BROUGHT TO YOU BY
MELBOURNE 2016
OFFICIALAIMEDAILY 24th Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre • 23 - 24 February, 2016
DAY ONE
John O’Sullivan, Tourism Australia, Karen Bolinger, MCB Chief Executive, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, Sallie Coventry, ibtm events, Ian Wainwright, AIME Event Director.
Australia’s flourishing business events The Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) will continue to evolve to reflect the vibrant Australian business events industry whilst highlighting the very best of the AsiaPacific region. Speaking on Business Events Australia’s work, John O’Sullivan, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, says the activities being undertaken to showcase Australia on the world stage work in partnership with the Australian business events industry. “In 2015, we focused our efforts on markets and sectors where our work can provide the greatest return on investment, including a stronger commitment to the associations sector, and more strategic partnerships with Australian convention bureaux, professional conference organisers and the business events industry,” he says. “And we will continue to deliver results for the industry in 2016.” Karen Bolinger, CEO of Melbourne Convention Bureau, says new investment and
infrastructure is underway to further support the city’s flourishing business events sector.
AIME will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the business events industry.
“2016 and beyond are years of important development in Melbourne and Victoria with an additional $210 million being invested by the State Government in the expansion of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, which will add 20,000sqm making it the largest centre in Australia,” she says.
“The knowledge and creativity that abounds in our industry is what makes the business events industry exceptional,” he says.
“Plus seven new hotels will open in Melbourne, creating 1400 new rooms in the city and increasing our capacity by 7 per cent in just two short years.”
“This year, we have focused on capturing the knowledge and experience of our industry and delivering this content in tangible packages through our knowledge program, free for all exhibitors and visitors for the very first time. Plus we’ve added a dedicated series of education sessions for our Hosted Buyers.
Sallie Coventry, ibtm event Portfolio Director, says the strength of the Australian business events industry makes it a leader in the AsiaPacific region.
“We also welcome our ibtm events global partner, the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau for the first year, who is leading a strong contingent of international exhibitors.
“Our ibtm events across the globe, like AIME, give businesses the opportunities to connect, creating a strong and cohesive community,” she says.
“AIME will never stop evolving and never stop striving to meet the needs of all participants. We look forward to bringing new, creative and inspiring ideas, reflective of our buzzing community, to you for many years to come.”
Ian Wainwright, AIME Event Director, says
“In the last 25 years, I have visited and experienced some of the most exciting cities in the world but there is simply none that comes anywhere close to what I experienced in Sydney!” — Ashwin Narayanan, CEO of Travel Tours, India
P A R T N E R W I T H S Y DN E Y Minister Stuart Ayres MP with Dreamtime 2015 delegates
EXPERT ADVICE AND SUPPORT
for international events - from venue sourcing, sponsorship, legacy creation and delegate lobbying to the final goodbyes at the airport
WHOLE-OF-CITY APPROACH
Connections to industry, business, academia and government
EXTENSIVE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Partner with Sydney and NSW’s convention bureau, who has been delivering exceptional events for more than 40 years
SYDNEYSHINES.COM.AU
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AUSTRALIAN CITY FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS EVENTS Sydney is the meeting place of people, opinions and ideas, home to individuals, institutions and industries that are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. — ICCA and UIA Rankings 2014
LET'S MEET It's work and play! Date: Tuesday, 23 February Time: 4.45 – 6.00 pm Sydney stand: 4632 Back by popular demand, sample our SYDNEY SHINES cocktail – inspired by ingredients that our social media followers have identified as uniquely Sydney. And, have your very own caricature created set against the backdrop of our world-famous icons.
Come and be inspired in a city where anything is possible. We can help you to bring your ideas to life in Sydney. Just ask us how! Visit us on stand #4632 or get in contact after the show: info@besydney.com.au or (02) 9331 4045 Image credits: Photos: Hamilton Lund and James Horan courtesy of Destination New South Wales
Connect with NSW's world-class business event suppliers and the teams from BESydney and International Convention Centre Sydney. We’ll be there to answer all your questions about holding an international event in a city that truly shines as one of the world's favourite places to meet.
