MICE CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE

IMEX declares new purpose for 2017: Reimagines key education programmes

Meeting and event professionals can learn ‘How to plan with deeper meaning, innovation and insight in mind’ as part of Purposeful Meetings, the new IMEX Talking Point and focus of IMEX in Frankfurt this May.

The new Talking Point, which reflects an industry shift towards delivering ‘memorable moments’ instead of meetings, and ‘experiences’ not events, will be explored throughout the show, which takes place 16 – 18 May is in addition to the education programme and its ten tracks, many networking events and extensive exhibition.

Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group, explains: “Any event planner who cares about their craft and truly wants to have a competitive edge will be excited to dig deeper into the IMEX Purposeful Meetings Talking Point.

“Our chief focus is always going to be on bringing buyers and sellers together, face to face, in the most efficient and enjoyable way possible. But, from a strategic point of view, having an annual IMEX Talking Point, or headline theme, will inject more immediacy, stronger direction and a clearer distinction between each show year to year.”

The IMEX Group has also entered into a three-year agreement with EventCanvas.org Foundation which allows IMEX to offer Event Design Certification to selected participants. The certification training will be offered free of charge and provides planners from across the world with a common language for designing more innovative – and purposeful – events.

Targeted and inspiring Monday education

The Event Design Certification is part of a new pre-show education programme taking place on Monday 15 May, the day before the show. Free of charge and open to all, the day will incorporate five core streams covering event design, future trends and supplier education.

The popular Association Day also takes place the day before the show, offering free, tailored education exclusively for association professionals. The IMEX Association Day programme has been redesigned for 2017 and will feature a new Association Management Stream, covering topics such as understanding why members leave and how to persuade them to stay. There will now be two Meetings & Events Streams (A and B), discussing issues such as how to maximise member participation at your events, and how to identify and approach new sponsors.

Exclusively Corporate at IMEX, the dedicated event for corporate meeting planners and event marketers, has also been redeveloped for IMEX in Frankfurt this year. Tailored to address some of the challenges faced by planners, there is a full day of networking and 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.

Emanuele Caprarelli, Meeting & Event Planner at CROMSOURCE, Italy, who attended the event last year explains: “This event is about getting us to think. To remind us not get stuck in our own ways of doing things. It’s also good to meet people here. I’ve been in touch with people I met here at the event two years ago, and just saw them again today.”

More exhibitors to meet

The IMEX show itself offers a wide range of business opportunities and inspiration with new exhibitors including Saudi Arabia, Meet Puerto Rico, Barcelona, Vienna House Hotels and Choose Chicago. Exhibitors with expanded stands include Tourism New Zealand, Royal Caribbean International, Latvia, Slovenia, Accor and NYC.

With the largest global array of exhibitors from every sector in the meetings industry, buyers can discover 3,500 worldwide organisations, the latest trends and hundreds of meeting professionals under one roof. Combined with over 200 networking opportunities with senior level meeting professionals, and social events including Site Nite Europe, CIM-Clubbing and the IMEX Gala Dinner, this adds up to three inspiring and productive days of business.

Mark Abbott, Director of Operations, Abbott Travel Group, USA, who visited the show last year sums up:

“My visit to IMEX was very fruitful. With 28 meetings in three days, I was able to cover more ground and obtain more information than I thought possible in such a short time. There is nowhere so much business can be done in so little time.”

IMEX in Frankfurt takes place at Messe Frankfurt

from 16 – 18 May 2017.