Face to Face Meetings empower our World

It was entirely appropriate that India’s Silicon Valley should be the location of the ICPB’s (India Convention Promotion Bureau) Conventions India Conclave – 2010. Taking place at The LaLit Ashok, Bangalore, India, from August 27-28, the Conclave attracted over 250 delegates representing both international and national buyers as well as ICPB members, and was inaugurated by Mr. G. Janardhana Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka.

This inaugural session was followed by a seminal and conceptual Keynote Presentation by Mr. Philippe Fournier, President, IAPCO, on “Conferences in the Knowledge Economy:  Face to Face Meetings are changing and empowering our World”.   It was a great honour for Mr. Shyam Nagpal, Hony. Secretary ICPB and India’s first Alumni of IAPCO, to introduce Philippe Fournier, informing the audience of IAPCO’s position as the most pioneering and prominent Association in the world of PCOs, with over 100 members from 37 countries.

Philippe Fournier began the presentation with the strategic statement:  “We are a global world, which means global meetings!  Meetings have been a solution over the centuries and today’s globalisation can only enhance the need to meet, not, as a perceived advantage of social communication, detract.  When people meet, things happen, things change, things improve and economy rises.  Face to face meetings power the economy.  We are now in a knowledge-based economy. Without learning from experience, without face-to-face interaction, without networking in real time with our peers, individuals, institutions, disciplines, we lose the ability to increase that essential knowledge.  Without knowledge, our financial economy cannot improve.

“But do not be mistaken. Social Communication is an essential asset to the new type of meetings that are developing today. On-line activities can feed the meeting before, during and after the event, fuelling the ever-increasing knowledge economy. The new meeting formats are live, they are virtual, they are hybrid! Hybrid events are a mix of devices, applications, digital media and websites. Utilising SMS, social media, pod/webcasts, micro blogs, YouTube, smart phones – and today is just the beginning.  It is high-tech.   And the knowledge economy uses high-tech as a weapon, a tool that helps to develop meetings by maximising face to face interactions.

“Conferences in our knowledge based economy have a key role to play.”

The Conclave was attended by high ranking dignitaries from the Government of India, State Governments and business tourism industry, represented by Mr. G. Janardhana Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka, Mr. S. V. Ranganath, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, Mr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Chairman, ICPB, Mr. Viswanatha Reddy, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Vipul Mittra, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat, along with the Office Bearers of ICPB, Mr. Rajeev Kohli, Vice Chairman, ICPB, Mr. Shyam Nagpal, Hony. Secretary, ICPB, and Mr. Chander Mansharamani, Hony. Treasurer, ICPB.

SITE YOUNG LEADERS ACADEMY

The Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) and Seville’sCongress and Convention Bureau(SCCB) host the Academy for Young SITE Leaders, October 2010. The city of Seville will be hosting theYoung SITE Leaders Academy between1-3 October 2010. The event isorganised by SITE SPAIN with thesupport of Seville’s Congress andConvention Bureau (SCCB). Themeeting will bring togetherprofessionals working in theinternational corporate world whoorganise meetings, conventions,congresses and incentive travel. It will be a unique opportunity to discoverSeville’s potential as a destination forthese types of events. The NH Central Convenciones Hotel will be the main venue hosting the Young SITE Leaders Academy. It will bringtogether over sixty SITE associate members with professionals from Seville’s Congress and Convention Bureau. SITE SPAIN is a professional business association with to date over sixty members from all over the country. Itincludes managing and marketing directors from Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Travel Agencies, Hotels, Carrier and Transportation companies, Convention Bureaus and private sector companies specialising in incentive travel. SITE is recognised as offering an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world and to exchange special business needs.

SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL CONVENTION FEES

Today is the last chance for delegates to register for this year’s Travel Convention in Malta at the standard registration fee.  Costs for all categories of delegate will increase by £60 from Tuesday 31 August.

Mark Tanzer ABTA Chief Executive said “Registrations for the Travel Convention in Malta are set to match those for the 2009 Convention in Barcelona with around 1000 delegates attending the event. Delegates need to book now to avoid the late registration fee increase, so if you haven’t yet registered, sign up online before the end of August”

Bookings can be made at www.thetravelconvention.com

Fabio Sergio to Present Keynote Address at ACTE Berlin Conference about Design

Alexandria, VA (23 August 2010) - Continuing its bold commitment to anticipating travelers’ future user experiences, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has engaged Fabio Sergio, Executive Creative Director at frog design, as a keynote presenter for its upcoming Global Education Conference, in Berlin, Germany, 3-5 October 2010. Sergio is a driving force in a company that has influenced tactical and strategic innovation for companies such as Disney, GE, HP, Intel, Microsoft, MTV, Siemens, Qualcomm, and many other Fortune 500 brands. According to a statement issued by ACTE President Chris Crowley, Sergio will explain the implications of design on our business lives, and translate the potential of applying the design process to some of our industry’s biggest challenges.”

“Frog design has a unique claim to fame,” said Crowley.” Frog is fanatical about improving the world. Their team members are curious, vigilant, expert, and aware. Sergio’s presentation, titled ‘Design Matters,’ will energize the delegates with the same drive and insight frog design introduces to the highest boardrooms of commerce.”

Fabio Sergio is a visiting professor at the Politecnico di Milano, Domus Academy and Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, and was an Associate Professor of Interaction Design at Interaction Design Institute Ivrea. An experienced lecturer, he has presented at such venues as LIFT, PMN’s Mobile User Experience, Business to Buttons, Design Engaged, Media Futures and Frontiers of Interaction. Frog design is a global innovation firm that works with the world’s leading companies, helping them create and bring to market meaningful products, services, and experiences.

He joins three other dynamic keynote addresses that include “The Changing Economic Outlook and its Impact on Our Industry,” by Dr. Linda Yueh, BBC Business Commentator & Economist and Christopher Buckley, Executive Vice President for Europe and Asia Pacific, EADS; “Re-evaluating Alternate Futures for the Travel Industry,” by Drs. Jan Nekkers Founder of Futureconsult & Master Class Instructor at Nyenrode; and “Could You Do More to Keep Your Travelers Safe?” by Mark Hide Founder, Planet Wise.

The Keynote presentations are supported by 15 educational sessions, dealing with various aspects of advanced business travel management. Complete educational session descriptions can be found at: http://www.acte.org/content/FG_10/Education_Sessions

For more information about the ACTE Berlin Global Education Conference, and to register, go to www.acte.org. As a reminder, members of the press receive complimentary registrations to all ACTE events.

International association meetings shrug off financial pressures: good attendance figures for 2010 and optimism for future growth

Results from a survey jointly carried out by ICCA and IMEX amongst the international association hosted buyers who attended the most recent IMEX in Frankfurt paint a very positive picture for this most resilient sector of the meetings industry.

More than 100 executives (one third of Association Day attendees) responded to the survey, three-quarters of whom organised or were about to hold meetings for more than 500 delegates in 2010, and over 15% of whom organised events of over 5,000 delegates. An impressive 31% reported higher actual or planned attendance for their 2010 events than in previous years and 46% indicated no change, with only 14% reporting slight reductions and fewer than one in ten reporting a “significant” fall in numbers. However, the financial pressures are clearly continuing: only 20% reported higher income from sponsors and exhibitions, 40% showed no change, but the remaining 40% suffered falls in financial support from this side of their budgets.

When asked about their projections for 2011, these executives painted an even more positive picture: almost one-third of associations will be running more meetings in 2011 than in 2010, with only 8% planning to organise fewer; and a massive 53% are projecting higher attendances than in 2010, compared to a tiny 6% who expect their delegate numbers to fall. This is the most positive forward forecast that these regular surveys have ever produced.

Martin Sirk, ICCA CEO responded to the results: “These results provide further powerful evidence that the international association meetings sector is holding firm through these economically rocky times. Like everyone they’re faced with more conservative budgeting by their corporate sponsors, but their key constituents, the association members who attend their major meetings, are proving once again that they are loyal and willing to invest their time and money. Combined with ICCA’s own statistical research showing the continued creation and growth of new association meetings, these results should reassure every destination and company targeting this sector that they have made the right strategic decision.”

Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO added: “International associations will continue to be a key hosted buyer sector for IMEX and for our new IMEX America show in 2011. We understand just how strategically important their meetings are to our exhibitors, especially during recessionary or turbulent times, and we are committed to invest in their customised programmes at both shows to make sure their numbers continue to grow strongly. IMEX Association Day 2010 attracted the largest ever gathering of international association executives to take place in Europe, and we intend to keep breaking this record, year after year.”

Meetings industry leaders will discuss the state of the international association meetings market during the 49th ICCA Congress taking place 23-27 October 2010 in Hyderabad, India.

