We interviewed Lina Ostapchuk and Inge Janvier to understand the France Benelux Chapter initiatives, challenges, and strategies.
Here's what they had to share:
Can you share insights into the current priorities and initiatives of the France/Benelux chapter of ºìÌÒÊÓƵ?
The France Benelux Chapter is a well-established chapter with over 90 members in five countries. Our members look for business engagement and new opportunities, best practices, and meaningful connections. For many members, sustainable practices and the long-term impacts of events are important, and they seek expertise from members both in the France Benelux Chapter and other chapters.
Our role as chapter leaders is to facilitate educational and networking opportunities where members have a platform to exchange ideas, share insights, and seek potential partnerships. The Annual Chapter Meeting is perfect for this. For the last three years, we have joined forces with the Mediterranean, Central European, and Iberian Chapters to hold joint Chapter Meetings. In post-event surveys, delegates acknowledged that such joint meetings provided them with the opportunity to learn more about projects and initiatives and even find partnerships within other European chapters.
Our current priority is to choose the hosting destination and set the date for 2025. The call for hosting destinations is open until the end of September, and we invite interested members to apply. At the moment, we are also looking to see if we can team up with another European Chapter for the 2025 edition.
What do you perceive as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the European meetings and events industry in the coming year?
In recent years, the meetings industry has been facing the challenges of increased costs for venue rentals, catering, technology, travel, etc. This is a challenge for those who have already confirmed events and for those who are planning meetings and conferences for the years to come. In this circumstance, organizers look for the added value of live meetings to justify the costs of participation and travel for delegates. Our industry can stay relevant by nurturing sustainability, legacy, and DEI. Live events need to be top of mind for event planners; our industry is an important link for the construction of communities.
The opportunity for European meetings lies in the rapid development of technologies and innovations. We can no longer underestimate the power of AI. The meetings industry lags behind, but technology will inevitably become a crucial part of any meaningful meeting and of our own lives. Technology will influence how we plan, execute, and experience meetings and events. The digitalization of the meeting industry will allow us to keep meetings cost-efficient while ensuring delegates are more engaged and have a personalized experience.
How do you plan to enhance collaboration and engagement among members within the chapter?
Currently, we are reviewing the activities of the Chapter and its Educational Committee. We aim to have all five countries and all sectors represented in the Education Committee. With new people and ideas in place, we will develop an action plan for the Chapter.
There are many opportunities for France Benelux Chapter members to stay engaged or become more involved within the Chapter. There are a series of networking events at major shows like IMEX, IBTM, and the ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Congress. A great way to collaborate with members is to visit or host the Annual Chapter Meeting. By the way, the call to host the France Benelux Annual Chapter meeting is open, and we are looking forward to candidates.
What strategies do you have in mind to attract new members to the France/Benelux chapter?
First of all, we are planning to meet up with every current member during the upcoming events. It’s important for us to hear and understand what our Chapter members want and expect. Our next goal will be to engage all the France Benelux Chapter members during an ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Chapter get-together. Finally, we also hope to meet new potential members. We will enthusiastically share our experiences, advantages, and the relevance of being part of France Benelux Chapter.
On a more personal note, what motivates you to volunteer in your role as a Chapter leader for ºìÌÒÊÓƵ? What fuels your dedication to this position?
INGE: I owe my personal growth within the industry to being an active member of the Educational Committee of the France Benelux Chapter. Five years ago, I applied for the Committee because I’m a constant learner who likes to share ideas and connect with others. I have learned so much from my colleagues, and we have become a real family.
It is a real pleasure to work with all these passionate people and create ideas together. I like to see my Chapter as my home base. These are the people that I’ve known the longest and where I feel at home, no matter where we are in the world. It is a wonderful feeling to know that your work and efforts are appreciated by many. Therefore, I decided that it was time to step up and take my place in the driver’s seat of our Chapter. A new adventure that I’m looking forward to embarking on with great ambition, enthusiasm, and passion. I see it as a great honor to represent my Chapter and contribute to the growth of all the members by encouraging the sharing of experience and knowledge.
LINA: I joined ºìÌÒÊÓƵ ten years ago when the newly created Lviv Convention Bureau was established. Starting from my first ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Congress in Turkey in 2014, I felt that the meetings industry was truly my industry. Since then, I have been an active member of the Central European Chapter, and in 2017, Lviv hosted the Annual Central European Chapter Meeting. It was a memorable meeting, with most of the delegates visiting Ukraine for the first time. Besides, I was personally inspired by the leadership of Anna Gorska and Jutta Heinrich, the chairpersons of the Central European Chapter at the time.
When I joined the Luxembourg Convention Bureau, I discovered the France Benelux Chapter more closely. It also has a great pool of meetings professionals and some destination leaders. So, on one side, being a Chairperson of the France Benelux Chapter is a great networking opportunity, and on the other side, it’s my contribution to volunteer for the community to which I owe my professional growth. All the previous leaders of the France Benelux Chapter, together with the Educational Committee, laid a great foundation to have the Chapter well established, and I am excited to have a chance to lead it further.
