Far from business as usual: revamped education programme offers innovation and inspiration for planners at IMEX in Frankfurt

Press Release
27 March 2017
Far from business as usual: revamped education programme offers innovation and inspiration for planners at IMEX in Frankfurt

“We don’t believe in ‘business as usual’ – and are always seeking engaging and effective ways to further our industry,” explains Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.

One of the ways the IMEX team has done this for IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 is through its education offering: a comprehensive programme of free education running across all three days of the trade show, 16 – 18 May, combined with its brand new EduMonday, 15 May.

Brand new – EduMonday
EduMonday will combine contemporary learning styles with hot industry topics and the latest personal development teachings. With registration free of charge and open to all, the day will provide insights into event design, future trends and hot new technologies. IMEX’s EduMonday will feature experts from the new Zeus Eventtech Academy, the German Convention Bureau (GCB), Meetology® Masterclasses and Play with a Purpose. IMEX is also offering the Event Design Certificate Programme Level 1 of Mastery as part of a three-year agreement with the Event Design Collective. This allows 30 English and 30 German-speaking event professionals to take their career to the next level by taking the certification free of charge on the day.

Event Design training
The Event Design training will be delivered by Roel Frissen and Ruud Janssen, from the Event Design Collective. Roel explains: “Events can be demanding for the event owner and the team responsible for delivery. Event Design should be fun, democratic and engaging for everyone involved in order to deliver events of high quality. The Event Design Certificate programme level 1 of Mastery equips teams with a methodology to do just that.”

Healthcare specialism
Also on EduMonday, meeting professionals in the healthcare sector can gain valuable credibility by participating in the accredited Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC) programme, delivered by MPI. The HMCC provides a foundation in healthcare disciplines, designed for planners and suppliers who need an understanding of regulations, in particular new regulations and laws in healthcare reporting.

A wider programme of free education runs across the three days of the show with close to 150 seminars, including workshops, campfires and bite-sized show-floor education. Participants can choose from carefully selected tracks to create their own bespoke schedule, all designed to help them keep a finger on the pulse of the industry.

Many sessions have a firm eye on the future covering topics such as Visioneering the future of meeting spaces delivered by the IACC plus MPI’s Deep dive into the industry’s business trends.

The second phase of your career that no one knows about will help attendees of all career levels understand what it means to mindfully and purposefully set their career path and achieve goals, part of Purposeful Meetings, IMEX’s new Talking Point.

Guided Tech Tours
Back by popular demand are the IMEX Tech Tours, in both English and German. These provide a guided tour of the show floor and a chance to discover new products, services and gadgets in the field of event technology.

Event risk in a changing world will guide attendees through the steps to create their own safety action plan. Security is explored further in Event security challenges in an elevated security climate by Pete Murphy from Priavo Security and security and risk consultant Angelique Lecorps.

Security expertise
Pete has over 20 years’ experience across the government and private security sector following commendable service within UK Special Forces. He explains why security should remain a key consideration: “Despite the enormous increase in attention to security after recent major international incidents, too many organisations are already slipping back into complacency and cutting corners. Security is considered by some to be an ‘invisible cost’ but this doesn’t make it any less vital.”

IMEX in Frankfurt takes place at Messe Frankfurt from 16 – 18 May 2017. EduMonday (separate registration required) is on 15 May.
Registration is free of charge and open online – https://portal.imex-frankfurt.com/register.php?login=1
EduMonday registration – http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/events/education/edumonday/

#IMEX17

Future focused

Future focused – looking ahead to meeting space, sustainability and communication trends

The comprehensive education programme at IMEX America opened today with a look at what’s on the horizon for meeting planners – an insight into future meeting space, sustainability developments and communication tips was delivered by a host of industry experts.

Award-winning magician Tim David delivered the MPI Keynote, beginning a packed programme of almost 70 education sessions on the first day of the show. Human connection – a lost art in a noisy world was a lively session covering the art of persuasive communication including how to get the best out of people by making changes to language and behaviour.

He explained: “The quantity of social media has gone through the roof, but what about the quality?” Tim went on to reveal the skills required to influence other people, focusing on the subtleties of body language as one of the main channels of communication.

Through his work, Tim has learnt what makes people tick and shared many tips in this motivational presentation uncovering the key to effective communication and fostering connections.

Caitlin Connors, event planner at the Charles Koch Institute who attended the session, commented: “Tim’s session really rang true – human connection is vital, especially in the industry we’re in. It’s crucial to foster relationships and go the extra mile.”

