Back in September, we joined 135 people from 44 destinations from across the British isles and parts of western Europe by gracing the red carpets of Bristol for the Simpleview EMEA Summit 2024. A UNESCO City of Film, Bristol was a fitting destination for this year’s Summit where the theme focused on the rise of ‘set jetting’ - the desire to step into scenes straight from the worlds of film and TV. Sarah Stride, Account Manager at Simpleview said:
In its second year, the Simpleview EMEA Summit in Bristol was a huge success – bringing together destination and MICE industry professionals from all over Europe. Summit is a fantastic way to network with other like minded individuals, sharing best practices and igniting inspiration amongst peers. It focuses on helping destinations get the most out of their Simpleview technology, discover innovative new ways of marketing and development, as well as the latest industry research and trends. We love this event and are already excited for Brighton 2025!
Here are our top takeaways for event professionals:
Setting the Scene
Through the cinema and television screen, we can experience new and exciting destinations.. Cambridge has a wealth of cinematic history that includes Academy Award winning films like The Theory of Everything and Chariots of Fire, as well as Red Joan and Sylvia to name just a few! All illustrate the beauty of the city and the potential experience attendees can expect. Just imagine if you’re in and around Cambridge, what stars of the big and small screen you may see! For inspiration, just look at who’s already been here.
Digital Development
At Meet Cambridge, we’re always looking for new ways to support event professionals as they research destinations for their events, and the Summit provided us with the opportunity to learn more about how the latest technological developments will impact our industry. The topic of AI is everywhere this year, and it seems AI-powered tools are here to stay. However, the importance of human interaction remains strong. We discovered how AI can enhance event and destination marketing when used thoughtfully and responsibly.
Advancing Accessibility
Accessibility is a crucial issue in the events industry, and it was heartening to see it highlighted throughout the Summit. Just as events should be accessible to all, we must ensure that our websites are suitable for all users too. Speakers emphasised the need for clear and standardised information in order to make the process for those searching for information on accessibility easier to find. We are actively working on our own website to ensure we achieve this. The opportunity to discuss topics such as EDI and accessibility with other UK and international destinations is part of what made the Summit so special, and we welcome collaboration with other cities to further our shared goal of making our destinations more accessible.
These insights represent just a glimpse of the many sessions at the Simpleview EMEA Summit 2024 and we’re looking forward to implementing our learnings here at Meet Cambridge very soon.
Watch our film where Sarah and Anita discuss the benefits of using Simpleview. You can also read Simpleview's blog on their EMEA Summit here.