Aug 2021

Exclusive Media Partner From India

Aug 2021 Vol 10 Issue 01 Voice of Asia’s Exhibition & Convention Industry

Expo 2020 Dubai will provide an unprecedented opportunity to explore ideas, innovations and cultures Steen Jakobsen

Every challenge is an opportunity Naveen Seth

Explore Azerbaijan Florian shares his key insights

Serving in crisis Dilpreet Oberoi

#IMS2.0 IS BACK

Celebrating 20 YEARS OF

Excellence Michael Kruppe General Manager SNIEC - Shanghai

International M.I.C.E. Showcase is BACK! Physical events are gradually star ng to resume around the world. In India too, we witnessed many physical shows last month in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Surat & Bengaluru. These are good signs and it is important for us that as a fraternity we stay connected and keep working on the roadmap ahead for our industry. To bring the MICE industry professionals on one pla orm, 2nd edi on of Interna onal M.I.C.E. Showcase 2.0 virtual summit is coming up on September 30, 2021. The 1st edi on witnessed over 1120 a endees from 52 countries and 95 dis nguished speakers shared their domain exper se with the global fraternity. The event was widely appreciated for its content and quality.

IMS2.0 virtual summit will bring together global industry leaders to engage in construc ve dialogues & panel discussions via the live co-located conference sessions for the MICE industry.

This year we have all live sessions so that a endees can be er engage with the speakers.

Interna onally renowned MICE leaders will enlighten over 1200 industry professionals from all across the globe while delibera ng on the way ahead for the global industry. This year we will run the live sessions under three parallel tracks namely; Exhibi ons Reboot, MICE Showcase, Associa ons Buzz. The event will also be a great pla orm to showcase the preparedness of our MICE to open up safely and effec vely amidst the COVID-19. There will be a virtual exhibi on arena to showcase leading des na ons, futuris c venues, innova ve technology and effec ve solu ons for the MICE industry. A endees can explore the offerings of various exhibitors and can ini ate video mee ngs with them for business deals.

As the industry begins to open up across the globe gradually, this event will also be a useful pla orm to build meaningful business connec ons with global peers. IMS2.0 will offer great networking opportuni es to the a endees wherin they can grab any table and start networking with inbuilt chat and video conferencing features. Entry to the event is free for the benefit of the fraternity at large but prior registra on is mandatory. Register now and grab your all access pass to IMS2.0 virtual summit.

IMS 2021 Highlights: &

PSU BUZZ

Educate: 3 parallel tracks all day Engage: All Live Sessions Empower: Network with over 1200 global MICE professionals B2B: Build valuable business connec ons IMS is a must a end event for: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

MICE professionals Business travel & tourism professionals Exhibi on & event organisers Event venues Professional conference organisers DMC's Industry associa ons Event service providers

today Register to for free r u secure yo ss a p s s all acce

Live Conference Tracks & Sessions at IMS2.0

Live sessions will run under three tracks from 10 AM to 7 PM EXHIBITIONS REBOOT Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Global industry analysis & forecasts Returning to tradeshows Listening from leading organisers Venues in the new normal Service providers share their insights Upcoming events & strategies Understanding Hybrid events Role of technology

MICE SHOWCASE Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

How to restart business tourism Interna onal hot des na ons for MICE Domes c des na ons dialogue Event Venues interact on their role ahead PCO's and DMC's interac on on their role Dialogue with Inbound travel operators Interac on with outbound travel operators

ASSOCIATION BUZZ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Trade associa ons share their perspec ve Professional associa ons speak on events MICE associa ons dialogue How associa ons can grow in future Lessons learnt from the pandemic Driving value, content & advocacy Perspec ve on events reboot & tech Outlook of par cipants to resume

In this issue: 21-25

In Conversation With Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President, Dubai Business Events

26-31

Exhibition Showcase Talks To Florian Sengstschmid, CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board

32-34

Exhibition Showcase Talks To Naveen Seth, Assistant Secretary General, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry

35-36

In Conversation With Dilpreet Oberoi, Managing Director, Arch Concept

Pg. 38-39 Sustainability

Pg. 06-07

38

UFI Releases Key Findings About The Status Of Sustainability In The Exhibition Industry

39

Sarawak As First Malaysian State To Join Global Destination Sustainability Index

Pg. 40

Association News

Industry In Pictures From The World Of Social Media

Pg. 08-10

Quick Bytes

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Medica 2021 And Compamed 2021 To Start Up Again As In-Person Events

09

TAAI Signs MoU With Kazakh Tourism

10

UAE To Launch Global Media Congress In 2022

Pg. 12-16

News Buzz

12

Messe Frankfurt India Set To Launch E-Mobility India Forum To Address Challenges Concerning EV Adoption And Expansion In India

14

'Fresh India Show' Celebrates Un’s International Year Of Fruits & Vegetables In Delhi

16

Complete ‘Man-Tech’ Solutions At India International Security Expo 2021.

ITPO Offers 50 % Discount On Rentals To ‘Start Ups’

Pg. 41-42 MICE Watch

Pg. 43-45 Tech News Pg. 46

Acquisitions

Pg. 47

People

Pg. 48-57 Global News 48

Chicago Auto Show Special Edition Concludes Successfully

50

Green Hotel Investments To #Restarttourism

Pg. 18-36

Interviews

55

Runway To Recovery: Inter Airport Europe 2021

18-20

Exclusive Conversation Michael Kruppe, General Manager SNIEC–Shanghai China

57

Foodservice Products In The Spotlight For PLMA's 2021 Private Label Trade Show In Chicago

Industry In Pictures From

A er long, happy to execute 3 day long grand hybrid conference for MSME Dev forum with amazing speakers and meaningful conversa ons of collabora ng and genera ng opportuni es for SME's globally. Team Occasion experts have been very viligantly following all covid protocols.

To Celebrate the opening of Switzerland borders for interna onal travellers including India, Switzerland Conven on & Incen ve Bureau and Trail Blazer Tours India Private Limited invited some corporate clients keeping all Covid protocols in mind first in person mee ng to virtually explore new experiences in Switzerland LIVE and upda on on Visas and Immigra on of reopening of Switzerland protocols on 18th Aug at Pullman Aerocity.

Interna onal Police Expo concluded on 19th August in Praga Maidan, New Delhi. The event is an interac ve pla orm where the police & other forces representa ves and equipments suppliers can meet their business opportuni es related to forces fitness, training, protec on and rescue equipments.

Messe Frankfurt GmbH's recent Customer Care Campaign (CCC) showed that 97% of their customers remain convinced that in-person events are an essen al component of trade fairs.

Ain Dubai, the world’s largest and tallest observa on wheel, is set to open on 21 October 2021. Standing at over 250-metres high, Ain Dubai is the latest landmark to join #Dubai's long list of world record-breaking a rac ons, con nuing to build on the emirate's reputa on as a leader in the global leisure and entertainment landscape.

The 7th Interna onal Military-Technical Forum "Army-2021" will be held from 22 ll 28 of August, 2021, at Patriot Expo, Kubinka Air Base and Alabino military training grounds. The event is organized and fully supported by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federa on.

Physical events are back! Yogshala expo concluded successfully in Praga Maidan on 27th August.

Jewelers Associa on Show - B2B premium show held from 18-20 August @ Jaipur Exhibi on & Conven on Centre, marking the 1st exhibi on in the venue since lockdown.

FAN EXPO HQ, a global comic con producer and division of Informa, announced that six of Wizard World's, largest US shows will join its por olio.

Wizard World's events in Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Portland, St. Louis, and Cleveland will be rebranded as FAN EXPO events in 2022.

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Asia’s Most Comprehensive Media Pla orm For MICE

The World Of Social Media

This has been an amazing journey of 15 glorious years. IEIA thanks all our industry partners, members and exhibi ons fraternity for their con nued support in helping us achieve the important milestones during this journey. Over 100 delegates logged in virtually on Zoom to par cipate in the IEIA's event for celebra ng its 15 years on August 27.

Confidence is returning. Manchester Central reports it has handled 88 new event enquiries in the month since reopening, up 28% for June and 91% for May. The rise in event enquiries come in addi on to a further 100 events already booked onto its pipeline for the remainder of 2021. The interna onal conven on centre reopened its doors to large events on 19 July, following 16 months of closure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An excellent mee ng and insigh ul discussions between the UK and India Industry leaders. CBI (Confedera on of Bri sh Industry) President Lord Karan Bilimoria and Confedera on of Indian Industry Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee ahead of the upcoming UK-India FTA discussions and COP26.

#UFIlatam Conference welcomed 200 delegates from 35 countries who tuned in and networked online! 32 speakers shared their exper se and vision for the future of the #exhibi onIndustry from a #latam perspec ve.

Québec City will open a brand-new sports complex in the Sainte-Foy neighbourhood. The complex, named Centre de glaces Intact Assurance, aims to a ract high-calibre sports events and compe ons to the city as well as offering facili es for hos ng events such as conferences. The complex has three amphitheatres, a large hall that can accommodate up to 700 people, and mee ng rooms for smaller groups.

Tourism Australia has released the Business Events Consumer Demand Project (CDP), which indicates that despite the ongoing challenges of #Covid19, associa on and incen ve decision makers are op mis c about the industry’s future. The #CDP research suggests that organisa ons are ready to do an event of significance once travel is unrestricted and events can freely take place.

7th edi on of PharmaLy ca expo returned in a hybrid format. The physical version was held at HITEX, Hyderabad from 13-14 August.

Cable Net Vision Expo has kickstarted in HITEX, Hyderabad. It is encouraging to see so many physical shows happening in India.

Diversity + Inclusion: The SISO Women’s Leadership Forum features a panel on Understanding & Embracing Genera onal Differences. Moderated by Danica Tormohlen, the panel includes Diversified Communica ons HQ's Janice Rogers & Chris na Henderson, as well as Jasmine Smith.

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August 2021

Medica 2021 And Compamed 2021 To Start Up Again As In-Person Events The plans for MEDICA 2021 in Düsseldorf, the world’s no. 1 medical trade fair, and COMPAMED 2021, the international main event for medical technology suppliers which is held in parallel, are being ramped up. Both events will take place at Messe Düsseldorf from 15 - 18 November. They are closely linked with comprehensive digital offers and services. In a current survey of several thousand international MEDICA and COMPAMED visitors from previous years, three quarters stated expressly that they intend to attend this year’s trade fairs. The medical technology industry is equally positive about the events. “Our partners and the trade associations stand firmly behind the trade fairs and appreciate the value of in-person events. The exhibitors are very interested in participating and are delighted to see all of the important industry decision makers and exchange ideas in real life again at Messe Düsseldorf, after so many months of exclusively digital contact with business partners and potential customers,” says Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf. Exhibitors will bring their comprehensive portfolios of medical products, devices and instruments, including all the stages in their development, production and distribution processes, to present at MEDICA 2021 and COMPAMED 2021.

SIAM Postpones Auto Expo 2022 Due To COVID-19

Cosmoprof Asia Announces New Show Dates In 2022

In A First, Surat Gets Diamond Exhibition-cum-auction Centre

The apex national body of automobile industry, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), has postponed Auto Expo - The Motor Show 2022 due to uncertainties because of COVID-19 pandemic. The biennial event was scheduled to be held from February 2-9, 2022 in Greater Noida. "The Indian automobile industry and SIAM recognise the inherent risks in organising the Auto Expo due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic and the apprehensions of a possible 3rd wave. There is uncertainty around how COVID-19 would develop in the coming months and at the same time organising Auto Expo would need a lead time of preferably a year," the industry body said in a release. The magnitude of the risk of spread of infection is extremely high in a B2C show like Auto Expo which is visited by large crowds and maintaining social distancing would be difficult. Therefore, it has been decided to postpone the Auto Expo The Motor Show for now, it said.

Cosmoprof Asia, Asia’s leading beauty trade fair, which was scheduled to be held on 17-19 November 2021 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, has announced that the 25th edition will move to 16 – 18 November 2022.

Considering the on-going uncertainty associated with the pandemic, and travel restrictions still being in place, the Organisers, in consultation with customers and industry stakeholders, decided to host the show in 2022, when international trade and business are expected to return. While waiting to meet each other face-to-face in November 2022, Cosmoprof Asia’s beauty community will have the opportunity to participate in an international digital event to maintain business connections and commercial interactions. From 8 to 16 November 2021, Cosmoprof Asia Digital Week will return to offer a match-making platform for buyers and sellers to interact with companies, view new product launches, place orders, meet clients and potential customers, and stay up to date on beauty trends and technology in 2021/2022.

Gems and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has developed India’s first diamond auction-cum-exhibition centre in Surat. The centre, developed on a 2,200 sq. toes space at Vesu, will likely be inaugurated by GJEPC chairman Colin Shah on August 16. The public sale centre has come up at a value of Rs. four crores, which was borne by GJEPC. GJEPC Chairman of Gujarat, Dinesh Navadiya stated, “Many worldwide diamond mining firms had been dealing with issues to hold out auctions of diamonds within the metropolis, as they weren’t getting correct amenities, together with security measures. Even the diamond retailers from international who come to Surat, for the sale and buy of diamonds has to e book rooms within the personal accommodations within the metropolis.

The safety problems with such helpful items was additionally a serious concern for them. On the public sale centre, they are going to get protected deposit vault amenities and in addition locker amenities.”

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August 2021

Phuket Authorities Show Support For The Thailand International Boat Show With preparations underway, organisers of the Thailand International Boat Show met with the Governor of Phuket, Narong Wun Siew, and Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Office to discuss plans for the show and its importance in supporting Phuket’s tourism and economic recovery. With the success of the Phuket Sandbox, Thailand International Boat Show is set to be one of the first international events held in Phuket since the pandemic and the first boat show in the region in two years, as organisers invite people from around Thailand and overseas to a four-day showcase of the best of the best in marine and luxury lifestyle. Visitors will be able to see the latest launches from the world’s most iconic boat brands. Yachts of all sizes, both power and sail, will be on display in-the-water ranging from dinghies and day trippers up to superyachts. Onshore visitors will be able to purchase the latest boating tech, marine products, gadgets and widgets, while also enjoying luxury properties, autos and lifestyle brands on display in the 2,500sqm air-conditioned exhibition hall, the town square and other areas within Royal Phuket Marina. The inaugural Thailand International Boat Show 2022 (TIBS) will take place at the award-winning Royal Phuket Marina between 6 – 9 January 2022, with over 6,000 visitors and more than 100 exhibitors expected to attend.

11th Edition Of SIAL Middle East And Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition To Begin Next December In Abu Dhabi

Thailand Lab International & Futurechem Rescheduled From Sep To Oct 2021 Following the increase in COVID-19 transmissions in Thailand recently, VNU Asia Pacific as organizer, together with the Science and Technology Trade Association (STTA) and Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) has announced the postponement of Thailand Lab International 2021 from its original date to October 27-29, 2021 at, BITEC, Bangkok. Thailand Lab International 2021 together with Future Chem International 2021, the new show concept for the Chemical Industries will further provide a substantially upgraded Hybrid Platform during October 27-29, 2021 at BITEC for the maximum benefit and flexibility of all participants in accessing exhibition and conference platform. Future Chem International 2021 will present as a co-located event with Thailand Lab International 2021.

This event focuses on the conference for chemical businesses in petrochemical, pharmaceuticals & cosmetics and food & supplement industries organized through online and offline platforms.

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Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the launch dates of the 11th edition of SIAL Middle East have been announced. One of the Middle East’s largest food, beverage and hospitality events, held concurrently with the Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition (ADDPE), SIAL ME will be launched from 7 – 9 December 2021 by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company. Both exhibitions will be held in December, instead of September, to ensure the wider competitiveness of both pioneering events. The date change will bring significant levels of international participation from major specialised companies, decision makers, and global experts. H.E. Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority said: “SIAL Middle East is gaining importance and success year after year for its role in opening new business prospects for suppliers and buyers in one of the world’s fastest-growing food and beverage markets as well as enhancing the emirate’s position as a leading food and beverage hub. We are looking forward to another successful edition this December.”

TAAI Signs MoU With Kazakh Tourism The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Kazak Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote bilateral tourism. While Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI signed the MoU on behalf of TAAI, Kairat Sadvakassov, Acting Chairman of the Board Kazakh Tourism, signed the MoU on behalf of the Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan. The MOU aims to improve cooperation between the two to promote tourism between Kazakhstan and India through Tourism product promotions which includes bilateral assistance in organizing events and demonstrating tourism potential of the two countries during trade shows and training programs, webinars. Through the cooperation, the travel trade in both the countries will have an opportunity to connect with each other and build business relations to promote travel products mutually. TAAI members will get an opportunity to showcase ‘Incredible India’ to Inbound and MICE segments for Kazakh Tour Operators.

