Meeting News - January 5, 2009 - (Page 6)

Inside the Meetings Industry Edited by William Ng william.ng@nielsen.com In Singapore, ITB Show Makes Strong Debut Despite Weakening Economy In late October, the ITB travel trade show made its Far East debut as ITB Asia, at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Although far from the size of big brother ITB Berlin, the much-anticipated trade show, attended by 5,000 professionals, exceeded expectations amid global economic insecurity. “ITB Asia is a very robust new show and has come at the right time,” said Raimund Hosch, CEO of show organizer Messe Berlin. “The world’s travel professionals turned out in force, despite or even because of economic uncertainties. ITB Asia is the perfect platform to discuss future paths, policies, and plans.” And turn out they did, from hospitality companies to tourism boards, and from airlines to trade media. Booths buzzed throughout the three-day trade show. There were speakers from Meeting Professionals International and Web in Travel (a distribution, marketing, and technology conference and co-locator), and roundtables filled out the week. The Asian premiere of ITB impressed Mark Wong, vice president of marketing for Preferred Hotel Group, and a four-time ITB Berlin attendee. “The turnout was better than we expected, despite it being its first year and the current economic situation,” he said. “Eleven of our hotels [participated], and all had full schedules with actual buyers, so we look forward to seeing what comes of the meetings. If this year is any indication, we’ll be [buying] more exhibition space next year.” Asian markets have not been spared by the economic crisis gripping the U.S. and Europe, and stakeholders wonder what will become of the travel industry in the short term. Many organizations at ITB said it was too soon to determine how much the slowdown will affect business, but lagging sales were expected through the end of 2008. Aloysius Arlando, assistant chief executive of business travel, meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions for the Singapore Tourism Board, recognized that a realistic approach must be applied. He said the job of attracting group business from Europe and North America is tougher as budgets shrink and travel distances remain long. Arlando said that’s why the tourism board rolled out “BE (Business Events) in Singapore,” a program that gives companies discounts and assistance to bring their events to the destination. “The program is already showing signs of success,”he said, “so we hope to see more business generated from it, especially in light of the economy.” Despite the murky outlook, ITB Asia’s host city remains optimistic. According to Singapore Tourism Board deputy chairman and chief executive Lim Neo Chian, the agency has not adjusted its tourism targets and projections for 2009— though he made the comment when realization of a deep and prolonged global downturn was still manifesting. Still, many hospitality and tourism projects, including two large integrated resorts with gaming facilities and amusement parks, as well as sports venues and the Singapore Grand Prix, are set to move forward as planned. —Ted Utoft EIBTM Draws Well Again, But Are Two Euro Shows Too Much in Lean Times? The roiling worldwide economy didn’t slow the pace of action at the annual European Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings Exhibition (EIBTM) in Barcelona. At the Dec. 2-to-4 trade show, hosted-buyer participation totaled 3,711 attendees, a 12-percent increase over the 2007 show, while total attendance was slightly above 8,000 participants, about 6 percent higher than the previous year. Attendees booked 51,000 one-onone meetings with suppliers ahead of the show, organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions. However, the economic crisis and the new financial realities wrenching the meetings industry did alter the typical rah-rah tone of the show. And another topic widely discussed because of the recession was the competition between EIBTM and the International Meetings Exchange (IMEX), the other major European event held each May in Frankfurt— an ongoing subject even during good times. Both shows draw about 8,000 attendees. 6 MeetingNews January 5, 2009 “My belief is that two European corporate and incentive travel shows are too many,” said one longtime exhibitor at both events. The exhibitor said that while IMEX’s spring dates avoid September’s Motivation Show— the major U.S. trade show held each year in Chicago and which itself is facing new competition from the recently announced 2010 Americas IBTM, to be held in Baltimore—it added “the best way for exhibitors to keep costs down is to settle on one show. And it would be nice to see there be just one show, which moves around instead of staying put in one destination.” Meanwhile, many suppliers used EIBTM as an opportunity to reposition themselves on the issues of social, economic, and environmental responsibility. “Many discussions between planners and suppliers focused on carbon neutrality, energy efficiency, and corporate social responsibility,” which was not the case at past shows, said Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, a South African destination marketing bureau. Show management also put increased effort into the socially and environmentally friendly aspects of EIBTM. For instance, the 2008 show was certified as compliant with BS8901, the sustainable event management framework governed by the British Standards Institute that requires sound practices for energy, water, recycling, and waste management, as well as fair-labor and communityimpact initiatives. “Our aim is to be totally transparent in our work with contractors and suppliers” in making all aspects of organizing and running EIBTM sustainable, said Reed Travel Exhibitions’ Mandy Torrens, the show’s exhibition director. “We intend to manage the event in a way that not just minimizes negative impacts, but maximizes positive impacts wherever it can.” H —Robert Carey www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - January 5, 2009

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