The success of any major tournament, and the reputation of the host city, is intrinsically linked to the safety of the venues. The UK is rightly seen as a beacon of excellence in sports grounds safety but it is true to say that this excellence has come at a heavy price: tragedies such as Hillsborough highlight how poor our sporting infrastructure and levels of safety management were.

Watching live sport is a thrilling experience and cities that are hosting major tournaments will want to be assured that the safety of all people within a venue is taken seriously. In this article we outline a strategic approach to safety and provide some detail on forthcoming guidance that will enable host cities to manage safety challenges in today’s world.

Strategic issues

Host cities should ensure, early in the development process, that they adopt an integrated approach to safety, security and service. What does this mean? It means that safety, security and customer services are recognised as interdependent and cannot be treated in isolation. Safety and security must never come at the cost of customer service.

Host cities will know that security and safety are critical factors; the attacks at the Stade de France in Paris, in November 2015 showed that major sporting venues and infrastructure are a target for terrorist activity. Furthermore, the 2017 attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, in which twenty-two were killed, demonstrated that whilst there is often vigilance and attention given to crowds entering a venue, there is often less attention paid on exit.

But what does customer service mean? It means ensuring that the experience of the visitor is also a priority and that safety and security do not come at the cost of a poor experience. Communicating effectively with spectators, for example on search regimes, will assist host cities to avoid crowd agitation.

One of the reasons that the London 2012 Olympics were so successful off the field was the presence of the volunteer ‘Games makers’ who were there to signpost and guide spectators around the Olympic Park and venue: a great example of an integrated approach.

Practical advice

The principles of an integrated approach are firmly embedded within the newly released 6^th edition of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds. The Guide is used across the world by architects, stadium owners, host cities and venue managers to help design and refurbish stadium and operate major events in line with international best practice.

The Guide reflects today’s challenges. As examples of what is new compared to the previous 5^th edition published in 2008, is guidance not only on evacuation in the event of an issue within the stadium, but also the principle of “exceptional egress” which may arise as a consequence of an external stimulus and may indeed involve internal movement or “invacuation” The full impact on the psychology of a large crowd in response to being held within a stadium is not yet known but we provide practical steps to take as this area continues to develop.

It also addresses the external factors that create interactions between the stadium, the spectators and the immediate environment, including local transport hubs (‘Zone Ex’). These external factors will be important for stadium owners and operators to consider as part of their overall event management strategy and integrated approach to safety.

In our work across the world advising on strategic safety challenges we often see stadiums that are built to a good standard, but deaths and serious injuries occur due to failings in safety management. It is hard to overestimate just what a positive impact a more strategic approach to safety management can have.

In summary, the safest venue is an empty venue, but nobody wants to see that. Adopting an integrated approach means not just recognising the skills and expertise from different parties in managing an event safely and being clear on the roles and responsibilities of each party, but in ensuring that each agency dovetails to provide a strategic approach to safety.

Further details on an integrated approach can be obtained via the Council of Europe. The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), as the world’s leading authority on sports grounds safety, are standing members of the committee. We advise governments, host cities, tournament committees and venues on best practice in venue safety management.

Opening the 2-day Host City 2018 conference, Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, reflected on the busy year it has been for the global events and festivals sector as well as looking at the opportunities and challenges facing the industry going forward.

He said: “The last 12 months has seen a packed calendar of major events across the world, kicking off with the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, followed by the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, the FIFA World Cup in Russia and most recently the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

“It has also been pretty historic year for Scotland. We saw the opening of V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first ever dedicated design museum and the only other V&A museum anywhere in the world outside of London.

“We’ve also had our first themed year dedicated entirely to Scotland’s young people off the back of our bid to host the Youth Olympics that were recently held in Buenos Aires. As a legacy of that bid, and by putting our young people at the heart of Scottish society, the themed year has been one of the most successful things we’ve done.

