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FUN D Amentals of Events Management
FUN D Amentals of Events Management
FUN D Amentals of Events Management
MODULE 1
FUN AMENTALS OF
EVENTS
D
MANAGEMENT
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Table of Contents
MODULE INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................ 4
SHORT COURSE TITLE ..................................................................................................................................... 4
MODULE TITLE ................................................................................................................................................ 4
OUTCOMES OF THE SHORT COURSE .............................................................................................................. 4
CREDITS ARE NOT APPLICABLE ...................................................................................................................... 4
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LEARNING HOURS .......................................................................................................................................... 4
MODULE PURPOSE ......................................................................................................................................... 4
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THIS MODULE ..................................................................................................... 4
PRESCRIBED STUDY GUIDE AND OTHER RESOURCES ................................................................................... 5
ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................................................. 5
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME? ....................................................................................................................... 6
HOW DO I STUDY? .......................................................................................................................................... 6
STUDYING ONLINE USING THE STUDENT PORTAL ........................................................................................ 6
WHAT THE ICONS MEAN ................................................................................................................................ 6
INTRODUCTION AND MODULE OUTLINE ...................................................................................................... 7
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS OF EVENTS ............................................................................ 8
UNIT 2: THE MARKET DEMAND FOR EVENTS ..........................................................................................19
UNIT 3: ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN EVENT PLANNING ..........................................................................27
UNIT 4: INDUSTRY TRENDS IN EVENTS MANAGEMENT ..........................................................................38
MODULE INFORMATION
Events Professional
SHORT COURSE TITLE
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OUTCOMES OF THE Upon completion of this short course in Events Professional
students will be able to:
SHORT COURSE
▪ Discuss the market demand, role-players, and current
industry trends of events.
▪ Describe the critical issue to consider in bidding for an
event and the event bidding process.
▪ Prepare an event budget.
▪ Apply the principles of project management to event
management.
▪ Demonstrate knowledge of statutory laws and legal
obligations when planning events.
▪ Conduct the risk assessment of an event and suggest
mitigation strategies to minimise the probability of risks
occurring.
▪ Apply events operational knowledge to prepare an
operational plan.
▪ Develop the event marketing plan.
▪ Describe the strategies in greening events.
▪ Analyse the technology trends in the events industry
CREDITS ARE NOT None
APPLICABLE
LEARNING HOURS 24 Hours for this module (Approximately 6 hours per week)
LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
OF THIS MODULE
1. Explain the nature of the events industry generally and
in the South African context.
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ASSESSMENT You will be required to complete formative and summative
assessments and activities.
Feedback:
Formative assessments:
Summative assessment(s):
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HOW LONG WILL IT For this module, the maximum completion period is 1 month.
TAKE ME? Unit 1: 1 Week (6 hours)
Unit 2: 1 Week (6 hours)
Unit 3: 1 Week (6 hours)
Unit 4: 1 Week (6 hours)
STUDYING ONLINE You can access iCan through your PC, laptop, tablet or
smartphone. When you log into iCan for the first time you will
USING THE STUDENT be required to change your password. If you require assistance
PORTAL with logging onto iCan, contact the iQ Academy helpdesk.
WHAT THE ICONS MEAN The icons below act as markers, that will help you make your
way through the study guide.
ICONS
Example
Examples of how to perform an activity or calculation with the
solution/appropriate response.
Practice
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Case Study
Vocabulary
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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS OF EVENTS
PURPOSE
The purpose of this unit is to equip students with an understanding of the events industry, beginning
with the definition of events and the description of the events industry.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
VOCABULARY
AI Artificial Intelligence
AR Augmented reality
Bar (or Bat) mitzvah Jewish coming of age ritual for boys (or girls)
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Community events
Family fun events that are owned by the community because they utilise
volunteer services from the host community, use public facilities (such as
parks) and are produced at the direction of local government or NGOs
Hallmark events
Major one time or reoccurring events of limited duration developed to
enhance the awareness, appeal and profitability of a tourist destination in
the short and/or long term
VR Virtual reality
INTRODUCTION
This unit reintroduces you to the field of events management. The events industry is one that is growing
at an impressive rate, so much so that it can capture the attention of many destinations globally. In
2018, the events sector was valued at $1100 billion, estimated to grow to $2330 billion by 2026. As a
result, hosting events has become a core component in the tourism system/ destination development of
many cities (and countries), that is, it has been leveraged to enhance the tourism potential of the
destination. As a result, events have become an attractive sector to develop and grow. This is evident in
the case of South Africa, a country which has grown an impressive events portfolio and has publicly
stated plans to further its growth in this regard. Events Management Body of Knowledge (EMBOK) is a
universally accepted framework that is useful in understanding the complex nature of events. Simply
put, deals with all the event phases, processes and core values.
