New IMEX TV, App and social media team set to give new face to IMEX in Frankfurt 2012

The 10th anniversary edition of IMEX in Frankfurt, opening next Tuesday May 22nd at Messe Frankfurt, is set to be the most televised and ‘talked about’ in the show’s 10 year history. The launch of IMEX TV – sponsored by Iguassu Falls, Brazil – today’s release of the updated IMEX App and a variety of new social media services will be a defining element of this year’s show.

The Sex Appeal of Big Brains: Are Tourism and Culture Being Overtaken by Intellectual Prowess in the Hunt for International Meetings Success?

Are the days of marketing a destination in traditional tourism terms numbered? How are cities finding new ways to harness the intellectual resources in their local universities and institutions? How can meetings management companies authentically position themselves as intellectual partners and not just logistics providers?

ICCA’s Breakfast Seminar at IMEX looks at numerous examples of why and how competition appears to be shifting from restaurants, art galleries and shopping to research institutes, PhDs, and peer-reviewed excellence. ICCA’s now traditional crowd panel format will guarantee a lively debate and provide innovative ideas for any destination, supplier, or international association executive looking for early morning mental stimulation!

Moderated by Martin Sirk, CEO, ICCA with ‘Crowd Panel’ of table moderators drawn from ICCA membership, this session will be a mix of Round Table and interactive plenary discussions.

Date: Tuesday 22 May 2012
Time: 08.45-09.45
Room: Seminar room level 9.2, Hall 9

IMEX America Index of Optimism captures spirit of progress and explores effect of US Presidential election, hot technologies and more

Meetings and events industry business and optimism is on the rise according to a group of North American buyers and suppliers surveyed in the latest IMEX America Index of Optimism, the IMEX Group announced today.

Conducted in Q1 the Index asked 200 respondents to describe their mood over the previous six months and covered topics such as new business, levels of optimism, use of technology, professionalism and the expected effect of the presidential election on the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. Of the participants 64% were buyers, with suppliers comprising the remaining 36%.

Showing ongoing business improvement, a strong 88% of respondents said they had attracted new sources of business in the previous six month period (up from just over 77% in the previous July 2011 IMEX America Index of Optimism).

The survey showed optimism among US buyers and suppliers to be on the rise with a little over 79% reporting they felt more optimistic than in the summer of 2011.  9% remain less optimistic and 12% were not sure. Compared to July 2011, when only 66% felt optimistic about the future, this 13% increase suggests a more positive outlook has returned, and both buyers and suppliers are feeling slightly more bullish about business prospects for the remainder of 2012.

When asked whether there was evidence that large meetings and events were attracting higher or lower numbers of attendees over the past six months, just over 53% noted a rise in numbers – a slight, positive increase from the 50% indicated in the July 2011 Index.  For 27% there was no reported rise in delegate numbers and 20% remained unsure.

The survey also asked if spending per participant at these events was on the rise. Results were virtually split down the middle with 38% saying yes, nearly 40% saying no, and the remainder declaring they were not sure.

When asked the “crystal ball” question everyone wants the answer to, whether the industry had seen the worst of the market difficulties yet, results swung to more positive ground. 49% said they felt the worst had passed.  31% believe there is more uncertainty to come, and 20% can’t decide either way.  These findings show less doubt and pessimism than in July 2011 when just 30% felt the worst had past and 34% felt there was more uncertainty around the corner.

Professionalism, Technology & the US Presidential Election Enrich Feedback
Further, The IMEX America Index of Optimism also sought feedback on the importance of continued professional development and industry recognition, as well as hot technologies and the upcoming US presidential election and its potential effect on the industry.

Just over 81% agreed that continued work is critical to build and reinforce the professionalism of the industry, acknowledging that this helps to impress the true value of the industry upon stakeholders and other influential groups.

In comment-format questions regarding use of social media and ‘hot’ technologies, Twitter, Facebook, smart phones, tablets and apps continue to dominate industry professionals’ lives and habits.  However, respondents emphasized their search for value rather than novelty, and only rate those technologies and devices that help them create better marketing programs and sponsorships, build stronger client relationships or deliver a richer attendee interaction or greater convenience.

Comments also suggest that appetite for greater network bandwidth in venues, more extensive wifi availability, and more and better mobile apps to facilitate information access and interaction, remains strong.

Further, interest in cloud-based CRM and database solutions was also expressed and there continues to be much discussion around virtual and video conference formats and technologies—especially for smaller audiences. This said, the continuing value of face-to-face connections, networking and relationship development created at live events was consistently reinforced by survey respondents.

Finally with the US buzzing with presidential election news and speculation, the Index asked participants how the upcoming election is likely to affect the meetings industry.  Many said not at all, although others indicated that election years typically lead to a more “wait and see” attitude on budgets and program decisions. However, some recent lengthening of lead times could help industry members get past the November 2012 bottleneck. Generally concerns over rising fuel prices, job creation and continued global economic instability created more concern than the specific outcome of the election.  Those in the medical/healthcare and pharma sectors, however, did express some concerns about direct and potentially negative impacts based on who wins or loses the race to the Oval Office.

Many provided comment that no matter who wins, it’s essential to keep pushing for more understanding and pro-industry action on Capitol Hill.

Says Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group: “Last October at IMEX America there was a tangible feeling of optimism among buyers and suppliers and our business figures reflected that. Our exit survey showed that hosted buyers placed total orders onsite of $281 million and expected to place a further $1.9 billion worth of orders in the nine months afterwards.  Interest in the next IMEX America is looking extremely strong with demand for booth space and for hosted buyer places all supporting the gentle upswing indicated by these findings.”  

Cutting-Edge ‘Skype Station’ to Offer Free Video Calls introduced at IMEX, Estonia stand F270

Visitors to the Meet Estonia stand (F270) at this year’s IMEX fair can be among the first in the world to try out Skype Station, an ultramodern communication booth that lets users make free video calls via the internet.

Developed by the Estonian company AdTech, the stylishly-designed station not only works as a phone booth for the digital age, it has the capability of doubling as an eye-catching conference communication device and an online shopping portal.

Skype Station is the latest innovation to come out of E-Estonia, the country that gave birth to the Skype VoIP service and leads Europe in the availability of free Wi-Fi – an asset that has made this novel, affordable travel destination all the more attractive to event organisers.

More information about the Skype Station, the E-Estonia tech boom and other factors that make Estonia such an excellent conference choice will be available at the Meet Estonia stand.

To book a meeting, contact Kadri Karu, Estonian Convention Bureau kadri.karu@ecb.ee. Drop-ins are also welcome!

Controversy likely at IAPCO / IPCAA Seminar

Wednesday 22 May, 08.45 at IMEX, Frankfurt 

The IAPCO / IPCAA Seminar “How do you fit into the healthcare congress stakeholder chain?” is certain to cause controversy and perhaps even discord !

Martin Jensen, of H. Lundbeck, representing ICPAA, will review, amongst others;

Would you listen to what a convention bureau has to say?

Is there a trend among IPCAA members to re-think the strategies of attending healthcare congresses?”

Christian Mutschlechner, of the Vienna Convention Bureau, will be defending the position of the convention bureaux confirming that they can be, and are, instrumental in the selection process, attracting medical meetings to a city and he will answer the leading question as to “whether a convention bureau can do more than they are currently doing?”.

“But will PCOs continue to pursue medical congresses if there is the possibility that these become less attractive due to compliance?” argues Caroline Mackenzie of Congrex Holdings BV, IAPCO member.

Make your voice heard at IMEX – participate in the Seminar – Wednesday 08.45

Sands Cotai Macao showcases new infrastructure at IMEX Frankfurt 2012

Asia’s largest integrated resort city to be represented at prominent meetings industry exhibition 

(Macao, May 3, 2012) – Sands^® Cotai Macao will showcase its five international hotel brands in a newly designed booth this year at IMEX Frankfurt, the international show where the global meetings industry continues to do business while maximising connections and networking opportunities, featuring over 70 sessions of education.

To be held at Messe Frankfurt Hall 8, meeting planners attending IMEX Frankfurt 2012 can come to the Sands Cotai Macao booth A240 from May 22 to May 24, to learn about the world-class meeting facilities that this dynamic destination can offer.

Natasha Tomé, Executive Director of Marketing, Sands Cotai Macao, says, “IMEX Frankfurt provides us a valuable opportunity to showcase the amazing developments of Sands Cotai Macao to the international market. With our newest hotel brands, Conrad Macao and Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central having just opened on April 11, our room inventory and meeting and convention capabilities have expanded, but with the same guaranteed expertise and service that have made the CotaiExpo™, CotaiArena™ and The Venetian^® Macao the region’s meetings destination leaders, providing organisers with everything under one roof. The expert and international team at Sands Cotai Macao work diligently to meet and anticipate meeting planners’ needs to ensure their event’s success.”

Sands Cotai Macao provides an unbeatable range of over 9,000 guestrooms from five international hotel brands: The Venetian Macao; Conrad Macao, Cotai Central; Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central; Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central and Four Seasons Hotel Macao. With 120,000 square meters of flexible and versatile meeting and exhibition space, including 274 breakout rooms, every type of event, large or small, is catered for.

In addition to its world-class accommodation and convention facilities, Sands Cotai Macao offers world-class concert events at the 15,000-seat CotaiArena, exclusive and intimate shows at the 1,800-seat luxury Venetian Theatre and exciting Streetmosphere™ performers to wow delegates. With 59 international restaurants and lounges, a food court and a fleet of over 150 vehicles with connections to air, land and ferry hubs, Sands Cotai Macao is truly an all-inclusive destination for meeting planners.

Macao’s rich Sino-Portuguese history and beautifully preserved UNESCO World Heritage Sites provide the perfect backdrop for any event. It is in the unique position of being the meeting point of eastern and western cultures in Asia. Located at the tip of southern China and only 45 minutes from Hong Kong by high-speed ferry, Macao is an ideal location for international delegates with free visa entry for nationals from more than 70 countries and a local population that speaks Putonghua, Cantonese, English and/or Portuguese.

For more information about Sands Cotai Macao’s presence at IMEX Frankfurt 2012, or to submit an RFP, please contact Natasha Tomé at +853 8118 2008 or via email at natasha.tome@venetian.com.mo.

IMEX America expands its ‘Smart Monday’ pre-show educational day in response to market demand

Following the successful launch of global meetings, incentive travel and events industry trade show, IMEX America, last October in Las Vegas, organizers have announced developments to the format and content of ‘Smart Monday’, its pre-show, one-day educational event (Monday Oct. 08).

The free, pre-show day of professional education has been developed to become Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”.  Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is IMEX America’s strategic partner and premier educational provider. This new name demonstrates MPI’s crucial role in providing the majority of content on Monday, Oct. 08 while also signalling the combined involvement and educational contribution of other important and influential associations including: ASAE, ACTE, ISES, ICCA, PCMA, Site and IAEE, who will be holding a CEM Program on the day.

Smart Monday, ”Powered by MPI”, will include a morning keynote and all day sessions which will cover topics including strategic meetings management, social media, leadership, sustainability, personal development, incentive travel, technology trends and international meetings management.

Carina Bauer, CEO of organizers, the IMEX Group explains: “We had such a positive response to Smart Monday last year with over 1,200 people attending which has really inspired us in our planning for this year’s event. This year, Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”, really does offer exceptional value and diversity of education and there will be something for everyone, regardless of job title or association membership.

“MPI’s 12 educational sessions are a key part of the day – the backbone if you like – but we are also emphasizing the incredible scope and quality of all the education and networking on offer by other participating associations.   Last year industry professionals were delighted – and perhaps a little surprised – when they realised how strong the education program was.  Now that the concept is well established and we have proven there is strong demand, we are really excited to be planning for 2012 and taking steps to develop it even further,” states Bauer.

Alongside innovative and inspiring education from MPI (which will be open to members and non-members), Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”, will offer specialist education sessions from many other associations. All of it will be provided free of charge to both buyers and suppliers regardless of their association membership or status.

Association Day becomes part of Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”
The IMEX America Association Day, which provides education dedicated specifically to the challenges and issues facing association meeting executives, also becomes core to Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”.  Association Day is a key part of the specialist offering which IMEX America provides for association planners – whether attending as hosted buyers, or as buyer attendees. This unique event offers a specialist ‘conference within a conference’ on Monday exclusively for association planners and gives them an opportunity to network with and learn from each other in a private environment, with topics dedicated to their needs. Suppliers can meet these planners at the Association Evening which is being sponsored by IMEX America’s Headquarters Hotel – The Venetian®| The Palazzo®.

Several other large, co-located events are set to attract industry professionals throughout the week, including MPI’s Foundation Rendezvous on Wednesday Oct. 10 and Site Nite North America, which will round off Smart Monday, “Powered by MPI”, on Oct. 08.

Buyers and suppliers can pre-register their interest in IMEX America here. Registration will be opening in May. Room bookings at IMEX America’s Headquarters Hotel – The Venetian®| The Palazzo® are also now open.

IMEX in Frankfurt celebrates 10th anniversary year with strategic reworking of its hallmark Association Day

After nine years of year-on-year increases in the number of association meeting planners attending the IMEX Association Day, the IMEX team, its association partners and advisors have completely revamped the day’s education programme for 2012.