“And one of the shining lights of the year was the inaugural European Championships with co-hosts Berlin. Those 11 days in Glasgow and Berlin were quite spectacular. There were many doubters and many doomsayers but it reached an estimated audience of 1.03 billion viewers and its success has created real momentum for the future that international federations need to look at.

“As a new event we didn’t have a manual on how the Championships should be delivered, giving us the opportunity to be innovative and find new ways of working. And while there were undoubtedly some challenges as we navigated our way down this new path with our co-host and the seven sports federations, overall the sector really responded, creating a delivery model that has caused real disruption within the events market.”

It is this delivery model that Paul believes we will see more of in the future.

“Already we’ve seen the 2026 FIFA World Cup awarded to the Unites States, Canada and Mexico as part of a joint bid and in 2020 the UEFA EURO 2020 will be hosted by 12 countries.

“In line with Agenda 2020, I think the International Olympic Committee need to be brave and give the Games to two or three countries. For me, it is the only way it will be sustainable in the future by spreading the benefit but also spreading and mitigating the risk.”

“Co-hosting across cities, regions or countries is an important trend for the future. It allows for more sustainable impact by using existing infrastructure as well as developing those social and cultural benefits across a much greater geographical area.

As well as new delivery models, technology was another area Paul believes will continue to have a big impact on major events in the future.

“Digital integration will also play a big part in the future of how major events are presented. We need to think how technology plays a part not only for the audience sitting in the stadium or concert hall but sitting at home whether that’s down the road from the venue or in a living room on the other side of the world.

“From augmented reality, live streaming to the availability of real-time data, all these tools are now at our fingertips to enhance the fan experience and drive greater engagement with an event.

“We’ve also seen the evolution of new events thanks to technology. The growth in esports and with it major live esport events, represents a massive opportunity for the sector. With an estimated 130 million competitive gamers who watch games online, and the huge growth market of esports, the alignment between traditional major events alongside an esport equivalent is massive.”

While it is an exciting time to be involved in the events and festivals industry, Paul strongly believes the sector still has more to do to ensure it articulates the short and long term legacy benefits if we are to continue to have meaningful impact.

“I know I said this at last year’s conference but I still believe we have a lot of work to do to truly showcase the impact hosting major events can have on a city and a country to our politicians.

“As an industry we can create impact across global governments like no other sector can. It is about ensuring a 360-degree holistic model approach to the planning and delivery of events, ensuring they are that are enshrined in policy whether its health, education, transport or sustainability. It is quite a change in mind-set moving forward.”

Concluding his opening remarks, Paul took a moment to remember two titans of the international sporting world – Mike Lee OBE and Patrick Baumann.

He said: “Their recent passing has come as a great shock to everyone. Over their careers they both made huge contributions towards the Olympic movement and they will be greatly missed.”

Host City is Europe’s largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, attracting a large number of senior representatives of cities and destinations from around the world, who are interested in sharing strategic and sustainable approaches to hosting the world’s greatest sports, cultural, business, science and entertainment events.

[Source: EventScotland]

In a keynote address, International Olympic Committee Vice President Prof. Dr. Ugur Erdener said:

“We – the rights holders, hosts organisers, International Federations and all stakeholders –all have to respond to and meet the new needs of the changing world. We must re-evaluate the content and formats of our major events to ensure that they are engaging and beneficial for future generations.

“As long as measures are taken to ensure their sustainability through creating greater value for hosts and partners alike, and by cooperating and collaborating with the hosts throughout the planning and delivery of the event, aligning with government policies to deliver long-term transformational change within society, the future of major events will continue to be a positive one.”

In his welcome address, Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland said:

“Looking ahead, I believe there are three key areas that will have an influence on the future of major events. Co-hosting events across cities, regions or countries is an important trend for the future as it will allow for more sustainable impact by using existing infrastructure as well as developing those social and cultural benefits across a much greater geographical area.

“Digital integration will also play a big part in the future of how major events are presented. From augmented reality, live streaming to the availability of real-time data, all these tools are now at our fingertips to enhance the fan experience and drive greater engagement with an event.

