The Meetings Industry operates on a global scale, but is not a globalised business. Thousands of conferences and events are being booked and organised by professionals around the world every day. But unlike those multi-nationals for whom we ply (some of) our trade, there are very few in the industry that have offices abroad.

With the emergence of new commercial opportunities, in previous markets that were virtually impossible to trade in, such as the former Eastern Block and its position in the new enlarged European Union; the odds are that more and more meetings, events and hotel nights will venture beyond the established basket of western favourites.

I’m not claiming that I started the whole UK teambuilding industry or anything, but way back in 1985 I was asked by a client to come up with some ideas to involve all his delegates in some sort of "competitive leisure activity". A truly fear inducing phrase that struck terror into the heart of this desk jockey.

The European Union alliance commitment to the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 was a 12.5% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2012. Since then the Government have pledged to reduce the 1990 level by 20% by the year 2010.