PTH C O E NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF … · n at i o, whMe g Afr c - ing Africa’s...
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P C O THE Internal distribution please forward to: David McMillin, Staff Writer, PCMA As city leaders in San Francisco are gearing up for another vote on propos- als that would place additional restric- tions on AirBnB hosts, the well-known peer-to-peer rental company has found a new champion in the Bay Area: the San Francisco Travel Association. San Francisco’s destination marketing organisation generates 65% of its cur- rent budget from tax revenue from hotel rooms, but it sees some big poten- tial with AirBnB owners. The organisa- tion has formed a new partnership with AirBnB that is designed to help con- nect tourism to neighbourhoods and encourage visitors to live like locals. Many destination marketing organisa- tions around the US are uncertain on how to approach AirBnB. Could it hurt their valued hotel partners? What does the lack of current regulation mean for the travel industry? San Francisco Travel Association isn’t waiting around for the answers. “AirBnB is part of the evolution of the travel industry,” Joe D’Alessandro, President and CEO, San Francisco Travel Association, said. “As the desti- nation marketing organisation for San Francisco, we’ll continue our strong relationship with the hotel community as we leverage this new way of doing business.” The announcement revealed the part- nership is about more than helping leisure travellers find accommoda- tions. San Francisco Travel Association plans to connect AirBnB with meeting and event planners to “achieve peak attendance during city-wide conven- tions and big events while meeting the diverse lodging preferences of a wide range of delegates coming to the city.” How Are Other Destinations Talking About AirBnB? There isn’t a lot of on-the-record chat- ter from other DMOs about their thoughts on the potential for working with AirBnB. However, at the recent DMAI Annual Convention, rental properties and alternative accommoda- tions fuelled a conversation in a session titled “Shaping Short-Term Rental Regulation to Benefit the Whole Community.” The biggest issue on the agenda was how destinations can col- lect tax revenue from the owners of short-term rental properties listed on AirBnB and other sites such as HomeAway and VRBO. Many cities have not determined how to deal with the soaring popularity of short-term rentals. However, Carl Shepherd, Co- founder and Chief Strategy Officer, HomeAway, told the audience that they will want to figure out how to work with the community of rental owners. “Why should destinations encourage short-term rentals?” Shepherd asked. “Because they’re very profitable for cities.” Shepherd cited statistics from some of the most popular tourist desti- nations around the United States to highlight the importance of hotel alter- natives for travel and tourism. The most notable numbers came from Florida where short-term rentals help fuel 322 000 jobs and account for more than $31 billion of economic impact. “Florida doesn’t exist without short- term rentals,” Shepherd said. What does the future hold for services like AirBnB and HomeAway? Will other DMOs will follow San Francisco Travel’s approach and build partner- ships with rental companies? PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – Michel Neijmann NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISERS Issue No. 73 Q3 2015 EVENTS’ CALENDAR Year Month Date Event Location 2015 Oct 13 – 15 IMEX America Las Vegas, USA 19 – 24 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Dubai, UAE 21 – 23 ITB Asia Singapore Oct/Nov 31 – 4 54th ICCA Congress Buenos Aires, Argentina Nov 13 UIA Round Table Europe Brussels, Belgium 17 – 19 IBTM World Barcelona, Spain Dec 9 – 10 IME (International Meetings Expo) Tokyo, Japan 2016 Jan 10 – 13 PCMA Convening Leaders Vancouver, Canada 21 HCEA Annual Marketing Summit Chicago, USA 19 – 21 IAPCO EDGE Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark Feb 9 – 11 IBTM Arabia Abu Dhabi, UAE 19 – 21 IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly Cape Town, South Africa 23 – 24 Meetings Africa Johannesburg, South Africa 23 – 24 AIME Melbourne, Australia March 2 – 4 COCAL Guadalajara, Mexico 16 – 18 ACE of MICE Exhibition Istanbul, Turkey April 10 – 12 ASAE Great Ideas Conference Kowloon, Hong Kong 14 – 17 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Edinburgh, UK 19 – 21 IMEX Frankfurt Frankfurt, Germany 28 PCMA Education Foundation’s Dinner Washington DC, USA May 25 – 27 IAPCO EDGE Whistler Whistler, Canada June 14 – 16 The Meetings Show London, UK 15 – 17 IBTM America Nashville, USA 26 – 29 PCMA Education Conference St Louis, USA Aug 13 – 16 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition Salt Lake City, USA 14 – 16 HCEA Annual Meeting Savannah, GA, USA Sept 27 – 29 IT&CMA Bangkok, Thailand Oct 13 – 16 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Washington DC, USA 18 – 20 IMEX America Las Vegas, USA Nov 12 – 16 55th ICCA Congress Kuching, Malaysia Nov/Dec 29 – 1 IBTM World Barcelona, Spain The PCMA Column IAPCO is excited to be hosting its 2016 Annual Meeting and General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa from 18 to 21 February 2016. Whilst the Annual Meeting is restricted to members and invitees only, IAPCO’s visit to the coun- try will have a wider reach. Meetings Africa will be a major attrac- tion for IAPCO. In recent years, the global meetings industry has begun to recognise Africa as a sought after desti- nation, with Meetings Africa showcas- ing Africa’s diverse offering of services and products where African associations and African meetings industry profes- sionals can partner to help transform the Continent. IAPCO members will have the opportunity to gauge Africa’s readi- ness to host their international meetings by participating as a Hosted Buyer or as a visitor at Africa’s meetings showcase – 24–25 February. 22 February is BOND Day for Meetings Africa which will include an IAPCO led Seminar, the first IAPCO Seminar to be held in South Africa. The Seminar will focus on current dilemmas: bidding, getting true value from site inspections, digital marketing and sponsorship. Speakers will include Jan Tonkin, The Conference Company and IAPCO Vice President; Sarah Storie-Pugh, IAPCO Executive Director; Sumaira Isaacs, MCI IMEA and IAPCO Council Member. But some of the activities will be for IAPCO members only to experience, going beyond the traditional format. In addition to two-and-a-half days of IAPCO meetings in Cape Town provid- ing high educational content at C-Suite level, participants can expect: • An IAPCO pre-meeting safari, for a once in-a-lifetime African bush experience, • The opportunity to make a difference by participating in a volunteering activity: building, painting, story- telling, playing, connecting in your own way and leaving a legacy, • A destination that boasts beaches, mountains, winelands, city delights and rural retreats, • A social programme offering a spe- cial little piece of Cape Town, includ- ing a sun downer cocktail on top of Table Mountain, one of the world’s “New 7 Wonders of Nature”, • An overview of Johannesburg, where the IAPCO Council will meet, and to where members will transfer to visit Meetings Africa. It will truly be an experience to remem- ber and to revisit. Why this Major Convention City is jumping into bed with AirBnB Exciting times It is always exciting when you develop something new, as was the case with IAPCO’s new EDGE educational programme, which we launched at IMEX in Frankfurt earlier this year – however, it warrants a true celebration when the new initiative comes to fruition. Our first EDGE seminar took place in Auckland last month and proved to be a resounding success. This important development in the history of our association, which had been a long time in the making, sets the benchmark for top quality education in the meetings industry. Of course, such an achievement relies on the collaboration of many dedicated professionals, and I am truly grateful to all those who have given so much of their time in realising the EDGE programme. And so, with IMEX Frankfurt behind us, it is time to look to IMEX America. With the ‘Atlantic Bridge’ now firmly in place, we can expect more members from the Americas to join IAPCO. At IMEX America, we will continue to spread the word on the importance of quality and education in our industry, and we will reach out to the meeting professionals gathering in Las Vegas in October. Our participation will also include an educational session in the SMART Monday programme – another part of IAPCO’s educational offering. With the international nature of our clients and business, and the continuous globalisation of society, IAPCO is extending its worldwide outreach. With in excess of 120 member companies in more than 40 countries, regional ambassadors have been appointed to further enhance the benefits to both destinations and to members. Strategic partnerships are being formed globally, with destinations and convention centres wishing to align themselves with the quality and professionalism of IAPCO and its members. This in itself is an exciting development for IAPCO, as we strive to enhance the profiles of our partners to our members. We are also pleased to continue our strategic partnership with PCMA and to maintain our combined efforts in facilitating the exchange of knowledge and in delivering value to our members. Such strategic alliances and educational offerings, with such professionalism, represents the exciting future for IAPCO. After all, the more we offer to members, the better the service delivery gets! Michel Neijmann, IAPCO President [email protected] www.iapco.org Everybody needs an African sunset! SMART Monday, on 12 October, will kick off IMEX America, which is being held in Las Vegas on 13–15 October, with a full day of education. Among the educational opportunities on offer will be the IAPCO session focusing on ‘Exploring the future of virtual education’, also known as ‘Meeting E-xpectations’. The session, which is scheduled for 13.45 and is being facilitated by Andrew Dergousoff of ICS Canada, will examine the disruptive impact that virtual education is having on the traditional meetings landscape. Magdalina Atanassova of AIM Group International will join Andrew on the platform. The rise of digital learning methods will be explored in detail, with both current approaches and future directions being discussed. Among the questions to be explored will be: will meeting planners or PCOs who offer e-learning elements alongside their traditional meetings and events be better positioned for long-term relevance with the next generation of meeting participants? Session attendees will gain a firm understanding of what lies ahead in terms of combining traditional meetings and virtual education, as well as how to adjust their current strategies towards the coming trends, making this a session not to be missed. IMEX America 13 – 15 October Visit IAPCO on Stand 3623 Find out about EDGE IAPCO’s new Educational Programme Meeting E-xpectations: Exploring the Future of Virtual Education IAPCO SMART MONDAY Session – 13.45-15.00 Monday Collaborate to improve your meeting ROI: Using DMCs, DMOs and PCOs case studies 9.00-9.50 Wednesday IAPCO / ADMEI / DMAI Seminar SMART Monday E-xpectations
Transcript of PTH C O E NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF … · n at i o, whMe g Afr c - ing Africa’s...
