CHAPTER 1:

STRATEGIC EVENT MANAGEMENT

Understanding Event Industry

Objectives:

 Source and apply general information on the structure and operation of the event industry
 Define events in the light of how the term is now used in hospitality and tourism management
 Differentiate the types of events
 Understand what event management is and the nature of work in this profession
 Describe the scope of the event industry

Events and Event Management

Event - Commonly understood as an occurrence; something that happens

- A unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs

Definition of special event in two perspectives:

- One time or infrequently occurring event outside normal programs or activities of the
sponsoring or organizing body
- To the customer or guest, it is an opportunity for a leisure, social or cultural experience
outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience.

Characteristics of Event:

- Unique occurrence that do not happen very often

- Have a limited duration
- Happen with a live audience in attendance
- Require one or more groups to plan and organize
- Staged for a purpose

=Events are unique happenings that bring people together for a purpose

Event Management

- A function requiring public assembly for the purpose of celebration, education, marketing and
reunion
- The process that includes research, design, planning, coordinating and evaluation of events

Types of Event
 1. According to purpose

The C’s of event

a. Celebrate- Life cycle events, religious rituals, commemorative ceremony, socio-economic

events
b. Commune- reunion, hallmark events
c. Convene- meetings, conference, conventions
2. According to the number of participants
a. Few
b. Many
c. Multitude
3. According to frequency
a. Monthly
b. Quarterly
c. Semestral
d. Annual
4. According to magnitude of impact
a. Festival
b. Hallmark

Fields of specialization

Sub-Fields:

 Civic events
 Expositions
 Hallmark events
 Retail events
 Social-life cycle events
 Tourism
 Conventions
 Fairs and festival
 Meetings and conferences
 Reunions
 Sports events

The Event Industry

 Most event management companies trace their roots in the advertising and PR industries. The
hospitality business, tourism, exhibits and expositions and marketing.
 Many of those who focus on weddings and birthdays learned the business by planning their own
events first, gaining much experience from the trial that they gain confidence to pursue event
management as a profession
 The growing event industry also necessitated the need for some other industries to take stock of
their capabilities and expand their line of services to meet the demands of their clients
 Hotels and caterers have included event management in the training of their personnel and have
broadened their scope of work so as to assist clients from planning to staging of their event
 Some hotels have renamed their banquet department, events department or event
management
 Quick service restaurants are new looking at institutional and corporate events an additional
revenue stream
 Travel agents have repositioned themselves as a travel concierge-planning the client’s every step
and attending to every need he/she might have.