“And finally, it will be about ensuring a 360-degree holistic model approach to the planning and delivery of events, ensuring they are enshrined in policy whether it be health, education, transport or sustainability.”

Speaking on the opening panel, Ansley O’Neal, Olympic Programme Commission Manager, International Olympic Committee said:

“One of the exciting things we are looking at in terms of how we put together the sports programme is not just the urbanization of sports, not just the way in which sports are delivered in the future, but how you continue to appeal to an audience all over the world when sports are becoming more topically relevant within different regions.

“We as a property are looking at a broader content perspective – really trying to drive what’s happening on the field but also outside the venues.”

Alban Dechelotte, Head of Sponsorships & Business Development EU Esport, Riot Games said: “We are the new kids on the block, the future is now for us. We are young, digital and international. 85 percent of our audience is below the age of 25.

“We are building the same governance as every federation; the only difference is that we own the sports, the leagues and the broadcast. For us the future is to go deeper, not broader; instead of trying to go global we go local; instead of trying to be agile we are trying to build the governance that will lead us for decades.”

Dimitri Kerkentzes, Deputy Secretary General, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) said:

 “The future for the Expo is really a question of being able to communicate the reasons why we want to have these events in these cities.

These are presence-based events – the only way to really experience it is to be present. That means a lot of infrastructure needs to be put in place, and we need to communicate to citizens why we are doing this. Are we just using the expo to catalyse it or are we seeing it as a benefit for the future of the region?”

Jon Dutton, Chief Executive, Rugby League World Cup 2021 said:

“The way we consume sport and entertainment is changing, therefore we have changed as organisers. We will stage our first ever Esports event during the World Cup to engage with Generation Z and millennials who wouldn’t normally engage with our tournament.

“Alongside the men’s competition we’ll run the women’s world cup, the wheelchair world cup and a masters tournament. And we will have a big cultural programme.  We are going to deliver all this at a time when the world is changing in front of our eyes.”

Dr. Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life said:

“Events, important in their own right, also have to be milestones in terms of the wider health, education, culture, sport agenda. Linking an event to other policies is a no-brainer – it helps the public understand why you are doing it."

Neil Carney, Project Director for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham City Council said:

“When we look to the future, it’s about a sense of partnership between organising committees, rights holders, host cities and suppliers. They are all competing with one another, so how do we create a safe space for those natural tensions? Events like this really do help with that – there are no other forums where we can have these conversations.”

David de Behr, Head of Sales Major Events, Aggreko Event Services said:

“Our role is to give federations and associations an alternative, to maybe change the concept. The ones which are in trouble are the multi-sports events. We have a lot of solutions to make them more sustainable, but we need to be part of the vision.”

Other speakers included top level representatives of Formula 1, National Olympic Committees, European Olympic Committees, Auckland, Victoria, UEFA, OECD, Eurovision Song Contest, GL events, AFL Architects, EBU, Cirque du Soleil, Coventry City Council, DF Concerts & Events, Rotterdam Ahoy, European Arenas Association, International SAMBO Federation, Nitro Circus, Red Bull Air Race, FIBA, UK Sport, World Archery, innsbruck-tirol sports, International Association of Event Hosts, London & Partners, Brno City and many more.

(Los Angeles, CA USA)  Following a packed September, which saw the debuts of both the You Got This world tour as well as the Nitro Rallycross competition, Nitro Circus is getting ready to heat up European arenas this winter. Now, with You Got This coming to Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on 21 November, Nitro Circus President Andy Edwards and other company executives will appear at Host City 2018 to detail the youth entertainment brand’s transformative year and its exciting plans for 2019.

