the business tourism sector

Krzysztof Celuch, Warsaw University of Economics and Computer ScienceRob Davidson, University of Westminster

Warsaw University of Economics and Computer Science____________________________________________________

Business Tourism Events: The education and careers backgrounds of Convention Bureau managers

Rob Davidson and Krzysztof Celuch Bournemouth University Event Tourism Conference

10 January 2007



THE BUSINESS TOURISM SECTOR

(M.I.C.E.)(M.I.C.E.) The ‘blue chip’ sector of tourismThe ‘blue chip’ sector of tourism An excellent provider of job An excellent provider of job

opportunities, but …opportunities, but … ‘‘careers within the conference industry careers within the conference industry

are relatively new, with little information are relatively new, with little information available on potential career progression available on potential career progression or pathways’. (McCabe 2001)or pathways’. (McCabe 2001)



RESEARCH ON BUSINESS TOURISM CAREERS RelevantRelevant at this time, because of the at this time, because of the

changing patterns in working life:changing patterns in working life: organisations becoming flatter, leaner, organisations becoming flatter, leaner,

meaner and more global in naturemeaner and more global in nature the concept of the ‘self-directed’ career – the concept of the ‘self-directed’ career –

the individual taking control of his/her the individual taking control of his/her career pathcareer path


Warsaw University of Economics and Computer Science____________________________________________________BUSINESS TOURISM

CAREERS Unregulated – low barriers to entry, with Unregulated – low barriers to entry, with

regard to specific industry skillsregard to specific industry skills Entrants to the industry often have Entrants to the industry often have

generic skills and are recruited from generic skills and are recruited from outside the industryoutside the industry

There is movement of people between There is movement of people between the business tourism industry sectors, in the business tourism industry sectors, in order to achieve their overall career order to achieve their overall career objectivesobjectives


Warsaw University of Economics and Computer Science____________________________________________________BUSINESS TOURISM

EDUCATION ‘‘Despite the rapid development of the Despite the rapid development of the

convention industry in past decades in convention industry in past decades in terms of infrastructure, education and terms of infrastructure, education and training programs have not been focused training programs have not been focused in the same systematic manner’. in the same systematic manner’. (MacLaurin, 2002)(MacLaurin, 2002)

Sporadic and ad-hoc developments by Sporadic and ad-hoc developments by universitiesuniversities

Industry associations’ involvement Industry associations’ involvement



CONFERENCE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANISATIONS Conference destination marketing Conference destination marketing

occurs at various geographic levelsoccurs at various geographic levels Convention and Visitor Bureaux (CVBs)Convention and Visitor Bureaux (CVBs) Other destination Other destination

management/marketing organisations, management/marketing organisations, such as National Tourism Organisationssuch as National Tourism Organisations



CONFERENCE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANISATIONS

According to Rosvi Gaetos, former According to Rosvi Gaetos, former Secretary General of the Asian Secretary General of the Asian Association of CVBs: ‘Association of CVBs: ‘NTOs and CVBs are NTOs and CVBs are the best places to train new entrants into the best places to train new entrants into the industry, with both entities providing the industry, with both entities providing a broad insight into the industrya broad insight into the industry’.’.



RESEARCH QUESTION

Convention Bureau Convention Bureau managers: Who are these managers: Who are these people, and where do they people, and where do they come from?come from?



SURVEY OF ICCA MEMBERS

114 responses114 responses 28 CVBs representing countries28 CVBs representing countries 21 CVBs representing regions21 CVBs representing regions 71 CVBs representing cities71 CVBs representing cities (6 multiple replies: city/regions)(6 multiple replies: city/regions)



HOW LONG HAS YOUR CVB EXISTED ?

0-5 years:0-5 years: 3535 (31%)(31%) 6-10 years:6-10 years: 2222 (19.3%)(19.3%) 11-15 years:11-15 years: 1818 (15.7%)(15.7%) Over 15 years:Over 15 years: 3838 (33.3%)(33.3%)



IN WHICH COUNTRY IS YOUR CVB LOCATED ?

