The
www.ibtmevents.com ISSUE 7 September 2013
THE IBTM GLOBAL EVENTS MAGAZINE
Fresh faced meetings‌ the new look you want Technology revolution Argentina - A destination to suit all needs
Welcome To Our World AFRICA
Welcome to issue 7 of The Diary
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elcome to the Autumn edition of The Diary. This issue focuses on innovation within the industry, through technology, meeting construction and design and new innovative developments within certain regions. We get up close and personal with leading technical and event planning companies such as Youalight, Eventisimo, myQaa and Tubbo and look into the background of their exciting products. We visit Argentina in this issue for our Destination Focus and explore how this fascinating country is suitable and enticing for all of the MICE community. Remember to also have a read of the Industry Indicator to review the latest important facts and stats surrounding the meetings and events industry in China. The IBTM team report back on their trips to the AIPC Annual Conference, ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme, London to Paris cycling and the ECM Summer School. Finally, make sure you have a read of page 30 where we look at the success of table top business at exhibitions and how it is changing MICE events, which I hope you will find interesting. If you have any news, please email us at ibtmevents@reedexpo.co.uk.
Contents 4 6-9 10-11 12 14-15 16-17 19 20 22-23 24 26-29 30 32 33 35 36 37 38-39
Industry News Fresh faced meetings… the new look you want Technology revolution Innovation Spotlight The Diary Loves YOULALIGHT Planning for Success at EIBTM Meet the Media Meet the team On the road with IBTM MICE Innovation in the Asia-Pacific Argentina - A destination to suit all needs MICE table top business One-2-One Business Venue Vision: Amsterdam RAI Refresh your approach to mixing business with pleasure China’s Digital Jungle Asia Focus Industry Month in Photos
CATCH UP ON PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DIARY HERE
The www.ibtmevents.com ISSUE 6 June 2013
THE IBTM GLOBAL EVENTS MAGAZINE
Powering Through Meetings with Brain Food Destination Focus: Mumbai Exhibition Architecture
Welcome To Our World Unlocking Your Business Potential on 5 Continents AFRICA 28-30 April CapeTown, South Africa ●
The Diary_issue 6 17_6_13.indd 1
28/06/2013 11:23
Mandy Torrens Editor
© Reed Travel Exhibitions. www.ibtmevents.com/en/Copyright The “IBTM” trade mark is owned and protected by Elsevier Properties SA and Reed Exhibitions Limited uses such trade mark under licence. Hosted Buyer® is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited. Reed Travel Exhibitions is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Group Plc. All details in this publication were considered to be correct at time of going to press. The publisher reserves the right to change or cancel any details. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information published is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions or any consequences arising there from.
Produced for Reed Travel Exhibitions by Eventful Publishing Co Ltd. www.eventfulpublishing.co.uk
ISSUE 7 SEPTEMBER 2013 THE DIARY 3
Industry News
Dedicated Social Media & Events report for the MICE industry is released
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miando, the event management software for online event registration and ticketing has released its third annual Social Media & Events report.
this year and that confidence in the potential of social media marketing has grown in the sector again this year.
Over recent years, the report has become a must read among event organisers and is considered as an important source of information on the subject of social media with the previous two reports being downloaded more than 10,000 times each.
The most important objectives of social media activities are still to increase awareness of individual events as well as of the brand. 44% of event organisers surveyed had been able to achieve this already, the equivalent of 76% of the event organisers who had set themselves these goals. This is the same success rate as they had in 2012.
The report states that over 80% of event organisers are planning to increase their social media marketing measures
Download the report for free here: http://goo.gl/HWSf9z
Africa Travel Week
Following the proven global RTE Hosted Buyer formula, these pre-qualified buyers will meet with their suppliers of choice throughout Africa Travel Week 2014 in over 12,000 pre-scheduled, targeted business meetings.
announces details of its International Hosted Buyer Programme
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n the lead-up to the first Africa Travel Week (28 April – 3 May 2014), Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) has announced further details of its exclusive global Hosted Buyer Programme for Africa Travel Week events. Comprising WTM Africa, ILTM Africa and IBTM Africa, Africa Travel Week will host 500 dedicated travel industry buyers and specialists from over 30 key source markets: 300 at WTM (World Travel Market) Africa, 150 at ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) Africa and 50 at IBTM (Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings) Africa.
Craig Moyes, Portfolio Director, Africa Travel Week commented: “Reed Travel Exhibitions has a portfolio of market leading events where the Hosted Buyer format is at the core of the shows. But it’s not about quantity - it is only successful if it is driven by quality and that is where we excel. We will focus our efforts through a global network of specialists in researching, identifying and inviting the highest quality buyers to each of our events, specifically targeting a greater proportion of buyers from established source markets including the US and Europe at Africa Travel Week, as well as emerging international markets including Asia-Pacific and Latin America.”
AFRICA AFRICA 28-30 28-30April April CapeTown, CapeTown,South SouthAfrica Africa ●●
2 - 3 May 2014 • Cape Town
MPI Foundation releases first ever meetings design study
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eeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation has recently published the first comprehensive research study on meetings design.
As the industry undergoes a paradigm shift in how it defines, plans and executes meetings and events, the Meeting Design Study and the tools that accompany it provide both a framework and a bridge between the state of meetings today and the future. John Nawn, founder of The Perfect Meeting and lead researcher of the study said: “Meeting Design is about reducing a meeting or event down to its most essential
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elements and directing increasingly limited resources toward what matters most--your attendees.” The tools created as a result of the study will provide guidance on how planners can design more effective meetings and undertake new approaches to create breakthrough experiences. The Meeting Design toolkit includes how-to guides, worksheets and case studies on Assessment & Evaluation, Experience, Distributed Learning, Collaboration and Meaningful Engagement. To find out more visit www.mpiweb.org/FOM
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Fresh faced meet the new look you w
By Rosa Garriga, Meeting designer & ROI consultant at Event ROI Institute According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, conventions and events are expected to expand by 44% from 2010 to 2020. In the information age, the number of conferences is booming and with it, the variety of meeting formats, tools and techniques to make them more interactive and engaging. 6 WWW.IBTMEVENTS.COM
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tings… want
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ut with the overwhelming amount of data that we receive every day, how can event organisers ensure their message is well-received? And how will an event impact its participants so that they will do something that brings back value to the organisation? What makes a meeting stand out? These are important questions that are being asked and fortunately, every time they are… there are more answers. Advances in neuroscience give us clues about how the brain works and what it takes for a message to stick. It is
more and more common to involve professionals from the world of facilitation, who know how to make learning environments more effective. Technology is transforming the way people participate at meetings, adding additional layers of engagement. And there is an increasing number of events that have successfully applied meeting design principles. One of the best sources for case studies to demonstrate this is the newly published book ‘Into the Heart of Meetings’, by Eric de Groot and Mike van der Vivjer, co-founders of Mindmeeting.
