Angela Guillemet is the executive director or INCON, a network of international professional congress organisers (PCO), whose members have had to adapt to a fast-changing business landscape at the cutting edge of the meetings industry. In this interview with AMI editor James Lancaster she reveals what they’re saying about the outlook for international association meetings. Are venues and suppliers still offering flexible terms – or are negotiations getting more difficult? How has the role of PCO changed during the pandemic? And what are the major challenges facing the profession right now?

3:45 ‘Attendees are being more purpose driven’

4:46 ‘The biggest challenge is to keep up the momentum’

6.25: ‘We have a job to do when it comes to recruitment’

7:14 ‘PCOs are moving from logistics to content curation and audience engagement’

10:0O ‘Hybrid is a bad investment if not done well.’

12:08 ‘Venues don’t seem to be as flexible with their terms now’

14:00 ‘Now is a good time for associations to explore new ways of doing things’

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