P C OTHE
Internal distributionplease forward to:
David McMillin, Staff Writer, PCMA
As city leaders in San Francisco aregearing up for another vote on propos-als that would place additional restric-tions on AirBnB hosts, the well-knownpeer-to-peer rental company has founda new champion in the Bay Area: theSan Francisco Travel Association.
San Francisco’s destination marketingorganisation generates 65% of its cur-rent budget from tax revenue fromhotel rooms, but it sees some big poten-tial with AirBnB owners. The organisa-tion has formed a new partnership withAirBnB that is designed to help con-nect tourism to neighbourhoods andencourage visitors to live like locals.Many destination marketing organisa-tions around the US are uncertain onhow to approach AirBnB. Could it hurttheir valued hotel partners? What doesthe lack of current regulation mean forthe travel industry? San FranciscoTravel Association isn’t waiting aroundfor the answers.
“AirBnB is part of the evolution of thetravel industry,” Joe D’Alessandro,President and CEO, San FranciscoTravel Association, said. “As the desti-nation marketing organisation for SanFrancisco, we’ll continue our strongrelationship with the hotel communityas we leverage this new way of doingbusiness.”
The announcement revealed the part-nership is about more than helpingleisure travellers find accommoda-tions. San Francisco Travel Associationplans to connect AirBnB with meetingand event planners to “achieve peakattendance during city-wide conven-tions and big events while meeting thediverse lodging preferences of a widerange of delegates coming to the city.”
How Are Other Destinations Talking About AirBnB?There isn’t a lot of on-the-record chat-ter from other DMOs about theirthoughts on the potential for workingwith AirBnB. However, at the recentDMAI Annual Convention, rentalproperties and alternative accommoda-tions fuelled a conversation in a sessiontitled “Shaping Short-Term RentalRegulation to Benefit the WholeCommunity.” The biggest issue on theagenda was how destinations can col-lect tax revenue from the owners ofshort-term rental properties listed onAirBnB and other sites such asHomeAway and VRBO. Many citieshave not determined how to deal withthe soaring popularity of short-termrentals. However, Carl Shepherd, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer,HomeAway, told the audience that theywill want to figure out how to workwith the community of rental owners.
“Why should destinations encourageshort-term rentals?” Shepherd asked.“Because they’re very profitable forcities.” Shepherd cited statistics fromsome of the most popular tourist desti-nations around the United States tohighlight the importance of hotel alter-natives for travel and tourism. The mostnotable numbers came from Floridawhere short-term rentals help fuel 322 000 jobs and account for more than $31 billion of economic impact.“Florida doesn’t exist without short-term rentals,” Shepherd said.
What does the future hold for serviceslike AirBnB and HomeAway? Willother DMOs will follow San FranciscoTravel’s approach and build partner-ships with rental companies?
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE –Michel Neijmann
NEWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONOF PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISERS
Issue No. 73 Q3 2015
EVENTS’ CALENDARYear Month Date Event Location
2015 Oct 13 – 15 IMEX America Las Vegas, USA
19 – 24 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Dubai, UAE
21 – 23 ITB Asia Singapore
Oct/Nov 31 – 4 54th ICCA Congress Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nov 13 UIA Round Table Europe Brussels, Belgium
17 – 19 IBTM World Barcelona, Spain
Dec 9 – 10 IME (International Meetings Expo) Tokyo, Japan
2016 Jan 10 – 13 PCMA Convening Leaders Vancouver, Canada
21 HCEA Annual Marketing Summit Chicago, USA
19 – 21 IAPCO EDGE Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
Feb 9 – 11 IBTM Arabia Abu Dhabi, UAE
19 – 21 IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly Cape Town, South Africa
23 – 24 Meetings Africa Johannesburg, South Africa
23 – 24 AIME Melbourne, Australia
March 2 – 4 COCAL Guadalajara, Mexico
16 – 18 ACE of MICE Exhibition Istanbul, Turkey
April 10 – 12 ASAE Great Ideas Conference Kowloon, Hong Kong
14 – 17 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Edinburgh, UK
19 – 21 IMEX Frankfurt Frankfurt, Germany
28 PCMA Education Foundation’s Dinner Washington DC, USA
May 25 – 27 IAPCO EDGE Whistler Whistler, Canada
June 14 – 16 The Meetings Show London, UK
15 – 17 IBTM America Nashville, USA
26 – 29 PCMA Education Conference St Louis, USA
Aug 13 – 16 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition Salt Lake City, USA
14 – 16 HCEA Annual Meeting Savannah, GA, USA
Sept 27 – 29 IT&CMA Bangkok, Thailand
Oct 13 – 16 IAPCO Council & Task Force Meetings Washington DC, USA
18 – 20 IMEX America Las Vegas, USA
Nov 12 – 16 55th ICCA Congress Kuching, Malaysia
Nov/Dec 29 – 1 IBTM World Barcelona, Spain
The PCMAColumn
IAPCO is excited to be hosting its 2016Annual Meeting and General Assemblyin Cape Town, South Africa from 18 to21 February 2016. Whilst the AnnualMeeting is restricted to members andinvitees only, IAPCO’s visit to the coun-try will have a wider reach.
Meetings Africa will be a major attrac-tion for IAPCO. In recent years, theglobal meetings industry has begun torecognise Africa as a sought after desti-nation, with Meetings Africa showcas-ing Africa’s diverse offering of servicesand products where African associations
and African meetings industry profes-sionals can partner to help transform theContinent. IAPCO members will havethe opportunity to gauge Africa’s readi-ness to host their international meetingsby participating as a Hosted Buyer or asa visitor at Africa’s meetings showcase –24–25 February.
22 February is BOND Day for MeetingsAfrica which will include an IAPCO ledSeminar, the first IAPCO Seminar to beheld in South Africa. The Seminar willfocus on current dilemmas: bidding,getting true value from site inspections,digital marketing and sponsorship.Speakers will include Jan Tonkin, TheConference Company and IAPCO VicePresident; Sarah Storie-Pugh, IAPCOExecutive Director; Sumaira Isaacs,MCI IMEA and IAPCO CouncilMember.
But some of the activities will be forIAPCO members only to experience,going beyond the traditional format. In addition to two-and-a-half days ofIAPCO meetings in Cape Town provid-ing high educational content at C-Suitelevel, participants can expect:
• An IAPCO pre-meeting safari, for a once in-a-lifetime African bushexperience,
• The opportunity to make a differenceby participating in a volunteeringactivity: building, painting, story-telling, playing, connecting in yourown way and leaving a legacy,
• A destination that boasts beaches,mountains, winelands, city delightsand rural retreats,
• A social programme offering a spe-cial little piece of Cape Town, includ-ing a sun downer cocktail on top ofTable Mountain, one of the world’s“New 7 Wonders of Nature”,
• An overview of Johannesburg, wherethe IAPCO Council will meet, and towhere members will transfer to visitMeetings Africa.
It will truly be an experience to remem-ber and to revisit.
Why this MajorConvention City isjumping into bedwith AirBnB
Exciting timesIt is always exciting when youdevelop something new, as was the case with IAPCO’s new EDGEeducational programme, which welaunched at IMEX in Frankfurt earlier this year – however, it warrants a true celebration when thenew initiative comes to fruition.Our first EDGE seminar took placein Auckland last month and provedto be a resounding success. Thisimportant development in the
history of our association, which had been a long time in themaking, sets the benchmark for top quality education in themeetings industry. Of course, such an achievement relies onthe collaboration of many dedicated professionals, and I amtruly grateful to all those who have given so much of their timein realising the EDGE programme.
And so, with IMEX Frankfurt behind us, it is time to look toIMEX America. With the ‘Atlantic Bridge’ now firmly inplace, we can expect more members from the Americas to joinIAPCO. At IMEX America, we will continue to spread the word on the importance of quality and education in ourindustry, and we will reach out to the meeting professionalsgathering in Las Vegas in October. Our participation will also
include an educational session in the SMART Monday programme – another part of IAPCO’s educational offering.
With the international nature of our clients and business, andthe continuous globalisation of society, IAPCO is extending itsworldwide outreach. With in excess of 120 member companiesin more than 40 countries, regional ambassadors have beenappointed to further enhance the benefits to both destinationsand to members. Strategic partnerships are being formed globally, with destinations and convention centres wishing toalign themselves with the quality and professionalism ofIAPCO and its members. This in itself is an exciting development for IAPCO, as we strive to enhance the profiles ofour partners to our members. We are also pleased to continueour strategic partnership with PCMA and to maintain our combined efforts in facilitating the exchange of knowledgeand in delivering value to our members.
Such strategic alliances and educational offerings, with suchprofessionalism, represents theexciting future for IAPCO. Afterall, the more we offer to members,the better the service deliverygets!
Michel Neijmann, IAPCO President
[email protected] www.iapco.org
Everybody needs an African sunset!
SMART Monday, on 12 October, will kick off IMEX America, which is being heldin Las Vegas on 13–15 October, with a full day of education. Among the educationalopportunities on offer will be the IAPCO session focusing on ‘Exploring the futureof virtual education’, also known as ‘Meeting E-xpectations’. The session, which isscheduled for 13.45 and is being facilitated by Andrew Dergousoff of ICS Canada,will examine the disruptive impact that virtual education is having on the traditionalmeetings landscape. Magdalina Atanassova of AIM Group International will joinAndrew on the platform.
The rise of digital learning methods will be explored in detail, with both currentapproaches and future directions being discussed. Among the questions to beexplored will be: will meeting planners or PCOs who offer e-learning elementsalongside their traditional meetings and events be better positioned for long-term relevance with the next generation of meeting participants? Session attendees willgain a firm understanding of what lies ahead in terms of combining traditional meetings and virtual education, as well as how to adjust their current strategiestowards the coming trends, making this a session not to be missed.