Inaugural IMEX America Executive Forum Highlights Top Priorities for Meeting Executives in 2012

Highlighting what’s top of mind for leading executives in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry, IMEX America announced the key insights from the first IMEX America Executive Meeting Forum held in Las Vegas in October 2011.

Sponsored by Ritz-Carlton Hotels, the summit brought together 25 invited meetings executives from the technology, food, energy, finance, software, insurance and pharmaceutical sectors. Together they represented a total of over US $3.8 billion in meetings and events buying power. Participating organizations included Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Merck, DHL, KPMG LLP, Chevron Corporation and others.

The IMEX America Executive Forum is designed to reveal fresh ideas and identify solutions and strategies for corporate meetings and events executives, and to discover opportunities for industry progress.  The end goals are to develop, implement and measure successful meetings, discuss optimal paths for the long-term future of the industry from a corporate perspective, and keep a strong focus on short-term needs and pressures.

To help support these goals – and with the continued backdrop of a challenging global economy in mind – executives in the IMEX America Executive Meeting Forum set their sights on specific priorities for 2012 and beyond. Capturing ROI and its power to build stakeholder support was a pressing and common thread discussed, supported by a strong desire to find improved ways to measure, package and demonstrate the positive impact of events and SMMP (Strategic Meetings Management Programs) to the C-suite.

There was also an interest in doing more pre and post-meeting surveys and cost-benefit analysis;  securing upfront agreement on goals, objectives and measurements; and undertaking better training and expectation management with key stakeholder business groups – especially finance.

Other requirements and needs were identified as: having more reports that clearly show the true value of professional event planners managing contracts and meetings; developing commonly agreed industry metrics for risk mitigation, contract clauses, force majeure and other complex practices and building more negotiation consistency and power into sourcing strategies.

Additionally at the Forum, global SMMP was covered as an area of great opportunity and excitement but also one that requires more structure, including getting a better handle on varied cultural preferences, business operations and policies, as well as building stronger international team and program management skills.

Does technology create an age gap?
Finally, during the Forum discussion, the role of technology continued to provoke strong debate, with virtual spaces, emerging technologies and speakers using multimedia engagement dominating the agenda. Executives are also closely watching technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and teleprescence with an eye to striking the right balance between technology and access for younger vs. older event or meeting participants.

Carina Bauer CEO of IMEX Group says: “The Executive Forum was a dynamic and engaging first event for us and an invaluable chance to focus soley on helping move events, meetings and incentive travel forward within a variety of corporations. The discussions and ideas exchanged are now being used to shape future IMEX America education, networking and business programs, and especially to bring the needs of corporate meeting planners into sharper focus. We heard loud and clear from this year’s Forum participants that they want to keep this powerful face-to-face event going so that they can have frank discussions that will hopefully lead to positive change within their own enterprises and beyond.”

The Forum was facilitiated by two specialist US consultants – Terri Brieining, CMP, CMM and principal with Breining Group LLC – and Kimberly Meyer, founder and CEO of Meetings Analytics.

Kelly Wood, Vice President, Global Sales Organization North America, Ritz-Carlton, commented on the group’s involvement with the Forum: “This was a unique initiative enabling hoteliers to learn from some of the most senior meeting planners in the industry, and Ritz-Carlton was thoroughly delighted to have supported it.  Meetings business contributes significantly to the success of many hotels.  Against a background of a tough economic climate it is more important than ever that we are in sync with current and future needs. The opportunity to hear directly from the biggest influencers in the sector was priceless.” 

IMEX America wins Best International Launch Award

Organizers of worldwide meetings, incentive travel and events trade show, IMEX America, came away from the Exhibition News Awards in London last Thursday proud winners of the Best International Launch Award.

Explaining why IMEX America triumphed over some stiff competition, the judging panel summarized their decision as: “IMEX America ‘nailed it’ as a show concept. It was a clear winner in terms of development of the brand and its success with its chosen industry – as well as against its competitors.”

Judges declared this year’s competition “incredibly tough” and said “competition across our 20 categories this year, including 10 company and 10 people awards, reflected the diversity and significant achievements made in the past year.” The judging panel comprised organizers, venue and supplier representatives.

The Awards, which are run annually by Mash Media, publishers of magazines and directories for the event, exhibition, meetings and conference sectors, saw 850 guests gathered for dinner and presentations in the newly renovated West Hall at London’s Olympia.

The Best International Launch category was new for 2012 and intended to recognize the achievement of one UK-based organizer who successfully launched an existing brand or new product in a market outside of the UK.

IMEX America debuted on October 11, 2011, at the Venetian Palazzo/Sands Expo in Las Vegas. It combined a three day trade show with one day dedicated to professional education – Smart Monday – immediately prior to opening. An exit survey of IMEX America hosted buyers revealed that total orders placed onsite amounted to $281 million with an expected $1.9 billion worth of orders to be placed with exhibitors in the nine months that followed.

Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group said, “We are honored to have been voted as the Best International Launch Exhibition at the Exhibition News Awards. We would like to thank our industry colleagues from across the world for helping to ensure that our inaugural show was so successful. We are looking forward to building on this success for 2012 and beyond.”

The other finalists in the Best International Launch Award category were: Aidex – Centaur Exhibitions; Grand Designs Live Australia – Media 10 and Diversified Exhibitions Australia; IFSEC Arabia and OSH Expo Arabia – UBM; IFSEC West Africa – UBM Montgomery and Occupational Safety and Health Expo Africa – UBM Montgomery.

10th IMEX in Frankfurt will combine strong business opportunities with air of celebration

With the 10th anniversary edition of IMEX in Frankfurt set to open its doors for three days on May 22nd at Messe Frankfurt, organiser Ray Bloom and his team have announced further growth in the hosted buyer programme, a strong and diverse exhibitor line-up plus new features for the IMEX Vision programme.

This year’s extensive education programme also breaks through the 100 mark for the first time, with almost 120 workshops, seminars and other learning opportunities on offer for both visitors and exhibitors. A number of changes to the IMEX website and diary functions plus improvements to hosted buyer refund processes have also been introduced. In addition, the 10th IMEX in Frankfurt will see free WiFi available throughout the show for the first time.

Around 3,500 exhibitors representing over 150 countries are set to exhibit at the award-winning trade show. The US section will be 15% larger and will include Detroit for the first time, with San Francisco also returning to the show. Cruise line, Buy the Sea, exhibits for the first time, as does ATA Hotels, DMC Connection, Eventschmiede, JTB Europe and Pacific World, who will also be bringing a hosted buyer group. Other new exhibitors include: Best Western, Escuela y Centro de Conferencias de Monte Leon, Incentive Destinations Myanmar, Qatar Airways, Mintcentive India, Relais & Chateaux, Tumlare, Vantage and the Venetian Macau. Mice Mallorca make a welcome return and Promo Tours becomes the first independent company operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina to exhibit at IMEX.

The technology area of the show will be 10% larger than in previous years with a sold out Tech Tap, plus the IMEX technology pavilion showcasing products and services from Amiando, ATIV Software, EventMobi, Evenium, Konnect and Video Tattoo amongst others. A new iPad Bar, sponsored by QuickMobile together with PSAV, will provide hands-on education on Apps for events. In addition, the IMEX App will be available for iPads for the first time.

26 established exhibitors are also taking larger stands for the 2012 show. Among the larger destination stands are: Boston, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Las Vegas, Mauritius, Moscow, Paris, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Texas, Turkey, Visit England and Visit Scotland. AIM International, Cvent, GL Events, and technology providers, Psideo and Ungerboeck will also have larger stands. Meanwhile, among the hotel groups Fairmont, Jumeirah, Kempinski and Starwood have all taken bigger stands this year.

This year’s winners of the IMEX in Frankfurt Wild Card competition are Sendai in Japan and the El Salvador Convention Centre in Central America. Both win free stand space on the Wild Card Pavilion plus, new for this year, a package of trade show and marketing support from business events consultancy, GainingEdge.

Hosted buyer growth

The show’s hallmark hosted buyer programme is set to bring almost 4000 hosted buyers to the Frankfurt show. 20 new hosted buyer groups are set to attend – half of them represent the European market, with the others focussing on long-haul buyers. Around 15% of the total hosted buyers at the show are expected from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries. The number of buyers from Latin America and Mexico will also be higher this year and, as a direct result of success at IMEX America last October, more US groups will be present.

New – free Wifi

Among the most significant changes that buyers and exhibitors will notice this year is the introduction of free WiFi throughout the show. The service will allow everyone to browse the web and check emails on the go. Equally, exhibitors are being encouraged to make good use of the ability to offer ‘stand presentations’ to groups of individual buyers. This new facility will allow exhibitors to open their group appointments to more buyers and to invite individuals to join a group presentation through their online diaries, thereby maximising business opportunities and meeting time during the show.

Over 120 education choices plus new tracks

This year’s IMEX Education programme will be the largest and most diverse in the trade show’s history. Over 120 different learning opportunities will be on offer, all of them free of charge. The IMEX App will also allow visitors to save education sessions into their personal schedules for the first time. Seminar attendees will also be able to use the App to download education collateral, make notes they can then email back to themselves, and complete seminar surveys.

A number of the education stands have also been rebranded to reflect subtle shifts taking place in the global industry. For example, The IMEX-CIC Inspiration Centre (formerly the Professional Development and Innovation Pavilion) will now provide a wider range of both professional and personal development information and advice. This year it is also sponsored by Poland.

Planning which sessions to attend throughout the show has also been enhanced by the introduction of eight ‘tracks’: marketing and communication; personal development; HR and professional development; social media; sustainability; technology and general education. A ‘Visionary Events Series’ on the Inspiration Centre will also give visitors the chance to understand the dynamics behind individual meetings and events which have either pushed back boundaries or set new standards in innovation, design or impact.

Education will be delivered by a range of experts and leading industry names including Meetology, tmf dialogmarketing, the GCB (who will once again be running an extensive German language seminar programme across all three days) and a host of industry associations. Among the individuals sharing their expertise in various sessions will be: Avinash Chandarana, Group Learning and Development Director, MCI; Aoife Delany, Director of Global Sales, Ovation; Eric de Groot, Meeting Designer, Mind Meeting; Andy Sharpe, Founder, Song Division; Julius Solaris, Editor, Event Manager Blog and Martin Suiter, Business Consultant. Sessions will also be delivered in a variety of formats. These include Lightening Labs designed specifically as short, sharp ‘how-tos’ specifically for exhibitors and Campfires, which are informal, small group discussions facilitated by an expert. For the first time, and by demand, Campfires will also cover sustainability and technology issues.

New Sustainability Hub – green just keeps getting greener

In addition, the corporate responsibility centre now becomes the Sustainability Hub – powered by GMIC (Green Meeting Industry Council). The Hub will act as a focus for environmental and community project information and will host a series of drop-in workshops as well as offering live case studies from previous IMEX Green Award winners. ‘How to go green’ power-sessions with advice about where and how to start, as well as information on more advanced green policies and current practices will also be back by popular demand.

Badgeback programme to benefit two Frankfurt charities

For the first time, two local Frankfurt charities will benefit from the IMEX Badgeback programme: Lichtblick aktiv Schwester Sigrid, a homeless shelter run by Franciscan Sister, Sigrid Ehrlich, and Maisha’s Sewing Project, an employment programme for African women now living in Frankfurt. All visitors leaving the show will be offered the chance to deposit their recyclable and reusable badges into one of two collection bins, each representing one of the charities. Each badge will represent a donation of one Euro.

Reworked Association Day programme – senior association speakers

Other highlights in what promises to be a memorable 10th IMEX include a redesigned programme for Association Day. Having been running – and consistently expanding – for 10 years, the IMEX Group, together with its association partners, took the decision to rework the day’s education content and formats to align more closely to the evolving roles and responsibilities of association executives. As a result, all of the day’s seminars and workshops now fit into one of three new tracks: operations, executive and meetings.

Sessions will vary from three-hour ‘Deep Dives’, to case studies, panel discussions, workshops and a new 30 minute ‘Ask the Expert’ clinic. Speakers include Board Directors from leading associations such as PCMA, ICCA, the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO) and the Optical Society, ensuring that the day provides exceptional learning value for all 300 participants. Association Day takes place on Monday 21st May at the Messe Frankfurt Congress Center, with the popular evening networking reception, which is open to exhibitors, suppliers and partner association members, taking place at The Westin Hotel.

Another strong element in this year’s IMEX will be the 10th Politicians Forum. This year up to 30 politicians and 70 industry leaders will meet at the prestigious Villa Kennedy (a Rocco Forte Hotel). Sir Rocco Forte will be the day’s keynote speaker. Chair of the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Events, Nick de Bois, MP, will also take part, as well as being special guest speaker at the IMEX Opening Ceremony. Participants will also see a first screening of a short promotional film, produced by International Meetings: Review, which features an interview with Mayor of San Diego, Jerry Sanders. Sanders is widely credited with turning the city’s fortunes around by promoting it as the “biotech city of the world” and creating 40,000 new jobs in the process. Since 1989 San Diego has used business events to put an extra 18 billion USD into the city’s economy. Politicians Forum members will also hear a series of live case studies from other destination leaders; each sharing success stories and elaborating on how they worked in alliance with local politicians to achieve common economic and other goals for their destinations.