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But what exactly is meeting design? One of my favourite definitions is from Mary Boone, who puts it this way: ‘Meeting design is the purposeful shaping of the form and content of a meeting to achieve desired results’ (Boone Associates, 2009). Let’s see some recent examples of meetings that are breaking the mould: TED Conferences My guess is that most of you as event planners will already know about them, but I find they are still the best example of how coaching speakers makes a big difference. Think about this: how many videos do you watch in a week, and how many TED videos do you remember? Probably quite a few, because their presentations are crafted in a brain-friendly way: they focus only on one key message and use lots of visuals and personal stories. I find that meeting planners are investing more and more time making sure that their speakers follow these guidelines, but the effect ‘death by PowerPoint’ is still way too common. South by Southwest (SXSW) This is another example of an event that has had staggering success, attracting thousands of people every year. One of their most remarkable achievements is building a community around the festival, who create part of the conference programme. This not only makes the programme more meaningful, but it also ensures these people keep coming back to an event they really feel part of. A prime example of crowdsourcing. C2-MTL This is a business conference who understands the importance of an impactful environment extremely well. That’s why the conference was held in an art institute and a village of tents and cafes that promoted serendipitous encounters with strangers. The conference is a collaboration between an advertising agency called Sid Lee and Cirque du Soleil, masters at creating multisensory experiences.
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Can you imagine how integrating the five senses can reshape the delegate experience? And why does it matter? John Medina, expert in molecular biology and author of Brain Rules (2008), says “There is no question that multiple cues, dished up via different senses, enhance learning. They speed up responses, increase accuracy, improve stimulation detection and enrich encoding at the moment of learning.” The FRESH conference In my opinion, FRESH is one of the most unique conferences dedicated solely to discussing the content side of meetings. Every session has a different format, from a TV-inspired talk show to an ‘Open Space Technology’ type of session. In the 2013 edition, delegates voted on what was the most innovative session format. The winner was a session designed by Eric de Groot. Eric staged a fake autopsy using the ‘corpse’ of Maarten Vanneste, the director of FRESH, and asked people to identify its ‘illnesses’ and then suggest solutions. Not only were the participants providing the content for this session (there were no speakers, only a facilitator) but the theatrical aspect made it really impactful. I assure you that everyone who attended will remember this session for a long time! How many of your speakers can afford to say the same? Of course I’m not saying you should stage a fake autopsy in every session, but the aim should always be to make it this memorable.
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The Event Innovation Summit This is another conference focussed on meeting design. Sold out in just three weeks, it set to create an effective learning environment using neuroscience principles. How? For example, having only very short sessions (because our attention spans don’t last long), offering brain food during lunch and coffee breaks, having interactive sessions (aided by high-tech and low-tech tools) and many opportunities for people to discuss, work and play, including many games and ice-breakers. The day started with visualisation exercises to keep people focused and after lunch there was a brief QI Gong session to avoid feeling drowsy. Boston Scientific Expo In 2011, Boston Scientific held an employee meeting which completely scrapped potentially boring keynote presentations. Instead, there was a three minute video by a C-level executive explaining the unusual event layout: an open floor filled with neighbourhood cafes. Each cafe was dedicated to a particular topic. Therefore, they were places where employees could learn and discuss ideas in a comfortable setting, which was one of the main objectives of this event. Some of the cafes had small stages where people could deliver informal presentations, while others had an iPad challenge: questions to test an employee’s knowledge of the company’s products and values. The questions had
been created by the employees themselves, with one highlighting that she had learned more about the products doing this exercise than with anything else she’d done previously. Talk about making an impact! Lastly, medical congresses are probably the most common type of congresses, but are typically known for being rather traditional. However, some of them are also jumping on the meeting design bandwagon. Take, for example, the European Society of Cardiac Radiology annual congress. In 2014, ESCR is set to make the programme much more interactive, introducing multimedia classrooms where doctors discuss practical case studies or voting sessions with smartphones including a Social Media Wall which they’ve used for two years. I hope I have challenged and inspired you to transform your next meeting. Now, ask yourself this question: how are you going to make a real impact with your next event? Get FRESH at EIBTM The FRESH Conference is coming to EIBTM 2013 as part of the Knowledge Programme. This unique conference track will surf on the wave of innovation and change, presented in an exciting and engaging way for visitors to take away and apply in their events. For more information visit: www.eibtm.com/knowledge
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Innovation Spotlight Innovation and technology has become key in the meetings and events industry which is spurring on professionals and companies to look to the future.
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ith new products being developed for all aspects of the industry from the meetings and events experience, from product promotion to customer communication, it has become essential to be aware of the exciting and evolving technology pushing the events forward. To highlight this, The Diary has asked two companies to share their advanced technology and innovative products that they supply to the industry which are developing the way we do meetings. myQaa Nowadays, most conference goers feel overwhelmed by the amount of activities going on at an event. How do we help attendees not miss what matters to them? The answer is myQaa’s Event Timeline™, a new feature that allows you to deliver content that is clear, charismatic and compelling, in a slick interface. This exclusive tool checks what’s going on at an event all the time, from who has just arrived to the result of a survey question. The practical information, like the event programme, gets automatically populated when the event is created on myQaa’s user-friendly platform. The myQaa’s Event Timeline™ is also equipped with shortcut access to interactive services and offers innovative perks, like personalised notifications to inform the event attendees of last minute changes. It’s also a great way to increase visitors to the app and thus grow the app usage. myQaa is a free, self-service event app that provides organisers an online tool to manage the mobile version of their event and trigger interactivity. Some of myQaa’s clients are Schlumberger, Nokia, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bouygues Telecom or TechCrunch.