The purpose of this module is to help you further the basis of your career in the events management
field. To do this, it is imperative that you take a step back and sharpen your understanding of what
events are. There are many different kinds of events that you may have to plan and organise. One of the
most important issues in doing this is recognising the event for what is it. This simply means being able
to define an event. For instance, a sporting event is one which takes a completely different form as
compared to a cultural festival – it may require its own unique blend of planning, organising and
management techniques. In the same breath, the same can be said for a small community sports
competition and a major sport event such as the Two Oceans Marathon. These two sporting events
differ in size and scale, and consequently, their planning considerations and organisation will be
different. To a certain extent, the variations you will experience in the planning and managing different
events is a consequence of the event itself (that is it a sporting event or a major sport event). As you can
see, there is a need for you to
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go back to the very basics of event management, which includes the definitions and categorisation of
events. As such, the purpose of this unit is to refresh your memory on the definition of events and the
different types of events you will find. Further, the unit describes the nature of the event industry in
South Africa. The unit sets the tone for the rest of this short course as the modules to come become
more complex and practical.
Unit Duration: 1 Week (6 Hours)
Prepare
Scenario:
Public sector
Transportation support services Recreation &
sector leisure sector
From the available literature of events, there is a notable lack of a clear and all-embracing definition of
events. In fact, several scholars have debated on the definitions and various terms to use in describing
events. A useful point is said to be the Chambers Dictionary, which defined an event as:
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'Anything which happens; results; any incidence or occurrence especially a memorable one;
contingency or possibility of occurrence; an item in a program (of sport).'
From this definition, events can be defined in a number of ways. For instance, the Industry Glossary of
terms (CIC, 2003) defines events as 'organised occasions such as a meeting, convention, exhibition,
special event, gala dinner etc. An event is often comprised of several different yet related functions.'
These definitions reveal to you some of the underlying principles that apply to all types of events, that
they are a temporary occurrence and that they are a unique blend of management, people, program
and setting.
Jago and Shaw (1998) suggested that events can be viewed as a nomological structure, which has since
been widely adopted in the events field. This structure is illustrated in Figure 2 below.
Events
Planned Unplanned
Ordinary Special
Minor Major
Hallmark Mega
As you can see from the figure above, events comprise of two types, planned and unplanned events.
Planned events have a length of time that is usually publicised and fixed. This module mainly focuses on
planned events. Moreover, planned events can similarly be categorised into two (ordinary and special
events). We explore special events in detail below.
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1.2 Special events
Special events are said to describe specific celebrations, presentations, rituals or performances that are
planned consciously, and created so as to mark a special occasion. Special events are additionally known
for achieving a specific business, social or cultural goal or objective. Examples of special events can
include unique cultural celebrations, product launches, celebrations, and important personal and civic
occasions. Generally, Goldbatt (2005) defines special events as 'unique moments in time, celebrated
with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs.' In further broadening the understanding of special
events, Getz (2005) suggested that they should be defined according to their context. Accordingly, he
defined special events from two perspectives: the event organiser and the event attendee. The two
definitions are as follows:
i. A special event is a one time or infrequently occurring event outside normal programmes or
activities of the sponsoring or organising body.
ii. To the attendee, a special event is an opportunity for leisure, social or cultural experience
outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience.
Within the tourism context, special events are suggested to have six attributed, which include:
To draw together the above discussion and establish a definition of special events, we can conclude that
special events are defined as 'one time or infrequently reoccurring events that are of limited duration
and provide the consumer with a social and leisure opportunity beyond everyday life. These events
attract tourists and are often hosted to raise the profile, image and awareness of the destination.' Now
that you know the definition of special events, it is imperative that you are able to define events
according to their size and form. This enables you to differentiate events, as well as highlight that as
much as events are different, their planning and management will similarly vary in accordance.
