From meeting rooms to city streets: where impact truly takes shape

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Schouwburg Kortrijk
Research and conferences go together like a horse and carriage. Conferences are the ideal stage to share the results of new research with a professional community in preview. This opportunity for scoops turns every conference into an event worth attending. Researchers, professionals and policymakers gather insights that can act as a firestarter for their own work, business or initiatives.

Insights from a new study on conferences in Flanders

But conferences can also become the subject of research themselves. And those findings are just as fascinating. They tell us something about ourselves as conference professionals, about our field, and about our audience: the delegates. In other words, they help us better understand what we do and for whom we do it.

That is exactly why Flanders Convention Bureau recently conducted an in-depth study. We surveyed conference professionals at more than 30 international conferences, complemented by extensive online questionnaires.

 

Crowd mingling at a formal reception in an ornate hall with crystal chandeliers, mirrors, and gilded decor.

The study asked some very familiar questions. What do delegates value when attending a conference? How do they feel about the hot topics shaping our sector: sustainability, accessibility and impact? And how satisfied are they with the conferences they attended in Flanders?

All those questions resulted in a 72-slide report. In this article, we are happy to share a few striking conclusions. Curious to explore the full report? One click will take you there. 

Download the full report

Three striking conclusions from the study

  1. Sustainability has become a baseline expectation, not a differentiator. 
    A large majority of delegates consider sustainability important when attending conferences. It is no longer a “nice to have”, but a minimum standard.  
     
  2. Accessibility is understood broadly, not only in physical terms. 
    Inclusion in programming, speaker diversity and participation also matter. Conferences perceived as accessible and inclusive score higher on overall satisfaction, confirming accessibility as a key quality factor.  
     
  3. Impact is increasingly shaped outside the conference room. 
    Learning, networking, spending and satisfaction are strongly influenced by informal moments, interaction with the city and social experiences. Conference impact no longer resides solely in the programme. It moves from meeting rooms to city streets, and emerges from how delegates connect with each other and their surroundings. 
Overhead view of five people in a meeting around a table, reviewing documents on a parquet floor.
Did you know…
…that organisers give Flemish conference cities an average score of 8.8 out of 10? That is a rating of true international calibre. 

Three fun facts from the conference report

  1. Conferences in Flanders feel like city breaks. 
    Three out of four delegates explore the city on foot. Venues, hotels, restaurants and landmarks are all within easy walking distance.  
     
  2. Delegates develop a taste for Flanders. 
    Nearly one in five international delegates extends their conference stay with a leisure visit. And what do they appreciate most? The friendliness of the people.
     
  3. There is life beyond the conference sessions. 
    Cultural heritage, gastronomy and compact city centres are seen as major added value. In fact, gastronomic experiences rank higher than sightseeing as the most popular non-conference activity. 
Pot of steamed mussels with fries, dipping sauce, and a glass of white wine on a restaurant table.
Antwerpen Toerisme en Congres
Did you know…
…that city convention bureaux go the extra mile to welcome your conference? Organisers describe them as proactive, professional and consistently “exceeding expectations”. 

Can you summarise 72 pages in one sentence?

Absolutely: your delegates have a great time in Flanders. That experience is reflected in their intentions. Almost one third of international delegates plan to return to Flanders for a holiday.  

Considering Flanders as the location for your next conference? The report offers even more valuable insights. From page 46 onwards, you will find an overview of all Flemish conference cities, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement. A goldmine of information to support a well-informed destination choice. 

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Group of 11 adults posing outdoors on a grassy hill with trees and a wide rural valley in the background.

Nice to meet you

Want to know more about Flanders as a conference destination?
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