Craig Moyes, Group Exhibition Director Reed Travel Exhibitions, on five meetings fairs in five corners of the globe and the gold standard.
TW: With the EIBTM in Barcelona, GIBTM in Abu Dhabi, CIBTM in Beijing, AIBTM in Baltimore and AIME in Melbourne, Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio comprises five meetings fairs in five corners of the globe. Why should meeting planners attend these shows?
Moyes: Reed Travel Exhibitions has, over a number of years, evolved a strategy to provide meeting planners and suppliers with a portfolio of events that reflect the specific needs of the key Meetings markets around the world. The incentive business travel and meetings (IBTM) portfolio is now on 5 continents, the latest addition being the successful launch of AIBTM in Baltimore. Each event clearly focuses on a specific region providing local, regional or international meeting planners with a dedicated and unique environment reflecting the local and regional variations of suppliers, products and services that enables them to achieve any number of business goals in each of the geographical markets of China (Asia Pacific), North America, Australasia the Middle East and Europe. But meeting planners will not just find out about the suppliers at each of these events; their attendance also means they can attend regionalized education programmes that look at relevant and topical subjects which help planners with their business decisions and provide insight into the culture and the way of working locally in each destination.
In addition, each planner will be able to attend networking events where time can be spent with their peers as well as exhibitors from the show floor – this is most definitely a time when new business relationships can be “Annual growth of 20 percent” Craig Moyes, Group Exhibition Director Reed Travel Exhibitions, on five meetings fairs in five corners of the globe and the gold standard. TW Talk The China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition, Craig Moyes (second from right). 4/2011 23 SPOTLIGHT made and existing business discussions continued with the opportunity to share knowledge and learning at a local, regional and international level. There is no other exhibition organizer that offers this dynamic opportunity to assist planners gain a wider perspective on the world in just three days in locations as diverse as Beijing, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Melbourne and Baltimore. We are very proud of the fact that the 5 events combined provide access to over 5,000 suppliers from 100 countries, 17,000 meetings planners and over 100,000 pre-scheduled appointments which are generated each year: that’s an incredible and unique platform to offer on a truly global scale.
TW: Have Reed’s hosted buyer programmes changed at all recently?
Moyes: No not really, largely because the Hosted Buyer programme is considered by the industry as a “gold standard” and the fulcrum of each event. The quality of our Hosted Buyers is the priority. Whilst numbers are of course important, it’s the quality of buyer that our exhibitors look for and we work exceptionally hard to ensure this is achieved. Indeed we require that anyone who applies to attend as a Hosted Buyer at any of our events has to be measured for quality, seniority, purchasing power, number of events they organize and what sector they are interested in.
We look at each sector and buyer individually so would expect an Agency planner to be responsible for a variety of events (in size, sector and geography). Corporates tend to organise smaller numbers of events of medium-sized proportions with an Association planner organising one or two annual events for significantly larger numbers of delegates (1000+). The qualification process in place for each event recognises these differences and sets out to deliver only the most relevant buyers. Of course the Hosted Buyer programme for each event has its variances (there are cultural nuances to consider) but we continually look to evolve each programme to meet the needs of both planners and exhibitors. For example at EIBTM 2011, following requests from both Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors, we have increased the number of pre-scheduled appointments each day to 7 (previously 6). This will allow for more matches to be made at the time when the Hosted Buyer chooses their meeting preferences, and additional appointments mean more business for buyers and suppliers!
TW: The global economy has found its feet again, and the meetings industry is similarly emerging from the economic doldrums, according to the Future Watch 2011 report published by Meeting Professionals International (MPI). In the North American market the major drivers of growth are the associations, while in Europe a marked increase in corporate meetings is having a positive impact. What lies behind this difference in demand?
