Types of Attendees

The MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and MEEC (Meetings, Expositions, Events, and Conventions) industries cater to a diverse array of participants. Each plays a unique role within the ecosystem of an event. Understanding the different types of attendees and their purposes is crucial for tailoring experiences and measuring the success of an event.

Attendees are the broadest category. This encompasses everyone present at an event. They are the lifeblood of most MICE and MEEC events. According to a report by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), attendees are the primary drivers of the economic impact of events, with business events alone contributing more than $1.6 trillion to the global economy annually (as cited in Russell, 2023).

Delegates are a subset of attendees who actively participate in the event’s core activities. They engage with exhibits, attend meetings, or contribute to conferences at a minimum. Delegates are often industry professionals, academics, or corporate representatives. For example, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) statistics (n.d.) show that more than 24,000 international association meetings take place globally, drawing millions of delegates from various sectors.

Exhibitors staff exhibit booths. These individuals showcase products or services for delegates. They are critical for the B2B (Business to Business) aspect of many MICE events, especially those where networking and business deals are paramount. As reported by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, there are approximately 32,000 exhibitions worldwide annually, and more than 4.5 million companies exhibit to a staggering 303 million visitors annually (UFI & Oxford Economics, 2019). Exhibitors invest in these events to reach new customers, launch products, or create brand awareness.

Media attendees have the unique role of amplifying the event’s messages beyond the confines of the venue. They report on the happenings, interview key players, and provide coverage that can significantly extend the event’s reach. For instance, major tech conferences like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas attract tens of thousands of media attendees (Velotta, 2024). This can result in widespread global coverage across various platforms.

Speakers are often the drawcard for many conferences and events. They are experts in their field, thought leaders, or influencers whose presentations, panels, or workshops provide valuable insights and knowledge to delegates. Their sessions can be a significant factor in an attendee’s decision to participate in an event. The impact of speakers is highlighted by the fact that high-profile keynote presentations often see spikes in registration, as indicated by industry insights.

Companions accompany primary attendees and can indirectly influence the event’s atmosphere and experience. While not primary participants, they often engage in parallel tourism activities, contributing to the local economy. For instance, during large-scale events like the Olympics, companions can significantly boost the hospitality and tourism sector’s revenue. According to UN Tourism, major events and conferences can result in a substantial increase in the host city’s or country’s tourism income (UN Tourism, 2024; World Travel & Tourism Council, 2024).

To understand the diverse needs and motivations of these attendee types, event planners must consider various factors. Delegates, for instance, require a robust agenda with opportunities for learning and networking. They are the core attendees for whom the content of the conference or meeting is directly relevant. Their engagement can be measured by their participation in sessions, interaction with exhibitors, and contribution to discussions. The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (2023), better known as UFI, reports that delegates account for a significant portion of the total attendance at exhibitions, often seeking out new technologies, partnerships, and education opportunities.

Exhibitors, on the other hand, measure their return on investment through leads generated, deals closed, and relationships built (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, 2023). This train of thought should lead someone to recognize that the success of an event from an exhibitor’s perspective is linked to the quality and quantity of delegate traffic. This is a primary reason why event planners must effectively market to and attract the right delegate profile.

Media attendees, while not participating in the event’s core activities, can play a vital role. These attendees are crucial for amplifying the reach of an event. Their primary role is to report on the happenings, announcements, and atmosphere of the event to a broader audience. The media’s presence at events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, which is covered by journalists from over 70 countries, helps disseminate the discussions and insights generated to a global audience. This can shape public discourse.

Each type of attendee contributes to the dynamic environment of a MICE/MEEC event. The value of understanding these roles is not just in numbers but in recognizing the diverse objectives and expectations each attendee type brings to an event. This understanding enables event planners to tailor experiences, allocate resources effectively, and ensure that each participant type finds value in the event.

For instance, recognizing that delegates are the mainstay of any conference, event organizers may design interactive sessions or use apps to enhance engagement and knowledge sharing, as seen in the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) conference in Austin, Texas, which integrates interactive technologies to encourage delegate participation.

Furthermore, exhibitors are often the financial backbone of trade shows and exhibitions. Events like the Frankfurt Book Fair, which hosted over 7,300 exhibitors from more than 100 countries pre-COVID (Frankfurter Buchmesse, 2018). Large-scale events are often planned 4 to 7 years in advance. The effects of COVID will thus likely be felt for a few more years still. Thus, while this example demonstrates the need for planning around exhibit space, logistics, and attendee flow to ensure that exhibitors can maximize their ROI from the event, it should also be noted that even the best-planned events can be up-ended by something such as COVID.

In terms of media, events such as the Olympic Games further illustrate their significance. The Games attract tens of millions of attendees and participants, i.e., those watching the Games on television (Richter, 2020; Stoll, 2023). Planners need to prepare for those streaming content or watching on television as well.

Location Origination of Attendees

Understanding the origin of attendees at MICE and major events (MEEC) is crucial for event success and maximizing the return on investment and planning in general. Event organizers can differentiate five tiers of attendees based on distance traveled (PCMA, 2015):

• International – 15% or more of attendees originate from abroad
• National – 40% or more attendees originate from at least 400 miles away
• Regional – 60% or more attendees originate from within a 400 mile radius
• State – 80% or more of the attendees reside in the state where the event takes place
• Local – 80% or more of the attendees reside within a 50 mile radius of the event’s location

An event is called an international one when attendees originating from outside the host country comprise 15% or more of the guest list. Hosting international attendees requires provisions for visas, travel guidance, currency exchange services, and other considerations to facilitate smooth attendance. Professionals for such events need to be prepared for their international clientele.

When 40% or more of attendees travel from over 400 miles away, yet international attendees remain at 15% or less of the total attendees, then it is called a national event. These domestic travelers spend multiple nights lodging near the event venue and generate robust tourism spending for the host destination. Providing a broad network of hotel and transportation partners is key to serving geographically dispersed national attendees.

An event is referred to as being regional when 60% or more of attendees reside within 400 miles of the event site. Nearby metropolitan hubs feed many large events of this kind. Besides direct spending, regional attendees offer hosting destinations valuable exposure and economic activity. For example, SXSW is a regional conference that takes place annually in Austin, TX. Attendees of the 2023 SXSW conference spent approximately $380 million dollars in Austin (Thompson, 2023). Promoting tourist opportunities in the surrounding areas caters to these regional visitors as well.

An event is called a state event when 80% or more of attendees reside within the host location’s state (or in Canada from within the province). State attendees traveling from within the event have a built in state brand recognition and community. There are numerous examples at varying sizes. A majority of attendees at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) are Texas residents, with attendees originating primarily (in this order) from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin (Girtman, 2023). Yet, even a festival that attracts those from within the state drive tourism to a destination such as ACL’s host city of Austin. Showcasing other premiere cultural sites and attractions across the state keeps related spending recirculating locally.

Local attendees account for 80% or more of participants for certain events. Such events typically have the lowest economic impact. Yet, economic impact is not the only metric for an event. Local events supply crucial community engagement (Walo et al., 1996). Local attendees provide grassroots publicity and help cement an event’s legacy as a community mainstay into the future even though they are not necessarily contributing extensively out-of-town tourism dollars.

In summary, understanding the origin of guests allows strategic planning around visas and travel, targeted marketing of destination appeals, right-sizing of hotel room blocks, optimal surfacing of regional sights, calibrated budget for transportation, and tailored attendee experience to amplify spending. Getting the right mix of tiers and data on their respective needs lays the foundation for success.