Conference Matters 141

POSTILLION PANEL

Eric Bakermans Marketing Meetings & Conventions Director at NBTC

is one of the precursors in digital infrastruc ture. We’re also a leader in remote working, aka hybrid working. The Netherlands does well in e-commerce, cloud computing and big data. We also have the advantage that we’re a hub for Internet cables, which come from the United States to Europe over sea and land. But there are also more recent European studies and reports, such as the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index, which show that Nordic countries like Finland, Sweden and Denmark are ahead of the Netherlands in digital infrastructure. We must be careful not to fall behind because, lately, I’ve heard experts complain that there’s a delay when it comes to new developments, “I completely agree with the statement, and I would like to break it down into four parts: competitive advantage, innovation, acces sibility, and sustainability. If the Netherlands continues to invest in digital infrastructure, it will have a competitive advantage over other destinations that lack comparable options. And if you have a well-developed digital infrastructure, you can also develop innova tive technologies and implement them for a better conference experience, such as virtual and hybrid conferences. Becoming more accessible means having reliable Internet connections. In Europe, you can go online with your data bundle. If you can’t, then you need to rely on excellent Wi-Fi at the venue. Since many people have several devices with them nowadays, 5G is the stan dard, but it’s not optimised everywhere. Finally, sustainability needs to be linked to a

strong digital infrastructure. You can encou rage visitors to participate in virtual events and conferences instead of travelling to them. However, I do have a strong reservation because there’s a big difference between offering face-to-face content and online content. Online is much more than aiming a camera at the speaker and watching along. In any case, I believe that people will give the events they plan to attend in person more careful consideration. NBTC has developed a vision for meetings and conferences in the Netherlands that is in line with the four parts. We would like to find people who are able to develop an event that contributes to the Dutch knowledge eco nomy. The conference is not a goal in itself but a means to an end. We’re developing that further.”

Henk Volberda Professor of Strategy & Innovation at the Faculteit Economie en Bedrijfs kunde at the UvA, where he gives the Master's in Digital Business.

Organise your convention in the Limburg region with a focus on agriculture & food, logistics, manufacturing and tourism

“A good digital infrastructure is crucial for our business climate, including attracting and retaining companies in the Netherlands. If you broaden that, it’s also essential to attract international conferences. I’ve just returned from Geneva, where I attended the Growth Summit 2023 of the World Economic Forum. There’s clearly a rapid development in which today’s conferences are no longer just in person. Online and hybrid elements have become incredibly important, which is why conference locations must also ensure optimal digital connections and digital security. According to figures from the World Econo mic Forum (WEF) for 2020, the Netherlands

especially the transition to 5G, which is way too slow. Fast Internet is extremely important for our basic infrastructure and for getting the most out of digital technologies. Other coun tries are much more advanced than we are.”

WWW.VENLOCONVENTIONBUREAU.NL/EN

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