10th anniversary highlights

Chief among the changes designed into this year’s show to commemorate its 10th anniversary will be a special ‘Celebration Hour’ from 1700 hours on Wednesday 23rd May. During this special hour exhibitors are being invited to provide entertainment, food and drink to help create a party atmosphere on the show floor. The atmosphere is expected to spill over into the IMEX Gala Dinner, later the same night at Frankfurt’s Alte Oper. The dinner will feature several ‘birthday surprises’ plus entertainment from Björn Again, who have been IMEX’s single, most-requested repeat performers over the last decade.

Results of the Power of 10 research study, which was commissioned by IMEX to mark its 10th anniversary, will also be presented at the show. Conducted by Fast Future Research, who ran the highly acclaimed Convention 2020 study, the research will divulge interviews from 10 senior industry professionals in each of 10 meetings and events sectors to give an extensive picture of the state of the industry. The study also looks back to some of the most memorable and defining moments of the past 10 years, as well as looking ahead to the next 10. A student essay competition and a comprehensive email survey (with a $1 donation being made to Save The Children for every complete survey submitted) will add further valuable perspectives to its findings. The Power of 10 is sponsored by long-time partners of IMEX: CPO Hanser, Frankfurt Convention Bureau, Messe Frankfurt and the German Convention Bureau.

Looking ahead to what promises to be a busy and highly enjoyable 10th IMEX in Frankfurt, Chairman Ray Bloom says: “We’re very excited about our 10th anniversary show and we’re hoping to surpass last year’s record hosted buyer attendance. There’s also excellent development on the exhibitor side. Everything is set for us to deliver our usual combination of excellent business opportunities, networking and thought-provoking professional development and education too. Above all, the IMEX team and I look forward to ensuring that we provide the best possible service so that all our exhibitors and buyers have an extremely successful IMEX and come away more than pleased with the results.”

Nick de Bois MP confirmed to speak at IMEX in Frankfurt’s 10th anniversary opening ceremony

The events industry is a subject close to the politician’s heart and experience.  Before he became involved in politics, de Bois was in the exhibition, conference and events industry and set up his own company in 1990, which is now run by his wife.  He understands the opportunities it presents locally, regionally, nationally and internationally and also the pressures and misunderstandings this ‘hidden’ industry can sometimes be subject to. de Bois will also speak at the IMEX Politicians Forum together with Kevin Murphy, Chief Executive of ExCeL London; which this year takes place at the prestigious Villa Kennedy (a Rocco Forte Hotel) and is set to greet 70 meetings industry leaders and 30 politicians from around the globe.

de Bois also features in a special promotional video, produced by the IMEX team in conjunction with International Meetings Review, which makes the case for greater communication and collaboration between politicians and the meetings industry in order to realise the full economic, social, cultural, academic and other benefits that the industry produces.  Destinations and membership associations are being invited to use the video to invite their local politicians to the Forum.

Sir Rocco Forte to be special guest at IMEX in Frankfurt 10th anniversary Politicians Forum

Sir Rocco Forte will join up to 70 industry leaders and 30 international politicians at the prestigious Rocco Forte Hotel, the Villa Kennedy, for the 10th Politicians Forum at IMEX in Frankfurt on May 22nd.Forte’s presence, together with that of keynote speaker, Nick de Bois, MP, Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Events, will provide valuable, added authority to the Forum.

IMEX in Frankfurt 2012 Wild Card winners announced as Sendai and El Salvador – initiative supported by fresh help from GainingEdge

Sendai in Japan and El Salvador in Central America have both been selected as winners of the IMEX in Frankfurt Wild Card competition for 2012 – the show’s 10th anniversary year.

The IMEX Wild Card programme offers aspiring entrants into the international meetings market the chance to exhibit free of charge alongside established destinations and other participants. In a change from the usual, this year’s winners will also benefit from a brand new support package, provided by specialist business events consultancy, GainingEdge.  The company has committed to providing each winner with advice on prescheduled appointments, detailed sales training, press release training and a review of marketing collateral as well as advice on how to maximise trade show participation plus other business-critical tips. (GainingEdge will also be supporting the winners of IMEX America’s Wild Card Americas programme in October).

To be eligible for a free place, Wild Card entrants are required to justify their potential as a meetings and incentive travel destination or a new convention and conference centre. They are also expected to demonstrate sufficient infrastructure and skill to support their ambition to flourish within the global meetings or incentive travel market.

In addition to their free exhibition place on the tailor-made IMEX Wild Card Pavilion, winners receive free accommodation, as well as a complimentary ticket to the show’s Gala Dinner. 

Previous Wild Card winners over the years have included Armenia, Western Siberia, the Hof Cultural Center in Iceland, The Cook Islands and Senegal.

About Sendai, Japan
Following the devastation of the Japanese earthquake in March 2011, efforts are now being made to help Sendai demonstrate that it is a safe meetings location that is fully open for business.  Buyers at IMEX in Frankfurt will have a first-hand opportunity to discover more about the region and hear the latest updates regarding meetings and events being held there.

Located on the east coast of Japan, Sendai is popularly described as “Mori no Miyako” or “City of Trees” due to its beautiful natural surroundings and tree-lined streets. Sendai offers a wide variety of accommodation to suit the needs of meeting planners and the city is also home to the Sendai International Center – a dedicated meetings venue located on a historic site. It also has a rich array of historic temples and shrines.

About El Salvador, Central America
The Central American nation of El Salvador is the smallest on the mainland of North or South America.  Although the International Fair and Convention Center of El Salvador (CIFCO) has been in the events industry for 46 years and has hosted a number of national and international events, the destination of El Salvador has never exhibited at an international meetings trade show before.  CIFCO offers 144,000 square metres of space, including 11 halls equipped with air-conditioning and ceramic floors.  Among them is the largest hall in Central America (10,000 square metres) and an amphitheatre with capacity for 10,000 people.

Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group, commented: “Being awarded a Wild Card space this year is extra special due to the added attention brought by this being IMEX in Frankfurt’s 10th anniversary plus GainingEdge’s involvement. We are delighted to be supporting these destinations in 2012. In the case of Sendai, the city is starting as if from scratch because of the repercussions of last year’s earthquake. Equally, despite El Salvador’s long history, it has remained largely hidden as a viable destination for the meetings industry and is now well placed to emerge from the ‘shadows’.  We are pleased to help support both destinations and to communicate what they have to offer to the market.”

The 10th IMEX in Frankfurt will take place 22 -24 May at Messe Frankfurt.

www.imex-frankfurt.com

Marking International Women’s Day – IMEX Survey captures opportunities, challenges and development interests for women in the meetings industry

To help further the business leadership of women, and to continue to prepare for the Women’s Leadership Forums at IMEX in Frankfurt in May and IMEX America in October, the IMEX Group announced today (International Women’s Day – March 8th) the results of a December survey conducted on women’s opportunities, challenges and learning interests in the global meetings industry. The 120 plus respondents included both women and men, primarily from Europe and the US.

IMEX Challenge Slovenia – Building a beehive for children with disabilities

The idea for the IMEX Challenge Slovenia is to build a beehive within the grounds of an institute for mentally and physically disabled children and adults, the CUDV Draga.

The IMEX Challenge SLOVENIA will strive to blend environmental objectives with social causes and leave a sustainable legacy for the host community.

The idea for the 2012 event is to build a beehive within the grounds of an institute for mentally and physically disabled children and adults, the CUDV Training, Occupation and Care Centre in Draga. Valerija Bužan, Director of CUDV Draga, believes that the “IMEX Challenge will help mentally and physically disabled children and adults to expand their horizons and come to know new activities”. Anton Tomec of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association supported this view in adding that “by keeping bees and protecting the environment, protégés of CUDV will gain self-confidence and creatively integrate into society. Beekeeping will not only present a form of self-confirmation, but a way of life for these children and adults.”

Given honour to host IMEX Challenge

The Slovenian meetings community takes special privilege in hosting an event of such importance, touching the lives of people with disabilities at CUDV Draga and beyond.

Many destinations (as Slovenia) can boast an excellent, easy to reach location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, professional services, etc. »We believe our advantage is the people working in our industry and wider, the often neglected but very important human factor,« says Miha Kovačič, Director of Slovenian Convention Bureau. Indeed, Slovenia won the bid to host the IMEX Challenge 2012 in Ljubljana by revealing the five main elements of our meeting industry offer: Slovenian energy, team flexibility, 24h smile, personal touch and natural charm.

“IMEX Challenge presents a new opportunity for the Slovenian meeting providers to act as a team in developing new ideas on how best to enrich the project,” says Gorazd Čad, Director of Go.Mice agency. The ideas, synergies and partnerships can move boundaries of the IMEX Challenge Slovenia so that the meeting industry professionals, media and general public can engage and take part in enriching the lives of mentally and physically disabled children and adults.

Embracing the values of IMEX Challenge

“After considering a wide variety of CSR proposals”, says Ray Bloom, IMEX Chairman and Founder, “IMEX judges and staff voted to invite industry volunteers to join them in building a bee colony in Ljubljana”. Faye Bennett of IMEX Group shares her views.

What are the main reasons for hosting the second IMEX Challenge in Ljubljana, Slovenia?
The passion, enthusiasm and creativity demonstrated by the Ljubljana Tourism/Convention Bureau and Slovenia Convention Bureau stood out from the other applications the IMEX Group received and we have already felt the benefit of this positive energy, although the project and its planning is still in the early stages. The Slovenian partners and local Challenge committee have also fully embraced the values of the IMEX Challenge and really understand what we are trying to do and why we are trying to do it. The partnership already looks really strong and promising.

How can the Slovenian meeting community contribute to achieving the objectives of IMEX Challenge?
It is important that the entire Slovenian meetings community recognises that the IMEX Challenge is something that they can be proud of and take ownership of. By spreading the word and promoting the event, they will also be generating exposure for their destination amongst a worldwide audience of buyers, associations and IMEX industry partners. Also, once the project is completed, the international volunteer team will effectively become ‘ambassadors’ for Ljubljana and Slovenia based on their experience during the Challenge.

How does IMEX Challenge impact the global meeting and event community?
The IMEX Challenge is our way of showing the industry what’s possible from a corporate social responsibility point of view. It is also the IMEX Group’s way (and the supporting sponsors) of giving back and clearly demonstrating that giving can be enormously rewarding for everyone involved. We believe strongly in the power of face-to-face too, so this is yet another way of getting people out from behind their desks and off their smart phones and, literally, getting their hands dirty for a good cause. It’s enormously rewarding on so many levels.

Getting involved

If you embrace the values of IMEX Challenge Slovenia and wish to get involved, apply for one of 15 volunteer places on the IMEX Challenge 2012.

“As an industry, we are particularly privileged and people genuinely want to give something back to others where they can,” says Faye Bennett of IMEX Group.

IMEX Challenge gives 15 volunteers the opportunity to join staff and patients of CUDV Draga in constructing the bee colony from scratch over the three days of the event. The Challenge therefore offers people an exciting, fun and rewarding way of giving back to society, as well as a new way to meet new industry friends and make lasting new contacts.

Anyone in interested in applying for one of 15 volunteer places on the IMEX Challenge 2012 should email Faye Bennett at faye.bennett@imexexhibitions.com.

IMEX America expands to fill two halls at Sands Expo

Demand for space at IMEX America 2012 continues to grow following a successful launch show in October 2011. Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group, announced today that he expects the trade show to fill both Halls C  and D of the Sands Expo in Las Vegas this year – a full two years ahead of schedule.

As at its sister show in Frankfurt, IMEX America, saw a particularly strong representation from the major hotel groups – including their widespread participation in the hosted buyer program. Demand from this sector continues to grow strongly with Fairmont, Four Seasons, Hyatt, IHG, Loews, Mandarin Oriental, NH Hotels, Starwood and Wyndham amongst those who have already booked more space.

Demand from a variety of new exhibitors is also strong. New exhibitors already confirmed for 2012 range from Abu Dhabi to Hawaii and Long Beach to Dave & Busters.

Hosted buyer program set to expand in 2012
In line with the increase in the number of exhibitors attending in 2012, IMEX America will also be significantly expanding the size of its hosted buyer program – already the largest to take place in the United States. Last year 2,000 hosted buyers attended the show – 80% from North America with the balance originating from 34 world markets.  Existing partners, including Strategic Partner, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), and the show’s Headquarters Hotel, The Venetian®|The Palazzo®, are set to bring bigger groups of their key customers to the show this fall, along with a number of other new intermediaries already confirmed.

Industry enthusiasm for the 2012 show is a direct reflection of positive feedback received immediately following IMEX America’s debut, with exhibitors achieving strong levels of interest and follow-up business as a result of taking a booth.

Bloom explains: “We’ve been pleasantly surprised to see such a high demand for booth space with eight months still to go before the next show. Of those exhibitors who have contracted since the start of the year, just over a third have doubled the size of their booth. It’s a very positive start to the year and augurs well for the months ahead.”

IMEX in Frankfurt number 10 – Signs strong for a great show to mark anniversary year

Continued strong interest from buyers across Europe and the emerging economies of Brazil, China and India is fuelling demand for places on the sought-after IMEX in Frankfurt hosted buyer programme. Exhibitor numbers are set to match or exceed 2011, and organisers have taken a new approach to the show’s education programme.

