IMEX highlights trends to note in 2016

IMEX highlights trends to note in 2016
What will be the trends and buzzwords in the world of business, in the meetings industry and in our lives in 2016?

Here are six ideas and trends identified by the IMEX team that are likely to be more evident and influential next year.

1. Personalisation – is this just the start?
CocaCola and Starbucks have already been using it, and McDonalds and British Airways have recently indicated that it is going to be part of their strategy: personalisation, described in December 2015 by leading UK marketing title The Drum as “one of the hottest topics in the marketing industry today. Consumers today are living seamlessly across different devices and platforms and today expect a highly personalised experience from brands.

In 2015, Gartner indicated that personalisation will continue upwards and reach its plateau in two to five years. This suggests that this flurry of activity is just a prelude to what may develop next year and beyond.

People like to be treated as individuals and like to be able to tailor how they are treated whether as an employee or as a consumer. This was recently highlighted in HR magazine: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/tailored-benefit-packages. Similarly IMEX has extended the options and flexibility of its hosted buyer programme to allow buyers more opportunities to tailor their experience at the show to fulfil their personal needs and interests.

2. Data and analytics – underpinning new marketing strategies
Data gathering and analytics that drill down into the behaviours of the individual and group are essential to personalisation strategies so, as a corollary of the growth of personalisation, there will be an increased focus on these elements. Digital marketing expert Mark Goddard in Forbes magazine says that in 2016, personalisation “will rely heavily on data integration and customer segmentation.” Also in Forbes magazine’s marketing predictions for 2016, Fintech expert Kevin Brown says: “Marketing and Data Science will be the new Dynamic Duo.”

3. Being human
The continuing growth of the meetings and conference industry in an era when Skype and video conferencing are established reflects the essential importance and need for face to face contact.

Similarly, in contrast to the data driven approach, marketing expert Alan Hart, founder of marketing consultancy avidimpact.com predicts that “Being Human will return to marketing” because ‘consumers want to be inspired and have meaningful and personal connections with brands to move them to buy products and services.’

4. Shared economy – from consumer travel to the meetings industry
PwC predicts that the shared economy globally will grow from a value of $15bn in 2013 to $335bn in 2025. Within the travel sector, from Airbnb to Uber, from Bookalokal to Vizeat, the concept has made enormous inroads among consumers. Next year the meetings industry discussing more intensively and proactively how it can and should adapt to this trend and use it co-operatively, with first steps to put words into action being seen.

At IMEX in Frankfurt 2016, this topic will run throughout the show.

5. Community – giving back
In an age when spare time is supposedly under pressure, the drive to contribute and give back, whether it is through volunteering or through schemes such as the http://www.themeetingsindustryfund.org/, is a growing trend.

In 2013, one in four adults in the USA (25.4 percent) volunteered through an organization. Altogether, 62.6 million Americans volunteered nearly 7.7 billion hours last year. Based on the Independent Sector’s estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour, the estimated value of this volunteer service is nearly $173 billion.
www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/#sthash.5XV7XE5n.dpuf

According to the UK’s annual Community Life Survey, in 2014-15 “there was a significant increase in the proportion of people taking part in civic participation at least once a month (5%) compared to 2013-14 (3%)”.

It also reports that in 2014-15, 8% of people participated in employer volunteering, a significant increase compared to 2012-13 (6%).

While there seems to be an emphasis in society on ‘looking after yourself’, it is good to see altruism also increasing as well.

6. Asia – potentially the key growth area for new meetings destinations and venues
The importance of this region is endorsed by the latest annual American Express meetings and events industry report which says that ‘meetings spending is rising globally, led by the Asia Pacific region with 2.1 per cent growth expected.’
http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Features/Meetings-Industry-Future-Hotels-Airlines-Trade-Shows-Incentives/?cid=eltrMtgNews

In the 2012 IMEX Power of 10 study – looking at what the next decade holds for the meetings industry – 46 per cent of respondents anticipated growing political and economic influence coming from Asia. This was evident at IMEX in Frankfurt 2015 where stand space taken by countries from the Asia Pacific region expanded by 16 percent. Hosted buyer participation from the region has also increased significantly over the past 3 years.

Leading Global DMCs Form Strategic Alliance

Leading Global DMCs Form Strategic Alliance
JTB Global Marketing & Travel and Pacific World partner to offer integrated DMC services in Japan

Pacific World (www.pacificworld.com) has recently confirmed a strategic alliance with JTB Global Marketing & Travel (www.jtbgmt.com), Japan’s leading Destination Management Company, starting as of 1st May 2015.

Through this partnership, Pacific World will leverage the strength of JTB Global Marketing & Travels’ incoming business and align themselves to provide leading meetings & events services in Japan.

The strategic alliance will enable Pacific World to showcase Japan as a meetings and incentive destination – to their network of corporate and agency meeting planners worldwide.

Herve Joseph-Antoine, Global MD of Pacific World commented, “Japan is known as an inspiring traditional destination, but the country is recently being rediscovered by corporates and associations based in the Americas and Europe as a key strategic destination for conferences and events in the Asia Pacific region. We have a long past working relationship with JTB, now is the time to formalize this commercial alliance and offer a ‘new Japan’ value proposition to our clients together.”

Haruhiko Sakano, Director of Sales & Marketing at JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc. commented, “Pacific World is one of the most reputable DMC in the MICE industry. We are confident that with this strategic alliance we are able to cover the Asian region and both our companies will be able to strongly promote our destinations along with the rapidly growing Asian market.”