To close out the event in high-adrenaline style, Nitro Circus and Host City invite conference attendees to the 21 November You Got This show at the SSE Hydro, as well as take a behind-the-scenes look at the stunt spectacular reviewers are calling, “a must see.” Meet action sports icon and Nitro Circus co-founder Travis Pastrana as well as other Nitro Circus stars. The VIP tour begins at 6:00 PM with the show starting at 7:30 PM.  For more information and to RSVP go here (deadline to RSVP is Monday 19, November) 

With the all-new You Got This tour, Travis Pastrana debuts as executive producer for the greatest, craziest, funniest show in Nitro Circus history. You Got This features multiple X Games medalists and several Nitro World Games champions attempting never before seen feats on a huge stage set. The new 17-metre tall Giganta ramp, incorporating a takeoff kicker that is three metres taller than anything Nitro Circus has toured before, launches BMX, Skate and Scooter athletes five stories into the air. “The tricks are getting out of hand,” Travis Pastrana reports. “The guys are throwing like nothing on this new ramp!”

Pastrana himself also leads an all-star roster of Freestyle Motocross riders who send it with jaw-dropping new tricks, and both sides will battle it out in FMX and Giganta competitions, both for prize money and - even more importantly - bragging rights. Look out for new crazy contraptions, too; who thought that a jet ski should fly? Without a doubt You Got This is totally wide open, with more thrills, more excitement and more irreverence than ever before. For a preview of the thrills Nitro Circus: You Got This has in store for Glasgow fans, go here.

For more Nitro Circus news, including tour updates, exclusive behind-the-scenes content and more, go to http://www.nitrocircus.com and follow Nitro Circus on Instagram and Facebook.

About Nitro Circus:

Nitro Circus, the world’s biggest action sports entertainment brand, creates electrifying live events and unbelievable original content that at once exhilarates, captivates and inspires thrill-seeking fans worldwide.  Co-founded by global superstar Travis Pastrana in 2003, Nitro Circus has since grown into a multiplatform phenomenon producing hit television shows, critically acclaimed documentaries and innovative digital offerings. That success gave rise to the Nitro Circus Live tour. Created in 2010, Nitro Circus Live has travelled the globe, playing to sold-out stadiums on five continents. The company introduced an innovative breakthrough in 2016 with the debut of Nitro World Games, completely rebooting action sports competition in the process. With over three million tickets sold to date, television programming that has aired in over 60 countries, more than 20 million engaged fans across its social media platforms and a burgeoning consumer products business, Nitro Circus is at the forefront of action sports and entertainment. For more information visit www.nitrocircus.com.

About Host City:

Host City Conference & Exhibition evolved from the network that grew out of the HOST City magazine, which is read by event owners, organising committees, cities and suppliers worldwide in their quest to host successful major sports, business and cultural events. It became clear that there was a need for an event that brings Cities, Rights Holders and Suppliers together to learn from each other's experiences of hosting sports, business and cultural events.

The inaugural Host City conference took place in London in 2014. A year later the event had doubled in size and grown to incorporate an Exhibition alongside the conference programme. The 2015 event was hailed as a big success and gained the support of leading industry figures across the board, including organisations such as the International Olympic Committee, the Commonwealth Games Federation, FIFA, International Federations, Capitals of Culture and World Expos.

2018 sees Host City returning to Glasgow for another year of growth where we will be welcoming attendees from cities and destination marketing organisations, cross-sector rights holders and suppliers from across the world. Host City is a Cavendish Group brand.

Register for Host City 2018 here to qualify for your VIP Nitro Circus experience. 

About the Cavendish Group:

A business publisher and meeting/events organiser with special focus on the emerging BRIC markets. Cavendish Group is a European business publisher and conference organiser with a focus on delivering business information to the fast-growing and emerging markets.

Global youth entertainment brand Nitro Circus first rose to prominence fifteen years ago thanks to the unbelievably outrageous stunts Travis Pastrana and team captured on film from their home studio. Originally intended for DVD and then for television, it was only a matter of time before Nitro Circus’ must-see content went viral as the internet developed into a multimedia platform. With Travis and friends pushing the limits in the name of fun and adventure, fans inspired by their jaw-dropping exploits quickly began to spread the word about these daring feats on the newly interconnected digital networks coming online at the time.