ACTE Names Aileen London Recipient of President’s Award

Singapore (25 August 2010) - The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) today conferred its highest level of professional recognition — the President’s Award — on Aileen London, Senior Manager Global Meetings Asia Pacific, for Oracle Corporation. The presentation was made during a general session of the association’s 2010 Asia-Pacific Educational Conference being held this week in Singapore. According to a statement by ACTE President Chris Crowley, the President’s Award is presented to members of the business travel community who make outstanding contributions to their profession, through service to the association.

“The ACTE President’s Award is among the rarest of the organization’s accolades, and it is typically presented to members who demonstrate rapid career growth, broad-based travel management experience, expertise in a chosen discipline, and a commitment to the association’s principles,” said Crowley. “London met all of the criteria and played an important role as an organizer for the Asia-Pacific Education Conference.”

London has been the Senior Manager Global Meetings Asia-Pacific for California-based software giant Oracle since 2007. As the strategic buyer for all meetings and events in the Asia-Pacific region (including India and Japan), her objectives are to drive value, cost savings and efficiencies in her category, while implementing Oracle’s strategic procurement plan. A seasoned travel industry veteran, she is a recognized authority on sourcing, meetings and events, negotiations, partnership management, and risk mitigation. London has held ranking positions within the industry including Starwood Hotels, Hilton Worldwide, and TQ3 Travel Solutions.

“Receiving this award is a huge surprise and great honor,” said London. “I am delighted to be associated with ACTE and excited about the changes happening in our industry and what the future holds.”

London will be a panelist for the education session titled ‘A New Relationship Between Transient Travel and Meetings’ taking place at the conference on Thursday morning at 10:45am – 11:45am. The session will focus on the importance of close supplier relationships and the ongoing drive to take control of costs attributed to corporate meetings and events as procurement managers are called on to find additional savings and assure quality is delivered. The panel of subject experts, including London, will help construct an understanding of the web of relationships which are forming between these travel spend areas which have traditionally been managed separately.

The 2010 ACTE Asia-Pacific Education Conference drew over 450 attendees from 24 countries.

Be Smart. Be Hip. Be Seen. At the ACTE Global Education Conference, New York City April 10 – 12, 2011

Alexandria, VA (9 August 2010) – The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has announced New York City as the site of its spring Global Educational Conference, April 10 -12, 2011. According to a statement issued by ACTE’s Executive Director Ron DiLeo, “We have been evaluating a number of cities for our spring conference but New York has everything. It is one of the world’s foremost international cities and many of our members and conference attendees who come from around the world also have offices in or near the city that they can visit as part of their trip to our conference. And you can fly to New York directly from more places around the world than just about anywhere. It is a logical choice for a major, global industry meeting designed to cut travel time, and time away from the office.” The Marriott Marquis Times Square will be the venue hosting the conference.

ACTE’s educational team, in coordination with the conference planning committee, will focus a great deal of their work on creating highly interactive sessions that will include several new and provocative discussion and learning programs.

“Be Smart. Be Hip. Be Seen. is more than a theme for our spring conference. It is our battle cry to the industry to drive change and innovation. The time has come to breath the life back into the business travel management profession with new approaches, new strategies, and new information,” said DiLeo. “ACTE’s attitude about everything going forward and into the 2011 educational calendar is, Be smart (educated and informed), be hip (progressive thinking and in-the-know), and be seen (network and grow). Our industry needs new material and ACTE is going to lead that charge. I cannot think of better place to kick off that level of thought leadership next year than New York, one of the world’s premier business and financial centers and a place where people make things happen.”

Additional information about the ACTE Global Education Conference in New York will be posted on www.acte.org as it becomes available.

Leading Expert In Scenario Planning To Present Keynote At ACTE Global Education Conference in Berlin

Alexandria, VA (29 July 2010) – In a thought-provoking keynote session, participants at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ (ACTE) Global Education Conference in Berlin (3-5 October 2010) will consider several of the forces shaping the travel industry and gain a high-level understanding of how to use scenario planning as a strategic tool.

“This keynote presentation will provide attendees with the rarest of luxuries — options,” said Crowley. “Options that can help all of us prepare for unforeseen circumstances that may have significant consequences for our industry.”

The session will be presented by Drs. Jan Nekkers, Founder of Futureconsult and visiting Master Class Instructor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit, a prestigious Dutch business school and the only private university in the Netherlands. Nekkers will describe the function of scenario planning and introduce a series of events and situations with far-reaching, global effects for the business travel industry. Attendees will be challenged during the keynote presentation, and in the small-group roundtable breakout sessions that follow, to consider the consequences for their organizations and to create appropriate response strategies for these alternate futures. Some of the scenarios to be discussed include: a global disruption of the internet, new research on CO2 emissions, and technological advancements that change the way people interact.

According to Nekkers, “Scenario planning is a way to minimize the risks an organisation faces in an ever increasing unpredictable future. It offers ways of exploring difficult decisions not yet taken and anticipating futures not yet seen.” Attendees will receive a summary of the strategies recommended to address each scenarios discussed, which can be used for in-company training with colleagues.

Crowley added that there is a full complement of 14 educational sessions, plus two more days of general sessions and keynote speakers to set the tone of an annual event, which has become the benchmark of professional business travel conferences in Europe over the past 20 years. For more information on the conference visit the ACTE website at: www.acte.org.

ACTE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPOINTS SUSAN SHAID AS ACTE REGIONAL CHAIR, UNITED STATES

Alexandria, VA (22 July 2010) – The Board of Directors for the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) unanimously appointed Susan Shaid, Global Director, Business Travel Sales, Omni Hotels & Resorts, as ACTE Regional Chair, United States. A 25-year industry veteran, Shaid will assure that regional ACTE activities throughout the United States are aligned with the Association’s global mission and vision.

“I have worked with ACTE on a local level for several years, and I am looking forward to expanding that role to communicate with ACTE members and attendees throughout the United States,” said Shaid, “It will be exciting to talk with the leaders of the industry, discuss what issues are impacting their business operations on a day-to-day basis, and learn how ACTE can better support them through its education and networking events.”

In her position with Omni Hotels & Resorts, Shaid is responsible for negotiations with the world’s largest corporate travel buyers, as well as providing them with effective methods for managing their hotel expenses. She has held a similar position with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, beginning her career in business travel sales for several of New York City’s landmark hotels, including The Plaza and Four Seasons.

“Susan knows many of the industry’s key players in the United States and she understands the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis,” said ACTE’s United States Board Representative Bruce Finch, Director, Global Travel and Workplace Sustainability Programs, AutoDesk, Inc. “This understanding, along with Susan’s passion for success, will enable ACTE to leverage a stronger volunteer network and enhance its events throughout the region.” Throughout her two year term, Shaid will work closely with Finch as well as ACTE Executive Director Ron DiLeo and the ACTE staff.

Susan joins other ACTE Regional Chairs around the world including Georgie Farmer, Asia Travel Manager, Microsoft Corporation (Asia-Pacific); Gillian McCormack, Manager, Business Development, American Express Business Travel (Canada); Yves Galimidi, Global Travel Purchaser, IKEA (Europe); ACTE Regional, Latin America, Mario Hidalgo, Manager, Multinational Customers, Latin America, Amadeus (Latin America); and Imran Changezi, Director, Corporate Sales, Jumeirah Group (Middle East and Africa).

ABPCO appoints first corporate member to new exec

The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) has appointed its new executive committee, following its recent AGM held at the joint Summer Summit event in London’s ICC ExCel.  The new executive committee includes a corporate member representative for the first time in the Association’s history.  Representing ABPCO Corporate Members ACC Liverpool, BT Convention Centre Head of Sales Kerrin MacPhie has been appointed to represent the interest of the Association’s Corporate Members.

Rebecca Cadman-Jones of K-C Jones conference&events retains the role of Chair, while Kenes UK MD Michael Foreman is appointed Vice-Chair, relinquishing his previous role as treasurer.  Jacinta Scannell, MD of Conferencing at Happening, and Sue Raey of Benchmark Communications remain on the committee.  They are joined by new members Martin Jack of Think Different Events, Jennifer Jenkins of MCI UK, Mike Lyon of Write Style Communications and Anthony Lishman of Conference Centres of Excellence.

ABPCO Chair Rebecca Cadman-Jones commented: ‘The appointment of our first corporate member representative to the executive committee represents a new era for ABPCO.  The aim of our corporate membership scheme is to develop a partnership approach to working with venues, destinations and other suppliers and it is fitting that they have a voice on our executive committee.  We welcome Kerrin and the other new members to the team and look forward to an exciting period of development for ABPCO over the next year.’

BT Convention Centre Head of Sales Kerrin MacPhie added: ‘It is an honour to take up this role as the first corporate member representative on the ABPCO executive committee.  I look forward to working closely with ABPCO members to forge closer partnerships between suppliers and PCOs to the benefit of the meetings industry as a whole.’

