Two announcements having to do with the future and value of meetings were made during the first day of Meeting Professional International (MPI)’s World Education Conference (WEC), being held in Vancouver this week.

First, the Meeting Professionals International Foundation (MPIF) announced agreements with PSAV Presentation Services and Omni Hotels & Resorts. Both organizations are investing in MPIF to advance research in the Future of Meetings. PSAV, dedicated to a three year MPIF partnership, will benefit as the exclusive technology partner for the Future of Meetings initiative, and will financially support digital advancements at future World Education Congress events. Omni will partner with MPI Foundation until 2012 to fund the development of strategic meeting design content and delivery of quality education on current and future trends in this area.

Secondly, as a continuation of its commitment to content, MPI has launched a major research initiative with the assistance of Association Insights to bolster MPI’s Business Value of Meetings campaign. These developments were made possible by an investment in the MPI Foundation by AIBTM, The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition, a new international tradeshow for the meetings and events industry. Association Insights will produce a comprehensive research study on meeting and business event performance to be presented by MPI at AIBTM in Baltimore in June 2011 as part of America Meetings Week.

MPI’s progress in the Value of Meetings initiative include 16 educational sessions during 2010 live events, four chapter events featuring the Strategic Value of Meetings & Events presentation, complimentary webinars and five education sessions at WEC 2010. The selection of Association Insights as the third-party researcher coincides with a co-creation session held with WEC delegates.

“This research product will be a culmination of our extensive, multi-tiered approach to studying and understanding the appreciable business value of meetings,” said Vicki Hawarden, MPI vice president of Knowledge.

The ROI of Meetings

MPI’s Value of Meetings initiative also produced a Meetings Deliver whitepaper and subsequent user guide and PowerPoint for meeting planners.

The Meetings Deliver whitepaper proves the effectiveness and the business value of meetings and events by utilizing newly provided business tools and research. With research from the likes of the U.S. Travel Association, Forbes, the National Business Travel Association, Harvard Business Review and MPI, Meetings Deliver helps prove and communicate the return on investment of meetings.