall
functioning of tourism companies and their destination. In order to enhance tourism activities
face-to-face meeting, personal interaction and listening experts personally is demanded in current
competitive environment.
According to view point of Donohue Katok and Leider, (2018) managing accommodation
contracts is a contemporary issue for the MICE industry in order to manage the event like
meeting and conferences in effective manner. Accommodation is the factor that is familiar to the
old industry players but for the new players who enter in event sector, it is not easy task to
negotiating the contract with hotels or venue owners. Hotel groups facilitates various different
contracts or signing the specific contracts with understanding the fact that what information the
contract contains really. It is necessary to the MICE industry to get all information about the
contract and read the documents carefully then sign the contract but if he has some doubts in
them than take legal advices before signing contract or they also include their own clauses

according to their requirements. There are some practices that must be used in process of
managing accommodation contracts such as all the terms and conditions through reading as well
as understanding contracts, communication must be maintained throughout with all parties who
are involved in the event. In contract all financial as well as non-financial liabilities are included
in accommodation contracts. The accommodation of meetings and conferences must be chosen
according to all meeting partners and their reachability.
According to the view point of Duong and Wood, (2019) all the measures are taken by
the analysis of current market trends and demand of potential segment in order to implement
various factors that enhance performance level of tourism companies as well as attract more
customers and retain them with organisation by providing better quality services. There are
various fundamental challenges that must be considered in selecting the destination for the MICE
tourism development. Sensitivity to security that is considered to plan and creation of safe
destination, technological factors of other competitors in the respective industry also affect the
decision-making process of organisation in order to sustain in competitive environment as well
as personalised offering that is related to achieve all goals and objectives by enhancing creativity
and range of services to provide better quality services to customers according to their demand.
All these factors must be considered by the respective organisation in order to overcome all
problems and challenges that limits the organisation performance and profitability level as well.
These contemporary issues must be evaluated than take decisions according in the favour of
customers and organisation.
TASK2
Formal conference proposal
Rational background of the conference:
Conference is defined as the meeting in which number of people gather at specific place to talk
about particular issue or subject. In the conference all people are meet who have common
interests. Basically, the conference in the meeting of people who confer about a specific topic or
issue. Conferences are held on various modes such as virtual conference, physical conference
and many more. As an organiser of world association to travel agencies that is organised for
enhancing the implementation of corporate social responsibility in business activities and
function in order to gain various sustainable competitive advantages by protecting environment

any harmful affects through the waste that are excrete by the organisation (Femino, Weikel and
Sarin 2020). This conference is related to various contemporary issues that are faced by the
organisation in current situation to perform all organisational functional smoothly. As the
conference is related to travel agencies that is held for the three days in spring season of 2022. In
conference approximately 250 people from different countries with equal proportion of male and
female. The main purpose of conference is to attract international audience, government
representatives, personnel as well as key stakeholders in order to enhance the effectiveness of
conference. The conference is held in ...for three days with pre decided schedule. All conference
members are gathered at the place according to planning. On first day of conference, it is decided
that all meeting members interact with each other for the purpose of enhancing networking and
teambuilding activities. On second day leisure activities are decided alongside of conference and
on the final day of conference the formal dinner with some entertainment factors is decided to
wind up meeting in formal manner. The budget is decided for each member who take participate
in conference is 250 Pound excluded the fright and accommodation charges (Feng, Wu and Liu,
2017). Conferences are held to share the point of view of specific topic like the conference of
world association of travel agencies is being organised for contemporary issues in order to
enhance the performance level of respective travel agencies in competitive environment.
Conference objective:
The conference of world association of travel agencies is dedicated to discussed contemporary
issues, exchanging ideas as well as thoughts towards the theories and practices in the specific
field of management that facilitates the tourism agencies to provide better quality services to
their guests or customers. The main focus of this conference is upon maintaining corporate social
responsibility and evaluate all contemporary or green issues such as advancement in
technological aspects and virtual as well as accommodation meetings that affect the performance
level tourism industry. The conference enhances knowledge about all organisations as well as
operational aspects that facilitates the organisation to gain various sustainable competitive
advantages in highly competitive environment. It provides the platform to express their interests
as well as cognitive thoughts on the other hand, promote research among all active members of
conference. It provides various opportunities to all conferences participants to enhance their
knowledge, skills and experiences to solve all business problems that are raised in competitive
environment as well as facilitates to meet all challenges through effective decisions that are taken

