IAPCO - PCO 76

THE

P C O SUCCESSFUL

NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISERS

Issue No. 76

Q4 2016

The PCMA Column

PARTNERSHIPS Economic Uncertainty ARE KEY is hampering

Inter nal dis tribution please for ward to:

By David McMillin, PCMA Staff Writer

When did you last “paddle your own canoe”? I can’t recall when my company last did. Partnerships or collaborations are an essential ingredient of our industry. It may mean working together on a specific project, but more commonly it is a lasting relationship which stands the test of time.

IAPCO places a high priority on collaborations. To this end we have created the Driving Excellence Jan Tonkin, IAPCO President.

Collaboration Award, supported by IBTM Events, to be presented for the first time this year at the Leaders’ Summit at IBTM Barcelona. We were excited by the submissions received, only regretting that we could not short-list them all.

The submissions covered a variety of special collaborations, from clients, to suppliers, to CVBs/destinations and to individuals. This variety reflects the very partnerships into which IAPCO itself enters: strategic partnerships with organisations such as PCMA where we share educational platforms and know-how; with our Destination Partners who support us year-on-year (Hong Kong, Dubai, Melbourne, Toronto and Hamburg); with CVBs who partner with us (this month it is Washington DC who will host a Council meeting

and help judge our Collaboration Award) and with trade show organisers such as IMEX, IT&CMA and IBTM.

Of course there is also that special client relationship, one that stays in your heart. Mine is ANZET – the Australia and New Zealand Endovascular Therapies Meeting (a specialist interventional cardiology meeting), an event that had particular challenges when we first started working on it in 2007 which we delighted in meeting head-on, working really closely with the client and the Co-Convenors. That relationship continues to flourish today with the same management team members from The Conference Company working alongside the Organising Committee, enjoying the benefits of a long-term working relationship, building IP and tapping into market intelligence. Now in its 10th year, ANZET continues to expand its reach and plans are underway for future Meetings.

Everyone has their special relationships, whoever they may be, but we cannot survive in this industry without them. Each partnership is a give and take, a win-win for all concerned; that is the only way a relationship can flourish. I recall the three “C”s of a successful relationship – Communication, Courtesy and Compromise – all of which underpin a 4th “C”: Collaboration.

Seek out those collaborations, nurture them and enjoy the results!

Hoteliers

Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, the Turkish military’s attempted coup, the US Presidential race – 2016 has been defined by the unexpected. As these surprises shake up the global economy, the hotel industry is feeling the turbulence. Recently both Hilton and Marriott announced Q2 earnings and revised their forecasts for the remainder of the year due to weakening corporate demand. At the start of the year, PwC expected RevPAR to grow by 5.5 percent, and major hoteliers agreed with the forecast. Now, Hilton projects year-over-year growth between two and four percent, and Marriott expects three percent growth.

“Obviously, the strength of the economy is the biggest question,” Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s CEO, said on Marriott’s earnings call. “As we guided

a quarter ago, we had an overly rosy view about the strength of GSP in the United States.” The convention and conference industry continues to support the health of hotels, as Sorenson cited group business as one of the promising pieces of Marriott’s quarterly performance.

What lies ahead?

The hotel industry has been on an upward swing since late 2009 with consistent growth in occupancy rates and RevPAR, but it appears that the tide may be turning on the seller’s market.

In May, financial experts at Bank of America downgraded shares of Hilton, Hyatt and Hersha Hospitality Trust. As the European Union sifts through the real impact of Brexit and US investors brace for a potential slowdown between now and November, hoteliers may continue to see sluggish growth rates.

DRIVING EXCELLENCE COLLABORATION AWARD IAPCO’s latest addition to the Driving Excellence Award Programme is the Collaboration Award, supported by IBTM Events. The shortlist has now been announced.

The final judging will take place in October by the IAPCO Council and the Washington DC Convention Bureau but the outcome will not be announced until the Leaders’ Summit at IBTM World in Barcelona on Monday 28 November when the official presentation will be made to the winner.

New Members for IAPCO

SHORTLIST

Group International and Tecnoconference-TC Group (Italy) • AIM Conference Services and Tourism Vancouver (Canada) • International Kenes Group and Copenhagen Convention Bureau (Denmark) •

EVENTS’ CALENDAR Year

Month

Date

Event

Location

2016

Sept

7–8 27 – 29 13 – 16 18 – 20 19 – 21 3–4 12 – 16 17 – 19 29 – 01 5–6

CIBTM IT&CMA IAPCO Council Meetings IMEX America UTB Asia Uia Round Table Europe 55th ICCA Congress IAPCO EDGE Seoul IBTM World IAPCO Bespoke EDGE Seminar

Beijing, China Bangkok, Thailand Washington DC, USA Las Vegas, NV, USA Singapore Monaco Kuching, Malaysia Seoul, Korea Barcelona, Spain St. Petersburg, Russia

8–9 17 – 19 7–9 8 – 11 16 – 19 21 – 22 22 – 24 5–7 8–9 11 – 14 16 – 18 11 – 14 13 – 15 14 – 16 3–7 12 – 15 26 – 30 1–3 13 – 16 18 – 20 26 – 28 16 – 18

PCMA Convening Leaders IAPCO EDGE Athens IBTM Arabia Convene IAPCO Annual Meeting AIME ACE OF MICE Exhibition ASAE Great Ideas Conference COCAL IAPCO Council Meetings IMEX Frankfurt PCMA Education Conference The Meetings Show IBTM America IAPCO Bespoke EDGE Seminar ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo ECM Summer School CIBTM IAPCO Council IAPCO EDGE Kuala Lumpur IT&CMA IMEX America

Austin, TX, USA Athens, Greece Abu Dhabi, UAE Vilnius, Lithuania Dubai, UAE Melbourne, Australia Istanbul, Turkey Orlando, FL, USA Punta del Este, Uruguay Gothenburg, Sweden Frankfurt, Germany New York, USA London, UK Florida, USA Sri Lanka Toronto, Canada Dresden, Germany Beijing, China Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Bangkok, Thailand Las Vegas, USA

Oct

Abbey Conference & Events Mrs. Patricia McColgan, Director City Gate, 22 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin, Ireland patricia@abbey.ie www.abbeyconference.ie Company Member Founded in 1988, Abbey Conference & Events are an award winning PCO based in Dublin. We are part of the Abbey Group, who are Ireland’s largest inbound tour operator. The strength of our multi-lingual team lies in our ability to collaborate and partner with our clients throughout the lifetime of their conference. Essentially, we become part of their team and use our experience to help transform their vision into reality.