For more information on ABPCO, visit www.abpco.org.

VANCOUVER TO SEE LONG-TERM BENEFITS FROM HOSTING THOUSANDS OF INFLUENTIAL MEETING PLANNERS

Vancouver, BC – July 20, 2010: Approximately 2,600 meetings industry professionals from all over the world will gather at the Vancouver Convention Centre from July 24 to July 27 for Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) 2010 World Education Congress (WEC).

In addition to injecting over $3 million worth of direct spending into the BC economy over the four-day event, this congress is one of the most influential Vancouver has hosted in recent years, representing millions of dollars of potential future meetings business for the city.

MPI is the world’s largest association for meeting and event planners. Many of the delegates attending this year’s WEC are responsible for planning and executing their organization’s events – the type of business that Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Convention Centre and Vancouver’s hotel community work to bring to the city.

“Hosting MPI’s World Education Congress is equivalent to the largest client ‘site inspection’ Vancouver has ever hosted,” said Dave Gazley, Tourism Vancouver’s vice president of Meeting and Convention Sales, and co-chair of the local host committee. “With the expansion of our spectacular convention centre, early on we identified the WEC as an industry event we needed to host because of its potential to generate future business for our city. It’s a big win for Vancouver.”

“There’s a great deal of excitement and anticipation amongst our team as we prepare to host this influential group,” said Ken Cretney, general manager of the Vancouver Convention Centre and co-chair of the local host committee. “The impact of hosting the WEC extends far beyond the four days of the event. Meeting planners from around the world will experience first-hand why our award-winning facility and spectacular city are the ideal location for their future meetings.”

Jeff Busch, vice-president of Strategic Communications for MPI, said that MPI planner members represent a collective buying power of US$16.9 billion in their event-planning businesses. “Granted, not every member is coming to Vancouver, but a good number of people that control extensive budgets are attending,” said Busch. “There is no better way to sell your city than to have this group of meeting planners visit and experience it. So that next time they have to schedule a large event or meeting, all the benefits and beauty that Vancouver has to offer is fresh in their mind.”

“Thanks to the recent expansion of the Vancouver Convention Centre, BC is able to host larger meetings than ever before, contributing millions of dollars to the province’s economy,” noted the Honourable Kevin Krueger, BC’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. “With the success of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we have just demonstrated our ability to host world-class events. Now, more than ever, we are well positioned to benefit from the Games-time exposure and host large international events in our province.”

Tourism Vancouver’s focus is on building exceptional customer relationships with meeting planners, travel influencers, travel media and independent tourists. The Meetings and Conventions team actively sells Vancouver worldwide as a premiere event destination and services hundreds of meetings each year. Tourism Vancouver’s “service edge” strives to deliver the best combination of customer sales, service and destination value anywhere in the world.

The Vancouver Convention Centre is the only two-time winner of the International Association of Congress Centres’ APEX award for “World’s Best Convention Centre.” Since inception in 1987, the facility has demonstrated a constant commitment to service, technical and culinary excellence, as well as environmental sustainability. With its expansion complete, the Centre has tripled its size to cover 1.1 million square feet (or four city blocks) for a combined total of 466,500 square feet of pre-function, meeting, exhibition and ballroom space.

WTTC invites cities to bid to host the Global Travel & Tourism Summit in 2012

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) opened(25th June 2010) the tendering process to find the host city of the 12th Global Travel & Tourism Summit. The organisation has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for cities around the world to submit applications to host the 12th Summit in a little less than two years’ time. The RFP and the supporting documents must be returned by 1 September 2010 to WTTC’s Events Director, Tony Thompson tony.thompson@wttc.org.

The Summit is the world’s highest-level gathering of Travel & Tourism industry Chairs, Chief Executives and senior government officials, working together to unlock the industry’s significant potential for sustainable development and economic growth across the globe.

The Summit hosts will be able to showcase their destination to over 1,000 senior business and industry leaders from the Travel & Tourism, hospitality, aviation and cruise sectors.

Hosting the Summit also demonstrates the destination’s commitment to recognising the value of Travel & Tourism as an economic driver and potentially attracts further investments from global businesses.

“As well as strong interest from around the world from companies coming to do business in a host destination, the Summit attracts broadcast and media coverage that can equally benefit the host,” says Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President & CEO, WTTC.

Earlier this year (April), WTTC announced Las Vegas as the host of the 11th Global Travel & Tourism Summit, which is scheduled for 17-19 May 2011. As one of the world’s most popular destinations for leisure and business travel, this is a very topical choice as the United States Travel & Tourism industry looks forward to the impact of the US Government’s recently announced Travel Promotion Act on marketing and promoting the destination abroad.

Over 3,4 B€ from leading PCOs in 2009!

The year 2009 was no exception.    IAPCO has, at IMEX for the past 4 years, announced the results of their members’ annual survey and this year the figures proved to be surprisingly buoyant, bucking the trend of the recession and economic downturn.   The 2008 survey, announced at IMEX 2009, indicated the concerns that members felt might occur in 2009, but generally member companies experienced little dramatic downturn in conference outcomes through the tough year.  “Of course there were challenges for our members during the economic downturn in 2009” said IAPCO President Philippe Fournier “however, well trained resources and the constant drive to maintain and develop quality has certainly had a positive impact on results.”

The total number of meetings handled by the 100 IAPCO members rose by 9% over 2008, a staggering total of 5641 run over the year.   Association meetings rose by 15%, Governmental meetings by 46% and Corporate meetings by just 2%, reflecting a 46% drop in the international corporate market.   The total number of participants rose from 1968519 to 2117915.

Perhaps the most significant figures are the overall budgets managed by IAPCO members:  budget equivalent to 1,121 B€ (530€ per registrant) for the meetings and about 300 M€ (545€ per sqm) for the exhibitions.   This equates to 3431 B€ of economic impact. Meetings matter also for the economy!

Confucius say: A Clear Pond has no Fish, Is Transparency the Enemy of Profit?

At the recent IAPCO Seminar held during IMEX, IAPCO Council Member, Roslyn McLeod, MD, arinex pty ltd, Australia, tackled the challenging subject of transparency from the PCO perspective whilst Luc Maene, President ESAE and DG, International Fertilizer Association took the Association view.

Transparency has different meanings for different clients.  Some want the assurance that all costs are included in the budget – no late surprises while others want all costs detailed in a budget and to understand who ends up with the money.   McLeod boldly stated that “transparency starts with the client brief and is not just restricted to invoices and dollars.  Full financial transparency is possible based on an accurate briefing and instead of fees the PCO can charge by the hour to cover expertise, resources overheads and profit.  The misperception of transparency is the belief that there is an obligation to know every tiny detail whereas the real obligation is to obtain value for money.  The client does not need to know how the PCO operates their business.  The PCO has a right to make a profit in a fair and reasonable way for all parties.”

Most briefs are not transparent, do not convey an accurate picture of the requirements and there is simply not enough reality.  Therefore the relationship with the PCO must be based on ethics because a collaborative effort is required to achieve the best solutions.  It is the client’s responsibility to do a thorough selection process and select the PCO based on ‘value’ and ‘fit’ – not just price.

IAPCO promotes ethical values through its quality standards for PCOs.

Luc Maene advocated that it is most important that a code of conduct ensures ethical behaviour rather than micromanagement.   The ‘P’ in professional is a necessity for both PCOs and Associations organising conferences.  Associations need to maximise revenue and deliver service for their members at minimum cost but that must also take into account the ability for the PCO to make reasonable profit from the project.

Maene acknowledged that each party brings expertise and benefits to produce the end result.  Problems in the past often make the client wary and want to drill down into detail.   “Good Governance is essential and clients aim to achieve this by vigilant oversight of budget, but”, said Maene, “a degree of trust and understanding is required and importantly a positive chemistry between parties contributes to a strong and productive process”.

IAPCO President Philippe Fournier concluded the session by commenting on some of the key words he noted in the presentations, such as Trust, Truth, Communication, Chemistry as being a good resume of what transparency stands for.

BIOSCIENCE PROFESSIONALS TO GATHER AT SINGAPORE EXPO Medical Congresses to Shine the Spotlight on Cancer and Neurology

17 June 2010, Singapore. Singapore’s largest multi-purpose international business event venue will

Strategic Agenda Drives Record Attendance at AIPC

A conference program focused on developing strategies to address key challenges for today’s convention centres has resulted in what is projected to be the most broadly attended Annual Conference in AIPC history. Close to 100 centres from countries all over the world are expected to attend, which represents a record achievement for the Annual Conference and a highly representative cross-section of the industry world-wide.

Direct link to conference website: 2010 Conference in Liverpool.