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August 2021 IATO Inks MoU With German Travel Association DRV

Yokohama To Host 2024 IEEE International Conference On Robotics And Automation Yokohama has been chosen to host the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (IEEE ICRA 2024). Organized by the IEEE Robotics & Automation Society, the renowned event will return to Japan for the first time since 2009. PACIFICO Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, City of Yokohama, Japan Tourism Agency, and Japan National Tourism Organization attracted the conference, whose economic spill over is expected to be approximately JPY 1bn (USD 9.2m).

Japan’s high standard of research and Yokohama’s safety and convenience were among the deciding factors. An Innovation City, Yokohama will facilitate exchange between researchers and Yokohama-based businesses and academia at IEEE ICRA 2024. Hiroko Kano of YCVB said: “Yokohama is a relaxing port city. Less congested than other cities, we are able to secure social distancing for delegates.” Makoto Batori of PACIFICO Yokohama said: “We are confident we can provide a safe environment and the right technical support.”

Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the German Travel Association, Deutscher Reiseverband e.V., (DRV) to promote bilateral tourism between India and Germany by taking suitable measures to reinstate tourism once the Covid-19 pandemic situation is normal. Under this agreement both IATO and DRV have agreed to undertake reasonable efforts to make its membership aware of membership of both the associations, its benefits and events in India and Germany. Officials of both the organisations will be invited to their annual conventions and will conduct travel exchange programmes and training programmes on reciprocal basis. Sharing his views after signing the agreement, Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO said, "Germany is one of the major source markets for inbound tourism to India and this agreement will help revive inbound tourism to India and will help outbound tour operators from Germany to reinstate selling Indian packages." He further said that the agreement will not only open doors for IATO members to connect with DRV members but will also send a message to other countries in Europe that India is ready to welcome the foreign tourists once etourist visa and international flights are resumed.

6th Edition Of Hospitality Qatar To Be Held In November As FIFA World Cup 2022 comes closer, the nation’s hospitality and tourism sectors are robustly preparing for upward demand for hospitality. In support to this major initiative, IFP Qatar has launched the sixth edition of Hospitality Qatar, which will be held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center from November 9 to 11, 2021. The leading international hotel, restaurants, and café (HORECA) trade show and conference in Qatar, is wellpositioned to equip these various industries and help accelerate the readiness of the nation to welcome guests from around the world. Industry experts reported that the country’s tourism and hospitality sectors are witnessing exceptional increase in investments and projects to meet the demand of the major sporting event. The country has still 46 hotels under construction which could provide approximately 13,000 rooms, and 22 of these hotels are to be completed by the end of this year, while 17 more will be delivered by 2022.

UAE To Launch Global Media Congress In 2022 The first edition of the Global Media Congress will be held in Abu Dhabi from November 15 to 17, 2022, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs announced. Organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), he said the Congress will be "an exceptional platform" for the media sector. The event will include a media conference and an exhibition, which will enable various media organisations to discuss partnership and cooperation agreements aimed at developing their messages that will serve humanity and support communities through providing useful and credible content.It will be attended by a range of media leaders and global influencers, in addition to academics and students. The Congress will also discuss several key topics, most notably digital communication, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies and innovation in the media sector. It will host specialist sessions covering journalism, radio, television, internet, social media and international influencers.The event will serve as a platform for international companies interested in engaging in media markets in the Gulf region, the Middle East and North Africa.

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August 2021

Messe Frankfurt India Set To Launch E-Mobility India Forum To Address Challenges Concerning EV Adoption And Expansion In India esse Frankfurt India is all set to launch E-Mobility India Forum powered by NGV India Summit on 7th October 2021 at Le Meridien, New Delhi. The forum will invite illustrious EV brand leaders and government dignitaries to address major opportunities and challenges that the country is facing on the path to achieve a complete EV ecosystem. The growing sensitivity of the Indian government towards a cleaner environment has increased the demand for zero-emission vehicles over the past few years.

Coupled with this, the extensive support and policies in place to promote emobility has slowly but gradually aided in nurturing the industry’s value chain within the country.

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As the EV industry continues to set its foundation into the Indian automotive ecosystem, the E-Mobility India Forum powered by NGV India Summit will bring ‘who’s who’ of the industry under one roof on 7th October 2021 at Le Meridien, New Delhi. To provide a secure in-person experience, the forum will be held under the safety protocols of ‘MFI SafeConnect’, developed by Messe Frankfurt India in accordance with government’s health and safety guidelines.

The panel of E-Mobility India Forum 2021 will comprise of premier EV brand leaders and government officials, including: Mr. Naveen Munjal, MD, Hero Electric Vehicles Pvt Ltd Ÿ Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head, Audi India Ÿ Mr. R.R.K. Kishore, Director – Technical, Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU)

Ÿ

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Shri. Sudhendu J Sinha, Advisor, Infrastructure Connectivity & Electric Mobility vertical, NITI Aayog Ÿ Mr. Sandeep Bangia, Business Head – EV Charging Ecosystem, Home Automation, ESCO, Tata Power Ÿ Mr. Kaushik Madhavan, VP – Mobility, Frost & Sullivan

Ÿ

“Over the past few years, a vast number of startups have emerged to work in the EV ecosystem either in the capacity of manufacturers or service providers, along with some of the leading automotive giants who recognise the potential of e-mobility. With E-Mobility India Forum, Messe Frankfurt India aims to create a platform where automotive players can gain strong insight into the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in India’s path to embrace e-mobility,” shared Mr. Raj Manek, Executive Director & Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd. A wide array of topics have been lined up to be discussed during the forum, which will present an in-depth analysis of the e-mobility segment, including: The conversion to e-mobility, the competition/opportunity created by Tesla’s entry in the Indian market, as

well as the EV incentives, policy challenges & support extended by the government to accelerate electrification.

Furthermore, the forum will also discuss the head-ons for automotive OEMs while adapting to the EV ecosystem, accelerating EV Component Manufacturing Growth under Make in India, & a session on EV Infrastructure & Innovative Business Models.

Recently, the Maharashtra government has also announced its new electric vehicle policy that aims to achieve a 10 per cent share for EVs in the overall new vehicle registrations by 2025.

Under this new policy, all the electric vehicles (EVs) sold in Maharashtra will be exempted from paying road tax till the tenure of the policy.

The new policy aims at establishing at least one manufacturing unit in the state for producing advanced lithium-ion batteries, and proposes to set up 1,500 charging stations in the Mumbai metropolitan region. As the government continues to push towards the growth of EV segment, the launch of E-Mobility India Forum will provide a strong avenue to analyse opportunities and challenges with regards to EV adoption and expansion in India.

Asia’s Most Comprehensive Media Pla orm For MICE

News Buzz

August 2021

Sport India 2022 Scheduled For 12-14 August 2022 port India 2022- 10th India International Sporting Goods Show on Sports Goods, Sports Wear & Accessories, Fitness, Gym & Rehabilitation Equipments, Sports Flooring and Technology, Golf, Adventure & Amusement, Motor Sports, Toys, Sports Wellness & Beauty ,Raw Materials & Sports Goods Manufacturing Machineries Sport Medicine & Allied Industries is being held on 12-14 August 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

business to find out the new business opportunities in India as well as in overseas market. This event is a great opportunity to network with sports Industry.

Sport India Expo is a b2b business platform for the national and international companies into the sports

Sport India 2022 is co located with ten more highly focused concurrent pavilions like Fitness, Rehab , Sports

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Technologies, Sports Infra , Adventure , Toys ,Trophy , Golf ,Amusement , Raw Materials & Machineries which will cover the entire gamut of Sports and allied industries. The event will present a wide range of products and services pertaining to indoor and outdoor sports.

The main aim of the Sport India exhibition is to promote the Sports and Sports Goods Industry worldwide.

There is huge business opportunity in sporting goods sector in India. The exhibition will bring together manufacturers, leading stakeholders, top corporate, policymakers, dealer, distributors, retailers and sports management companies.

BRICS Business Forum 2021 And BRICS Trade Fair Organized By Department Of Commerce, Government Of India, Along With FICCI Observes Effective Participation From Member Countries

he BRICS Business Forum, one of the key events organized by the BRICS Business Council, offers a platform for members of the BRICS Business Community to discuss and deliberate on key economic cooperation areas and make recommendations on intra-BRICS trade

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and industry issues.

To further strengthen the trade and investment relations within BRICS, the Department of Commerce, Government of India along with FICCI and supported by the BRICS Business Council, organised the 2nd BRICS Trade Fair, which is the largest platform for Indian companies to meet and network with counterpart businesses from Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.

companies from the BRICS Nations showcased their products and services at the expo. 18 Investment agencies & states/provinces showcased investment opportunities in their respective regions.

The BRICS Trade Fair 2021 witnessed the participation of over 5000 delegates, and the event had over 2500 Pre-fixed B2B meetings. The Trade Fair also saw over 8000 Virtual booth visits by the business delegates, which attributed to over 2000 business interactions. Also, the virtual exhibition platform witnessed over 3000 Business card exchanges and had representation from varied sectors from the BRICS member countries, with 610 exhibitors from the five countries.

The organizers have informed that 600+

Asia’s Most Comprehensive Media Pla orm For MICE

News Buzz

August 2021

'Fresh India Show' Celebrates UN’s International Year Of Fruits & Vegetables In Delhi

mbassadors of Polland, Argentina, Afghanistan, Netherlands, and Iran extended their cooperation in fresh produce and food trade with India.

In India, throughout this pandemic situation, the per capita consumption of different fruits has increased superbly and as said by the trade sources the availability of F&V products will increase more in the coming years. In tandem with the increasing demand, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had also selected 2021 as a special year “International Year of Fruits and Vegetables” to recognize the health and economic benefits of fruit & vegetable consumption and to direct policy attention towards reducing loss and waste of these extremely perishable produce items.

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Intending at strengthening the F&V industry in India, consequently improving the means of agri-businesses and per capita availability, consumption and demand, Media Today Group organized the 3rd Fresh India Show

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2021 on 5th - 6th August 2021 at Pride Plaza Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi.

Alongside, the event also celebrated the UN’s International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021. The event also analyzed the temporary and lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2-day event saw participants, ranging from ambassadors to diplomats to farmers to industrialists to entrepreneurs to policy makers, from all across the globe. Approximately 150 delegates attended the event in face-toface mode and more than 500 participants were connected online.

The ambassadors and diplomats who graced the occasion with their respected presence included H.E. Adam Burakowski, Ambassador, Embassy of Republic of Poland, H.E. Hugo Javier

Gobbi, Ambassador, Embassy of the Argentine Republic, H.E. Farid Mamundzay, Ambassador, Embassy of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, H.E. Marten van den Berg, Ambassador, Embassy of Netherlands, H.E. Ali Chegani, Ambassador, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ms. Marcella, Zuniga Alegria, Trade Commissioner, Trade Commissioner of Chile, Prochile, Mark Rosmann, Agricultural Attaché, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Stefan Kessen, Custom Attaché, Embassy of Belgium.

The major participants from the industry included stalwarts like Sanjay Dave, Former Chairman, Codex Alimentarius Commission; Dr. Ashok Dalwai, Chairman, Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI), Govt. of India; U.K. Vats, General Manager, Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA); Gokul Patnaik, Chairman, Global AgriSystem Pvt. Ltd.; Sanjeev Kumar Chadha, Managing Director, National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing (NAFED); Amit Lohani, Founder-Director, Forum of Indian Exporters (FIFI); Pawanexh Kohli, Former CEO of National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD); and Azhar Tambuwala, Director – Marketing, Sahyadri Farmers Producer Co. Ltd. S Jafar Naqvi, Chief Coordinator and Editor, Media Today Group welcomed all the eminent dignitaries and guests to the 3rd Fresh India Show 2021, marking the first major event of its kind happening in the real world after 18 months of virtual meets and seminars that become a norm at the height of the global pandemic.

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Electronica India & Productronica + MatDispens Rescheduled including exhibitors, buyers and key partners.

The 2021 edition of the show will take place in hybrid mode giving seamless integrated experiences of online as well as “at the venue”.

n wake of the pandemic situation and travel restrictions, Messe Muenchen India has decided to shift its concurrent shows at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre in Bengaluru to December 16 - 18, 2021. The decision was taken keeping in view the feedback received from the industry stakeholders

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Commenting on the development, Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India, said, “Considering the current pandemic situation, December seems to be a better option to conduct the trade shows. It further enables us to provide a new platform for exhibitors and visitors to meet each other face-to-face and online and get back to business in a conducive and safe environment.”

Adding to Singh's views, Dr Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy Chairman, Messe München GmbH said, “We support the decision to reschedule the events. We are also happy with the new extended platforms coming up.

They offer the opportunity to reconnect, network and drive business for the electronic community despite the pandemic.” Rajoo Goel, Secretary General, Electronic Industries Association of India (ELCINA) said, “As the industry is witnessing a gradual recovery, safety remains our prime concern. The decision to postpone the events comes at the right time to ensure a safer environment for participants and deliver greater value for all stakeholders.”

Defexpo 2022 To Be Held In Gandhinagar From March 11 To 13 efExpo, the flagship event of ministry of defence, has got a new destination. The next edition of DefExpo— Asia's biggest land, naval and internal homeland security systems exhibition—will take place at Gandhinagar in Gujarat from March 11 to 13, 2022.

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The 12th edition of DefExpo will be the first ever major defence show in Gujarat. The last edition of the event was held in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

Incidentally, Lucknow is the parliamentary constituency of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During the Lucknow edition of DefExpo, emphasis was given to Uttar Pradesh defence corridor, and the main theme of

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Defence Expo 2020 was: 'India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub'. The focus of 2020 event was: 'Digital Transformation of Defence'.

Traditionally, DefExpo was always held at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan, the usual venue for such exhibitions. It travelled to Goa in 2016 when the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar decided to take it to his home state. Then, in 2018, Nirmala Sitharaman moved the mega event to

Chennai. In fact, uncertainty over its venue had delayed the Channai event, which normally takes place in the month of February and March. In the Chennai edition of DefExpo, over 50 countries had showcased their products, and saw participation of 702 companies.

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Complete ‘Man-Tech’ Solutions At India International Security Expo 2021. ITPO Offers 50 % Discount On Rentals To ‘Start Ups’

ighlighting 'Atamnirbhar Bharat' campaign of the Government, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) has extended its support to START UPS in terms of providing 50 per cent rental discount to startup in the 21st edition of India International Security Expo (October 7-9,2021) in Hall 5 (GF), IECC Complex at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. These startups should be notified by the DPIIT, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Facilitating transfer of technology, joint ventures, and system integration, IISE2021 is being organized as per preventive measures to contain spread of the pandemic with the support of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India while the co-organizers are CISF and BPR&D. Significantly, this is the only security expo in South-Asia region which enjoys the support of all States Police Forces, NDMA, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, Delhi Police, SPG, DFS, etc.

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The Expo will cover almost all aspects

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of security and safety as these are vital components to protect and promote the core values of democracy, secularism, freedom and unity as enshrined in our constitution. The event also showcase the new initiatives of the industry of promote manufacturing of the security equipment and gadgets under the 'Make in India' campaign. Featuring a wide range of the latest products, services and innovations of homeland security, crossspectrum technology based security capabilities, the event highlights fresh avenues for development of cyber security and skilled task force.

The concurrent seminars, delegation visits from within the country and overseas and on-the-spot demonstrations on Women Safety, 'Selfie- Points' and 'Dog Shows' will be among the added attractions.

