The General Trends In Conference Travel Tourism Essay Example

for a reduction in air travel (Davidson and Cope, 2003).
Overall travel trends suggest that the business and conference travel industry could recover quickly, particularly in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, reflecting global travel patterns as a whole.

Concern travel in China increased by 8.5% in 2009, while there are some concerns about EU travel. However, the Americas are seeing a recovery in their markets (Visit Scotland, 2010). On average, business travelers spend over $3800 for their entire trip, with 64% traveling exclusively for business purposes. The travel industry's meetings and events sector may be affected by regional and national economic conditions, economic uncertainty, and internal management challenges (Visit Scotland, 2010). To reduce the need for actual travel, many companies are utilizing web, video, and teleconferencing facilities. The concern is that there may be a long-term reduction in business travel spending, although costs can be controlled by using value services.

Wootton and Stevens ( 1995 ) emphasized the importance of finding new sectors and sustainable markets in the tourism industry due to the decline of the seaside vacation market. According to a study on hotel based meetings and conferences, business meetings and conference tourism are now vital components of the travel industry, and their potential for growth should not be ignored. Oppermann et al ( 1997 ) suggested that attending meetings and conferences could be one of the largest segments in business travel, with over 1 million corporate meetings held annually and a total spending of US $75 billion by 85 million attendees. The proposed models examine the interactions and relationships between associations, host locations, and attendees, as well as the involvement of attendees in

decision-making processes regarding convention participation. The variables in these models are categorized into personal and business factors, association-related factors, conference-related factors, location factors, and intervention opportunities ( Oppermann et al, 1997 ).

Details of the Conference - Subject and Events

The conference being discussed here is the Safety 2010 World Conference held from September 21-24, 2010.

The purpose of the conference was to bring stakeholders together to discuss and exchange information and experiences on the topic of Safe and Equitable Communities (Safety2010). This subject was chosen because it is recognized that various types of harms are prevalent among impoverished communities within countries and across regions worldwide. The conference covered all aspects of harms and safety. The Safety 2010 World Conference (Safety2010) was attended by over 1000 delegates from 100 countries. The conference was organized by The Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, the Health Professional Council, Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Nursing, Events Northern, World Health Organization, Department of Education, and Department of Health. The Centre for Public Health (CPH) is both a WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention and the UK Focal Point for Violence and Injury Prevention to the WHO.

The CPH collaborates with a team of faculty members and WHO to facilitate the implementation of the public health campaign for injury prevention (Safety2010). They engage in research, dissemination of evidence-based practices, and capacity building. The CPH also partners with Eurosafe, a European injury cooperation, as well as various other European and international collaborations, with a specific focus on youth and alcohol-related violence. Notably, CPH is the primary stakeholder for this conference and collaborates with national and local health services, criminal justice agencies,

and other authorities. According to the CPH website, their goals are to conduct original research, develop and implement injury surveillance systems, evaluate interventions, disseminate evidence, and enhance capacity for injury prevention.

The Centre for Public Health (CPH) has vast experience in organizing conferences at different levels - regional, national, and international. One notable event organized by the CPH was the Safety 2010 conference. This global conference brought together stakeholders from all over the world to discuss and exchange information on preventing unintentional injuries and violence. The conference was a collaborative effort with Liverpool John Moores University's Centre for Public Health, which is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention. Additionally, it was co-sponsored by the World Health Organization. Supporting organizations included England's Department of Health, The Health Protection Agency, The Department for Transport, and the Department of Education. Safety2010 aimed to address connections between sectors like tourism and health, education and public administration by involving various organizations and disciplines.

The text discusses the examination of unwilled hurts and force, as well as their correlations with age, gender, and ethnicity. The conference focused on various scenes where these hurts could occur, such as home, work, sports, and leisure. The conference also explored environmental and sustainability factors related to these issues. Stakeholders and participants from various fields such as health, criminal justice, education, public administration, and industry were invited to the event. Their involvement played a significant role in Safety 2010 (Safety2010). While registered attendees and accredited delegates were admitted to the conference venue, there were no facilities available for the spouses of delegates and speakers or their families or children at the site. This may have been a

major concern.

Stakeholders including the Health Professional Council (HPC) emphasize connecting continuing professional development (CPD) with career goals and learning activities. The HPC defines CPD as a range of learning activities that healthcare professionals engage in throughout their career to ensure they maintain their ability to practice safely, effectively, and legally within their evolving scope of practice.

Professional development can take various approaches and directions, and there should not be any strict regulation on how healthcare professionals should learn. The Royal College of Physicians was a significant participant in the conference. They provided 20 CPD non-clinical credits for attending the Safety 2010 World Conference. The conference is also accredited by the Royal College of Nursing Accreditation Unit, with accreditation specifically focused on the educational content of the event.

Events Northern is a specialist event and conference management company that provides comprehensive services for all stages of event management in the healthcare sector. They offer services such as organizing, managing, marketing, administering, and producing events.

