The Chronicle

Understand­ing wellness trend important for events industry

- Jo Capp, local businesswo­men and event specialist JO CAPP

Ahealth crisis derailed many in the event industry. But we are hitting back. And I believe, we are on target to build beyond the findings of a study commission­ed by the Events Industry Council in 2018 which revealed 1.5 billion people participat­e in events every year.

A whooping $2.5 trillion in direct and indirect spending occurs in communitie­s because of events who employed directly and indirectly 26 million people. Yes, more people than currently living in Australia.

In Australia, the Business Events Council of Australia affirms that events are a major economic driver for the economy. Yes, events are BIG business with a massive economic and social benefit to local communitie­s and small businesses.

In the past few years, the concept of wellness has been trending and evolving in the event industry.

The act of wellness has become increasing­ly important with more and more people focusing on their health and wellbeing.

And by that, I mean, the mental, physical, social, financial, spiritual, environmen­tal, and vocational aspects of their being.

Understand­ing this trend is important for event organisers. We must take notice and incorporat­e wellness into our events and of course our daily lives.

Research tells us incorporat­ing wellness concepts into an event will improve the overall event experience because it creates a feeling of a positive and healthy atmosphere.

There are many ways to achieve this. It can be achieved using mindfulnes­s activities, healthy food options, and physical activity.

But we should not forget as Bethany Brookshire said in her recent article in the Washington Post, the value of incorporat­ing key elements like art and music into our daily lives as an important contributo­r to our physical and mental wellbeing.

Today, many of us are seeking opportunit­ies to prioritise our health and wellness.

Events that offer specific experience­s like art and music and wellness options are becoming increasing­ly popular.

By offering these types of experience­s, event organisers can differenti­ate themselves from their competitor­s and create a unique value propositio­n for their participan­ts.

For these reasons and many more, I am a big supporter of the proposed Autumn Feast.

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