BESTCITIES SEEKS LEGACY IMPACT

BESTCITIES Global Alliance is looking to develop measurement indicators that will help assess the socioeconomic legacy impacts business events deliver to the destinations that host them.

The group, which represents 12 international convention destinations, including Melbourne, launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to gather recommendations for consultancy firms to identify what factors need to be assessed to encourage events organisers to think about the long-term value their conferences will have on communities.

BestCities Global Alliance Managing Director, Paul Vallee, said the RFP will build on existing commitments to the impact of business events, linking with various initiatives the organisation already has in practice.

“Legacy impact is gaining greater attention amongst destination and business event bodies, and stronger relevance in society in general,” he said.

“Although legacy impact has a broad reaching narrative on the true value of business events, few established indicators and measurement tools are in place.

“That is why we are committed to advancing this cause and helping to establish measurements that will build knowledge and streamline efforts into creating events that have lasting impact.”

Vallee said a “how-to toolkit” will be created to enable stakeholders to build knowledge and capacity, with learnings from the program to be shared within the BestCities network.

RFPs tender process will run until 23 Aug, with BestCities announcing its preferred consultancy on 06 Sep following a review.