What is Tubbo? Tubbo is a new 3D experience that enables attendees to be integrated in to the amazing surroundings of an event, while sheltering them from any weather conditions. In fact, the worse the weather is, the more impressive Tubbo will be. Tubbo has outstanding design, is completely transparent, has integrated lighting, audio and seating, with an option of doors and floors available. This unique structure is broadly used in special enclosed areas at crowded events such as VIP rooms, relax zones, or isolated areas. Tubbo was originally designed to resist the harshest weather conditions on Earth. It was successfully installed for years in the most renowned ski resorts to protect skiers, however now it has been adapted to the events industry, with faster installation and additional accessories to make events exclusive. The Tubbo length design can be adapted to each event to provide the capacity requested. All the accessories are also modular and can be taken off and on as many times as you wish. Both myQaa and Tubbo will be at EIBTM this year, where the Technology Village has already increased by 30% this year so far. This year also sees the launch of the Innovation Zone, a new area on the show floor dedicated to experiencing and learning in the meetings and events technology and innovation industry. The area will be displaying brand new innovating exhibitor products, offering visitors the opportunity to speak to experts within the app and social media sector and showcase industry professionals speaking on trending issues and business technology advances. Find out more about the Innovation Zone at EIBTM 2013: www.eibtm.com/izone
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EVENTISIMO The Diary talks to Dario Regattieri, the CEO at Eventisimo, about the company’s background, innovative launches and challenges. Could you tell us about Eventisimo’s background? My friend and now partner Jaime Sánchez and I were working in the tourism sector in the Canary Islands. We were in contact with MICE organisers every day and have their feedback from the point of view of simple production workers. Therefore, we knew the needs that where not cover by other DMCs. That’s why we decided to create our own DMC Company, to cover these requirements with quality and creativity. Since then, we have organised events in Spain and Portugal along with other countries worldwide being awarded several times. And even better, we are now more active than ever! We have offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Costa del Sol, Canary Islands and Lisbon and we own a production network that provides 360º services in the events industry. What products do you supply? Like other DMC Agencies, we organise events, incentive programs, conventions, product launches… but why are we different? We have our own audiovisual production, lighting, sound, carpentry, decoration, design and printing services in our headquarters. Of course we also deal with suppliers, but most of the services needed for an event rely on our own production, enabling us to offer a fully comprehensive and flexible service. Where do you organise events? We organise events in the whole Iberian Peninsula as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands. From our 6 offices in Spain and our office in Portugal we cover both countries. But again even more: as an Event Production Company we have already organised events in India, Stockholm, Paris, Istanbul, China, Marrakech and Greece among other destinations. And as you can imagine, working in countries like India or China is not always easy... Do you have any exciting product launches for 2014? For next year, we have already confirmed a car launch in Barcelona and we also have the big challenge of organising a huge event on a cruise line, which we’re really excited about as it’s something completely new for us. 12 WWW.IBTMEVENTS.COM
What do you think sets you apart from your competitors? Having a number of in house professionals from different industries, converts our facilities into a huge laboratory where we can create new products and experiment with different shapes and textures. Thus, we become very creative minimising costs for clients. As you attend and organise events throughout the year, can you give an example of when you have been truly inspired? Attending MICE events always helps me to find out about new products and create networking ideas that also inspire. Last year we won the ‘Best Stand Design’ award at the EIBTM, with a very small 3x3m stand. This award proves that creativity and being inspired is sometimes more important than having huge budgets. As part of the MICE industry, where are you seeing the most innovation and how are you using innovation to develop your products? When planning an event, all meeting planners consider how to incorporate a range of emerging new technologies for the program. From our side, we have our own technological division that develops quite innovative products such as augmented reality, truly exciting for the possibilities it offers for events. We are also manufacturing our own LED technology, which allows us to assure our clients the best quality and fastest logistic solutions. For more information on Eventisimo visit www.eventisimo.com
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YOULALIGHT
FANTASY CONVERTED TO REALITY Youlalight is a key innovation player in the MICE industry field at the moment. They supply new and dynamic ways of advertising through holograms, projection and lasers.
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ne of their most popular and well known products is the ‘Virtual Worker’, a hologram that consists of a virtual projection on a special glass or film. The virtual worker is programmed to promote your business products and services, to report information and, attract the attention of potential customers. The Virtual Worker may have a human figure or any other (animals, corporate character, or any other non-standard shapes) and is certainly appealing to the passer-by which is why it has proven so popular when placed at exhibitions such as EIBTM. The video sequence of the Virtual Worker may be associated with computer graphics, as well as photos and videos and can be programmed to say anything you want it to.
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Video Showcase is a type of projection that can transform office or shop windows into a new and interactive way to advertise. With the help of Video Showcase, ordinary glass design becomes a projection screen, attracting worldwide attention. See how video showcase works here. Compared to other types of advertising, Youlalight laser advertising has a long list of advantages, such as brightness, creativity and scale. It is a universal device that can be used both inside and outside the building, encouraging interest from those who may not be the ‘typical customer’ for a certain brand. Watch Youlalight’s laser advertising here.
Keep an eye out for YOULALIGHT at EIBTM in November and events near you soon, we can promise you won’t forget it!
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Planning for success at EIBTM
With EIBTM just around the corner, Marketing Manager Katie Devaney gives her top tips on how to maximise participation Plan ahead and think of an exhibition as a year round marketing platform EIBTM, as well as other exhibitions, generally offer marketing benefits such as online exhibitor directory listings, promotions through the event’s PR campaigns and exposure via email and social media campaigns as a standard part of the exhibiting package. The EIBTM marketing support starts as soon as an exhibitor signs up via social media and PR, and exhibitors can upload information about their company and their products via our dedicated e-portal and enhanced listing option that offers multi-media options. The EIBTM website pages were viewed over 1.5m times during 2012, which really demonstrates the potential exposure that exhibitors can gain globally even before the show opens for business. We’ve also been innovating with our new multi-event show app that reaches a global audience of buyers attending each of the seven IBTM events, not just the EIBTM event. Senior buyers attending an event to place big business want to meet with a senior company representative who can make decisions We find that our exhibitors want to meet with decision makers and the buyers are just the same, so send along your Director of Sales who you know will secure the business and consider out of your 16 WWW.IBTMEVENTS.COM
sales team who is best placed to handle the preplanned meetings that you have in your schedule. If you are hiring stand personnel they should be very well briefed and where possible utilised to field enquires rather than for the serious meetings that will happen on your stand. The Exhibitor strategy has now changed Technology and innovation has added to the face-to-face strategies that many exhibitors have, and multi-channel campaigns are even more significant than ever, we can see this with many of our exhibitors at the show. Buyers are demanding more effective events for less and with shorter lead times, so exhibitors need to adapt their product offerings to provide cost effective solutions and packages for their clients. Exhibitors are also looking
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your brand ethos, provide flexible meeting and networking spaces or present your stand as an extension of your brand, or how a PR company can help you get the word out to the international press about your activities at the exhibition. For those on a smaller budget EIBTM is also able to help, we have for example a range of stand packages and furniture packages that have been designed to provide a practical meeting space with a standard or designer look and feel. Communication is the key Social media can help connect communities before, during and after an event. Consider your goals and how your social media strategy will help deliver them. If you are looking to target as many people as you can to tell them about your products, social media can really help build the hype, so think of a fun and engaging competition that starts pre-show and can deliver people to your stand. ‘Gamification’ is also something to consider. Don’t forget to use the event #hashtag for all of the tweets that you send and @ the buyers you want to connect with directly. Stay on top Preparation is key for an appointments based show like EIBTM, exhibitors should prepare for their Hosted Buyer appointments by doing their homework in advance. No one wants to see another generic sales presentation on an iPad, so tailor your presentation to the buyer you are meeting with and contact them in advance to find out what they are looking for.
for proven ROI and more than just passing traffic at a time when the economic situation brings significant challenges, new sales leads and new connections are key to delivering the end result of new business and a show like EIBTM can deliver this through its dedicated Hosted Buyer Campaign and pre-scheduled appointments system which allows exhibitors to see the business leads and appointments that they will have during the show, before it happens. Outsource or do it yourself Exhibiting is a skill and if you are making a major investment into an event then there are specialists available to help you maximise your presence. Consider how a stand designer can maximise the flow of people to your stand, it should reflect
Drive attention Create a buzz on your stand, with entertainment. Holland can be held up as a good example of this, with the creation of Mr Holland, a personality who has become part of their brand and drives attention and traffic to their stand. Following up Exhibition industry statistics report that less than 20% of all show leads are ever followed up, over 80% are wasted. Don’t fall into this trap. Make a point of contacting each one of your qualified leads or the entire effort could have been worthless. To maximise response you need to make sure to deal with your high priority immediately and in a personal manner. By using the tools available to you and following these guided steps you can ensure a successful time at EIBTM 2013. AFRICA
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Morning: Play golf in Monastir Afternoon: Visit the amphitheatre in El Jem
www.cometotunisia.co.uk
Meet the Media In each issue of The Diary we meet an influential member of the industry’s media. Here, we speak to Graeme Park, Editor of Mix Magazine to discuss his view on the meetings and events industry.