Brussels, top European city of association conferences

The assets of the capital have made all the differencein this time of economic crisis

SECC HONOUR IAPCO AS WORLD CHAMPIONS

As part of the 25^th anniversary celebrations in 2010 of the Scottish Exhibition+Conference Centre, Glasgow, the SECC decided to recognise 25 Champions that were either organisations or individuals who have made a positive impact on the business of the Centre over the past 25 years and who have helped build the successful organisation that is the SECC today.  In recognition of the importance that International PCOs have played over the last 25 years, representing many hundreds of international clients, the SECC recognized IAPCO with one of their 25^th Anniversary Champion Awards.

Ben Goedegebuure, Director of Sales, SECC, comments: “International conferences have played a huge part in building our business over the past 25 years and with this award we would like to thank all those international events that have been hosted at our venue.    There is no doubt that organisations like IAPCO have been instrumental in putting both the venue and the city of Glasgow on the international conference map.  Without the support and trust of IAPCO members we couldn’t have grown our reputation as a business tourism destination as quickly as we did.”

The coveted trophy was presented during IMEX to Philippe Fournier, President of IAPCO.    “We are extremely honoured to receive such an Award” responded Philippe, “it shows the commitment of the SECC to the industry and the importance that our members play in the market.  It is however normal that members of IAPCO should use this Exhibition and Convention Centre a lot as they are looking for Quality, which the Centre offers in many ways: management, service, facilities, staff.”

“Face-to-face meetings and conferences continue to be extremely important for businesses”, continued Philippe, “especially in economically challenging times when personal relationships are more crucial than ever before; however, venues need to go the extra mile to attract large conferences and the SECC is proof that with the right strategy and mindset it is possible to overcome external challenges.”

6th ICCA Association Expert Seminar focuses on interactive strategies and sustainability of associations

By Mathijs Vleeming

The 6th ICCA Association Expert Seminar (AES) took place the weekend before IMEX (22-24 May) at the MARITIM Hotel Frankfurt. This unique, interactive seminar is organised by ICCA and brings together 20 international association executives and 40 international suppliers (ICCA members) to share information and experiences, and to update themselves on the latest trends and ideas relating to international association conferences.

The faculty consisted of a mix of experienced international association executives, association management company professionals, and senior ICCA suppliers (CVB’s, Centres, PCO’s). The AES is moderated by Gary Grimmer, CEO of Gary Grimmer & Company and supported by Association Meetings International, Bosch Congress Rental Network, IMEX, Maritim Hotel Frankfurt and MCI.

This article covers the main topics discussed at this year’s edition of the Association Expert Seminar.

Broadcasting age vs. conversation age

Keynote speaker Michael Priem, CEO of Interactive Agency & Media Company USDM.net immediately set the trend by kicking off with his session on Interactive Strategies.

Recent statistics show the importance of including online strategies in marketing and communication to target audiences: 80% of all travel is booked online, global search engines are becoming vital (84% of people find a website through search engines) and advertising and media spend is moving online (e.g. internet advertising revenue share has surpassed television spend in the United Kingdom). Michael Priem stated that these new ways of communicating have moved society from a “broadcasting age” into a “conversation age”.

Social Media

Today, 62% of all internet users worldwide have created a social network profile.
The rise of social media provides new opportunities for the way we communicate; social networks such as Twitter allow for real-time online interaction to take place.

Associations are being challenged to use electronic marketing and communication and develop social media strategies. Many associations as well as suppliers are currently discussing how to use social media in their marketing and communication.

A lot of educating needs to be done on social media. Associations expressed their needs for a better understanding on how to monitor content of social media and expressed their lack of resources to implement and administer social media strategies. Social networks are still often seen as “fun” and “leisure” and do not get the priority they deserve.

The attendees also expressed the challenge of the generation gap; local representatives of international associations who are involved in organising a local meeting are often of an older generation, which is not as involved in interactive media as generation X and Y.

Anecdotal stories showed how social networks offer new opportunities like generating feedback and facilitating online networking and online association governance.

Sustainability of associations

The main value propositions for associations are seen to be:

1. Content
2. Community/Networking
3. Commitment

Content
Corporations which offer online webinars and information which is freely available on the web are potential competitors for associations, which makes it more important for associations to differentiate themselves by delivering quality in content. In other words: Associations should be developing organic, live content which is accessible for members only and seen to be highly credible.

Community
Virtual communities will not replace face-to-face meetings. Social networks provide extended networking opportunities for face-to-face networking, like pre- and post congress networking; they do not threaten it. Or as meetings technology Guru Corbin Ball puts it: “There is no such thing as a virtual beer”!

Commitment
Association branding plays a key role in this process: associations have to earn their brand reputation by showing commitment in delivering their brand promise and by showing consistency in their communication, products and services.

Association membership focus will switch from delivering bundled services to members to delivering specific services to customers. Therefore, associations are moving from being service providers to being marketing professionals. Recruitment and servicing of membership will no longer be the only objective; marketing the association’s services through different channels will play a key role. Associations will be less worried about the number of members and will be more interested in the number of “followers” of their association.

Associations have to become more efficient and will be run by professionals – either dedicated in-house staffs or management companies – and will be less based on volunteers. Many associations already have a clear distinction between the non-profit and for-profit parts in their governance structure.

Associations have to find new value propositions for members: networking is king, and content of association meetings and webinars has to be new, authentic and exclusive. Associations have to offer accredited webinars, for example.

Representation and advocacy will become a more important task for associations in the future. Human interest associations will be free (no paid membership) and fully rely on sponsorship.

Association meetings

Meeting budgets of international associations are being cut and time pressure of volunteers is increasing.

The location of a meeting has a huge impact on the number of participants attending it. As association meetings are pressured by the economic climate and the increased competition, new regions or countries may not be chosen because of attendance pressure. Moreover, a global rotation area could undermine the attendance base of association meetings, as large groups of members may choose not to cross borders to attend international meetings because it will come back to their region in a couple of years.

Therefore it is foreseen global associations will organise smaller, regional meetings, which will compete with national meetings.

Another trend though, which seems contradictory, is that regional associations are merging and globalising for commercial and/or knowledge reasons.

Especially for participants over 45 years, networking at an international meeting is more important than education. At very large meetings (e.g. 14,000 participants) networking is very difficult, but they will not disappear as people want to be there because “everybody is going”. Middle size meetings could have a problem though.

Safety and security and therefore risk management and flexibility will play a bigger role and more meetings, as well as headquarters of associations, will move to emerging destinations in Asia, Middle East and Africa.

The generation change and the use of technology will change the architecture of future meetings. The new generations have other educational needs based on more interaction.

Convention and Visitors Bureaus have to understand the core objectives of an association: instead of asking them “What are you looking for in a destination?” they should ask: “What are the strategic goals of your congress?”

Corporate Social Responsibility and the environment

Lots of associations are doing CSR on a tactical level, while CSR of associations should be at strategic level; associations should be driving sustainability by helping their members to be sustainable. Sustainability is a lifelong commitment; just using recycled congress bags and glass water bottles instead of plastic is not enough.

CSR should play a big role in the decision-making processes of international associations on where their next meeting will be held. Currently, if a venue is “green” it does not play a decisive role in that process yet.

“Meetings are a catalyst for change”

It is a mission for associations and suppliers to create awareness of CSR for the world outside the meetings industry.

Association meetings can influence the long term legacy of sustainability of destinations. An example would be the European Wind Energy Association which does not go to a destination that does not live up to their standards – the city of Marseille in France now lives up to those standards because it wanted to host the EWEA meeting.

The recent Copenhagen climate meeting also illustrates this. Inspired by the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) that took place in Denmark’s capital in December 2009, seven innovative organisations created a coalition to further increase the sustainability of this event and other large international meetings in the future. The initiative is called the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol (CSMP). The CSMP offers a flexible, umbrella framework that can be used to organise large, complex meetings in a more sustainable way. The protocol is intended to inspire planners to strive for excellence in sustainable management of their meetings now and in the future (more information on www.csmp.dk).

But it also works the other way around: CVBs and Venues also influence associations to be green by offering free public transportation or technological solutions for printing hard copy papers.

Several initiatives of green venues are arising; Melbourne just opened the greenest venue in the world and a “Green Venue Alliance” of Cape Town, Liverpool and Melbourne has been launched. New congress venues have to be green due to social pressure. All venues represented at the AES stated that being green definitely makes a difference. Though, at the moment, corporations seem more interested in choosing green venues for their meetings than are associations.

Convention 2020

Rohit Talwar, Chief Executive of Fast Future, presented some of the findings of the Convention 2020 study, of which ICCA and IMEX are the founding sponsors. Fast Future Research launched a ‘Pathfinder Report’ on the key strategic challenges and choices facing the industry over the next decade during IMEX.

Rohit Talwar pointed out that the meetings industry needs to be aware of what is happening in a couple of years and have an open mind to it. All the technology challenges should not be perceived as threats but as new opportunities.