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Local/community events
Hallmark events
Major events
Mega-events
1.2.1.1 Mega-events
Mega-events are large events that affect whole economies and capture global media
attention. These events are generally hosted following a competitive bidding process which
we will explore in the second module of this short course. Some examples of such events
include the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. Generally, mega-events can be
defined as:
'By way of their size or significance, mega-events are those that yield extraordinarily high
levels of tourism, media coverage, prestige or economic impact for the host community,
venue or organisation.'
Prominent examples of hallmark events include the Rio Carnival and Mardi gras in New
Orleans. In South Africa, some examples include the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown
(Eastern Cape) and the Food and Wine Festival in Cape Town (Western Cape).
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Table 1: Types of business events
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1.3 Nature of events
In 2018, the size of the global events industry was valued at $1,100 billion and was estimated to grow at
approximately a CAGR of 10.3% in 2016. There have been several reasons for the growth of the events
industry, including the increase in global business interactivity, increased leisure and disposable income,
an increase in destination accessibility. Globally, some of the most popular types of events include
business events (particularly conferences, exhibitions, seminars, product launches), sports events, music
and art performances, and trade shows. Some of the key stakeholders in the event industry include
corporate organisations, NGOs, public organisations etc.
It has been noted that different events have different markets. For instance, events such as concerts and
music performances, attract the majority of the event population, particularly from the middle-aged
individuals to the youth. This has greatly boosted the growth of the events industry, particularly as more
and more artists and performers are shifting to events as a promotional strategy. In addition, sports
events have recently become commercialised, thereby presenting unique and significant marketing
opportunities, such as sponsorships. Similarly, sponsorships are a growing phenomenon in the events
industry, with companies such as Redbull, Cocoa Cola, Nike sponsoring major events such as sporting
events, concerts and festivals.
Moreover, the events industry is increasingly moving towards digitalisation. Event professionals and
organisations are seeking the benefits of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual reality
(VR), augmented reality (AR) and projected mapping to enhance attendee experience during the event.
These technologies are utilised as the 'wow' factor in events. In addition to enhancing delegate
experience, event technologies have become paramount in the staging of events, as they have been
adapted in the planning, implementation, the event, and event closure stages of event management.
However, it is important to note that some of these technologies are more progressive and therefore
used in larger scaled events, such as projection mapping.
In terms of the structure of the events industry, the MICE industry forms the largest segment of events,
followed by sporting events, music concerts and festivals.
Similar to the global report, corporate events hold the biggest share of the events industry in South
Africa. Much focus is on attracting more international corporate events owing to the significant
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economic value of these types of events. South Africa, during the 2018-2019 financial year, had targeted
to bid for 105 corporate events. The country is ranked number one in hosting associate conferences in
Africa, with Cape Town being the top destination holding conventions in the region. From the total of
415 associate meetings held in the region, Cape Town hosted 100 of them. The hosting of corporate
events is said to benefit the country in twofold. Firstly, local professionals and the industry is exposed to
international expertise and knowledge, cutting edge research, and excellent networking opportunities.
Secondly, hosting international events showcases South Africa as a global leader and presents the
opportunity to display, on the international scale, the country's expertise. Therefore, this segment of
events is strongly targeted by the country.
The video above discusses the importance of the business events sector to the South African economy.
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Activity
Online Forum discussion. (This activity is dependent on your lecturer.)
Forum discussion
Reflect
Think Point
▪ Can you define events according to their size?
▪ Can you give any examples of hallmark events in South Africa?
UNIT 1 CONCLUSION
Events can be defined according to size and scope, as well as their form or purpose. This unit detailed
the various definitions of events and outlined the nature of events, from a global and national
perspective. The following unit examines the market demand for events and how to determine their
market size.
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the issues pertained in the market demand for
events, particularly around determining the size of the events industry and identifying the market
structure.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
VOCABULARY
Demand
Represents how much consumers can and will buy from suppliers at a
given price level in a market.
Future demand The demand that the event could satisfy over a normal growth period.
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Latent demand The demand which is sleeping until you provide an event for it.
Suppressed demand
The demand which exists for the event but cannot get into it owing to
people's frustration over price, time, availability, lack of disposable income
or other reasons.
INTRODUCTION
Generally, organisations and individuals seek to quantify things, that is, be able to state the size of a
particular event or market. There are several reasons behind this endeavour, why statistical
measurements of events may be useful. To begin with, this data may be required to measure the
significance of an event, or the events industry, in a particular location, city, town, or geographical
region. In this regard, data helps in quantifying the role that events play in the local economy.