Sponsored by
AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Always evolving, delivering new ways to connect Welcome to the 24th edition of the AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) here in “Marvellous Melbourne”. I am thrilled to be here for the first time in this position, leading an extremely talented and passionate team to deliver the AIME 2016, with the theme of “where inspiration begins”. After attending AIME numerous times during my career as a Hosted Buyer and visitor from many different perspectives including corporate, association and not-for-profit, I’m confident that this year is going to be our best yet. The knowledge and creativity that abounds in our industry is what makes the business events industry so exceptional. This year, we have heavily invested in capturing the knowledge and experience of our industry and delivering this content in tangible packages through our AIME Knowledge Program, which we’ve made easily accessible on the show floor, free for all attendees for the first time. It is the centrepiece of our show and will offer event professionals a range of best-practice case studies, technology solutions, plus future trend predictions and advice on how to make the most of them. We have brought together the best minds in our industry, and a range of inspiring and unique speakers from the Saxton ‘up close and personal’ sessions will share stories from outside of our industry, stories of personal and professional triumphs that will leave attendees energised to deliver more every single day. Bringing the education sessions onto the show floor is one of the many changes that we have instigated. This year, we’ve taken a head and heart approach. We know that events need to serve a business purpose and deliver ROI, but we also know that the people who work in events love what they do and they’ve got an emotional connection to their 4 AIMEDaily 2016
work, so AIME needs to be fun and provide that opportunity to build new connections. Our AIME Community Hub returns for a second year. Designed by our Creative Partner, leading Australian events agency EMG, the AIME Community Hub will have an unconventional design, featuring key technologies set to disrupt the events industry including virtual reality, 3D visualisation tools and interactive screens. It is set to truly surprise and thrill. We have brought the Community Hub concept back in a very different way, allowing destinations, venues, event managers and suppliers new ideas for how to incorporate technologies in order to enhance their way of doing business. This year will feature a number of new exhibitors on the show floor, and we are proud to truly reflect the Asia-Pacific
industry, with exhibitors coming from Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Macau and Singapore, just to mention a few. We are also glad to announce that Fiji will still be taking part in this year’s show. We are also proud to have the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau on board as the ibtm events global partner this year. AIME will never stop evolving, and we look forward to bringing you new, creative and most importantly inspiring ideas over the next two days and the next two decades. I look forward to catching up with all of you on the show floor, and encourage you to engage with the AIME community across our social media channels over the next couple of days. It will be a jam packed, exciting and inspiring atmosphere and we look forward to welcoming you through the doors of AIME 2016.
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Community Hub to showcase technology Designed by AIME’s Creative Partner, Australian events agency EMG, the Community Hub will have an unconventional design, featuring key technologies set to disrupt the events industry like virtual reality, 3D visualisation tools and interactive screens. AIME Event Director Ian Wainwright says the Hub gives the events community the opportunity to discover new technologies whilst networking and doing business. “We have brought the Community Hub concept back for the second year, in a very different way that will give destinations, venues, event managers and suppliers new ideas of how to incorporate technologies to enhance their way of doing business,” he says. “With technology the largest disruptor to the way the world does business, having a number of unique solutions presented in this central space will benefit attendees to AIME.” EMG Director Peter Jack says the industry “is ripe for disruption”. “By demonstrating how technology can bring events to life will help the industry realise opportunities in this space. We are
incorporating emerging and state-of-theart technologies into the Community Hub to transform physical space into immersive experiences. These experiences have the opportunity to completely transform the future direction of our industry, firmly putting AIME at the forefront.”
launch of Displayground’s Interactive Media Wall, a cutting edge technology that combines multimedia content specifically for the events industry. In its simplest form, the Interactive Media Wall acts as a large touchscreen combining multimedia with data capture tools.
