Close to 600 participants, 63 speakers, and over 100 professional partner seekers registered in the delegate database. The conference program of Rendezvény ReStart 2023 explored the continuous adaptation and development of the event sector to the ever-changing world, unfolding new opportunities arising from these changes. It was a great pleasure that the event was organized with the participation of our RaKÉTa scholarship recipients.
The events of the day are challenging to capture in just a few lines, so we won't attempt to do so. However, for those who were not present, we have summarized the key points to spark interest in next year's personal experiences.
After the foundation's welcome and the ministerial opening presentation introducing the tourism development goals, industry advocacy organizations shared their current objectives in a roundtable discussion in the plenary hall. The post-lunch sessions were divided into business, cultural, and sports sections for the attendees.
A few years ago, family-friendly workplace culture was a novelty; today, it's a natural expectation in almost every sector. The business panels opened discussions on work-life balance in the event industry. Subsequently, our panelists discussed the international representation of Hungarian services, venues, and attractions, as well as the conscious building of Hungary as a desirable business and leisure destination at Volt Lokál. Representatives from the creative industry shared their experiences about the possibilities and dangers of artificial intelligence often surpassing human performance. The prestigious and informal meeting points of various professions took center stage, promoting informal dialogue and networking. Communication and PR through events are one of the most direct tools, discussed by representatives from Hungarian communication agencies, preceding a mention of the upcoming Flash Award, connecting the event industry.
Our national pride, the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture program, and the current issues of cultural support were first presented in the NagyHalll. The export strategy of the Hungarian cultural scene is diverse, differing not only in artistic form but also in target market and resources. The panel discussed the challenges of visibility, the toolkit, and cultural and relationship capital that the sector can rely on. There is ongoing professional debate about the advantages and disadvantages of data-driven tourism. This year, the decision-makers expand the national regulations to cover musical and dance events. Experts in this room explored what industry players gain from continuous and regular data reporting and what they truly need. Our hosted events at MTPA have previously touched on festivalization and the changes resulting from this phenomenon. Rendezvény ReStart did not overlook this topic.
NFT photo exhibition in Seoul, Amrita Sher-Gil anniversary in Delhi, Hungarian poetry in New York's Central Park, Smart Hungary exhibition at Transylvanian Design Week – what forms do Hungarian cultural export products take around the world? The lecture by the former director of the Moscow Hungarian cultural institute, current head of the Cultural Diplomacy Strategic Department at the Ministry of Cultural and Innovation, covered the role and successes of the 26 foreign Hungarian cultural institutes operating in 24 countries worldwide before discussing the increasing trend of Hungarian cultural support seeking EU funds and seeking cross-border partnerships.
Soon, the world's eyes will be on us. In August 2023, we will host Hungary's largest sporting event to date, the World Athletics Championships. The multi-year preparatory work is currently underway, requiring meticulous organization down to the smallest details. The effects of such a global sporting event are expected to invigorate not only the sports scene but the entire tourism sector – global stars in the stadium, everyday heroes in the stands, and a spectacular battle in the streets of Budapest. The goal everywhere: to be the best. All of this will be reflected in almost every panel of the KisHall with a sports theme, while discussing the many tasks of the current accreditation year, including informing federations and sports leaders, designing and distributing uniforms, and protocol education or anti-doping briefings. Participants also learned about the details of the increasingly diverse gala genre in recent years, emphasizing the positive professional feedback and the psychological mechanisms behind the celebration of important results. Sustainability today is not just about renewable energy use, selective waste collection, and the use of recycled tools. Facility operators shared their experiences on complying with special protocols and their personal missions. Active tourism is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, including in Hungary, as a way of traveling and spending leisure time. The National Active Tourism Strategy, outlining the development directions of active tourism in Hungary until 2030, was presented as the document's creator outlined the key points. The professional day surrounded by the active attention of the participants concluded with an analysis of the expected tourism impact of the World Athletics Championships.
For industry stakeholders, the conference has become strategically significant since its founding in 2021. This year, the Akvárium Klub hosted the conference, where the MTPA defines its role as an industry catalyst. Its primary tasks include creating public awareness, increasing the ability to assert common interests, and exploring new collaborations. It is essential that industry players can meet decision-makers and government officials to coordinate their common interests. The program invited participants from the world of business events as well as representatives of cultural and sports events because the goal remains to bring together the event industry.
A selection of press releases from the conference can be read at the following links: Pénzcentrum, Miniszteri FB, ATV Reggeli Start+, M1 Híradó.hu
Thank you to everyone who attended!
We hope you gained many new acquaintances and knowledge! Special thanks to our partners and speakers, without whom the event could not have been successful.