IISE 2021 focuses on new range of gadgets and systems in the field of surveillance, explosive detection and disposal, fire fighting, access control, radio communications, training equipment and home and automotive security sectors. Over 100 leading

companies are displaying a wide range of products on Homeland Security, Fire Safety, Traffic Management, Industrial Safety, Disaster Management and Information Security. These includes: Access Control Systems, Perimeter Protection Devices, CCTV Surveillance Equipments & System, Explosive detection & Disposal Equipment, Disaster Management & NBCW Protection Equipment, Equipment for Bank and Hospital Security, Equipment for Forensic Science Laboratories, Fire Alarm & Fire Fighting Equipment, Equipment for Counter Terrorism, Insurgency, Anti-naxalism and Security Enforcement agencies, Crowd Control Gadgets/Anti Riot Drill Equipment, Rescue and Relief Equipment, Vehicle and Personnel GPS System, Electronic Gates/Flap Barriers, Bomb Suits/ Bomb Blanket, Night Vision Devices, Indoor/outdoor shooting ranges, Drone Technologies, Cyber Security, Health Security, Software & Solutions, Baggage Screening System, Integrated critical Infrastructure Protection and Jammer/Cell Phone Monitoring System, etc.

As per previous practice, ITPO will extend invitations to all the stakeholders of the industry. These include: the Home Ministers, Secretaries and senior representatives from the State governments and law enforcement agencies to visit the fair. Apart from a large number of security professionals, the fair will be visited by the senior representatives from Paramilitary Forces, State Police Forces, Security agencies, Embassies, MNCs, Banks, PSUs and Residents Welfare Association.

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just celebrated its “SNIEC 20 years anniversary.

Almost from the very beginning our focus was on top service rather then just providing only space. Over the years we finetuned and excelled our services which attracted all of the top global and local show organizers. Besides we added over time restaurants and infrastructure plus in the last 5 years we also invested in safety and security which especially during Corona times is the key to build the trust for the visitors and exhibitors.“ Michael Kruppe General Manager SNIEC–Shanghai China

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ES. As the first exhibition center of a Sino-foreign joint venture, Shanghai New International Expo Center has been built into one of the most successful exhibition centers in China. Please tell us other features that sets SNIEC apart from other venues.

Michael Kruppe. This year actually SNIEC celebrated its 20 years anniversary. Almost from the very beginning our focus was on top service rather then just providing only space. Over the years we finetuned and excelled our services which attracted all of the top global and local show organizers. Besides we added over time restaurants and infrastructure plus in the last 5 years we also invested in safety and security which especially during Corona times is the key to build the trust for the visitors and exhibitors.

ES. Could you provide the readers about your early life and career?

Michael Kruppe. I am quite a late comer only joining the industry in 2013. I wish I had known 30 years before already that exhibition industry is such fun; though challenging at any time. On the other hand probably 30 years ago, when I came to China, the industry was not that developed. So maybe the time of me joining in was just perfect.

ES. How many regional, national and international conventions, meetings and trade shows, are hosted by the SNIEC? Michael Kruppe. In “normal’ years we host between 120150 expos and events. At peak times we run 6 shows at the same time. This is really a challenge, as we only have 3 major entry halls. So when this happens our customers literally fighting for any sqm of registration space they can get in the entry halls. Over the years we became more experienced how to run situations like this and nowadays it

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is not a big problem anymore as we are allocating registration space based on the total ratio of sqm booked for the show. This is fair and transparent.

ES. How does SNIEC make important contributions to the exhibition economy in China and Asia with its advanced professional capabilities?

Michael Kruppe. We are the No. 1 not only in China but actually globally in terms of occupancy rate, which set a record in 2019 at 74pct. Certainly many new but also old venue mgmt. people come to visit us and we are happy to share our experience of how to operate under pressure.

But I also tell everyone that SNIEC model can not be simply copied. Every city, every government , every show , etc is different, so it takes many years of experience and high level of flexibility tu run a venue like SNIEC successfully.

ES. Technological change is creating historic shifts in industry footprints. Do you think, this process will accelerate? How would this technology take shape at your organisation Michael Kruppe. Absolutely. We already started back in 2017 to use the well known wechat as a digital tool to run part of our operations. Later we also upgrade our whole venue with 5g. SO we are ready and set to support and digital and high-tech demand from the industry. I am however not too convinced about the so called digital expo. I believe this is a temporary phenomen and will not further grow once corona is contained.

ES. How have things changed within the industry during your career?

Michael Kruppe. Even my expo career only spans about 8 years now I have seen many changes. i.e more B2B shows add consumer and mice and entertainment elements

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into their shows. Due to that also the amount of services required to support such trend are increasing. Also the need for more safety and security, partly triggered by corona, must be in the focus.

ES. How has SNIEC been instrumental in the promotion of domestic and international economic exchanges by virtue of its unique location advantages, and an ideal venue for holding various social and corporate events?

Michael Kruppe. Our location paired with our top service and strong focus on safety and convenience is surely our ace card to play. As we were already well established on b2b I set new goals back in 2015 to reach out for corporate and events and festivals. In the beginning it was not easy as most companies were used to hotels or concert halls.

However, we proved that we could turn a “boring” expo hall into a fantastic location also for weddings, product launches, concerts, TV -life shows, Tennis tournaments and other kind of festivals. We just finished our new airport style VIP lounge which will create even more opportunities for meetings or smaller events up to 500 people. In terms of events I would say the sky is literally the limit as probably the only kind of show we can not do is an Airshow like they have in Paris or Dubai.

ES. China has been the first country to face the impact of Covid-19? How has the virus outbreak affected SNIEC, and how have you dealt with the situation and gears up for resurgence?

Michael Kruppe. Basically from day one when corona occurred we assembled all stakeholders and agreed to work on a safety protocol which would enable us to hopefully sooner then later restart the business. In 2020 it took us about 4 months until June 2020. Then we were allowed and able to restart expos. Even 2020 vs our record year 2019 was of course much worse, we still managed to recover ard. 45pct of our revenues.

ES. With the objective of providing major impetus to safety, how have you equipped to ensure safe and secure events? Please name some major events hosted recently by SNIEC?

normal?

Michael Kruppe. As said before the venue and the show must be a place where people trust it is safe. If that is guarantued by the venue then things will turn back to normal sooner or later.

ES. What are your upcoming plans?

Michael Kruppe. Our plan is to stay top of the industry and to do that we must prove everyday that we will deliver best service, convenience and safety. This is a tough job bur our teams are well prepared ES. What would be your message to the industry?

Michael Kruppe. Keep the faith and keep improving.

Then we all can return to whats our main target: FACE TO FACE ES. What does your typical workday look like?

Michael Kruppe. Starting with a coffee of course and then basically walk the expo floor. Its either show time or construction/dismantling time. So I always have some visual inspection and then discuss with my teams in case some things went wrong and analyse how to improve. As (in normal year) we always have something going on in SNIEC so its is quite rewarding to see the venue is so busy.

ES. Please tell us about your hobbies and other activities that you would love to do at home.

Michael Kruppe. I am actually the founder of a rockband called SHANGHIGH VOLTAGE and we wrote a song for our industry called FACE TO FACE. The meaning of this song is to give strength to all of us that one day we can come back to the expo floor what is our human nature, to interact with other people FACE TO FACE.

Michael Kruppe. As mentioned before our safety protocols were carefully developed and proved over time to work out. Zero cases of corona happened in SNIEC. Recent large events like CBE(China beauty) , KBC (kitchen and Bath) or Chinajoy and Daily Articles attracted 40-50,000 people/day ES. What according to you will be the role of venues and the preparations they will need to thrive in the new 20 | www.exhibi onshowcase.com

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N CONVERSATION WITH STEEN JAKOBSEN, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, DUBAI BUSINESS EVENTS ES. Dubai has been hailed as a world-class tourism hub and has a reputation as the destination of choice for those seeking luxury and glamour, but what makes it an ideal place for a meeting of business delegates, making Dubai a dynamic hub for major conventions?

Steen Jakobsen. Many of the key factors that have made Dubai one of the most visited cities in the world – including the strong infrastructure, connectivity with the rest of the world and diverse range of hospitality, attractions and experiences – have also contributed to its growth as a major business events hub. Added to these, the city has developed a number of major dedicated event venues around the city, ranging from large scale conference and exhibitions centres – led by Dubai World Trade Centre – to more intimate settings. And from the DMCs and PCOs in the city to the visitor-facing staff around the city, professionalism and excellence is at the heart of the services and offerings we provide here. All of these are key qualities anyone looks for in a potential host destination, and with Dubai being a city within just a four-hour flight of a third of the world’s population, and eight hours from two-thirds, we provide a compelling option for planners.

ES. Expo 2020 Dubai, the world’s biggest business event of the year, is a few months away and will welcome millions of visitors from all around the world.

What will be the key attractions of the event and some of the major highlights?

Steen Jakobsen. As not only the biggest event Dubai has ever hosted, but also one of the first major global events to take place in the wake of the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai will provide an unprecedented

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opportunity for visitors to explore ideas, innovations and cultures from around the world. Beyond being a large-scale event in itself, the Expo site will also host major conferences and other business events throughout its sixmonth duration, including at the new Dubai Exhibition Centre.

From the thematic and national pavilions to the F&B offerings and entertainment across the site, there will be something for everyone. Many planners and organisations have scheduled their events in Dubai during Expo 2020, and even those not taking place at the site are set to incorporate them into their itineraries. We will also be leveraging Expo 2020 as an opportunity to showcase the city’s capabilities and we are seeing a strong appetite from meetings industry professionals to visit Dubai during Expo and experience it themselves.

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Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.

It is effectively a travel perk for the incentive delegates.

What incentives does Dubai offer in order to create a truly unforgettable experience?

Steen Jakobsen. Dubai lends itself incredibly well to the incentive segment, and it continues to be an important focus for us at Dubai Business Events. Many of the qualities that pull leisure tourists to the city apply to the incentive segment: the diverse range of hospitality and dining options, the rich experiences available, the appeal to different demographics and interests, and the many attractions, to name a few. Added to this is our ability to host groups of all sizes and ensuring every single delegate have a memorable experience. There is also flexibility in Dubai’s offering – meaning planners and organisations can offer tiered rewards and different itineraries all within close proximity.

ES. Being a meeting and event industry professional responsible for promoting and developing Dubai as a destination for international association, meetings and corporate events, we would like to know in details, about your incredible journey over the years with major milestone achieved so far.

Steen Jakobsen. I joined Dubai Business Events, part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, in 2013 and since then it’s been incredible to be part of the city’s growth story. Whether we are bringing in large scale incentive groups with thousands of delegates, or small corporate groups here for intimate meetings, it excites me to be working with our stakeholders across the city to achieve not only our respective goals, but also give all planners and visitors an incredible experience. Among the key milestones has been the formation of the Dubai Association Centre in 2014, and its subsequent evolution, which has really helped to solidify the city’s standing as a global association hub, in turn boosting our ability to attract business events.

It has also been great to see us work even more closely with the international meetings community, especially through our involvement in key industry bodies. Our membership of the BestCities Global Alliance is something I’m particularly proud of, while our work with ICCA saw us host the association’s Congress in 2018. Beyond this, both myself and the wider DBE teams have built closer relationship with the likes of ASAE, IAPCO and PCMA, to name a few, in recognition of the importance of collaborating on a global scale to further our industry.

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ES. As part of the Tourism Vision 2025 initiative, Dubai aims to significantly increase its visitor numbers and tourism revenue, what role does Dubai Business Events have in achieving this goal? How far has goal been achieved?

Steen Jakobsen. Business events is a vital part of the wider tourism ecosystem and in terms of visitor numbers contributes a significant percentage. But even more than this, the multiplier effect means that the economic impact is particularly important, not only directly into the tourism and business events sectors, but also into the wider knowledge economy. Part of our mandate is to attract business events that align with Dubai and the UAE’s focus on innovation and the sectors of the future, as well as the continued diversification of the economy.

ES. In the race for excellence, there is no finish line, Dubai was turned from a desert backwater into one of the world's most awe-inspiring cities in less than 50 years. How do you see the city developing exponentially into the desert, sky and sea over the next 10 years?

Steen Jakobsen. While the city has developed at an astounding rate over the past 50 years, it is important that we acknowledge Dubai’s rich history and heritage. In many ways, the city’s legacy as a meeting point between East and West, as well as its status as a trading hub over many centuries, have made it an ideal setting for business events today. At the same time, bold leadership has seen it evolve into one of the world’s leading cities today, and at the 23 | www.exhibi onshowcase.com

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forefront of the global tourism and business events sectors.

The key to that continued progress is that Dubai continues to look ahead to new goals and targets. In terms of the city’s development, the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan ambitiously sets out how key areas will continue to evolve, addressing the expected growth and needs of both the resident population and international visitors.

ES. Dubai has been shortlisted to host the 27th International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference 2025, the largest international conference in the field of museums? As the city aims to become the "meeting place of the world" in the post-pandemic era, how Dubai is preparing to host this event?

Steen Jakobsen. Dubai’s bid for ICOM 2025 is a typical example of the collaborative approach we take when looking to bring major business events to Dubai. Firstly, it was identified as an important conference to bring to Dubai as it ties in with the increasing focus on culture both within the tourism landscape and embedded within the city as a whole. Multiple entities – including Dubai Business Events, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Culture – have then worked together to create a compelling bid and engage with decisionmakers, including by hosting site inspections in Dubai.

ES. What are your plans to reach out to the Indian market as the restrictions on travel are getting eased by both Indian and Dubai government?

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Steen Jakobsen. As with all our key target markets, restrictions on travel throughout the pandemic have not held back our efforts to attract business events from India.

While of course there has been a disruptive effect in the short term, the nature of this particular sector and the longterm plans involved meant that it was vital we continued to engage with meeting planners and buyers throughout the pandemic.

This was conducted initially through virtual meetings and events, and subsequently in person through our dedicated team in India. Of course, we understand that nothing can rival the opportunity to see Dubai in person, and we look forward to once again welcoming study missions from India to allow planners and buyers to see and experience

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appreciated. This may be sampling some Emirati food, taking in a falconry display in the desert, or watching some traditional entertainment at a desert camp.

ES. What according to you would be the top trends that will shape up business/MICE tourism in the new normal?

Steen Jakobsen. Safety will undoubtedly be a top priority for meeting planners going forward, even as the pandemic continues to subside around the world. Just as previous events in recent decades put the focus on security, embedding them into practices over the longer term, the same will apply to health and safety. They key will be for destinations such as Dubai to show attention to details and the ability to handle new challenges in this area.

Another by-effect of the pandemic has been that planners have seen both the possibilities and limitations afforded by virtual meeting technologies, both when these were completely relied upon while face-to-face was not feasible, and since then in hybrid settings. While the experience of the past 18 months has underlined the fact that face-toface meetings provide unrivalled opportunities, they have also shown that there is a place for hybrid elements, to maximise the reach of business, associations and other organisations and add value to their offerings.

ES. What synergies do you see that exist between India and Dubai to grow MICE tourism?

the city for themselves and build relationships with Dubai Business Events and our key stakeholders.

ES. Beyond glittering buildings of Dubai what is the city's distinct history and tradition? Please tell us about some cultural events of Dubai.

Steen Jakobsen. A rich calendar of events throughout the year allows visitors to explore Dubai’s culture and heritage, and many of these are often incorporated into itineraries.

Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, for example, hosts meals and talks throughout the year, providing visitors and groups with the opportunity to learn about Emirati culture and try the local food, all within historic settings. Whether in the city or the desert, there is also always a way in which local culture and heritage can be

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Steen Jakobsen. In recent years, before the onset of the global pandemic, India was Dubai’s number one source market for international visitation, and this applied across both leisure and business. The synergies are built on a number of key pillars: the proximity of India and the extensive network of flights connecting us, the historic links between us, and the strong bilateral ties between India and the UAE that exist today. There is also strong familiarity with Dubai in India, among meeting planners, businesses and the wider population, and at the same time always an eagerness to explore the latest offerings and experiences here. In terms of our marketing activities, India is at the forefront, with a dedicated office in Mumbai, roadshows visiting key cities around the country, participation in key trade events and regular inbound study missions from India.

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ES. How Dubai is structured to market a destination and advice to tourists, events and meeting planners? What are your key marketing techniques for executing such task?

can be enjoyed to their full potential.

Steen Jakobsen. Within both Dubai Business Events and the wider Department of Tourism and Commerce Market, we have extensive marketing activities across all platforms, ranging from major television campaigns and OOH activations through to continuous digital and social engagement. As the business events sector – and certainly the process of attracting events – is largely a B2B space, the best way in which we can engage with planners is faceto-face, and this is done both in Dubai and around the world through sales missions, study missions and participation in trade shows and other industry events. Our network of offices in key target markets around the world – including in India - also ensures we are also engaging directly with our target audience.