In an AIME first, EMG is collaborating with Scann3d to deliver 3600 video and virtual reality technology (VR) to the Community Hub.
“Launching formally at AIME’s Community Hub in 2016, Displayground will showcase imagery, video and a live Instagram feed of tagged images as the action happens,” says Jack. “Pre-loaded content can be triggered by gesture control while the technology captures and provides valuable insights into onscreen content engagement.”
“The three-dimensional computerised environment that VR simulates is so lifelike it redefines reality,” says Jack. “The VR experience will see attendees teleported to hyper-real environments where they will be able to interact with objects in a seemingly real or physical way. Using VR, EMG will showcase some of Melbourne’s most iconic locations in perfect accuracy. Attendees will be able to meander through the city’s famous restaurant laneways, explore Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens and walk down Hosier Lane – all without stepping a foot outside the Community Hub.” The Community Hub also marks the formal
The world’s first 24 hour live booking engine for the events industry, iVvy, is partnering with EMG to showcase its solution and the future of marketing venues and destinations. Further enhancing the iVvy marketplace is its integration of 360 video and 3D visualisations of venues; allowing it to deliver a customer experience like no other. “Embracing innovation in the sector will see opportunities thrive,” says Jack. AIMEDaily 2016 5
AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Now is the time With a new Minister for Tourism and new Minister for Trade, there has never been a better time to push for the introduction of a Business Events Bid Fund. The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) welcomed last year’s appointment of Richard Colbeck as the new Tourism Minister, and is equally optimistic about the recent news of Steven Ciobo taking over from Andrew Robb as Minister for Trade and Investment. “Minister Ciobo is a friend of the business events sector, having pitched the most supportive policy package that the industry has seen in recent history during the 2010 federal election campaign as Shadow Minister for Tourism,” says AACB chief executive Andrew Hiebl. The package included a Business Events Bid Fund of $17.5 million over four years, as well as increased funding available to Business Events Australia of $10.5 million over four years to increase its marketing capacity, bringing Australia closer to its international competitors. In the hung parliament that followed, the Coalition did not form government and the bid fund proposal was lost. Australia’s convention bureaux do well in attracting international conventions despite our distance from the major markets of Europe and North America. In 2014, Australia hosted 260 international meetings, ranking it 13th in the world. However, Australia’s market share is declining in the face of both improved convention facilities and more aggressive bidding elsewhere in the world, particularly in Asia. Through its 201617 Pre-Budget Submission, the AACB has called on the Australian Government to support its keystone policy of establishing a national bid fund of 6 AIMEDaily 2016
$10 million per annum to help bring business events of national significance to Australia. If Australia wants to be able to compete more effectively with its Asia-Pacific rivals, it will need its own national business events bid fund. We should aspire to return to the top 10 of the International Convention & Congress Association rankings, not achieved since 2009, with an Australian city in the top 20. “Now is the time to bring this policy back to life in order to counter international competition, increase market share and build on the legacy that Andrew Robb has left the industry,” says Hiebl.
Former Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb with AACB President Lyn Lewis-Smith.
• The business events sector underpins more than 180,000 Australian jobs and is worth more than $28 billion to our economy. • More than 37 million people attended more than 412,000 business events across Australia in 2013-14. These business events directly generated $23 billion in total economic contribution and approximately 180,000 jobs (Business Events Council of Australia). • Business events are already established as critical to meeting the Tourism 2020 objectives of doubling overnight expenditure, with spending by delegates as of December 2014 worth $13 billion, out of a $16 billion target (Tourism Research Australia).
Minister for Trade and Investment Steven Ciobo.