MEETAGAIN KONFERENS AB Mr. Johan Menso, Sales Director Råsundavägen 13 – 16967 Solna, Sweden johan@meetagain.se www.meetagain.se Company Member Meetagain is a full PCO service supplier specialising in management and organisation of congresses, conferences, seminars and events in Sweden and Northern Europe.

Meetagain has offices in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.

With 25 years’ experience from the meetings industry, Meetagain has acquired extensive knowledge and excellent relationships with clients, suppliers and partners in the region.

Nov

Nov/Dec Dec 2017

Jan Feb

March May

MCO Congrès Marseille Mrs Héliéna Brégand, Chef de Projet Villa Gaby, 285 Corniche JF Kennedy, 13007 Marseille, France heliena.bregand@mcocongres.com www.mcocongres.com Company Member For more than 25 years, MCO Congrès has been active in the medical and scientific field at the national and international levels. Its expertise encompasses: Congress organisation; Association management; Marketing and communication.

Our human size agency consists of a dynamic team of 35 bilingual and experienced officers, using the latest, userfriendly, tools and technology.

• • •

info@iapco.org

OIC GROUP Mr. Nicola Testai, CEO at OIC Group Viale Matteotti 7, Florence 50121, Italy n.testai@oic.it www.oic.it Company Member OIC Group, based in Florence, Italy, has over 40 years’ experience and over 100 professional staff that manage the most important national and international congresses worldwide. OIC offers clients end-to-end solutions from its variety of integrated products and services within the event, scientific association and congress industry, creating made-to-measure projects ranging from marketing and communications to logistics, to IT and digital. Guaranteed value and solutions, every time.

June

July Aug Sept

Oct

www.iapco.org

Management in Town – Contagious energy from MCI UAE team MCI UAE Team

Aviva Plater (Gideon’s first secretary from 50 years ago), Gideon Rivlin and son Danny on the occasion of Kenes’s 50th anniversary Kenes International Celebration 53rd ERA-EDTA Congress Run for Kidneys podium ceremony C-In, Czech Republic Event

After a long day organising the 5500 delegate EAN Congress Congrex Switzerland Team Anthony Wong winner of “Ministers Award for the Business Events Industry” – an rAWr Award AOSCE, Malaysia Award

The mind challenge game for AFEA staff AFEA, Greece Team

After the Closing Ceremony at Expo 2015 ega, Italy Team

Special training session at the new Football Stadium in Florence for PLS PLS, Italy Team

Rooby Kangaroo in Rio Arinex, Australia Booth promotion

Ambassador Award, Mendoza CVB 2015 Barceló Congresos, Spain Award

MCI celebrate after the10000 participant European Hematology Association Congress MCI Amsterdam Team

Two new project directors for TFI – Eija Hakkinen, Gema Rodriguez TFI, UK Personnel

New business for INTERPLAN hotel team, appointed for ESC 2018 INTERPLAN, Germany New business

Testing the new congress sneakers for Mondial Mondial, Austria Team

ICOM Group Photo at their Mega Event “CardioAlex2016” ICOM, Egypt Team

Always smooth sailing with JPdL – an employee appreciation event for the office JPdL International, Montreal Team

Fun Day at Brighton Beach Kenes International Team

Events Awards Ceremony, Athens June 2016: ERASMUS contributed to ALBA winning the Silver Award for EGOS 2015 Colloquium ERASMUS, Greece Award

MEA National Award Winners 2016 Arinex, Australia Award

THE

PCO

International Association of Professional Congress Organisers

MEMBERS’ NEWS

Rounding up the delegates for WBC IAPCO PCO: MCI Dublin, Ireland MCI Dublin and the World Association for Buiatrics (WAB) needed an innovative plan to reinvigorate the 2016 World Buiatrics Congress (WBC), which took place in Dublin, Ireland, on 3–8 July.

The previous WBC meeting, in 2014, had a recordlow attendance, and the Association was relying on an outdated database of contacts that was largely outside their target market for the 2016 event.

To remedy the situation, MCI Dublin put in place a digitally driven global marketing strategy that ultimately resulted in a record 3198 delegates registering for WBC 2016, an increase of more than 300% over the previous congress. MCI’s marketing plan involved a number of key elements: they moved advertising spend away from traditional print to digital media, created a WBC brand personality, using good content instead of sales tactics, and generated engagement by running a number of fun campaigns, such as the #CowSelfie competition, which attracted nearly 100 entries.

The effects of the marketing plan were dramatic: over the course of 12 months, the contacts database tripled in size, media partnerships were created to expand the online presence of WBC 2016, and the WAB attracted social media followers in droves, with the #WBC2016 hashtag receiving 11.3 million impressions on Twitter alone. However, the promises made through such marketing success could only be fulfilled by organisational excellence at the event itself – and WBC 2016 was universally hailed as the best in the WAB’s history.

Integrating JLC into ICS IAPCO PCO: ICS Vancouver, Canada International Conference Services Ltd. (ICS) has strengthened its foothold in the European market through its recent merger with London-based Judy Lane Consulting (JLC). JLC built its reputation by serving clients primarily within the legal professional conference market for more than 25 years. As a full conference management company, JLC has delivered events in 30 countries and with up to 6000 participants. The company will now operate under the name Judy Lane Consulting ICS Ltd. JLC’s offices in London and Barcelona complement ICS’s European office in Vienna and are key strategic locations for PCOs. ICS and JLC share key business values, ensuring a seamless integration of JLC into the ICS family – both have strong reputations for delivering ‘boutique-style’ service, exemplified by personalisation, flexibility and direct access to leadership for their clients. Additionally, both companies believe that exceptional employees are the foundation of their Judy Lane and Mathias Posch celebrate with the JLC team. success.

Networking Focus IAPCO PCO: CAP Partner, Denmark A party with a difference! Forget the traditional banquet with round tables and a limited circle of contacts; meet the networking format. EWMA (the 25th Annual Conference of the European Wound Management Association) held in Bremen, Germany, in May, was keen to provide maximum

OFFICERS

opportunities for delegates to exchange, meet, discuss and interact. CAP Partner, their PCO, took on board this focus on networking and arranged an impromptu informal party: several bars, snack buffets and small sausage shops, where the guests could meet and get a drink and a bite to eat, plus a local live band playing popular music and lots of dancing. An added bonus was that this format allowed the party to be offered free of charge to all 6000-plus conference participants.