A lot of the technological innovations are used already e.g. during the recent no-fly zone due to the Icelandic ash cloud when cancelled meetings were replaced by virtual meetings. Also, many associations are using technological innovations just to try something different.

An implication of the new format of future meetings is that the cost structure will change: revenue will switch from registration fees to payment for online pay-per-view sessions. Suppliers need to be more flexible on the number of participants of an event by taking an investment risk together with the association and share the profit of a meeting.

The Pathfinder Report provides a glimpse of the content of the full phase 1 report to be released in July 2010 as part of the groundbreaking Convention 2020 study on the future of meetings, venues and destinations. It can be downloaded from the Convention 2020 website:http://convention2020.meetingsreview.com/Phase1Report. The final report will be presented in October at the ICCA Congress in Hyderabad, India.

Best edition yet

Moderator Gary Grimmer says: “The AES has always gotten pretty good marks from the participants over the years, because it is a unique opportunity for association executives and ICCA members to get together to discuss current issues in the international meetings market. To me, this was the best year yet. We had some very interesting discussions that were at very a high strategic level. I think it gave the association executives a lot to think about, and the ICCA members went away with a much better understanding of the challenges their customers are facing.”

“The ICCA Association Expert Seminar is the right place to meet the right people and interact with each of them. Buyers and suppliers learn to comprehend each other.” says Irina Radu of the MSC Association.

Hazel Kennedy of the Liverpool Convention Bureau: “The Association Expert Seminar was a great way to meet face to face with Association members and really get ‘inside their heads’ to understand the challenges and opportunities they face.”

The ICCA Association Expert Seminar will take place again next year, right before IMEX and is open to ICCA members and Association Executives only.

ABPCO confirms Manchester for 2011 conference

ABPCO has confirmed that Manchester is to host its annual conference in January 2011.  Following a successful ABPCO committee meeting in Manchester in summer 2009, the Association was impressed with the variety of venues available in the city and an enthusiastic bid from the Visit Manchester team.

Manchester United Football Club will be the primary conference venue for the event.  Delegates will be accommodated in the Edwardian-built Midland Hotel and will enjoy a welcome reception at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry, located on the historic site of the world’s first purpose-built passenger railway station.

The three-day conference will include practical workshops in addition to group sessions and team-building exercises.  The theme for 2011 is yet to be confirmed, but is expected to build on 2010’s focus of ‘Change Matters.’  Registration will be open to non-ABPCO members and a wide range of sponsorship opportunities are available.  A full programme will be announced in September.

ABPCO chair Rebecca Cadman-Jones commented: ‘Manchester is such an exciting destination which offers a fantastic delegate experience, boasting versatile venues and architecturally stunning buildings.  We are thrilled to be holding our annual conference in Manchester’s vibrant city centre and to be working again with the enthusiastic Visit Manchester team.’

Paul Simpson, managing director of Visit Manchester, added: ‘We are delighted that ABPCO has chosen Manchester as the host city for their 2011 annual conference.  We are also proud to be Corporate Members of ABPCO and that we were the first destination member to join the association. We trust they will have a successful conference and we will do all we can to ensure that their experience of the city is unforgettable.’

For further information on the conference, visit www.abpco.org.

JOIN MPI IN VANCOUVER!

With the excitement of Vancouver hosting Meeting Professionals International’s World Education Congress (MPI WEC) July 24 – 27, 2010 everyone is getting in on the action!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHyAnVxHs4A

Held this year in the Vancouver Convention Centre’s West Building, MPI WEC is the largest annual gathering of meeting and event professionals that offers attendees extensive learning opportunities to build their professional skills and enhance their career within the industry. With an expected attendance of more than 3,500 meeting professionals – over 40 percent of which are projected to be meeting planners – WEC is an extraordinary opportunity to tap into the energy of the meeting and event industry’s fast-paced decision-makers.

Learn more about how you can join in on the excitement by visiting MPI’s website at www.mpiweb.org/Events/WEC2010/SaveTheDate.aspx.

ACTE Names Toby Guest UK Country Champion

London, England (1 June 2010) - The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has named Toby Guest, Global Travel Manager within IBM Corporation’s Global Procurement BTO organisation, as Country Champion for the United Kingdom. Well known for his achievements within international travel management circles throughout Europe, Brazil, Japan, South Africa and the United States, Toby has accrued over 15 years of blue chip corporate experience. His current responsibilities encompass strategic global sourcing and management of all aspects of the travel category including travel agency, corporate card, airlines, hotels, car rental and meetings and events, in 36 countries worldwide.

“Toby’s appointment as ACTE’s UK Country Champion is more than the acknowledgement of his accomplishments and his ongoing support of this association,” said Chris Crowley, ACTE President. “It’s also about having the right man in the right place, at the right time. Our Country Champions are senior experts in their respective fields, advising on effective travel management techniques, also able to advise executives how to get the most from their ACTE Global memberships.”

Prior to working with IBM’s client-facing Business Transformation Outsourcing (BTO) organisation, Toby was responsible for IBM’s own internal travel programme within Europe, managing spend for several countries including the United Kingdom. During this time he innovated strategic improvements specific to corporate travel, primarily through the global development and subsequent deployment of on-line travel tools, and a unique pan-EMEA centralised agency fulfilment model leading to significant cost savings.

“I am honoured to be offered this role within such an important global organisation as ACTE,” stated Toby “This is an extremely challenging time for the travel industry yet it is also an extremely exciting time too with such unprecedented change and opportunity for all involved. The nurturing of relationships, sharing of ideas and need for true openness throughout the supply chain has never been so critical”.

Ranked amongst the top performers in IBM globally, Toby was also a finalist for the European Travel Buyer Awards 2009 in two categories: European Travel Buyer of the Year and Best Innovation in a Travel Programme. More recently, he was a finalist in the Business Travel Awards 2010 for Travel Buyer of the Year. Toby has a Masters in Project Management from George Washington University and a BA (Honours) from Bournemouth University.

Now in its fourth year, ACTE’s Country Champion programme has successfully supported a strong association presence worldwide. ACTE’s volunteer ambassadors have helped identify local and regional trends to ensure that educational programming is topical and aligned to discuss and find solutions to regional industry challenges.

ACTE’s European Country Champions include:

• Belux – Xavier Houart, European Travel Center Manager, Atlas Copco ASAP Europe
• France – Jerome Drevon-Barreaux, Group Category Manager, AXA
• Finland – Arja Niilekselä-Tiainen, Corporate Travel, Meetings & Facility Manager, Global Indirect Sourcing, Cargotec Corporation
• Germany – Ralph Ruckgaber, General Procurement/Leasing, IBM Deutschland
• Italy – Diane Laschet, Country Manager, AirPlus International S.r.l.
• The Netherlands – Arthur Sollet, Travel Services Manager Europe Cluster, Shell International B.V.
• Sweden – Cathrine Lundberg, Principal & Senior Consultant, CMM Consulting
• Switzerland – Michael Casati, Head Group Travel Management, Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.
• Russia – Irina Kuznetsova, Head of Administration, PricewaterhouseCoopers Russia B.V.

Mutschlechner Announced as 2010 JMIC Unity Award Winner

Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) President Leigh Harry has announced the winner of the 2010 JMIC Unity Award as Mr. Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau and past President of both ICCA and the European Federation of Conference Towns. Mr. Mutschlechner formally received the award at the IMEX Awards Banquet in Frankfurt, Germany on the evening of May 26.

In making the Award, Harry said “This year’s Unity Award winner is best known as a long standing industry professional and association leader – but his role goes well beyond that. He has been involved with many key industry-building projects over many years ranging from roles in professional development and education to driving the critical area of industry valuation on a global scale. He has been a great leader and at the same time generous in sharing his expertise”.

The Unity Award is made annually to an individual who represents the spirit of JMIC, which is an organization devoted to creating stronger relationships and greater awareness of the Meetings Industry. The Award is made each year based on criteria which evaluate industry leadership and initiative.

JMIC – the Joint Meetings Industry Council – was established in 1978 as a vehicle for creating a forum for the exchange of information and perspectives amongst international associations engaged in various aspects of the Meetings Industry. It has met annually each year and served as a link between its member organizations as well as a means of reviewing industry conditions and strategies.

Bookings boom – Reservations through to 2014

While short-notice bookings were the order of the day at the start of the year, the past few weeks have brought long-term reservations for larger events. “We have recently secured four international meetings with 400-800 delegates and a congress with over 1,000 attendees for 2011 and after,” said a delighted Hofburg Vienna Managing Director Renate Danler. These acquisitions will raise Vienna’s profile as a business and science location, and will generate over 13,000 overnight stays. The reservations include the International Congress on Prevention of Congenital Diseases (12-14 May 2011; 400 physicians), theCongress of the European Society for Animal Cell Technology(ESACT, 15-18 May 2011; 800 experts) and the Austrian Ear, Nose and Throat Congress (HNO, 14-17 September 2011; 650 delegates). And a jubilee conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the Barmherzige Brüder will bring about 1,000 healthcare professionals to the Hofburg in May 2014.