IMEX America13–15 October
Visit IAPCO on Stand 3623Find out about EDGE
IAPCO’s new Educational ProgrammeMeeting E-xpectations:
Exploring the Future of Virtual EducationIAPCO SMART MONDAY Session – 13.45-15.00 Monday
Collaborate to improve your meeting ROI: Using DMCs, DMOs and PCOs case studies
9.00-9.50 Wednesday IAPCO / ADMEI / DMAI Seminar
SMARTMonday E-xpectations
[email protected] www.iapco.org
P C OTHEInternational Association of Professional Congress Organisers
IAPCO CouncilPresident:Michel Neijmann,K2 Conference & Event Management Co.Vice-President: Jan Tonkin,The Conference Company
Treasurer: Peder Andersen,DIS Congress ServiceMembers:Nicky McGrane, Conference Partners
Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, AIM GroupKayo Nomura, Congress CorporationMathias Posch, International Conference ServicesSumaira Isaacs, MCI Group (IMEA)
Co-opted:André Vietor, Barceló CongresosKeith Burton, African Agenda
Annual Meeting & General Assembly:Cape Town Host:Keith Burton
OFFICERS
associations united under the auspicesof the IUGG. The meeting covers thecomplete range of Earth Sciences, fromseismology and volcanology throughgeomagnetism to hydrology andoceanology. This year’s congress wasentitled ‘Earth and EnvironmentalSciences for Future Generations’, andfeatured a total of 2500 oral presenta-tions, scientific meetings and seminarson topical issues in geophysics, deliv-ered by leading experts from aroundthe world. Scientific presentations covered topics such as the recent earth-quakes in Nepal and global climatechange, highlighting the importance oflong-term research with regards to sustainability for future generations.Among the notable attendees at IUGG2015 were the winner of the NobelPrize for Chemistry, Professor Yuan TLee, and Dr Patrick J McKeever from UNESCO’s Geohazards RiskReduction Section.
After 88 years
Unleashing the Potential
Media for Children
JFKon the couch
First to optimize MarketingAutomation Software
PCO: C-In, Prague
PCO: Kenes Group, Switzerland
PCO: K.I.T. Group, Berlin
Kenes Group recently announced theintegration of Marketo digital market-ing and automation software into itsglobal marketing.
This is an important milestone asKenes is the first PCO to be fully supported by Marketo’s automationsystems. Referred to as engagementmarketing, Marketo software focuseson helping marketers tackle all aspects of digital marketing, from the planning and orchestration of
marketing activities to the delivery ofpersonalised interactions that can beoptimised in real-time.
By integrating Marketo, clients willreceive better, more targeted, more relevant marketing services that, at theend of the day, will increase their eventresults. This translates into the creationof more efficient, more relevant – withthe ability to succinctly track – emailmarketing activities, honing in onprospects and delegates’ individual
needs and interests. This includesdeveloping effective email marketing,landing pages, campaign management,lead generation, CRM integration,social marketing, and marketing analytics.
Kenes has been using Marketo sincethe beginning of 2015 for all of its digital marketing, resulting in, in just alittle over six months, a 35% increase inthe number of leads, as well as a 10%increase in click conversion rates.
PCO: Conference Partners, Manchester
Emirates has announced that it is starting a daily service toOrlando, Florida, from 1 September this year. The new routewill be served by a US-built Boeing 777-200LR with eightFirst Class suites, 42 Business Class lie-flat beds and 216Economy Class seats. Flight EK219 will depart DubaiInternational Terminal 3 at 3.50 am local time and arrive atOrlando International Airport Terminal B at 11.40 am localtime, a flying time of 15 hours 50 minutes. The return flight,EK220, will depart Orlando International at 2.20 pm andarrive into Dubai at 12.30 pm the following day, a journeytime of 14 hours 10 minutes.
Orlando, which is famous for its world-class theme parks,family entertainment and year-round sunshine, attracts morethan 59 million visitors each year and also boasts a strongbusiness base with thriving industries in advanced technology,film and digital media production, aerospace and life
sciences. And at the ‘other end’ of the new route, US visitors continue to visit Dubai –Emirates’ home and hub – in their thousands. In 2014 morethan 500 000 US citizens stayed in Dubai on business or toexplore the Emirate’s array of leisure opportunities.
The new Emirates flight, the first direct service from Floridato Dubai, will connect well with many of the airline’s servicesto and from the Middle East, South Asia, the Far East andAfrica, giving passengers from those regions seamless connectivity to the ‘Sunshine State’. Emirates’ customers willalso be able to connect seamlessly on to many destinations inthe US, the Caribbean and South America through the airline’scodeshare partner JetBlue. JetBlue has a regional hub inOrlando that serves 24 cities including San Juan in PuertoRico, Bogota in Colombia and Nassau in The Bahamas.
IUGG1927.
MediaCityUK – from left to right – Keelin Fagan (Conference Partners), Andrew Stokes (MarketingManchester), Alice Webb (BBC Children’s), Anthony Cassidy (Marketing Manchester), Gráinne NíGhiollagáin (Conference Partners).
This year’s World Congress onAttention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD), which took place in Glasgow on 28–31 May, featured a very special session aimed at illus-trating an approach to evaluating a verybright adolescent whose chronic strug-gles in high school could be due toADHD and /or emotional issues.However, this role-play did not featurejust any adolescent – instead it com-prised an anachronistic clinical inter-view of John F Kennedy at the age of18 years! The interviewer was playedby Thomas E Brown, a renowned USprofessor of psychiatry who worked formore than half a year on the role-playsession, while JFK was due to beplayed by an actor. However, due tounforeseen circumstances, the actorcould not make it to the congress, andinstead Professor Brown’s assistantgave a terrific performance in his placeat the last minute! As well as JFK, anumber of other prominent people aresuspected to have suffered fromADHD, having displayed many of thesymptoms of this disorder, includingWalt Disney, Galileo, Mozart, andAlbert Einstein.
The ADHD World Congress, organisedby CPO HANSER SERVICE since2007, takes place every other year andattracts approximately 2000 partici-pants from more than 60 countries. The 2017 congress will take place inVancouver on 20–23 April.
PCO: CPO Hanser, Berlin
Prague Congress Center played host tothe 26th General Assembly of theInternational Union of Geodesy andGeophysics (IUGG) for an incredible11 days from 23rd June this year, making the event one of the longest andlargest ever organised by PCO C-In of Prague. This year’s congress wasalso unique in that this was the firstoccasion in the history of the event on
which a city played host to the IUGGfor a second time. Prague first enjoyedthe honour of hosting the event back in 1927, 88 years ago, when the first Czechoslovakian president, TGMasaryk, personally welcomed partici-pants to the 3rd IUGG general assem-bly. Today, this extraordinary congresson Earth Science is a globally impor-tant event, with eight international “Unleashing the potential“ was the
rallying call of the 8th ConventionsIndia Conclave held near New Delhithis August. Some 400 national andinternational meetings industry professionals met for three days in the state-of-art facilities of India Expo and Mart. Convened by the India Convention Promotion Bureauand with a programme developed byIAPCO Member KW Conferences, theevent featured high level contributionsfrom the nation’s business, political,administrative and association sectors.
International speakers included twoIAPCO members. Ben Hainsworth ofK.I.T. Group GmbH, who appearedalongside national AIDS and Epilepsyassociations in a lively debate on howto win international bid processes, andDaniel Branik of Arinex Pty. Ltd. whospoke to an engaged audience about the challenges of integrating new technologies into events.
Recurring themes generated by speakers and delegates alike very muchreiterated the call to action: unleashingpotential. Steady yet modest growth inthe sector does not reflect the truepotential of the MICE market in India;more needs to be done to win and nurture business. The availability ofconvention centres and hotels is not an issue, with more and more modernintegrated solutions appearingthroughout the country; much the samecan be said of increasingly good inter-national access.
The ongoing professionalisation of the industries serving the sector was evident with much emphasis on educa-tion, mentoring and networks. Manyspeakers and members of the audienceurged government to address industrybusiness cases for strategic financialsupport while the ICPB itself wasurged to encourage the development ofcity level convention bureaux.
The ability for the industry to worktogether, to recognize its own strengthsand to build a better understanding ofthe international client’s perspectivewill be key to unleashing the potentialof this remarkable country. The ICPBand CIC will undoubtedly be leadingthe way.
AIRLINEPARTNER2015
Emirates fly to Orlando
WSMCF (World Summit on Media forChildren Foundation) events are heldevery three years and provide a forumfor producers, broadcasters, educators,regulators and other professionalscommitted to the improvement of thequality of media for children. Since thefirst summit in 1995, in Melbourne,Australia, WSMC has been to London,Thessaloniki, Rio de Janeiro, Karlstad,Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur.
The vision for the 8th WSMC inManchester, which has the unitingtheme of ‘The universal needs of children’, is to bridge differences andfind synergies across the enormouslydiverse media world. The proposal forthe event is to explore a wide range ofissues of particular relevance to themedia and technology industriesthrough the creative, educational andtechnological challenges and opportu-nities they present. The needs of children, including empowerment,learning, entertainment, connectionand protection, will form the organis-ing principle guiding the rich and varied programme, and will beexplored through talks, masterclasses,workshop sessions and debates. At theconclusion of WSMC, the ambition is
to harness the collective brain- andwill-power of the summit to create alasting global legacy. This philosophyculminated in Marketing Manchesterand Conference Partners, together withBBC Children’s as the lead contentpartner, winning the bid to host the 8thWorld Summit on Media for Children(WSMC) in 2017 in Manchester.
P C OTHEInternational Association of Professional Congress Organisers
[email protected] www.iapco.org
Whilst every care is taken in the preparation andpublishing of The PCO, the views expressed arenot necessarily those of IAPCO or its members, orof the Editor, and no responsibility can be taken forarticles, errors or comment.
IAPCO HeadquartersSarah Storie-Pugh, Executive DirectorOlivia Wragg, SecretariatEmail: [email protected]
The PCOPublished by: IAPCOEditor: Sarah Storie-Pugh
Committee of EthicsMichel NeijmannKayo NomuraJan Tonkin
Training AcademyAndré Vietor, ChairJan Tonkin, Vice ChairMathias Posch
Patrizia Semprebene BuongiornoMichel Neijmann
Here’s a Great Idea –Let’s go to Hong Kong!