Steen Jakobsen. We understand the challenges the global meetings industry has faced over the past 18 months and we are eager to assist planners in resuming their face-toface events. We always knew that, even with technology demonstrating that distance doesn’t have to hold back interaction, there are still tangible results that can only be achieved through physical events. And as the global industry continues to recover, we are eager to work with planners to get their event calendars back on track, and we welcome any opportunity to engage and start discussions with them.

ES. The Dubai Tourism industry has proved incredibly resilient over the years surviving countless negative experiences, do you think travellers will be confident enough to travel to the destination? What are some of the initiatives taken by Dubai in this regard?

Steen Jakobsen. Traveller confidence right now and for the foreseeable future is built on two key pillars: how we handled the pandemic and what we are doing to ensure continued safety. When prospective travellers around the world look at how Dubai and the UAE tackled the pandemic, they see that decisive action was taken here and that the foundations were quickly created to enable the restart and recovery of the economy and all sectors, including tourism and events.

Emphasizing this, the rollout of vaccinations here, at among the fastest rates in the world, and the regular testing, have demonstrated our continued focus on minimising the impact of the global pandemic.

ES. Any message that you would like to share with us.

ES. While managing your time and deciding when to take breaks on a tight schedule, we are eager to know what keeps you busy when you are away from work? Please tell us about your hobbies and other activities that you would love to do at home.

Steen Jakobsen. Golf is a great hobby of mine and it’s one that makes Dubai a perfect city to live in. We have some incredible courses here and it’s always enjoyable to spend a few hours trying to chip away at my handicap, and the recently opened Topgolf has also added an extra sociable angle to the activity! I also enjoy exploring food from different cultures, and again Dubai provides plenty of opportunities for this, with cuisines from all over the world, reflecting the 200+ nationalities that live here.

Our audeince can also see that we are keeping safety at the top of the agenda, embedding it within practices at all visitor and delegate touchpoints, while also ensuring we provide a platform in which professional development, networking and learning can all take place, and where all the destination’s touristic elements

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Florian Sengstschmid is the CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) and the Chief Advisor of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (STA). An Austrian-born leader that combines mul ple perspec ves on tourism development with a strategic and opera onal approach, Florian is instrumental in leading the transforma on of brand Azerbaijan and launching the iconic 'Take another look' campaign on a global pla orm. Prior to his current role, Florian was the Chief Opera ng Officer of Pasha Travel in Baku and the Execu ve Director of Azerbaijan Conven on Bureau.

For more than two decades, Florian held a wide range of leading roles in the interna onal travel and tourism industry, from marke ng manager of a luxury hotel, to Commercial A aché at the Austrian Embassy in Moscow and Representa ve of the Austrian Na onal Tourism Board in CIS countries. Culmina ng his diverse career in the tourism industry Florian founded his own consultancy, EUDS Tourism Development and Solu ons, in Vienna in 2004.

Florian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from the University of Vienna. He is fond of cooking and loves to travel.

ES. You have had a wide range of leading roles in international travel and tourism for more than two decades, what was your motivation? What made you to fall in love with this industry?

Please share with us about your early life and career.

Florian Sengstschmid. I studied tourism and sociology and have been working within the tourism sector for more than 25 years. What brought me to this sector was merely how I valued human interaction and the fact that tourism is all about people.

For true travel enthusiasts, it is not just about seeing new places, but exploring new cultures, learning about diverse lifestyles and meeting people from different backgrounds. New experiences enriching our lives are exactly what keep us going and I think travel is one of the best ways to gain them while we reset our body and mind.

Exhibition Showcase Talks To Florian Sengstschmid, CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board

I have worked in multiple countries like Austria, Russia, Estonia, Greece, Vietnam, Bhutan, Hungary, Lithuania, Georgia among others and supported a wide range of them in tourism development. I have dedicated the last 10 years of my professional life to the development of the tourism industry in Azerbaijan, and it has been a great pleasure to work in such a country with so much to offer with its rich cultural and historic heritage as well as natural wonders.

ES. India is among the top ten markets of Azerbaijan. Tell us, why Azerbaijan is becoming a popular travel destination among Indian travellers? What should the tourists look for in the region?

Florian Sengstschmid. India is indeed an important market for us. To strengthen your statement, when we reached an all-time record of 3.2 million arrivals in 2019, the most remarkable markets were Central and South Asia with substantial growth of about 67% from Indian travellers, who can obtain e-visas through an easy process as fast as in 3 hours. Travellers from India can find a range of activities here.

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route, so travellers in need of a ‘safe haven’ can certainly find it in Azerbaijan as they pass by splendid lakes and waterfalls, through forests and the magnificent Caucasus mountains. In addition to hiking, we are working on rural tourism as well as infrastructure development in remote villages to make them accessible for unforgettable travel experiences.

Baku_ Old City and Flame Towers

They can either choose sightseeing in Baku to feel its stunning fusion of East and West and ancient and modern and find perfect restaurants offering fantastic flavours from both traditional and international cuisine, or opt to get out and go hiking in lush forests and the enchanting Caucasus mountains, take off-road tours to remote villages, ski in the north or visit lemon and tea plantations in the southern tropical part of the country. Azerbaijan is also one of the most preferred destinations for Indian weddings. Numerous Indian weddings have been organised successfully in Azerbaijan so far thanks to its 5-star hotel chains, luxurious amenities and great experience in this sector.

I think the reason for Azerbaijan’s popularity among Indians as a wedding destination is that weddings are a big celebration here too and Azerbaijanis certainly know how to create a festive atmosphere. Therefore, we look forward to hosting more Indian weddings in Azerbaijan as soon as the situation with the pandemic allows again. All in all, the similarity between the culture, history, and traditions of Azerbaijan and India further strengthens our tourism ties. The Ateshgah fire temple in the vicinity of Baku is a perfect example of historical relations and cultural exchanges between India and Azerbaijan. This 18th century monument, built over natural fires previously worshipped by Zoroastrians, is solid proof of the trade links and hospitality that Indian merchants on the Silk Road enjoyed in Azerbaijan.

ES. As we moved into 2021, what will be the top trends in Azerbaijan?

Florian Sengstschmid. The pandemic has certainly introduced new travel patterns. Obviously, one such trend right now is to provide sustainable and responsible travel experiences focusing on the unique features of Azerbaijan.

Our advantage is that Azerbaijan has abundant natural resources with 9 out of the world’s 11 climate zones, and this allows us to improve ecotourism here. We have recently developed and marked hiking trails along a 150 km-long

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Another one of our main offerings is birdwatching. Azerbaijan combines regionally special or endemic bird species with amazing views and landscapes for birdwatching enthusiasts in places like Khinalig and Laza in the Guba and Gusar regions in the north as well as the Talish Mountains in the south. I would also like to mention the mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan, whose moonlike landscape makes for a unique stargazing or glamping experience. Quite recently, we had a high-level ceremony to lay the foundation of the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex. The complex is located near the UNESCO-listed Gobustan Reserve, where an astonishing collection of over 6,000 ancient petroglyphs depict ways of life dating as far back as 40,000 years, and it will welcome visitors with an exhibition hall, café and workshop. Together with ecotourism, we are also reemphasising the importance of the history and culture that makes any trip unforgettable. There are 3 unique UNESCO Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan. While you can stroll through the labyrinth-like narrow streets of Icherisheher – the Old City where the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, the 15th century residence of Baku’s medieval rulers, as well as ancient Maiden Tower, will allow you to dive into the historic roots of the country.

Travellers can also taste the most delicious meals of Azerbaijani cuisine served here in traditional restaurants.

Another UNESCO-protected site is the Gobustan Reserve I mentioned earlier, and the last but definitely not the least is the Historic Centre of Sheki together with the Sheki Khan’s Palace. Sheki is also a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network because of its rich heritage encompassing 18 craft forms, including embroidery, pottery, weaving and music, among other things. When talking about Azerbaijan, we should also definitely highlight the delicious flavours of the local cuisine, which has been enriched by the different cultures that once travelled along the Great Silk Road.

Thanks to the country’s unique climate – which allows an abundance of organic produce to be grown, including mouthwatering fruits and vegetables, nuts, honey and much besides – Azerbaijan can offer travellers the tastiest of dishes and desserts. Therefore, another step we have taken

Asia’s Most Comprehensive Media Pla orm For MICE

Interview

Khinalig, Guba towards sustainability has been to introduce the Slow Food Travel concept via the project COVCHEG (Communitybased Value Chain Enhancement in the Greater Caucasus Mountains Area) funded by the European Union. While this project aims at enhancing the local gastronomy and economic regeneration in rural areas, it also helps us provide travellers with first-hand experience of farming and cooking as well as the opportunity to learn about peculiar features of the local cuisine.

ES. How Azerbaijan is connected with the rest of the world?

What is the current state of MICE infrastructure in Azerbaijan?

Florian Sengstschmid. Azerbaijan is perfectly connected to the world with more than 50 direct flights to various destinations and over 20 airlines operating in the country, as well as a simplified visa process where dozens of nationalities can obtain e-visas to Azerbaijan within just 3 days, while some can obtain it upon arrival. We have numerous air routes, especially to the CIS, European, Turkish and the Middle Eastern destinations, while direct flights go as far as New York and Beijing. The capital city, Baku, is a wellorganised modern-day transport hub that dominates the eastern Caucasus region. Azerbaijan’s great emphasis on developing an excellent domestic and international transport infrastructure is most visible in the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, which was awarded the prestigious Skytrax 5-star rating and is easily accessible just 25 minutes’ drive from the city centre. This airport also received the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating following a thorough evaluation of front-line airport facilities and services to determine how effectively and consistently COVID-19 mitigation procedures are being provided.

In addition to the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, there are 5 more international airports in Azerbaijan and 3 more will be constructed. As for business events infrastructure, Azerbaijan boasts ultra-modern business events venues that are well-equipped to accommodate delegates at the highest

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M I C E Showcase

August 2021

level. The Baku Convention Centre is the largest such venue in the Caucasus region with a capacity to host up to 3,500 people in its auditorium and 15 conference rooms together with spacious networking areas – and it certainly feels like being in a spaceship that has landed in the centre of Baku.

Another iconic venue that is more than suitable for different types of events is the Heydar Aliyev Centre, designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid and considered the crown jewel of Baku’s modern architecture. The Baku Expo Centre is another multipurpose events venue designed and constructed in accordance with the highest international standards. It hosts industry exhibitions, conferences, product demonstrations and corporate events for business and entertainment. Event organisers have nothing to worry about when it comes to accommodation too. Azerbaijan offers multiple options ranging from luxury hotels in cutting-edge buildings, international and local hotel chains to family-run establishments and small inns and youth hostels. Famous international chains operating in Azerbaijan include the Four Seasons, JW Marriott Absheron, Fairmont, Hilton and so on. Courtyard by Marriott Baku and IHG were also recently opened, and we are looking forward to the opening of the Ritz-Carlton soon.

ES. What role does Azerbaijan Tourism Board play in facilitating the MICE industry?

Florian Sengstschmid. The Azerbaijan Convention Bureau (AzCB), established under the Azerbaijan Tourism Board in 2018, serves as the leading entity to attract business events to the country. Just as the ATB takes comprehensive measures to promote Azerbaijan as an attractive tourism destination internationally, the AzCB does the same to make sure that Azerbaijan is known as a premium business events destination by showcasing the country’s available infrastructure and services on international platforms, identifying potential events, leading effective communication and lobbying as well as bringing local and international stakeholders together within the industry.

Frozen waterfall in Griz

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Besides connecting with international partners through FAM trips, site inspections, virtual meetings, exhibitions and B2B calls, the AzCB also ensures that there is a common understanding and effective network among local stakeholders. For this purpose, the Business Events Industry Alliance was established in 2019, which brings together the country’s most influential events venues, hotels, special venues for gatherings, Professional Congress Organisers and Destination Management Companies. The aim of this alliance is to provide a platform for the above-mentioned partners to come together and make sure they cooperate effectively to accommodate the needs and requests of event organisers and delegates.

I would also like to mention that the AzCB provides tailored services for event organisers who select Azerbaijan as their

plan ahead. As you mentioned, uncertainty is not something everyone deals with successfully. However, I also think that there is always a way out of any crisis as long as you keep a positive outlook and flexible approach. When the news of the pandemic broke out, we prepared a 4-phased recovery plan, beginning with closed borders and lockdown in phase one and a return to a “new normal” with international travel restrictions lifted in phase four. Immediately after making certain adjustments in our strategy during the lockdown, we needed to ensure the health and safety of both local and foreign travellers. Azerbaijan was actually one of the first countries to launch an initiative like SAHMAN (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms), a programme designed for local industry players to improve hygiene and sanitation across accommodation, F&B and touristic transportation providers. Until now, more than 15,000 monitoring sessions

Baku_Maiden tower next destination after carefully examining the applications we receive. In order to make this process smoother, we have also been working on establishing a central support foundation that will provide specific support mechanisms for international stakeholders in organising both association and corporate events. Thus, international partners who want to organise an event in Azerbaijan and meet the special criteria to do so will be able to apply to us through this foundation.

We are in the final stages of completing its establishment and will present it to the public after approval by the relevant government authorities.

ES. What’s the outlook for tourism and hospitality moving forwards? How is your country responding to the current situation?

Florian Sengstschmid. I think the biggest challenge was to

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have been held, and we are witnessing solid progress thanks to this initiative.

We also had to use digital resources to stay connected with the world. With this in mind, the ATB team designed an elearning platform, Azerbaijan 101, for travel agents and representatives across the global tourism industry to provide in-depth knowledge about Azerbaijan’s offerings across health and wellness, gastronomy, wine tours and cultural heritage. In addition, we developed the website salambaku.travel to offer visitors a virtual tour of places like the UNESCO-listed Old City and Flame Towers, world-class museums, mud volcanoes and other tourist attractions in Baku.

The goal we set for the second phase was to promote domestic tourism. We launched the “Macra Yaxındadır”

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(“Adventure Is Near”) campaign, which brings together tourism offerings for local residents to rediscover the rich nature, culture and other experiences of the country. In the same period, the ATB team also established the Tourism Training and Certification Centre as a response to another pressing issue brought on by the pandemic – the loss of qualified workers. This centre contributes to the improvement of the quality of services within various sectors of our industry as well as the employment rate. The third phase, where we are now, is the start of regional tourism with the gradual opening of the borders. Currently, citizens and permanent residents of 9 countries, including Turkey, Russia, US, UK, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Hungary and Israel, can travel to Azerbaijan by air. The implementation of unified travel protocols is essential for the final phase, namely the start of global tourism. I think it is not possible for international tourism to return to the pre-pandemic level as long as there are different travel rules that are confusing

M I C E Showcase

procedure facilitated by the Azerbaijani government. I hope it will be the same for the rest of the world soon, and we will get out of this crisis stronger and having learnt the necessary lessons.

ES. In 2020, When the pandemic hit, and the international borders of the country were closed Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) had launched the campaign, “Adventure is Near” — encouraging Azerbaijanis themselves to discover the rich and diverse offerings of their own country. Please tell us, how successful the campaign was and what are your upcoming plans in regards to domestic tourism?

Florian Sengstschmid. The pandemic has indeed made us rediscover the local gems hidden in our own backyard.

“Macra Yaxındadır” (“Adventure is Near”) proved to be successful in encouraging citizens and residents of Azerbaijan to rediscover and explore the country’s unique features. And this campaign, bringing tourism offerings together on one platform, also allowed us to keep the tourism industry alive through local stakeholders hit hard by the pandemic. Thanks to this initiative, we saw a flow of local travellers to the country’s regions when domestic travel was finally allowed.

This, in turn, led to increased occupancy rates in hotels and other accommodation types and it made a great contribution to the revival of the hospitality sector.

ES. Please share with us your experience for successfully conducting two major events in the recent past, the UEFA Euro 2020 quarter finals and the Formula One race held from June 4th to 6th.

Ateshgah for travellers. Therefore, the introduction of vaccines at the local and regional level as well as common travel procedures for everyone is essential if we want to revive the global tourism industry.

ES. What has been your biggest challenge in navigating today’s uncertainty? How are you keeping yourself motivated and positive?

