Saudi Arabia Welcomes your Meetings

Saudi Arabia Welcomes your Meetings
Stand D600 at IMEX in Frankfurt 2017

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been investing significantly in reinforcing its infrastructure and transforming and developing the meetings industry within the country to welcome meetings and business events. It now has more than 600 first class hotels, convention and event facilities and nearly all leading international hotel groups have properties in the major cities.

This will be clearly seen at IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 where the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau is exhibiting for the first time, with many Saudi successful event organising companies  marketing their meetings and events facilities and services.

Currently public investment in the meetings industry in Saudi Arabia up to 2020 is estimated at
6 billion Saudi Riyals (US $1.6billion). These investments include establishing five major convention districts – King Salman International Conference Center in Madinah; King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, at the King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, the King Abdullah Economic City and at the King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, to be completed within the next five years. These are in addition to private sector investments in the industry, represented by hotels with exhibition and conference facilities all over the Kingdom.

Vision 2030
The investment is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, announced in April 2016, an ambitious but achievable blueprint which expresses long-term goals and reflects the country’s strengths and capabilities.

Vision 2030 is to position Saudi Arabia as a global investment powerhouse and a global hub connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa, capitalising on its status as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds and its unique geographic strategic location. Vision 2030 also aims to reinforce and diversify the capabilities of the country’s economy. As such, it will transform the economy away from a dependence on oil production into a industrial conglomerate and transform the Public Investment Fund into the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. Hosting business events is one of the focal points of the reforms, along with leisure and religious tourism, all means to generate both revenue and employment.
Business events comes under the National Transformation Plan, the centrepiece of Vision 2030, which consists of 755 initiatives costing $100 billion dollars between 2016 and 2020.
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage (SCTH) and chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Saudi Exhibition & Conference Bureau (SECB), has said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will become one of the key destinations in the Meetings industry.

Established in 2013, the Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau was created with a mandate to develop the meetings industry.  Eng.Tariq A. Al Essa, Executive Director of Saudi Exhibition and Convention Bureau explains what the Bureau is doing and how it is making progress.
“We are a government organisation responsible for developing and organising the meetings industry in Saudi Arabia. The government recognised the importance of the meetings industry and it approved a development strategy. The SECB is operated differently to other bureaus around the world. Our mandate is not only promotion; it is also the development of the industry.
Overcoming obstacles
“As a first step, we identified the major obstacles to the industry’s growth, including regulatory framework, accessibility, infrastructure capacity, human resources, and the non-availability of information about meetings and events that are being organised”.
“To deal with the matter of visas, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to smooth the process to obtain visas for speakers and exhibitors. Visitors, speakers, or exhibitors will apply through an e-system and will receive their visa online.
Long heritage in hosting meetings
“Saudi Arabia has a heritage in hosting meetings going back more than 2000 years. Our country has been staging one of the oldest meetings in the world, Okaz, originally an annual convention of Arab poets and of course we have 1437 years of experience in hosting the largest and most complex meeting in the planet – the ‘Hajj’. In 2016 more than 1.9 million international delegates from 163 countries took part in this meeting.
Knowledge economy
“Although Saudi Arabia is starting to pitch for international association meetings, it is also very keen to create unique and sustainable business events based on its strengths, competitive  advantage and the needs of the national economy.
“There are plenty of opportunities for many sectors in Saudi Arabia. We are number one in the world for water desalination and water treatment, and obviously oil, power, petrochemicals, and Islamic finance. This gives the country an opportunity to host business events in these sectors which will positively enhance the economy and society. Our vision is to convert Saudi Arabia into a major destination for meetings in the world, which we can be.
“We started from strengthening this idea at a local level and we will gradually extend our campaign to regional and international level. We have spent time characterising Saudi companies to highlight the importance of meeting, discussing, and exchanging opinions, views, and technologies. We also developed the “ambassador programme” with the aim of selecting and training a number of Saudi medical professionals and scientific associations and federations who will be in charge of contacting international associations to discuss partnership opportunities for hosting events in our country. This will strongly enhance the image of Saudi Arabia as a meeting hub in the region and worldwide, and will make a positive contribution to the tourism sector.
Measuring economic impact
“In addition, to measure the economic impact of the meeting industry in Saudi Arabia and demonstrate the value of the investment we aim to provide information and statistics. We have created an electronic gate – a SAR12 million project that is at the heart of the Saudi meetings industry. All operations and events happening in Saudi Arabia are reported in this e-system.
“The gate is unique in the world, and it provides up-to-date data to assist business professionals from all around the world not only to understand the behaviour of the meetings industry, but the behaviour of all economic sectors in Saudi Arabia.
“Collaborating with other stakeholders is of crucial importance to us, not just for the industry but for the growth of the whole country, in relation to human resources. We want Saudi people to play a key role in the industry. We approached universities and other institutes, and right now some of them offer courses in event management. A recent study conducted by the Saudi Ministry of Labour revealed that Saudi graduate students selected “event manager” as one of the jobs they are most keen to do.
“We have also secured the involvement of investors in the creation of the Saudi Event Management Academy (SEMA), which is the first step in our bid to fill the gap between Saudi’s human resources and the competencies that the industry requires. The academy is unique in the Middle East region.
“Saudi Arabia is the heart of the Arabic and Islamic worlds, it is a pioneering investment powerhouse and the hub connecting three continents. We are creating an environment for successful meetings and exhibitions that will attract business in events and investments.”

