Four
ICCA Chapters – Mediterranean, UK/Ireland, Central European and
Middle East have joined forces to create a Summit in Thessaloniki,
Greece, originally initiated by the Mediterranean Chapter, aiming to
deliver inter-chapter education and to create business synergies
opportunities.
The
Summit will be held 31 January to 02 February 2013 At the MET Hotel
in Thessaloniki. Registration for the event is open
at http://bit.ly/ICCA4CS and
the event Twitter hashtag is #ICCA4CS.
The
Summit is open to all ICCA members; it will however offer focused
educational content relevant to the needs and regions of the four
Chapters joining forces. This will be mainly on issues such as
creativity (in marketing, events, organizations); VAT; sponsorships
and other creative solutions in dire times; digital strategies (along
with results of a survey to
be carried out in advance); technologies for the
Meetings Industry; green meetings/hotels
certification; strengthening/recovering during/after crises;
fast track to
securing association business; synergies for companies and students -
internships/jobs and available, capable students/graduates the
paradigm of a seamless cooperation.
The
Summit is also open to a limited number of Observers and students.
They can be MPI, SITE, PCMA, IAPCO members wishing to interact with
ICCA colleagues.
On
31 January 2013, before the Summit officially begins, a complimentary
ICCA Masterclass will be held in Thessaloniki, open to industry
professionals, ICCA members and a limited number of students.
Separate registration is required to attend.
Miranda
Ioannou, ICCA Mediterranean Chapter Chair and ICCA Board Member,
noted: "The Chapter Summit is an opportunity to kick-start a
series of key, short events targeted at raising awareness about the
impact of the MeetingsIndustry for politicians and business
leaders in the Mediterranean countries and
especially in Greece, at this particularly harsh time for the
country. We expect that these will lead to the Joint Chapter Summit
in a more effective way than ever before, culminating to a powerful
message to the Mediterranean region and Europe-Middle East as well.
It is our intention to forge synergies with destinations close to
Thessaloniki to enable business development take place
before-during-after the Chapter Summit, in addition to the great
cooperation and business
opportunities we have already put in place
with the UK & Ireland Chapter. It is with great pleasure that we
have the Central European and the Middle East Chapters joining in, to
enhance this circle of cooperation".
"We
have the full support of the industry, the politicians and business
leaders in our region to make this event a success and showcase
our city in the best possible way to meetings industry
professionals", said the Thessaloniki CVB President Mr Yiannis
Aslanis at the Philoxenia Exhibition in Thessaloniki.