As a result of a positive knock-on effect from IMEX America, IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom has also confirmed that several new US intermediaries will be bringing their key clients to the Frankfurt trade show for the first time. Despite a challenging past year for many European countries, demand from European buyers also remains high. With over 20 new hosted buyer groups being added, the hosted buyer programme is on target to beat all previous records.

Plans are also in place to attract more corporate buyers to the show through a new Executive Meeting Forum for C-level buyers; many of whom, although influential in buying and budgetary decisions, do not usually attend industry exhibitions and events.

Exhibitor interest has been healthy, especially among the anticipated 50 hotel groups, boosted by larger stands from many of the major groups including Fairmont Hotels, Starwood and Kempinski. ATA Hotels will be taking a stand for the first time, whilst Best Western are returning to the show with their own stand.

Demand for space from across the world is also extremely strong with a broad sweep of destinations increasing their presence at IMEX in Frankfurt including Boston, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, Moscow, Paris, Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Turkey.  Meanwhile, Visit Pittsburgh makes a welcome return to the show.

This, the tenth anniversary of the award-winning trade show, will also see a reworking of its hallmark Association Day for association meeting planners.  Three new education tracks – ‘Executive’, ‘Operations’ and ‘Meetings’ plus crowd-sourced discussion topics and ‘Ask the Expert’ clinics have all been introduced to give participants more choice plus extra time to take part in more sessions throughout the day.  The provisional Association Day programme is now online.

100 seminars on offer
The IMEX in Frankfurt education programme is also set to provide over 100 different seminars, workshops and learning opportunities. 2012 education tracks will include marketing communication, Apps, health, sustainability and social media plus a new ‘visionary events’ series.  

Among the impressive speaker line-up for 2012 are: Martin Suiter, business consultant, who will talk about “Using sport and tourism to push your brand”; Michael Luehrs, Sustainability Services Manager at MCI, who will present on “Engaging stakeholders for change”; Charlie Banks of Positive Impact who will address “The business case for implementing sustainability” and Johanna Fischer, Managing Director of tmf dialogmarketing GmbH, who will present on “Social Media in the Meetings Industry – what exactly do we need it for?” In addition, David Bancroft-Turner, Managing Director of The Academy for Political Intelligence will run a session on “Political intelligence™ – How to use positive organisational politics to get results.”  The full education and seminar programme is now available online.

The tenth IMEX in Frankfurt will take place 22 -24 May at Messe Frankfurt.

MCI joins IMEX and MPI to support growth of FLFs

Leading association management company, MCI, has entered into a new collaboration with the IMEX Group, organisers of worldwide exhibitions for the meetings, events and incentive travel industry, and MPI (Meeting Professionals International) to support the Future Leaders Forum (FLF). The global FLF programme is an initiative designed to encourage the best and brightest students to enter the meetings and incentive travel industry by offering education days, networking opportunities and internships.

To mark MCI’s involvement, the initiative has been renamed the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum and will also be promoted with new branding.

The Future Leaders Forum consists of a series of special events hosted around the globe. In 2012 locations include Honduras, Korea, China, Australia, Poland and Thailand. Around 900 students participated in the programme in 2011 and around 5,100 students have now gone through an FLF since its launch in 2003. 90% of them have stated they are “more likely to enter the industry as a result of attending the Future Leaders Forum”.

Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group commented: “The Future Leaders Forum is our investment in the future of up-and-coming meeting and event organisers. The support from MCI, in addition to MPI, will significantly strengthen our goal to support the development of talent within the industry. Through enhancing students’ understanding of the market we are able to equip them with valuable knowledge to guide them through their career choice and help them to flourish.”

Patrick Delaney, Vice President Industry Relations, MCI said: “We look forward to working closely with both IMEX and MPI to continue developing events that offer engaging, relevant and valuable content. Our goal is to ensure that young people come away from the event with the knowledge and experience to differentiate them from the crowd, something particularly valuable in an increasingly competitive jobs market. The initiative offers the mentoring and educational opportunities that will help to secure the future of the industry by producing a new generation of motivated leaders.”

The next IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum will take place at the MPI European Meetings & Events Conference in Budapest, Hungary, January 29 – 31. Students will interact with a former Future Leader Forum participant, and MPI Poland Club President Krzysztof Celuch, CMM, CITE, during the MPI & Global Emerging Leaders part of the programme. Additionally, FLF students will be able to contribute their insight into a unique focus group for a current MPI research initiative into the Future of Meetings. Their unique perspective should provide stimulating discussion points.

IMEX has also recently launched an essay competition which invites students all over the world to contribute a piece of work as part of a new research study that commemorates the 10th anniversary of IMEX in Frankfurt. Among other things, the prize includes flights, accommodation and attendance at the Frankfurt Future Leaders Forum in May.

Students invited to get ahead of the pack with new ‘Power of 10’ IMEX essay competition

Organisers of IMEX in Frankfurt, together with research partners, Fast Future Research, are inviting students from all over the world to enter a prestigious new essay competition as part of its important new ‘Power of 10’ research study. The Power of 10 study is designed

Waste not, want not at IMEX in Frankfurt

A campaign to reduce overall waste output from the IMEX in Frankfurt trade show, whether recyclable or not, has seen waste levels reduce significantly over the past three years. The total amount of waste generated went down from 167 tonnes in 2009 to 121 tonnes in 2011, a reduction of 28%.

As part of its commitment to improved environmental management and protection, IMEX organisers have worked closely with the management team at Messe Frankfurt to implement a series of waste reduction measures over the years. Year on year IMEX has also set itself waste reduction targets in order to keep track of savings and provide an incentive for exhibitors, suppliers and visitors to help its waste-reduction efforts.

Paper comprises a large percentage of the material that is recycled at each show. This year it accounted for 33 tonnes of all recycled material, a reduction of 7 tonnes on 2009. All paper is recycled into newspapers and used locally to produce the daily Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung (FAZ). Waste cardboard is used to produce cardboard boxes, with a large proportion being used by a local manufacturer to make shoeboxes.

Other residual waste, which includes those plastics that cannot be recycled, is incinerated to create energy that powers the local community within a 10km radius. Nevertheless, this residual waste output has been reduced from 23 tonnes in 2009 to just 14 tonnes in 2011. In addition, catering suppliers at IMEX in Frankfurt do not use plastic cutlery or disposable plates, instead crockery and metal cutlery is washed and reused.

IMEX organisers also pay careful attention to minimising food waste. Unopened, leftover food is distributed to local homeless networks and hospitals, while any opened and packaged food is composted locally.

The amount of wood waste has also decreased significantly from almost five tonnes to less than one tonne. This is mainly the result of IMEX encouraging the reuse of delivery pallets rather than the disposal of them. Not only does this approach reduce total waste, it is also better for the environment and it reduces costs for exhibitors’ stand constructors.

Ray Bloom, IMEX Group Chairman commented: “The IMEX Group’s pledge is to be as sustainable as possible and this doesn’t just apply to our trade show days but to our office infrastructure and consumption habits all year round. Not only have we successfully reduced the amount of waste we generate by 46 tonnes since 2009 but, of that waste, a higher quantity than ever is now being recycled. IMEX is committed to educating the meeting, incentive travel and events industry about sustainability issues so it is important that we also live these principles ourselves. Our intention both in Frankfurt, and also now in Las Vegas, is to develop productive, long-term relationships with suppliers, exhibitors and visitors that support our sustainability efforts, which we consider a keystone in our strategy as a progressive organisation.”

IMEX in Frankfurt celebrates its 10th anniversary next year and will be including a number of initiatives that look-back at the environmental progress that’s been made over the past decade.

New IMEX America show and The Estoril Congress Center Make Donation to Two Las Vegas Non-Profits Bringing Support and Holiday Cheer

As part of an ongoing commitment to giving back to local communities and following the October 2011 Las Vegas debut of its new trade show for events, meetings and incentive travel professionals, IMEX America — along with The Estoril Congress Center of Portugal — is pleased to announce a donation of $6,000 to Opportunity Village and The Shade Tree.

These vital non-profit organizations serve the Las Vegas and Southern Nevada community. Both charities were selected prior to IMEX America to benefit from several of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Organizers used the trade show to help promote and raise the profile of the two local organizations among visiting meetings industry professionals from all over the world. Sponsorship from the Estoril Congress Center served to highlight Estoril’s own commitment to the principles of CSR and sustainability while also providing a generous donation to two good causes.

Opportunity Village employs over 1,600 people with intellectual disabilities at three employment training and business service center campuses and at a Thrift Store. The Shade Tree provides over 80,000 nights of shelter per year as well as employment and housing services to homeless and abused women and children — making it the largest shelter of its kind in the state of Nevada.

The Shade Tree will put its $3,500 donation towards items such as baby bottles and diapers which will help women in crisis meet the essential needs of their families while they work to gain stability, dignity, and self-reliance. Opportunity Village will use their $2,500 donation towards purchasing art supplies for their Art Enrichment Program, which helps participants build confidence and self esteem by tapping into new talents and skills.

Commenting on the positive and direct impact that the combined IMEX America and Estoril donation will make, Opportunity Village’s Sales Account Executive, Rachel Allen said: ”This will make a huge difference in supporting our activities. We will be able to purchase supplies for our Art Enrichment Program where the special individuals that we serve can do what they love … creating art.”

Beyond just writing a check to these organizations, during IMEX America at the Sands Expo (which is connected to the show’s Headquarters Hotel, The Venetian®|The Palazzo®), Oct. 11-13, 2011, IMEX America and Estoril also hosted tours to Opportunity Village and The Shade Tree so that show attendees could see and experience the great work these two organizations are doing first hand. This experience so touched some IMEX employees (headquartered in the South of England) that they have created an office donation drive for books, toys and clothing with items being shipped to The Shade Tree shelter in time for the holidays.

Commenting on the importance of corporate responsibility in our communities Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, shared: ”Especially in today’s challenging economic times it is so important that we come together as business people around the world to assist those in need. Opportunity Village and The Shade Tree do amazing work and we –- along with Estoril — are thrilled to be able to lend a helping hand through education, access, greater awareness and through donation.”

IMEX America will return to Las Vegas in 2012 on October 9th-11th when further CSR and sustainability initiatives will be built into the trade show.

IMEX in Frankfurt was the first ever trade show to launch annual ‘green awards’ in the industry. It is a key part of the IMEX Group’s vision and values to promote environmental education and green meetings best practice, whilst also running a number of programs designed to improve knowledge and understanding about the benefits of corporate social responsibility and its place within the global meetings industry.

For more information – http://www.imexamerica.com/sustainability.html

AIPC and IMEX Join Forces for Leadership Development

• DIPOLI Congress Centre – Espoo, Finland
• Hyderabad International Convention Centre, India
• Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Malaysia
• Coex Convention & Exhibition Center, Seoul
• Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Bahrain

“AIPC sees professional development as a key part of our association mandate, and the investment we have made in creating the AIPC Academy as one of the most highly regarded educational programs in the industry is evidence of this”, said AIPC President Edgar Hirt. “However, we recognize that in these financially challenging times, not all centres are in a position to offer the level of support required to ensure their most suitable candidates can access this program. The Academy Scholarship program goes some way to addressing this problem and helps ensure their professional development is ongoing”.

The AIPC Academy Scholarship program was given a big boost this year through the generous participation of IMEX, which elected to fund three additional scholarships in addition to those previously provided by AIPC itself. “We are very grateful to IMEX for their support, and the fact that this signals their recognition of the importance of professional development in the industry”, said Hirt. “It demonstrates a shared recognition of the importance of skilled managers to the future of the industry and is a commitment to helping create our future leaders”.

The AIPC Academy Professional Development Program was started five years ago as a way for centres to address the need to expand the skills and perspectives of staff preparing for more senior management responsibilities and to orient individuals who already had their professional credentials in another field but needed to learn more about the specifics of our industry.

It is a week long, intensive in-residence program that utilizes the resources of 8-10 faculty and guest presenters to address the full range of topics required for a solid industry background and enabled attendees to start building their own networks with other centres around the world. To date, it has seen more than 125 graduates who have moved out into the global industry, carrying both their knowledge and their contacts into management positions all over the world.

The 2012 AIPC Academy Professional Development Program will take place in Brussels, February 5 -10 and will accept participation from 25 AIPC member delegates.
For further information please contact secretariat@aipc.org or visit http://www.aipc.org./

IMEX America Releases 2012 Predictions for US and Global Events Market

The IMEX Group today released predictions for the 2012 meetings, incentive travel and events market based on the US and global industry buzz from the inaugural IMEX America trade show in October plus post-show survey data.
1. Business is looking up – globalization is increasing
In post-show survey comments buyers indicated an uptick in business over the last 12 months — though predominantly at a conservative rate and mostly short-term focused. There is also a trend towards more – but smaller or shorter – meetings and events and slight growth in attendance at association meetings and events.

Anecdotal survey comments also suggest that interest from the corporate sector is returning and that demand for incentive travel is on the rise again. Increased globalization in terms of planning and destination choice also came through in the survey. It was apparent at IMEX America that the definition of a “new” or “emerging” destination is broadening and increasingly dependent on a given buyer’s own location and experience. One buyer’s “emerging market” will be another’s “long-time favorite” and, as globalization increases, so does buyer awareness of the full size and scope of the world market, especially outside of the US.

