LEGACY AS A TOOL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY – A CASE STUDY OF THE 61ST ICCA ASSOCIATION CONGRESS IN KRAKÓW (POLAND)

<ns3:p>Purpose. The aim of this paper is to identify the possibilities of using the legacy of the associations’ meetings to support sustainable development. An example of the 61st ICCA Association Congress in Kraków (Poland) was used to identify good practices that can be implemented in other meetings.Method. A case study of the 61st ICCA Association Congress in Kraków (Poland) was conducted to achieve the research objective. The activities planned as a legacy of the event were the main focus of the research. To investigate the selected case, a critical review of academic and grey literature was conducted, along with action research and analysis of secondary sources.Findings. During the 61st ICCA Association Congress in Kraków (Poland), a variety of activities was planned. These actions can be divided into three groups - economic, social and environmental - reflecting the main pillars of sustainable development. However, it appears that legacy holds the greatest potential to support social sustainability. Moreover, the authors propose two approaches to understanding legacy as well as a framework for the legacy planning and implementation process to bridge the gap between theory and practice.Research conclusions and limitations. The analysis was narrowed only to the case of one meeting, which limited the ability to draw general conclusions. In addition, a local context is important when it comes to an event’s legacy, and therefore, many practices may not apply to other meetings and their locations. However, the study can contribute to increased knowledge of business events’ legacy and sustainability, and the identified good practices can inspire organisers of other meetings.Practical implications. As an example, the 61st ICCA Association Congress shows how the event organiser and representatives of the host city should cooperate to support the sustainable development of the destination through the meeting’s legacy. Examples of activities that can serve as good practices for future events are also presented.Originality. Previous studies have been mainly focused on the legacy of sports events, overlooking other categories, including those business-related. Association meetings have great potential in supporting sustainable development in regions by leaving a legacy for the host city, as the example of the ICCA Congress in Kraków proved. This point has not been highlighted by researchers to date.Type of paper: case study</ns3:p>