PCO: Mondial, ViennaThe highlight of the EuroPerio8 dental congress, which tookplace at ExCeL in London at the beginning of June this year,was the world premiere of a special film entitled ‘The Soundof Periodontitis’. The film marked a new feature for theEuroPerio series of events and aimed to boost patient engagement and involvement in the congress. The film’s titlecame from the fact that periodontitis is often referred to as‘the silent disease’ – four patients were featured in the filmtalking openly about their experiences and, as one explained,it is often easier to talk about cancer than oral hygiene issues.The featured patients were also present at EuroPerio8 to support the film and to explain the patient’s perspective directto the delegates.
The 10-minute documentary, subtitled ‘The patient’s view of gum disease’, follows the four patients as they describetheir experiences of periodontitis, peri-implantitis, and periodontal treatment. It explores the experience of livingwith periodontal disease and receiving treatment, showing
both the substantial negative effects of periodontal diseaseand the beneficial – even life-changing – effects of treatment.The film can be viewed at the European Federation ofPeriodontology (EFP) website.
“For the first time we’re bringing patients into EuroPerio totell their story,” said Ian Needleman, professor of restorativedentistry and evidence-based healthcare at University CollegeLondon (UCL) Eastman Dental Institute, who chaired thefilm’s working group and who presented the film atEuroPerio8. “The people in the film describe the devastatingeffects of periodontal disease lucidly and in the real world. Wehope that patients will find it helpful to understand that manyothers are affected and that there is real hope with treatment.”He added that a “key message that we need to shout very loudly is that periodontitis has a big impact on people.”
In keeping with this message, EuroPerio8 itself had a bigimpact. Organised by the EFP together with its Core PCOMondial Congress & Events, EuroPerio8 attracted nearly10000 participants, representing an increase of 25% compared with the previous record-breaking EuroPerio7event in 2012. Attendees included 8300 delegates, who comprised a mix of periodontists, general dentists, hygienistsand health professionals from 115 countries, plus 1400 company staff. The 4-day event took place across three levelsof the cavernous ExCeL venue, and included a vast exhibitionarea with 134 exhibitors, numerous presentations running inparallel throughout the congress, and a number of workshops,poster sites and networking events.
A delighted Congress Chairman, GiampieroCampanelli.
Organised by AIM Group: Case Study by AIM Group International Milan Office
The challengeCreating something for the first time is never easy – especially when itinvolves the interests of five differentleading associations in one field. AIMGroup International had the challengeof placing the 1st World Conference onAbdominal Wall Hernia Surgery on themap. The main objectives of the eventwere to achieve a high level of scientif-ic content and present unique experi-ences and networking opportunities. Inaddition, the five associations involvedwere challenged to provide full supportand invested in building the ground-work of this first congress in order tobecome a lasting platform for collabo-ration. If proven successful this wouldbe the first of many such congressesand a first step in bringing the world tothe fight against hernia together.
The solutionsAIM Group placed an experiencedteam at the core of the organisation ofthe event. From the very beginning, theteam worked closely with the organis-ing committee to address the goals andobjectives. Building a second tier network to encompass all involved
associations proved to be a winningstrategy to ensuring the success of the event. In order to highlight theirsupport, each association announcedtheir annual events at the same dates asthe World Congress in order to not onlyraise awareness of this new initiative,but to contribute to building a strongnetwork and ties between their mem-bers. Each association in the network
were, in addition, given the opportunityto present its best scientific resourcesto the delegates through its contri-bution to the scientific programme, bycareful selection of speakers andthoughtful arrangement of sessions.
The outcomesWith the stage set and the support network in place, the base from whichto communicate internationally to theright audience was laid. The conferenceattracted 2708 delegates from 96 coun-tries plus 44 sponsors, and featured 324posters selected from 800 submittedabstracts, as well as more than 4000m²of exhibition space. Participants wereattracted by a scientific programmeoffering a number of exceptional
features, including three live surgery sessions that broadcast 17 operations,plus 70 special surgery video sessions(which had been produced and selectedby each of the associations specificallyfor the event) that were projected on six LCD screens throughout, as well as breakout sessions and networkingopportunities.
However, the highlight of the confer-ence for many was perhaps the 1stWorld Hernia Soccer Challenge, whichtook place at the Stadio San Siro beforethe gala dinner. This was the first timethat this iconic stadium, which wasbuilt in 1926 and is a top footballingvenue that regularly plays host toChampions League matches, hadopened its doors to non-professionalfootballers. Not only did the soccerchallenge provide delegates with aunique experience, it served as a way of literally building teams and furthertightening the bonds between col-leagues in the newly created WorldHernia Network. The vast success ofthe event allows the conference to goon and its second edition is now in theplanning.
“If I have been able to realize the 1stWorld Conference on Abdominal WallHernia Surgery it was thanks to the co-operation of the five international
societies and the sponsors that hon-oured this event with their active partic-ipation and scientific involvement”,said Giampiero Campanelli, CongressChairman, 1st World Conference onAbdominal Wall Hernia Surgery, “Iwould also like to extend my gratitudeto the organising secretariat, AIMGroup International, who supportedand sustained me in the organisation of this unique event from the verybeginning, showing not only compe-tence and serious professionalism, butalso a smooth and very pleasant attitude and human touch.”
The American Society of Association Executives(ASAE) held its Great Ideas Conference in Asia for thefirst time earlier this year, with more than 200 high-profile association leaders and decision-makers from 16 countries convening inHong Kong on 22–24 March. Meetings & Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK) wasproud to be a partner for the Great Ideas in Association Management Conference,which aimed to educate participants on different areas of association management.
The MEHK team wasable to showcase HongKong as the gateway tobusiness opportunitiesin Asia and as a premierdestination for MICEevents in the region.They also helped facili-tate a better under-standing of Hong Kongand the greater AsiaPacific region amongdelegates, organisingsessions on how to do
business in Hong Kong as well as on fun cultural experiences such as Tai Chi at sunrise and calligraphy. Following the success of this year’s event, ASAE has confirmed that it will once again stage its conference in Hong Kong in 2016 – visitthe website for more details, at: https://www.greatideasasiapacific.org
World Conference on AbdominalWall Hernia Surgery25–29 April 2015, Milan, Italy
Beyond Congress Management
Continuing the series of case studies from leading PCOs around theworld
Associations are more than their congress, and IAPCO PCOs are more than congressorganisers. Delivering innumerable quality congresses has given IAPCO membersinvaluable insights into the business needs of their clients and has allowed them tobecome trusted advisors who can contribute to the success of an organisation beyondtheir congress. IAPCO’s philosophy is entirely based on quality, and its membersactively share best-practice and develop educational programmes and guidelineswhich enable them to perform at the highest levels in any area of expertise related to organisational excellence. To illustrate this, IAPCO regularly publishes success stories of members who have helped their clients to be successful not just by organising their congress, but by achieving overarching business objectives.
1st World Conference onAbdominal Wall Hernia Surgery
■ European Hernia Society
■ Americas Hernia Society
■ Asia Pacific HerniaSociety
■ Afro Middle East HerniaSociety
■ Australasian Hernia Society
As Asia’s premier destination for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions, Hong Kong is where you can turn boundless potential into reality. Providing sophisticated infrastructure, professional services and more, this gateway to China ensures success for the most important events in the world.
most important events in the world.this gateway to China ensures success for the infrastructure, professional services and more,
. Providing sophisticated potential into realityHong Kong is where you can turn boundless incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions,
s premier destination for meetings, As Asia’
DESTINATIONPARTNER2015-2016
Silent disease finds its Voice
CASE STUDY
www.edgeseminar.dk www.edgeseminar.dk
19 January 2016 –Afternoon FocusBidding for a Conference Winning the Bid is the start of generating business. The session will guide youthrough the practical “ins” and “outs” of winning and, of course, sometimes losingBids:
• Where to start? And how to decide whether to bid or not to bid?
• The Bid Team members and their role• When you decide to bid?
• What makes the difference?
• Case studies and tips from the CVB & PCO• Project managing the Bid Costs involved and ROI
20 January 2016 – Morning FocusEngaging the DelegateAs participants’ expectations of meetings continue to change, delegate engagement must increasingly be the focus of PCOs and their clients.
With technology providing a diverse range of other ways for people to connect andlearn, delegates need to be convinced of the value your conference will deliver,including high-quality content and opportunities for networking and social interaction. This session and workshop explores ways to more fully engage delegates, from programme and meeting design to marketing.
New Technical TrendsTechnology is moving incredibly fast and programmes written can be out of datebefore they are fully implemented. Tools and new techniques are only as good asthey are practical and affordable. So what makes technology work for you, yourcompany, your client, your congress? Learn from the experts as to what is considered to be everyday technology (second nature); what is a “must have” forany successful event; what is a gimmick or one-off and should be avoided? Canyou make money for your event from technology or is it just an additional expensefor little gain? How to make best use of new technologies to enhance the confer-ence experience? Find out first hand that the implementation of technology cannot only be simple but also affordable: making technology work for you.
20 January 2016 –Afternoon FocusNegotiationNegotiation is an integral part of all meeting- and congress-organisers’ work andtakes the shape of both formal meetings about contracts and other deals but also asa wide range of other, less formal, result-driven dialogues. The purpose of theworkshop will therefore be to strengthen the participants’ negotiation skills but also to draw attention to the many less obvious day-to-day situations, wherenegotiation can be used as a both constructive and efficient facilitation tool.
