OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE ANNOUNCES AUGUST OPENING DURING IMEX FRANKFURT 2016

OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE ANNOUNCES AUGUST OPENING DURING IMEX FRANKFURT 2016

 

Muscat, April 20^th 2016 – Showcasing the tremendous possibilities of Oman as a destination and the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) as the world’s convention venue of choice, the OCEC, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, participated at premier events industry exhibition; IMEX Frankfurt 2016. At the influential event, the Ministry of Tourism and the OCEC held a media conference to officially announce the highly anticipated opening of OCEC Phase One on 15^thAugust, 2016 and the launch of the Oman Convention Bureau, created to provide regulatory assistance for business tourism in Oman and spearhead growth of the emerging industry.

Commenting on both announcements, Her Excellency Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism said: “A unique and irresistible country with delegate appeal in abundance, Oman is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting meeting, convention, and exhibition destinations with the catalyst being the nation’s pillar project, the OCEC. IMEX Frankfurt 2016 is a valuable opportunity to present the formidable array of assets that make Oman such a dynamic meetings environment and to introduce the Oman Convention Bureau and its diverse services to the global events industry.”

Outlining the strengths that make Oman an oasis of opportunity, Her Excellency highlighted the Sultanate’s robust economy, flourishing enterprise culture, immense intellectual capital, reputation as one of the world’s safest and most tranquil destinations, and its youthful and ambitious multi-cultural population. She also pointed out the Sultanate’s wealth of natural assets including an enviable location at the nexus of East-West trade routes, stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture and heritage. The Under Secretary went on to emphasise the investment that has been made in infrastructure to support Oman’s business tourism, including the redevelopment and expansion of Muscat and Salalah International Airports; the construction of new regional airports in Duqm and Sohar; the expansion of Oman’s Air’s network route; the establishment of new budget carrier Salam Air; and the construction of many new hotels.

Trevor McCartney OCEC General Manager added: “The OCEC is ready for business and we can’t wait to meet the world! With our Phase I facilities coming online on 15^thof August 2016, we are set to impress with 22,000 superb square metres of flexible column free exhibition space and ten state-of-the-art hospitality suites supported by a full service kitchen, staffed by expert chefs. On top of that, the purpose built OCEC Precinct is just four kilometres and ten minutes’ drive from Muscat International Airport, conveniently located close to the myriad of cultural attractions in Muscat, and within easy reach of an array of luxury hotels and resorts, stunning beaches, mountains, desert and wadis – ideal for sightseeing and a host of outdoor activities.”

McCartney added, “IMEX Frankfurt 2016 was a great platform that helped us nurture global networking opportunities with potential clients interested in bringing their business to Oman and the OCEC as one of the world’s most compelling events destinations.”

While participating at IMEX Frankfurt 2016, the OCEC engaged in a series of pre-scheduled appointments with high profile organisations and professional associations from sectors pivotal to Oman’s economic diversification strategy. To find out more about the OCEC, please go to: www.omanconvention.com.

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.

Strong demand and line-up for IMEX in Frankfurt 2016

Strong demand and line-up for IMEX in Frankfurt 2016

New educational initiatives, new exhibitors and high demand from across the industry are already laying down strong foundations for IMEX in Frankfurt 2016, taking place at Messe Frankfurt on 19 – 21 April 2016, one month earlier than usual.

Demand for the show from returning and new exhibitors continues to be exceptionally high from destinations, venues and service providers from across the world. Following the success of the 2015 hosted buyer programme – with 98% of buyers agreeing that they achieved their objectives at the show – a number of new hosted buyer groups have also already been confirmed. Plans to further develop the hosted buyer programme – including increasing the amount of time buyers spend at the show – will be announced later in the year.

The new education initiatives already confirmed are designed to meet the interests of the industry at different levels and to cover several key trends, including a new track on personal development, plus enhancements to the CSR and wellbeing programme.