With business in 2010 shaping up very well it is not just future bookings that give grounds for optimism. In autumn 2010 three prestigious gala events will be coming to the Hofburg Vienna. The imperial staterooms will provide the setting when Austria’s Leading Companies are honoured on 4 November, and the country’s best red wines are chosen at the Falstaff Rotweingala(Falstaff Red Wine Gala) on 7 December. The Redoutensaele will roll out the red carpet for the Uhrengala (watch gala) on 9 December. “Austrian and international banquets and gala evenings account for 10-15 percent of our revenue,” Danler noted. Taken together, all segments are forecast to generate revenue of almost EUR 10 million and added value of about EUR 190 million in 2010.

ICCA announces destinations for 2013 ICCA Congress and 2012 ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme

The 52nd ICCA Congress will be held in Shanghai, China-P.R. on 2 – 6 November 2013

The ICCA Board’s decision was made at the IMEX 2010 exhibition in Frankfurt and was revealed on the last day of the show. The other finalists in the bidding competition were Houston, TX, U.S.A. and Gold Coast, Qld., Australia.

ICCA CEO Martin Sirk said: “The standard of bids received from our member destinations continues to improve each year, and Shanghai needed to produce an exceptional proposal in order to win this tough competition.  Their bid involved members from all over China, it positioned the ICCA Congress as a key milestone in the strategic development of China’s international meetings industry, it was packed with creative concepts, and clearly communicated the enthusiasm and commitment of the host team.  We anticipate that this will be a superb event, and look forward to working with our Chinese colleagues on a programme that will expose ICCA members to China and its business potential, and which will transfer cutting-edge knowledge and expertise to the Chinese meetings industry.”

ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme 2012 goes to Vorarlberg, Austria

The programme will be held from 14-16 June 2012 at the Festival House Bregenz.

Marina Knittel, Project Manager, Convention Partner Vorarlberg says: “We are proud and excited to host the ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme 2012. Vorarlberg will definitely impress the delegates by its fascinating scenery between Lake Constance and the Alps, our highly-awarded congress facilities (The Festival House Bregenz was awarded by EVVC as one of the 3 „Best Centers” in 2009), and the hospitality and friendliness of the local people. Sustainable event organising is a matter of course in our region and we look forward to applying our principle of economic, ecological and social responsibility to the organisation of the programme. We are confident that the delegates will enjoy both the educational and recreational part of their stay in Vorarlberg.”

Association executives debate shape of the sector’s future at Association Day

Frankfurt, 25 May 2010 – The buying power, size and resilience of the global association meeting market was demonstrated yesterday when almost 300 association meeting planners gathered for the eighth IMEX Association Day at the Messe Frankfurt Congress Centre.

IMEX Association Day is a unique annual event for association meeting planners which focuses exclusively on professional education and round-table debates with each session tailored specifically to address the professional concerns of association executives. Sessions run concurrently during the day to allow delegates to achieve maximum return from their time. Association buyers regularly account for approximately 12 per cent of IMEX’s hosted buyers each year. As such, they deliver huge buying power and influence to the show.

The Day is organised annually by IMEX and ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) with input and co-operation from many of the meetings industry’s leading global associations including AIPC, ASAE, ESAE, PCMA, IAPCO, IAEE and DMAI*.

This year’s programme concentrated on the issues of strategic planning, long-term future trends and how best to manage online content. It also included German language sessions on ‘Management Excellence’ which were devised by the German Convention Bureau working with association management company, MCI Group.

The “strategic global planning” sessions were moderated by Greta Kotler, Chief Knowledge and Strategy Officer at ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) with contributions from speakers Chip Deale, Head of Global Society Relations at the CFA Institute (Global Association of Investment Professionals); Helga Severyns, Senior Director of the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) and Luc Hendricx, Director of IDF (Congresses and Governance for the International Diabetes Federation). These sessions examined how best to expand influence and drive up membership numbers whilst increasing loyalty. In a second session, CEO of ICCA, Martin Sirk, examined the different factors at play when deciding where to hold an international congress, using ICCA’s recently updated framework as a discussion document. A discussion about the value and purpose of online content also proved popular with delegates. Pol Van De Perre, Association Director of MCI Brussels outlined the importance of providing valuable online content for event delegates as well as how to leverage such content for revenue generation.

The Day’s educational programme ended with the ever popular round-table sessions, organised by MCI, which give delegates the opportunity to discuss issues of their choice with their peers. This followed an exclusive snapshot of first results from the new Convention 2020 research study, whose co-founding sponsors are ICCA and IMEX. Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future Research, outlined how changing business models, technology and funding patterns are likely to transform the way in which associations plan and deliver large scale events and conferences in the next 10 years. (Further findings from this global study are being made available at different seminars throughout IMEX 2010).

Speaking about their reaction to the Association Day programme, Jeffrey Thomson, President and CEO of the Institute of Management Accountants (USA) said: “As a professional organiser, I thought everything was incredibly well organised and planned – especially as I was looking for answers to three issues. The first being globalisation. The second managing growth and, finally, learning more about innovation.”

Mr Kare Drager, President of The International Emergency Management Society from Norway, which has members in 40 countries, commented: “I have learned a great deal and been able to share problems and gain solutions. IMEX allows me to find excellent partners worldwide.”

Association Day delegates then joined more than 500 IMEX exhibitors for a networking and cocktail reception at the Westin Grand Hotel. This reception has become the unofficial opening event of IMEX and provides an opportunity for suppliers to meet and do business with important association buyers they might not normally meet.

Lisbon moves up 2 slots in the ICCA ranking

In 2009, Lisbon moved up two slots in the world’s top ten cities for hosting international association meetings – rising to 8th position – according to data disclosed by ICCA – International Congress & Convention Association.

Several competing cities – such as Madrid, London, Brussels and Rome – did not make the top ten. Lisbon’s position confirms affirmation of the Portuguese capital as one of the world’s most popular destinations for hosting such initiatives.

It’s important to remember that Lisbon’s position in the ICCA ranking, was recorded in a year of widespread and transversal economic crisis in all sectors, affecting the entire world economy, thus adding special importance to this classification as a top Meetings Industry destination.

Lisbon’s position in the ranking was awarded ex aequo with Amsterdam, which also hosted 98 conferences. 10th position was occupied by Beijing, China. Vienna topped the list, with 160 events, followed by Barcelona (135), Paris (131), Berlin (129), Singapore (119), Copenhagen (103) and Stockholm (102).

Business Tourism (Meeting Industry) is Lisbon’s second most important tourism product – allocated a budget of €1,076,500 this year, i.e. 29 % of Turismo de Lisboa’s total budget. The leading tourism product is City Break (38.66 % of the total budget), and the other main products are Golf and Touring (both with 16.17 % of the budget).

Business Tourism is one of the ten strategic products identified in the National Strategic Plan for Tourism (PENT), with the Lisbon Region identified as the priority destination for developing this product in Portugal.

The quality of Lisbon’s facilities, equipment, specialised services, technology and accumulated professional expertise, constitute the city’s main competitive advantages for hosting Business Tourism initiatives.

Lisboa Convention Centre will be at IMEX on Stand D100

ICCA publishes country and city rankings 2009

U.S.A. and Vienna still most popular association meeting destinations

The ICCA rankings cover meetings organised by international associations which take place on a regular basis and which rotate between a minimum of three countries. The data represents a “snapshot” of qualifying events in the ICCA Association Database as sampled on 11 May 2010. ICCA’s Association Database is designed as a sales and marketing resource for its members to target future international association meetings, which is why it does not include one-off events or those which do not move between locations.

This year the ICCA Data researchers have identified 8,294 events which took place in 2009, 800 events more than were identified last year. Partly this reflects the strength of the association meetings market despite the economic downturn; partly it is thanks to a record number of ICCA members sending us their calendar information to help identify new events.

Table 1: ICCA country and city ranking measured by number of meetings organised in 2009

As has been the case since 2004, U.S.A. and Germany are the number one and two countries respectively measured by the number of international meetings organised in 2009. The U.S.A. is widening its gap with Germany with 32 events, compared to the 2008 figures. Spain remains third. Italy jumps from 6th to 4th place with an increase of 54 events compared to 2008, and the United Kingdom remains 5th. China-P.R. and Austria (which shares 10th place with The Netherlands) are newcomers in the top 10.

For the fifth year in a row, Vienna is the most popular city with an increase of 21 meetings over 2008. Barcelona jumped from 3rd to 2nd place and Paris, who shared 1st place with Vienna last year, is now 3rd. The only newcomer in the top 20 is Madrid, at 13th place.

