The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has officially launched #ChooseEvents, a new global industry initiative designed to promote careers in the events sector and encourage the next generation of professionals to explore opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. The campaign will take place from 1–4 September 2026, bringing together event organisers, venues, suppliers, agencies, and industry partners under a shared mission to celebrate the people who make events possible.
#ChooseEvents Highlights the People Behind Every Event
The #ChooseEvents campaign is built around a simple but powerful message: events are powered by people. Throughout the four-day initiative, organisations across the global events industry will showcase employee success stories, career journeys, and behind-the-scenes insights into the professionals who deliver conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, festivals, sporting events, and live experiences.
By sharing authentic experiences from industry professionals, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the wide variety of career paths available within the events industry and inspire more young people to consider it as a rewarding profession.
Growing Industry Faces Increasing Demand for Skilled Talent
As the global events industry continues to expand, attracting and developing skilled professionals has become a major priority. In the United Kingdom alone, the business events sector contributes £11.5 billion annually to the economy, supports more than 126,000 jobs, and attracts over 7.2 million visitors every year. These figures highlight the industry’s significant economic contribution while demonstrating the growing demand for talented individuals across multiple event disciplines.
Despite its impact, many students and job seekers remain unaware of the diverse career opportunities available within the sector, making initiatives like #ChooseEvents increasingly important.
Human Connections Become More Valuable in the AI Era
With artificial intelligence transforming workplaces and communication worldwide, demand for meaningful face-to-face interactions continues to grow. The events industry remains uniquely positioned to create memorable experiences that bring businesses, communities, and individuals together.
From planning international exhibitions to managing conferences, entertainment events, and corporate gatherings, event professionals play a vital role in creating experiences that technology alone cannot replace.
AEO Plans to Make #ChooseEvents an Annual Global Movement
Rather than serving as a one-time awareness campaign, AEO intends to establish #ChooseEvents as an annual international movement. The long-term objective is to unite the global events community each year to celebrate its workforce, strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline, and increase awareness of careers across every segment of the events sector.
The initiative encourages collaboration between organisations worldwide, providing a shared platform to promote career opportunities and demonstrate the positive impact of working within the events industry.
Anna Golden Emphasises the Importance of People in Events
Commenting on the launch, Anna Golden, Chief Executive of the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), said that events create opportunities for businesses to grow, ideas to flourish, and communities to connect. She emphasized that every successful event is driven by talented professionals whose creativity, expertise, and passion bring experiences to life.
Golden added that #ChooseEvents provides the industry with a unified voice to celebrate its workforce, showcase exciting career opportunities, and inspire future generations to view events as a profession filled with growth and innovation.
Campaign to Conclude at the AEO Conference 2026
The #ChooseEvents initiative will culminate during the AEO Conference, scheduled for 3 September 2026 at Vox NEC Birmingham. Industry leaders will use the conference to reaffirm their commitment to investing in people, developing future talent, and strengthening careers across the international events sector.
The conference will also reinforce the importance of collaboration among organisers, venues, suppliers, and industry associations in ensuring long-term growth and sustainability.
Global Events Industry Invited to Join #ChooseEvents
AEO is inviting businesses, organisations, and event professionals from around the world to participate in the campaign between 1–4 September 2026 by sharing employee stories, workplace experiences, and career journeys using the official hashtag #ChooseEvents.
By encouraging industry-wide participation, the campaign aims to showcase the diversity, creativity, and opportunities that define careers in the global events industry while inspiring the next generation of professionals to become part of its future.