 

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#IMEX17 #TariqAlEssa #SaudiArabia #KingdomofSaudiArabia

Neuestes Format der IMEX erfolgreich gestartet

Neuestes Format der IMEX erfolgreich gestartet – der EduMonday auf der IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 übertrifft alle Erwartungen

“Wir wollten ein trend-orientiertes Weiterbildungsangebot schaffen, welches es so auf der IMEX noch nicht gab, mit dem größtmöglichen Nutzen für die Teilnehmer. Ein Format, das top-aktuelles Branchenwissen auf erfrischende und kreative Art vermittelt, den vielen aktuellen Innovationen und Herausforderungen begegnet und unseren Besuchern wertvolle Tools und Bewältigungsstrategien an die Hand gibt. Der EduMonday vereint verschiedene Workshops und Weiterbildungseinheiten zu einem energiegeladenen Tag, den wir ganz der Weiterbildung gewidmet haben“ erklärt Carina Bauer, CEO der IMEX Group, über die Entstehung des Formats EduMonday.

Dieses neue Aus- und Weiterbildungsformat fand gestern, am Montag den 17. Mai 2017 erstmalig im Congress Center der Messe Frankfurt statt – parallel zu den beliebten und bewährten Formaten Exclusively Corporate @IMEX und dem Association Day – bevor heute die 15. Ausgabe der IMEX in Frankfurt, die vom 16. bis zum 18. Mai ihre Tore öffnet, beginnt.

Der EduMonday – ein ganzer Tag voller Trendwissen am Vortag der IMEX
Das neue Format EduMonday bot den Teilnehmern ein kostenfreies deutsch- und englischsprachiges Weiterbildungsprogramm zu sämtlichen Trendthemen der Branche und in einer Vielzahl an Lernformaten wie interaktive Seminare und Experten-Vorträge an. Neben Vorträgen der ZEUS EventTech Academy zu neuesten Entwicklungen der Event-Technologie und des GCB German Convention Bureau mit dem EVVC Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren und dem Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation zur Studie Future Meeting Space fanden die beliebte PCMA Business School und die Meetology Masterclasses statt.
Das Event Design Certificate Programm, bei dem jeweils 30 deutsch- und englischsprachige Eventplaner das begehrte Zertifikat kostenfrei erwerben konnten, bildete den Start einer dreijährigen Kooperation mit der IMEX. Im Play Room, powered by Play with a Purpose & Catalyst, konnten die Teilnehmer sich kreative Anregungen für die Eventplanung holen.

Event-Technologien in der MICE-Branche: der Hype-Zyklus – von hohen Erwartungen über Frustrationen bis hin zum Pfad der Erleuchtung

Matthias Heicke und Sven Frauen, Co-Founder von MATE und Mitglieder von ZEUS, beleuchteten in ihrem Vortrag Gartner Hype Cycle Trends and their relevance for event tech, welche Phasen der öffentlichen Aufmerksamkeit eine neue Technologie ab deren Einführung durchläuft. Vom anfänglichen Hype, einhergehend mit großem Interesse an einer neuen Technologie über frustrierende Erfahrungen bis hin zum Plateau der Produktivität, auf dem eine neue Technologie gut adaptiert wird, ist es demnach ein weiter und manchmal auch steiniger Weg. Der Vortrag veranschaulichte anhand der konkreten Beispiele smarte Roboter, Augmented Reality und 4D Printing, in welcher Phase die jeweilige Technologie heute steht. Technologie-Experte Heicke erklärte: „Ich spüre eine deutliche Zuwendung zu den neuen Technologien und eine neue Offenheit – die Meeting-Industrie ist heute bereiter für neue Technologien, als noch vor kurzer Zeit.“