Florian Sengstschmid. Like I said, the biggest challenge is that you can’t exactly predict what the future holds due to the pandemic. However, what keeps me motivated is that this period is also an opportunity to learn and adjust to emerging challenges. As long as we take this virus seriously, keep our heads clear and realise that we are in this together, it will be easier to overcome the challenges. Right now, the situation related to the pandemic in Azerbaijan is more stable with low numbers of daily infections, and we hope it will continue this way thanks to the timely measures taken and vaccination

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Florian Sengstschmid. Since hosting the Eurovision song contest, Azerbaijan has gained a successful track record of organising international sports and cultural events. Although Azerbaijan, like other destinations, had to postpone many events in 2020, this year it organised both the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the UEFA Euro 2020 in accordance with the conditions required by the ‘new normal’, and once again proved its experience in this field. Organising such big events during the pandemic was a different and quite responsible experience for Azerbaijan. Although the Formula 1 race was held without spectators, we are proud that the organisers did a really great job hosting the racing teams from foreign countries. On the other hand, as you stated, the 3 group matches and quarter-final of the UEFA Euro 2020 were held in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

Allowed to hold 50% of its capacity, the stadium hosted up to 30,000 spectators. Although the international borders were still closed at the time the matches started, an exception was made for football fans with tickets to the matches from the countries whose national teams were represented, and they were allowed to enter the country with a negative PCR

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to target UAE, Saudi Arabia, test. We can say that this Qatar, Bahrain and Israel as process was managed in a very our prospective markets. professional way. For Following the launch of the international fans travelling to ‘Take Another Look’ brand Azerbaijan after such a long in 2018, created to serve as an time, we placed information invitation for travellers to points in fan zones promoting discover hidden gems and special experiences and curated experiences in created a dedicated page on Azerbaijan, we opened azerbaijan.travel where representative offices in our tourists could find all the Mud volcanoes target markets, including the information digitally too, as UAE and Saudi Arabia. We also participated at exhibitions well as special posts on our ‘Experience Azerbaijan’ social like ATM Dubai and IMTM in Israel. We are resuming our media channels. We witnessed a fantastic football feast in the participation in international exhibitions now, and recently streets of Baku during a month and look forward to more attended the ATM Dubai again. A new tourism office will occasions like this. open in Israel soon too. As I stated earlier, travellers from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Israel can now travel to Azerbaijan ES. What is idea behind creating Azerbaijan Convention by air with a COVID passport and negative PCR test.

Bureau's Ambassadors Programme? How far Azerbaijan Through new campaigns and activities, we aim to increase the Convention Bureau's Ambassadors been successful? number of travellers from the Middle East visiting Azerbaijan and welcome them with newly developed travel experiences Florian Sengstschmid. As you know, association events form in the ‘new normal’. a great part of the business events industry with their considerable economic, social, cultural as well as scientific ES. On a personal note, we are curious to know what keeps impact. Along with providing all the necessary infrastructure you busy when you are away from work? Please tell us about and services for this kind of event to be organised in your hobbies and other activities that you would love to do at Azerbaijan, we also need to make sure that the very first home. condition by international associations is met as well – the initiative to host an association event by a local counterpart, Florian Sengstschmid. Like I said, I have a passion for meaning the national association. In order to have the right travelling, discovering new places and meeting new people. people to motivate these associations to organise an event in Right now, I spend my free time going on road trips and Azerbaijan, the Ambassadors’ Programme was established in exploring the remote villages of Azerbaijan, through lush 2019 at the initiative of the AzCB. This programme brings forests, waterfalls, rivers and lakes as well as historic parts of together renowned Azerbaijani scientists, doctors and other the regions of this country. As I travel to different parts of experts. We have quite an extensive database of potential Azerbaijan, I realise that there are still so many things to see events we can attract and work closely with our ambassadors and learn. Another one of my hobbies is actually cooking. I for each event that we plan to bring to Azerbaijan to design a like preparing new tastes and thanks to the diverse climate set of activities, tools and support services in the bidding and fertile lands of Azerbaijan, it is quite easy to find organic process. As an example of successful work with ambassadors, ingredients and prepare a spectacular fusion of flavours, both the Azerbaijan Convention Bureau recently attracted a from local and international cuisine. congress of the European Association for Cranio-MaxilloFacial Surgery to be held in 2023 – the same year that we look forward to hosting the International Astronautical ES. If you would like to share a message and one key advise Congress, which is expected to bring more than 6,000 to the industry, what would be that? delegates to the magnificent capital city of Azerbaijan.

Florian Sengstschmid. My first message for our beloved ES. How Middle East countries are a key markets of industry is that we all need to set an example and get Azerbaijan Tourism? vaccinated if we want to revive this sector gradually. We also need to come together and adopt unified travel protocols to restart global tourism. Only common rules and conditions for Florian Sengstschmid. We have been seeing great interest all nations can lead to the safe and full reopening of the from Middle Eastern countries towards Azerbaijan’s natural tourism sector, and we strongly support this. These 2 steps wonders like its majestic mountains, dense forests, splendid can take us back to where we were while we also adjust to the waterfalls, rivers and lakes as well as city experiences and new travel trends and meet the new conditions in the ‘new local cuisine. Considering this interest, connectivity and easy normal’. visa procedures for the Middle Eastern countries, we decided

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Exhibition Showcase Talks To Naveen Seth, Assistant Secretary General, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry

ES. PHDCCI ever since its inception in 1905, has been an active participant in the India growth story through its advocacy role for the policy makers and regulators of the Country. What was the role of PHDCCI for the industry in the response to COVID-19?

Naveen Seth. PHDCCI has really adapted to the change which was demanded during the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country. The employees at PHDCCI stood up as in unison and made sure that the “Show must go on” if not physical but virtual for sure. The new work from home culture has really changed the way we use to work.

Now, the people with a mindset to work do not need an official space but the enthusiasm to work. PHDCCI has developed some really interesting topic of discussion in the form of webinars and virtual exhibition over the period of 2 years and shown that the business can keep rolling if you are really working hard towards your goals.

hit. Big players in the market has got the bigger dent compared to smaller organisations because of the overhead costs. PHDCCI with its open mindset has made a significant change with the changing times and rather being stubborn, we rather explored all possible way to do business. Those who took Virtual Exhibitions and Conferences as a challenge have survived in the pandemic situation, where as those who thought the pandemic would end soon and will pave the way for offline exhibitions and conference has suffered the most. We are proud to say that as a Chamber, we really took this as a challenge and succeeded in putting up some great virtual exhibitions and conference which were need of the hour. We have pledged to keep the momentum going and are planning to host some of Hybrid Exhibitions in the coming months.

ES. How have you witnessed this industry change postcovid?

Naveen Seth. It is imperative to say that the world as started adopting the new-normal environment. Yes, changes have been vast when it comes to the standard event practices in the Pre-Covid Era. To state a few: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

ES. As a reliable media for exchange of information, exhibitions are being globally recognized as the apt medium for doing business today. How do you view the current situation of exhibitions after the outbreak of pandemic Covid-19? What plans PHDCCI have in its bag to make the exhibitions even more relevant for the industry?

Naveen Seth. Exhibition industry has definitely taken a big

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Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

The pandemic has accelerated changes in consumer behavior in terms of using a digital service.

Almost everything moved virtual and will remain hybrid Now hygiene Standards are Second to none The catering business has led to Intelligent and safe Catering Event Organisers attention shifted to smaller regional events.

Technology replaced traditional face-to-face elements The Content became king and has acted as the need of the hour The traditional networking transformed to Curated Networking Restriction in number of delegates for safe execution There is no second to absolute delivery, but the only one

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ES. The Covid-19 pandemic has left its impact on all sectors of the economy but nowhere is the hurt as much as the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) of India. How is the Indian Industry performing currently?

How have the shutdown of exhibitions impacted Indian Industry?

Naveen Seth. It is important to know that there is always a new day and a new start. Situation would not remain the same. Yes, situation went bad to worse in more than one way during the Covid 19 pandemic but it failed to stop budding entrepreneurs to develop new business ideas.

Currently, we have seen huge signs of improvement in the Indian industry. With the current reputation of Chinese market, India is emerging as the next significant alternative for all the products and services. As far as the Shut-down of exhibition is concerned, industry has definitely missed the un-parallel opportunity that it offers. Exhibition is not only a great source of revenue generations but it provides a platform to have a continued interface. We are very hopeful that in the coming months, when the things settle down and are conducive to hold physical exhibitions and conference, it will once again lead to a great start and will bounce back in a big way. All I can say for now that we are very hopeful to harp on the paradigm shift favouring Indian MSMEs. ES. What according to you would be the fate of Indian Exhibition Industry? As a macro play, do you think the fortuity of having bright future for India’s exhibition industry awaits in months to come? If yes, What are the opportunities or bright spots in the Indian Exhibition Industry?

Naveen Seth. It is important to note that the exhibition industry has been adversely impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic. The collective loss to the industry globally runs

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PSU BUZZ

into billions of dollars. Exhibition industry needs to constantly evolve and add value to its customers. It is necessary to keep the exhibitors engaged and also provide them platforms and opportunities to connect with their clients’ in-order to keep the business ongoing and the digital space has come to the rescue which has enabled the exhibition organisers through virtual shows. Global deals demand organized exhibition industry at every place. The exhibition sector in India is facing huge challenges which are hampering its growth.

As a result its true potential has not been realized and the sector is unable to contribute as much as it can. The developed economies have gained an edge over developing economies due to strong hand in exhibition Industry. I really hope and pray that we can get back to normal as soon as possible. At the time when we have excellent exhibition space newly built in Delhi and also in Mumbai, this is the time to grow. Undoubtedly India will be one market which the world is eyeing on.

ES. There is a paradigm shift in the way an exhibition is conceived and further executed. Now that exhibitions are transforming into hybrid formats, what would the new challenges for a show organizer?

Naveen Seth. The first quarter of 2020 placed the event industry in an unprecedented situation. Initially when the things that were thought to be a gimmick or an expensive add-on started to be reconsidered as a way to adapt to the new ways events need to happen with the size of all gatherings, events, and travels. If you ask any event professional on the biggest trend this year, it will be undisputed answer - Virtual Events. As event planners, we are all eager to get back to planning physical, in-person events. Opportunely now, with things easing up, the value brought by the Virtual Events is slowly re-introduced to the

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scaled-back physical events, creating a new and exciting Hybrid way of doing things. There are many reasons which may affect our pricing strategy due to the fact that you are hosting a hybrid event which means you’re running one event with two separate experiences, so being able to accommodate both audiences can be tricky. It is true that the content may be the same for both audiences; the way you present it would be completely different.

ES. What trends do you expect to see in the next few years that will influence the exhibition industry? Are you planning differently for this year?

Naveen Seth. The year 2020, forced almost all exhibitions to close their doors and leave the huge exhibitions halls empty. A huge chunk of revenue for the industry was brought to a shuddering halt. The effects of the crash spread everywhere, and beyond the exhibiting companies themselves. For every exhibition cancelled an army of supporters fell with it: hoteliers, taxi drivers, exhibition staff, catering staff, public transport, airlines, printing companies and on and on. On the other hand, the benefits of using virtual trade show technology is the amount of data it can capture. Starting from client registration online the flow of intelligence begins. That data is then captured in a format that can be sliced and diced to lend itself to all kinds of business intelligence analysis. In the era of Big Data, this is a huge asset for any forward-thinking company. To be honest, it is not always easy in a real-life conference setting to gather that level of intelligence. We are however planning to go ahead with Hybrid event format so that, if God forbid the restrictions are imposed again, we could at least deliver the virtual version of the exhibition.

ES. Adaptability is now a mandatory business competency.

In this Covid-era, while every crisis has its learning’s, what are yours?

Naveen Seth. The global spread of COVID-19 brought trade shows and exhibitions to a screeching halt in early 2020, with large cancelations of major exhibitions and conference around the world. This was indeed disheartening for event professionals. This situation gave birth to number of companies out there that can help organizations take their shows to the virtual level. This has also given an alternate option for event organisers to explore and take the advantage of the virtual platform where international participants can join with ease with the hassle of spending heavy on travel and stay. So we have taken this to our advantage and look forward to make the

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PSU BUZZ

best use of the Hybrid format.

ES. What message would you like to share with us?

Naveen Seth. We cannot deny the fact that the essence of events lies majorly in offline version. However, the virtual platform has given a new angle and dimension to the event industry. This is something we can take to our benefit if we want to. It is important to understand that whatever the situation we are going through as an industry, things will definitely change as nothing remains forever. The sectors which got suppressed during Covid 19 pandemic will definitely show greater bounce back capability then the ones which got least effected. We should remain positive and work hard for the future.

“This is something that I still allure myself asking over and over again – What makes me happy other than living with exhibitions? This era of pandemic gave us all some meaningful time to dig deep and explore our self. And I can clearly say, and most of us agree, that spending time with family, meeting our dear one (read human interface) has become a predominant factor in our life. Traveling “for leisure” Cycling and cooking is something that I have woven into my life, for a me time!”

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Exhibition Showcase Talks To Dilpreet Oberoi, Managing Director, Arch Concept ES. What are your thoughts on the massive healthcare crisis that has arisen due the second Covid-19 wave in India?

How has your organization dealt with the situation in delivering service to the industry?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Last few months were very unfortunate for our country and our people. Though our team has worked very hard even in lockdowns and when the whole country was going through this crisis, and we made sure that we implemented all the necessary safety measures and have been doing ever since.

ES. A number of Jumbo centres or field hospitals have been developed to meet the crisis posed by Covid-19, for example jumbo centre at Dahisar, Mulund and BandraKurla Complex (BKC) have helped the city tide over the Covid waves. Please tell us more.

Dilpreet Oberoi. Yes we, Arch Concept and NK Kapur (as a Joint Venture) have worked round the clock as we only had 18days to build the COVID facility. It definitely had its challenges however we have a team of highly skilled professionals who made the project possible in such a short time span.

ES. Recently, more than 600 patients were moved out of the jumbo centre and shifted to eight hospitals ahead of the cyclone Tauktae. Can you tell us how durable makeshift hospitals are to face the weather disturbance?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Well we always try to build the safest structure possible however natural calamity and its impact is never in our hands. Though as it is said, precaution is always better than cure. Despite the fact the cyclone was very powerful, our structures are still going strong.

“

Our design philosophy for any exhibits has been to compliment brand personality and to underline posi on in the market place, thereby giving any team a strong voice and environment in which to address customers. Our concept is to design and achieve maximum accessibility in order to encourage visitors onto the event.

”

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ES. Since social distancing has become a mandatory practice to function in new now, the size of modular/portable buildings had to be reshaped according to the needs of the centre. What are challenges faced while completing the project?

Dilpreet Oberoi. It is definitely a new thing though we took it as a challenge and stayed focussed, understood the shortfalls and addressed the issue with clarity.

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ES. Please tell us about your journey in the exhibition industry.

Dilpreet Oberoi. I started my journey while I was doing graduation, back in 1997 I used to work with my father, who is a passionate Architect. Also, challenges are part and parcel of any kind of work. I feel we should always be prepared for any kind of situation. We teach our team also to be problem solvers, that helps in solving any type of issue or crisis.

ES. What is the role of structures in exhibitions & events?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Structures are the backbone of any Exhibition or Event. The good thing is that we have inhouse German Hangers and Octonorm Inventory along with a very dynamic team of Client Servicing personnels designers and executioners.

ES. You operate across India. What are the similarities and differences that you observe across the places you operate?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Well not just India, we operate all over the world and I feel people are same everywhere, you just need to be in touch with right ones and work ethically.

ES. What are your learnings from pandemic Covid-19?

Dilpreet Oberoi. As we all know that the exhibition industry is going through Crisis and its not just our industry, it has impacted industries, people all over the world. Though my idea is to always come back stronger whatever the situation is.

part of our lives now which I feel is already impacting the exhibition service industry & moving forward we need to work accordingly. All I can say is that we are raring to achieve many more victories keeping the new rules in mind.

ES. With shifting trade patterns and a jittery global economy, what are some of your sectors that you would want to enter?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Since we already provide architectural services, construction and real estate are the two sectors that I would like to diversify in the near future.

ES. Since the industry is showing signs reopening again, what would be your piece of advice to the people in service industry?

Dilpreet Oberoi. Be focussed, Stay Safe. Safety has always been our priority, and that is something I would like to suggest others as well.

ES. Please tell us about your hobbies and other activities that you would love to do at home.

Dilpreet Oberoi. I hardly take breaks. I love my work & the process of creation, design and seeing it taking place on ground. Other than that, I also like spending time with my family and friends.

ES. What trends do you expect to see in the next few years that will influence the exhibition service industry?