2. Value is king – doing more with less is the ‘new norm’
With continued economic pressures in many world markets, the strong push for “added value” from buyers over the next 12+ months will remain — absent of increases in most budgets or timelines. Convention centers and some hotels are leading the way with value-adds such as free wi-fi or green meeting consultancy services. Organizations are also being asked to provide as much free knowledge and education content as possible. Further, while industry growth is, of course, a very welcome development, many survey respondents noted that they are feeling the squeeze by having to do more work with fewer staff, and against ever-tightening turnaround times. This will likely not change in 2012.
3. Green supply chain analysis and ‘responsible business’ on the rise
‘Green supply-chain analysis’ and ‘responsible business’ were growing trends identified and discussed by experts at the IMEX America Sustainability Center (a show floor area devoted to green and CSR education and best practices.) Multinationals such as Proctor & Gamble and Walmart are leading the way in developing supplier rankings, and in our industry, partners are increasingly being given or offered incentives to reuse and recycle goods, products and materials. Expect to see more companies, networks and alliances emerge that make it easier for organizations to work together to achieve their green or CSR goals. Streamlining of green practices, benchmarks and certifications will also start to occur as knowledge and experience expands.
4. Social Media continues its meteoric rise
In post-IMEX America surveys, 87.5% of hosted buyers reported using LinkedIn for business, with Facebook at 70.8%, Twitter at 50%, and YouTube at 22.4%. Perhaps most importantly, 42.5% agreed or strongly agreed that the use of social media is helping them generate business. Buyers also reported a 50%+ increase in usage of social media in the past six months.
5. Education is hot and technology is fanning the flames
One of the biggest trends –especially among associations — is the need to capture and leverage education content both during and after live events to extend the reach and benefit to attendees and members. Driven by a never-ending surge of internet, smartphone, and tablet use there has been a breathtaking and widespread desire for high quality, easily accessible knowledge-sharing and education ‘on-demand’. This shift has meant that many in the industry have become both publishers and education-providers—particularly in the social media realm. This trend will only continue to grow. Also expect to see meetings and events industry education being delivered in increasingly entertaining, interactive and diverse ways including an increasing cross-over of gaming technology or “gamification”.
6. Quantifying meetings market impact is a must
Another trend crucial to the long-term health and success of the meetings industry is the ability to quantify and transparently communicate its economic value to a given country, region or city. The US led the way with its 2009 Economic Impact Study. Mexico recently announced results of its own. Stay tuned for many more destinations to announce their intention to conduct similar research studies, which, in turn, will become increasingly important tools for political advocacy.

Changes afoot for 10th IMEX in Frankfurt

Momentum continues to build for the 10th anniversary edition of IMEX in Frankfurt next May 22 – 24 with planned developments and changes to the IMEX Association Day, the trade show’s hallmark “contact the buyers” system, its education programme and the popular IMEX App. The continued expansion of the hosted buyer programme will also be a key feature of this 10th IMEX show.
More hosted buyers are set to attend from both central European countries, as well as key long-haul markets including the USA, Brazil and Asia. Hyatt Hotels will be bringing their clients to the show for the first time, alongside a host of new US intermediaries – attracted to the Frankfurt show by the success of the inaugural IMEX America in October.

IMEX will also be introducing important new changes to the format and structure of its annual Association Day in Frankfurt, taking place at the Messe Frankfurt Congress Centre. These will allow for greater choice in the education and networking programme and will also take more account of the differing levels of seniority and experience amongst the hosted buyers attending. The hugely popular association evening, taking place at the Westin Hotel, will welcome 900 buyers and suppliers for a great evening of networking before doors to the trade show have opened.

Exhibitor demand high
Exhibitor demand for the 2012 show has also been extremely strong. From Europe all the major central, northern and southern European destinations are confirmed including the German Convention Bureau and its anticipated 200 German exhibiting partners, plus a notable stand size increase from Turkey. Eastern European destinations, including Russia, will continue their strong participation and investment in the sector. From the Middle East and Latin America representation will be as robust as usual with all of the major destinations strongly represented. Exhibitor participation from the United States, Asia and the Caribbean is expected to be larger than ever before at IMEX 2012.
IMEX in Frankfurt’s hallmark hotel sector is also set to grow with space increases already having been confirmed by Fairmont, Raffles, Swissotel and Kempinksi. Over 50 hotel groups exhibit at the exhibition with the majority taking part in the hosted buyer programme, bringing their key clients to the show.

A series of creative marketing campaigns is also planned to encourage German visitors from allied industry sectors to attend as well as more meetings, events and incentive travel planners from the German-speaking countries. Several new initiatives are also planned to enhance the visitor experience including a series of exhibition guides to assist buyers in personalising their experience.

Enhanced online systems
The show’s organisers will also use 2012 to test new ways of giving hosted buyers extra control over the emails and invitations they receive from exhibitors in the run-up to and during the trade show. The proposed new system will allow hosted buyers to have a unique IMEX inbox which will aggregate all exhibitor messages into a single, daily email alert. The system will be fully tested among several buyer groups for the 2012 show, with the aim of rolling it out come 2013.
Other enhancements will be made to the online appointment system to give buyers and visitors increased visibility and online functionality. In addition, the IMEX team will be introducing the IMEX App for Android users at the next IMEX in Frankfurt, as well as making improvements to the App’s interface to enhance speed and usability on the move.

Says Christopher Perrins, IMEX Group Director of Online Services: “We have a continuous improvement approach to all of our online services and we always take user feedback seriously. As with many, many businesses, email volumes have risen dramatically in recent years and our proposed new approach to appointment requests and email alerts will allow exhibitors to communicate with buyers in a way that should ensure more manageability and convenience for both parties.”

New Vision becomes “Visionary IMEX”
In addition, the IMEX New Vision programme is being renamed and restructured as “Visionary IMEX” from 2012, bringing all of the show’s industry-change initiatives into a single, cohesive brand, which will also allow them to be integrated seamlessly into IMEX America.

An important part of “Visionary IMEX” is the biennial IMEX Challenge, the second of which will also take place in 2012. After considering a wide variety of CSR proposals, IMEX judges and staff voted to invite industry volunteers to join them to construct a bee colony in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2-4 July 2012. In keeping with the IMEX Challenge goals of both helping children and leaving a sustainable legacy for their care, 15 volunteers will join staff and patients of the CUDV Training, Occupation and Care Centre in Draga, Slovenia to construct a bee colony from scratch over three days. Once built, it will provide skills training opportunities and a valuable income for the care centre.

Also under the new “Visionary IMEX” banner will be a new Executive Meeting Forum, which will bring C-level corporate meeting directors to the Frankfurt trade show as well as procurement managers. This will add an influential new dimension to the hosted buyer programme and promises a strong focus on European business issues. It will be facilitated by Terri Breining and Kimberly Meyer, two well-respected and well-known industry experts, who led a similar Forum at IMEX America this year.

Also new in 2012 will be PCMA’s Global Meetings Executive of the Year Award – which will be presented for the first time at the IMEX Gala Dinner on Wednesday 23 May.

New education tracks
There will also be changes to the IMEX in Frankfurt education programme for 2012, which last year gave visitors a choice of more than 90 different sessions. Two new tracks, which will clearly separate meetings from events education, will be introduced to make seminar selection easier. Small, informal ‘campfires’ (lasting no more than 30 minutes) are also being introduced on the Sustainability Centre and the TechTap to give visitors quick introductions to these increasingly important professional development topics. Each campfire will be led by an industry expert and repeated regularly throughout the three-day trade show. Findings from the recently announced ‘Power of 10’ research study, being conducted by Fastfuture Research and sponsored by the German Convention Bureau (GCB), Frankfurt Tourist Office, CPO Hanser and Messe Frankfurt, will also be presented as part of the show’s education programme.

Looking ahead to the 2012 show, IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom, said: “Over the last 10 years we have managed to build and develop the show in fresh and exciting ways that have delivered new business, new education and important new industry-change initiatives. Next year will inevitably be a time to look back, take stock and celebrate how far we have come. But, it is equally, if not more, important to concentrate on delivering on our key business objectives, listening and responding to new market needs and, of course, taking our usual forthright, proactive stance on the big industry issues.”

IMEX announces new ‘Power of 10′ study to mark 10th anniversary year

The IMEX Group has announced its intention to undertake a major new research study on the future of the meetings industry to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its IMEX in Frankfurt trade show in 2012.

The new study will be conducted by Fast Future Research who run the highly acclaimed Convention 2020 study on the future of business events.

The founding sponsors are four organisations that have worked closely with IMEX in Frankfurt since the show’s launch. They are: IMEX’s strategic partner, the German Convention Bureau (GCB); the show’s venue – Messe Frankfurt; its ground-handlers, CPO Hanser and the Frankfurt Tourist Office.

The study’s findings are set to provide a focal point for a series of celebrations and special activities designed to mark the trade show’s 10th anniversary. These will include a Future Leaders Hall of Fame, 10 Years of Environmental Education, a new programme for Association Day, plus a special new location for the IMEX Politicians Forum to mark its 10th year.

Titled “The Power of 10”, the new study will seek opinions from individually selected thought and business-leaders inside and outside the meetings industry to help shed new light on what the next 10 years might hold in store. It will also look back over the last decade to capture the most important events and changes that have had the greatest impact on the industry and the professionals working within it.

The IMEX Power of 10 research project will build on the ideas and insights from Convention 2020 (of which the IMEX Group is a founding sponsor) to provide a positive perspective on how the meetings industry can evolve and fulfil its strategic potential over the next decade.

Pursuing the theme of the ‘Power of 10’, the study will be capturing the views of 10 leaders from 10 key sectors – asking them 10 questions about the next decade. It will also seek opinions from future leaders and students to get their perspectives on the industry’s future. A worldwide essay competition will be run with the 10 best submissions being awarded a Power of 10 prize plus public recognition. The study will also contain retrospectives and predictions from IMEX Group staff who have been with the trade show since its inception.

Commenting on the new study, Fast Future CEO, Rohit Talwar, stated; “It’s great to be able to build on the increasingly influential and successful research we’ve conducted on Convention 2020. That study ends in December 2011 and this new research enables us to keep that momentum going. With 2012 being such a significant, celebratory year for IMEX, it seemed fitting to look back as well as looking ahead, and to see what that comparison might reveal. Many of the respondents involved in the study will be big personalities with even bigger opinions, so we are expecting the insights and analysis to be as valuable and provocative as they are entertaining.”

Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the German Convention Bureau, also commented: “We are living in a time of constant change. This also holds true for the meeting industry. Therefore it is all the more important that we recognise and analyse early enough those future trends and developments which influence the industry. The Power of 10 study will help the industry to facilitate the planning of marketing activities and will lead to bigger success for the global meetings industry. We are delighted to be able to support IMEX with this study. The GCB has been the strategic partner of IMEX as well as the organiser of the Germany stand and the German seminars since the exhibition’s inception.”

Talking about the significance of the show’s 10th anniversary, Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group, said: “The past decade has been momentous for the global meetings, incentive travel and events industry. We will be using 2012 to celebrate and remember all of the good things that have been achieved and taking the chance to look back at how far the industry has come in 10 years. The Power of 10 research project will enable us to learn from the past 10 years and help the industry to project forward for the future. As a founding sponsor of Convention 2020 we have been delighted by the quality, insight and impact of the research conducted by the Fast Future team and could think of no better partner to work with on this flagship project.”

IMEX’s Tom Hulton presented with Moises Shuster Award

Tom Hulton, Director of International Relations for the IMEX Group, and linchpin in the development of two of the group’s most successful New Vision industry initiatives, has been awarded the prestigious Moises Shuster Award.

Hulton was presented with the Award at the 50th ICCA Congress Gala Dinner in Leipzig, Germany on 25th October.

The Moises Shuster Award is ICCA’s highest honour and recognises outstanding service in the international meetings industry. It is named after one of ICCA’s founding fathers and past Presidents. Hulton is a former CEO of the Association but in recent years he has become well-known throughout the global meetings, incentive travel and events industry for his work helping to develop the IMEX-MPI Future Leaders programme. He has also been instrumental in raising the profile and impact of the IMEX Politicians Forum, which is part of the trade show’s long-term effort to effect better communication and recognition of industry issues at local, regional and national government levels all over the world. 

Dubai tourism industry shines at IMEX America show

PCOs – International Disconnect?

What is a PCO? Do you really know? This was a hot topic at the recent IMEX America seminar run by IAPCO. Managing the six conference success factors highlighted the strategic extension of services often provided by the PCO: the political considerations; the outreach; the scientific content; the long-term legacy; the emotional after effect and ultimately the financial outcome. “And with the financial outcome, I mean bottom line outcome” said Mathias Posch, President ICS Vancouver, and IAPCO International Relations Officer, presenting on the topic, “not the cheapest through the door. You need to look increased delegate attendance, greater sponsorship outreach, additional inclusive services …. The Value Add On”.

Following this outline presentation, extensive but surprisingly non-controversial discussion evolved from the 30 or so attendees, from all sectors of the meetings industry.