Then after the Nitro Circus live show debuted in 2010 the phenomenon exploded globally as fans could now post photos and videos of their heroes in person, sharing their first-hand experiences worldwide. Nitro Circus’ Facebook Followers soon numbered in the millions as the tour rolled on across Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and Africa. Currently over 20 million strong, this global community of engaged fans has established Nitro Circus as leaders in the digital space.

Now, as linear television rapidly converges with digital media, Nitro Circus is perfectly positioned at the forefront of this multiplatform, multiscreen future.

Nitro Circus took a bold step forward in this direction during the 2017 Nitro World Games: by innovatively pairing the live network TV broadcast of the action sports competition with a global Facebook livestream, fans everywhere could witness the game-changing world’s firsts on display from Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, all in real time and on any device (Facebook had shown the event overseas the year prior, but this was the first time that the livestream was available worldwide).

Fast-forward to the present day, with Nitro World Games expanding and announcing new disciplines held in multiple locations across the planet, and this global reach only continues to grow. Highlights from the recent FMX Best Trick contest alone have gone viral on Facebook, exceeding over two million views to date. So far, Nitro World Games 2018 has generated over 10 million views across six live broadcasts of contests held in Utah and Southern California with more than 44 million impressions in total. Viewership truly spans the globe, with content translated into five different languages. Now, having just announced a partnership with the UK’s Scootfest freestyle scooter festival and with more details about other Nitro World Games events still to come, look for these figures to continue to grow exponentially over the course of the year.

Beyond action sports competition, Nitro Circus Media Productions has created a diverse slate of compelling original content. After co-producing the record-breaking “Evel Live” TV special with HISTORY, Travis Pastrana’s tribute to Evel Knievel was later simultaneously broadcast and livestreamed in Brazil, South America’s largest media market.

Digital series such as “Off the Grid” and “Out and About with the Nitro Circus Crew” showcase the exciting adventures Nitro Circus athletes get into – everything from swimming with sharks in the waters outside South Africa to mountain biking through the badlands of Utah. Taking it a step further, by teaming with partners such as Whistle Sports and Junkin Media, Nitro Circus can maximize its extensive library and find new opportunities for growth and exposure.

From its inception, Nitro Circus has strived to break boundaries and redefine what is possible. With media consumption continuing to evolve, particularly among Millennials, look for the Nitro team to stay on the cutting edge by creating more groundbreaking events and engaging content.

Andy Edwards, President of Nitro Circus is speaking at Host City 2018 on the subject of "Integrated Content Offerings: Connecting audiences, host cities and content through major events"

Host City: The theme of Host City 2018 is “The Future of Major Events”. What do you think will be the single most important concern for event hosts and organisers in the next five to ten years?

Paul Bush: I believe the single most important concern for event hosts and organisers in the next five to ten years will be how major events contribute to government policy and help bring about long-term transformational change within society beyond just having an economic impact.

No longer can we hold events for events’ sake. They need to reflect the priorities of the wider community and ensure the benefit is felt across the board, not just amongst those immediately connected with the event.

It is about ensuring a 360-degree approach to the planning and delivery of events to ensure policy drivers such as health, education, transport and sustainability are reflected in the event’s overall aims and objectives.  

By taking this approach, it will in turn filter down into other key areas that will impact events going forward, including the integrity of the event, security and the role of technology in the viewing and delivery of events.

Host City: How are geopolitical trends and concerns over event governance impacting the distribution of future major events? Where in the world will future investment be strongest? What impact might Brexit have?

Paul Bush: As major events are often bid for and awarded years in advance, considerations of the ever-evolving geopolitical trends and event governance are part of the event planning and delivery process. It’s too early to say what the full impact of Brexit will be but as a global industry, events are well placed to respond to the changes that are likely to come given we are used to operating across national and international borders to deliver events, particularly around major sporting events.