Q: Can you briefly explain your publication’s background? ix is Asia’s creative meeting magazine and presents the very best ideas for business event planners and buyers. With a unique blend of dynamic destination features, insightful case studies and expert views, our content is not only designed to inspire but to offer innovative and practical advice.
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Q: As a MICE industry journalist, what are your priorities and aims when attending industry events? When I attend industry events, my focus is often on speaking with corporate buyers to find out what the key trends are going to be for individual markets. I also find it important to make sure that we are in touch with our industry colleagues. The people working on the ground can give us insights and make sure that we are aware of all the destination marketing campaigns, tourism and MICE objectives from the NTOs and CVBs. It also helps us keep up-to-speed with developments at the corporate hotel groups and individual properties. Similarly, good industry educational seminars are always worthwhile for gaining purposeful information. For readers of Mix, it is vitally important that we uncover the unique stories and practical information that can be used to keep their plans fresh. Q: Can you give us the top 5 things an exhibitor should do to catch your attention at a trade show? In no particular order they should: • Schedule a press conference and make sure the content is more than just the highlights of your website. • Have an identifiable press liaison and pre-arrange meetings. • Invite us to take part in workshops and seminars normally reserved for Hosted Buyers. • Launch a new product, campaign or tactical objective. • An engaging and approachable booth team is much better than another free goodie bag.
Q: What would you say are the big issues within the industry at the moment? At Mix, we’re always interested in legitimate sustainable travel developments. We want to know how corporate groups are trying to be more environmentally friendly in their consumption of air miles, accommodation and incentives. Similarly, budget accountability has been causing a cut back on first-class level incentives for a while now. We’re looking into how this has actually helped planners embrace more creative ideas. The growth of China’s domestic market remains an important subject but we’re also seeing increased buying power from new markets, such as Indonesia and Vietnam. Q: What do you enjoy most about attending industry networking events? With everyone always so busy, networking with others in the industry on neutral ground is excellent. Similarly, having the chance to learn what our readers want to know is a vital part of any trade event. If we can see something that is original and isn’t just a gimmick, then that is going to be a real highlight. Q: What trends within the industry do you feel you have reported on most this year? Good budget management is an important topic for everyone and it often goes hand-in-hand with crisis management. We’ve also covered quite a few technology subjects, such as the use of virtual meeting spaces to support physical events. I think next year, we’re going to see a lot more content on technology, particularly on what can be used to maximise the long-term impact of meetings and events. AFRICA
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Meet the team
Once again, The Diary introduces you to more of the team behind IBTM Global Events. This issue meets the Customer Services team who work across all seven of the IBTM events. Ciaran Smyth, Customer Services Representative In 2012 I graduated from St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham and qualified as a nutritionist. Soon after, a fixed term job opportunity working with the Reed Exhibitions Customer Services Team was made available working primarily on World Travel Market. Following this exciting role, a second contract followed and I then became a permanent member of the team in May 2013. I love all things sport and play rugby.
Mark Elliott, Customer Services Supervisor I have been working as part of the Reed Exhibitions Customer Service Team for almost eight years. Having relocated from South Africa I enjoy living and working in the iconic city of London. I get to work with, speak to and interact with people from all around the world in my job which I enjoy very much. Although we are a relatively small team we handle a large volume of telephone calls and emails which keeps the days very busy. I enjoy spending time with my family and watching sport in my spare time.
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Christine Ford, Customer Services Executive I have worked for the Customer Service Team at Reed Exhibitions for nine years. Over that time I have seen many changes to the show websites and enjoy the challenge of helping exhibitors navigate the exhibitor portals. I really enjoy working with all of our exhibitors from a number of different sectors from meetings and events to publishing to oil and energy. When not working I love horse riding, chocolate, my iPhone and of course my family (in no particular order!)
Sula Riedlinger, Customer Services Manager I have been Manager of the Reed Exhibitions Customer Service Team for over eight years. We are a small team, but with most of us having being with the company for a long time, I like to think we are like a family. I love my job and am fortunate enough to travel to a number of our events across the world to assist the show teams and meet some of the many exhibitors I have helped during the build-up to the show. When not talking all day with exhibitors, I love to do photography and bird watching – a great way to relax in my spare time.
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Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia 18-19 February 2014 | aime.com.au
AIME. FOR A FIVE STAR EVENT.
Let AIME introduce you to new business in the Asia-Pacific region.
For more details on exhibiting opportunities and the Hosted Buyer program, visit www.aime.com.au
AIME IS PART OF THE REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS MEETINGS, EVENTS AND BUSINESS TRAVEL INDUSTRY PORTFOLIO
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AIME IS OWNED BY MCB
AIME IS MANAGED BY RTE
ON THE ROAD WITH IBTM We follow the IBTM Events team on their travels to industry events around the world
The ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme 2013 in Amsterdam visited by Amy Seabrook. Amy from the IBTM Marketing team headed to Amsterdam in July for the ICCA Research, Sales & Marketing Programme 2013. This year’s event was in ICCA’s 50th year as an association so naturally, Amsterdam, as the location of ICCA’s head office, was a fantastic choice of host city and networking was full of birthday celebrations! The programme saw a record number of delegates with 155 attending from 37 different countries covering almost every continent. The programme covered various education topics to interest those from either sales, marketing or research roles. Amy particularly enjoyed the sessions on ‘how technology can help your sales and marketing’ and ‘the exchange of success and failures’, which she said was extremely useful to learn from and put in to practice in her role. Networking events included an orange themed birthday party for ICCA and a boat trip along the canal from the Amsterdam RAI to the Beurs van Berlage, where delegates spent the evening tasting traditional dishes from the Netherlands and touring the historical building. One highlight of the programme was the launch of ICCA’s first hybrid event presented by Gerrit Heijkoop, covering issues and trends in bidding for associations. Whilst Amy watched live from the room at the Amsterdam RAI, almost 400 meeting professionals from Asia, Africa, Europe, South-America and Australia joined the workshop from behind their computers.
The Reed Wheelers Charity Cycle 2013 from London to Paris completed by the IBTM Events team. Ten members of the IBTM Events team including Portfolio Director Craig Moyes and Senior Exhibition Director of EIBTM, Graeme Barnett, completed the ultimate challenge in July and cycled from London to Paris for charity. The team consisted of 10 colleagues made up of eight men and two women, who had been training for the journey since October, through the winter months. The total journey amounted to 200 miles from Richmond in SouthWest London (where the Reed Travel Exhibitions office is) to the Champs Elysees, which team members did about 1,000 miles training for in the months beforehand. The route took the team to Newhaven on the first day, completing 80 miles of the journey. They then completed a 60 mile ride to their second day overnight stop in a beautiful little hotel in Gornay-en-Bray followed by the final 70 mile blast to the Champs Elysees, arriving around 6pm on the Sunday evening. The team described the journey as a fantastic experience which raised a remarkable £4,700 for chosen charity, Just a Drop. Just a Drop is an international water aid charity, which was set up in 1998 and its mission is to reduce child mortality by delivering accessible, clean, safe water where it is needed most. To find out more visit www.justadrop.org
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The ECM Summer School 2013 in Istanbul visited by Marco Balia and Natasha Keesoony. Marco and Natasha, from the EIBTM Hosted Buyer Team, joined 50 international young professionals in August to attend the 27th edition of the ECM Summer School, held in the beautiful city of Istanbul. The ECM Summer School has graduated approximately 1,500 students and despite new technology and hybrid meetings, the winning formula has remained the same: a unique opportunity to spend three days with some of the biggest names in the industry in an “old-fashioned” school. The faculty is not made up of academics but seasoned practitioners with a “tell it as it is” angle based on many years of hands-on experience. The participants, including representatives from Convention Bureaux, Tourist Offices, Congress Centres, DMCs, PCOs and Meeting Planners, were involved in an intense and inspiring learning experience focused on building and sharing deep knowledge about the three big key players of the Meetings Industry: Agencies, Corporates and Associations. Alternative topics, like Social Media, Industry Press and Exhibitions Management were covered in dedicated workshops to offer a better understanding of some sectorial but important areas of the Industry. ECM Summer School also offered great opportunities to network and build relationships with the participants, coming from different backgrounds and with different experiences. Among these social events were two lunches sponsored by EIBTM and the highlight of the trip- the Gala Dinner, held at a beautiful and traditional restaurant located along the seafront that separates Europe from Asia.