Dilpreet Oberoi. We have big plans moving forward, ofcourse the idea is to leave a positive impact on what we do. Though yes social Distancing and keeping our masks on are major

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INTERNATIONAL

M.I.C.E. SHOWCASE 2.0 2nd Edition

|| September 30, 2021

An Exciting Virtual Summit To Reect The Preparedness Of MICE Sector To Open Up Effectively

All Live Sessions 100+ Speakers Explosive Networking Opportunities

Sustainability

August 2021

UFI Releases Key Findings About The Status Of Sustainability In The Exhibition Industry FI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released a new report on the status of sustainability in the exhibition industry, including results from surveys conducted by UFI research partner Explori. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit the economy, the fundamentals remain, and sustainability is a strong priority for exhibitions and their participants. For 86% of exhibitors and 87% of visitors, travelling to an exhibition helps save time, while for 84% of exhibitors and 83% of visitors it helps save money.

For 67% of exhibitors and 64% of visitors, travelling to an exhibition, where they can do multiple things under one roof and avoid separate flights to other locations, helps to reduce their carbon footprint.

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Key findings detailed in the report: Before COVID-19, what were the expectations from exhibition participants?

73% of exhibitors and visitors either agreed or strongly agreed that it is important for a tradeshow to display a strong commitment to sustainability. Ÿ 34% of exhibitors and 36% of visitors said they would not attend a trade show that does not have a responsible approach to sustainability. Ÿ

And what is the perception of the efforts to date?

73% of exhibitors say that their company is taking steps towards improving sustainability. Ÿ On average, all segments (organisers, venues and service providers) of the industry believe Ÿ

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the rate of transition towards sustainability to be halfway between “only starting the transition” and “very advanced”. Ÿ Exhibition participants rate the efforts of the industry as “average”, generally speaking; 24% of exhibitors and 16% of visitors consider them to be “very poor” or “poor”, while 26% of exhibitors and 30% of visitors see them as “good” or “excellent”.

How is COVID-19 affecting the situation?

Investments from the exhibition industry for programmes related to sustainability haven't been as affected as others. In June 2020, while 85% of companies had stopped or decreased their overall level of investments, that was the case for “only” 54% of companies for investments for programmes related to sustainability, and there was “no” or “limited impact” for activities related to sustainability for 51% of them. Ÿ 89% of companies from the exhibition industry believe public investments to be necessary (43% “for a significant share” and 46% “as essential and necessary for most of the investments”). Ÿ Most importantly, “fundamentals remain” for exhibition participants.

In 2021, 86% of exhibitors and 87% of visitors say that travelling to an exhibition helps them save time, while 84% of exhibitors and 83% of visitors say it helps save money.

Meanwhile, 67% of exhibitors and 64% of visitors believe that travelling to an exhibition, where they can do multiple things under one roof and avoid separate flights to other places, helps them reduce Ÿ

their carbon footprint.

Having said that, lower proportions of participants – although still a majority – believe that the tradeshow sector's environmental impact remains important to them (51% of exhibitors and 52% of visitors) while 58% of both exhibitors and visitors consider that improving this environmental impact will become increasingly more important to the sector's longterm success.In terms of environmental impact, what are the priorities and how can they be achieved? Ÿ Significant differences can be seen when comparing the views of participants and of the industry (and the type of activity within the industry) when it comes to identifying the key areas of material impact: plastic and food come first for participants, while travel and booths come first for the industry. Ÿ Exhibition participants prioritise three domains of action to make the tradeshow industry environmentally sustainable: “reduce the costs of sustainable materials/products/services available for use”, “develop new technologies or processes for problems such as waste, carbon emissions, etc.” and “develop education about sustainable events at all levels of the value chain (including visitors and exhibitors)”. Ÿ 77% of exhibitors and 65% of visitors believe that “organisations that organise and set-up events” are responsible for helping the tradeshow industry improve its environmental impact. This responsibility also relies on exhibiting companies for 53% of exhibitors and 54% of visitors. Ÿ

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Sustainability

August 2021

Sarawak As First Malaysian State To Join Global Destination Sustainability Index arawak is joining the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) for Business Events and Tourism by launching the GDSI Partnership Programme Sarawak Region (GDSI-Sarawak Partner) comprising 30 committee members consisting of local government ministries and agencies, academia, associations, and industry partners. This initiative and partnership are a world first for Malaysia.

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The GDS-Index is a globally recognised benchmarking system that will rank Sarawak's business events and tourism sustainability performance. The assessment will be based on 71 indicators across 4 key areas which are environmental performance, social progress performance, destination supplier performance, and destination management performance. The Index is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Destination Criteria which is part and parcel of Sarawak's Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) for Tourism to make Sarawak a leading destination for ecotourism and sustainable business events by 2030.

To kickstart the Index, Kuching city has

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been selected as the pilot project which positions Kuching as 1 of the 75 progressive destinations in the world to undertake the GDS-Index. Upon successful completion and understanding, the assessment will expand to other cities in Sarawak such as Sibu, Miri, and other major towns in the future.

Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak and appointed GDSI-Sarawak Partner's Patron, was clear that while the Index prioritises business events and tourism, its underlying value will benefit Sarawak at large, “It will support every industry in Sarawak to adopt best practices of sustainability. A proven and trusted system such as this will give us the necessary information and tools to help us make better decisions, improve business strategies, foster collaboration and innovation, promote Sarawak on a

higher scale that is lucrative in today's world thus, making our State a place we all want to live in.” The Minister further expressed that “for business events and tourism, our move towards a sustainable future will drive Sarawak's visibility and branding around the world. It will give us the power to create strong destination stories and position Sarawak as a potential role model for other second tier destinations to implement a similar action.”

Environmental sustainability is in tandem with Business Events Sarawak's Legacy Impact motion which is emphasising the long term, positive impacts of business events. Under the Legacy Impact pillar of Environmental, the GDS-Index is a catalytic assessment.

“Sustainable conventions, exhibitions, corporate meetings and corporate incentives are a must,” said Amelia Roziman, Business Events Sarawak's CEO. “More business events planners are making decisions based on sustainability performances and this matter goes as deep as evaluating social inclusiveness and the return on investment of their events. These factors also affect international and national delegates' decision to visit Sarawak for business events.”

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Associa on News

August 2021

ESSA Announces Its First Associate Member delighted to welcome Barmotion to our association, and excited that they have inaugurated our new tiered membership structure, becoming our first Associate Member.

he Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has confirmed that Barmotion, the branded event hospitality specialist, is the first event supplier to join the association on its new 'ESSA Associate' tier of membership. ESSA Associate membership is a gateway to full membership.

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Susan Swart, operations and business development manager, Barmotion, explained why the company had chosen to join ESSA as an associate member, saying, "Becoming an ESSA Associate member is a fantastic opportunity for us.

As we are in the process of getting our UK division off the ground, Associate membership allows us to become part of our industry association and provides a valuable stepping stone for us as a company."

Swart concluded, "We firmly believe that being part of ESSA is beneficial in so many ways – it gives us insight into our industry and keeps us current with what's going on. It allows us to tap into existing knowledge and resources. Being an ESSA member denotes quality and professionalism, and by joining ESSA we want to show our clients that we align ourselves with its high standards and the best practices it espouses." Andrew Harrison, ESSA director, said, "I'm

Creating three tiers of membership will enable ESSA to better serve the sector from a leadership and representation perspective whilst also offering greater strength in a growing community, providing services that enable our members to develop and ultimately to continue to improve our value proposition - without diluting the quality or probity requirements for membership. Associate membership can be considered a pathway to full membership, but also a membership level that suits smaller businesses, startups and businesses serving more than one sector.

PCMA Announces New And Expanded Leadership Structure For APAC, EMEA And LATAM Regions CMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat, CAE announced a new and expanded leadership structure that reflects the association's continued transformation toward the global leader in the business events industry and supports the business events communities throughout the APAC, EMEA and LATAM regions.

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“There has never been a greater need for people and communities everywhere to come together to confront our economic and social challenges,” said Karamat. “Business events have the power to do just that, and we need localized presence by region with impactful leaders to make it happen.”

To further accelerate the growth of business events and PCMA's community throughout the Asia Pacific region,

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Florence (Flo) Chua has been named Managing Director, APAC effective August 2, 2021.

She will lead the APAC team to expand upon the momentum of region-specific events, thought leadership, community building, education and content. Chua has more than 20 years of experience working with corporations and associations throughout the APAC region, most recently as Vice President, Growth and Brand Management for Entrepreneurs' Organization. She will be

based in Singapore. Lucio Vaquero has been appointed Regional Director, LATAM effective August 2, 2021.

Vaquero will work to build an in-region team to support the strategic implementation of education, content, commerce and community building through an omnichannel approach tailored for the region. Supporting PCMA's global strategic plan is Marcela Torres, a PCMA “20 in their 20s” alum.

In her role as Marketing Manager, Digital Products, Torres is the first Mexico-based strategic marketing team member, reporting to PCMA COO Bruce MacMillan who will work in tandem with the Chicago-based headquarters team toward the association's mission to be the global leader in the business events industry.

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MICE Watch (Study)

August 2021

M I C E Showcase

2021 Destination Next Futures Study Released Identies travel and tourism trends and opportunities for destination organizations to look to in order to rebuild their visitor economies. estinations International, the world's only association dedicated for destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), has announced the release of the 2021 DestinationNEXT Futures Study. The study is a critical roadmap for destination organizations looking to rebuild their visitor economies while creating more sustainable destinations and enriching their communities.

“This has been an immensely challenging time for visitor economies worldwide,” said Paul Ouimet, president and CEO of MMGY NextFactor.

“While there's no doubt that our industry will play a critical role in global recovery, it will be different to the one that we are accustomed to.

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“Destinations International is committed to providing our members with essential information to help their organizations and communities excel,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International. “The data presented in this study will help guide destination organizations around the world with a roadmap that will ultimately lead to the recovery of our industry.”

The study included a comprehensive survey of 706 participants across 52 countries and identified three

transformational opportunities for destination organizations to use to better their organizations and communities.

Three transformational opportunities destination organizations need to look to in order to be successful include: Destination Alignment: Aligning the public, private and civic sectors drive destination performance Ÿ Sustainable Development: Destination and product development should marry people, planet, profit and policy Ÿ Values-Based Marketing: Community values, goals and energy is the new competitive advantage Ÿ

There will be new challenges, new opportunities, and new ways of thinking.

The DestinationNEXT Futures Study is a roadmap for destination organizations looking to not only rebuild their visitor economies, but also create more sustainable places, enrich their communities and deliver a sector that is financially self-sustaining in the longer term. It is fair to say the decisions made now will shape the industry for many years to come.” About Destinations International: Destinations International is the world's largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards.

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Debuts Employee-Owned “Innovation Lab” he New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has embarked on an innovative and ambitious plan to upgrade an already award-winning employee culture by placing ownership of the plan referred to as “the Culture Project,” in the hands of employees.

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The Innovation Lab is the culmination of a collaborative effort between trepwise, a local growth consulting firm, and New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center employees to develop a culture that is fueled by

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accountability and collaboration, and then driven by employee engagement, feedback, and recognition. To ensure the success of the Culture Project, Convention Center employees are tasked with setting goals, providing timelines, and ownership of all aspects of this plan. Through inclusive employee engagement and collaborative ideation, trepwise engaged employees in a design process with the goal of creating a culture that rewards creativity, accountability, and risk-taking.

Design Teams in designing solutions to reach these goals using a humancentered approach called “Design Thinking.” Out of this process came the Innovation Lab, which consists of three teams: Belief Biologists, Communication Chemists, and Recognition Researchers. The project leads were selected from front line employees and mid-level management positions and provides an opportunity for them to grow their skills and demonstrate ability to lead and transition into higher positions.

Trepwise coached Culture Project

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MICE Watch (Study)

M I C E Showcase

August 2021

Vok Dams Publishes Whitepaper - The Future Of Roadshows Is Hybrid

OK DAMS has published New Whitepaper – “Think Globally, Experience Locally – The Roadshow of the Future is Hybrid” The vaccination campaign is in full swing, lockdowns were lifted. 26 percent of all currently incoming inquiries at VOK DAMS relate to the planning of physical events, 35 percent to hybrid events with a mix of digital and face-toface components.

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Yet, despite the easing, there are still restrictions and rules that have significant effects, at least in the short term. There is still – for example - a lower volume of travel due to modified travel guidelines on the part of companies (61 percent of the organizers agree), COVID-19 regulations that set a maximum number of permitted participants and travel restrictions in countries worldwide. And even if in person participation is possible, there may be people who are still reluctant to get on a plane and travel.

When the target groups cannot come to a central event, then we bring the brand

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to the target groups. We are currently experiencing a trend towards regional events, with many small events held in different locations. This is also confirmed by a study by the GCB, according to which almost 50 percent of the organizers are planning regional or smaller events in 2021.

Solution Roadshow Roadshows offer a special potential of direct target group approach. As a very flexible event format that can be scaled at will, hybrid roadshows can address a wide array of target groups. For example, they can replace trade fairs, press events, central launch events, kickoff events or management conferences and create new points of sales. Hybrid roadshows can be designed for showrooms, pop-up stores or locations.

But they certainly contribute to increasing brand awareness, strengthening identification with the brand within the target group and ultimately increasing sales.

While the physical aspect of hybrid roadshows scores with direct and personal contact and multi-sensory approach, the focus of the digital component is on customer insights, reach and measurement of success.

In hybrid roadshows, the live experience is bundled with digital communication channels and technologies in the form of, for example, gamification, social media or analytics tools, so that the potential of direct customer contact is clearly increased with the help of the data collected before, during and after the live event. For example, the experience reaches the right participants via social media, is digitally expanded on Experience Hubs and remains an experience at all touchpoints that addresses the personal, individual needs of the participants.

Through longer and more intensive brand exposure and at the same time increased reach, hybrid event strategies can also create a collective perception for brands and products.

Hybrid Roadshows

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Tech News

M I C E Showcase

August 2021

Cvent Launches Cvent Studio

vent, a market-leading meetings, events and hospitality technology provider, has announced the launch of Cvent Studio, a new video capture and production solution built for virtual and hybrid events. Cvent Studio enables event planners to easily create professionalquality video content for their webinars, virtual events, and hybrid events, helping them attract and more deeply engage their online audiences.

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Through Cvent Studio's state-of-the-art functionality, planners will have the tools they need to up level their virtual events into immersive, fully branded experiences including the ability to prebuild each segment of their webinar or broadcast before going live, and leverage streamlined presenter tools to deliver broadcast-quality live or pre-recorded video with minimal effort. The solution is currently available now through Cvent Professional Services and will be available later in 2021 as an integrated component of the Cvent Attendee Hub built to power attendee engagement across virtual, in-person, and hybrid event types.

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“As we forge ahead into this new events landscape where webinars and other virtual events are becoming mainstream, event professionals are taking on the role of event technologists and producers for employee town halls, webinars, virtual, and hybrid experiences of all shapes and sizes,” said Vice President of Product Management, McNeel Keenan. “To maximize live engagement with these audiences and drive ROI, event planners and marketers need to reimagine the production levels of their events, especially when it comes to video content and delivery. With the release of Cvent Studio, organizations will have access to a suite of easy-to-use production tools that can up-level their content and are available as part of our robust Cvent event marketing and management platform.”

and multi-presenter collaboration (with up to 10 presenters at a time); pre-record sessions; easily edit backgrounds, overlays, and lower thirds; and stream video through the Cvent Attendee Hub. Ÿ

Simple Scene Editing: By prebuilding what each segment of the show should look like before going live, planners can execute highquality, fully branded video transitions with a single click. They can also use the scene editing functionality to map their show in advance or create preferred looks and templates for easy execution.

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Presenter View: Presenters can be invited via web link to a separate virtual preparation space, allowing them to chat with the director and other communicators, edit their settings, view the program, and share their screen in real-time.

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Branding tools: Users can customize their event with JPG, PNG, and GIF uploads, control icon and logo placements, and gain full access to the Cvent library of assets.

Key features in Cvent Studio include: Ÿ

Director View: Planners can control in real-time both who and what is seen and heard at their events. With the Director View, planners can quickly mix presenters, media, and screen shares; engage in multi-user

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Tech News

M I C E Showcase

August 2021

Intrado Acquires Hubb, Transforming The Future Of Global Events Hubb powers highimpact, immersive, and personalized experiences.

