<p>Conferences remain an important consideration for businesses but the way they are delivered will change during the recession, according to an event management specialist.</p><p>Richard Waddington, chief executive of First Protocol, says there will be a move towards concentrating on content rather than first-class hospitality.</p><p>"I think that conferences right now are not going to be at a luxury spa, the Four Seasons or at some country retreat - they will most likely be at a business centre or an international business hub," he states.</p><p>Mr Waddington asserts that conferences are still an important promotional tool for companies, saying his firm has witnessed first-hand how effective events can be as a marketing message.</p><p>According to a recent survey by Eventia, nearly a quarter of event management agencies said business is up this year compared to a year ago, while almost a third revealed that enquiries from new clients are higher than this time in 2008.<br/><img alt="ADNFCR-1753-ID-19052664-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1753&it..." /></p>

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