This year’s pre-IMEX Market Update Breakfast took place on Tuesday May 15th at the Maritime hotel in Frankfurt and MCIntl clients were present.
Michel presentation highlighted the positive economic environment for meetings and conventions in North America. Based on surveys published by MPI and Convene magazine, meeting planners shared their optimistic views both on current and future meetings.
Some of the key points discussed are:
- Budget are still limited and planners have to do more with the same budget.
- Security ranks high in their priorities when planning event domestically and internationally.
- Attendance to both live and virtual events is growing.
- Booking windows for large events is shrinking to an average of 2.2 years, while small meetings are usually planned 9 months in advance.
This year’s keynote speaker, Genevieve Leclerc, founder of Caravelle Strategies, described how convention bureaus can add value to their association clients. She emphasized the difference between legacy versus impact and shared tips on how to provide real support to associations.
Genevieve shared a recent networking forum which took place in Paris for associations under the banner of Tourisme Montreal. The networking event didn’t focus on Montreal’s venues and services but was a forum where planners created and developed new ideas for their associations. The sessions were geared towards involving the planners and helping them with their strategy. In a crowded and competitive market place, bureaus must adopt a different approach, create unique bonds with their association clients, and develop strong business relationships.
Lastly, Michel presented the new MCIntl blog and the Global Events Visionary program which was well received. Click here to view the presentation!
IMEX Frankfurt was busier than ever and remains the leading industry event!
