The
region’s premier meetings and incentives event, the Asia-Pacific
Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME), will expand beyond the show’s
traditional industries to incorporate business
travel for the very first time, when the
event opens its doors next Tuesday, 26 February.
The
move will see more buyers and exhibitors from the business
travel sphere attending AIME, as well as a dedicated, business
travel stream in the show’s education
program, AIME Knowledge, sponsored by the
Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).
Sally
de Swart, Reed Travel Exhibition’s Director for AIME, said the
new addition is
the direct result of feedback from previous shows and will increase
the return
on investment for exhibitors and buyers.
“In
2012, 42 per cent of Hosted Buyers told us they organised business
travel and 15 per cent were corporate buyers – this clearly
revealed potential for an increased focus on
business travel
at AIME,” Ms de Swart said.
“Adding business
travel has allowed AIME to attract a wider range of buyers and
visitors, including those responsible for the procurement
and management of business
travel programs, and increase the return on investment for
our exhibitors.”
Exhibitors
have welcomed the addition. Big names including: Flight
Centre Group
Travel; Port Douglas Incentive Group; Virgin
Australia; and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, have indicated business
travel as an important in factor driving their attendance at
AIME in 2013.
Daniella
Tonetto, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Starwood Pacific
Hotels & Resorts, recognised the value of this development.
“Business
travel contributes significantly to Starwood’s total revenue
stream, and the importance of this segment has increased as
globalisation has created a new global travel pattern, and driven
economic growth in emerging markets,” Ms Tonetto said.
“To
have another platform to directly reach this target market and
showcase our extensive corporate services and SPG loyalty program is
invaluable to us as a business.”
Business
travel buyers that will attend the show in 2013 include
Corporate International Travel & Tours, The Lido Group, Donna
Barlow Travel, E-Oz Energy Skills Australia, and The Global Travel
Movement Limited.
Benjamin
Weinmann, Director of Global Sales & Strategic Partnerships for
the Lido Group, said the amalgamation ofbusiness travel and
events is an excellent initiative of AIME.
“Agencies
like The Lido Group have diversified to include corporate travel.
Many of our professional conference organiser and
event management clientele have Lido managing their
corporate spend as well. Being able to
work with
suppliers of all segments in the one place is a major plus for AIME,”
Mr Weinmann said.
In
partnership with ACTE, AIME has also added four education sessions
focused on business travel to the AIME Knowledge program
which will serve to attract more visitors responsible for
booking business travel to AIME.
Andrew
Kelly, Regional Director - ACTE Australasia, said that the education
program is important to the industry and will be key to
attracting more business travel buyers to AIME.
“Previously,
regular business travel and that of meetings and events
were managed by quite separate areas
within an organisation. We are now seeing travel programs of
corporate and government evolve to span both,” Mr Kelly said.
“It
is therefore important that the individuals responsible
for the procurement and management of these programs and
their suppliers or partners keep abreast of essential topics, current
best practices and progressive innovation.
“The
AIME knowledge sessions on business travel provide an
opportunity to do this, offering engaging sessions with intelligent
and topical insights from industry experts for attendees to directly
apply to optimise their travel and meetings/events programs. I have
no doubt this professional development opportunity will be received
well by the industry.”
AIME
will take place from 26-27 February at the Melbourne Convention and
Exhibition Centre.