The most immediate question was why were there no PCOs from the USA in IAPCO? “Because the terminology is different …. Is a Meeting Planner in the US the same as a PCO elsewhere….. few in the US comprehend what a PCO is” responded Mathias.

“It is a difference in dialogue” said Brian Riggs of Association Headquarters “But today’s marketplace is truly global and individual meeting planners in the States and around the world will miss out because we as a community are not using a language that is international. The disconnect will become more and more apparent as the world becomes more global … and remember” he continued” every young person is already globally connected … it is in their DNA”.

“The lines are becoming more blurred” commented Barbara Maple, consultant to the industry. “Originally a Meeting Planner was asked to provide very specific tasks, but now they are asked to do more and more, and to further embrace the strategic planning concept.” “Yes but historically” said Susan Daugulis of Venue West “Meeting Planners outsourced many of the services having few permanent staff, whereas PCOs generally have all the services in-house”.

IAPCO is the only association certifying PCOs and it was deemed important that Meeting Planners and PCOs, regardless of their title, should strive to achieve this accreditation, and to be recognised internationally in order to benefit from the onset of globalisation. “IAPCO is to be congratulated for having set the standards” commented Harry Fine, who represents many DMCs worldwide “I wish all associations in our industry had such standards and criteria. IAPCO may not have all the answers but they have certainly set the standard for the industry”.

As a result of IMEX America, IAPCO anticipates at least half a dozen applications from Meeting Planners in the US, who are looking to breach the international language barrier, and embrace the global market, by becoming PCOs as well as retaining their US Meeting Planning title.

“A breath of fresh air” – First edition of IMEX America reinvigorates business with successful new collaborative model

Oct 13. 2011 – Las Vegas, NV – Feedback from over 2000 hosted buyers, 1700 attendees and nearly 2000 exhibitors who attended the debut of IMEX America this week confirms that the new trade show for the meetings, incentive travel and events industry lived up to its promise of delivering high quality business, networking and professional education over the past four days.

Speaking at the show’s closing press briefing at The Venetian®|The Palazzo® today, IMEX Group Chairman, Ray Bloom, expressed his delight that the first show had gone so well and received a widespread positive reaction. Reiterating a comment made earlier in the week by Bruce MacMillan, CEO & President of the show’s strategic partner and premier education provider, MPI, he said: “We have successfully delivered a new, collaborative business model, which is not a US trade show in Las Vegas but a truly global marketplace in America plus a tremendous education program. That was always our vision but, of course, over the past four days thousands of industry professionals have been able to see and experience it for themselves. They now completely understand what we set out to do and have appreciated the fresh dimension it has brought to the industry here in the US.”

He shared some of the feedback and first-year achievements with media and guests who attended the briefing and explained that a notable aspect of IMEX America had been the high volumes of pre-scheduled appointments, as well as ‘walk-up’ business that exhibitors had been receiving. He gave one example of the SECC (Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre) whose team were delighted to receive a booking for a 12,000 delegate event from a buyer who simply arrived on the day without an appointment looking to place the event outside of the US for the first time. Michelle Saran, Executive director of the Canadian Tourism Commission had also commented: “We’ve had many one-on-one appointments – I haven’t seen a booth this busy in North America for years and years. Our team pre-planned appointments but we’ve also had a lot of people walking on to the stand for ad-hoc meetings.”

Business expectations fulfilled

Bloom explained that over 800 US companies were among the nearly-2000 exhibitors at IMEX America this week. Many had high hopes before the show but were understandably cautious given the wider economic challenges facing many global markets. However, from the largest international hotel groups to single destinations, positive feedback showed that those hopes had been fulfilled by the levels and quality of business achieved. This had been particularly noticeable at Association Day, organised by ICCA and ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, when the seniority and quality of association meeting buyers present had been remarked on by many of the Las Vegas partners in particular.

Bloom also delivered some key statistics about the first show’s performance. 53% of hosted buyers attending had budgets in excess of $1 million. Over 30,000 total appointments were made before and during the show including 23,930 individual appointments. Downloads of the IMEX App (developed by IMEX, MPI and QuickMobile and sponsored by Freeman) also reached high levels with 2050 people using the App to enhance and inform their IMEX America experience. The use of RFID badging technology for the first time (thanks to sponsors Experient and Lygase) will also provide new and deeper levels of information. “We will definitely be using this new insight to develop and refine the show in 2012,” explained Bloom.
Positive buzz
He also described how several of the professional education sessions had left a lasting impression on attendees with a noticeable ‘buzz’ around the MPI keynote speakers and USTA President Roger Dow’s update on the US Meetings Mean Business campaign. The invitation only Executive Meetings Forum, for C-level corporate meeting executives, was also extremely well received. Many participants confessed that, although they knew the trade show offered an extensive professional development program, few had realised quite how big it really was. As Bruce MacMillan had expressed it the day before: “Having packed-out sessions at our own education conference is one thing. Having packed-out sessions at a trade show is unheard of. That’s the big difference. MPI and IMEX America have changed the value proposition here in Vegas this week.”
The Strategic Partnership with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) had ‘more than delivered’ said Bloom and he expressed his delight that Smart Monday together with the previous night’s MPI Foundation Rendezvous had been such a success.

In addition, he praised and congratulated other important partners, including Site and PCMA. “Both Site and PCMA directors and members have embraced IMEX America and, for them, the week isn’t over yet as the Site International Conference and the PCMA International Summit both get underway later this afternoon. We look forward to developing all our association partnerships further in the future.”

Bloom also acknowledged once again the importance of the support the show had received from its numerous partners in Las Vegas, notably the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, The Venetian®|The Palazzo® and Sands Expo and many others. “Their support has been truly exceptional,” he said. “We really could not have asked for more and once again I’d like to express my gratitude for their backing and for all their hard work and understanding.”

In his closing remarks, Bloom said: “IMEX America has succeeded in producing lasting achievements in three main areas this week: volume and quality of business, professional education and, of course, networking and new global and US business contacts. This being Vegas, ‘the city of cities’, thousands of people were also able to laugh, relax and be entertained at the same time.”

He concluded: “This has been a successful first show and everything we had hoped for. IMEX America and MPI both agree we’ve found a formula for success and we now intend to build on it. I look forward to seeing many of you in Frankfurt come May when we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of IMEX in Frankfurt and I very much look forward to returning to Las Vegas in 2012 when I expect IMEX America to hit another home run.”

Germany number one for sustainability and green meetings

Frankfurt /Main / Las Vegas, October 12, 2011 — Germany has the largest market worldwide in virtually all fields of environmental technology and is one of the most important locations for the industry. For example, the country is number one in the field of renewable energies: Germany is the world export leader for recycling and sustainable water technologies. In addition, with more than 14 percent of globally available capacities, the German wind energy industry is the largest in the world and sets standards for research and development.

Green meetings – a competitive advantage of the German meetings and conventions industry

Germany’s expertise in this field is also one of the distinctive competitive advantages of the German meetings and conventions industry: Many companies in various fields of business have realized that sustainable practices are an image booster and offer sound economic advantages.

German congress providers integrate climate-friendly measures in their entire preparation, implementation, and follow-up work for events. They range from eco-friendly travel to the venue and comprehensive recycling through purchasing local foodstuffs, to using leftovers to produce energy and converting car fleets.

The German Convention Bureau (GCB) offers practical support for staging green meetings on its website www.germany-meetings.com. There you will find a list of existing certificates and best practices of hotels and convention centers.

Staged together by the GCB and European Association of Event Venues (EVVC), the greenmeetings and events conference in early March 2011 showed that awareness of green practices and climate protection has reached the German meetings, conventions and events industry. Around 400 delegates from all fields of the industry discussed the role of sustainability for the meetings and congress sector for two days. Another 200 registered participants were reached by the virtual tie-in event of the conference, which made its debut on the Internet two weeks later.

Excellent standards for venues in Germany

According to the results of the Meeting & Event Barometer, over one-quarter of the interviewed meeting hotels, convention centers and venues in Germany (27.4 percent) have already integrated a management system with a green concept for all business activities.

Best practice examples

One example is the darmstadtium in Hessen. Thanks to making comprehensive use of geothermal energy, biomass and solar energy, the science and convention center in Darmstadt runs almost entirely on renewable energy sources. In late 2010 it received the Green Globe eco-label.

The event center of the Academy of German Cooperatives (ADG) at Schloss Montabaur in the Westerwald region, which opened in April 2011, is the first venue in Germany to achieve energy independence thanks to state-of-the-art technology.

In the German capital, the Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz has been setting new standards for sustainability since October 2010. The hotel solely uses energy from renewable sources. Energy-saving lamps throughout the entire house and the use of district heating and cooling lower consumption. This is the first hotel in Germany to be awarded the EU ecolabel and silver medal for sustainable building.

Deutsche Bahn’s Umwelt-Plus event ticket offers all attendees of large events carbon-free travel to the venue. This will get delegates comfortably and swiftly to the destination at a fixed price. Deutsche Bahn’s green campaign is titled “DB Eco Program.“ This is a climate protection program featuring more than 20 different activities DB is using to lower its worldwide specific carbon emissions by 20 percent from 2006 to 2020 in all parts of the group.

The German Convention Bureau (GCB) based in Frankfurt /Main, markets Germany as a destination for conventions, meetings, events, and incentives both on a national and international level, and is the place to contact for all customers who are planning events in Germany.

Its 230 members include leading hotels, convention centers, and destinations, rental car firms, event agencies and service providers of the German meetings and conventions industry. Maritim Hotels, the SevenCenters of Germany and darmstadtium science and convention center are Preferred Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Deutsche Bahn AG and the German National Tourist Board (DZT) support the work of the GCB.

The GCB, an interface between organizers of meetings and conventions and suppliers of the German meetings market, offers advice and support for planning and organizing events, and provides contacts and addresses. Its website www.germany-meetings.com features an online search facility for meeting venues, newsletters, Germany guides, and a lot more.

TNS Infratest market analysis shows great potential for the meeting industry thanks to common fields of expertise in the USA and Germany

The German Convention Bureau (GCB) is using survey findings as a basis for its marketing strategy 

Frankfurt /Main / Las Vegas, October 12, 2011–The close economic ties between Germany and the USA and great expertise in common key industries such as the automotive sector, pharmaceuticals, and financial services make Germany not only the most important U.S. trade partner within Europe but also a preferred destination for meetings and conventions. That is the central conclusion of a new market analysis conducted by TNS Infratest on behalf of the German Convention Bureau (GCB).

“As part of its fields of expertise strategy, the GCB is using these close economic ties for the German events market. By highlighting the different economic and scientific fields of expertise of German destinations, we actively promote suitable meetings and competitions,” explains Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, GCB. For this purpose, the GCB is seeking contacts with world-leading companies and the most important associations and organizations of the respective industries.

Europe most important foreign destination of U.S. planners

The close ties between U.S. and European markets are plain to see in the meetings and congress sector. Europe is the most important foreign destination of U.S. event planners by far – well above neighboring Canada. Around 50 percent of all foreign events staged by U.S. meeting and event organizers take place in Europe.

This is mirrored by the overnights of U.S. guests in Germany. The U.S. is the second-most important source market for German incoming travel. In 2010 overnights by U.S. guests rose by 11.1 percent to 4.8 million. For the first half of 2011 the German Statistics Office calculated a further increase by 3.6 percent over the same period last year. Over a quarter (27 percent) of all journeys from the U.S. to Germany are for business reasons.

Germany most important U.S. trade partner in Europe

German-American relations have a long tradition. Approximately 46 million U.S. Americans have German roots. Also the economic ties between the countries are close: Germany is the largest European exporter in the U.S. market and also ranks sixth among the largest markets for U.S. products. All in all, Germany is the most important trade partner of the U.S. on the European market.

Cross-border cooperation of regions with the same economic expertise

The international networking of regions with similar fields of expertise can give the German meetings industry a major boost. The regions around Stuttgart and Munich, the headquarters of car manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes, are ideal locations for conventions in the motor industry. And there could be cooperative relationships with similar U.S hubs such as Detroit. Stuttgart recently hosted the successful Enhanced Safety of Vehicles Conference, and it will be the venue of the future-forward i-Mobility – exhibition and congress for intelligent mobility – from April 12 – 15, 2012.

The financial hubs of New York and Frankfurt are two further examples. There are 300 banks – including 190 foreign banks – that have branches in Frankfurt. In addition, the European Central Bank and German Bundesbank are based in Frankfurt.

Medicine and health, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, technology and innovation, plus energy and the environment are further fields of expertise that position Germany internationally as a leading congress and meeting destination.

The German Convention Bureau (GCB), based in Frankfurt /Main, markets Germany as a destination for conventions, meetings, events and incentives both on a national and international level, and is the place to contact for all customers who are planning events in Germany.

Its 230 members include leading hotels, convention centers and destinations, rental car firms, event agencies, and service providers of the German meetings and conventions industry. Maritim Hotels, the SevenCenters of Germany and darmstadtium science and convention centre are Preferred Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Deutsche Bahn AG and the German National Tourist Board (DZT) support the work of the GCB.

The GCB, an interface between organizers of meetings and conventions and suppliers of the German meetings market, offers advice and support for planning and organizing events, and provides contacts and addresses. Its website www.germany-meetings.com features an online search facility for meeting venues, newsletters, Germany guides, and a lot more.