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
AIME Knowledge the key to the future A centrepiece of the two day tradeshow, the AIME Knowledge Program will offer a range of best-practice case studies, technology solutions and future trends, featuring creative and cutting edge sessions presented by industry leaders. AIME Event Director Ian Wainwright says the program has been designed to offer tangible solutions in an ever changing marketplace. “With the event industry constantly adapting to market fluctuations and global influences, it’s vital that the community has solid statistics, research and case studies on which to make immediate decisions, and
assist in preparing for the future,” he says. “Centred on the key themes of innovation, connection and engagement, the Knowledge Program draws on experience from members of all parts of the event community. Their knowledge, advice and solutions will help event professionals develop themselves and grow their businesses.” All AIME Knowledge Program sessions are free to attend and easily accessible in new purpose built theatres on the show floor.
Today’s AIME Knowledge sessions Using LinkedIn To Build Credibility, Influence And New Opportunities With Big Business Where: Knowledge Theatre 1 When: 10:15 - 11:00am Speaker: Sonja Firth, Director, Business Influencer, will demonstrate how LinkedIn can build credibility, and bring new opportunities in the world of big business, as well as gain an understanding of how to successfully turn strangers into contacts, contacts into leads, and leads into long lasting advocates. Innovative Events In The Future: Trends To Adopt For Your Next Association Event – in partnership with Associations Forum Where: Knowledge Theatre 1 When: 1:00 - 1:45pm
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Speakers: John Peacock, General Manager Associations Forum, and Kandy Musgrave, National Events Manager Australian Veterinary Association, will facilitate a session challenging the audience to consider the latest association event trends and what needs to be done to keep relevant in a constantly changing environment. The Growing Appetite for Gathering – in partnership with Eventbrite
The Black Box of Events: Calculating ROI in partnership with etouches Where: Knowledge Theatre 2 When: 2:30 - 3:15pm Speaker: Alan Ivory, Vice President of Professional Services, etouches, will comment on how companies today spend 30 per cent of their marketing on events, but fail to effectively calculate ROI from these events. Leading Lights From Leading Events – in partnership with EEAA Where: Knowledge Theatre 2
Where: Knowledge Theatre 2
When: 3:45 - 4:30pm
When: 1:15 - 2:00pm
Speaker: Joyce DiMascio, Chief Executive, Exhibition and Events Association of Australasia (EEAA), will deliver an engaging session outlining events by members of EEAA that have showcased innovation, best practice and marketing successes.
Speaker: Damien Munro, Senior Business Development Manager – Australia, Eventbrite, will share new research that illustrates the importance of the live experience on the human experience, and trends that point to the health of the industry.
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Global perspective Sallie Coventry, ibtm events Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, talks about the role AIME plays in the global portfolio of ibtm events. What’s does an average day look like for you on the show floor? Well, as you can imagine for the team and I, it’s an early start to make sure everything is on track before we open the doors. I love the energy of our industry and the show floor is a great place to soak it up; with lots of business chatter, great hospitality and dynamic activity on the stands, complemented by the feature areas on the show floor. I love getting out there to catch up with old contacts and meet new ones, and make a point to spend as much time as I can walking the floor and talking to people. How does AIME fit into the larger global portfolio of ibtm events? AIME is key to the portfolio as our foothold in Asia Pacific and a means of facilitating those important business connections
throughout the region. In many ways, it replicates the offering across the rest of the portfolio; combining a regional flavour and focus with an international presence from both exhibitors and buyers. Reed Travel Exhibitions and Melbourne Convention Bureau renewed their commitment for a further three years, what does this mean for AIME? We’re delighted to be continuing the long and successful partnership we’ve built up over the years with MCB. It really does combine the best of both worlds with the local knowledge and passion of the convention bureau with Reed Exhibition’s expertise as the world’s leading exhibition organiser and more specifically, ibtm events’ profile as the largest provider of events for the events industry. Where do you draw inspiration from? Where don’t I? I drive my team crazy with new ideas every day; from articles, conversations, waking up in the middle of night – you name it! I’m passionate about understanding our customers and learning how we can best meet their needs, in a world that is changing increasingly quickly. That’s really my inspiration.