ICCA is now working on the details behind these headline results. The full ICCA statistics report for 2009 will be released end of June. The 10 Year statistics report covering 2000-2009 will be published late July.

The ICCA statistics reports will only be available online to ICCA members. “The International Association Meetings Market 2009” will also be sent to 6,000 association meeting planners all over the world. ICCA encourages associations to use the statistics as a practical way to identify potential new destinations for their events.

Visit London strengthens strategic relationship with Site

Visit London the official visitor organisation for the UK’s capital today announced its ongoing strategic relationship with the global meetings and event professionals associations Site.

The global association represents the motivational events and business sector has been running for over 35 years and has over 2,200 members in 87 countries with 36 local and regional chapters.
As part of the ongoing support from Visit London, Head of Business Development Europe Barbara Jamison has been named as a new board member for the GB Site Chapter. Her responsibility on GB board will be Head of Membership where she will work to help build and develop the ongoing membership and communication from the GB Chapter as well as further global support with the Site community throughout the world.

Visit London’s ongoing strategic investment has included a number of supporting projects including the re-branding of Site which took place last year and a number of events and activities at key trade shows in Europe and North America.

As the recession has seen many changes in the industry, Site GB Chapter are inviting the meetings community to re-look at services provided to the industry from a motivational aspect in the form of a campaign ‘Site Expectations’.

“Working with motivational programmes has a differing expectation level than that of other group movements” said Fiona Chappell, Site GB Chapter President “and the Board thought to change the format of the Chapter seminars from speakers delivering forecasts on trends to an interactive panel discussion, encouraging debate in a relaxed forum for both experienced and new members of this market segment.  The first of these panel debates was held at the newly opened Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.  Entitled Site Expectations of Hotels, and expertly moderated by Martin Lewis, Managing Editor of M&IT the evening comprised of lively debate on the challenges faced by both suppliers and planners of motivational experiences.  As a Board we are very much looking forward to the other two events in this series – Site Expectations of CVB’s and Venues and Suppliers which will take place in September and October.”
Site President Brenda Anderson said “Strategic partnerships are vital to associations like Site. In stepping up to a strategic partner level, Visit London demonstrates commitment to the motivational events segment. Clearly, Visit London and its member organizations place a high value and strong focus on creating valuable and unique experiences for incentive groups.”
Barbara Jamison added: “I’m delighted to be joining the GB Chapter of Site as Head of Membership. Visit London recognises the unparalleled opportunity to partner with Site to connect to a wide global audience of event planners and business members who create motivational experience throughout the world. Many of the Site members look to London to bring business and events and we want to ensure that we provide both support and networking opportunities both now and in the future. “

Upcoming Site Events

Visit London will be hosting a SITE Global Chapter leaders reception on the Visit London Stand F400 at IMEX on the 26 May 2010 at 1.30pm.
Site members; friends and colleagues are also invited to meet for Site Nite Europe at the InterContinental Frankfurt on the evening of Monday, 24 May, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.  Site Nite provides an evening of reconnecting with colleagues and meeting new contacts in a casual cocktail reception format. Modelled after the tremendous success of Site Nite North America, Site Nite Europe stands poised to greet 500 industry professionals with their clients, including 100 IMEX hosted buyers.

Site Nite is a fundraising event dedicated to supporting the Site International Foundation on projects such as the Site Index, David Riddell Scholarship, white papers and education.  A new study pivotal to Europe will be announced at Site Nite in Frankfurt.
Site also invited all members to a cocktail reception on the Site Global Stand No F780 at IMEX at 3pm on Tuesday May 25th.

AIPC Annual Conference in Liverpool! July 3-7, 2010

Along with AIPC ongoing senior level management updates and issue exchanges, this year’s Annual Conference will feature an executive theme with implications for centre managers everywhere.

Expansions, renovations and new facility development are becoming ongoing functions of a large proportion of convention centre management activity, as rapid changes in the industry generate increasing levels of such activity in order for centres to remain competitive. Yet such programs are often outside the main stream of centre manager’s expertise and those who do obtain direct experience may have little use for it after their own project is complete.

As a result, this year’s AIPC conference will incorporate the concept of “Project Development – Start to Finish”; a comprehensive look at the process of facility development from initial planning through government and community relations and actual project management. The results will be of intense interest not only to members engaged in or contemplating a major project but those who recognize that such projects are an inevitable part of the industry future.

Here’s the direct link to the Program Sessions

Liverpool is a destination rich in history and culture and it’s an amazing, vibrant city which bustles with life, music, sport and culture. Our hosts have prepared an exciting programme of tours for delegates and accompanying persons to enable you to sample the unique charms that Liverpool has to offer. Visit the Annual Conference website now for full details on the Social Program.

This is a conference for the future – and for helping set your course into a new generation of business opportunities.

Russian Business Travel Community Gathers at ACTE Executive Forum to Discuss Self-Booking Tools, Visas, Client Services and Future Trends

Alexandria, Va (13 May 2010) – The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) (http://www.acte.org/) reported a 25 percent jump in the number of participants attending the ACTE Executive Forum convened in Moscow, on 13 April, 2010 with total attendance for the second annual event rising to 103 delegates. According to a statement from Chris Crowley, ACTE President-Elect, the increased number of participants, the energy of the discussions held and the level of business conducted on the day, reflects the maturity of the travel management profession in Russia and the readiness of travel managers to engage in improving processes to achieve greater efficiency.

“The ACTE education forum brought key buyers and competitive suppliers together and provided the opportunity for delegates to discuss global issues in a very local setting.” said Caroline Allen, the association’s Regional Director, Northern & East Central Europe and Russia. “Travel managers seized the opportunity to identify solutions to help deliver results and bolster their corporate influence.”

Russian television channel, Russian Travel Guide (http://rtgtv.ru/news/202/) (RTG TV) covered the event and subsequently created a program called ‘New Opportunities in Business Travel’. The program features an interview with Irina Kuznetsova, Administrative Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers and ACTE’s Russian Country Champion where she comments on the significance of corporate travel to ones business, the challenges especially in the current global financial climate, the importance of sharing practices and experiences, learning from other corporate buyers, and the significance of having an independent educational and networking platform such as ACTE. The program goes on to explain that corporate travel in Russia is growing rapidly and that there is a high demand for qualified specialists with particular knowledge and experience in travel management — making education on the subject extremely
important.

The event’s educational agenda featured four main topics, each offering a panel of experts and was moderated by Bob Papworth, the Executive Editor of Buying Business Travel.

The first presentation ‘Self-Booking Tools for the Russian Market’, was structured on the insight of Olesya Ryabova, Executive Director Corporate Services, Goldman Sachs; Philipp Lookianenko, Managing Director, HRG; Vadim Zelenski, General Director, Zelenski Corporate Travel Solutions; and Olga Barysheva, Travel Co-ordinator, C-Boss.

The panel began by summarizing the type of content and functionality participants could expect from a self-booking tool, emphasizing the ability to process orders for a wide variety of travel services electronically, the capability to access negotiated rates, the convenience of gauging compliance as well as maintaining traveller profiles, and the ability to generate statistical reports. The session also examined specific benefits for the travel manager (faster booking, tighter budget control, administrative cost reduction, and enhanced traveller security), as well as several advantages for the travel management company (greater transparency and increased manageability). Olga Barysheva, Travel Co-ordinator for C-Boss, systematically ran through a series of potential challenges common to the Russian business travel sector and demonstrated how their self-booking tool helped to resolve those
challenges.

Several conclusions were drawn by the session end, including:

Any travel service or product being introduced to the Russian market must either be developed specifically for that market, or be subject to local modification

Although in relative infancy, local Russian solutions are available which have levels of customisation options if policy and approval process need to be incorporated

Content needs to be considered. Russia is a huge geographic region spanning multiple time zones and much of the Russian air content is currently held on Russian CRS/GDS systems

Hotel content is complex as a huge volume of hotel content is not yet available on the GDS

Russian tax regulations encourage some businesses to operate with cash to minimize their tax burden which will continue to affect credit card adoption (which is still low) but there is progress being made in this area

Visas and visa management remains  a challenge to Russian business travel managers which was explored in the second session, entitled “Getting to the Head of the Visa Line,” by experts Irina Zernova, Vice President, Head of Administration, Morgan Stanley Bank Russia; Andrey Voronine, CEO, ATH Business Travel Solutions; and Stewart Wight, Vice Consul, US Embassy.

Visa delays and difficulties are reflected in the relatively high associated cost to business. Yet as high as these costs are, they are still lower than the price of not being able to conduct business at all. Some of these costs relate to personnel, such as the need for expert staff to update consulate information and to verify information against each application. Others relate to the time lost when the traveller must apply for the visa in person, or when re-application is required to correct a mistake. Additional expense is often tied to the cost of cancelling or postponing meetings if the visa process can not react to business needs quickly enough.