Moyes: The US is the leading country market measured by number of association meetings organized per year. In fact this data, collected by ICCA over a 10 year period has always shown the US as the number one country in their annual survey. With 623 meetings held in 2010, the U.S. is by far the number one country measured by number of meetings organised , followed by European countries Germany (542 meetings in 2010), Spain (451 meetings), United Kingdom (399) and France (371). However, in the last 10 years the market share of U.S. meetings in the ICCA database has dropped from 9.1% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2010. In the last year alone, the gap between the U.S. and Germany, the number two country since 2004, shrunk from 137 meetings in 2009 to 81 meetings in 2010.
TW: Future Watch 2011 is forecasting more meetings again, larger overall budgets and rising attendance. Are the current fiscal and economic crisis in the US and mounting government debt in the European Union jeopardising this trend?
Moyes: Corporations, associations and organisations have come to realise during the last two years that faceto- face meetings are essential to the long-term sustainability of their business. Moreover, the data provided in the first US study on the economic significance of the Meetings & Events industry clearly demonstrates the important impact in terms of jobs, taxes and contribution to GDP. The US Meetings Industry is larger than the US Automotive industry. The huge debt that governments are contracting worldwide (not only in Europe or the US) will continue to be a threat, especially in potential tax rises, but many corporations today have a positive cash balance and, more than ever, they need to align and interact with their people, customers and suppliers.
TW: Two new MICE exhibitions in the United States – IMEX America in Las Vegas und the AIBTM in Baltimore – are now taking place at the same time. What arguments can the AIBTM in Baltimore put forward in its favour?
Moyes: We are not going to compare or contrast our event with any other. AIBTM was the first of its kind in the US and is modelled on the successful portfolio of events organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions, which are GIBTM in the Middle East, EIBTM in Europe, CIBTM in China and AIME in Australia. AIBTM, launched in June 2011 with the same brand values as all of the other events around the world, but with specific emphasis on the US market for both inbound and outbound meetings, incentives and events business. One of the benefits of having a global footprint is the ability to build a database of International meeting planners and buyers providing opportunities for exhibitors to build relationships across multiple shows.
Increasingly our exhibitors understand the value and ROI associated with an IBTM event and hence we see many of our exhibiting customers participating across the portfolio. The global footprint also ensures each event benefits from a team of industry professionals around the world and AIBTM is no exception. The team are located within the Reed Exhibition’s US headquarters (in Norwalk)– from where 115 exhibitions and events are organized every year. Another crucial aspect of each event in the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio is the validation of its audience via independent auditing.
This ensures that participant numbers from the show floor, particularly Hosted Buyer and trade visitor attendees are accurate and that our stakeholders and customers know that there is total transparency when analyzing their own ROI. Uniquely for the sector in the US, AIBTM is one of these events and therefore the official event statistics will not be confirmed until this process is undertaken. Delivering a diverse, quality and relevant education programme is also a key principle of each event. The team behind the global Professional Education Programme is able to use this international network of events to source speakers, topics and trend analysis.
TW: Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer in Business Travel and Tourism at London’s University of Westminster, predicted during the EIBTM in Barcelona: “By 2014 the countries Brazil, China, India and Russia will already be responsible for more than 60 percent of the industry’s growth.” Do you share this assessment?
Moyes: Rob Davidson has been producing annual industry trend reports for many years. His in-depth knowledge stems from first hand experience not only as a speaker at many of the industry’s leading events, but also from his attendance at trade shows and industry gatherings around the globe. The BRIC countries have become more prominent on the radar over recent years and their growth, evidenced by their increasing scale of participation at the IBTM events is testimony to their determination to grow market share, and challenge their competitors by delivering increasingly larger stands and recruiting greater numbers of exhibiting partners.
At the same time, CIBTM will this month (August 2011) host the largest show in its history. Launched in 2005, the event has gathered a momentum that has now secured its position as the leading event of its kind in Asia. “There is no doubt that China’s meetings industry has huge potential with predictions that the sector is a $150 billion market with annual growth of 20%” (HelmsBriscoe April 2011). This year’s event is clearly following the trend of growth. The impact that CIBTM will have on both inbound and outbound MICE business will clearly establish it as the annual business forum. It is also the only event endorsed and supported by the China National Tourism Organisation (CNTO).
Interview: Dirk Mewis
