Abstract

Sustainable business events have the potential to diversify the tourism offering of destinations, to attract higher-spending visitors, and to elongate the tourism season, while economically, socially and environmentally benefiting host communities. Nonetheless, the incorporation of sustainability principles in business events requires coordinated actions and collaboration from a range of stakeholders, including service providers and those in decision-making positions. This research employed quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the perceptions of 50 business event attendees, 16 business event service providers, and five decision-makers in Cyprus with regards to the state of the business event sector’s sustainability, and obstacles and opportunities for its sustainable growth. Our findings suggest that very few sustainability practices are currently implemented in the organization of business events and demand for sustainability is relatively low. However, the provision of incentives coupled with trainings and capacity building for key actors within the supply chain as well as extensive horizontal awareness-raising activities could catalyze the transition of the business event sector toward sustainability and attract additional business events to Cyprus. Importantly, the emergence of a sustainable business event sector in Cyprus could also contribute to the sector’s and the country’s post-COVID-19 recovery.

摘要

可持续的商业活动有可能使目的地的旅游产品多样化，吸引高消费的游客，延长旅游季节，同时在经济、社会和环境方面造福东道国社区。尽管如此，将可持续性原则纳入商业活动需要一系列利益相关者的协调行动和协作，包括服务提供商和决策层。本研究采用定量和定性方法调查塞浦路斯 50 名商务活动参与者、16 家商务活动服务提供商和五名决策者对商务活动部门可持续性状况以及可持续发展的障碍和机遇的看法. 我们的研究结果表明，目前在商业活动组织中实施的可持续发展实践很少，对可持续发展的需求相对较低。然而，为供应链中的关键参与者提供激励措施、培训和能力建设以及广泛的横向意识提高活动，可以促进商业活动部门向可持续发展的转变，并吸引更多的商业活动到塞浦路斯。重要的是，塞浦路斯可持续商业活动部门的出现也可能有助于该部门和该国在 COVID-19 后的复苏。为供应链中的关键参与者提供激励措施、培训和能力建设以及广泛的横向意识提高活动，可以促进商业活动部门向可持续发展的转变，并吸引更多的商业活动到塞浦路斯。重要的是，塞浦路斯可持续商业活动部门的出现也可能有助于该部门和该国在 COVID-19 后的复苏。为供应链中的关键参与者提供激励措施、培训和能力建设以及广泛的横向意识提高活动，可以促进商业活动部门向可持续发展的转变，并吸引更多的商业活动到塞浦路斯。重要的是，塞浦路斯可持续商业活动部门的出现也可能有助于该部门和该国在 COVID-19 后的复苏。