Hubb's executive team andemployees will join the Intrado Digital Media team to support clients and drive continued technology development and product innovation. ntrado Corporation (“Intrado”), a global leader in technology-enabled services, announced that it has acquired Hubb, a leader in hybrid event management technology. As a result of the acquisition, Intrado Digital Media expands its category leadership, providing the world's most comprehensive end-to-end solution for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events to thousands of clients around the world.

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The Hubb Platform powers virtual, onsite, and hybrid events that bring brands to life and drives business growth by streamlining time consuming processes, mining profitable insights, boosting engagement, and improving ROI. By collecting, managing, and marketing event data more efficiently,

“Adding Hubb to Intrado's Digital Media business will create an innovative, efficient, next-generation allin-one event platform,” said Ben Chodor, President of Intrado Digital Media. “Clients will have access to and benefit from a comprehensive end-toend event management platform to create events with unique, curated experiences supporting in-person, hybrid, and virtual attendees. It will also accelerate the development of Intrado's self-service virtual event offering.”

Intrado Digital Media enables event organizers to produce world-class virtual and hybrid events. The combined capabilities of Intrado and Hubb offer a single source for unified onsite and online event data and analytics across the entire event

portfolio—offering valuable insights that drive business and prove event ROI. “We built the Hubb platform because we believe in the power of events to connect people, build community, and drive revenue. Intrado Digital Media shares our vision to develop technology that drives progress and propels the events industry forward,” said Allie Magyar, Founder and CEO of Hubb.

“Intrado's focus on building the largest global technology platform for events, their unwavering commitment to client service and exceptional culture, combined with Hubb's drive for innovation and deep commitment to the events industry, will bring incredible value to partners, employees, customers, and the industry as a whole.”

“After integrating Intrado Digital Media and Hubb technology, clients will have the ability to deliver fully converged, omni-channel events resulting in engaging experiences for attendees, regardless of their location,” continued Ben Chodor. “We are excited to welcome Hubb employees, customers, and partners to Intrado.”

New Partner For Hybrid Event Tech Live – London ontactless specialist Klay Event Technology is partnering Event Tech Live (ETL) London, which runs from November 1 – 5, online, and in-person at The Old Truman Brewery on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4. Over the last 17 months, through the pivot and into its hybrid aftermath, the partnership between organisers and tech providers has grown stronger than ever, becoming a critical element in event design and

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functionality. Familiar with Event Tech Live’s own restless creativity, Klay has been a regular exhibitor since 2018, this alliance will see the company’s tech back of house and front, where Klay kiosks at the entrance will ensure a fast, streamlined, safe approach for visitors.

Keith Findlay, CEO at Klay Event Technology, comments: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the ETL team for their registration design. We’ve seen a great number of events around the

world benefit from our solutions and it’s a pleasure to now showcase Klay to the world’s leading event technology community. “As we eagerly return to inperson and hybrid events, it’s critical for us to illustrate that the technology is well established to support this. Event Tech Live has an incredible incubator culture and offers unparalleled opportunities to network and learn from other innovators in the event space.”

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Tech News

M I C E Showcase

August 2021

Hubilo And Constellar Venues Come Together To Elevate Hybrid Event Experiences Throughout The APAC Region

ubilo Technologies Inc, the virtual + hybrid event platform built for engagement and event excellence, has entered into a partnership agreement with Constellar Venues (Constellar), a subsidiary of Constellar Holdings (formerly known as SingEx-Sphere Holdings), to elevate hybrid event experiences in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

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The two powerhouses have united to pave the way forward for hybrid events of the future by delivering unparalleled event management services, digital project management, user experience design, testing and onboarding services, technological support, and other

specialised services. The partnership leverages Constellar's extensive partner networks in the APAC region, proven insight-generation capabilities, market knowledge, and established expertise in the hybrid event space. Hubilo's virtual and hybrid events platform with its robust engagement features, will further offer powerful data analytics and capabilities that can generate new opportunities for businesses and event organisers to effectively deliver maximum return on investment (ROI).

Constellar Venues manages the awardwinning SG SafeEvents-certified Singapore EXPO & MAX Atria, Singapore's largest purpose-built MICE facility and a top-ranked business event venue in Asia. Constellar Venues pivoted last year to an integrated services model that includes fully equipped state-of-the-art hybrid studios for high-quality content production and seamless broadcasting, digital project management services, live event

support, and event management services for virtual and hybrid engagements.

Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive (Venues), Constellar Holdings, summed up the exciting venture, “Constellar's strong market knowledge and insights generation capabilities are synergistic with Hubilo's digital analytics capabilities, which when combined, will provide customers with valuable data points and analyses for monetisable opportunities. As countries the world over impose varying degrees of restrictions to combat the pandemic, virtual and hybrid events like what Hubilo and Constellar offer will be key to restarting MICE events & travel and in helping to sustain economic growth in the region. Together, our teams aim to deliver an unparalleled value proposition that is premised on customer-centricity and business engagement success.”

Results Of Inaugural IBTM Wired Revealed X (Reed Exhibitions) has announced the results of its inaugural IBTM Wired event, which took place online from 28 June – 1 July with the aim of uniting Hosted Buyers and suppliers for four days of quality meetings, networking and tailored education sessions. The organisers confirmed that over 290 Hosted Buyers from 65 countries attended the online event, with a further 100 physical attendees in Singapore on day one for the SMF (Singapore MICE Forum) x IBTM Wired conference in partnership with SACEOS (Singapore Association of

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Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers).Almost 3,200 one-toone business meetings took place between some of the world's top calibre Hosted Buyers and leading international destinations and suppliers, and 94 per cent of meetings were attended. The meetings satisfaction score for the event was 4.6 out of 5.

The 28 live and 39 on-demand education sessions were Events Industry Council (EIC) accredited, and there were almost 1,000 on-demand views of the Knowledge Programme during the course of the event and for two weeks afterwards. Hosted Buyer Marcus Lee, Chairman, International

China Investment Forum, said: “IBTM Wired is an excellent event where you are able to meet high quality industry suppliers from around the globe. I was able to discover new opportunities, talk to new destinations, hotels and venues to plan for our next events.” Michael Jones, Event Manager, IBTM Wired commented: “Our first ever IBTM Wired brought the industry together to re-connect, learn new skills, and do valuable business in what has been an incredibly challenging period for our sector. We're delighted with the results and the excellent feedback from participants.”

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Acquisi ons

August 2021

Venues And Events International Acquires Absolute Corporate Events K Venues and Events International has acquired global events and production agency, Absolute Corporate Events (ACE) along with Absolute Digital Communications (ADC).

The ACE and ADC team will join the Wiltshire-based Venues and Events International. Chris Parnham, ACE and ADC owner and client strategies director and president of SITE GB will be joining the board.

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All current ACE and ADC staff will be retained by Venues and Events International. The team will work together to provide clients with a wider variety of experience and services. The digital services provided by Absolute Digital Communications will be available to all clients, providing an inhouse specialist service to support virtual events, video, and all digital

media. Lowe and Parnham will be speaking directly to their clients and partners in a live interactive broadcast on 8 September, where they will be sharing their plans for the future and taking any questions.

Anita Lowe, CEO, Venues and Events International, said “I believe that although the strong survive, it's the brave who thrive, and it's in that vein that I am delighted to have the directors and team of Absolute Corporate Events join mine. Chris and I are very excited about this new collaboration, and we both see the terrific advantages we can bring to all our now shared clients. ACE has a very strong production and creative pedigree, both in the physical and virtual world, with Chris being one of the creative champions of our industry, and I can't wait for us to start innovating together.”

Parnham added: “Since I took

ownership of ACE eight years ago, we have been on a terrific growth journey, but the effects of Covid-19 have taken their toll. I truly believe that recovery will be faster and more robust as part of a larger team, and in this case, with Venues and Events International. We are determined to give our clients an even better and wider service, our teams a more exciting and varied career path and the industry an exciting new force to champion creativity and good respectful business.”

Arc Acquires Farmers Guardian And LAMMA Trade Show From AgriBriefing rc, the global events, data, and media platform backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, announced it has acquired Farmers Guardian Ltd and LAMMA Ltd, the UK agriculture division of AgriBriefing. The businesses are leaders in the agriculture sector, delivering content and connections to over 130,000 members of the British farming community. Robert Gray, EagleTree Capital Operating Partner, said, “We are very pleased with this first acquisition for Arc. These are strong multiplatform brands and a highly appealing sector to have as the starting point for building the next generation events and media platform for B2B communities around the world.” Sanjeev

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Khaira will lead the Arc team for this acquisition and work in partnership with existing Managing Director, Warren Butcher, and the management team to support and continue the strategic growth plans of each business. Together, they intend to accelerate the growth and prominence of the LAMMA and CropTec events, and expand the reach and influence of Farmers Guardian, Dairy Farmer and Arable Farming print and online brands. After a decade of guiding and building these businesses, AgriBriefing has evolved its strategy to focus more on its global pricing, analytics, forecasting, market data and consulting units. Rory Brown, CEO of AgriBriefing, said, “We are enormously proud of the job the teams of Farmers

Guardian and LAMMA have done, but our strategic focus has changed. We could not have found a better home for our brands, and the teams who work on them. We cheer their future success from the sidelines as these businesses enter their next phase.” Simon Foster, Arc CEO, said, “We are excited about this first step in the development of Arc. These two businesses are a strong foundation from which to start, and we look forward to building out the Arc network with similar businesses to create a platform to facilitate the future of networking, connecting, and supporting business communities.” Canson Capital Partners (“Canson”), a participant in the partnership since its inception, served as financial adviser to Arc.

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KUSH KAPOOR Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels and Resorts, has joined as the Chairman for National Council on Tourism and Hospitality of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) - one of the largest and most influential chambers of commerce in the country.

With over 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Kapoor has worked at many iconic hotels during his hospitality career across India including The Taj Group of hotels and The Leela Group. In his role as Chairman of National Council on Tourism & Hospitality, ASSOCHAM, his focus areas will be to enhance digitisation in the travel and tourism industry, provide support for innovations as well as digital and new-age technologies and to promote Sustainable Tourism.

VIBHU NAYAR Vibhu Nayar, a 1990 Tamil Nadu batch IAS officer has been appointed as Executive Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Department of Commerce for a tenure upto 31.10.2025. Mr. Nayar’s multilingualism makes him proficient in understanding the diverse culture of India. He did his Mechanical Engineering with distinction from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, and Post-Graduation from Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.

MIKE HAARVEI Mike Haarvei has joined GES as Vice President of Client Relations. In this role, Mike will lead a sales team tasked with expanding GES' healthcare client base while offering best-in-class experiential marketing solutions to GES healthcare clients. Mike brings more than 25 years of leadership, business development and healthcare program management experience to GES. His strong business acumen combined with a keen sense of how to leverage strategic insights allows him to partner proactively with clients and offer innovative brand-building solutions.

SARAH LOUISE HOWELL Sarah Louise Howell has joined dmg events as Vice President - Energy. Sarah is an awardwinning Marketing Communications strategist with experience operating around the world to achieve success for corporations and government entities. In joining dmg events, her mission is to ensure that the energy industry benefits from a strong, inclusive and meaningful events agenda. Her career began in Brussels working amongst the European Institutions and then took her to Kosovo to support the European Union’s Mission to rebuild the country’s economy. She has spent time working in the Middle East and joined dmg events in August 2021 following nearly 13 years at Exxon Mobil Corporation.

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Global News

August 2021

Chicago Auto Show Special Edition Concludes Successfully

eld in the summer for the first time ever, the five-day Chicago Auto Show Special Edition drew to a successful close having entertained more than 100,000 attendees during its unprecedented run. The Chicago Auto Show opened to the public with a 2021 Special Edition taking place July 15-19 inside McCormick Place's West Building and outdoors along Indiana Avenue.

Auto Show Street Fest included food trucks, local brews and street musicians.

This marks the first time in history that the show, traditionally hosted in February, was held in the summertime, taking advantage of an outdoor space to bring attendees new test track experiences, dozens of vehicles to test drive and even electric vehicle demonstrations designed to showcase the latest cars, trucks and SUVs to consumers. Show organizers also added a new Street Fest element the first four evenings of the show. The Chicago

“The opening of the Chicago Auto Show is incredibly important, not just to McCormick Place, but to the city and state given the economic impact it brings to our economy," said Larita Clark, CEO, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA). "As a long-time client, the Chicago Auto Show has been a true partner during the COVID pandemic,and we are grateful for their support.” "The return of the Chicago Auto Show marks a significant moment

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The show was one of the first major events to reopen the McCormick Place facility. Show organizers began working with McCormick Place officials six months ago to co-develop an opening plan, as it was evident very early on that the Chicago Auto Show would provide a pathway to the venue's reopening.

in our COVID-19 recovery journey, as it sends a strong signal that our city is not only open but more than ready to safely host large-scale events," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "This iconic event has retained its reputation as the largest and longest-running auto show and has long been a powerful economic driver for our city and our entire state.”

"This was certainly a unique show that sparked our creativity and provided us many key lessons as we move forward," said Chicago Auto Show General Manager Dave Sloan. “This special edition show was the perfect blend of consumer engagement and interest; manufacturer ROI; digital analytics and data capturing; and symbolism of both the city and state's reopening. Not knowing what to expect going in, we're pleasantly surprised with the outcome."

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ASM Global to Operate Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre SM Global has been appointed

by Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority (BTEA) as the managing operator of choice after an extensive tender process in which ASM Global achieved preferred bidder status to manage, operate and programme the new destination due to its track record of success in managing venues of a similar stature across the world.

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The centre will bolster Bahrain's position as a leading Business Events hub internationally with a total build-up area of 149,000 sqm. Offering 95,000 sqm of exhibition space over 10 halls, a 4,000-seat tiered auditorium, 95 meeting rooms, Royal & VIP Majlis, supported by event organisers' offices and a 250seat capacity restaurant. ASM Global's renowned portfolio is anchored by the most iconic arenas, convention centres and stadiums across five continents, meaning it's ideally placed to maximise the venue's appeal and success. The brand-new destination will feature stateof-the-art technology, as well as having

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the highest level of flexibility to host a range of events from exhibitions and conventions to concerts, live events, weddings, seminars and much more.

ASM Global APAC Chairman and Chief Executive, Harvey Lister congratulated Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority (BTEA) on their foresight in ensuring Bahrain would be at the forefront of attracting tourism investment and international events to the region.

added “The appointment as managing operator is testament to ASM Global's expertise, knowledge and experience in bringing venues to life across the world.

Our aim for Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre is to create a venue with its own distinct identity that resonates with MICE visitors as well as the leisure and tourism market that benefits the local economy and enhances the Kingdom's status globally”.

“We are delighted to have been appointed the operator of what will be a landmark development, which will further position Bahrain as a growing international destination helping to drive growth and create jobs as well as a legacy for the Kingdom. We look forward to working with Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority in creating a brandnew exhibition and convention hub at the heart of the region”.

Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nasser Qaedi said “The new centre will reinforce the Kingdom's status regionally and internationally and Bahrain's position in the MICE industry. We look forward to working with ASM Global to attract international exhibitions and conferences to be held in Bahrain”.

Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre is currently under construction, with the opening planned for mid-2022.

Iain Campbell, Executive Vice President, ASM Global – Gulf Region

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The New York International Auto Show Is Canceled Due To Covid Concerns rganizers of the New York International Auto Show canceled the event due to concerns about the coronavirus delta variant. The show was scheduled to open to the public on Aug. 20. It had been postponed since April of last year due to the global health crisis. It was the first time the show had been rescheduled since WWII.

indoor venues beginning Aug. 16, with full enforcement beginning Sept. 13.

Auto brands such as Jeep, Subaru and Kia were expected to unveil vehicles at the event, which would have been the second major U.S. auto show to take place following cancellations last year.

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“At the onset of planning for the August Show, we were increasingly excited at the prospect of hosting the event as the number of vaccinations in New York continued to climb and mask-wearing reduced the spread in the City. All signs were positive, and the Show was coming

together stronger than ever, but today is a different story,” Mark Schienberg, president of the show, said in a statement.

The cancellation comes a day after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio mandated vaccinations for a range of

A shortened, “special edition” of the Chicago Auto Show took place last month. It was the first show for the auto industry since the event took place last February, before major restrictions due to Covid-19 took effect. Schienberg said the next New York International Auto Show is expected to take place in April 2022, when the event typically occurs.