The AIPC Annual Conference and 55th General Assembly 2013 in Cape Town visited by Erica Keogan. Back in July, Erica Keogan, IBTM Associations and Education Manager and Danielle Keogh, Head of Sales for IBTM Events, were lucky enough to visit Cape Town in South Africa for the annual AIPC Conference. AIPC represents a global network of 170 leading centres in 54 countries with the active involvement of more than 900 management-level professionals worldwide and is committed to recognising excellence in convention centre management. Their conference is always very well attended and an annual event that Erica always looks forward to attending. Erica says one of the best things about this conference is that it’s held in a different location each year, taking delegates to interesting and often new destinations whilst being a fantastic opportunity to catch up with the international venues to hear what their challenges and triumphs have been over the past year. Another highlight of the conference each year is the education programme. The conference content this year was driven by a wide range of sessions that included a strong representation from South African business and thought leaders along with research results and observations from an array of both industry and business/political perspectives. A common theme related to the concerns arising from on-going global economic uncertainties and the strategies being developed to address these. In particular these reflected the lessons that the experiences of emerging economies such as that of the host country could offer to colleagues from other parts of the world. From the content to the networking, the AIPC Conference is always a great opportunity to spend time with IBTM international exhibitors in a relaxed environment and Cape Town did a fantastic job in highlighting their facilities.
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MICE Innovation in the Asia-Pacific
As with all aspects of our working life, technology is revolutionising the business events space - forcing industry leaders to continually adapt to ensure they don’t get left behind.
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IME, the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo saw an opportunity at their event this year to embrace the technological revolution – and introduce a number of new initiatives in response to this trend, to enhance the experience for attendees. AIME, which took place in February, offered a new mobile concierge service established to field any questions about the event via text message - from where the restaurants were situated to details of upcoming education sessions. Jacqui Timmins, Exhibition Director at AIME says the use of social and digital innovations has enabled even deeper engagement with delegates at the conference – ensuring they walked away with even greater value and a truly personalised experience. “It’s evident that people are now using technology more than ever to interact with peers and engage with new information. We’re all well aware that this shift is only going to become more apparent in the future which is why we felt we had an opportunity to lead this year with some new mobile based initiatives such as the app”. As we know, smart phones are synonymous with doing business in 2013 and how we increasingly access information and content in a world constantly on the go. As such, AIME provided a tailored mobile app to enhance the event experience and allow attendees to access meaningful content throughout the conference. The app housed a full list of exhibitors, a detailed program, details of AIME Knowledge seminars, access to view appointment diaries, and maps to help navigate the show floor allowing for a seamless event experience. Attendees were encouraged to download and access all the event information they needed prior to and during the show. They were also invited to join social media conversations via the app, revolutionising the way attendees absorbed information – taking delegates from being passive consumers of information to conversation generators, contributing to the content of the event. This also provided a fantastic platform for attendees to connect and interact with their peers.
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“The mobile app was very well received at this year’s exhibition with 1273 downloads prior to and during the event – this is definitely something we will look to increase in 2014.” Ms Timmins said. A popular Reed Travel Exhibitions initiative, the Future Events Experience area was launched for the first time at AIME this year, to demonstrate technological advancements in the business events industry, as well as provide an interactive experience for attendees looking to stay at the forefront of technological developments. The Future Events Experience was a dedicated space on the show floor where the latest pioneering technology, software and innovations for the business events industry were displayed and discussed with live demonstrations from experts. Not only did AIME have exhibitors displaying tech products with which attendees could interact but they also provided experts to offer insight on interacting with and utilising technology in everyday lives, and how to use this knowledge to make working lives easier and simpler. A highlight of the 2013 event was a presentation from guest speaker Eric Ly, co-founder of LinkedIn, who provided key insight into how technology and social media is changing the way business is conducted. He touched on concepts such as the convergence of many technologies, which now makes it possible to access information and services on almost everything, whilst having a seamless digital existence across multiple devices. AIME will take place on 18 - 19 February 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. For further information, visit www.aime.com.au
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MEET THE WORLD HERE Meet over 3,100 global exhibitors in just 3 days.
CREATE YOUR MEETINGS AND EVENTS HERE FIND INSPIRATION HERE Find out what’s new and see the latest innovations.
EIBTM. Where the global meetings and events industry connects. Join over 15,000 professionals at the leading global meetings, events and business travel exhibition for three days of networking and unlimited business opportunities. Discover over 3,100 international venues, hotels, destinations, technology, business travel and events services providers essential for your meetings and events. Attend EIBTM for a unique and powerful opportunity to make the connections that matter to drive your business into the future.
EIBTM. Create your meetings and events here.
Register to attend or apply to be hosted at www.eibtm.com
NETWORK AND CONNECT HERE Meet face-to-face and make connections that matter.
Argentina A destination to suit all your needs
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Argentina is traditionally well known for its delicious beef, passionate Tango, awarded waterfalls, and the most incredible glaciers in South America. But it is also a perfect spot for incentive trips, conventions, congresses or sporting events all over its six contrasting regions.
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he Government in Argentina has recently renewed its National Meetings Industry Marketing Plan (2013 - 2016) working together with the public and private sector, a plan which has previously resulted in Argentina reaching the 18th position in the ICCA ranking in the last three years. In addition, 11 Argentine meeting destinations have been included in the ranking among the international event-hosting cities in the world. Featuring an impressive biodiversity in its six contrasting tourist regions, each of which offers their own identity, Argentina presents 44 destinations suitable for hosting all kinds of events, with national and international hotel chains, firstclass exhibition and convention centers and 26 Convention Bureaux. Each region is constantly expanding its facilities and services for the meetings industry, with recent news of new exhibition centres and Convention Bureaux. Here, The Diary takes a look at each of these regions in more detail. The region of BUENOS AIRES This is the political, financial and cultural centre of Argentina, surrounded by the vastness of the wet Pampa. As the capital city of Argentina, Buenos Aires will soon be developing a brand new Convention and Exhibition Center located in the aristocratic neighbourhood of Recoleta.