All in all, very positive feedback was received from the participants.

MEGa software for GLOBIT IAPCO PCO: CPO HANSER SERVICE, Germany IT company Global Information Technology GmbH (GLOBIT), a subsidiary of German-based PCO CPO HANSER SERVICE, has bought the software for producing congress and event apps from the Berlin-based company Multi Event Guide GmbH (MEG). MEG produced numerous apps for congresses before it became insolvent last year, while GLOBIT has previously developed its own congress app, which has been used mostly for large congresses such as the United European Gastroenterology Week (14000 delegates) and the DGPPN Psychiatry/Psychotherapy Congress (10000 delegates). “MEG’s software also enables apps for smaller congresses and other events with lower budgets,” explained Hermann Hanser, GLOBIT Managing Director.

GLOBIT will use the new software to expand the functionalities of its own app and to offer congress delegates enhanced user functions. The congress app can replace a printed programme, help participants to find their way around the venue, and facilitate communication between delegates before, during and after the congress.

The app provides a range of standard and additional features such as a question-and-answer function, live voting, session evaluation features, exhibition information (including the floor plan), social networking and many more, and it also can be updated at any time so that changes can be provided rapidly to users.

AIM goes live in Hamburg IAPCO PCO: AIM Group International, Germany Through its strategic co-operation with Munich-based live2communication, an AIM Group Affiliate Partner, AIM Group International has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city. Germany is one of the most important countries in Europe for the meetings industry, and AIM regarded entering the German market as a key strategic move. live2communication became an Affiliate Partner in March 2015, along with Berlin-based QT/The Event Studio, when AIM Group International strengthened its international presence by signing agreements with these two important German players in the DMC, meetings and congress sector.

STP Award for ISPNO IAPCO PCO: MCI Asia Pacific, Singapore MCI Group Asia Pacific has received the Singapore Tourism Board’s 2015 Association Conference Organiser of the Year award for its organisation of the 2014 International Symposium on Paediatric Neuro-Oncology (ISPNO).

The ISPNO congress is the leading biennial global meeting of professionals involved in the research, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of infants and children with brain tumours.

Joint approach is key IAPCO PCO: AIM Group International, Rome As the congress market becomes Marketing Team began working on increasingly competitive, it is perhaps the bid to host ICSES 2022 in Rome now almost impossible to win a major back in 2014, collaborating with many local institutions. However, of particular importance was its partnership with La Nuvola Congress Centre, a brand new, futuristic, multifunctional congress venue designed by the famous Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas, which opens on 29 October this year and is characterised by innovative features and the use of technologically advanced materials.

Bid without taking a collaborative approach, involving multiple stakeAdditionally, AIM Group International holders – and a USP such as a brand collaborated on the bid with new futuristic congress centre can help, Tecnoconference TCGroup, who too! This was the basis on which AIM created an innovative video to support Group International, La Nuvola the submission, which combined Congress Centre in Rome, and green-screen technology and graphical Tecnoconference TCGroup bid to host animation, enabling the Bid Team to the 3000-participant 2022 International present the venue in an engaging Congress of Shoulder and Elbow and immersive way, creating a 3D Surgery (ICSES). environment to showcase the layout AIM Group International’s Sales &

and the functionality of the space.

CD is 25!

IAPCO PCO: Cankarjev dom Congress Agency, Slovenia Slovenia, one of Europe’s youngest countries, is celebrating its 25th birthday this year, having gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. And at the heart of these celebrations is the Cankarjev dom, also known as CD Congress Centre Ljubljana, an architectural gem of a building that is not only the major venue for political meetings, cultural events and international congresses in Slovenia, but also the birthplace of the country itself.

The story of the involvement of CD in Slovenian independence began on 25 June 1991, when the Slovenian Assembly met there to adopt the independence documents and thereby to declare Slovenia an independent sovereign country. The following day, the military forces of the Yugoslav People’s Army invaded the country and

a 10-day war broke out. As well as being an important institution in terms of its role in raising Slovenia’s cultural awareness and national provide, CD also holds an important strategic defensive position, being situated in the city centre of Ljubljana between the parliament and the presidential palace (as well as the city’s major attractions and hotels). Thus, it was here that the Slovenian Defence Forces had their headquarters in 1991, from where they co-ordinated the final battles of the war – and when everything ended favourably, a new chapter in Slovenian history was begun at the CD.

The challenge of migration IAPCO PCO: C-In, Czech Republic EELA 2016, the European Employment Lawyer Association conference, was held in Prague on 19–21 May, under the auspices of the Czech Bar Association. EELA is a professional society that brings together European lawyers practising in the field of employment; among EELA’s goals are the improvement of the implementation and understanding of the social dimension in the field of law, and the strengthening of links between EU employment lawyers. The 400-delegate EELA 2016 meeting, focused on a number of current topics that are of importance not only among employment lawyers but also across the whole of Europe.

One such issue was migration across Europe, ‘A new challenge for all of us’, in which the panel addressed issues beyond just employment law, looking into the wider human rights and economic contexts. The session raised a number of important questions, such as: How should

Europe manage the influx of refugees and help them integrate into the European workforce? How will this affect existing employment structures and what other measures need to be taken to deal with the wider economic and social impact?

The wider focus of EELA 2016 also included a talk by Professor Tomáš Halík, a leading Czech intellectual, philosopher, sociologist and priest, who gave a talk on ‘The soul of Europe – the search for a common European identity, and the cultural model of the process of European unification’.

And to enable the discussion to continue, there was a special initiative, an 8.5 km jog, which facilitated informal networking.

IAPCO Council President: Jan Tonkin, The Conference Company Vice-President: Mathias Posch, International Conference Services

info@iapco.org

Treasurer: Peder Andersen, DIS Congress Service Members: Keith Burton, African Agenda

Jean Evans, MCI Dublin Nicola McGrane, Conference Partners Kayo Nomura, Congress Corporation Alain Pittet, Congrex Switzerland

Co-opted: Chair, Training Academy: André Vietor, Barceló Congresos Co-opted: Host, 2017 Annual Meeting: Medhat Nassar, Meeting Minds Experts

www.iapco.org

EXPERTS IN DYNAMIC IAPCO EDGE SEOUL

The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.