A high level panel discussion on the rapidly developing sharing economy and its potential role in the meetings and events sector will be held on Wednesday 20 April. Reflecting on the growth of businesses such as Airbnb, Uber and Bookalokal, this session will look at how the industry can adapt to this trend and use it co-operatively. There will also be additional sessions on this theme at the Inspiration Hub during the show.

Also at a senior level will be the first PCMA Business School in Frankfurt providing MBA standard education presented by a university professor. This follows the successful implementation of PCMA’s signature Business School programme at IMEX America.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group commented: “We have worked hard to innovate and develop IMEX in Frankfurt from all angles – looking at the show experience for hosted buyers, exhibitors and other visitors. These innovations will be seen across the show – from small details in the hosted buyer lounge – to larger events and educational initiatives. As the industry continues to develop we are determined to ensure that IMEX in Frankfurt not only provides the industry with the business opportunities that it expects, but also provides buyers and suppliers alike with insights, new knowledge and inspiration for their own programmes, businesses or events.”
—
#IMEX #IMEXFrankfurt #IMEX2016

Die IMEX in Frankfurt 2016 meldet große Nachfrage

Die IMEX in Frankfurt 2016 meldet große Nachfrage
Ein neues Aus- und Weiterbildungsprogramm, neue Aussteller und eine große Nachfrage aus der gesamten Veranstaltungsbranche bilden schon jetzt eine ideale Grundlage für die IMEX in Frankfurt 2016, die vom 19. bis zum 21. April 2016 stattfinden wird.

Zu den vielen wiederkehrenden und neuen Ausstellern aus der gesamten MICE-Branche (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Events) gehören Destinationen, Locations, Fluggesellschaften, Hotelketten und Serviceanbieter aus der ganzen Welt. Nach dem großen Erfolg des Hosted Buyer Programms 2015 – 98% der Teilnehmer gaben an, ihre persönlichen Ziele auf der IMEX erreicht zu haben – haben bereits zahlreiche Hosted Buyer Gruppen ihre Teilnahme bestätigt.

Neuigkeiten vom Aus- und Weiterbildungsprogramm
Neu auf der IMEX 2016 wird der Bereich „personal development“ sein, zu dem es verschiedene Workshops, Seminare und weitere Formate geben wird. Gleichzeitig werden die Themenbereiche „Wellbeing“ und „CSR“ um weitere Formate angereichert.

Podiumsdiskussion zur Share Economy auf der IMEX
Wie wirkt sich die Entwicklung der „Share Economy“ auf die gesamte Wirtschaft aus? Welche Rolle kann die „Share Economy“ in der Veranstaltungsbranche spielen? Und wie können die sich daraus ergebenden Potenziale genutzt werden? Am Beispiel erfolgreicher Unternehmen wie Airbnb, Uber und Bookalokal bringt eine Podiumsdiskussion am Mittwoch, den 20. April spannende Einblicke, reflektiert Expertenmeinungen und beantwortet Fragen. Zudem wird es dazu Workshops und Seminare am Inspiration Hub an alle drei Messetagen geben.

Erste PCMA Business School auf der IMEX in Frankfurt
Das neue Format „PCMA Business School“ präsentiert Aus- und Weiterbildung auf MBA-Niveau, welches von einem Universitätsprofessor vermittelt wird. Es wurde nach dem großen Erfolg des PCMA’s Signature Business School Programms auf der IMEX America nun speziell für die IMEX in Frankfurt entwickelt.

Carina Bauer, CEO der IMEX Gruppe bemerkt: “Wir haben hart daran gearbeitet, die IMEX in Frankfurt einmal mehr inhaltlich weiter zu entwickeln. Mit dem Programm der IMEX in Frankfurt 2016 sind wir sicher, sowohl Besuchern wie auch Ausstellern das bestmögliche Messeerlebnis zu garantieren. Unsere Branche entwickelt sich schnell und unser Anspruch ist es, allen Beteiligten nicht nur eine erfolgreiche Messe mit jeder Menge Inspiration und Wissensvermittlung zu bieten, sondern darüber hinaus auch neue Geschäftsmöglichkeiten und Perspektiven auf zu zeigen.“