Doom for zoom: Face-to-face meetings make a big comeback

The number of companies planning virtual conferences and events has dropped by a massive 75 per cent as face-to-face business meetings surge back after Covid-19.

The zoom meeting may soon be a distant memory.

Flight Centre’s FCM Meetings & Events says there was a stark drop in interest in both virtual and hybrid events last year accompanied by a surge in demand for face-to-face meetings.

FCM general manager Simone Seiler says clients planning for virtual and hybrid meetings, events and conferences had dropped by 75 per cent by the end of last year compared to 2021. “Most of the world got back on the road, with airlines seat volume doubling from 2021 to 2022,” Seiler says. “At that time, travel was tricky to navigate and likely to change at any moment. Fast forward to 2023 and travellers are feeling more confident and less stressed with the removal of testing and quarantine conditions. - this has flowed through to the meetings and events sector with the true value of in-person interaction coming back into focus.”

Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner

Flight Centre managing director Graham Turner says he is hiring 300 to 400 new staff in Australia a month for both his retail shops and fast growing corporate divisions, adding that he has people moving from leisure to his booming business divisions.

“Every month is improving...we are winning business in corporate and leisure,” says Turner. “Covid shut us down for two years. Obviously we are on the road back but it’s not going to be easy. We think the conditions will be back to normality probably in 12-18 months time.” FCM’s Seiler says the company already has some of Australia’s top and most trusted brands locked in for major conferences this year. “Our advice to businesses is to engage now for whatever your needs are,” she says. “There’s a squeeze on capacity due to high demand.”

On the road

Local disability services leader Dave Beard will be one of a host of well known Queenslanders getting ready to head to the annual Targa car rally in Tasmania from April 17-22 this year. Beard is one of the driving forces behind Brisbane-based Ariel Care which is developing artificial intelligence, high technology care and improved liveability products for the disability sector, with the support of the University of Queensland and QUT . In between taking calls from companies in the United States keen to know more and invest in Ariel Care, Beard has been fine tuning his GT V8 Mustang which is now running around Brisbane with its Targa signage in place, ready for the four day Targa rally through some of the best countryside in Tasmania. Ariel Care is expecting a big year ahead. Its artificial technology is being used to improve the way people with a disability live their lives and there is also strong interest from the aged care sector. Good luck in Tassie Dave!

Dave Beard is all set for Tasmania

Investment update

HLB Mann Judd Advisory and Accounting have lined up some investment big guns for its annual market and economic update breakfast on Wednesday.

Mason Stevens chief investment officer Jacqueline Fernley and Tribeca Investment Partners Asia chief executive Ben Cleary will look at what has been a year of transition for economies, markets and asset prices as well as the trends for 2023.

Global equities are down more than 18 per cent in US dollar terms over the past year, but companies in the natural resources sector have performed relatively well with the S&P Global Natural Resources Index up almost 8 per cent.

Cleary, who recently set up shop in Brisbane after a globe-trotting career in finance, will discuss the strength in the resource sector and whether that will continue in 2023 and beyond.