PREDSEDOVANJE EU 2008 EU Presidency 2008 PREDSTAVITEV ...

Column: Matjaž Kek
Who needs who?
The offer of professional
meeting facilities has
changed over the years
and the scope and nature
of the co-operation of
state administration
bodies with the providers
of such services has
changed with it.
When talking of the meeting services offer, I refer to complete services
such as those required, as a rule, for the execution of an international
event, encompassing everything from transport and guest
accommodation through to catering and the cultural programme
(of course, including all the organisational and technological potential
required for a successfully implemented event). In terms of events
prepared by state bodies, I can mention large international events from
my own personal experience where I’ve participated in the preparation
of press centres and events to mark state holidays.
Only three organisations in the ‘meetings business’ were involved in
such things directly following Slovenia's independence. In the first half
of the 1990s, meeting activities were adopted with the conviction and
philosophy that foreigners should ‘experience’ Slovenia as directly
as possible – in Slovenia! As it was for those responsible for the
‘promotion of the country and provinces’. Thus, we supported the
acquisition of international conferences, with professional service
providers and expert associations, both financially and through
promotional materials.
Our experience in organising such events was basically nil and we
learned both the ‘craft’ and how to co-operate with external
contractors from service providers.
Matters on both sides have changed considerably since then.
The number of specialised providers’ organisations has grown
considerably, as well as the new types of services these organisations
offer. We now have several types of promoters and national service
co-ordinators, and even the first business exchange. We’ve also
fortified our ranks in the state administration, with new offices and
departments involved in public relations and, within this scope, also
event organisation. Quite a number of ministries and offices also
possess protocol departments. Of course, we are also preparing for
many more events following Slovenia's entry into the EU, including
more international events, especially during Slovenia's EU Presidency.
What are the factors, on both sides, that affect the scope and quality
of our co-operation?
Our experience with providers – in the projects I have participated in –
has been good in essence. This was especially true at the beginning,
where we did not possess adequate knowledge or skills. This was also
because providers wanted to ensure long-term co-operation and
invested more of their creativity into the design and execution of an
event. We also encountered fewer problems in following public tender
rules, which are now more complex and demanding.
However, I can also list a few bad experiences, especially where the
provider also offered agency services to the event ‘venue’ and, with
regard to larger international events, did not realise the complexity
of the project, failing to assess initially that it would require numerous
external sub-contractors, ultimately leading to delays in execution.
These days, some type of services from providers are encouraged
(which is, as a rule, characteristic of the entire service industry),
promising realisation of all a potential subscriber’s possible wishes.
In short, this fails to observe the restricting factor of available time and
money, which sometimes prevents the execution of a ‘dream’ project.
One of the characteristics of providers who succeed in developing good
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