in the conference (Hill, Korczak and Wang, 2019). It eases all participants to enhance their
knowledge and understanding about global business trends and discussed about all business and
economic reforms that help organisation to conduct business activities in competitive market
place.
Justification for the venue and destination selection:
Venue or destination is an important aspect of conference that should be carefully
selected by the event organiser according to all participants. For the conference of World
Association of Travel Agencies the venue is decided in King’s House conference centre which is
situated in Manchester. It is most versatile venue that is perfect for wide range of conference
meetings. The conference centre contains the eight meeting rooms and auditorium with proper
air conditioning and natural daylight. The venue has all technical aspects and dedicated as well
as friendly staff. The destination also provides the flexible options for catering and refreshment
and have great transportation links as well. Perfect venue selection helps the tourism conference
to cover all relative issues in effective and efficient manner. destination plays vital role in
success of any event.
Operational analysis:
Operational analysis is determined as the method of evaluating and examining the current
operations of investment as well as measuring the performance of event against to various
established cost, schedule and specific performance parameters (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis and
Schönberger, 2019). In order to achieve all operational goals and objectives operational planes
are formulated by the conference organisers that guide everybody to perform in defined manner
to attain high work performance and various other operational goals. All activities are analysed
in appropriate manner to ensure the smooth running of operational functions. There are various
operational resources such as location, materials, equipment and distribution channels play
important role that must be properly analysed to attain all defined corporate social responsibility
of international travel conference.
Catering: As the conference is held for three days that includes 250 members so, all food
and meal accordingly. Whenever organising the conference, catering is the important factor that
must be analysed before conference. Good food is work as the fuel for all participants and turn
the conference in successful occasion. There are various factors that must be prepared such as

time of breakfast, meal and dinners is chosen, decide the menu of food according to preference
of all members and serve them with more ease.
Information Technology /AV: In current scenario use of technological factors are enhance in
order to ensure the effectiveness of conferences. All these technologies are handled by the
professionals or experts. latest technologies as well as unique network opportunities facilitates to
all conference members to understand the issue more clearly (Netessine, 2021). Although now
days the conferences are organised through virtual platform that required latest technologies to
connect all meeting members with clear audio and vision. In destination conference also
technology is necessary to implemented in clearly elaborated the issue to all members.
Transportation: Transportation is related to the movement of human and goods from one
location to another location. Generally, the action of transport is defined as the movement of an
organism from one point to another. In destination conferences, the meeting members need
transport facilities to reach the place where the conference is held. On the other hand, in virtual
conference there is no need to go anywhere for take meetings, individual can participate in
conference through using internet in their devices that reduce the cost of meeting.
Accommodation option: Accommodation is the important factor that ensures the success
of event, meeting or conference as well. There are different accommodation options are available
to organise meetings such as hotels, apartments, luxurious lodges, holiday parks and boutique
accommodation. To conduct the conferences all these accommodation options and select the best
option according to requirement of all participants. These destinations facilitate the event
organiser as well as host to comply all factors that are required to make the event more effective
and successful.
Proposed budget:
A budget is defined as an estimation of various expenses and revenues over a specific
period of time and it will be complied as well as re evaluates on periodic bases according to
requirement. Budget is a statement the defines all expenses that should be spent on particular
activities in order to gain defines goals and objectives. In the conference of world association of
travel agencies that contains 250 participants from all over the world (Skawina, Salama and
Greberg, 2019). The budget is decided 250 Pound for each participant excluding all fright and
accommodation charges.