Additionally, data may be required when planning for services and facilities. This is notable in the
construction of the sports arena as well as tourism and community facilities. Moreover, some
stakeholders in the events industry require this data in activities such as promotions and marketing of
events. These stakeholders may include the event businesses, individual event organisers and
government departments. This data may be used for predictions of feasibility, demand and statistical
comparisons.
There is an apprehension that the events activity is expanding, which is reflected in the growth of event
management companies and related service providers. There may be a number of reasons for this
growth, for instance, increased disposable income, increased mobility, increased inclination for
recreational travel and activities such as events, and the awareness of traditions. Consequently, the past
decade has seen some cases of reinvention of many kinds of events, particularly in the cultural, sports,
commercial and personal field. As the demand for events has grown, so too has the supply services, as
evident in the rise of many national and international organisations taking an interest in staging events.
Unlike the demand for a routinely manufactured product, which is known and predictable, the demand
for an event is considerably less predictable. This may be owed to changes in attendees' motives to
attend an event as well as the latent or suppressed demand that event organisers may not be aware of.
This causes major unpredictability. The question then becomes, 'who knows how successful an even
might be if demand is hidden or latent?' This results in the need for more market research, analysis and
assessment to understand the event market, particularly, the scope and structure of the demand.
Unit Duration: 1 Week (6 hours)
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Prepare
Scenario:
2.1.1 How can you then address the scope and scale of the event business?
To an extent, this can be done by breaking down the entire event business into smaller
parts/components. By doing so, you can say a particular part of the event industry is worth a specific
amount of money, has a particular impact or has a certain number of participants. You can then take a
certain geographical region and ask yourself if you are able to quantify a specific type of event in the
area. In some instances, this is possible. For example, the total wedding business in South Africa was
valued at R27 billion annually. This figure is based on the number of weddings (which are recorded
annually) and the estimated costs of having a wedding. This exercise can be done for some events, or
types of events as estimates have been made. At a local scale, there are toolkits available for event
professionals to assess the economic and social impact of the event – some of these evaluation toolkits
can be found online.
The event industry is not a homogenous whole, and in most cases, there has not been a drive to seek
statistical data, either by the industry or users of such data (e.g. government department). For many
types of events, such as personal events, voluntary events or similar events, there has not been some
data collection outside of the occasional sampling or some evaluation from the event organisers. Even in
cases where the event is commercial or organisational, there has not been much data collection and
where there has been, it had been to that event alone. Presently, there is not a common format for the
collection of attendee data, meaning that data collection is reliant on the few and casual estimates.
However, we can take a positive twist from this problem, by focusing on individual events. An event
professional, student or research can make a fair estimate on the size and scope of an event, if given
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time, effort and corporation by event organisers. Moreover, once the market demand has been
established, the market for the event can be analysed as well. You may be able to establish the
following:
These issues can help tremendously in the planning and marketing of events, and how market
information should be stored. For continuous monitoring, there are five basic areas you should consider:
• Visitor numbers;
• Visitor spend;
• Visitor activity;
• Advertising effectiveness; and
• Visitor satisfaction.
As you can see, assessing the size and scope of the event business can be achieved by looking at
individual components of the entire event business. However, some caution should be noted at the
industry level – there are only a few financial assessments of some parts of the total market, not all. The
vast majority of the events business has no available data on demand for the event. In fact, many types
of events (especially personal events) have no realistic estimates. As such, it becomes paramount for
event management companies and professionals to record more comprehensively the key indicators
discussed and share the information on a public domain so as to raise the profile of the industry, assist
in the planning of facilities, training and marketing efforts.
• Social integration;
• Interaction amongst communities;
• Bonding;
• Mutual support;
• Reinforcement of social structures and norms;
• Public celebration; and
• The development of civic, religious and community ceremonies.
When asked why they decided to attend an event, attendees may say they wanted to enjoy themselves,
be sociable, be happy and partake in something of their interest.
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As you can see, events are driven by social and psychological factors. You should note that in addition to
these factors, events are similarly driven by economic, political, charitable, organisational and status
needs. The growth and expansion of the events industry is, therefore, evidence of changes in the forces
that underpin event demand. If you examine event determinants, you will see that the growth of events
is underpinned by economic factors, including:
When analysing the determinants for events, it is clear that for any event, there are primary and
secondary motives or determinants. For example, the primary motive for hosting a dinner party may be
to entertain friends, and the second motive may be to raise one's status in their social group. Similarly,
the primary motive for hosting a sports competition may be to present local athletes the opportunity to
showcase and measure their skills against others, while the secondary motive may be to raise money for
the sports club and provide for the social integration amongst people with the same interests.