Through its strategic alliances, Pacific World now covers two of the most important markets and destinations for meetings & events; Japan and USA. Together Pacific World, JTB Global Marketing & Travel and ACCESS Destination Services provide the most complete, integrated and global DMC solution available to clients.

For more information, please visit www.pacificworld.com

TERI ORTON NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF HAWAI‘I CONVENTION CENTER

TERI ORTON NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF HAWAI‘I CONVENTION CENTER

HONOLULU, December 12, 2013 – AEG Facilities, which will assume management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center January 1, 2014, has named Teri Orton as General Manager of the 1.1 million square-foot facility located at the entrance to Waikïkï, O‘ahu. She will join AEG on December 18.

Prior to accepting the position, Orton was Vice President of Condominium Resort Marketing for Outrigger Enterprises Group, which consists of 16 properties across the Hawaiian Islands.

“Teri’s dynamic leadership skills, ability to motivate teams and proficiency in the hospitality arena combined with her experience and deep understanding of the destination make her the ideal person to oversee this great facility,” said Brad Gessner, Vice President of Convention Centers, AEG Facilities. “The addition of Teri along with the existing knowledgeable and professional staff to our experienced AEG Facilities team are uniquely qualified and poised to take the Center to new standards of success in service, bookings and guest satisfaction.”

In her new role, Orton will oversee all overall management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, including sales and marketing, operations, finance, food and beverage and customer service, while implementing the strategic positioning and marketing plans for the facility in conjunction with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), and the Meet Hawai‘i team.

“I am excited and privileged to have the opportunity to join the well-respected AEG Facilities management group in operating the world class Hawai‘i Convention Center,” said Orton. “Together with the veteran existing staff members, I am looking forward to working in conjunction with all of the community and hospitality stakeholders along with the HTA and Meet Hawai‘i sales team in marketing the Center and the Hawaiian Islands as an unmatched business meetings destination.”

“We are very fortunate to have found in Teri an individual born and raised in the Islands with outstanding travel industry credentials and a passionate belief in the strength and marketability of Hawai‘i as a meetings destination,” said Mike McCartney, HTA’s president and CEO. “Her proven track record of success and leadership will contribute greatly to elevating the Center’s global presence and optimizing its usage.”

Orton’s 17 years of hospitality experience includes posts as hotel general manager, director of sales and marketing and other management roles with Outrigger Enterprises Group, Embassy Suites, The Ilikai, W Diamond Head, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani and the Huntington Beach Hilton Resort.

Orton majored in communications at the University of Hawai‘i – Windward Campus and advanced her training in hospitality management through various certifications with Starwood and Hilton Hotels. She has also been a member of the Waikiki Roundtable Committee for two years and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) membership committee chair for two years.

AEG Facilities has more than 20 years of experience in the management of convention centers, as well as arenas, stadiums and other facilities. The company offers a network of elite
worldwide convention centers, all of which have a similar look and feel to Hawai‘i’s convention center. With a presence in more than 100 venues on five continents, the Los Angeles-based organization expects to immediately position the HCC in some of the HTA’s key Meetings, Conventions and Incentive (MCI) markets, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

AEG takes over the management of the Honolulu center from SMG, which has run the venue since it opened in 1998.

About Meet Hawai‘i
Meet Hawai‘i is a collaboration of the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) and Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) to reinforce the brand of the Hawaiian Islands as a world-class destination for business meetings, conventions, and incentive programs. The marketing efforts of the Meet Hawai‘i team are overseen by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawai‘i’s tourism agency. HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawai‘i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawai‘i’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs. For information about Meet Hawai‘i and the hosting of meetings, conventions and incentives, please visit MeetHawaii.com.

About AEG Facilities
AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, is the leading sports, entertainment and venue operator in the world. AEG Facilities, a stand-alone affiliate of AEG, owns, operates or consults with more than 100 of the industry’s preeminent venues worldwide, across five continents, providing complete venue management, as well as specialized programs in operations, guest services, ticketing, booking, sales and marketing. AEG Facilities also provides resources and access to other AEG-affiliated entities, including live event producer, AEG Live, AEG Global Partnerships, AEG Development, AEG 1Earth, AEG Encore and AEG Creative to support the success of AEG venues across the globe. The Los Angeles-based organization owns, operates or provides services to the world’s most elite venues, including STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, Calif.), StubHub Center (Carson, Calif.), Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (Los Angeles, Calif.), Sprint Center (Kansas City, Mo.), KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, Ky.),
AmericanAirlines Arena(Miami, Fla.), Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.), Target Center (Minneapolis, Minn.) and BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, Texas). Among the roster of world class convention centers and other facilities managed by the division are the Los Angeles Convention Center, Hawai’i Convention Center (Honolulu, HI), Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (Brisbane, Australia), Oman Convention and Exhibition Center (Muscat, Oman), Sydney International Convention, Exhibition, and Entertainment District, Cairns Convention Center and Darwin Conventions Centre. Other venues include Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum (Oakland, Calif.), CONSOL Energy Center (Pittsburgh, Penn.), Rabobank Arena (Bakersfield, Calif.), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MasterCard Center (Beijing, China), The O2 Arena (London, England), O2 World (Berlin, Germany), O2 World Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany), Ahoy Arena (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Itaipava Arena Pernambuco (Recife, Brazil), Allianz Parque (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), Ülker Sports Arena (Istanbul, Turkey), Ericsson Globe Arena (Stockholm, Sweden) and the. For more information, please visit aegworldwide.com.