PLATO

IAPCO EDGE Athens

17 - 19 January 2017 Venue: Divani Caravel Hotel, Athens, Greece www.iapcoedgeathens.org DAY 1

DAY 2

We are what we repeatedly do. Well begun is half done.

ARISTOTLE

There is no doubt about the value of a sound plan and a good start in organizing events.

In Day 1 two vital components of Business Development will be examined and discussed: Bidding and Site Inspections.

Time 08:30 09:00

10:00 11:00

12:00 13:00

14:00 15:00

16:00 17:00

17 November (Thursday)

18 November (Friday)

19 November (Saturday)

MARKETING SPONSORSHIP (Mathias Posch) (Ori Lahav) 2-1 “Are you innovative 4-1 “War on Medical enough?”

Sponsorship” Group Discussion/Report Group Discussion/Report Coffee Break Coffee Break MARKETING SPONSORSHIP (Ori Lahav) (Roslyn McLeod) 2-2 “Boosting delegates 4-2 “Attract more with Arrival and numbers in the new coveted benefits Registration Digital Age” Group Discussion/Report Group Discussion/Report Lunch Lunch FINANCE MANAGEMENT (Mathias Posch) (Ori Lahav) Coffee and 3-1 “What we need to 5-1 “Managing change in Icebreaker survive well a changing environment” Group Discussion/Report Group Discussion/Report Coffee Break Coffee Break Bidding “it’s not over until FINANCE MANAGEMENT you win” (Roslyn McLeod) (Roslyn McLeod) (Hyungju Park) 1-1 “Stay Competitive” 3-2 “Money is everything 5-2 Crisis “In the shadow of Crisis” Group Discussion/Report Group Discussion/Report Group Discussion/Report Coffee Break Closing Bidding “it’s not over until you win” (Mathias Posch) 1-2 “Win it Right”

20 (Sun) 21 (Mon) Nov

Highlights of the day: • Welcome to Athens & Setting the Scene • Bidding: The PCO perspective • Bidding: The Convention Bureau perspective • The Power of the Site Inspection • INTERACTIVE LEARNING SESSIONS: Group work – Discussion – Feedback

FAM Tour (Destination Tour for 1 night)

Along the paths of ancient Greek philosophy!

DAY 3

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

ARISTOTLE

After Business Development has been addressed, it is time to dive in the world of Business Performance (Project Management).

Day 2 sessions will touch on Managing Time and Stress during project planning, Marketing your Events in digital terms, Handling numbers (aka Budgeting!) and Engaging your Delegates – the essence of a successful event.

And let’s keep in mind what Aristotle said: Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

Highlights of the day: • Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety (Plato): Time & Stress Management in the 5th most stressful job in the world Change in all things is sweet • (Aristotle): Event Marketing in the Digital Era • Budgeting in Plato’s terms: A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.

• Engaging the Delegate • INTERACTIVE LEARNING SESSIONS: Group work – Discussion – Feedback

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

SOCRATES

On the third and concluding day of IAPCO EDGE Athens we will examine how the Event Business can flourish. In this context our speakers will share their knowledge, experience and insights on the hot topic of sponsorship.

They will also guide us in exploring the evolving role of the PCO and DMO as this is determined (or affected) by future trends in the events industry.

Highlights of the day: • The greatest wealth of all is to live content with little (Plato).

But is this true when it comes to Sponsorship?

There is nothing permanent • except change (Heraclitus): The evolving role of the PCO & DMOs • Tree of knowledge • INTERACTIVE LEARNING SESSIONS: Group work – Discussion – Feedback

Group Discussion/Report 18:00

IAPCO EDGE SEMINARS www.iapcoeducation.org

www.iapcoedgeseoul.org info@iapcoeducation.org

C GLOBAL EDUCATION IAPCO EDGE FACULTY Ori Lahav, Kenes Group, Switzerland – EDGE Seoul

Sarah Markey Hamm, ICMS, Australia – EDGE Kuala Lumpur

Nicola McGrane, Conference Partners, Ireland – EDGE Athens

Roslyn McLeod, Arinex, Australia – EDGE Seoul

Mathias Posch, International Conference Services, Canada – EDGE Seoul / EDGE Kuala Lumpur

Jan Tonkin, The Conference Company, New Zealand – EDGE Kuala Lumpur

André Vietor, Barceló Congresos, Spain – EDGE Athens

Prof. Hyungju Park, invited speaker – EDGE Seoul

A series of seminars at forthcoming industry functions READ MORE at http://iapcoeducation.org/sharp-edge/

Seminars specifically designed by host destinations to meet their market needs:

IMEX America – Las Vegas SMART Monday 17 October 11.15 - 12.15 “Beyond conference logistics – the power of true partners for associations” Speakers: Jurriaen Sleijster, President and COO, MCI Group – IAPCO Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive, Melbourne Convention Bureau Moderator: Nicola McGrane, Managing Director, Conference Partners – IAPCO IAPCO/PCMA Seminar 18 October 08.45 - 09.45 “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Beacon Technology” Speakers: Mathias Posch, President, International Conference Services Ltd Michael Walsh, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Shannon M. Watson CMP, CAE, Director of Meetings and Events, Rotary International IAPCO/ADMEI Seminar 19 October 08.45 - 09.45 “Add Value to your Meeting with the Right Partners” Speakers: Mathias Posch, President, International Conference Services Ltd David Rome, Director of Sales, BBC Destination Management Moderator: Frank Rickenbach, Executive Vice President, ADMEI

ICCA – Kuching, Malaysia IAPCO – PCO Hot Topics Housing Management – Navigating a new landscape!

Are PCOs and hotels prepared to manage the increasing disruption and challenges in accommodation services to international meetings?

Monday 14 November 10.30 - 11.45 Tuesday 15 November 10.45 - 11.45 Speakers: Jean Evans, Regional Director, MCI Dublin Dan Rivlin, Managing Director, Kenes Group André Vietor, Managing Director, Barceló Congresos

IBTM World – Barcelona, Spain IAPCO Seminar Wednesday 30 November “Are you getting the most out of your Tourism Board or CVB? From the bid stage and beyond” Panellists: Georgina Alexopoulou, Business Development Manager, ERASMUS Sissi Lygnou, Manager, Congress and Events, AFEA Bettina Reventlow-Mourier, Wonderful Copenhagen Claire Smith, Vancouver Convention Center Moderator: André Vietor, Barceló Congresos

Suzhou Bespoke EDGE July 2016 – Another IAPCO triumph! 56 participants, and a closing evaluation satisfaction score of 91.75%.