Despite the tendency to view motivations for attending an event as being only personal, it is widely
recognised that motives for attending an event can be physical, social, and organisational (see Table 1).
In terms of the primary and secondary motives described above, this may vary in accordance with each
event. In this case, theories of motivation do not paint for us the real reason why people attend events.
Consequently, in understanding the motives for attending an event, the marketing approach used may
only satisfy one need, and this may not be enough to get people to go to the event, without there being
additional benefits.
Attendance in events may be a result of a number of reasons, not only social ones. Some of these
reasons include:
• Personal expectations;
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• Tourism;
• Support for event participants; and
• The propensity to attend events as part of relaxation and entertainment.
In the case of events which have an admission fee, the ability and willingness to pay to enter the event
may be an issue.
It is important for you to note that knowing the motives of event attendance does not necessarily mean
that you know how many people may attend your event. This is largely determined by the demand
structure of the event, which is detailed in the following section.
As you can imagine, there are several reasons why an event may experience lesser attendance number
than expected. People may not be interested in attending. The assessment of the event market can be
based on the known current market demand – this kind of demand may only be part of the event's
potential. There are four types of market demand:
• Current;
• Future;
• Latent; and
• Suppressed.
Future demand The demand that the event could satisfy over a normal growth period.
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Latent demand The demand which is sleeping until you provide an event for it.
Suppressed demand The demand which exists for the event but cannot get into it owing to people's
frustration over price, time, availability, lack of disposable income or other
reasons.
Imagine a city has a wide range of cultural and business events in its calendar. These events occur
annually and often attract different target markets groups: those who attend the business events may
not be the same individuals who attend the cultural events. The event market is therefore diverse and
ever changing. The reality is, some events may be more popular than others, some may be new, and
others may not be held again the following year. Therefore, running an event should not only focus on
the current market but additionally on the expertise, funding, inclination, and support for the event to
be planned and hosted.
Activity
Online Forum discussion (This activity is dependent on your lecturer)
Forum discussion
Reflect
Think Point
▪ What were your motives for attending an event?
▪ What do you think is the value of sports events in Gauteng
province?
UNIT 2 CONCLUSION
In this unit, we concluded that due to the unusual and fragmented nature of the events industry, it is
difficult to examine the scope and determinants of demand. It is much more preferable to focus on
individual events or a group of similar events. The following unit provides an overview of the various
stakeholders in events management.
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UNIT 3: ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN EVENT PLANNING
PURPOSE
In this unit, you are equipped with knowledge of the various stakeholders in events. The unit presents
the various authorities event professionals must obtain approvals from to host a successful event.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
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Prescribed reading and resources:
▪ https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-trends
VOCABULARY
JHB Johannesburg
Stakeholders
Individuals and organisations with a legitimate interest in the outcome of
the event.
INTRODUCTION
One significant element in the management of events is understanding the event environment, that is,
the context in which the event occurs and what determines its success or failure. Understanding the
event environment requires the event professional to identify its major stakeholders and their
objectives. You must identify those individuals and organisations that can affect or are affected by the
event, as well as what each of them has to gain from the event. This unit examines the different event
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stakeholders and pays special attention to the role of public authorities that event professionals will
encounter in the course of their work.
Unit Duration: 1 Week (6 hours)
Prepare
Scenario:
• Government sector – governments create events for a number of reasons, including leveraging
their social, economic, cultural and tourism benefits. Some government departments (for example
the Department of Arts and Culture) have events as part of their service delivery. Many other
government departments host once of events to promote specific goods and services, such as
health promotions. These events often have free entry and form part of public culture.
• Corporate sector – is involved in events at various levels. Corporate companies may sponsor events
so as to promote their products and services. They may also stage their own events so as to launch
new products, increase their sales and revenues or enhance their public image/brand. These events
are often targeted at specific markets. Within the corporate sector, there are also entrepreneurs
who specialise in staging events.
• Community sector – other types of events may emerge from the community and are intended to
serve a variety of needs and interests. These types of events may include fundraising events, local
sports events, local arts and craft shows and cultural events.