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Personal stories set to inspire The Saxton Up Close and Personal sessions will provide visitors with in-depth knowledge and first-hand accounts of international business, the meaning of courage, entrepreneurship and technology, connectivity in the world, small business innovation and the high performance team. Nanette Moulton, Saxton Speakers Bureau’s Director, says
Richard Gerver
that the line-up of speakers has been thoughtfully curated to deliver an engaging program. “Set to inspire and delight, these sessions are a unique way for the business events community to get up close and personal with renowned international speakers on topics that really matter,” she says. Ian Wainwright, AIME’s Event
Director, says he is delighted to partner with Saxton to share these incredible stories that will engage, motivate and inspire visitors to AIME 2016.
successes from a variety of
“The AIME Knowledge Program centres on seven key themes, including Inspiration from Outside; Saxton speakers all come from outside the business events industry and will share challenges, motivations and
Saxton to host this exciting
Craig David
Saroo Brierley
personal and professional scenarios,” he says. “We are proud to partner with line-up of speakers. It is also a great opportunity for those in the business events industry to find new and inspiring talent for events of all shapes and sizes.”
Remo Giuffre
Today’s Saxton’s Up Close and Personal sessions: International Business 11:30am – 12:30pm Richard Gerver and Craig David – interviewed by Richard Morecroft Nicole Eckels
Andrew Eikmeier
Connecting the World 2:15pm – 3:15pm Saroo Brierley and Remo Giuffre – interviewed by Mike Munro Small Business Innovation 3:45pm – 4:45pm Drinks company Emma & Tom, Nicole Eckels, Helen Lennie and Andrew Eikmeier – interviewed by Arron Wood Helen Lennie
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5 minutes with a Hosted Buyer Harry Whelan, Event Manager at Optus, is responsible for creating and producing events and experiences for over 6500 people in Sydney, at one of the single largest corporate sites of its type in Australia. AIME Daily caught up with him to find out what brings him to AIME 2016.
What is the range of events you organise? Primarily special events, creating unique experiences and programs across the year. Targeted at employees, to drive employee morale and enhance employee engagement. How many times have you been to AIME? This will be my fourth year returning to the show. What brings you back to AIME? The opportunity to meet and discuss business opportunities, get up to speed on what’s trending and participate in the education program. Are there particular elements of AIME that are must-dos for you? The AIME social program is always a must do, it’s a great way to let your hair down after a long day on the show floor. This year for the first time I’m also excited to participate in the education program. What advice would you give newcomers to the industry? Network, network, network. Have a personal brand that
makes you stand out. It’s a small industry and everyone knows everybody, your next boss could be a conversation away… What has been the most memorable event you were involved with? Working on Optus’s Christmas parties every year certainly has to be a highlight for me. Over 3000 guests attend, and last year we created a Pan Am Airways inspired extravaganza. Over 100 artists performed on the night, across eight venues. We took guests across the globe, from burlesque performances in Paris to the beer halls of Munich. One lucky person also won a return flight for two, flying premium economy to LA! What inspires you in your current role? I am inspired by our unique corporate environment and the people around me. I love the freedom I have to think creatively and the sense of achievement when I see people enjoy and appreciate our events.
With a long list of one-of-a-kind activities, creative meeting spaces and unique venues, your plan reflects the colour of success when you meet L.A. Visit meetLA.com to learn more.
Meet the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board at AIME Melbourne Convention Center 23-24 February 2016 - Booth # 5106 T: +61 2 9004 7703 E: AustraliaNZ@LATourism.org
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
A Farewell to remember The Farewell Celebration in the Rainforest event was the culmination of the fiveday International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) – Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (APSN) 2015 Meeting in Cairns.
Australian experiences available at the park – the Koala & Wildlife Park, the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and the historic Army Duck tour through the rainforest.
Of the more than 900 guests in attendance, more than half were international and 47 countries were represented, including guests from the US, Japan, Germany, India, and several European countries.
Wildlife keepers roamed the Koala & Wildlife Park with a range of animals for guests to interact with, including koalas, snakes, and other reptiles. Koala photos were also available within the Gift Shop for those guests who wanted an additional souvenir of their visit.