AUSTRALIA 5AUSTRIA 7BAHRAIN 1BELGIUM 5BRAZIL 2CANADA 2CROATIA 1DENMARK 1ETHIOPIA 1

FINLAND 5FRANCE 5GERMANY 5GREECE 1HUNGARY 2IRELAND 1ISRAEL 1ITALY 4JAPAN 3

MALAYSIA 1MEXICO 3NETHERLANDS 6NEW ZEALAND 1NORWAY 2POLAND 3PORTUGAL 2SINGAPORE 1SLOVENIA 1

S. AFRICA 2S. KOREA 2SPAIN 8SRI LANKA 1SWEDEN 2SWITZERLAND 7THAILAND 1TURKEY 1U.A.E. 1U.K. 14U.S.A. 1



YOUR HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION ?

School certificate:School certificate: 20 (17.5%)20 (17.5%) University bachelor degree:University bachelor degree: 50 (43.8%)50 (43.8%) University masters degree:University masters degree: 43 (37.7%)43 (37.7%) Doctorate degree:Doctorate degree: 1 (0.01%)1 (0.01%)



SUBJECTS STUDIED AT UNIVERSITY

ECONOMICS:ECONOMICS: 1818 TOURISM:TOURISM: 1616 HOTEL MANAGEMENT:HOTEL MANAGEMENT: 1313 BUSINESS:BUSINESS: 1313 LANGUAGES:LANGUAGES: 1212 MARKETING:MARKETING: 1111 COMMUNICATION:COMMUNICATION: 88 POLITICAL SCIENCE:POLITICAL SCIENCE: 66



SPECIFIC ELEMENTS IN DESTINATION MARKETING

Taken by 60 respondents (53.1%)Taken by 60 respondents (53.1%)

At universityAt university

ICCAICCA

EFCTEFCT

MPIMPI

IAPCOIAPCO

1616

1313

77

33

33

Only 4 respondents with specific conference Only 4 respondents with specific conference industry qualifications industry qualifications



PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE Marketing other products / services, Marketing other products / services,

apart from destinationsapart from destinations:: 49 responses49 responses Marketing what?Marketing what?

Hotels Hotels

Conference venuesConference venues

TransportTransport

Food/beveragesFood/beverages

Other consumer productsOther consumer products

1111

77

55

55

44



PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE

HotelsHotels (not marketing)(not marketing) 3636 Travel tradeTravel trade 2626 TeachingTeaching 1515 National governmentNational government 1313 Local governmentLocal government 1010 PCO/DMCPCO/DMC 0707 Venue managementVenue management 0303 (also: architecture, interior design, banking, librarianship, (also: architecture, interior design, banking, librarianship,

mining)mining)



HOW PROBABLE IS IT THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE CAREER AND MOVE TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROFESSION ?

Very probable:Very probable: 8 responses8 responses Probable:Probable: 40 responses40 responses Improbable:Improbable: 56 responses56 responses I would never consider working in a I would never consider working in a

different profession:different profession: 08 responses08 responses



WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY REASON FOR YOU MOVING TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROFESSION ?

Lack of opportunity for promotion:Lack of opportunity for promotion: 2424 responses responses Salary too low:Salary too low: 1818 responses responses Too much stress:Too much stress: 0808 responses responses Too much time away from home:Too much time away from home: 0202 responses responses



CONCLUSIONS Lack of public awareness of career opportunities Lack of public awareness of career opportunities

in this sector: Industry-specific careers in this sector: Industry-specific careers information is required, to raise awareness of information is required, to raise awareness of business tourism career opportunitiesbusiness tourism career opportunities

High mobility rates and turnover, due to the lack High mobility rates and turnover, due to the lack of clear progression opportunities and an of clear progression opportunities and an attractive reward system for employeesattractive reward system for employees

University curricula must combine University curricula must combine sector-sector-specific contentspecific content with generic business with generic business (marketing) and communications skills(marketing) and communications skills



THANK YOU.Rob Davidson

University of [email protected]

Krzysztof CeluchWarsaw University of Economics and Computer

[email protected]

the business tourism sector

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