Silke Hoersch, Director of Marketing, EMEA bei Ungerboeck Systems International bemerkte in der an den Vortrag anschließenden Diskussion: „Die digitale Transformation ist in der Veranstaltungsbranche angekommen. Allerdings verzeichnen wir deutliche regionale Unterschiede in punkto Offenheit und Bereitschaft zum Einsatz neuer Technologien – hier hat Deutschland im Gegensatz zu USA und England noch deutlichen Aufholbedarf.“

Erstmals als deutschsprachiges Format: #EventCanvas auf der IMEX in Frankfurt
Eine weitere Premiere ist die Kooperation mit der Event Design Collective mit ihrer Methode Event Canvas, die 2014 von Ruud Janssen und Roel Frissen gegründet wurde. Das Modell des Event Canvas basiert auf der Erkenntnis, dass der Veranstaltungsindustrie bislang ein Tool gefehlt hat, welches für Eventplaner und deren Teams einfach und praktikabel anwendbar ist und welches die kommunikative Lücke zwischen Anforderungen eines Auftraggebers einer Veranstaltung und Veranstaltungsorganisatoren schließt. Die Methode führt durch 14 Felder, angefangen bei den Erwartungen aber auch Sorgen und Vorbehalten in der ersten Konzeptionsphase eines Events bis hin zur antizipierten Zielerreichung und der erwünschten Verhaltensveränderung der Teilnehmer. Gerrit Jessen, Referent des deutschsprachigen Seminars, bemerkte: „Wir freuen uns über das große Interesse an unserer Methode – als krönenden Abschluss konnten wir allen Teilnehmern das begehrte Event Canvas Zertifikat überreichen. Die Methode stammt aus der Unternehmensberatung und wurde maßgeschneidert für die Veranstaltungskonzeption – so können unsere Teilnehmer das erworbene Wissen direkt bei der Planung ihres nächsten Events anwenden.“

An den Wünschen der Teilnehmer neu ausgerichtet: Exclusively Corporate @IMEX und Association Day
Die inhaltliche Neuausrichtung von Exclusively Corporate @IMEX, die exklusive und für die spezifischen Herausforderungen und Belange der Veranstaltungsplaner in Unternehmen konzipierte Veranstaltung, fand großen Anklang. So gaben in einer Sli.do Umfrage 100 Prozent der Befragten an, dieses Format an Kollegen weiterempfehlen zu wollen und 84 Prozent gaben an, etwas Neues gelernt zu haben.

Und auch der Verbändetag rückte die Wünsche der Teilnehmer in den Fokus – so hatte das IMEX-Team im Vorfeld zahlreiche Gespräche mit Verbändeplanern geführt, um das Programm noch besser an den täglichen Herausforderungen von Veranstaltungsplanern in Verbänden auszurichten. Das neue Inhaltskonzept präsentierte drei parallele Stränge, jeweils unter einem Vorsitz von ASAE, ICCA und MCI. Diese umfassten inspirierende Vorträge und Workshops u.a. zur Mitgliederbindung, zu Nachhaltigkeitsprogrammen, zu Sponsoring Strategien und zur Zusammenarbeit mit Convention Bureaus.

Carina Bauer: „Wir sind hocherfreut über das positive Feedback zu unserem ersten EduMonday und über die zahlreichen Besucher. Die vielen Diskussionen im Anschluss an die Vorträge zeigten auf, wie wichtig dieser Austausch – zusätzlich zu den Gesprächen an den Messeständen auf der Messe selbst – ist. Dies bestätigt unsere Idee, den Vortag der IMEX der Weiterbildung zu widmen und damit die Entwicklung der Branche zu unterstützen.“

#IMEX17

IMEX – Corporate events and meetings

Corporate events and meetings: IMEX offsets planner’s isolation and training drought with new ‘Exclusively Corporate’ programme

Exclusively Corporate at IMEX, the dedicated event for event and travel planners (corporate), has been redeveloped for IMEX in Frankfurt 2017. The IMEX team has collaborated with planners from across the globe to gather views and experiences, creating a new, free of charge, one day programme for the show.