• The definition of negotiation; when and where do we negotiate?• Negotiation experience; what works when you negotiate? • Result-driven dialogue; how to use negotiation in less formal situations? • Disagreement as a factor in negotiation• A recipe for constructive negotiations; formal as well as informal
21 January 2016 – Morning FocusMeeting Client ExpectationsTo justify your role as a PCO, you need to meet or exceed your clients’ expecta-tions and deliver real and measurable value. To do so, you need to understand thekey steps in the process, identify the various stakeholders and ensure the value ofthe result exceeds the cost of the resources. This presentation and panel discussionaddresses questions such as how to assess the real needs of your clients, how toensure that you achieve the meeting’s objectives, and how to measure that success.
Meeting Sponsors’ Expectations & ComplianceHow to maximise your revenue, whilst ensuring that you give market value andservice to sponsors:
• Timing and research• How to raise sponsorship• Innovative ideas• Technical management• Meeting the sponsors’ needsCompliance within the pharma industry is with us to stay and the meetings indus-try has to embrace this, but it is not only the healthcare sector that is being affectedby current legislation, it applies to many other sectors of the meetings market. Andwhat emanates from the US is often further strengthened when adopted in Europe.
21 January 2016 –Afternoon FocusThe Digital Age – MarketingIn this economic climate it is even more important to recognise the need to attractthe participants; there is more for them to choose from; there are many platformsother than congresses to tempt them. Key challenges on delivering content marketing: blogs, infographics, case studies, videos, events … how to judge whatis valuable marketing and what is wasted effort:
• Channel mix for web 2.0• Content Marketing defined• B2B content marketing channels• B2B content marketing tactics / ideas/examples
IAPCO EDGE SEMINARS COPENHAGEN: 19-21 JANUARY 2016
C O P E N H A G E N
Nicola McGraneIAPCO Council Member
Managing Director, Conference Partners, Dublin, Ireland
André VietorChair, IAPCOTraining Academy
Managing Director, Barceló Congresos, Barcelona, Spain
BettinaReventlow-Mourier
Deputy Convention Director,Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark
Malene Rix MA
Executive advisor and trainer in leadership, negotiation and processfacilitation, Denmark
Martin H. JensenCo-PresidentIPCAA
Head of Global Congress & Event Management, H. Lundbeck A/S,Denmark
Simon Geraghty
CEO, DotDashB2B Digital Marketing
Programme Highlights
C O O L C O P E N H A G E N !
INTERNATIONALFACULTY
INTRODUCTIONThis second Seminar is a Level 2 course on Professional Congress Organisation. Asmeetings industry professionals, participants face a future of rapid and profoundchange, as the logistics aspects of the business become increasingly commoditised, aworldwide shift to an ‘experience economy’ is becoming progressively more evident.
In this challenging environment, success for your clients and company means beingable to deliver real and measurable value based on current learning and experience.
This EDGE Seminar learning environment is informal, stimulating, and interactive,offering opportunities to debate and explore, share knowledge and problem-solve.You will come away with practical ideas and new approaches to help you deliverincreasing know-how and value to your clients and to contribute to the success ofyour organisation.
IAPCO HOSTSThis seminar is hosted and organised by DIS Congress Service.
®
KEY INFORMATIONDate: 19–21 January 2016Destination: Copenhagen, DenmarkVenue: Scandic CopenhagenHost Organiser: DIS Congress ServiceFees: IAPCO member 680€ + VAT (850€)
Non-member 760€ + VAT (950€) Accommodation: At congress venue – Scandic Copenhagen – just 122€ per nightDestination Host: This seminar is hosted
and supported by the Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau
Website: www.EDGEseminar.dk
EDGE SEMINAR LEVEL 2 – PARTICIPANTSThis seminar is designed for professionals in the meetings industry, embracingPCOs, Convention Bureaux, Venues and Association Executives; for those who areconsolidated in their position with 5 or more years of experience in the industry andhave recognised this as their career path; who know their job and how to do it, but arelooking to broaden their skill base and grow their expertise in specific areas as wellas growing their understanding of the global environment in which they operate.Expect to take-away:• Advanced conference management skills and tool kits
• Advanced understanding of how the industry collaborates and operates
SOCIAL NETWORKING• Welcome Reception
• Informal Dinner
• Festive Dinner Show at Wallmans
Stefan Walter, Managing Director ofMondial Congress & Events, wasrecently invited to speak atConvention4u, which took place inInnsbruck on 22–23 June this year, aspart of a panel discussing the topic of ‘Apps and more – the paperless congress’. The meeting, which is theannual congress of the AustriaConvention Bureau, attracted approxi-mately 180 local event professionals.
Caroline Windsor of TFI Group, gavea presentation to the AssociationMeetings Conference on 6 July inLondon as part of a panel debate on‘The evolving function of meetingplanning’. Several key topics wereaddressed including the on-goingdebate about professionalism in thePCO industry, which addressed thequestion: “How can we expect confer-ence organising to be viewed as a profession unless there is a regulatoryframework in place for PCOs, as wellas standards of governance for associa-tions?”
Isabel Bardinet, European Society of Cardiology’s CEO, was keynotespeaker at the European AssociationSummit “Pioneers of Change, NewAssociations Models for the Future”(5– 6 May in Brussels), with an addresson Managing your Association like afootball club. Over 80 senior associa-tion executives attended, from medical,scientific, industrial and food and agriculture sectors.
Conference Partners’ latest recruit,Sarah Fitzpatrick, representedIAPCO at the ABPCO Round Table on22 September in Oxford, UK, coveringmany of the debated issues on stake-holders in the Bid situation, limitingthe number of RfPs and covering thecosts of the Bids.
Nicola McGrane of ConferencePartners, Dublin, has joined the facultyfor the European Cities Marketing(ECM) Summer School, representingIAPCO. At the most recent ECMSummer School, which was held inVienna on 22–26 August, she spoke tothe 50 participants on the subject of‘Intermediaries: are they clients, arethey suppliers… what role are theyplaying?’.
Jan Tonkin, Managing Director of The Conference Company and IAPCOVice President, presented the stream on conference management, within the overall theme of ‘The next genera-tion of associations’ at the MalaysiaAssociation NEXT Conference, whichtook place on 28 September in KualaLumpur.
Ajay Bhojwani of MCI UAE attendedthe MICE Asia Pacific Exhibition on10–11 September and gave a presenta-tion on the subject of Boosting EventRevenues, a session which explored thestrategic sales and marketing tacticsdeployed by meeting planners andorganisers to have greater outreach andpromotion for events in an era wheredigitization of these is crucial.
On May 18, Ben Hainsworth of K.I.T.Group GmbH joined the first BestCities Global Alliance Client AdvisoryBoard in Frankfurt. On 26 August hespoke in the PCMA session at the BestCities Alliance Workshop in Berlin.
Masahiko Hagiwara, CorporateOfficer of Congress Corporation,Tokyo, Japan, presented a lecture on 26 August entitled ‘On the ground
at international meetings hosted by the government – Operations andChallenges’ at the ‘Seminar to fosterglobal MICE human assets’ organisedby Tokyo Convention & VisitorsBurearu (TCVB). Congress Corpora-tion was invited to speak due to their extensive experience in operatinggovernmental meetings.
Irene Tolis of ERA, Vice-PresidentHAPCO, and Sissi Lignou of AFEA,Secretary General HAPCO (HellenicAssociation of Professional CongressOrganizers), were Chairs of the Co-ordination Committee for theHAPCO/EFAPCO ThinkFORUM, inAthens. Over 100 specialists and students from the European & GreekMeetings industry joined EFAPCO for the two-day business programme.The first day (HAPCO Day) was dedicated to tackling burning issuesfacing the meetings and events sectorin Greece whilst the second day(EFAPCO Day) focused on Europeanmatters, including The Institute ofEvent Management, the EFPIATransparency Code, and theDifferences between National PCOOrganisations.
“It was with some trepidation that Iagreed to host the first EDGESeminar” commented Jan Tonkin, MDof The Conference Company, “as NewZealand is often perceived to be a faraway destination, possibly even onthe edge of the world. With a new educational offering, I felt this mightbe a challenge. I was delighted therefore to well exceed our targetnumbers, with participants travellingfrom Zimbabwe and Australia to takepart in this innovative environment.The support I received from TourismNew Zealand Business Events and theAuckland Convention Bureau was amajor contributing factor to the successof this seminar”.
Michel Neijmann, Figur, Istanbul;Mathias Posch, ICS, Vancouver and Jan Tonkin comprised the internationalfaculty, sharing their extensive experi-ence. Listening to presentations, however, formed only a small part of the programme: interactive and conversational discussion, sharingexperiences, deep dive sessions on topics such as Bidding and Serving the Clients of the Future played a keypart allowing participants to engagewith the themes and bring awayinsights and strategies that have animmediate impact on the way theywork in today’s fast pace environment.
Over 40 participants took part, repre-senting an even split between PCOs,Convention Bureaux and venues,engaging in a programme that wasintensely focused on the future of themeetings industry and the rapidlychanging realities of life as a PCO.
The feedback from participants wasexceptional, with 97% confirming thatthe seminar represented good value formoney and an excellent learningforum. “Connecting, Inspiring andDynamic” said Tesa Chikaponya of theZimbabwe Tourism Authority; “A verywell thought out and executed seminar,was educational, thought provokingand engaging” added Claire Martin ofPositively Wellington Tourism; “TheIAPCO EDGE seminar offered expertindustry insight and advice specific tothe MICE world. Great networking and
discussion with like-minded profes-sionals that will no doubt assist me andthe team in both personal and profes-sional growth” concluded RebeccaMorgan of Arinex Pty Ltd.
“EDGE lived up to its name” com-mented Jan, “this truly was dynamicglobal education, and I am proud thatNew Zealand lived up to its reputationas a first-class destination and thatIAPCO is continuing its remit of providing expert education for themeetings industry professional”.