TJ Johnson from the International Legal Technology Association added: “As a planner for a large international association it’s my job to help people connect – Tim’s keynote has given me some valuable tips on boosting human connection. When planning huge conferences, the networking is as vital as the education.”

What’s Ahead? Innovation @ Future Meeting Space was covered by Laura d’Elsa at the Inspiration Hub, home to all show floor education. Laura, who is Regional Director USA/Canada for the German Convention Bureau (GCB), introduced the future meeting space project – a partnership between the German Convention Bureau, the European Association of Event Centers (EVVC) and the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO). Together these organisations are examining the future of events from multiple angles including infrastructure, education, technology, mobility and culture. During this packed session, meeting planners discovered more about the group’s goals and objectives and previewed some of the trends data coming out of focus groups with industry, design, academic and business experts, to innovation guides and case histories.

Attendee Gloria Pickett from American Express Meetings & Events said: “What an exciting session – the technology that’s predicted for the future is simply awesome. It’s like Star Trek coming to life! Meetings and meeting technology are forever evolving and this session was an interesting and useful glimpse into the future“.
Beth Gerundo from The Hartford added: “The technology Laura showcased in her presentation is certainly something I anticipate my organization will take advantage of sooner rather than later. We’re all about the ‘wow’ factor and like to offer something different. The session offered a peak into the future and insight into what the next generation of meeting planners will be dealing with.”

The comprehensive education programme at IMEX America covers key topics including Business Skills, Creative Learning, Diversity, General Education, Health/Wellbeing, Marketing and Communications, Research/Trends, Risk Management/Compliance, Sustainability, and Technology/Social Media.

Two new search filtering options have been added on the education section of the IMEX America website to help attendees pinpoint content specifically tailored to how long they have been in the industry. The Young Professionals line-up, sponsored by IAEE, is for anyone with up to three years’ experience. This includes CEIR research – 10 tips for exhibitor success delivered by David DuBois, President and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events™ (IAEE) this afternoon. The audience engagement workshop which took place today is part of the Senior Professionals sessions, sponsored by SPiN, for those with eight years’ experience or more. Shawna Suckow, Founder & Chairwoman of SPiN, delivered the session which promised to ‘confound, frustrate, enlighten, and entertain’.

EIBTM CONFIRMS IMPRESSIVE LINE UP OF EXHIBITORS FOR 2014

EIBTM CONFIRMS IMPRESSIVE LINE UP OF EXHIBITORS FOR 2014
FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF 2013 SHOW

EIBTM (http://www.eibtm.com) the global event for the meetings and events industry, has confirmed that major industry bellwethers have signed up, confirming their participation at the 2014 show, which is set to take place 18th – 20th November in Fira Gran Via, Barcelona.

Exhibitors who have already signed up to attend the show include: Austrian National Tourist Office, Tourism Ireland, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, Ministry of Culture and Tourism – Turkey, Korea Tourism Organization, Marriott Hotels International, Kempinski, Hyatt Hotels, Wedgewood DMC Group, Brand USA and German Convention Bureau.

Ursula Winterbauer, Head of International Business at the German Convention Bureau (GCB), commented, ”The opportunity to connect with many high calibre buyers and events planners all under one roof is invaluable. We value our business relationships and are always keen to expand our network of contacts – in this way; the ability to meet face to face is crucial. There are many advantages to holding events and conferences in Germany, and EIBTM provides us with the perfect platform to showcase these assets to visitors.”

The positive response received is a direct reflection of the success of the new floor layout, which was implemented for 2013 as well as the high volume of quality one-to-one appointments totaling over 65,089, which were pre-scheduled in advance of the event between exhibitors and Hosted Buyers.

Mr. Miha Kovacic, Director, Slovenia Convention Bureau who exhibited at EIBTM 2013 commented, “We have had a good number of meetings of high quality at EIBTM 2013. We feel the new set up is a lot better as they have created more walkways, making our stand a lot more accessible and easy to find. Our oxygen bar in the innovation zone gives us an opportunity to showcase Slovenia, with a difference, and connect with businesses in an innovative way. I have been attending EIBTM for 17 years and I will definitely be here in 2014.”

Graeme Barnett, Exhibition Director EIBTM, Reed Travel Exhibitions, commented, “EIBTM saw an increase of 7.7% in trade visitor attendance and once again attracted the highest quality Hosted Buyers placing international business. We are delighted with the response we have had so far and it is great that companies are signing up early to make the most of what EIBTM has to offer as a year round marketing tool to target international buyers and maximise their exposure. As the leading event for the global meetings, events and business travel industry, our primary aim is to deliver quantifiable return on investment through targeted and relevant business connections.”

