What's On

Meetings for Success

Download the Meetings for Success White Paper here.

As a part of this initiative IMEX and JMIC are conducting a series of Corporate Meetings: Head to Head webinars. See more.

Along with many other international industry sectors, the value and benefits of the meetings industry are now being held to account in unprecedented ways. Similar to many others, IMEX is witnessing thousands of meetings and incentive travel events still taking place - and being planned - but also recognising that new economic, political and PR pressures are forcing organisations to think carefully about whether or where to hold them.

Now is the time for the industry to act. Meetings for Success aims to influence executive stakeholders on the importance and effectiveness of meetings and incentive travel to corporate business and prove the tangible worth of continuing to hold meetings, events, incentive travel and motivational programmes.

Our aim is to highlight the profit-boosting, morale-enhancing and efficiency-generating spin-offs of meetings and incentive travel. To that end, we want to make sure that these issues gain their rightful, long-term place at the Boardroom table.

Meetings for Success was launched during IMEX 2009 with an exclusive Forum for corporate meeting executives, moderated by Eric Rozenberg, President of Swantegy and nominated Chairman Elect 2009-2010 of MPI (Meeting Professionals International). Our high level panel discussions have led to a White Paper which is available to share widely and freely with the industry in an effort to share what has been learned and to generate further momentum.

Meetings for Success Forum Objectives

1)    Discover the real state of affairs in corporate board rooms with regards to meetings and events – how is strategy evolving for the coming 12 months and what are the forecasts in terms of numbers of meetings planned, size of event teams, plans for the outsourcing of events and the integration of events and marketing strategy?

2)    We all understand the power of face to face communications, meetings, incentives and events; but do corporate executives? What can the meetings industry do to promote the power of meetings more effectively to corporate executives?

3)    What channels should we use to communicate to corporate executives not involved in the meetings industry?

4)    What can the meetings industry do to help corporate meeting planners in this time of economic turbulence?

Related IMEX New Vision Initiatives

  • Meetings Under the Microscope - helping planners to take ownership of meeting content to drive, create and increase ROI
  • IMEX Politicians Forum - demonstrating the value of meetings to politicians from around the world. Focussing on the positive social, cultural and economic impact of meetings on a destination.

Industry Initiatives and Resources

The industry is working together to combat the negative PR stories and inform the press, politicians and corporate leaders of the value of meetings, events and incentive travel programmes. Visit the following links to find out more:

Ben Stein on CBS News: Don't blame the business trip - As you've heard, President Obama has spent some time on the job travelling around the world. But it's a different sort of business travel that's on Ben Stein's mind.

 
Meetings Mean Business: a collaboration led by the US Travel Association, between MPI, PCMA, NBTA, IAEE, DMAI, ASAE, Site and American Hotel & Lodging Association. This campaign is strongly promoting the value of meetings to the US economy through high-level lobbying in Washington - they have already achieved a meeting with President Obama, national PR and advertising campaigns and viral marketing campaigns. Visit the website for up-to-date info on the campaign, facts and figures and information on the US TARP regulations.

Meetings Industry Crisis Center: powered by MPI this site is regularly updated with timely knowledge and content and is committed to keeping the industry connected to the latest information and resources to ensure you survive and thrive. MPI is also running a Meetings Matter webinar series.

Site Global: a resource center featuring the most up-to-date news articles and video clips; the latest press releases and information from the Meetings Mean Business campaign; a Motivation Meter and the Keep America Meetings Campaign Toolkit.

Eventia has launched a white paper to communicate the benefits and financial returns that can be yielded by companies investing in live events. The white paper will be used by Eventia and its members to raise awareness of the effectiveness of events in the UK national and international press and when communicating directly to corporate companies. Spelling out the clear case for the industry to support the Visit Britain campaign, ‘Keep Britain Talking’, the paper outlines key statistics and opinion.

Download the white paper.