IMEX America first day off to a flying start in the “city of cities”

Oct 12, 2001 – Las Vegas, NV- A ‘buzzing’ first day at IMEX America at the Sands Expo, Las Vegas, yesterday meant a packed appointment schedule for many of the 1800-plus exhibitors and great satisfaction at the quality and number of buyers attending.

IMEX America’s Convention 2020 Fast Future Research session reveals what’s next for conference and event formats, techniques and technologies

Oct. 11, 2011 – Las Vegas, NV – On the opening day of IMEX America, global futurist and director of the Convention 2020 Research Study, Rohit Talwar, took visitors to the show’s LearningCurve Zone through some of the main trends and innovations happening in today’s meetings and events industry.

With an emphasis on real-world examples and case histories, Talwar described new and emerging techniques and technologies are increasingly shaping the value proposition for meeting, events and conference goers – particularly Gen Y and Gen Z.

Talwar pointed towards increasingly short keynotes and breakouts as well as more action-oriented formats such as speed-networking and speed meetings. The study results also show that participants also see great value in events that allow the audience to engage in Q&A’s with presenters for the majority rather than the minority of time. They also respond more and more favorably to shorter sessions repeated more frequently and to one-on-one access to the actual creators, scientists or developers behind new products and service offerings in particular.

A trend for keynote addresses to be kept to just 15 or 20 minutes followed by breakout opportunities with the speaker for more personal interaction was also noted as extremely popular.

Talwar described how co-located breakouts have also been appearing with more frequency. He told participants that having a number of speakers available via headphones and then allowing delegates to choose which presentation they join based on the samples they’d just heard is also on the rise. “Delegate choice is a bit like the killer app of our times,” he said.

He also revealed that conference and meeting-goers expect to have a direct-hand in deciding the content they receive. One example he gave was a rare mix of 15 hours of content decided and prepared by conference organizers but a huge 50 hours decided by participant consultation in advance. As well as content type, participants in this example were polled about their desired formats and delivery channels. Borrowing a marketing model more commonly used in the consumer sector, some events and meetings are also now incentivizing delegates to ‘bring a friend’ (known as ‘member get member’ in marketing terms) in order to receive preferential discounts to relevant events.

Although technology alone cannot replace the human experience of shaking someone’s hand, Convention 2020 study findings demonstrate that technology will continue to play an increasing role as a participant and a planner of meetings, conferences and events.

“Through social media, apps and mobile technology today’s event-goers already expect organizers to communicate, add value and market to them more directly and personally,” said Talwar. “That trend will only continue to grow,” he concluded.

Newer and increasingly more affordable technologies, such as RFID tracking, are also helping meeting and event planners to gain more insight into the interests, time investment and floor “travel” patterns of their delegates. RFID badge-scanning, which is being used this week during IMEX America, will allow planners to optimize layouts and content in increasingly sophisticated ways in the future, according to Talwar.

Finally Heptics, Touchable Holograms, 3D phones and 3D laptops plus augmented reality technologies, were also discussed as ‘here today’ technologies that are likely to dominate the future.

High Attendance, Engagement at MPI Education on Smart Monday

IMEX America Strategic Partner Delivers Powerful Education

Oct. 11, 2011 – Las Vegas – IMEX America attendees showed their dedication to professional development, as hundreds of planners and suppliers flocked to attend the full day of Smart Monday content from strategic partner and premier education provider, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) yesterday. The MeetDifferent Day of Education brought innovative education focused on a variety of topics that included meeting design, buy/sell relationships and sustainability practice.

All education was free and available to all attendees, and each session and speaker focused on objectives related to the learner and implementation during the IMEX America experience. The day began with an opening session from speaker Cheryl Cran, CSP, which set the tone for the day for more than 400 professionals. Networking and collaborative time was interspersed between knowledge sessions, allowing attendees to discuss what they just heard and continue learning.

“Through collaboration and leveraging our powerful partnership with IMEX America, we are able to connect even more professionals with our content that is driving change in the industry,” said Bruce MacMillan, president and CEO of MPI. “Utilizing the MeetDifferent approach of leading-edge thinkers and unique room concepts is just one way we are to provide attendees with professional development on topics that matter to business now. I anticipate the three daily general sessions will be equally attended and well-reviewed.”

Professionals who attended MPI’s education were also treated to a special luncheon and behind-the-scenes tour from the internationally-known Blue Man Group, where the cast and crew answered questions about the company’s five domestic shows and international productions. Additionally, each session throughout the day was designed with skills that could be used immediately at IMEX America on the show floor, and also throughout participants’ careers.

MPI professional development delivery continues with daily general session speakers during the trade show. Beginning at 8:45 a.m., speakers include Robin Sieger, Dr. Brené Brown and Peter Sheahan. For additional information on MPI, visit mpiweb.org

OVATION NAMES SAMME ALLEN WINNER OF THE 2011 OVATION HUGGABILITY AWARD

Ovation Global DMC has named Samme Allen winner of its 2011 Huggabilty Award. The announcement was made at IMEX America, Las Vegas where Samme was presented with a specially commissioned award by Ovation Managing Directors Patrick Delaney and Padraic Gilligan.

Head of Sales, Business Events at the Barbican Centre London and President of MPI’s UK & Ireland Chapter, Samme was nominated for being ‘‘immensely supportive of everyone in the meetings world, kind and dynamic, a pleasure to work with and an inspiration to the industry‘‘.

Passing on her huggability crown to Samme, 2010 winner Barbra Albrecht of the Switzerland Convention and Incentive Bureau reflected ‘’What a fun year I have had with OB. Introducing him to the Swiss Alps, placing him on skis for the first time, swimming together in the warm summer sunshine and acquainting him with our country’s culinary delights (chocolate being his favourite) were just some of my personal highlights’’. But it wasn’t all fun and play as OB proved to be ‘’a great help to the team at SCIB’’, assisting Barbra in operating the 7th Switzerland Meeting Trophy and Ovation Switzerland’s Renato in delivering the Protective Life Insurance programme in the Lake Geneva region just last month.

More detail on the 2011 Ovation Huggability Award, nominees and shortlisted candidates is available at www.ovationdmc.com 

TCEB kicks off “Thailand: Destination of “CHOICES”

No matter which path you choose, success is sure to follow….at IMEX America

Las Vegas, NV: October 11, 2011:At IMEX America this week, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will launch Phase 2 of its “Believe in Thailand” campaign. A new emphasis is reflected in the campaign’s theme: “Thailand…Destination of “CHOICES” — No matter which path you choose, success is sure to follow.”

TCEB’s President Akapol Sorasuchart explained, “The theme perfectly reflects the multitude of choices, options and settings that together make Thailand a unique and perfect location for your next business event. Our goal is to ensure that every experience is unique, with more choices now and the most choices for the future. Thailand’s MICE and travel operators work to world-class standards, and will give your event the special, personalized service it requires because the diversity of options available allows you to personally design each event to maximize your success.”

Commenting on the status of Thailand’s own MICE industry, Sorasuchart said, “This year, Thailand is expected to welcome almost 720,000 MICE visitors, who will participate in meetings and incentives, conventions, exhibitions and trade fairs, generating expected revenues of US$1.9 (Bht 57.6 billion). Additionally, our recently announced MICE policy and roadmap projects global MICE travelers to Thailand to increase by more than 75 percent from 2012 to 2016, with revenues up by more than 87 percent by the year 2016.

“Thailand’s MICE industry is also projected to play an increasingly important role in the country’s overall economy. Today the MICE industry represents only 9.13 percent of total tourism revenues for 2011, but this share is expected to rise to 18.35 percent by 2016, with revenues of US$ 4.36 billion (Bht 130.92 billion),” Sorasuchart added.

In 2011, Thailand expects to welcome 23 percent more business from the Americas, with MICE visitor numbers rising from 42,102 last year to a projected 51,904 by year-end, generating revenues of US$ 107.8 million. For Thailand, the Americas have huge market potential, and there is considerable upside potential for these figures to grow further in the coming years.

Regarding the role of TCEB, Sorasuchart said, “TCEB is a government agency mandated to support the development of Thailand’s business event, or MICE, industry. We work closely with the private sector — the tourism and hotel industry, as well as the convention and trade fair industry — to identify how we may best target our support for private sector development. TCEB provides financial and non-financial assistance to Thailand-based MICE operators in market promotion, bid preparation and strategic advice. But we also have some exciting support packages specifically tailored to the needs of overseas MICE operators, professional bodies and societies that want to bring their business events to Thailand. I therefore encourage U.S. event organizers to contact us to find out how TCEB can help organize a superlative, memorable and cost-effective event in Thailand.

“The theme of the second phase of TCEB’s ‘Believe in Thailand’ campaign, and its emphasis on choices, is very appropriate. TCEB has categorized the MICE industry into three segments: meetings, trade shows and international events. No matter which path you choose, TCEB will assist you toward your business success step by step. Believe in Thailand to ensure that your next business event soars to even greater heights. Thailand’s reputation for hospitality is unsurpassed and when combined with professional services, world-class infrastructure and facilities, varities of meeting destinations and countless business opportunities, it will come as no surprise that you will want to return, time and again,” Sorasuchart said.

Sorasuchart also noted the significant progress in Thailand’s bid to host the World Expo 2020. “TCEB is also playing a central role in coordinating Thailand’s bid to host this mega-event in Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayuthaya. Our preparations are well underway, and we have already conducted a series of events to build public awareness, support and unity among Thai people from all walks of life in supporting our bid,” he said.

Concluding, Sorasuchart offered his perspective on the enormous opportunity represented by the forthcoming formation of the ASEAN Economic Community, or AEC in 2015. “The projected value of trade in AEC, at US$6.4 trillion, will represent a quarter of total global trade, translating into countless business opportunities through closer economic cooperation within the region. From now on, when we talk about Thailand, we also speak as a representative of the AEC because Thailand serves as the natural gateway to the ASEAN countries. With modern infrastructure and facilities including six international airports, as well as the upcoming high speed rail network through Thailand which will include the Kunming – Singapore rail link, Thailand really is at the crossroads of ASEAN. Travelling around the country is fast and convenient, allowing a wide range of choices and great flexibility for business events. The AEC market holds enormous promise as well as challenges for Thailand, and will fuel strong economic growth and a flourishing MICE industry in the region.

Viva Berlin, Las Vegas!

German capital presents itself at the 1^st IMEX America

Berlin, October 11, 2011 IMEX America will celebrate its world premiere in Las Vegas, and Berlin must of course be present. Between October 11 and 13, 2011 the visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office (BCO) will present the convention destination together with Berlin providers from the hotel and event industry.

The US market has a major significance for the Berlin convention industry. The presentation at the trade show is, therefore, to further increase the awareness of the German capital and secure new events.

At IMEX America the focus will not only be on the latest news on the convention and meeting destination Berlin but also on a new online offering. “BerlinCentives” offers rapid and free-of-charge access to extraordinary Berlin experiences, so-called incentives. Further information is available on www.convention.visitBerlin.com.

“IMEX America – America‘s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events” is the largest trade fair for the US meetings industry in 2011, with around 2,000 hosted buyers. In the Sands Expo Convention Center/Las Vegas exhibitors from 100 countries are expected.

BCO is represented on the Joint German stand no. 418-08.

Further information on the event is available on the website www.imexamerica.com.

IMEX America Association Day kicks off debut show with strong energy and powerful business focus

Oct. 11, 2011 – Las Vegas, NV– 200 association meeting planners from across the US and 20 countries around the world came together yesterday for a power-packed afternoon and evening program of learning and networking as part of the first ever IMEX America Association Day.

An alternative three-hour deep dive session was also a draw for IMEX America Association Day participants. “Associations at the Crossroads – The Shifting Landscape of Business Models and Membership in an Uncertain Future” offered a compelling conversation guided by speakers: Susan Robertson, CAE, EVP, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership; Jay Younger, Managing Partner and Chief Consultant at McKinley Marketing Inc. and Scott Steen, CAE, CEO of American Forests Association.

London & Partners to unveil calendar of incredible ‘Limited Edition’ events and experiences at IMEX America

The campaign, which sits across both leisure and business audiences has been created to encourage visitors to come to London to enjoy a plethora of unique and one-off events that will be happening around the city from now until the start of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in July 2012.

A special business-focused calendar will be launched at a press conference at IMEX America (Press Room 1 at 3.30pm Wednesday 12th October) and will include helpful tips and special offers for event planners on inspiring events and activities which visitors can only enjoy in the UK’s capital.

Events include the exclusive Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, an opportunity to sleep under the stars at the ZSL London Zoo, celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee by visiting ‘Diamonds’ a sparkling exhibition at Buckingham Palace and an evening of 1940s glamour and champagne at the Churchill War Rooms.

Chris FJ Lynn – London & Partners Sales & Marketing Director, North America & Emerging Markets said: “As the capital approaches the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Limited Edition London campaign will harness the opportunity to showcase everything the capital has to offer – from outstanding business venues and accommodation to theatre, retail and world-class attractions.”

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson welcomed visitors to the capital stating,
“London remains without doubt the most enchanting and exciting capital city in the world. In the months leading up to the Games in 2012 there are a huge number of unique and inspiring places to visit and wonderful things to see and do. From an exclusive display of Leonardo da Vinci at The National Gallery to a night out under the stars at London Zoo, visitors to this great city really will be spoilt for choice.”