[email protected] [email protected]
WHISTLER: 25 -27 MAY 2016 IAPCO EDGE SEMINARS
IAPCO: SPEAKING TO THE WORLD
10 MINUTES WILL CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION OF EVENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
Visit: EventsAir.com/events-101
US: 855 236 8486UK: +44 (0) 808 280 0738Australia: 1300 236 848New Zealand: 0800 236 848International: +61 7 3341 8320
W H I S T L E R
This will be the first ever IAPCOEducational Seminar in NorthAmerica and Whistler, BC, providesthe perfect environment for this in-depth learning experience. Meetingsprofessionals are invited to join us fora unique learning experience that isfocused on a well-rounded look atconference management and thechanging landscape of our industry. Inorder to maximise learning outcomesand networking opportunities, thisseminar is strictly limited in size andallows for maximum interaction withfaculty and industry experts. If you areserious about your career in themeetings industry, you must not missthis rare opportunity.GENERAL INFORMATIONDate: 25–27 May 2016Venue: Whistler Conference
CentreHost Organiser: ICS Vancouver,
CanadaPROGRAMME TOPICS• The New Face of Meetings 2016• Basics of Bidding• Project Plan• A Career in the PCO Industry• Strategic Marketing – beyond the
email blast• Engaging the Delegate• Managing the Client & Client
Expectations• Contract Management• Conducting Successful Site Visits &
Fam Trips• Compliance• Sponsorship & Fundraising• Programme ManagementHOSTSThis EDGE Seminar is co-hosted byInternational Congress Services Ltd,Vancouver, Canada and by TourismWhistler.
IAPCO is renowned worldwide andparticularly in Asia for its regionalseminars. Today, these educationalmeetings are taking on a new look, withthe regional seminars now offeringbespoke programmes specifically tai-lored to meet the needs of a particularmarket. IAPCO’s third BespokeRegional Seminar for the ThailandConvention and Exhibition Bureau(TCEB) was held recently in Bangkok,and featured a highly focussed pro-gramme designed to fulfil the require-ments of TCEB. More than 50 partici-pants benefitted from the experience ofthe international faculty, which com-prised Jan Tonkin of The ConferenceCompany, New Zealand, André Vietorof Barceló Congresos, Spain, andMichel Neijmann of Figur, Turkey.
The seminar looked at the question ofwhat makes associations special, andwhy meetings are essential to theirexistence. Delegates were invited tofocus on different association clients,and the critical role played by meetingsin delivering value to the associations’
memberships – one important aspectwas looking at how to provide plat-forms for communication and access toscience, and how to engage with mem-bers through face-to-face meetings ande-learning. Attendees were giveninsights into the strategic developmentstaking place in many associations thathave a direct impact on the selection offuture venues for their meetings.
Participants were then given case studies of ‘real-life’ association clientsand challenged to work on RfPs,addressing them from a city/serviceprovider’s perspective, analysing whatwas good and bad with regards to content, and identifying what informa-
tion was missing. Ultimately, they wereasked to provide recommendationsregarding improvements and on how to approach the client in order to gather essential missing data. “I
found the solution to win moreinternational congresses to myorganisation,” said one enthusi-astic participant, while anothercommented that the seminar provided, “an excellent platformof education, networking, shar-ing and exchanging ideas, andcase studies from domestic andinternational stakeholders.”
Real Life Scenariosin Bangkok
Jan, Mathias and Michel with Leonie Ashford,International Bid Manager for Tourism NewZealand Business Events.
IAPCO members are frequently invited to share their experience and impart their knowledge at a range of different events around the world:
FIRST EDGE SEMINAR TRIUMPHParticipants took an in-depth look at arange of issues preoccupying the meetings world right now includingdelegate engagement and experiences,hybrid meetings and managing projectfinances.
While time to showcase Auckland waslimited, the group dined on two occa-sions at offsite venues and enjoyedgreat views of the city’s harbour on oneside and a park on the other from thedaylit meeting room on the top floor ofthe Pullman Hotel.
Jan and Andre focus on participants’ submissions.
P C OTHEInternational Association of Professional Congress Organisers
[email protected] www.iapco.org
IAPCO CouncilPresident:Michel Neijmann,K2 Conference & Event Management Co.Vice-President: Jan Tonkin,The Conference Company
Treasurer: Peder Andersen,DIS Congress ServiceMembers:Nicky McGrane, Conference Partners
Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, AIM GroupKayo Nomura, Congress CorporationMathias Posch, International Conference ServicesSumaira Isaacs, MCI Group (IMEA)
Co-opted:André Vietor, Barceló CongresosKeith Burton, African Agenda
Annual Meeting & General Assembly:Cape Town Host:Keith Burton
OFFICERS
AIM helps bringa little light tothe world
Future UEG weeks focus onVienna and Barcelona The United European Gastroentero-logy (UEG) medical association hasmade the strategic decision to reducethe number of destinations for its annual 5-day ‘UEG week’ congressbetween 2014 and 2019 to two, in orderto focus fully on the development of a high-quality scientific programme.UEG week, which attracts more than14000 participants, will now alternatebetween Vienna and Barcelona, withthe 2015 event taking place in the lattercity in October. UEG retains the majority of the organisation of the congress in-house, but has contractedhotel and registration services toMondial Congress & Events, a PCOwhich feels at home in both cities.
Japanese MICE industry establishes the JCMA The Japan Convention ManagementAssociation (JCMA) was formed on 1 April this year through a consolida-tion style merger between the JapanAssociation of Professional CongressOrganisers (JAPCO) and theConvention Planners Association ofJapan (CPA). JCMA celebrated itsfounding and held its inaugural meeting at Toranomon Hills Forum in Tokyo on 4 June; the event attracted510 attendees, including not onlyJCMA members but also delegatesfrom 213 organisations such as relevantgovernmental ministries and agencies,Japanese municipalities, conventiongroups and MICE-related organisa-tions, and various tourism boards.Michel Neijmann, IAPCO Presidentcongratulated JCMA: “It is alwaysmore effective to have one strong voicerepresenting the Japan MICE indus-try”, he stated, “Japan can now positionitself in more strategic ways to the restof the world, which will contribute to the further development of ourindustry, not only in Japan and Asia,but around the globe.”
Conference Partners wins Best PCO Award Conference Partners was announced asthe winner of the Best ProfessionalConference Organiser Award atIreland’s Event Industry Awards 2015.This is the 7th time that ConferencePartners has won an Event Industryaward and the 4th time the companyhas won the award for Best PCO inIreland. “With a proactive approachand an energised team, we have deliv-ered over 80 conferences and events for66 clients in 2014, with attendancesvarying from 100 to 5000 delegates,”commented Managing Director NicolaMcGrane, speaking about the com-pany’s success. “In 2014 alone we estimate that the value of confirmedbusiness (proactive plus reactive) thatConference Partners, in partnershipwith our clients, secured for Ireland forfuture years is worth a total of €16.85million to the Irish economy.”
Stéphanie Cuillerier joins JPdL Stéphanie Cuillerier is JPdL’s new destination management expert, bring-
ing a full spec-trum of experi-ence from creat-ing and packag-ing events to the nitty-grittyof planning andco-ordinating.
Steph will com-plement theexisting JPdLteam with heroutgoing atti-tude and out-
side-the-box thinking, and will add alittle of her own inspiration and someMontreal ‘vibe’ to JPdL’s already top-notch roster of events and pro-grammes. Steph will be working along-side JPdL Montreal’s Sales Director,Laure Gazalé.
A month of anniversaries INTERPLAN had plenty of reasons tocelebrate in July this year. First, therewas a ‘silver’ anniversary: Board mem-ber Bruno Lichtinger marked 25 suc-
cessful years atthe companyand was treatedto a very emo-tional surpriseevent in theMunich office.
Additionally, inHamburg, adouble ten-yearanniversary was
celebrated: Ursula Lau-Thurner,Managing Director of INTERPLAN in Hamburg, and Astrid Remnitz, Team Leader, were surprised by theircolleagues with a special celebrationon the roof terrace of the SIDE Hotel.
International Event Planner Award for Sumaira IsaacsSumaira Isaacs, IAPCO CouncilMember and Chief Operating Officerof MCI India, Middle East & Africa(IMEA), won the special ‘EventPlanner: International’ award atMeetings magazine’s Women in MICE2015 event in Johannesburg on 20August. An industry veteran, Sumairahas gained more than 20 years’ worthof experience, international knowledgeand insights into the IMEA market.Women in MICE is an annual initiativethat honours and celebrates womenwho have made outstanding contri-butions within the MICE industry. Theevent originated from the need torecognise the excellent work done withdiligence and passion by women in theindustry, and focuses on the impor-tance of women in the workplace as awhole, as well as in the MICE industry.
New website for optimal viewing Congrex Switzerland has recentlylaunched a new, redesigned version ofits website at www.congrex.com. Keyfeatures of the site include a cleaner,more intuitive look and feel, as well asa more engaging user experience. Thewebsite has also been developed usinga responsive design, with the displayadapting itself for optimal viewing onscreens of any size and resolution.
A gem of a company MCI India has celebrated its secondconsecutive award win this year havingbeen conferred with the prestigioustitle of ‘KOH e NOOR of Hyderabad’at the 1st Telangana Chamber of EventsIndustry (TCEI) Annual Awards. MCIIndia was the unanimous choice of thejury for its leadership contribution tothe events industry of Hyderabad. PritiKhanna, Chairperson of MCI India,received the award on behalf of theorganisation.
New team members for Conference Partners Conference Partners has announcedtwo new appointments to its UK andScotland teams. Sarah Fitzpatrick hasjoined the UK team as ConferenceDirector. Sarah has more than 25 years’experience working in the events indus-try in both the corporate and associa-tion sectors. Characterised by her passion for the industry and for drivingquality standards, Sarah regularly participates in industry forums andheld the position of Chair of theIAPCO Quality Committee from 2008 to 2012. Scottish-born AndrewPratt has joined Conference Partners’Scotland team as Business Develop-ment Manager. Andrew has worked in the events industry for more than 9 years, beginning his career in 2006 at Visit Scotland. He then worked with Aberdeen Convention Bureauacross numerous roles, which includeddeveloping the Ambassador Pro-gramme and identifying new opportu-nities for the bureau.