BESPOKE EDGE Suzhou 12 - 14 April 2017 Suzhou, China The experts: Mathias Posch Jan Tonkin Hosted by the Suzhou MICE & Travel Promotion Centre

BESPOKE EDGE Sri Lanka 3 - 7 July 2017 The experts: Patrick Delaney (SoolNua) Mathias Posch Sarah Storie-Pugh André Vietor Hosted by Sri Lanka Professional Conference and Exhibitions Orgnisers (SLAPCO) Hotteel transpor t

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THE

PCO

International Association of Professional Congress Organisers

DESTINATION FOCUS Reassuringly familiar, refreshingly different Construction Commences tion bays and additional meeting rooms. The new building will seamlessly connect and integrate all of MCEC’s spaces into one vibrant hub, increasing the venue’s total size to more than 70000 m².

Key features of MCEC’s expansion include: a striking architectural design that will maximise natural light in the foyer spaces and even some meeting rooms; a banquet room that will accommodate up to 450 guests; 9000 m² of pillar-free exhibition space; a retractable theatre within the exhibition space that will seat 1000 people; informal networking spaces; a new restaurant and bar; an outdoor event courtyard and terrace; a new multi-level car park; and a 341-room hotel.

MCEC’s expansion will bring an additional 74000 international visitors to Melbourne each year.

Construction has commenced on the much-anticipated expansion of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), which will realise the vision for the venue as a vibrant events and entertainment destination. One of the defining attributes of MCEC is the diversity of events that are conducted at the venue every day, which attract more than two million visitors each year. The expansion project, which is due for completion in mid-2018, will add nearly 20000 m² of adaptable, multi-purpose event space including new exhibi-

MCEC Chief Executive Peter King said that the expansion was critical for ensuring that the venue will continue to be able to accommodate the growing global demand for multipurpose meetings and event spaces. “We’ve listened carefully to our customers and have worked hard to offer adaptable, multi-purpose spaces, which allows us to attract larger events to Melbourne and provides an opportunity for our customers to grow their events with us,” he said. “Expanding MCEC allows us to do more of what we do best – creating longlasting and memorable experiences using our award-winning formula and expert team.” The venue is currently accepting booking enquiries for events from July 2018.

Making Hong Kong even more rewarding for MICE delegates When staging a MICE event in Hong Kong, not only is there the assurance of world-class facilities and support services, but also there is now a newly enhanced ‘Hong Kong Rewards!’ programme designed to offer MICE delegates an array of privileges during their stay in the city. From arrival to departure, visitors are entitled to a range of special offers and events, with one of the first treats being a complimentary cocktail reception hosted by their hotel. More than 40 hotel partners support the new ‘Hong Kong Rewards!’ programme in this way, allowing delegates to enjoy their arrival in the city, to network, and to meet with their peers in Hong Kong.

Recently a MICE group from the Indonesian cosmetic industry enjoyed a reception offered by one of the hotel

partners. “Members of the group were really impressed by the free cocktail reception – one of them said that it’s really a surprise because the food is very good and delicious!” explained Tivrma Rondang Sari, Director of Business for Mandom Indonesia.

MICE delegates can also enjoy a free cultural performance at their MICE event, a number of special privileges at some of Hong Kong’s top attractions, as well as airport shopping and dining coupons worth up to HK$2000. For example, in June, the Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI) organised its annual conference in Hong Kong, attracting more than 100 delegates, who particularly enjoyed the kung fu show at their event, as well as other ‘Hong Kong Rewards!’ privileges. The

www.mehongkong.com

organiser considered Hong Kong as a logical choice for hosting such an important conference outside India.

“This year we decided to choose Hong Kong because it is an important financial centre in Asia,” stated Dilip Patwardhan, Chief Executive of FEDAI. “The venue is excellent, the hotel location is very good, and we are able to oversee the ocean and enjoy the site.”

At the heart of one of the world’s most exciting coastal cities, for the past decade Madinat Jumeirah has been a magnificent tribute to Dubai’s heritage and vision for growth.

Following through on this progressive outlook one of its landmarks – the Arabian Resort of Dubai – is expanding in the form of a brand new luxury hotel, Jumeirah Al Naseem, which is due to open by the end of this year.

The new hotel, which is anchored on a stunning stretch of private, pristine coastline, will bring new energy, exuberance and excitement to Madinat Jumeirah, and provide a breath of fresh air in today’s dynamic Dubai. Jumeirah Al Naseem will feature extensive landscaped gardens on the city’s longest private beach, and in its

Toronto’s CN Tower turns 40!

Toronto’s CN Tower celebrated its 40th anniversary on 26 June this year, having opened in 1976. Regarded as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the CN Tower, which is 553 metres (1815 feet) tall, is arguably the most recognisable landmark in the city, and is considered a national icon and a must-see attraction for visitors to Toronto – indeed, over the past 40 years, more than a million and a half international visitors have come to gaze in awe at the concrete and steel needle in the sky. While it is one of Toronto’s top attractions, the CN Tower is also a corporate venue for hosting meetings and events of up to 2000 people. As well as offering spectacular views and award-winning cuisine, the tower provides flexible meeting space, including a private in-house theatre and revolving restaurant.

Hamburg is unlocking its treasures! Implementation of e-Permit Ready for the Unexpected? Platform VIBRANT, SMART AND OPEN-MINDED – UNPACK HAMBURG! There is so much more packed into Hamburg than you might think. Discover the diverse opportunities of one of Europe’s most exciting meetings destinations.

Bursting with beauty and full of character, Hamburg is packed with great stuff to explore! The Hamburg Convention Bureau thinks it’s time to unpack the city’s most exciting attractions and will present them piece-by-piece over the coming year.

Counted among the most fascinating destinations in Europe, the metropolis on the River Elbe offers a unique choice of business, entertainment and leisure options to its visitors. A major seaport combined with numerous waterways running through urban ground form an unmatched mix of maritime atmosphere and scenic elegance.

But take another look at our suitcase: How do you think that mug got in there? Just wait for us to unpack!

Rich in great locations, Hamburg is extremely convenient when it comes to getting around. Public transport takes you to and from every corner you may want to go to. The airport can be reached within 20 minutes from the city centre, and many places of interest are within walking distance of the downtown area. Exquisite hotels and a wide range of venues are available for meetings and conventions of every size and shape.