Like everything, the funding landscape is also changing, with sponsorship and grants no longer simply about name rights and brand awareness. Therefore in the future, investment will be strongest where bids can successfully articulate the benefit of events that reflect the values and ambitions of rights holders and sponsors while aligning with government policies to deliver long-term transformational change.

Host City: What can event owners, organisers and hosts do to ensure major events become more financially and environmentally sustainable? How can hosting events create happier, healthier citizens?

Paul Bush: Again I think this comes back to taking a 360 degree approach to the planning and delivery of events. Aligning with government policy, particularly around, health, transport and infrastructure, will ensure major events are more financially and environmentally sustainable as well as helping create happier, healthier citizens.

As a society I think we are more aware of the impact of our carbon footprint so we’re looking for events to reflect value for money by minimise their environmental impact. Take for example the recent European Championships. There was limited capital infrastructure costs because we used existing venues from the Commonwealth Games in 2014. The only new venue built for the Championships was the BMX track, which is the first and only world championships and Olympic standard BMX track in Scotland and only the second in the UK, ensuring a legacy for the sport of BMX in Scotland.

We also want events to leave a lasting personal legacy on our citizens, whether that’s through signposting to activities that can improve both mental and physical health or providing opportunities to gain new skills and experiences through volunteering. So major events now have an important role to play within society beyond just providing an amazing spectacle for people to enjoy.

Host City: What are current trends telling us about the kind of content and formats that will be in demand in the future?

Paul Bush: Current trends are telling us we need to think about content and formats in quite a different way than we previously have. The old broadcast model is increasing becoming outdated and needs to evolve to ensure we continue to engage with fans. Fans want content that is personalised and accessible to them through a range of devices and mediums.

From an event delivery perspective, part of this trend means embracing and experimenting with new platforms – whether that be streaming live events, augmented reality or widening the fan engagement, on the platforms they are already using.

At the root, it is about moving away from thinking about digital as a channel and more as something that is core to the way we manage and run events.

Host City: What are your expectations of Host City 2018 and why should people attend?

Paul Bush: It is great to have Host City 2018 back in Glasgow and Scotland for the fourth consecutive year. I’m once again looking forward to the high calibre of speakers and delegates Host City attracts. This year’s agenda continues to push the industry to delve into the issues we’re facing and having meaningful debate round them.

It is also a great opportunity to network with colleagues from across the sporting, cultural and business events sector in a relaxed and friendly setting. So if you haven’t registered already, I highly recommend you do so now.

As Chairman of Host City 2018, Paul Bush OBE will be delivering the opening keynote address and speaking on the panel “Populations, politics and popularity stakes”. Register your attendance here

Host City: What are the rights holders of major congresses looking for from host cities – what are the most important requirements?

Carola van der Hoeff: If you look across the whole world, bidding cities and countries are so different in terms of what they can offer.

The financial support they get from the city, province or country is an important issue.

The cost of the venue is an important aspect, also the price of general things like food and drink, and travel from the airport to the hotels to downtown.

We also look at safety, especially for our participants.

What is especially important for us is to make sure we have a member association in that country, to make sure we have a connection. Without a member association we will never go to that country.

Host City: That’s very similar to major sports and cultural events, where security and robust backing from the hosting authorities are both crucial.

Carola van der Hoeff: We also realise that in Europe there are some cities that can support financially, while there are others that just don’t have this in place. But that does not necessarily mean we will not decide to go there, because there may be other benefits.

For example, Amsterdam is very attractive for participants – it’s easy to reach. And we know that in Europe we have a higher number of participants – that’s based on historical data. So, it’s not just about finance, but it can play a big role.

Host City: What impact does hosting a major scientific congress have on the city?

Carola van der Hoeff: For the city, it’s like a business. Congress participants bring a lot of money, in terms of hotel stays and dinners.

We have 3,500 participants over four to five days in the city; so that gives a lot of exposure.

We also know that legacy is an important item for associations at the moment: what can we do for the city and the country in the specific sector that we are in, i.e. pharmacy.