The majority of the international meeting delegates were in Australia only for the duration of the meeting, and therefore did not have sufficient time to experience the Australian wildlife and culture. As a result, Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda was chosen as the venue for the Farewell Celebration primarily due to the three unique 12 AIMEDaily 2016
Throughout the evening, guests were treated to a range of activities and entertainment.
The Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience performed two dance shows, and entertained the crowd with didgeridoo lessons, spear throwing competition and Indigenous face painting. Army Duck tours through the Rainforest were available for the duration of the event. Eight food stalls were set up
around the park, offering a range of cuisines including woodfired pizza, satay sticks, Asian food and Australian bush tucker. A number of bars were also available for drinks and dessert stations were spread through the park filled with ice cream. The Tropical Fruit Orchards were lit with fairy lights strung amongst the fruit trees, whilst lanterns hung from branches and lit the perimeter. The three restaurants at the park were individually themed, creating a warm ambience for guests to enjoy. Four local acts were engaged to provide live music and entertainment throughout the evening. Tony George Entertainment provided a threepiece band and were based in the Outback Restaurant area, while Tropicana, a two-piece band, were based at the Tropical Treats area of the park. Two entertainers, Kirk Steel and his
accordion and Danny Simany, a magician/comedian, also roamed the park and mingled with the guests. As one of the event’s leadership team, Rebecca Quilty, Senior Account Manager at Arinex Events, says one of the major challenges was the increase in guest numbers in the days prior to the event, as a result of the popularity of the evening and the opportunity to “do” Australia”. “As a result of the increase, the original schedule for the evening had to be adjusted,” she says. “The number of Aboriginal dance shows were doubled, extra Army Duck tours were scheduled, and the overall logistics of the event were impacted. “Despite this, the event ran incredibly smoothly. Our team had planned for contingencies and these plans were effectively implemented. I wouldn’t do anything differently next time.”
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Game, set and match As the sun set over Melbourne’s Central Business District, Hosted and Semi Hosted Buyers enjoyed a cocktail event at The Vista, Melbourne & Olympic Park’s newest outdoor event space at the Margaret Court Arena. The Australian Tennis Open silverware was on display, while Court No. 2 was opened up for those game enough to walk in the footsteps of the tennis legends who had only recently had their names added to the winners roll.
Andrew Watts, Conference Design, Peter King MCEC chief executive, Karen Bolinger, MCB chief executive.
Sherrif Karamat, PCMA chief executive.
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Sallie Coventry, Reed Travel Exhibitions, and Ian Wainwright, AIME Event Director.
Grace Hopkins, Agent Grace, Mike Plener, Business Connector, and Lynda Carpenter, Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum.
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
News from the show floor
Get a taste of the Melbourne Effect Highlighting Victoria and Melbourne’s strength as a meetings, incentives and conventions destination, the Melbourne stand will uncover how the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and its partners can facilitate collaboration and deliver real outcomes for event planners, known as The Melbourne Effect.
The science of cocktails at Brisbane lab The Brisbane Convention Bureau is whipping up a wicked bevy of experimental brews at AIME 2016 to celebrate the inaugural World Science Festival Brisbane in March.
Brisbane Convention Bureau General Manager Rob Nelson said Brisbane was the first city to host the festival outside of New York and it would be staged annually.
Stand 2418 will turn into the “Brisbane lab” 4.45-6pm, as bartender Peter Hollands from Brisbane’s The Gresham Bar mixes a celestial concoction of cocktails.
“The World Science Festival Brisbane gives scienceorientated corporates and associations the perfect opportunity to bring their conferences to the city,” he says.