More than that, Hamburgers like to celebrate a special lifestyle. Spotted that street sign? Guess why the Hanseatic city has a ‘Beatles-Platz’!

Sounds like Hamburg is full of nice surprises? Find out more at unpackhamburg.com or visit us at IMEX America at the German Convention Bureau’s stand, booth 2223-12, to take part in Hamburg’s first round of unpacking!

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location overlooking Burj Al Arab Jumeirah the hotel will offer guests multiple freedoms, such as the freedom to tailor their time, the freedom for unexpected adventures, and the freedom to explore and experience.

Promising to be warm and inviting, yet energetic and inspiring, Madinat Jumeirah’s latest addition aims to expertly blend authentic Arabian culture and design with Dubai’s energy, in order to deliver the Jumeirah brand promise to ‘Stay Different’.

Dubai Tourism launched its inaugural “Ticketed Events in Dubai” 2015 report in August 2016 as it seeks to share collective findings to better equip organisers in the decisionmaking process to help grow existing events and to launch new ones based on type, scale, price points, calendar opportunities, buying behaviour, event attendee potential and optimum capacity. Dubai’s events industry, a core pillar of the city’s tourism destination proposition, remains a strong and growing contributor of economic value to the emirate’s GDP. Covering the full year of 2015, the new event industry whitepaper provides a snap shot of the performance of ticketed leisure events hosted in Dubai across three main leisure categories, namely entertainment, sports and culture. According to the report, which only captures events applied for via Dubai’s e-Ticketing platform, there was a total of 656 system registered ticketed leisure events delivered in 2015, representing 1.1 million tickets

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Sarah Storie-Pugh, Executive Director Olivia Galun, Secretariat Email: info@iapco.org

Published by: IAPCO Editor: Sarah Storie-Pugh

CN Tower, The Edge Walk.

The CN Tower boasts a plethora of interesting trivia, including: There are 1776 stairs to the top Visitors are transported in 1200 lift rides each day Half a million people have scaled the structure for charity On 24 August 2011, the tower received 52 lightning strikes in 84 minutes When lit up, the tower can display 16.7 million colours on any one night 1500 construction workers took 40 months, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to complete the tower.

• • • • • •

Additionally, according to the Guinness World Records, the CN Tower has a couple of unique accolades, including the world’s highest ‘hands-free’ walk, known as the EdgeWalk, at 116 stories above ground, and the world’s highest wine cellar. being sold. Leisure events constituted 27% of the total volume of unique ticketed events hosted during the 2015 calendar year and accounted for 60% of the number of tickets recorded as sold for the period.

In a bid to better unify the industry, 2015 saw the full implementation of Dubai’s e-Permit platform, which was the primary source for the report.

An industry-enabling solution, the platform caters for all processes pertaining to licensing and permitting for events, facilitated through a unified online gateway managed by Dubai Tourism. On the consumer enablement side, the e-Ticketing platform creates a unified distribution gateway for the convenient purchase of tickets for all types of registered ticketed events in Dubai, with seamless integration to a highly secure mobile and electronic payment gateway.

Whilst every care is taken in the preparation and publishing of The PCO, the views expressed are not necessarily those of IAPCO or its members, or of the Editor, and no responsibility can be taken for articles, errors or comment.

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HIGH-PROFILE CHALLENGES

Those special G7 Summit Challenges

IAPCO PCO: Congress Corporation, Japan This presented Congress Corporation The 42nd G7 Summit took place on with the major challenge of how to 26–27 May this year in Ise-Shima, a equip the room with the necessary scenic resort on the Pacific coast of infrastructure and technology while Japan, with Congress Corporation as the official PCO. The company faced a number of important challenges, the first being to turn the vision and ideas of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his office into reality. Work started on 1 February, giving the dedicated team an extremely short 3.5month preparation timeframe; however, such short lead times maintaining the atmosphere of an are part-and-parcel of business pracintimate gathering in a Japanese tices in Japan, particularly in the case setting. The company came up with of governmental meetings, due to govflexible and creative solutions, conernment procurement procedures. necting three separate buildings with The Summit was held at the Shima an IT network infrastructure, electricity Kanko Hotel on Kashiko Island in Ago and audio/video cabling, and channels Bay, with the Heads of States meeting for simultaneous interpretation while scheduled to be held in the lounge taking care not to detract from the reserved for hotel guests.

Taking on the challenges of LNG18 in Perth

IAPCO PCO: Arinex, Australia After a journey of 6 years, from the first round of the bid at the World Gas Congress (WGC) in Buenos Aires in 2009, through a second bid in Oran that was aborted due to the volcanic ash cloud, and finally to winning the bid in Houston in November 2010, PCO Arinex produced a highly successful 18th Conference and Exhibition Prime Minister of Australia, Malcom Turnbull at LNG18.

Additionally, social functions were on Liquefied Natural Gas – LNG18 – held in two off-site venues, one of in Perth, Western Australia, on 11–15 which was built from the ground up, April this year. The meeting attracted and both of which provided stunning more than 8000 delegates, exhibitors, views of the city of Perth. While a media, accompanying persons and suitably sized, purpose-built conventrade visitors, making it a big event by tion centre would have been ideal, Australian standards, and Arinex instead the PCO became a construction resourced it accordingly, dedicating 44 company! of their permanent staff – 50% of the company – to the on-site team.

Among the highlights of the meeting, There were plenty of challenges for Arinex to overcome: promoting the meeting was a key activity, and included a series of 37 electronic mail-outs sent globally to LNG professionals, each providing a fresh, unique and clear message about the event. Additionally, the team undertook major promotional activities at five international gas conferences whilst hundreds of promotions were also undertaken via the Western Australian Government.

Arinex, having sold every square metre of space inside the venue, the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC), built external temporary structures – leaving the trees in situ! – for registration and lunches.

OFFICERS

the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, spoke during the Welcome Reception, emphasising the high regard in which the conference was held by the Australian government.

Security was also a challenge for Arinex; although Australia has a reputation as a safe destination, there was no complacency with regards to this important aspect. Security features included holographic kangaroo name badges, to prevent counterfeiting, plus substantial levels of security staff and bag check and scanning. These arrangements enabled the security level to be ramped up to high if required – but happily, LNG18 remained a safe, enjoyable, secure environment.

inherent attractiveness and ambience of the venue.