In a conference various expenses are occur that are systematically arranged in the budget
contains all expenses such as venue, décor, food and beverage, entertainment, event
documentation, communication as well as in logistics activities. World association of travel
agencies are prepare their budget accordingly that is 250 pound per participant.
Conference promotions:
Promotions are an important part of organising as well as planning of effective
conference. Through promoting conferences, organiser can attract more efficient attendees.
Promotions create people interest in conference. There are various ways tools to promote the
conference such as using social media channels that facilitates to communicate with people who
are interested to take part in conference with ease. Publishing blogs is also the effective way to
promote conferences to promote conferences in effective manner.
Conference schedule:
Schedule is defined as the basic time management tool that consist a definite list of time
in which specific task, actions and events are intended to be fulfilled. In a schedule all activities
are arranged in sequential manner according to their time line. It is defined as the plan that
consist the list of events or task and time in which each task must be done (Suma, Mehmood and
Albeshri, 2017). The conference is scheduled for three days in spring 2022. It is decided that first
day of conference all participants will be interacted to each other or building team activities, on
second day leisure activity is scheduled alongside of conference and third day formal dinner is
being decided. In conference scheduling all timing are decided according to all activities. As the
conference is for three days the timing of breakfast, lunch, dinner, meeting is scheduled
accordingly.
Internal and external analysis:
In order to conduct conference in effective manner various internal as well as external
factors must be evaluated that affect the meeting and business as well. Internal factors are related
to the business that are in control of business such as strengths and weakness of business on the
other hand, external analysis is related to the analyse all external business environment factors
that affect the performance as well as productive of organisation. In conference different internal
as external factors are necessary to analysed, these factors ate discussed below:
Event organiser: Event organisers are the people who plan as well as organise event such
as conferences, business seminars and other meetings. He has responsibilities to organise the

event in best possible manner. he is the first person who are appointed by the event companies
and these event organisers are work with public, private as well as multinational corporations.
Event organiser organises conference that is affected by their skills and way of working and
competencies that are controlled by the event management organisation (Utne, Sørensen and
Schjølberg, 2017). Event organisers focus on various logistic issues and other issues in order to
ensure the success of event. Analysis of all internal factors used in planning of conferences and
workshops.
Event host: Event host is the most important factor that ensures success of any
conference in desirable manner. The main responsibility of event host to welcomed all guest and
attendees and feel the comfortable as possible. In international travel conference, event host
encourage participation, navigate guest, inspires social media shares as well as gather feedbacks
of all attendees. Event host is the part of external factors that affects conference in different
manner so, proper analysation is important for smooth running of conference.
Supplier: Supplier is defined as the person, or organisation that supplies goods and
services to the customers at the place of their requirement. Supplier is the external factor that
affect the conference as well. So, the location of conference is decided where all goods can be
reached easily. Suppliers impacts on conference by enhancing the rate of products so all market
trends must be analysed in appropriate manner.
Sponsors: Sponsors are defined as the person or organisation that supports an event,
person, activity and organisation financially or by the provision of various products and services.
Basically, the sponsors are person who pays all cost of event in return to advertise that person or
organisation during the activity and event (Williams and Peleg, 2019). There are various
international sponsors that invest in international travel conferences and they have right to decide
the thing of activity that affect the way of conducting conferences so all sponsors must be
analysed in efficient manner.
health and safety regulations: Occupational health and safety is external factor that
affect the travel conference in various manner. It is the multidisciplinary concept which is
concerned to the health, safety as well as welfare of people at the work place. The main objective
of this regulation in to provide safe and health working environment to the employees that will
be helpful to enhance their performance level. In international conference all aspects regarding
the health and safety determined properly to ensure the safety of all conference members. All

these measures must be evaluated before conducting conference because that affect the
functioning and performance level as well.
Recommendations:
In order to meet all aims and objectives of conference meetings, it is recommended that
the venue and destinations in appropriate manner. Objectives are properly defined to conference
members. Technological aspects should be included in order to make it more effective. Virtual
meeting should be adopted that saves time, cost and efforts. It is recommended that all health and
safety regulations must be implemented in the tourism conferences that are related all safety
measurements. Proper budget as well as schedule is being prepared that guide the conference to
complete all functions and activities in defined manner. Internal as well as external factors
properly evaluated that affect the business activities and functions. All planning and strategies
are formulated accordingly that ensure the success of conference and enhance the knowledge as
well as skills for specific issue among all participants.
CONCLUSION
As per above report, it can be concluded that event management is related to the creating
and developing small as well as large scale events and manage them in effective manner. The
process of planning, coordinating and managing the event is known as the event planning that
includes various activities such as budgeting, scheduling, location selecting and coordinating
transportation and various other activities. There are different contemporary issues that affect
functioning and performance of organisation so, these must be evaluated than other decisions are
formulated accordingly. A conference required the proper allocation of work and coordination in
order to achieve all defined goals and objectives. All internal as well external factors affect
organisation in positive and negative manner. These factors are examined and them strategies are
formulated to gain various competitive advantages. Event location or destination also plays
important role in organising the successful conference so, it must be chosen appropriately as well
as accordingly to all participants. The aims and objectives must be clear and specific that are
communicates to all participants during the conference. Utilisation of technological aspects make
the event more effective and understandable.