Reed Travel Exhibitions are encouraging companies to take advantage of the opportunities available at this three days dynamic business event and confirm their participation early, to maximise the return on investment from the show and secure their preferred location. Companies interested in exhibiting at EIBTM 2014 should contact their Account Manager or the EIBTM Team at eibtm@reedexpo.co.uk or on +44 (0) 20 8910 7710.

Join EIBTM on Linked in, Twitter and Facebook.

Africa the fastest growing tourism region, UNWTO

Africa the fastest growing tourism region, UNWTO
The first results of 2012 indicate that international tourism continued to show sustained growth in spite of challenging economic conditions. During the first two months of 2012, international tourist arrivals grew by an estimated 5.7 percent compared to the same period of 2011, according to the May issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

In Europe (+5 percent), results were above expectations, boosted by the strong growth in arrivals to Central and Eastern Europe (+8 percent), as well as to destinations of Northern Europe and Western Europe (both +6 percent).

Across the world, growth was positive in all regions in the first months of 2012, with the exception of the Middle East (-1 percent), where there were nonetheless encouraging signs of recovery, such as in Egypt (+32 percent in the first quarter). Southeast Asia and South Asia (both at +10 percent) led growth by sub-region.

Africa was the fastest-growing region with an increase of over 7 percent in international tourist arrivals; and the Americas also reported significant growth (+6 percent).

Read more here www.forimmediaterelease.net.

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Germany is a leading congress destination in the world
Germany is the top congress and meeting destination of Europe – again. According to a study by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), Germany comes in first for the eighth time in a row, followed by Spain and Great Britain.

Worldwide, Germany holds the second spot; only the USA hosts more international congresses. Germany´s capital Berlin stays on fourth place in the worldwide city ranking for most international meetings, following Vienna in the top spot, Paris on second and Barcelona on third place.

Matthias Schultze, CEO of the German Convention Bureau (GCB), said, „Germany being the European top destination for international meetings is not an accident. Germany offers great value for money, has an excellent infrastructure and a broad range of meeting sites available and also scores with innovation. Therefore, Germany is a leading force in the green meetings industry as well, which is becoming more and more important.”

The GCB markets Germany – internationally and nationally – as a destination for meetings, conferences, congresses, incentives and events and is the primary contact for planning and organizing a meeting in Germany.

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Going green does not cost the world
Turning green doesn’t just help save the earth – it saves significant money. This was the message from The Hotel Show Dubai 2012 that took place at Dubai´s International Convention and Exhibition Center May 15-17.
According to Markus Oberlin from consultancy firm Avireal Farnek, the Mövenpick group of hotels and resorts saves 9 percent of electricity across 20 properties, a total of $1 million a year, which works out to an equivalent of free electricity for one hotel for one year.

Savoy Dubai states that guests themselves ask hotels to be more ecologically aware. According to manager Faroukh Sunny, guests recycle by keeping bottles and cans separate and ask hotel staff to clean their apartments’ sheets and towels twice a week instead of every day. Installing green-friendly water aerator devices in taps and toilets has seen the Savoy save “a million gallons of water each year”.

Mövenpick has also managed water saving across all Middle East propeties. Throughout 2011, the hotels collectively saved one Olympic-sized swimming pool of water each week. Through combined energy and water savings, Mövenpick hotels and resorts also reduced their overall carbon-footprint by the equivalent of five round trips from Dubai to London on an A380 Airbus.

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Recently Green Globe Certified: Half Moon Resort, Jamaica
Green Globe announced certification of Half Moon Resort on the northern coast of Jamaica. With a comprehensive Sustainability Management Plan in place, the resort was able to lower energy costs significantly, by replacing light bulbs with low-energy light bulbs, irrigating the property with more than 130,000 gallons of treated waste water per day, and implementing an excellent midnight light reduction policy.

Through its community outreach program, the 400-acre luxury resort has completed several environmental projects, such as the staging of an annual symposium and poster competition in recognition of Earth Day. The resort also partners with the local Barrett Town All Age School to carry out the “Pack for a Purpose” program, which aims to solicit donations of school and medical supplies as most of the school´s 330 students are not able to afford enough school materials through their parents.

Half Moon is the only resort in the Caribbean with a natural Dolphin Lagoon on site. Trained handlers provide a detailed orientation and education session for guests who want to swim with the dolphins.