Importantly, the simultaneous interpretation required a remote facility; normally, the interpreters would work in the same room as the meeting itself, but due to the space limitations of the venue, the translators’ booths had to be set up in a different location and equipped with monitors so that the interpreters could watch and listen to each head of state speaking.

Congress

Corporation was also charged with creating the perfect location for the Summit group photo, a snapshot that is beamed around the world and is one of the legacies of any G7 meeting. The venue was the roof garden of the hotel, where it was necessary to determine the optimal angle for the shot and how to frame the picture with Ago Bay in the background, work out the optimal height of the stage, blend natural light and artificial lighting, and co-ordinate with Japanese national broadcaster NHK’s engineers and crews. Another important aspect was ensuring that the cameramen didn’t lose their balance on the slim platform provided, due to the limited space available!

Overcoming adversity IAPCO PCO: Mondial Congress & Events, Austria Vienna played host to the 17th European Congress of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (ECTES) in April this year, supported by core PCO Mondial Congress & Events. A central theme of ECTES 2016 was ‘The Mangled Extremity’, and among the highlights of the 4-day event was an invited lecture by the British entrepreneur, author, competitive skier Heather Mills. and former model Heather Mills entitled ‘Overcoming adversity and living with a disability’.

Heather lost her left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident in 1993.

Instead of giving up, she and her team began to develop prosthetic limbs for runners, skiers and ice dancers, and ever since Heather has been inspiring millions of people through her charity work for people with disabilities. She continues to show her confidence not only on the slopes but also through her openness in speaking about her accident and the lessons learned from living with a disability. Her keynote lecture was aligned perfectly with the themes of the congress programme. “It is vital that surgeons fully understand when to amputate and when to save the limb, and what length the limb should be amputated at for the perfect fitting prosthesis,” said the world recordholding Paralympic athlete. “I’m forever grateful for the team of doctors that saved my life.” Heather’s honorarium was donated to the Diakoniewerk Schladming, an Austrian institution dedicated to caring for people with disabilities and the elderly.

PHYSIOTHERAPY FACES UP TO THE CHALLENGES OF CHRONIC DISEASES AND AGEING IAPCO PCO: MCI UAE The 5th Biennial Emirates Physiotherapy Conference – known as Physio Dubai 2016 – took place on 19–20 May this year, welcoming more than 600 world-class physiotherapists, sports physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists, and rehabilitation and health care professionals, as well as students, to the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai, UAE. Speaking at the opening ceremony, His Excellency Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qatami, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), stated, “DHA is keen to develop physiotherapy units in all of its hospitals. Physiotherapy is one of the most important specialities in the field of healthcare (and helps in the) prevention of many chronic illnesses. It improves lives.”

Highlights of the 2-day conference included a Keynote address from Dr Emma Stokes, President of the World

His Excellency Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qatami, DHA Director General.

Confederation for Physical Therapy, who stressed that the physiotherapy community needs to focus on the global significance of physiotherapy in addressing chronic diseases, traumas and ageing. She added that lower back pain could be resolved if patients’ fears are addressed through effective dissemination of health information or health literacy.

The 6th event in the Physio Dubai series will take place in May 2018.

Pope Francis visits the ESC Congress in Rome IAPCO PCOs: AIM Group International and European Society of Cardiology Planning for “Papa“ Francesco to visit The European Society Cardiology Congress (ESC) on 31 August presented its own unique challenges, from security to participant flow, from controls to additional staffing, and many more. IAPCO members ESC, whose Congress it is, and AIM Group International, who was involved in the provision of local services and management of hotel rooms, rose to the challenge to provide for a very moving and unique experience.

“I was pleased to accept the invitation of the Executive Committee of the European ESC delegates crowd to see Pope Francesco arrive.

Society of Cardiology to meet with you on the occasion of this World Congress which brings together cardiologists from various countries.”

“I thank each of you for the scientific work in these days of study and discussion, but above all for your dedication to so many who are sick. You look after the heart. How much symbolism is enshrined in this word! How many hopes are contained in this human organ! In your hands you hold the beating core of the human body, and as such your responsibility is very great! I am sure that as you find yourselves before this book of life with its many pages yet to be discovered, you are filled with trepidation and awe.”

“By means of your invaluable work, you contribute to the healing of physical illness and are able to perceive that there are laws engraved within human nature that no one can tamper with, but rather must be “discovered, respected and co-operated with” so that life may correspond ever more to the designs of the Creator (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 36). For this reason, it is important that men and women of science, as they examine themselves in the light of that great mystery of human existence, do not give in to the temptation to suppress the truth (cf. Rom 1:18).”

“With these sentiments, I renew my appreciation for your work. I ask the Lord to bless your research and medical care, so that everyone may receive relief from their suffering, a greater quality of life and an increasing sense of hope.”

Excerpt from the text of the Holy Father’s prepared remarks.

IAPCO Council President: Jan Tonkin, The Conference Company Vice-President: Mathias Posch, International Conference Services

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Treasurer: Peder Andersen, DIS Congress Service Members: Keith Burton, African Agenda

Jean Evans, MCI Dublin Nicola McGrane, Conference Partners Kayo Nomura, Congress Corporation Alain Pittet, Congrex Switzerland

Co-opted: Chair, Training Academy: André Vietor, Barceló Congresos Co-opted: Host, 2017 Annual Meeting: Medhat Nassar, Meeting Minds Experts

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International Association of Professional Congress Organisers

CASE STUDIES Continuing the series of case studies from leading PCOs around the world

Beyond Congress Management

Associations are more than their congress, and IAPCO PCOs are more than congress organisers. Delivering innumerable quality congresses has given IAPCO members invaluable insights in the business needs of their clients and has allowed them to become trusted advisors who can contribute to the success of an organisation beyond their congress. IAPCO’s philosophy is entirely based on quality, and its members actively share best-practice and develop educational programmes and guidelines which enable them to perform at the highest levels in any area of expertise related to organisational excellence. To illustrate this, IAPCO regularly publishes success stories of members who have helped their clients to be successful not just by organising their congress, but by achieving overarching business objectives.

GS1General Assembly Mexico 2016

communicate the key messages of the client. Furthermore, T&C developed a mobile app where content and event highlights could be transmitted live, thereby amplifying the scope and effects of the event. This app allowed participants to generate personal profiles so that they could interact or share experiences with other participants through photos, videos, comments or session ratings. T&C also created live clips for those in different locations so that they could be aware of what was happening in the main venue.