We have our World Congress this year in Glasgow. If you look at Glasgow it’s important that local people understand what pharmacists can do for them – not only dispensing medicines but also providing advice.

Host City: How would you describe your experience of working with Glasgow as a host city?

Carola van der Hoeff: For the past couple of years, we have been working with the Glasgow Convention Bureau and the support they have been giving us exceeds all expectations.

Their expertise and professional way of working make it very easy to work in Glasgow and to organise our event.

Host City: How far ahead do you have host cities lined up after Glasgow 2018?

Carola van der Hoeff: We are just deciding now on the host for 2021 and about to open the bid process for 2022. We have a bid document that people can get form us.

But for us, it’s very important that if a city wants to bid for a congress they have to engage with our member organisation in their country. For example, for Glasgow we are working with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in the UK, in London.

Host City: Do you have any advice for destinations interested in bidding for 2022?

Carola van der Hoeff: The best advice is always to contact the national association to get a bit more knowledge about the congress and to discuss the requirements. Every congress has specific requirements; it’s important to get to know your client.

Host City: It sounds very much like it’s something that develops through dialogue, which is interesting because it’s the new approach that the IOC is taking for the Olympic Games; they are shaping their bidding process as an invitation and a conversation, rather than simply a submission of a bid document.

Carola van der Hoeff: Yes, for me that’s very important too. I think it’s a good way forward, because it is so important to know what the event is about and to be very clear about what you are bidding for.

Carola van der Hoeff is Chief Operating Officer and Congress Director at International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the global federation gathering 140 national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. She is responsible for overseeing the organisation's daily operations and enhancing internal processes to help the non-profit grow and fulfil its mission. Before joining FIP, she worked for more than 16 years as a Professional Congress Organiser.

The FIP World Congress 2018 takes place on 2 to 6 September in Glasgow. 

Carola van der Hoeff is speaking at Host City 2018, the largest meeting of sports, business and cultural events, on 20 to 21 November 2018, also in Glasgow.

The fifth Host City conference and exhibition, Host City 2018, takes place in Glasgow on 20 to 21 November.

The theme of Host City 2018, “The Future of Major Events” was announced and discussed at SportAccord 2018 by Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland and Sir Craig Reedie CBE, IOC member and President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

In conversation with Ben Avison, Host City’s Editorial and Conference Director, the VIP speakers discussed what lies ahead for major events sector and gave a taste of items on the agenda for Host City 2018: the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

The discussion took place at Speakers Corner at 12:00 on Tuesday 17 April.

Looking ahead to the discussion, Paul Bush OBE, who leads EventScotland as part of his role as VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We’re at an interesting juncture in the hosting and delivery of major events. The rapidly changing way audiences are engaging with events through the advancements in technology as well as the social and economic impacts on the host country makes the future of major events a hot topic for discussion.

“Major events can create an impact like no other. Articulating their special DNA and how they can provide a 360-degree perspective across sport, culture, health, education and tourism is something I look forward to discussing with the industry during the Speakers Corner session and in great depth at this year’s Host City conference in Glasgow. By continuing to evolve and innovate, the future of major events will continue to be a positive one.”

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director said: “Host City always addresses the primary concerns of the major events hosting sector and this year’s theme, ‘The Future of Major Events’ is no exception.

“Across the world, demographics, economics and geopolitics are all changing in tandem with revolutions in technology that are transforming the landscape forever. Rights holders, hosts and organisers must all stay ahead of the game to ensure their major events are engaging and beneficial for future generations, and Host City conference and exhibition provides the ideal setting for this.”

After the VIP dialogue, attendees had the opportunity to share their thoughts and discuss how they can get involved in Host City 2018.

Host City speaker Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF) also looked ahead to Host City 2018, saying: "Stakeholders of major events all have the same goal to have highly successful events and consequently it is essential to connect and collaborate to fulfil these to the best extent. The platform offered by Host City assists to facilitate the process and also learn more about each other's diverse needs".

About Host City

Host City is the media and event of choice for cities, rights holders, organising committees and suppliers in their quest for best practice on hosting major events of all kinds.