USTA’s Roger Dow to give ‘state of the meetings industry’ address at IMEX America

Roger Dow, President & CEO of the US Travel Association will give the latest picture on the economic outlook for the US meetings industry when he speaks at a ‘Meetings Mean Business’ campaign update as part of IMEX America’s extensive education program on Tuesday Oct. 11 at 4pm. Dow will be joined by USTA Executive Vice President, Geoff Freeman, in what is expected to be a strongly attended open-to-all seminar.

Dow will talk about the strong progress already made within the industry over the past couple of years and, in particular, the ongoing effort to capture and consistently prove the true economic value of the meetings industry, most recently valued at $100 billion in annual revenues. He will also reveal the many resources now available to destinations and other suppliers to help the industry protect itself from what the association calls ‘misguided rhetorical attacks’.

A number of other high profile industry leaders and personalities are set to cause strong interest at IMEX America. Former Mayor of Las Vegas and current chair of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Host Committee, Oscar B. Goodman, will join IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom, and MPI President & CEO, Bruce MacMillan for an opening address at the first of the trade show’s morning Keynotes on Tuesday Oct. 11 which take place each morning prior to the show opening. In August this year, Goodman was invited to take on a special role as ‘ambassador’ for Las Vegas with a clear brief to promote and celebrate the city’s excellent meetings and events infrastructure to the world and the local business community.

Further strong draws during IMEX America will be the three keynote speakers who form part of the extremely varied and free education program being delivered over four days by strategic partner and premier educational provider, Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Their contribution also includes the incorporation of the MPI MeetDifferent Day of Education and Innovation into the show’s professional development day – ‘Smart Monday’ – on October 10.

The MPI daily General Session Keynote speakers are: Scottish businessman and international best-selling author of Natural Born Winners, Robin Sieger on Tuesday Oct 11 at 8.45am; award-winning educator and research professor, Dr Brené Brown on Wednesday Oct 12 at the same time and, rounding-up on the final day, best-selling author of Fl!p and five other books, Peter Sheahan, also at 8.45am. Each of the speakers has been chosen for their bold, innovative and passionate approach to challenging business models and inspiring change – both immediate behavioural change as well as longer-term organisational change. They have also been carefully selected by MPI to fit with its educational vision and values and to give show participants an energetic and motivating start to their business day during IMEX America. (All speaker biographies are available here).

Search all IMEX America education and professional development sessions, including Smart Monday.

All MPI and IMEX America education is available free of charge. Other sources of learning include a LearningCurve Zone on the show floor, sponsored by the CIC (Convention Industry Council), drop-in, informal ‘campfires’ facilitated by expert speakers, plus a Sustainability Center, powered by GMIC (Green Meeting Industry Council) which is dedicated to environmental and CSR education and best practice case studies.

IMEX America Exceeding Forecasts

Sept. 15, 2011 – London, England & Las Vegas, NV – When the first edition of IMEX America opens its doors at the Sands Expo, Las Vegas, on Oct.11, 2011 the trade show will be the largest this year – and the biggest hosted buyer event ever in the U.S. – to address the business, networking and educational needs of the US meetings, incentive travel and events industry.

“We have spent almost two years communicating why the IMEX business model is different and precisely how and why it will benefit the meetings industry in the US. Business is at the heart of everything we do and the reason why we launched IMEX America in the first place. We believed that the US needed a fresh trade show format and I have every confidence that IMEX America will now deliver – on business volumes, buyer quality and numbers, and exhibitor numbers and diversity,” said, IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom looking ahead to IMEX America’s first day, “What is more, with the help of our strategic partner and premier education provider, MPI, our education program is second to none. With unparalleled industry support we’ve also been able to deliver an extraordinary 14 co-located trade association events. I’m confident that the sum of the parts is going to be greater than the whole and I urge everyone in the meetings, events and incentive travel to come to Vegas and experience ‘the IMEX effect’ on their business goals for themselves.”

• More than 1,800 exhibitors representing 100 countries now confirmed
• More than 90 live educational events confirmed
• MPI announces speaker line-up for Smart Monday
• Online diary and scheduling tools now live
• Wild Card and TechnoHow Zone award winners announced
• Forums and Meetings to Share Thought Leadership with Industry
• New Industry & Association Partnerships Unveiled
• Las Vegas Gives a Warm Welcome to the Industry
• IMEX America Is Going Green in the Desert

“We couldn’t be more excited to see this event come to life in Las Vegas with our long-time partner, IMEX,” said Bruce MacMillan, president and CEO of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). “We look forward to connecting with thousands of professionals through our innovative education programs and keynotes each day. We’re confident that attendees will find inspiring ideas they can act on at the show and throughout their careers – which is exactly the remarkable professional development MPI consistently delivers.”

Get the London Makeover at IMEX

With less than one year to go to the 2012 Games, London’s official convention bureau and event solutions service (previously known as Visit London) are looking forward to adding a touch of style and glamour to the international trade show in Las Vegas which takes place from 11th – 13th October 2011.

2012 is set to be an exciting year in the capital, and as London gears up to host the greatest show on earth, event planners have a unique opportunity to capitalise on the ‘halo’ effect being felt by the Games. By planning their event in a revitalised London, they can take advantage of the raft of improvements being made from enhanced transportation links, brand new attractions and state-of-the-art hotels, as well soak-up the ‘buzz’ that will be felt around London before, during and after the Games. Over the next twelve months London will also play host to some of the world’s most exciting events including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Charles Dickens’ 200th anniversary, Shakespeare’s Festival and the Cultural Olympiad.

Chris FJ Lynn, Sales & Marketing Director, North American & Emerging Markets said:
“The legacy of 2012 will also bring with it a number of exciting new openings across London which will benefit visitors and event organisers for years to come. Visitors to the London stand can find out more about Europe’s largest indoor shopping mall, Westfield Stratford London, the reopening of the historic Cutty Sark, the multi million dollar Kensington Palace refurbishment and the launch of the Shard, set to be London’s tallest landmark – as well as a host of new hotels and event venues.”

In celebration of London’s continuing city ‘makeover’,  IMEX America visitors will be able to make an appointment and experience an exclusive pampering treatment at the London & Partners ‘Spa Bar’, sponsored by the AWAY Spa at London’s new W Hotel in Leicester Square. In keeping with the quintessentially British theme of W London, the signature product lines at AWAY Spa are by British brand REN.The ‘Spa Bar’ will offer visitors a place to recharge, get glamorous and experience a touch of luxurious London. Free treatments on offer will include:

- The Royal Treatment –  A Kensington Palace ‘facelift’ – you’ll feel like you had a million dollars spent on you too!
- The Time Treatment – The home of time is ‘Greenwich’ – while away the minutes with this soothing Indian head massage
- The 2012 Treatment  - Get ready, get set and race to have your mini manicure
- The Diamond Treatment – The Jewel in the Crown of spa treatments the Jubilee Celebration Hand massage – fit for a queen!
- The Dickens Treatment – don’t get your shoulders into an ‘Oliver’ Twist – relax and enjoy a shoulder massage.

Lynn added: ‘The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been a catalyst for massive investment into the city and London & Partners can help event organisers to make the most of the unique new opportunities available when planning their event in London. London really does offer so much in terms of unique experiences and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities which just can’t be found anywhere else.”

London & Partners will be joined on their booth by over 12 top London venues and hotels. They include: Business Design Centre, Chelsea Football Club, ICC London ExCeL London, Grand Connaught Rooms, Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, Guoman & Thistle Hotels, Late Night London, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Novotel London West, DMC – Spectra, The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and the Wyndham Grand Chelsea Harbour.

London & Partners will be offering a number of activities and events on the their booth #1006 and will also be co-hosting a special Olympic’s focused breakfast with ICC London ExCeL on Wednesday October 12th 2011 (8am breakfast) at Grand Lux Café Palazzo (Venetian Hotel). The event will give insight the exciting infrastructure changes being made to London to host the London 2012 Olympic Games, and how they will benefit the events industry. To register for the event – contact: info@excel-london.co.uk

IMEX in Frankfurt 2011 results – business placed at show rises by 12%

Close to 1000 hosted buyers responded to the IMEX in Frankfurt 2011 post-show survey and results once again confirm IMEX’s commitment to outstanding business, networking and education opportunities. Lending further credence to a continued upswing in overall market activity and optimism, buyers confirmed they placed orders worth $508 million during the show, a rise of nearly 12.8% (2010: $450 million). The 1000 buyers also expect to place orders valued at around $2.2 billion in the nine months following the exhibition. Other findings show that 14 hours was the average amount of time hosted buyers spent on the show floor meeting with exhibitors; another increase of 12% compared to last year. This statistic underpins the importance that IMEX attaches to not allowing education or exhibitor events to be held away from the show floor during business hours.

Watch Ray Bloom, IMEX Group Chairman review this year’s show and the sector overall

IMEX America’s Education Line-Up Enhances Business Experiences

IMEX America provides the ideal setting for the US and global events, meetings, and incentive travel industry to get new business done, and the IMEX America education program is in lock step with this purpose.  The week of IMEX America is packed with educational value, led by IMEX America’s strategic partner and premier education provider, Meeting Professionals International (MPI). The education program is focused on making participant’s businesses and careers stronger; starting full force on “Smart Monday” October 10. This full day, dedicated solely to professional education and networking, will be followed by the three-day trade show. Watch IMEX CEO, Carina Bauer talk about the importance of education sessions during IMEX America.

IMEX survey reveals buyers opinions on social media, the IMEX App and blogs

Following another busy IMEX in Frankfurt, over 830 international hosted buyers were surveyed after the show to gain valuable insight into their thoughts on social media, industry blogs and new technologies.

The findings of the 2011 IMEX in Frankfurt Hosted Buyer Social Media Survey (taken from the post-show exit survey) suggest that the uptake of social media for professional use has accelerated significantly compared to last year. Among the respondents, Facebook has risen in popularity with 71 per cent of hosted buyers now using it either for networking or business promotion purposes, rising from 60 per cent in 2010. Twitter is another social media platform that has increased in popularity, with 41 per cent of respondents now using it regularly, compared to 27 per cent in 2010.

Not surprisingly given its professional authority, LinkedIn is used by 69 per cent of the buyers surveyed, whilst YouTube is used by 25 per cent, demonstrating its growing role as a credible and viable channel for corporate marketing and communications within the international meetings industry.
Despite the proliferation and increasing influence of blogs within the international meetings industry, surprisingly, the number of respondents who say they do not regularly read one has increased slightly on 2010 – from 83 per cent to 86 per cent this year. Given the clear rise and popularity of short, sharp opportunities to grab and share information on social media, it’s possible that longer blog formats are proving more challenging for meetings industry professionals to squeeze into a busy working day.

Amongst other findings, the survey quizzed buyers on their use of the IMEX App, a brand new introduction for 2011 (which was developed by MPI and QuickMobile, and sponsored by Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau). Of the 838 buyers who responded, 61 per cent revealed they were aware of it, and of those who downloaded the new IMEX App, 80 per cent were iPhone users.
In terms of hosted buyer awareness of the various different App features, 91 per cent were most aware of the ‘Tell a Friend’ section although the ‘My Schedule’ feature was the most frequently used. When it came to the App features deemed most useful, the top three were ‘My Schedule’, the ‘Floorplan’ and the ‘Venue’ features respectively.

iPhone v Blackberry

52 per cent of respondents used the free IMEX WIFI (provided for all hosted buyers courtesy of Destination Frankfurt Rhein-Main) and results once again confirmed the popularity of the iPhone, with a massive 72 per cent utilising the free WIFI via an iPhone compared to 23 per cent via an iPad. Comparatively, only nine per cent accessed it via a Blackberry, which contrasts with last year’s results where Blackberry was the Smartphone of choice in the global meetings industry. Of those respondents in 2010, 47 per cent used Blackberries as opposed to 31 per cent who used Apple iPhones. This year’s results may suggest that the iPhone has now forged a stronger position as a business device or simply that iPhone users are more ‘App’ aware and more willing to download them than Blackberry users.

QR codes are increasingly being used by corporations and 26 per cent of respondents stated that they did notice the QR codes being used prior to and at the show, although a slightly higher proportion – 29 per cent – did not. Only 16 per cent of hosted buyers revealed that they used their mobile phone to scan an IMEX QR code, demonstrating that there is huge scope for further education and adoption. One respondent, who did use their phone to scan a QR code, having never done so before, described it as “a new experience and a useful one.”

Commenting on the findings, Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, says: “It is interesting to observe the continued rapid growth of marketing channels such as Twitter and also to see that Facebook has maintained its position as the most commonly used social media platform among hosted buyers. New technologies are being introduced all the time, and are fundamentally changing the way we work, communicate and do business. QR codes, for example, are a relatively new innovation but are already being widely used by many organisations in other business sectors so we expect to see their use increase significantly across the international meetings industry in the next year. Recent changes across the sector also suggest that mobile payment systems, environmental monitoring and even intelligent sensors embedded into mobiles are the next areas to watch within the industry.

“I am delighted that the launch of the IMEX App was well received. Our aim now is to apply some of this important feedback to develop this convenient and intuitive management tool further for IMEX America.”