The outcome

16th – 19th May, Mexico City, Mexico GSI Mexico

Organised by IAPCO Member: T&C, Mexico The challenge: to create conditions for networking within the GS1 commuto perform easy and effective nity and attract high-level executives networking. from more than 80 countries around the world.

The GS1 General Assembly was hosted All in all, the necessity turned out to be this year by GS1 Mexico. This is the a hybrid event that could allow the occasion where key decisions related to interaction of different people in the organisation’s future are made. different places at the same time. The The event had several goals: the first event would not be restricted to logistic was to generate attractive content that processes but instead would generate meets the expectations of different content within a framework that could attendees: important industry players, ensure global participation. key decision makers of the global The solution market and GS1 organisation members; the second challenge was to set The use of cross-media technology in meetings where strategies could be order to arouse attendees’ interests was generated and global performance introduced, thus reaching all those who indicators could be evaluated, in this could not be present on site allowing case the challenge was to co-ordinate them to attend the event virtually, these sessions with people located building relationships and interacting around the globe; and the last goal was with all the organisation’s members. to create the correct conditions so the Video content, BTL activities, scenogevent could truly serve as a platform raphy and conferences were created to

The main goal of the event was successfully reached. It took the Strategic Plan of the GS1 to a global level for future years by including the participation in the sessions of attendees along with the contributions of other members from different locations, in a controlled and organised way.

The solution that T&C provided in order to achieve the customer´s results were based on the design of the meeting logistics and the technological support to make them happen: live streaming and parliamentary microfonia.

The second goal achieved was the interaction between the attendants and the environment created for networking, however, this goal achievement transcended beyond customer expectations. Via the mobile app, the BTL activities and the marketing campaigns developed by the T&C team, created a permanent community formed by 111 of the GS1 members, a staggering 40% of the attendees. Analytics showed that each one of them had more than 7 interactions with the content and made on average at least one post. This community will continue to interact after the event and continue to exchange critical data – from manufacturing all the way to the consumer, creating a common language that underpins systems and processes all over the world.

Adding to this networking, the committee could maintain constant communication with these members and pass on the strategic messages to reinforce the main agreements formed during the current meeting. It will also allow the committee to be aware of their members’ behaviour, their preferences and content interests, so that their communication strategies with the community can be adapted to meet their members’ needs.

Rapid growth for CDM in emerging markets IAPCO PCO: MCI India The challenge: Raising the profile of clinical data management in India.

Clinical data management (CDM) is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the emerging markets, with large volumes of clinical data being outsourced to countries such as India and China. The mission of the non-profit international organisation the Society for Clinical Data Management (SCDM) is to drive the industry forward and support CDM professionals worldwide, and with this aim in mind, the society held its second conference in Mumbai, India, in December 2015.

SCDM hired MCI India as a strategic partner to raise its profile in the region, having recognised the need to tailor its service offerings to this market. Based on its success in establishing associations in emerging markets and its strong local connections, MCI was tasked with producing a conference to act as a stepping-stone by which SCDM would be recognised as an

The outcome of the challenge was increased participation.

industry thought-leader in the region.

As a result of their efforts, CDM activities will not only create business but also have beneficial societal impacts in markets such as India, through the wealth creation arising from drug discovery and innovation.

Thanks to its successful collaboration with MCI, SCDM is now one region closer to achieving its over-arching business goal of advancing the discipline of CDM throughout the world.

LASPGHAN 2015: raising the profile in paediatrics IAPCO PCO: Kenes Group The challenge: To support growth for a speciality conference in a competitive environment.

The biannual event of the Latin American Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (LASPGHAN) aims to provide knowledge and education in this speciality field of paediatrics.

However, having experienced varying participant numbers over previous meetings, the society recognised the need to raise its profile in the paediatrics field and thus selected Kenes Latin America as the local PCO to support the development of its LASPGHAN 2015 congress, which took place in Lima, Peru, in November that year.

Kenes was faced with a significant challenge only a year before LASPGHAN 2015 was due to take place, by which time the main objectives had been set and the agreed strategy was in the process of being executed. A major competitive event – a large triennial congress with similar rotation patterns and a delegate profile that encapsulated the speciality topics

of LASPGHAN – had been moved from its original location to Lima, and was due to take place only a few days before LASPGHAN 2015. Clearly, this posed a substantial threat to the success of LASPGHAN 2015, and gave Kenes only limited time in which to react. To ensure LASPGHAN 2015 stayed on course for its eventual success, with many satisfied delegates, the Kenes team used its flexibility and its strong local knowledge and networks, and conducted new market research. They further specified the target audience for LASPGHAN 2015, identified gaps in the competitive event, and refocused the messaging and the brand of the LASPGHAN 2015 event to differentiate it and support its growth in a competitive environment.

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IAPCO Seminar

IAPCO/PCMA Seminar

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Beyond Conference Logistics – the Power of true Partners for Associations Monday 17 October 11.15 – 12.15 This Sharp EDGE Seminar will demonstrate how PCOs/Meeting Planners and Destination/CVBs can position themselves to be trusted advisors contributing more than standard logistics. An opportunity to learn how to raise your business profile by increasing your deliverables to international conferences.

Speakers: Jurriaen Sleijster, President and COO, MCI Group Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive, Melbourne Convention Bureau Moderator: Nicola McGrane, Managing Director, Conference Partners, Ireland

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Beacon Technology Tuesday 18 October 08.45 – 09.45 Beacon technology is utilized in retail to engage customers and understand consumer movement and buying habits. At congresses and exhibitions this technology can be utilized to engage participants and understand their behavior to deliver a more customized experience. In this Sharp EDGE Seminar you will hear stories of successes and failures of beacon use and how to leverage it to enhance the event experience.

Speakers: Mathias Posch, (and Moderator) President, International Conference Services Ltd Michael Walsh, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Shannon M. Watson CMP, CAE, Director of Meetings and Events, Rotary International

Add value to your Meeting with the Right Partners Wednesday 19 October 08.45 – 09.45 In this era of time constraints, bringing the right partners to the table is crucial to obtain your return on value. Value has different meanings to different partners. Explore those values held by associations, corporates, PCOs and DMOs, and discover how to get the most value out of the relationship.

Speakers: Mathias Posch, President, International Conference Services Ltd David Rome, Director of Sales, BBC Destination Management Moderator: Fran Rickenbach, Executive Vice President, ADMEI

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READ MORE: Review extended case studies at the IAPCO website: www.iapco.org/publications/casestudies/