For the sports fans a sporting precinct will be created highlighting the Melbourne Cricket Ground and guests can take a photo with the 1964 Melbourne Football Club Premiership Cup. Today’s Networking Hour, starting at 4:45pm, will have a sports flavour with Melbourne Football Club legend Russell Robertson attending as a special guest. Highlighting Melbourne’s urban arts scene, chalkboard artwork by Melbourne Street Tours will be created during AIME, where guests can see it evolve
before their eyes and will be encouraged to snap and share it to #AIMEinspo. A fashion activation will highlight one of Melbourne’s major international events, The Melbourne Cup Carnival, with a millinery display and demonstration from renowned Melbourne milliners Kim Fletcher and Serena Lindeman from Melbourne Millinery Workshops, as well as millinery on display from Heather Edwards. Business Events Victoria has also partnered with MCB, and will be showcasing regional Victoria as a business events destination. “We wanted to encapsulate the essence of Melbourne as a business events destination, and provide a space where guests can meet informally to connect, engage and be inspired,” says MCB Chief Executive Officer Karen Bolinger.
Lisa Wilkinson a Mate of the NT
Perth set to inspire at AIME Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) will be launching the 2016 Inspire Association Award today from 4.30-6pm on the Western Australian stand 3932. PCB, along with its 13 stand sharers, will be hosting canapés and drinks to launch the Award. The Inspire Association Award 16 AIMEDaily 2016
is a $5000 travel grant designed to assist in the professional development of East Coast based Association event managers and executives through funding attendance at an international conference in their chosen field of endeavour. Award funding covers travel, accommodation and registration expenses to the maximum value of the grant.
Well known television personality Lisa Wilkinson will be visiting the Northern Territory Stand 1532 today at 12:20pm. She will be talking about her 18 month association with the NT as an official “Mate of the Territory” Ambassador,
sharing stories about her own experience of the NT and how she believes that the aspirational aspects of the destination make it a place where long-lasting memories are forged and engaging business events are staged.
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Busy year on the menu for MCEC This year is set to be another busy year at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), as the venue continues to plan for its $210 million Stage Two expansion.
of Senior Food and Beverage Manager Neil Mather and Executive Chef Peter Haycroft, several significant food and beverage projects have quickly gathered momentum.
Following on from a recordbreaking year which saw MCEC contribute almost $1 billion of economic impact to Victoria’s economy, several key projects have recently commenced which aim to enhance both the customer and visitor experience.
In April, MCEC will launch its new permanent café, The Shed, which will offer a wide selection of products made in-house by MCEC’s chefs.
With the recent appointments
MCEC’s 2016 Menu Planning Guide will be officially launched at AIME, with more than 30 per cent of menu items newly
developed or recreated, with Haycroft adding his own signature style. New additions include a “Streets of Melbourne” canapé party, offering up a true taste of Melbourne inspired by the city’s multicultural food landscape and iconic eating destinations.
their event. In addition, recent upgrades to Clarendon Auditorium have officially completed MCEC’s $3 million digital signal project. MCEC Chief Executive Peter King says that it is an exciting time for the venue.
Additionally, a seasonal feature menu will be offered, providing customers with a premium menu option that ensures guests have access to the best quality produce on offer at the time of
“As we get closer to finalising plans for our expansion, we’re working hard to ensure that our business is in the best possible position it can be, across all departments,” he said.
from the exhibition industry, its support for the project and the excitement building around ICC Sydney’s opening.”
operators in Australia, including Reed Exhibitions, Diversified Communications Australia, Expertise Events, Australasian Gaming Expo and Boating Industry Association.
ICC Sydney happy with response from exhibition industry Opening in December 2016, International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) has confirmed 35 exhibition events to launch its 2017 business events season.
business mix of a global city,” he said. “When ICC Sydney opens Sydney will have an international business events venue to suit its status as Australia’s centre of business and innovation.
ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy is delighted with the response from the exhibition industry.
“In addition to the 35 events, we have a further 30 under negotiation. We couldn’t be happier with the strong response
“Exhibitions are critical to the
Events have been secured with all of the major exhibition
Just a short flight across the Tasman and an easy drive from Auckland International Airport, New Zealand’s Hamilton and Waikato region is a destination waiting to be discovered. Take your delegates on an unforgettable adventure and unveil the treasures of the region including our award-winning Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre and the stunning surroundings of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set.
