Hi Adam, tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Adam Parry, the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com (EIN) which is a global online event magazine. EIN is read by organisers, promoters, event management and production companies, suppliers, experiential agencies, the corporate sector, local government and organisations that host exhibitions and conferences.
How did you get started in the events industry?
I first started by working for a Festival focused publication called The Main Event Magazine, it was aimed at festival organisers and organisers of outdoor events.
Why did you start Event Industry News and Event Tech Live?
Event Industry News came first with its inception November 2008, as we published more news and information on Event Technology we realised the appetite our industry had for it, that being said we couldn’t find a great deal of information on what or who were world class suppliers, we therefore 5 years ago launched The Event Technology Awards which had an amazing first year and its daytime conference was reshaped and relaunched the following year in to the conference and exhibition that is Event Tech Live.
What is your favourite part of your job?
The variety, no two days are the same, no two interviews or events are the same. We do have such an eclectic industry, there are so many differences and its great to see them all.
What is the most difficult part of your job?
Time. I am invited to more events than any one could imagine, all with great substance however just due to pure time and logistics I cant attend even half of them.
What is your biggest business achievement to date?
Growing Event Tech Live into Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology with visitors and exhibitors from around the globe.
Are there any emerging trends in the industry that you think will be a big focus for 2018?
AR and Facial Recognition. I am starting to see organisers grasp that there is a solid use case for AR when it comes to providing delegate information easily, using the devices they bring with them as well as info on the venue, catering, toilets, stage content, exhibitors and sponsors. With Facial Recognition I am also seeing this benign used to create some amazing time efficiencies when checking people in to an event and getting them their badge, no one likes to wait in line 🙂
What one element of the events industry would you like to change and why?
That the wider world stops seeing the events industry as a fluffy industry. Our impact on business is widely under appreciated. We are an instrumental part of business doing business and supporting tourism in this industry. However we still seem to be widely underrepresented.
What piece of advice would you give to anyone looking to get started in the industry?
Just that to start off, you could do your own small events, volunteer, get an internship etc etc. Great event organisers are built by experience and doing, you can only learn so much before you have to get your hands dirty.