To handle delegate accommodation inquiries for their events, the Corporate Team at Events Northern utilizes an online booking service. The main sponsors for these events include prominent organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Education (DoE), Department of Transportation (DoT), EU Health Protection Agency, and FIA Foundation (Safety2010). The WHO plays a vital role within the United Nations by coordinating global health matters and establishing health research standards.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for establishing global health policies and agendas for governments, health departments, and social service organizations across the world. The WHO also develops evidence-based policy options and supports the monitoring and evaluation of health trends at

every societal level.

This conference is jointly sponsored by the Department of Health (DoH), which aims to improve health and well-being for all individuals. The DoH focuses on empowering elderly individuals to live independently and reducing disparities in health among different age groups and socioeconomic statuses. Additionally, the DoH strives to provide safe and effective high-quality healthcare and social services while enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their healthcare. The DoH also works towards delivering affordable, efficient, and sustainable services that contribute to the overall economy.

In the UK, the DoH primarily operates through the National Health Service (NHS), which offers comprehensive healthcare services throughout the country.

The Department of Transport was a stakeholder in the conference, providing transportation facilities for all participants. The EU Health Protection Agency, an independent UK organization established in 2003, aims to safeguard public health by addressing risks associated with healthcare, infectious diseases, and environmental hazards. In addition to advising and informing the general public, healthcare professionals, and government authorities, the agency also partners with the Department of Education to publish conference presentations. The FIA Foundation, a registered UK charity, manages and supports initiatives promoting road safety, environmental protection, and sustainable mobility. It also funds research on motor sports safety and advocates for global recognition of traffic injuries as a pressing issue requiring urgent preventive measures to avert death and injuries.

Their run is called Make Roads Safe, which is part of the Global Road Safety initiative. Another organization involved in this conference is the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network (RTIRN), which collaborates with over 400 individuals and organizations from 52 countries to study the impact and causes of road traffic injuries

and implement appropriate interventions, particularly in low and middle-income countries (Safety2010). The RTIRN aims to establish networking mechanisms and facilitate partnerships between researchers and organizations worldwide. The RTIRN has received support from the World Bank's Global Road Safety Facility grant and has conducted research and workshops on road safety issues. At the Safety 2010 World Conference, the RTIRN has provided scholarships to enable researchers from low and middle-income countries to attend.

Purpose and Role of Organizers and Stakeholders

The purpose and role of the organizers and stakeholders in the conference are diverse. Their motivations for participating in the conference primarily revolve around improving safety in route travel and general safety. Each stakeholder has their own specific focus in the conference. For example, the Department of Health (DoH) aims to promote a healthcare agenda that includes safety requirements. The FIA foundation takes a more comprehensive approach to safety by emphasizing environmental safety and sustainability. The Road Traffic Injuries Research Network focuses on providing scholarships for travel and research for conference delegates. The Royal College of Physicians and the Department of Education offer credits for attending the conference. The stakeholders have different approaches and motivations for participating, but they all have to adjust their agendas according to delegate requirements (Rogers, 2008).

The conference, organized and hosted by the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University (Safety2010), aimed to meet the needs of both organizers and participants. Accommodation options were available in nearby hotels or within the University premises, with assistance from Events Northern events management company and the University's corporate team. The University received grants from sponsors, including RTIRN, to support researchers

attending the event. Attendees could receive credits for attending the conference, with 20 credits awarded for full attendance provided by the Department of Education and the Royal College of Nursing. The agenda for the conference focused on road safety issues and was provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health, and Health Protection Agency.

The conference schedule was suitable for the WHO and DoH positions, as it focused on researching the RTIRN and Health Protection Agencies. The adjustment and travel agreement provided by the corporate squad and Department of Transport highlighted the organizers and stakeholders of the conference. To understand how air travel could affect or be affected by the general conference agreement and proceedings, it is important to study the intent and function of the various organizers and their ability to adapt to changing demands in the tourism industry, especially during economic recession (Swarbrooke & Horner, 2001). In an unfavorable economic climate, financial aid for conference attendees has been crucial due to high costs of air travel and hotel charges.

The RTIRN and the Centre for Public Health, along with the patrons, have provided fiscal support to participants and delegates in a challenging economic climate.

Recommendations

By offering reasoning comments and my own recommendations for the treatments, I can provide several insights into business travel and its association with conference travel. The economic crisis has significantly reduced the extent and frequency of business travel. In response, many businesses and universities have reduced conference travel by utilizing video conferencing and other methods to minimize travel (Swarbrooke and Horner, 2001). Despite this trend, this particular conference attracted over 1000 delegates from multiple countries and was held at the

Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University. Accommodations were provided in nearby hotels and within the University premises.

The text suggests that delegates should be given adjustments inside the University to reduce hotel costs. It is also recommended to increase scholarships and credits for engagement across all conferences, and provide incentives for researchers' participation and presentations. Recommendations for the conference venue are also proposed, with universities being considered appropriate for attracting students and faculty. With the sponsorship of organizations such as the WHO and the Department of Health, a large number of delegates can participate. Universities are advised to balance the needs of the conference organizer, conference topic, presenters, and speakers by evaluating the participants' needs through a pre-conference survey. Participants are encouraged to limit leisure extensions in order to reduce travel expenses. Additional recommendations include providing suitable accommodations and facilities, as well as incentives to participate in such programs.