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Annually, the Province of Buenos Aires hosts a number of events and conferences with 2013 welcoming the 7th International Forum on Maritime and Port Security to the port city of Bahía Blanca and on the Atlantic Coast, the cities of Mar del Plata, Balcarce and Miramar are hosting one of the most important road and mountain cycling events in the world, L’Etape Argentina by Le Tour de France, in September. The region of CORDOBA Located in the heart of the country, Córdoba is one of the primary financial regions of Argentina that combines plains, hill ranges, dams and streams. Preserving most of Argentina’s valuable Colonial heritage, the region is an important business hub. With a renewed city centre, the city of Córdoba has become the second international meetings destination in the country. Events like the 16th International Congress on Photobiology, the 11th International Congress of the Ibero American Orthodontists Association, the 11th World Congress of the Limousin Breed, and many others are taking place in Córdoba. The region of CUYO The major wine producing region in South America has recently formed a new Convention Bureau in the city of San Juan and a brand new
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The region of NORTE This traditional region of Argentina has recently announced some interesting news regarding the meetings and events industry. Santiago del Estero and Las Termas de Rio Hondo have been experiencing vast developments in terms of meetings infrastructure. The recently inaugurated FORUM Convention Center, located in the old emblematic train station of Santiago del Estero, has a 2,500 square metre indoor area, and a seating capacity of 1,400 delegates which the region hopes will bring a number of meetings and events to the city over the next few years. They have also established a Convention Bureau for the city and another brand new infrastructure in the region, the Circuito Las Termas de Río Hondo Racetracks, suitable for international car racing competitions such as the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), that took place in August 2013, and MotoGP 2014 – 2015 - 2016. Convention Centre for 1,000 delegates has been launched in the city of San Rafael, in the province of Mendoza. Next year the region is hosting the 37th World Congress of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, The Great Wine Capitals Annual Meeting, the 4th International Paleontological Congress and the 13th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology, among many others. The region of LITORAL Nature features heavily in this stunning region with waterfalls, rivers, lakes, hot springs and the subtropical rainforest. The city of Puerto Iguazu is a changing city, developing new entertainment facilities and meetings infrastructure, just a few minutes away from the Iguazú Waterfalls and National Park.
The region of PATAGONIA This region is home to cities like El Calafate, known as the “Glaciers National Capital”, that has recently launched a hotel with a convention center for 600 delegates; the city of Ushuaia, the Southernmost city of the world, that will host Interski 2015, the most important technical congress in the world on skiing and snowboarding; the city of San Carlos de Bariloche that hosted the 20th Congress of the International Society for Skiing Safety (ISSS) this year; and Villa La Angostura that will host the International Federation of Landscape Architects World Council Meeting in 2014. All over the country, the meetings industry is developing more and more international meetings combining professionalism with the breathtaking landscapes Argentina has to offer.
Thanks to its many attractions, the city recently won a bid to be the host destination for the 11th Iberoamerican Congress of Apiculture for 2014. Not only that, as the port city of Rosario offers a combination of natural and urban features, it will be hosting the 14th World Congress on Oils and Fats 2015 and the neighbouring city of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz will present the Estación Belgrano in an iconic venue and historical site featuring an indoor area suitable for exhibitions, with nine halls for congresses and conventions.
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One-2-One Business A New Way of Making Business Connections
For many years, the discussions have been continuing about the future of the exhibitions industry and whether developments in technology mean the end for the traditional tradeshow. The Diary takes a look at how the business is developing.
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he power of meeting people one to one and building valuable business relationships face to face has become even more important in an increasingly virtual world. Whilst the development of technology such as virtual events and teleconferencing has certainly changed the way buyers research and purchase, people buy from people and therefore business connections are as important as they have ever been. Over the years, the traditional exhibition model of inviting lots of visitors to wander a large tradeshow floor whilst keen salespeople try and grab them as they go past has evolved into a more focused way of meeting via Hosted Buyer Programmes. This ensures the attendance of top level decision makers by paying for their flights and accommodation. In addition, because both buyers and sellers can receive a pre-schedule personalised programme of appointments pre show they are able to prepare for the meeting and ensure that they see the people they want to meet. Over the past two years Reed Travel Exhibitions has introduced an even more intimate format to exhibitions where stands are a thing of the past and doing key business over a table with structured appointments is becoming increasingly popular, particularly when in held in emerging markets. The success of this format was originally introduced to the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) portfolio and has been so successful that it has been rolled out throughout the portfolio to five destinations around the world. It has recently been introduced to the MICE market in the form of IBTM India, held at the Grand 30 WWW.IBTMEVENTS.COM
Hyatt, Mumbai. India is a key emerging market in the MICE industry with both inbound and outbound business to be placed. The table top format was used as a time-efficient way of introducing key buyers to both international and domestic exhibitors looking for business in the region. The Pre-Scheduled Appointment (PSA) Programme provides Buyers and Exhibitors with a diary of appointments - each appointment lasting 15 minutes, with a five minute break in between. Exhibitors are positioned on a single table and it is the role of the Buyers to move from appointment to appointment. An ILTM Americas Buyer, Felipe Soubhia, Managing Director at PHD Travel, said: “ILTM Americas was perfect – the meetings were great, and the infrastructure offered with the table settings worked very well. It was a very productive event, and we were very happy to be a part of it.” Overwhelming positive feedback of the format inspired IBTM India to introduce it using the popular Hosted Buyer programme to arrange meetings that both the exhibitor and buyer have chosen. IBTM India Project Manager, Shinu Pillai, was delighted with the feedback from both buyers and exhibitors. He said: “The table-top format with a certain number of exhibitors meeting the right buyers means that cost-effective business can be done in the emerging India market over three days. There are no stand build costs which can be key to the decision to attend either a new show or within a new market. “The intimate feel to the exhibition means that networking opportunities can prosper easily and true connections can be established.” AFRICA
Corporate Events Production Manager BAHRAIN
Manages the production of an annual series of industry forums out of the GCC in the energy, finance and health sectors.
TOP LEVEL DECISION MAKERS CONNECT HERE Professional Conference Organizer QATAR
Looking to source convention venues and hotels for private, chartered, nonprofit organization conferences for up to 5,000 delegates.
Director, Incentive Events SAUDI ARABIA
Looking for luxury international incentive destinations and suppliers for high-end corporate groups.
GIBTM. The event that connects a global industry to the Middle East. As the Middle East’s premier networking and business event for the meetings, incentives and business travel sector, GIBTM is a focal business point at the heart of the Middle East in Abu Dhabi bringing together over 2,500 industry professionals over three days. Three days of focus in a dynamic business environment. Three days of one-to-one appointments with 300 buyers who have proven budgets. And three days of making business connections with decision makers that matter.
GIBTM. Top level decision makers connect here.
www.gibtm.com Hosted Buyer® is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited. Reed Travel Exhibitions is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Group Plc. The EIBTM® trademark is owned and protected by Elsevier Properties SA and Reed Exhibitions Limited uses such trademark under licence.
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24-26 March 2014 • Abu Dhabi, UAE
10/09/2013 11:11
Buyer Insight The Diary meets planners in the MICE industry to provide an exclusive Buyer Insight. This issue we meet ANNARITA MONTANARO, CMP, from Giglio Service Events.