For the most epic conference you will ever hold, visit the Claudelands and Hobbiton™ Movie Set teams together on the New Zealand stand here at AIME 2016. Where every detail is the single most important detail
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AIME • MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Cairns Convention Centre to get $13m upgrade The Cairns Convention Centre is undertaking a $13 million refurbishment program. Key elements of the upgrade include a new arrival zone featuring lighting that has the ability to change colour to suit client requirements, LED signage stretching the length of
the zone and new sliding glass doors; large LED screens will be placed throughout the Centre; the Centre’s signature meeting space, the Great Hall, will be re-carpeted; new soft furnishings throughout the building will provide more networking spaces; lifts, car parking, air-conditioning and other core services will
be upgrade; solar hot water panels will be replaced; CCTV and bollards will be upgraded; and after nearly 20 years a roof replacement and refurbishment will be undertaken. “We welcome the Queensland Government’s continued investment in our building,” said
Ross Steele, general manager at Cairns Convention Centre. “The work currently being undertaken will provide enhanced experiences for our visitors and clients and reaffirm the Centre’s reputation as a leading international convention venue.”
Four Points by Sheraton Sydney counts down
The $200 million redevelopment of Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour is now only 100 days away from its June 1 launch date. The development, which recently celebrated a major milestone with the topping out of its 25th floor, will see the opening of a new convention centre, 18 AIMEDaily 2016
bringing an additional 3700sqm of meeting and event space to the heart of Sydney. Offering a total of 21 meeting rooms, the highlight of the new convention centre will be two pillarless ballrooms, offering capacity for 2100 people theatre style as well as natural light
and sweeping, uninterrupted water views of Sydney’s Darling Harbour. The meeting space will also include breakout areas, meeting rooms and dedicated pre-function space. An additional 222 new guest rooms will be completed by August 2016, taking the hotel’s inventory up to 892.
The hotel will also develop a new rooftop bar and executive lounge offering panoramic views of Darling Harbour. Located on the rooftop of the northern tower, the multi-million rooftop venue will replace the hotel’s existing lounge bar and garden on level 11.
Official AIME Daily Publisher Alexandra Yeomans General Manager Michelle Cullen Managing Editor Sheridan Randall Journalist Anastasia Prikhodko Design/Production Manager Bin Zhou Production Co-ordinator Anne Esteban Sales & Digital Co-ordinator Grissel Ritchie Administration Assistant Kate Wilcox
Adelaide Convention Centre’s stage two expansion tops out
Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Work on the second stage of Adelaide Convention Centre’s $400 million expansion has reached a key phase with the “topping out” milestone, installation of the highest point of the redevelopment, now complete.
began earlier this year and is scheduled for completion in mid-2017.
Construction of the East Building
“It’s a fantastic moment for us
Stage two of the redevelopment replaces the original Plenary Building, and features a multipurpose, state-of-the-art facility, with a 3500-seat capacity.
A new look for BCEC’s Great Hall Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre’s (BCEC) Great Hall has undergone a major refurbishment. The $1.5 million makeover of the 4000 seat tiered auditorium includes new tiered seating, carpets and lighting, offering a colour palette in warm and muted hues of purple and fuchsia
adding new vibe to the space. “The Centre has a strong track record of innovation and renewal when it comes to providing benchmark facilities and services for clients and the refurbishment of the Great Hall is yet another demonstration of that,” said BCEC General Manager, Bob O’Keeffe.
here at the Centre, and the many local contractors who are working on the project,” said Adelaide Convention Centre CEO Alec Gilbert. “While still under construction, we have over 60 conference event enquiries for the East Building already.”
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Welcome to the Korea Stand 3400
Korea MICE Bureau www.koreaconvention.org [Email: mice@knto.org.au] Korea Tourism Organization Sydney Office www.visitkorea.org.au [Email: visitkorea@knto.org.au]