Arts, culture and youth Art festivals, cultural festivals, themed art exhibitions
departments
Economic development Focus on events with industry development and job creation
benefits
Corporate sector
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Companies and corporate Promotions, product launches, incentives, corporate
organisations entertainments, image building sponsorships
Community sector
Clubs and societies Special interest groups, e.g. car shows, flower festivals
3.4 Sponsors
Event sponsors are companies that support the event, usually through financial means, in exchange for
something valuable. This valuable exchange may be in the form of increased brand exposure, access to
attendee data, discounted event tickers or even speaking opportunities in the event. Companies often
decide to sponsor events in the hopes of advancing their business forward. Some popular event
sponsors are Coca Cola, Red Bull, and even some banking institutions such as Nedbank, FNB and
Standard Bank. In smaller events, you can gain sponsors from the local businesses in the community that
would want to be affiliated with your event.
3.5 Volunteers
Event volunteers are individuals who willingly offer help in organising the event. Events are often highly
dependent on volunteers for technical, logistical and operational aspects. This means volunteers can be
involved from the planning and preparation stages to the production of the event. Event volunteers can
be a number of people; they can be form universities and colleges as well as the host community. Unlike
the event team, they are not fully compensated for their services, rather they may get free meals, and
event merchandise as a 'thank you'. The real reward for event volunteer is actually the learning
opportunity that they would gain from helping in the event through working in different sections of the
event management. Some task performed by the event volunteers includes tickets and merchandising
sales, logistic arrangement, backstage support, media assistance and assisting in different event
supervisors.
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3.6 The media
The mass media is very important in giving the event publicity and media coverage. This can occur
through media briefing, press releases and conferences. This stakeholder group is positioned as the
communication path with other stakeholders, such as attendees. They facilitate the flow of information.
Some events may invite national television and radio stations for more exposure. With the incremental
rise of social media, the dependency on mass media is reducing. Event managers are opting to use their
social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Emails and Instagram) to directly reach out to more
people. This gives them more control over the message that they would want to portray, unlike with
traditional mass media where the event image is at the mercy of these third parties.
3.8 Vendors
Event vendors are entrepreneurs who rent booths to sell crafts and foods at the event. These
stakeholders need to abide by the rules and regulations that were set up by the event organisers, venue
provider and local authorities. The event provides these entrepreneurs with the opportunity to promote
their products as well as present an alternative source of income.
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▪ Local authorities/ municipality
Local authorities or municipalities are one of the most influential stakeholders when planning a
special event. This is owed to the fact that you have to apply for an event permit should you
wish to stage an event within their municipality. Some examples of local governments include
the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), the City of Tshwane and the City of Cape Town (CoCT).
Generally, the local government is the first organisation to contact when organising an event.
The local government then provides you with the necessary information you will need in staging
the event, as well as some of the other approvals that you may need (see Table 3 for the
content in obtaining approval from the CoJ). There are a number of approvals you may need
from the municipality, some including:
1 Overview
2 Plan/Road maps
3 Emergency numbers
4 Certificates of approval
5 Risk assessment
6 Day Programme
7 City Power
9 Disaster management
13 JHB Water
17 Metrobus
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18 Security company
20 Incident report
21 Evaluation
▪ Local councils
In as much as you may need to gain permission from the municipalities, some communities or
locations may require you to go a step further to gain approval to host the event from the local
community councils. These two stakeholders are primarily concerned with ensuring that the
local residents are not inconvenienced by the event.
▪ Road agencies
Event professionals may need to gain permission from road agencies such as the Johannesburg
Road Agency if there are any plans to close off a particular road. This agency may additionally be
useful to consult with on the event traffic management plan.
▪ Fire department
Safety and risk are a crucial consideration in events. When planning for approvals from the
municipality and the local council, they will require some form of approval or consultation with
the fire station. This is to reinforce the risk and safety management of the event.
▪ Health department
You may need to obtain approval from the Health Department in your region if you are planning
on serving food and beverages in your event. Some countries may require you to apply for a
temporary food permit, and there may be an inspection. It is thereby crucial that the event
vendors and suppliers have similarly applied for all the necessary permits. Often, there are strict
regulations in the preparation and serving of food at the event.
▪ Liquor board
Events that are preparing to serve alcoholic drinks need to have the necessary liquor licenses. In
some instances, you may need to apply for two different licenses/permits – the license to serve
beer and other alcoholic beverages and a license to serve spirits. In some cases, the event venue
may already be in possession of these licenses, you will need to check with the venue manager
and confirm whether or not you will need to apply for permits.