Zernova reminded delegates of the importance of making concise and honest applications to simplify the process. Participant and expert consensus in this session also concluded that suppliers in this field should work towards maintaining a single database with consulate information online, including traveller data stored for other applications; business visa accreditations for the travel management company (for buyers to be able to outsource the process to and reduce the need for personal presence when making applications); a simplified set of documents, and the option of using express services, at  higher fees if necessary.

Yet in his presentation, Stewart Wight, Vice Consul, US Embassy demonstrated how the US has streamlined many of it visa requirements (approving 1,000 visas in Moscow alone on a daily basis), incorporating many of the enhancements desired by participants, including online application processing and a waiver of a personal appearance if applicants have previously applied for and received a US visa.

In the presentation titled, “Is it Time for a Change in the Client Service Model?”, participants discussed “implant” versus “outplant” solutions and general servicing requirements. The discussion was lead by Olga Khorasanova, Facilities & Services Lead Russia, Accenture; and Irina Kuznetsova.

According to Khorasanova, her firm can avoid difficulties associated with the high real estate costs and security issues by side-stepping the implant issue. Factors such as designated agents, transparent procedures and good communication throughout the company, plus a strong partnership approach between the client and the TMC, make this possible. On the other hand, Kuznetsova made a strong argument for implant offices by stating that high client satisfaction, in addition to empathy and personal attention that comes from dealing with a familiar person, adds value and cost savings opportunities. These are evident in travel policy compliance, the opportunity to assign additional internal administrative tasks to the implant staff, and “team work” on important projects. It should also be noted that half of Kuznetsova’s travellers are “domestic,” where paper tickets are still the norm yet there
is still a high demand for visa applications where face to face support onsite can be offer a significant advantage. In the final analysis, the choice will rely greatly on individual corporate cultures and business demands.

The “Future Trends” session was a panel discussion on credit card/charge card adoption in Russia. The panel consisted of Winfried Barczaitis, Partner, Trust Management Consultants GmbH; Andrey Chechin Head of Corporate Cards, Russia and CIS, American Express Corporate Card; and Andrei Damaskin President, Diners Club. The presentation focused on the small, but growing acceptance of charge card/credit cards as essential business travel tools in Russia and the CIS. For many companies, Russian tax laws have made it expedient to deal with cash in many transactions. Yet as business expands, the risk of lost or stolen cash, tracking problems associated with cash, and the inability of cash to cross borders conveniently is bringing about badly needed change in this area.

The event was hosted by the Sheraton Palace Hotel Moscow, a hotel that prides itself on extending traditional Russian hospitality, supported by meeting facilities with technical support capabilities conducive to conducting business.

For a complete list of ACTE’s Global Education Events (http://www.acte.org/events/index.php) visit the online calendar.

ICCA & the international association market at IMEX

ICCA Statistics: Country and city rankings 2009

The ICCA rankings cover meetings organised by international associations which take place on a regular basis and which rotate between a minimum of three countries. A press release on the new top 20 country and city rankings, measured by number of hosted events in 2009, will be published on Monday 17 May, one week before IMEX. Visit ICCA stand A302 for the rankings and background information. ICCA is now working on the details behind these headline results. Please note that the full ICCA statistics report for 2009 will be released end of June. The 10 Year statistics report covering 2000-2009 will be published late July.

Association Expert Seminar, 22-24 May

ICCA will once more be running this unique, interactive seminar which brings together 20 international association executives and 40 international suppliers (ICCA members) to share information and experiences, and to update themselves on the latest trends and ideas relating to international association conferences.

Association Day, 24 May

Held one day prior to the show, Association Day is one of the big successes of IMEX. As in previous years, ICCA is the lead meetings industry association working with IMEX to create this successful programme, which for the last three years has attracted the largest annual gatherings of international association executives in Europe. Every year over 250 association professionals, from 30 countries from this highly important market segment are expected to attend a full afternoon of seminars, round table discussion forums, and networking.

Association Networking Evening, 24 May

ICCA is the primary organiser of this IMEX-hosted event, which takes place at the Westin Hotel Frankfurt and is the traditional kick-start to IMEX. The participants are mainly international association clients and ICCA members, with additional guests from other meetings industry associations.

Convention 2020 – Update

ICCA, along with IMEX, is one of the Founding Partners of the Concention 2020 Research Project, the first official results from which are being released at IMEX.

A summary of the Phase 1 Report will be presented during five presentations and workshop sessions at IMEX to share and discuss the findings. The full report will be published in June. Full details of these sessions can be found here: www.convention2020.meetingsreview.com/IMEX10Sessions

AIRLINES HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN VOLCANIC ASH DATA

AEA: “We want robust, harmonized and better European crisis management”

The current procedure for determining  the no fly zones due to volcanic ash, is based upon calculations by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in London; in a recent statement, the VAAC defended its modelling of volcanic ash as ‘proven and internationally’ endorsed.’ The Association of European Airlines, which represents 36 leading European network airlines, reacted with disappointment.

“190.00 flights in European air space have shown no sign of any volcanic ashes on hull or engines. The VAAC cannot continue to rely on simulations; further verification flights are essential to increase the accuracy of the VAAC data”, said AEA’s Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus. “AEA airlines have lost confidence in the VAAC as a sufficiently robust and reliable data to be the only source of information for decisions on safety of air services. The French government recently used data from verification flights across its national air space, and data available from its meteorological  offices, as basis for its own analysis and decisions. Other governments in Europe are likewise resorting to additional test flights and data to develop practicable solutions”.

The AEA says that there is evidence that the current system is inappropriate, as the VAAC model provides a forecast of ash dispersion. Closure of airspace cannot be based merely on a forecast of ash presence.

“Other regions in the world also deal with volcanic ash eruptions. In the USA, for example, a data source is used which is empirically demonstrated to be robust, accurate and actual.”

AEA says that governments across Europe should not have to pursue different additional data sources to arrive at a sufficiently accurate assessment of the hazardous zones. “Accurate data sources are available right now. AEA calls for an urgent resolution of the ongoing uncertainty and a streamlined use of that pertinent data. Pilots must have accurate data, so that they can avoid hazardous zones.”

ITM Appoints New General Manager

The Institute of Travel & Meetings UK & Ireland has today announced the
appointment of Emmanuelle Clément in the role of General Manager. Ms Clément
will replace Anne Deamer, who joined ITM in 2008 in the newly created role
but is leaving the association after conference to focus on her degree
studies.

Ms Clément has been Alumni Relations Manager at Cranfield School of
Management since 2007. She was responsible for managing the team, developing
an International alumni strategy and running five business networks. She
holds a Masters degree in Tourism and Management from Lyon’s University in
France and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management.

Paul Tilstone, ITM CEO, said of Ms Clément’s appointment, “*We are delighted
to welcome Emmanuelle to the organisation at an incredibly exciting time. I
have no doubt her management of people networks and language skills will
prove incredibly useful to ITM’s work, both in the UK and Europe*. *We want
to wish Anne Deamer all the best with her studies and thank her for all her
hard work and commitment to the association.*”

Record 27 Finalists in 2010 AIPC Apex Award Competition

This year’s AIPC Apex Award will be one of the most hotly contested ever, with 27 finalists vying for the recognition as “World’s Best

ICCA UK & IRELAND JOINS FORCES WITH MIA AND ABPCO FOR SUMMER DEBATE

ICC London ExCeL to host joint industry event

ICCA UK & Ireland has announced its 2010 Summer Debate will take place on 15^th - 16^th July and be held at London’s first International Convention Centre at ExCeL London.

In a collaborative move, the 2010 debate will be supported by both the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) and the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO), who will promote the event to its own membership and contribute to the development of content.

Chair of ICCA UK & Ireland Chapter, James Rees comments; “Since the Association Summit took place in Birmingham last year during National Meetings Week, we have been looking at ways in which we can work more closely with other associations in the sector that share our values, and I’m delighted that both the MIA and ABPCO will be participating in and supporting this event. Their input will help to shape the event for the benefit of all members.”

The programme for the debate will include a series of keynote sessions, workshops and a welcome reception and dinner within East London, close to the Olympic Park, details of which will be published in the next few weeks.

James concludes; “The Summer Debate will offer members from all three associations the opportunity to learn from shared experiences across a variety of sectors and demonstrates how we are working together for the benefit of the wider industry.”

Jane Evans, Chief Executive of the MIA comments; “We’re committed to working closer with other associations and are particularly delighted to have aligned ourselves with both ICCA and ABPCO for the Summer Debate. Our newly launched Destination Group is all about coming together to share best practice through a more collaborative approach and working in partnership with ICCA and ABPCO on this event is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to sharing best practice with the wider industry.”

Further details for delegate registration will be available at www.iccaworld.com shortly.