New IAPCO member from Czech Republic “Since 1992, when our company wasestablished, GUARANT Internationalhas gained unique event experiencefrom various per-spectives. As aresult, we providepremium PCO,Core PCO, AMC,venue manage-ment and corpo-rate event man-agement servic-es. Our companyis based inPrague and all ofour client eventsfrom around the world are operatedfrom our headquarters. GUARANTInternational proudly employs morethan 100 members of staff and contractors.”
GUARANT International spol. s r.oTomas Raboch Senior Sales ManagerNa Pankráci 17, 140 21 Prague 4,Czech RepublicE-mail: [email protected] Website: www.guarant.cz
More than 50 academics, representa-tions from research organisations andleaders from the meetings industry metat the Palais des Congrès de Paris on 14–15 May this year to reviewadvances in documenting and commu-nicating the value of meetings as drivers of economic, academic, andprofessional development. The eventwas organised under the auspices of theJoint Meetings Industry Council(JMIC), and as a leading member ofJMIC, IAPCO was represented by SissiLignou of AFEA, Greece, and BrunaBertolini of MCI Paris, France.
The 2-day conference was aimed atenhancing the ability of the meetingsindustry to more effectively demon-
strate the values considered to beamong the key reasons why govern-ments and businesses invest in theinfrastructure required to supportgrowth and development.
The programme included sessions ondefining the need for better valuemeasures, and case studies of workdone to date, as well as review of datacurrently generated by both meetingsindustry and global tourism and travelorganisations. These sessions were followed by a series of workshops thatconsidered alternative strategies for the future and developed strategic recommendations for further advancesin demonstrating the value of meetings.
IAPCO welcomes first US member – ICS America IAPCO welcomes its first member inthe United States. The Denver office of International Conference Services(ICS), headquartered in Vancouver, has met the stricteligibility criteriafor IAPCO mem-bership andjoined the organi-sation in June thisyear. Under themanagement ofJennifer Brock,ICS Americaupholds the highstandards set bythe VancouverHQ, includingthe organisation of the recent 16thWorld Lung Conference thisSeptember, which attracted more than6000 participations to Denver.
ICS AmericaJennifer Brock13100 East Colfax Avenue, Unit 10 Denver, CO, USAE-mail: [email protected] Website: www.icsevents.com
NEWS IN BRIEF
PCO: AIM Group International, ItalyAt IMEX 2015 in Frankfurt, AIMGroup International engaged the emo-tions of those in the events industry tohelp enrich the impact of a valuableproject that it supports. Little Sun is asocial business that addresses the needfor a clean, safe, and affordable sourceof light for the 1.1 billion people in theworld who are living without electrici-ty. In addition to benefitting communi-ties without electricity around theworld, it creates local jobs and gener-ates local profits – all through the salesof attractive, high-quality LED lamps.
Little Sun, a global and sociallyresponsible business, operates by sell-ing its solar LED lamps at a relativelyhigher price in areas of the world thathave electricity. The company then uses
this money from the ‘on-grid’ areas toinvest in building its distribution sys-tem and making its lamps available to‘off-grid’ users at locally affordableprices. By contributing to Little Sun,AIM Group is investing in the deliveryof light to those who need it most in ourworld.
JMIC – the value of meetings
NEW MEMBERS
Bruno Lichtinger.
Tomas Raboch, Guarant.
Jennifer Brock, ICS America.
With the completion of the expansion of Fort Island,Madinat Jumeirah, the ‘Arabian Resort of Dubai’, willoffer the largest hotel event space in the UAE. Fort Islandhas tripled in size to 1750 m² and will be used to host banquets, parties, exhibitions,product launches, music concerts, weddings, sports events and festivals for up to1400 people. The expanded venue preserves the fort’s traditional look and feel andfeatures an attractive and sustainable landscape.
Located in the heart of the resort and surrounded by Madinat Jumeirah’s characteristic waterways, the venue has spectacular views of the Burj Al ArabJumeirah. The venue was originally commissioned in recognition of the history, culture and character of old Dubai and was inspired by the Al Fahdi fort located inthe oldest existing part of the Dubai creek. Fort Island is connected to the rest of theresort by four bridges, and guests can also access the venue by the traditional woodenabra boats when staying in one of Madinat Jumeirah’s three hotels. Its location, just afew steps away from the bustling Souk Madinat, the 600-seat outdoor amphitheatre,Madinat Theatre, and the nearest hotel, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, makes Fort Island aunique venue for spectacular events.
“We are delighted to be unveiling the new Fort Island at Madinat Jumeirah, one of the city’s most innovative and exclusive outdoor venues,” said Margaret Paul,Resort General Manager. “This redevelopment demonstrates our commitment tocontinually enhance the guest experience, and we look forward to catering for a larger and wider range of prestigious events for the MICE industry.”
P C OTHEInternational Association of Professional Congress Organisers
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Whilst every care is taken in the preparation andpublishing of The PCO, the views expressed arenot necessarily those of IAPCO or its members, orof the Editor, and no responsibility can be taken forarticles, errors or comment.
IAPCO HeadquartersSarah Storie-Pugh, Executive DirectorOlivia Wragg, SecretariatEmail: [email protected]
The PCOPublished by: IAPCOEditor: Sarah Storie-Pugh
Committee of EthicsMichel NeijmannKayo NomuraJan Tonkin
Training AcademyAndré Vietor, ChairJan Tonkin, Vice ChairMathias Posch
Patrizia Semprebene BuongiornoMichel Neijmann
Washington DC will be partnering withIAPCO by hosting their October 2016Council Meeting. The city, one of thetop destinations for US meetings, isnow attracting the attention of interna-tional planners, who are keeping thecapital on their radar for everythingfrom intimate corporate retreats toannual congresses with thousands ofdelegates. The city is in the process ofbeing transformed into a global hub forworld-class living, dining, shoppingand entertainment, as well as an excep-tional site for global conventions,thanks to US$9 blln. of developments.
More than 2000 national and inter-national associations have their head-quarters in the DC area. As a result,Destination DC, the city’s official destination marketing organisation, hasdeveloped to become a partner andone-stop shop for association buyersand their meetings, and an expert inhosting global events of all sizes.Destination DC understands the needsof international association clientswhen planning a meeting in the US,
and works with meeting planners andPCOs during the bidding process andin advance of the meeting, as well asduring and after the event. Its‘Ambassador Circle Program’ engageslocal hosts when needed, and its strategic partnerships with Core PCOsenable association clients to access avariety of expertise.
The team works to stay on top of thelatest trends in the MICE industrythrough an International ClientAdvisory Board, which includesMathias Posch, President ofInternational Conference Services and a member of the IAPCO Council.“DC has so much to offer and is anideal US destination for internationalmeetings due to its appeal and the easiness of getting there,” he commented. “Destination DC com-pletes that offering perfectly by notonly providing fantastic support toPCOs and associations but by activelyengaging in the industry and constantlyinnovating based on their interactionswith key association and PCO players.”
DESTINATION FOCUS
HOTELPARTNER2015
CORPORATEPARTNER2015
CORPORATEPARTNER2015
Expanded Fort Island Open forBusiness
Why Washington DC?
HamburgConventionBureau
Phone +49 (0)40 / 300 51 [email protected]
Hamburg connectsMeeting place for global players and bright minds
1 0 14:08
HAMBURG: 22000 ROTARIANS
The 8100 sqm facility is the latest addi-tion to ACC Liverpool, currently hometo BT Convention Centre and EchoArena. It has more than doubled theexisting 7125 sqm at the waterfrontcomplex to 15225 sqm of integratedand flexible event space.
Kerrin MacPhie, director of conferenceand exhibition sales at ACC Liverpool,said: “The construction of ExhibitionCentre Liverpool has been a tremen-dous journey since we first announcedour plans. “We can now host manymore consumer and trade exhibitions,large conferences and entertainmentevents. We are delighted to welcomevisitors, clients and delegates to ournew venue which has brought some-thing unique and exciting to the industry.”
The venue features an atrium glazedwith waterfront views as well as foodand beverage outlets, multiple meetingrooms and a business centre. Externalareas include a riverside terrace over-looking the River Mersey as well asexhibition space which will be used forstand-alone conferences, banquets and events. Additionally, an integrated216-room Pullman hotel is takingbookings from January next year.
The newly expanded complex will hosttrade and consumer exhibitions, large
national and international conferences,banquets, concerts and sporting eventson a national and international scale.Public shows confirmed so far includeThe Ultimate Christmas Fair; Toytopia;Dualco Antiques and Collectors Fair;Girls Day Out; MCM Expo; TheAllergy and Free From Show North and the Telegraph Cruise and TravelShow. Lift Ex and the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers are among trade exhibitions while conferencesinclude RenewableUK and theEuropean Association for InternationalEducation (EAIE) congress.
CONVENTIONCENTREPARTNER 2015
Hamburg has been selected as the hostcity for the 2019 Rotary InternationalConvention (RIC), the annual event ofRotary, the oldest service club in theworld. RIC is expected to attractapproximately 22000 Rotarians from180 countries and regions worldwide tonorthern Germany on 1–5 June 2019.The convention will take place on theexhibition grounds of Hamburg Messeund Congress GmbH (HMC), which islocated in the heart of the city andboasts state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Hamburg’s bid for RIC was jointlymanaged by the Hamburg ConventionBureau GmbH and Rotary District1890. They demonstrated to RotaryInternational the benefits of Hamburgas a host city, with the central locationof the HMC venue, the short distancesto travel, and the support provided by the city itself and Germany’s Rotary districts being among the keyreasons why Hamburg was chosen.Additionally, Hamburg’s experience inhosting major events also played adecisive role – Hamburg hosted the
IAPCO is delighted to announce a newcorporate partnership with Melbourne,the city being represented by theMelbourne Convention Bureau (MCB)and the Melbourne Convention &Exhibition Centre (MCEC). IAPCO hasnow completed its portfolio of corporatepartnerships, with representatives fromeach of five regions of the world. “We are
absolutely delighted that Melbourne hasdecided to come on board,” commentedNicola McGrane, IAPCO CorporatePartnerships. “Last year the MCEC tested the IAPCO partnership pro-gramme as a Convention Centre Partner;following that success, they have becomea full Corporate Partner, thus confirmingthe successful partnerships that IAPCOhas with the meetings industry.”
