Crystal balls did not come standard issue when the Covid crisis hit everyone last year. But if any organization has managed to see the future through the murk, that organization might well be Meetings & Conventions PEI.

“Like everyone else, we were totally taken off guard,” says M&C PEI Membership Manager Nicole Soucy. “Of course, the meetings and conventions industry is usually centered around face-to-face meetings and events, so we really had to adjust the way we were operating. That focuses your attention on the details, especially when you readjust.”

And readjust they did. Nicole enrolled in several training courses, including: Virtual Event & Meeting Management; Pandemic Meeting & Event Design; and Pandemic On-Site Protocol (Online Training).

Business Development Manager Treena MacLeod has received certification in Virtual Event & Meeting Management. And in March, her co-Business Development Manager Brandon Gillis received his Digital Event Strategist (DES) Certification (PCMA).

All of which has positioned M&C PEI uniquely. “The dedication of our team’s training will ensure we are ready to host business events safely as soon as the world is ready” says M&C PEI Executive director Susan Freeman. “We’re positioning PEI as a safe and innovative destination in a post-COVID 19 world.”

In fact, Meetings & Conventions PEI has begun rolling out its #MeetSafeOnPEI social media and marketing campaign, and has already begun deploying their training by hosting two virtual Familiarization Tours of PEI to meeting planners from across Canada and beyond.

“We’re using what we learned in the courses to talk about how we can help meetings proceed safely in these circumstances” Soucy says. “We will also be promoting similar measures our members are taking at their respective venues and workplaces. Of course, we still don’t have a crystal ball. None of us do.”

Maybe not. But, these days, being prepared might be the next best thing. •