First launched in 2003 as a bilingual magazine for the organisers of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Host City now serves all stakeholders in international sports, business, cultural and events through magazines, website, conferences and exhibition.

Now in its fourth year of growth, Host City conference and exhibition is firmly established as the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, renowned for the highest level of speakers, content and networking. Host City 2017 recorded its greatest participation more than 50 city representatives, 30 event owners, 20 organising committees, 15 media and two hundred delegates. Host City will be returning to Glasgow in November 2018 with a greatly increased exhibition.

The first Host City Asia event takes place in Beijing at the end of May 2018, bringing international event owners and Asian hosts together for high level discussion and networking.

Host City is the Official Event Development Partner of SportAccord 2018.

For more information contact ben.avison@hostcity.com (+44 7876 682072)

For information and industry news, visit www.hostcity.com

Follow Host City on Twitter @Host_City

EventScotland

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.

EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.

Host City, the world’s largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, took another major step forward this week, recording its greatest participation yet and with the announcement that the event will be returning to Glasgow in 2018 with a greatly increased exhibition.

More cities, event owners and organisers than ever joined the fourth Host City conference and exhibition in Glasgow to hear VIP speakers from international sports federations, cultural events, large scale congresses and mega event organising committees speak on the theme of “High Impact Events in the Current Climate”.

Attendees included more than 50 city representatives, 30 event owners, 20 organising committees, 15 media and two hundred delegates.

Around the two-day conference, Host City’s sponsors presented the event’s biggest exhibition yet, with a 500 square metre exhibition area filled with 10 large stands from organising committees, sports federations, architects and suppliers.

Host City 2017 was opened by the event’s Chairmen, Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland and Sir Craig Reedie CBE, IOC Member and President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Paul Bush OBE said: “It is great to see so many city representatives, event owners, organising committees and events practitioners in Glasgow for this fantastic conference. While it is an exciting time for the industry with all the technological advancements and the rise in social media allowing events and audiences to be more engaged, it is also a very challenging time. The current security climate, the transparency and governance around the bid process, as well doping and corruption in sport, are all adversely affecting the confidence the public has in bidding for and delivering of major events. This year’s Host City programme has provided the ideal opportunity to tackle these challenges head on and ensure we maintain public support for high impact events around the world.

“That said, I’m delighted Host City will be returning to Glasgow in 2018 and shows the continued positive impact hosting high impact events can have when you have a strong legacy plan in place to build on the success. The return of Host City for a fourth consecutive year is a real endorsement and clearly shows the legacy that’s been built from hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the work Glasgow has done to re-positioned itself as an events and tourism city.”

Sir Craig Reedie said: “Host City 2017’s debate on High Impact Events, with panels and discussions on practically every aspect – the size of the city, safety, technology, entertainment and others – is interesting in the extreme.

“When Host City comes back to Glasgow in 2018 we can expect even more interest and attendance than this year, which is this best attended yet.”

Participants in Host City 2017 included: Christophe Dubi, Olympic Games Executive Director, International Olympic Committee; Patrick Baumann, President, General Association of International Sports Federations; Sarah Lewis, Secretary General, Association of International Olympic Winter Federations; David Grevemberg CBE, Chief Executive, Commonwealth Games Federation; Hiromi Kawamura, Public Relations Secretary, Tokyo 2020; Jooho Kim, Executive Vice President of Games Planning and Operations, PyeongChang 2018; Alexandra Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Deputy Mayor of Budapest and senior figures from non-sports events including Cirque du Soleil and World Expos.

Conference Director Ben Avison said “We are delighted to be returning next November to Glasgow and Scotland, where Host City has developed so rapidly over the last three years. With the incredibly high standard of participation this year, we look forward to a great flourishing of the exhibition space in 2018 around this peerless, world class conference of cities and cross-sector events.”

For further information on the panel sessions and other world class speakers for Host City 2017, please visit: www.hostcity.com