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iglio Service Events provides services for Corporate Meetings, Incentives and Conventions, Congress Travel, Medical Education and Association Management. What is your role within the company? I am the CEO and General Manager of Giglio Service Events. I am also the Founding Partner of Meet in Action Italy. Which exhibitions/events do you attend as a ‘Hosted Buyer’? I annually attend a number of exhibitions and events for the industry including; MPI events, EMEC, EIBTM, GIBTM, AIBTM, MPI WEC, Great Hotels Forums among many others. What events are you planning for the rest of 2013? • The Solve Project event in Paris for a multinational company • A number of seminars and courses for doctors and scientific associations or pharmaceutical companies, as we are a Certificated National Provider for Medical Continuous Education • GSM – the Global Scientific Expert Meeting in Vienna for a multinational Company What new innovations/products are you looking for this year? • New meetings formats and looking into new design concepts • Virtual workshops & exhibitions • Hybrid meetings • Gamification applied to meetings and education: new digital tools and formats Are there any mistakes that you have witnessed in events you have attended that you have learnt from? Something fundamental nowadays is having a free and stable Wi-Fi connection. If this is not available with continuity, then visitors and exhibitors at events spend a lot of time trying to get a connection for
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emails, presentations etc. and end up wasting time which should be used productively. In terms of the education programmes offered at events, I often find that speakers are not able to create their presentations properly following the correct high standards the visitors are expecting. This in turn makes their presentation and their speech unsuccessful, unworthy and hard to be followed by participants. I think event organisers and exhibitors should always be asking for feedback from visitors in order to evaluate for future success at events. The adoption of a questionnaire focused on the assessment of exhibitors would benefit the improvement of their performance and the greater involvement from the buyers. It can be simply done; even using a gamification format, but so often is not considered as important, which isn’t the case. What questions do you have in mind when meeting a new destination or venue you hope to do business with? • What is the unique selling proposition of the destination or venue? • Is there easy transport accessibility – for flights in particular? • Is there a strong social responsibility and ethics of the country? • Can they offer a creative programme applicable to the type of project we are organising? • Do they have sufficient support from a Convention Bureau and will it be efficient in providing consultancy and incentives for conference facilities at affordable rates? • Will free Wi-Fi be available at all locations and venues? • Do they have the capacity and ability to adapt the project and programmes to the objective of the event we are considering? Which destinations are you interested in taking your business to in 2014? Paris, London, Croatia, India and Australia.
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Venue Vision: Amsterdam RAI MAURITS VAN DER SLUIS, Commercial Director of Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre tells The Diary what the future holds for The Netherlands leading venue.
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aurits van der Sluis started his career in advertising and sports before he joined the team at Amsterdam RAI where he is now a member of the Board as Executive Vice President, responsible for Amsterdam RAI Exhibition & Convention Centre. In the meeting and exhibition industry he has been active as Board Member for local, national and international associations. Can you outline your aims and objectives for Amsterdam RAI? Amsterdam RAI is focusing on its current location over the coming decades in order to facilitate more multi-day international events of the highest standard in Amsterdam. In a changing world Amsterdam RAI has defined its strategy for the coming years in which connecting physical and virtual meetings, linking the new economic superpowers to Europe and strengthening client focus play an important part. In combination with the aforementioned physical innovations, Amsterdam RAI is well-prepared for the future. How has Amsterdam RAI been affected by the global economy? The number of visitors to international exhibitions and conferences in the RAI has continued to increase, but we have noticed a domestic decrease in events. For the first time, Amsterdam RAI is expecting to attract over 400,000 international visitors to Amsterdam in 2013. This is part of a highly impressive increase of 30 percent over the past five years. What makes RAI different from other convention centres? With a portfolio of ‘A’ brands, the ultimate ‘A’ location in the city of Amsterdam and a history dating back to 1893, Amsterdam RAI is one of Europe’s most attractive and innovative conference and exhibition
complexes. Furthermore we are both venue and exhibitions organiser. The success of Amsterdam RAI is in part due to its excellent location being just 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam city centre. The venue offers 11 multi-functional exhibition halls, one ballroom, two auditoriums and 64 conference/ meeting rooms which means that overall, Amsterdam RAI offers 106,500 m2 of event space. What is the latest news from Amsterdam RAI? The construction of a new multipurpose conference/ office building with a first-class restaurant will begin in October this year. RAI Amtrium is a third-generation exhibition venue in which exhibitions, conferences and office functions will be united. It will give the RAI a new, modern face as seen from the centre of Amsterdam and will be a full-service centre with premium restaurant, reception lounge, conference areas and break-out rooms, including flexible office space. With the opening of RAI Amtrium on May 1st 2015 the total capacity will be: 108,150 m2. Can you tell us more about sustainable building work for this expansion? Amsterdam RAI aims to be the first conference centre in the Netherlands to achieve BREEAM-NL Excellent level - the sustainability seal of approval from the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) and only the most sustainable technologies will be used in the development. Corporate social responsibility was given a prominent place at Amsterdam RAI in 2008. We help organisers to make their events more sustainable by supplying green energy, calculating their CO2 emissions, offering organic catering and minimising traffic movements by using smart logistic concepts. In the latest sustainability report, we set the agenda for the future. (Have a look: www.rai.nl/csr). What is the best piece of career advice you have been given? The authentic focus should be on things you are good at and always surround yourself with excellent people. And most of all… have fun in your job! For more information please visit www.rai.nl
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TOP LEVEL GLOBAL DECISION MAKERS MEET HERE IBTM Global Events – leading exhibitions for the global meetings, events and business travel industry
www.ibtmevents.com Hosted Buyer® is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited. Reed Travel Exhibitions is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Group Plc. The EIBTM® trademark is owned and protected by Elsevier Properties SA and Reed Exhibitions Limited uses such trademark under licence.
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10/09/2013 11:15
Refresh your approach to mixing business with pleasure The MICE business can be tough. Meetings on the go, lots of travelling and exhibition halls in uncomfortable shoes…we’ve all been there. However, AIBTM found a unique solution and The Diary is pleased to report that there is a change coming.
