Millennials. They are the largest growing population in the workforce. A generation born in the early 1980s to mid-1990s, who is numerous in size and by 2025 will make up 75% of the world’s workforce. This means Millennials, or Generation Y, are now shaping the trends within the conference industry.
Experiencing the destination
Dr. Rob Davidson, a conference and business travel expert, has been studying how this generation has shaped the conference industry for the past 7 years. As opposed to preceding generations, Millennials want to use an event destination fully— they want to see it all— according to Davidson. “So simply spending their few days inside a conference centre, without going out and living in the destination is not enough,” says Davidson. “Generation Y wants to experience the event destination in its entirety.”
The perfect millennial destination
This generation is a large population who is well-travelled by the age of 25, many of who have already seen the major western European capitals like: London, Paris and Amsterdam. Consequently, this is a benefit for the event industry because Millennials are very open and excited to go to cities that are not your usual suspects. Davidson says this new city appeal creates an opportunity within the conference industry for a second-tier city, like The Hague.
The Destination, The Novelty, The Hague
The Hague is an event destination which offers Millennial attendees the appeal of a large metropolitan area, with easy access to multiple international airports, history, culture, Scheveningen beach — while remaining true to the authentic Dutch life. Millennials will have an opportunity to see the second largest UN city, the home of the Dutch Royal Family, the Parliament, Nobel-prize winning organisations and numerous international companies. The Hague offers this generation something new and exciting because, as Davidson puts it, this city has enormous novelty value as a conference destination. Making it an overall win for the city, the event and most importantly— the Millennials. For more insight about Millennials and the conference industry checkout Dr. Rob Davidson’s full interview: https://youtu.be/SsDnJaVI3n8
The Hague Convention Bureau
The ambition of The Hague Convention Bureau (THCB) is to host events which facilitate knowledge sharing, spark new business ideas and establish long-lasting partnerships. THCB supports event organisers with the planning and hosting of meetings and conferences in The Hague and makes sure that the event benefits from the city’s numerous opportunities.
More information about the services and support offered by THCB can be found on The Hague Convention Bureau’s website.