Melbourne partnership renewal
Lions Club International Convention in2013, demonstrating its expertise inplanning and implementing large-scaleevents.
And so, after an absence of six years,RIC will be held in Europe again, withHamburg adding its name to the illustrious list of RIC host cities, whichincludes Barcelona (2002), Salt LakeCity (2007), Lisbon (2013), andSydney (2014). Its selection as the destination for RIC 2019 confirms thatHamburg is at the forefront of meetingsand convention destinations and meetsthe high standards required for such awell-renowned, large-scale event.
Michael Kern, DEKON Group,Turkey, and Jude Cosway, TFIGroup, UK, were the lucky winnersof the IMEX breakfast, hosted byHamburg, prize draw for a fantasticweekend in Hamburg.
When we at DEKON were brainstorm-ing with our clients several years ago to develop novel alternative formats for an educational event in the field of neuroradiology, we certainly didn’tthink that our ideas would progress intoone of our signature events some yearslater. However, from these beginnings,DEKON, in collaboration with a number of renowned international specialists in the field of cerebrovascu-lar surgery and radiology, developed a new technically demanding andentertaining conference concept thatalso provided high-level learning for participants – the World LiveNeurovascular Conference (WLNC).
When the WLNC was designed, theaim was to have the latest evidence-based data presented by leading physi-cians, nurses, and scientists in order toaffect the practice of neurointerventionand endovascular medicine. The con-ference has a broad audience, beingintended for neurosurgeons, interven-tional neuroradiologists, neurologists,endovascular surgeons, residents, nurseclinicians, physician assistants andinterventional technicians, and otherhealth care professionals with a specialinterest in the field of neurointerven-tional and cerebrovascular surgery.
A central concept from the beginning
of WLNC was the presentation of edu-cational sessions in a large auditoriumwith live neuroradiology cases beingtransmitted by satellite from six citiesin five different countries – Istanbul,Buenos Aires, Kobe, Shanghai,Chicago and Buffalo. The images forthese sessions are transmitted throughfully redundant inter-continental satel-lite uplinks and fibre links to achieveuninterrupted transmission. Since theinception of WLNC, the field of neurointervention has grown andproved to be very dynamic, with land-mark trials and new-generation devicesto treat stroke and brain aneurismpatients. This rapid pace of develop-ment has created very demanding chal-lenges for the PCO and its technologyproviders. However, together with spe-cialists in neurointervention, DEKONand its IT team has risen to this chal-lenge; they have not only provided ashowcase of great cases and experiencefrom around the world, but also intro-duced new technologies and devices.
This year’s WLNC, which was held inChicago on 8–10 June, featured notonly the six main hospitals providingsatellite transmissions but also five
other US hospitals in which doctorshad been equipped with Google Glassin their treatment rooms. Using thisnovel technology of Google Glass livetransmissions, WLNC delegates expe-rienced everything in real time, fromthe stroke call through to the surgeryitself. This new initiative with the fiveUS centres enabled the presentation of live stroke cases and allowed real-time discussions of the workflowand treatment of the acute ischaemicstroke patient.
The room setup was aligned with the needs of this educational event,enabling delegates in the auditorium tofollow live surgery cases on the bigscreens. They could ask questionsthrough their mobile devices to a panelof specialists on the stage who wereacting as intermediaries for the surgeons performing the ongoing procedures.
And some details for those readers witha technical interest in the project.
• A digital matrix intercom panel wasat the core of all communications; in2015 for the first time, multiple centres were connected with almostloss-less IP audio codecs, backed upwith PSTN lines.
• Attendees were part of the inter-active flow; a custom-built voting & questions software, running onAmazon Cloud servers, was madeavailable to all delegates on allmobile device platforms, and dis-tributed through a broadband Wi-Fiinfrastructure.
• Another first in 2015 was a custom-built tablet computer system thatenabled the doctors on stage to inter-actively control the playback of thelive cases and to draw commentarieson the moving images.
• A second multi-camera setup wasused for internet streaming of theevent, through a content deliverynetwork, to serve a high number ofconcurrent viewers worldwide.
WLNC was designed to provide aground-breaking forum that broughtboth expert and novice providerstogether to share cases, highlight tech-niques and discuss new approaches tothe treatment of complex problems. Itis a living example of how, throughclose co-operation between healthcarespecialists and an experienced PCO, an innovative event format can bedeveloped, benefitting the practicallearning that physicians need toimprove patient outcomes. The nextWLNC is being organised by DEKONin Shanghai, China, in 2016.
The DARPA Robotics Challenge(DRC) was an international competi-tion that aimed to stimulate the techno-logical development of robots thatcould maintain mobility and performcritical tasks in a simulated environ-ment reflective of the aftermath of a disaster. The finals of the DRC were held in California in June thisyear, and Congress Corporation provided logistical support in the run-up to and at the event itself forthree teams from New Energy andIndustrial Technology DevelopmentOrganization (NEDO) in Japan.
To prepare for the competition,Congress Corporation supported theNEDO teams over a period of sixmonths in advance of the finals, begin-ning with researching a venue and creating a practice obstacle course inJapan. The robots were set tasks thatincluded driving a vehicle unaided,opening and going through a door,negotiating rubble, and climbing stairs,as well as an unknown surprise task.Once the final specifications werereceived, the Congress Corporationteam supported with the constructionof a ‘test field’ in the US, which incor-porated the various changes in tasksand specifications between the trialsand the finals event, and also providedfull logistical and on-site support.
However, that was not all – one of thePCO’s toughest challenges encom-passed the logistical complexities andsheer physical hard work involved in
packing and transporting the extremelyfragile robots from Japan to California.Shipping required the development of custom-made special flight cases constructed to each robot’s safety spec-ifications, with other issues includingcomplying with dangerous goods regu-lations for shipping the batteries, man-aging export carnet procedures, andshipping the large buggy-type vehiclesthat the robots were going to drive inthe practice sessions leading up to thefinals of the competition. Co-ordina-tion of export and import dates was keyto ensuring that the teams couldsmoothly conduct their important prac-tice sessions within the extremely tightschedule available to them.
The competition was stiff, with out-standing teams entering from aroundthe world. Although the Japanese teamsdid not come home with the prize,Congress Corporation was proud tosupport NEDO’s technological endeav-ours in a field that will prove extremelybeneficial to society and our planet inthe future.
P C OTHEInternational Association of Professional Congress Organisers
This document is printed on FSC mix recycled Cocoon paperwww.iapco.org
Six Cities Live SurgerySupporting NEDO’s needs forthe DARPA Robotics Challenge FEATURE ARTICLE
STAND OUT.Toronto really shines, and when you plan with Toronto, your event will too. We are expecting some of the biggest names in meetings and conventions — including ISTH 2015.
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Contact Alice to learn more about what our vibrant and diverse city has to offer.
ALICE AU, Director of Sales, International Congress Toronto Convention and Visitors AssociationDir: 416-203-3819M: 647-242-9935E: [email protected]
SeeTorontoNow.com
largest combined life sciences sector and is ranked as one of the top 10 bio-medical sectors in the world.1
largest fi nancial centre in North
global fi nancial centre.2
businesses occupy Toronto, making
research and development.1
1City of Toronto2Toronto Financial Services Alliance
Author: Michael Kern, Executive Director – PCO: DEKON Group, Istanbul
PCO: Congress Corporation, Japan
PCO: Erasmus, Greece
PCO: MCI Management India Pvt. Ltd.
Quick thinking keeps EGOS on track during crisis
Different but Same – Odd Socks Day
It was not the best of circumstances inwhich to organise a congress: while theErasmus team was preparing 2000 delegate badges and congress bags towelcome participants to the 31stEuropean Group for OrganizationalStudies (EGOS) Colloquium in Athenson 2–4 July this year, there was turmoilin Greece as the country’s referendumon 5 July drew nearer and capital controls were enforced. In order tominimise concerns and to reassure participants that travel to Athensremained safe and feasible, Erasmus
and the congress organisers took quickand targeted action using emails,Facebook, Twitter and official web-sites, with the result that more than1700 delegates from 40 countries
gathered for the official opening of theEGOS Colloquium on 2 July.
This extremely difficult period forGreece posed many organisationalchallenges for Erasmus, includinghosting the EGOS gala dinner on 3 Julyright in the heart of Athens. The eventtook place literally between two enormous demonstrations – one infavour of a ‘No’ vote and the other infavour of ‘Yes’. The Erasmus teamremained cool and showed great flexi-bility, with a positive, reassuringapproach, in order to offer participantsan unforgettable night against the back-drop of the floodlit Acropolis – thusproviding further evidence that nothingis impossible for an IAPCO PCO!
Down Syndrome International (DSi)along with its local hosts, ‘DownSyndrome Association of Tamil Nadu’,successfully hosted the 12th WorldDown Syndrome Congress 2015, forthe first time in India, in Chennai from19–21 August 2015, drawing togetherover 500 national and international delegates representing 37 countries,including, and most importantly, individuals with Down Syndrome.
MCI India used digital marketing campaigns to bring peopletogether and to foster glob-al discussions on issuesrelated to Down’s syn-drome. A creative socialmedia campaign titled‘Donate Your Voice’ wasdeveloped to drive socialawareness and to share theinspirational life experi-ences of people living withDown Syndrome, promot-ed extensively as part ofthe event outreach strategy.
A ‘Different but Same – Odd SocksDay’ campaign was organised, to cele-brate the extraordinary lives of peoplewith Down Syndrome and the chal-lenges they face in acceptance of theirdifferences, by wearing outrageouslybright odd socks for the event.
In its endeavour to deliver a sustainableand socially responsible event, MCIIndia, along with the event organisingcommittee, planted trees at the eventvenue.
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