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hange is often feared by many, but it seems a new approach to mixing business with pleasure is coming to exhibitions, conferences and meetings around the world. This new approach was seen in Chicago at AIBTM this year as they launched a number of innovative new features to help the overall experience including the launch of the “Refresh Zone”. The Refresh Zone was a brand new area on the AIBTM show floor where exhibitors and buyers alike could escape the confines of their booths in-between appointments and relax, recharge and refocus on what really matters: re-connecting and building relationships. “This unconventional approach to trade shows created a new environment right on the show floor where attendees and exhibitors could make new connections, network and socialise in a more laid back and fun setting,” said Jaime Rosov, AIBTM Marketing Director. Stylish and trendy furniture throughout the Refresh Zone created a lounge-like setting, adding to the uniqueness of the area. It included massage stations with a personal masseuse; a head shot booth, foosball, games, graffiti board and other interactive media. Local restaurants and food vendors provided snacks and beverages to create a true Chicago experience. AIBTM held over 35 sessions and workshops on trends and topics for industry education that included the role that colourful nutrient-dense food plays in helping the body and brain thrive. AIBTM had ‘food on the brain’ with a series of unique education sessions dedicated to helping meetings industry professionals understand the importance of brain health and the role it plays in the productivity of meetings. Sessions were designed to inform and educate attendees on the role of food and nutrition; and how to create menu plans, which address the specific profiles of meeting attendees as well as how food and nutrition affects behaviour and energy throughout the day. It also explored ways in which food choices can be balanced to support meeting themes. “Brain food” inspired lunch boxes were distributed during the opening Luncheon Keynote. All attendees were invited to actively experience the types of
foods that keep the brain fueled throughout the day. An executive chef tasting even took place on the show floor to continue the brain food theme throughout the event. AIBTM and The Meeting Pool partnered together to deliver the Future Events Experience which showcased the latest and most advanced technology, products and services that help meeting professionals plan more efficient meetings via a TECHbar, New Events Solutions area and the Innovation Spotlight sessions. “There is so much technology available to us today and of course, more innovations on the horizon… that is why it is important that AIBTM provides a platform to share ideas and evaluate how they will impact us in our day-to-day jobs,” said Michael Lyons, AIBTM Exhibition Director. The TECHbar functioned as a learning center and created a personalized tech learning experience. Whether a beginner discerning how to maximize smartphone features, or a tech-savvy planner leveraging interactive audience response systems, the TECHbar served as a magnet for everyone’s tech curiosities. The Future Events Experience area was dedicated to innovative thinking and provided attendees with exclusive access to pioneers in event technology and focused discussion on the adoption of new solutions and how to utilise them. Demos and hands-on interactive sessions took place during the show floor hours creating an extremely unique trade show experience. “Technology is perhaps the most integral component to the future of our industry,” said Michael Lyons, AIBTM Exhibition Director. “At this year’s AIBTM, we examined and discovered the best practices of the industry’s technology together so that we all can leverage these new tools to our advantage for better business results.” AIBTM 2013 saw new innovations on the show floor that will change its trade show format moving forward. From the Refresh Zone to the Future Events Experience to “Brain Food” to keep the minds energised throughout the day… AIBTM created a new wave of trade show experiences and “food for thought.” AFRICA
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China’s Digital Jungle The Diary chats with DR MATHEW MCDOUGALL, Founder and CEO of Digital Jungle and all round social media expert to discuss the growing digital community in China. Could you tell us a little about your company Digital Jungle and what you offer to the market? Digital Jungle was spun out of a larger technology company in 2011. Since then we have continued to grow as the digital marketing sector has expanded exponentially in China (and globally) in the past few years. Our company’s headquarters are in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, but we also have offices in Shanghai and Sydney meaning the majority of our staff are Chinese but our workforce is truly international. Currently, we have employees from Australia, Canada, Egypt, the UK, the USA, Taiwan and Singapore working for us in management, leadership and entry-level roles. Through our global network of partner agencies, we are involved in research, pitches and marketing for companies from as far afield as Denmark, South Africa and Germany. Digital Jungle offers everything from SEO and SEM and the management of social media accounts to website construction, campaign management and content creation. Traditionally, we cater to multinational companies looking to advertise digitally in China. However, we have recently begun working with several clients whose goods and services are targeted at markets outside of China. Which do you think is the most popular Social media platform in China and why is this? The answer depends on how you define “most popular.” TencentWeibo and SinaWeibo have the most registered users of any social media platforms, but 2013 has very much been the year of WeChat (WeiXin). The platform now claims over 200million users within China and another 100million outside of China’s borders and its growth has shown very few, if any, signs of slowing down. WeiXin’s popularity stems from several different factors. First off, it’s very innovative with users raving about the myriad of features it offers, including “Look Around” and the sharing of contact details via a simple shake of a cell phone. The app is, as of now, still free and works on almost any mobile operating system, allowing consumers from all income strata to use it. 36 WWW.IBTMEVENTS.COM
Perhaps most crucially, it saves consumers money by allowing them to exchange text or voice message via data plan that they are already paying for. What type of Chinese social media site is ‘Weibo’? A “Weibo” is a micro blog site that allows users to post messages, follow friends and brands, play games and to do a myriad of other activities. It’s Facebook, but with a 140 character limit. Or, it’s Twitter with “Post-on-a-Wall” functionality. The SinaWeibo platform also provides for “Wei Activities” in which brands can host an event wherein fans who follow the brand’s SinaWeibo account or forward a certain message are registered for a chance to win a prize. How does ‘Renren’ compare to ‘Facebook’? “Renren” was, for a brief time, the hot social media platform in China. It looks, feels and acts very much like Facebook but allows for brand giveaways and greater functionality from a corporate perspective. In the last year, RenRen, has seen a dramatic drop in its active user base shifting its focus from serving as a social media network to serving as a platform for online gaming. How do you feel political and freedom of speech issues effects social media in China? The proliferation of social media platforms in China has allowed more individuals to add their voices to the collective conversation and has allowed for the creation and distribution more instantaneous feedback between consumers, their peers and brands. These conversations are vital and will become more important as consumers and brands in the Chinese market become ever more savvy in marketing habits. How does your company help tackle these issues? We help brands to better communicate with their customers across a vast number of platforms and mediums. By facilitating these communications, we are helping to connect consumers with some of the world’s leading brands and helping consumers to express their feedback so that they may be better served by the brands. For more information visit www.digitaljungle.com.cn AFRICA
INDUSTRY INDICATOR: Asia Focus
The latest IBTM Meetings Industry research on Asia has some interesting results. The Diary highlights some of the key findings as part of the Industry Indicator.
TOP 10 industry sectors in China: • Pharmaceuticals / Medical • Automotive • Financial / Banking / Insurance • Manufacturing / Industrial • Electronic / Communications • Agriculture • Government / Administration • Oil / Gas • Arts & Leisure • Cosmetic
59.2%
OF CHINESE AND INTERNATIONAL BUYERS SAW AN INCREASE OF EVENTS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS
TOP outbound destinations for Chinese buyers in the last 12 months: 1. USA 2. Australia 3. UK 4. Italy 5. France 6. Russia 7. New Zealand 8. Germany
TOP types of events organised by International and Chinese buyers: • Conference / Meetings 82% • Incentive Travel 73% • Business Travel 62% • Convention / Congress 55% • Exhibitions 40% • Entertainment / Sporting 33%
AVERAGE CHINESE AND INTERNATIONAL BUYER SPEND PER EVENT
$48,798
44
is the average number of events organised in China per International and Chinese buyer
The TOP countries to place business in Asia for International and Chinese buyers 1. China 2. Hong Kong 3. Thailand 4. Singapore 5. Korea 6. Taiwan 7. Japan 8. Malaysia
$818,038
55%
of Chinese and International buyers saw increased budgets and 53% expect increases for the next twelve months
IS THE AVERAGE SPEND PER BUYER ON EVENTS IN CHINA
IBTM Global Research To discover the latest findings in industry research specifically focused on the Meetings, Events, Incentives and Business Travel market, visit www.ibtmevents.com/research
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INDUSTRY MONTH IN PHOTOS
EIBTM charity project with Pacific World The AIBTM team at AIBTM in Chicago
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Rob Davidson speaking at CIBTM
Shane Lewis, from the IBTM team at Eventoplus
AIME team at Meetings and Events Australia Awards Night - Darwin, Australia.
Graeme Barnett, Senior Exhibition Director of EIBTM taking part in the Reed Wheelers cycle challenge
EIBTM Team at AEO awards
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