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▪ South African Police Service (SAPS) and Metro Police
In planning an event, you will be required to send an application to the Metro Police
Department to request permission to host the event, under the Gathering Act. This stakeholder
group is additionally crucial in helping you arrange for the traffic management of the event.
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Access Further optional video
In the video above, you are presented with the reasons why stakeholders are important in events.
Activity
Case Study
▪ Can you name and describe the event stakeholders?
▪ What approvals do you think you need to obtain from public
authorities?
Reflect
Think Point
▪
Why do you think it is important to be aware of the needs and
expectations of stakeholders?
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▪ What role do you think public authorities play in the staging of
events?
UNIT 3 CONCLUSION
One event has several interests and expectations to satisfy. Stakeholder management is, therefore, an
important task for events professionals. This unit outlined the various event stakeholders, drawing
particular attention on authorities which play a significant role in the hosting of the event. The last unit
examines the emerging trends in events management.
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UNIT 4: INDUSTRY TRENDS IN EVENTS MANAGEMENT
PURPOSE
The purpose of this unit is to analyse the emerging and new trends in the events industry. This unit
intents on evaluating the role of such trends on career opportunities in events.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
▪ https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-
planning/futureindustry-trends/
VOCABULARY
Personalisation
The action of designing or producing something to meet someone's
individual requirements
Sustainability
The avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain
an ecological balance.
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Wearables
Smart devices that attendees wear on around their necks or on their
wrists
INTRODUCTION
The rapid growth of new technologies has shaken up individuals' consumption habits as well as business
operations. The present digital era has changed the way we communicate and view the world.
Increasingly, the focus has been on examining the digital transformation of events, as well as the way
technology, will affect how events evolve in the next coming decades. This unit focuses on the emerging
trends in events management, which are built on the premise of events digitalisation. Digital
transformation can be understood as the process of integrating new technologies at all levels of the
organisation. This can be done by the use of different technologies such as event apps, AI, VR and AR.
This unit presents how the use of such technologies is shaping emerging events.
Unit Duration: 1 Week (6 hours)
Prepare
Scenario:
4.1.1 Personalisation
More and more event professionals recognise that not every attendee will be in the same place in their
event journey. Personalisation becomes paramount in ensuring that event attendees receive exactly
what they expect/need when attending the event. Personalisation is a rising event management trend
which is tied to event success. Event attendees are postulated to gain much more value from the event
when their needs are met, and their experience is personalised.
To some extent, events have already been providing some personalisation, particularly regarding the
event programme. Presently, many events provide the opportunity for attendees to view and tailor the
event agenda to suit their needs or motives for attending the event. Event attendees are choosing their
sessions and session breaks to get the most out of the event. Increasing the scope of event
personalisation is dependent on the use of data and technologies. For instance, in large scale events,
where there are many sessions, networking events, keynote speeches – the event may seem
overwhelming to the attendees. In this case, event apps have the ability to make suggestions using
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algorithms based on the profiles of the event attendees. Additionally, personalisation will be evident in
the marketing and promotional efforts of events. The current environment is characterised by an
abundance of content and information. This makes it critical to make sure your content stands out.
Content personalisation can be as simple as including attendees' names on emails to more concerted
efforts such as segmenting attendees and sending personalised content.
4.1.2 Sustainability
At present, event professionals cannot afford to take sustainability as an afterthought. Sustainability is
an ever-present trend in events management – it will continue to be discussed for so long as the
industry does not comply with the necessary changes. As event professionals, you are accountable for
the impact’s events have on the environment. Event professionals are under pressure to think and plan
more holistically when it comes to sustainability, particularly in terms of procurement, waste
management, awareness during event and catering design.
As an event professional, your number one priority is that attendees do not risk their safety when going
to your event. It is therefore paramount to have conversations with your venue security and ensure that
there are well aware of the emergency plan and crisis communication plan. Technology is increasingly
used to empower attendees to report any potential threats. When considering cybersecurity, it is
important for you to remember that event registration platforms and management software hold a
goldmine of information on event attendees. It is the responsibility of event professionals to protect the
personal information of attendees from hackers. Fortunately, many governments and companies are
implementing a number of measures to ensure that data privacy is a reality. However, event
professionals similarly have a role to play as well – this includes ensuring that event data is encrypted,
password managers are used, and the use of 2-factor authentication is adopted. Increasingly, event
organisers have at their disposal, various technological measures that they can use during their event.