Some of the challenges raised by event and meeting executives included the need to create a fresh event experience be it through new technology, emerging destinations or unique venues – all on an ever-decreasing budget.

The newly bespoke programme for Exclusively Corporate at IMEX reflects these issues with speakers drawn from companies including Cisco, GSK, Lego, Dell, AstraZeneca, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Estée Lauder, EY, BNP Paribas and Barclays. All will share their experiences in a series of in-depth 45-minute sessions. The case study focused panel sessions then lead to opportunities for attendees to brainstorm and generate ideas with their peers.

New, two stream education programme
The dedicated education and networking programme begins on Sunday 14 May with a networking dinner hosted by Hilton. Attendees then begin Monday 15 May with breakfast hosted by Dubai followed by a full day of free education on topics such as delivering ROI, creative event formats, new technologies, security risk and emerging destinations and trends. After a series of group sessions, the education then splits into two streams with sessions on strategic global programme management for senior event professionals and operational issues for event managers.

Planners can then explore IMEX in Frankfurt, which takes place 16 – 18 May at Messe Frankfurt. With 3,500 exhibitors from 160 countries under one roof, the show enables visitors to discover new destinations and suppliers and see the latest technologies designed for the events industry.

Attendees find Exclusively Corporate at IMEX an invaluable opportunity to meet and share ideas with other executives in the same role, as Alise Long, CMM, Manager Strategic Meetings & Events at DSM in the Netherlands, who took part last year explains:

“Exclusively Corporate at IMEX is one of the pinnacles of IMEX in Frankfurt. There are three or four times a year when I can step away from my office and this is one that I value. I like to get together with my peers.”

Alise Long returns this year as one of the speakers who’ll discuss how to build and manage a global team as well as exploring which technology trends are shaping the future of events.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, summarises: “This year’s agenda has been researched and developed with much more detail and input from past attendees. We’ve focused on the biggest challenges that in house marketing, travel and event executives are facing in 2017 and developed an extremely current and detailed programme for them. This is a great opportunity for professionals to benefit from a high quality, free of charge education programme – something which is particularly valuable in the face of decreasing training budgets across many organisations.

“As with every aspect of our shows, we collaborate closely with our attendees to ensure our offering remains relevant and provides the support and inspiration our various audiences need to have the best possible experience. We’re also supported by some fantastic sponsors. Their contributions are vital as they allow us to serve this influential group of buyers and planners with a unique programme that also recognises the fact these planners rarely ever have the chance to meet or talk to each other.”

Full details at http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/events/education/exclusively-corporate-@imex/ or contact Donna Fung Donna.Fung@imexexhibitions.com

#IMEX17

Tech start-ups to compete for business boost at IMEX in Frankfurt

Tech start-ups to compete for business boost at IMEX in Frankfurt
Applications now open for #IMEXpitch

Event technology start-ups have the opportunity to showcase their products to an audience of event professionals at IMEX in Frankfurt this year.

Applications are now open for the #IMEXpitch, culminating in five finalists competing in a live head-to-head pitch competition at the show.
Each company has five minutes to put forward its product, including the concept, features and unique selling points, to a live audience of up to 60 attendees. The winner, chosen by an expert judging panel, will receive a free space on the Technology Pavilion at IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 in addition to press and marketing exposure.
Last year’s winner was InitLive, a software company from Ottawa, Canada, which pitched its all-in-one software solution for event staff and volunteer management on mobile devices.
The six judges are all individuals who work with event technology on a daily basis and are heavily involved in the latest developments. They will select the winner at the #IMEXpitch final held at the show. The selection criteria covers ease of implementation and practicality, innovation and sustainability among other factors. Meetings industry professional, Christine Fuchs from the social fox, one of the judges and self-confessed ‘social media marketing geek’, explains:
“I’m very much looking forward to seeing great ideas and fun tools which are self-explanatory in usage and real assets for meetings and events. Major digital trends like augmented reality, the internet of things or full service / market research apps are already changing the meetings industry as we know it. In general, developments in the digital world will never be as slow as they are today. Therefore, we need ideas and tools that are fast forward and flexible. So I’d be curious to see ideas functioning like a chameleon: swiftly adapting to the surroundings to perfectly fit in!”
This competition is part of the IMEX education program and will take place at the Inspiration Hub on 19 April 2016 at 16:00.
The deadline for applications is 1 March 2016. For further details see www.imex-frankfurt.com/imexpitch