Depending on the event type and scope, as well as the costs involved, facial recognition or fingerprint
devices are commonly used.
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4.2 New roles in events management
As you would have seen above, the event is moving towards digitalisation. Digitalisation in events is still
a growing phenomenon and necessitates well knowledgeable and skilled individuals to take advantage
and grow their events market. As such, the advances in events comes along with a series of new and
emerging career choices. This section details some of these new event management roles.
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to provide the traditional concierge services, only through an app or the website. The digital
concierge can perform a range of activities, such as coordinating event logistics, offering
restaurant recommendations and obtaining tickets to shows and activities.
▪ Meeting designer
As much emphasis is placed on meaningful attendee experience, there emerges a need for
meeting designers. Meeting designers are primarily geared towards creating the best
experiences that ensure that the event objectives are met by narrowing focus on the experience
of the attendees, as individuals. This means meeting the event objectives through the
combination of good knowledge of psychology and cognitive learning. Meetings designers aim
to ensure the best learning outcomes for attendees and would strive for longer-term behaviour
changes.
▪ Event videographer
The events industry is experiencing a rise in the importance of event videos. Many people
working in the event, such as venue managers, vendors, planners and attendees, create video
content around the event. High-quality videos are presently in high demand within the events
industry – resulting in many opportunities for videographers.
Figure 2: Videographer
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Generally, there has been an increased demand for digital analytics; the events industry is
beginning to take note of this. Events gather endless data that can be used to improve
productivity, attendee experience, revenue and processes. Many events companies are
expanding and investing in individuals skilled to undertake this type of research.
▪ Sponsorship manager
Sponsorships play a crucial role in the success of the event as well as its revenue. It is becoming
important to have an event staff dedicated to recruiting and stewarding sponsors. The sponsor
manager is someone familiar with businesses that are aligned with the event niche and is able
to gain sponsorships and ensuring that they are mutually beneficial.
This video talks about the event trends that event professionals will see in 2020.
Activity
Example: Event venues
Why choose a unique event venue?
Aside from the benefits of creating a memorable event for attendees and
achieving a good result for your client, there are a couple of great reasons
why it's beneficial for you to choose a unique venue. Rather than using a
tried and true layout or your go-to decor style, here's your chance to
push your creativity to extremes. It's also a great addition to your
portfolio of events as an event planner. If you want to set yourself apart
from your competition in the event world, arranging events in an expanse
of different venues, including those that are non-traditional is proof that
you aren't a one-trick pony.
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Character is key when choosing a unique event venue
You should look to brand values and personality as your inspiration for
finding an event venue that amazes. How do you do that? Well, you
consider aspects like:
• Type of business
• Event goal
• Event overall mood and tone
• Positioning statement
• Brand characteristics
You ask: what is your brand known for? Also, what words come to mind
when people think of the prospective venue? Is there a synergy between
the two?
Choosing a unique event venue that has synergy with the brand is what
will set you apart from the competition. It can even attract people outside
your usual market – which is only a good thing for brand awareness. The
venue is just as crucial for people deciding to attend as is the event
content.
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perfect for pop-up events using local food trucks for catering. As for
rooftops – views, glorious sunsets, being closer to the stars, and a sense of
rebellious come into play. Need we say more?
Places you might visit now and then like wineries, farms and aquariums
can create a particular ambience, while still offering great amenities.
Many of them are also well-suited to creating different session spaces, all
at the one venue.
Think about a farm – there's usually a barn, stable yards and plenty of
space for marquees to be erected. A farm environment adds a sense of
authenticity to your event. It also means attendees have access to nature.
Reflect
Think Point
▪ In which new and emerging event role do you see yourself in?
▪ How do you think emerging trends influence emerging event
management roles?
UNIT 4 CONCLUSION
This unit examined the emerging event trends that are shaping how events are being (and will be)
planned, managed and staged. These trends clearly indicate that event management is moving towards
the virtual world and thereby requires events professionals to be well aware of the trends and the new
roles needed to keep abreast with the changes.
MODULE 1 CONCLUSION
The module focused on the fundamental aspects of events management, which included the various
definition of events, the nature of the events industry and the role players in events. The module further
highlighted the industry trends in events and the new emerging event management roles that are
needed to stay relevant with the industry changes and attendee' expectations.
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