Green Hotel Investments To #Restarttourism reducing carbon emissions and operating hotels in a manner consistent with IFC's environmental and social criteria.

estination Capital (DC) has signed a collaborative arrangement with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations to support the rejuvenation of the hotel industry. The arrangement supports the relationship DC has with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to promote investment in green and sustainable tourism accommodation and to stimulate re-employment, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The collaboration between UNWTO and Destination Capital is based on DC's adoption of best practices aimed at

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Against this backdrop, DC acquires and repositions freehold hotels of 150-250 rooms in Thailand and across SouthEast Asia with the aim of implementing sustainable water and energy systems. It also works to promote gender equality at every level of the hospitality sector, another of UNWTO's core priorities and in line with Sustainable Development Goal number 5.

While governments and destinations around the world are working on vaccination programs to accelerate the restart of the tourism, UNWTO is working with the private sector to encourage employers to play their part in the recovery of local communities through job creation and training programs. UNWTO data shows that

international tourism arrivals fell by 1 billion in 2020, with the crisis carrying over into 2021. Worldwide, this has placed as many as 120 million tourism jobs directly at risk. Moreover, Asia and the Pacific has been the worst-affected of all global regions, and young workers and women are among the hardest hit by the downturn in tourism employment.

In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, DC recognizes the hotel industry not only has a responsibility to re-hire and re-train hotel staff. It is also increasingly under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and mitigate the impact of energy and water consumption as well as food waste and environmental degradation. DC is committed to retrofitting its hotels to be compliant as 'green hotel's as per the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) standards established by IFC.

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ISH Shanghai & CIHE 2021 Postponed he organisers of ISH Shanghai & CIHE have confirmed that the next edition of the fair will now take place at a later date, instead of the scheduled 31 August – 2 September 2021. This is due to the recent emergence of further Covid-19 cases in China and uncertainty around participants being able to travel to Shanghai this month. Mr Richard Li, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd elaborated further: “After discussions with our stakeholders and taking the government’s guidelines for pandemic containment into account, we have decided to defer the 2021 edition of ISH Shanghai & CIHE to provide as much certainty to the fair’s participants as possible. At this stage it is

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unclear when our exhibitors and visitors can plan their travel to Shanghai with confidence, so we believe it is the prudent decision to confirm now that the fair will take place a later date instead.”

As leading HVAC exhibitions in Asia, ISH China & CIHE in Beijing and ISH

Shanghai & CIHE cover HVAC products & technologies, intelligent control, home comfort and plumbing.

ISH China & CIHE will continue to serve as a comprehensive commercial HVAC solution sourcing platform for China’s northern regions, while ISH Shanghai & CIHE will help industry players tap into China’s East and Central HVAC and home comfort markets. ISH China & CIHE will be held from 9 – 11 May 2022 at the New China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. The two fairs are headed by the biennial ISH event in Frankfurt, Germany, which is the world’s leading trade fair for HVAC + Water. The mother event will take place from 13 – 17 March 2023.

Caravan Salon Düsseldorf Repositions Itself For The First Time With Hybrid Offer For Trade And End Customers N 2021, CARAVAN SALON Düsseldorf is repositioning itself with a hybrid offer and digital additions for trade visitors and end consumers. Messe Düsseldorf has developed a special "matchmaking tool" for this, which was already successfully used at virtual.medica and virtual.drupa in November and April. CARAVAN SALON 2021 will be the first time that a presence event uses this tried and tested organizational tool. Manufacturers and dealers, trade visitors and end customers can use it to communicate with each other in the run-up to the fair and arrange appointments for the duration in Düsseldorf.

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Project Director Stefan Koschke: "Especially in these times, the matchmaking tool enables targeted management of appointments and will

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prevent large crowds in front of the vehicles. In addition, it is available both for the transfer of technical know-how between the experts and the exhibitors, but also enables caravanning fans who are eager to buy to make an initial detailed enquiry with the manufacturers' advisors.

I think the matchmaking tool will further increase the attractiveness of CARAVAN SALON Düsseldorf as it supports the targeted preparation of an effective visit to the fair." The tool can be used to arrange appointments both on the website www.caravan-salon.com and in the trade fair's app. "Importantly, we want to maintain the virtual meeting after the fair and keep access activated until November," adds Koschke.

"Virtual Technology Days" for experts from Asia, Australia and North America will also be organized as part of the show. Due to the different time zones of the geographical regions, it will be held for Australia on September 1 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., for North America on September 1 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Asia on September 2 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m

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Dubai Set To Host Major Business Events As Expo 2020 Approaches

ubai's business events sector continues to build on its momentum as one of the first cities in the world to reopen for international meetings, with a busy calendar of high-profile conferences, meetings and incentives on the horizon through the rest of 2021 and into 2022.

Following the resumption of international tourism to the city in July 2020, Dubai welcomed international business events from October 2020 and saw a healthy pipeline of conferences and exhibitions taking place across the city.

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With meeting planners recognising Dubai's ability to safely host events and its prudent handling of the global Covid19 pandemic, that is now poised to continue in the second half of 2021, through the hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai and into the rest of 2022. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “Driven by the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the city was among the first in the world to restart its business

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events sector, providing a vital platform for associations, businesses and organisations to resume their face-toface meetings and drive knowledge development in key sectors.

We understand the importance for the meetings industry globally to restart physical events, and thanks to the efforts of stakeholders across the city, this all continues to be done in environments that prioritise the safety of all delegates, participants and organisers.” With Expo 2020 Dubai commencing on 1 October and lasting six months, the city is poised to welcome a number of major corporate and incentive groups that will be looking to take advantage of the opportunity to allow delegates to experience and explore the world's greatest show during their time in the city. The Dubai Exhibition Centre within the Expo 2020 site will also host a number of important conferences and events, including the Dubai Association Conference.

Steen Jakobsen, Assistant Vice President, Dubai Business Events, said: “In the wake of the global pandemic, Dubai was able to quickly restart its

business events sector leveraging the city's ability to provide both a safe setting while at the same time facilitating impactful face-to-face meetings. We continue to see strong interest from organisers looking to get their business events back on track as soon as possible – and thanks to the aligned approach taken by stakeholders across Dubai, we have been able to quickly mobilise when necessary to accommodate businesses, associations and other organisations to review their original plans and relocate events to Dubai.”

Among the major events taking place over the coming months in Dubai is Africa Oil Week. While traditionally hosted in South Africa, this year's edition has been relocated to Dubai, giving attendees the opportunity to engage in crucial discussions and deal making while at the same time taking advantage of a destination that can offer a safe setting. Meanwhile, Gastech, one of the world's largest exhibitions and conferences focused on gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and hydrogen, will also take place in Dubai, having been relocated from its originally planned host city of Singapore.

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PACK EXPO Las Vegas And Co-located Healthcare Packaging Expo Gears Up For Reuniting The Industry In Person ACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO (Sept. 27-29, Las Vegas Convention Center) will follow the current local regulations and continue to update exhibitors and attendees as things develop to ensure a coordinated effort and successful event for all, according to show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

at any other industry event all in one convenient location on the show floor,” said Laura Thompson, Vice President, Trade Shows, PMMI.

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“In the planning of PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO, we recognize that information and guidelines will change constantly and have committed to updating our approach in line with CDC and local regulations, along with industry best practices,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows, PMMI. “Many events have already safely taken place,

and we have taken best practices from those events along with current government guidelines to implement the PACK Ready health and safety plan for a successful in-person event.”

“PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2021 will reunite the industry this year. With over 25 association partners, the Association Partner Program and Partner Pavilion will provide countless networking opportunities and resources unmatched

PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO is the only show this year covering the entire packaging and processing industry spread across four expansive convention center halls. More than 1,500 exhibitors will showcase the latest new materials, technologies and solutions to address the packaging and processing needs of over 20,000 attendees from 40-plus vertical markets. With multiple free educational platforms and countless networking opportunities, the event will provide endless prospects for exchanging ideas and professional growth.

Korea Announces Plans to Host Yeosu World Island Exhibition In 2026 permanent exhibition halls showcasing the future, culture and ecology of the island as well as special tours including the Yeondo Bridge Tour and Healing Island Tour.

Korea will debut a new international event – the Yeosu World Island Exhibition, to be held in 2026. The decision was announced on August 9th after the exhibition passed the screening process by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

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Located in Korea’s island-filled south coast, the city of Yeosu is a scenic coastal retreat which served as the host city for the 2012 World Expo, attracting an estimated 7 million visitors from around the world. Since the expo, the city served as a popular incentive tourism destination, attracting largescale incentive travel groups from Infinitus and Amway in 2014. The city is also in close proximity to Suncheon,

home to the new UNESCO World Heritage, ‘Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats’.

The ‘2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition’ will be held in Yeosu’s Dolsan Jinmo District from July 17 to August 16, 2026, under the theme ‘Connecting the Island, Sea and the Future’.

The city of Yeosu anticipates more than 2 million visitors from 30 countries to attend the Yeosu World Island Exhibition, and the event is estimated to create over 6,000 jobs and create an economic ripple effect of more than 400 billion won. With official approval from the government, Jeollanam-do Province and Yeosu City will begin preparation for the exhibition at full speed, including content development, establishing organizing committees, and domestic and international promotion.

The exhibition will feature eight

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Business Events Group Flags UK-Style Insurance Scheme For COVID-Hit Sector he business events industry has called for the creation of a government-led insurance scheme, possibly similar to one introduced by the UK, to help the sector cope with COVID disruptions.

The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) says it raised the suggestion in an online meeting last week with Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan.

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The appeal for an insurance program is part of a bundle of targeted measures the peak body says is critical for the recovery of the sector, which has endured sudden event cancellations due to lockdown measures since the pandemic broke out. A Commonwealth Government-led event insurance scheme, achieved in partnership with state and territory governments, to cover for government-enforced cancellations and postponements resulting from COVID-19 restrictions will help restore the confidence of the sector.

“We’ve had conventions and exhibitions that are six, 12 months in the planning that get cancelled because a particular state closes its borders at a moment’s notice,” BECA Deputy Chairman Geoff Donaghy told insurance “So it causes an enormous amount of uncertainty, enormous amount of lack of confidence in going ahead and organising events.”

He says the creation of an insurance scheme with government backing is about “giving organisers of events the confidence to go ahead, knowing that they’re not going to get caught out”. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) says an independent study it recently

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commissioned reached the conclusion that insurance coverage for pandemics is not possible without government involvement. The study looked at options to mitigate the economic effects of future pandemics.

An ICA spokesman says the findings are largely consistent with those of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is also considering global solutions for pandemic funding and risk reduction. “The OECD has acknowledged the need for a global pandemic insurance solution and noted the private insurance industry is not in a position to do it alone.

“It highlighted that planning for future pandemics will require governments, the insurance industry and the private sector to work together on business interruption solutions.” The spokesman says insurance prices risk and given the risk that the pandemic continues to present, Australian insurers are now excluding disease coverage for pandemics.

Mr Donaghy says the UK Government’s insurance scheme to provide pandemic-related cancellation cover for live events provides an “excellent benchmark” for Australia to consider. The UK’s £750 million ($1.4 billion) Live Events Reinsurance Scheme is a partnership with the Lloyd’s market, with the government providing a guarantee to make sure insurers can offer products events companies need. Lloyd’s market insurers including Arch, Beazley, Dale, Hiscox and Munich Re are supporting the scheme, which will start from next month and run through to the following September.

“We believe something like that happening on the same level here in Australia will go an enormous way in getting us back on the road to recovery once we can put events back on safely, which we hope will be reasonably soon,” Mr Donaghy said. “So we really need to we need to de-risk, take the risk out of that and give event organisers the confidence to put their events back on.”

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Runway To Recovery: Inter Airport Europe 2021 nter airport Europe 2021, the 23rd International Exhibition for Airport Equipment, Technology, Design and Services will take place from 9 – 12 November 2021 at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany. With the biggest vaccination campaign in history underway and positive signs of general recovery, exhibition organiser Mack-Brooks Exhibitions has announced to go ahead with the live edition of inter airport Europe, the flagship event for the international airport industry.

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inter airport Europe is the world's leading airport exhibition and covers all areas of airport-related technology, equipment and services, all in one place.

As part of the TERMINAL segment, the show offers solutions and equipment for the construction and operation of terminal buildings, the architectural design, equipment and planning stage of the airport. The DATA area covers airport IT systems, data management solutions as well as connected systems and IT processes to handle passengers,

operations as well as air traffic. The RAMP segment covers ground handling, ground support equipment, runway construction and installations.

Currently, 226 exhibitors from 29 countries have already registered their participation, with Germany, France, Italy and the USA amongst the top exhibiting countries. A significantly extended seminar programme on the future of airport operations provides important insights on how to adapt to the long-term realities in post-pandemic times. Along with a rising demand to start flying again, there are indications of a fundamental shift in air travel which go way beyond new hygiene and safety standards. Before the pandemic, growth

seemed very much reliant on an indefinite increase of passenger numbers and runways. As aviation is adapting to the long-term realities of COVID-19, it looks like the rules need to be radically changed for an actual increase in the robustness and diversification of air travel. There is a genuine appetite for increased digitalisation in passenger and freight operations, and the industry is facing a big sustainability challenge to achieve what politicians and the public require.

Also, once futuristic concepts of urban air mobility are now turning into real opportunities.

“With air passenger numbers recovering, the race is on to emerge leaner, greener and more efficient from the pandemic crisis in order to gain a long-term competitive advantage”, says Olaf Freier, Portfolio Director of inter airport Europe. “At this crucial time, attending inter airport Europe is a unique opportunity to look beyond the pandemic and devise strategies to adapt to new realities.”

Thailand’s DITP Holds Its First-Ever Hybrid Top Thai Brands 2021 Trade Show In India hailand's Ministry of Commerce, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and Thai Trade Center New Delhi with support from Royal Thai Embassy and Tourism Authority of Thailand in New Delhi, launched its first-ever hybrid trade show organized in India, the “Top Thai Brands 2021: Experience Thailand's Iconic Brands”.

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“The Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, under the leadership of Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce,

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has exerted great efforts to adapt and shift itself to the new normal environment. With the acceleration of digitalization nowadays, DITP keeps innovating and exploring new solutions to consistently support and assist Indian and Thai entrepreneurs to create and expand mutual business opportunities.

The Top Thai Brands 2021 India Edition, DITP's first-ever hybrid trade show in India, reaffirms our determination to ensure that Thai good quality products can continuously

support Indian consumers and businesses.” Mr. Somdet Susomboon, Director-General of DITP, said in a video message.

The Top Thai Brands 2021 India Edition integrates both physical and digital version of trade comprising of the live-streaming product showcase and Thai cultural performance, the virtual exhibition and online business matching and the offline showcase of selected Thai products at Ambience Mall Gurgaon during 19-22 August 2021.

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Foodservice Products In The Spotlight For PLMA's 2021 Private Label Trade Show In Chicago he Private Label Manufacturers Association announced that its annual Private Label Trade Show, taking place in-person November 14-16 in Chicago, will feature expanded participation by foodservice suppliers across all food, nonfood and beverage categories.

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Overall, more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 5,000 visitors are expected at the show, which has always been an important stop for manufacturers and buyers for foodservice. As the

pandemic recedes, all signs are pointing to greater growth and success for private label in foodservice, according to PLMA Vice President Anthony Aloia.

“Consumers have become more accustomed to finding freshly made, restaurant-style meals in supermarkets – whether prepared by in-store bakery, deli and meat departments, or brought in from a ghost kitchen or commissary – which are sold at extremely reasonable prices under the retailer's own brands," Aloia said.

The Private Label Manufacturers Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1979 to promote store brands. It is the only trade group of its kind, representing 4,500 member companies in more than 75 countries.

In addition to annual, industry-defining trade shows in Chicago and Amsterdam, PLMA offers its members conferences, executive education, professional development, market research, category and channel sales data, consumer surveys and publications

IAA MOBILITY 2021: World’s Largest Mobility Event Starts In September erman Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel will open the IAA MOBILITY, where more than 1,000 exhibitors and speakers will present innovations and concepts for the future of mobility. IAA Mobility show will be held at Messe München from 7 – 12 September. The trade fair, previously known internationally as the "Frankfurt Auto Show," is also coming to Munich for the first time. With a state-of-the-art concept, the IAA MOBILITY will link the major players in mobility with the big names in high-tech.

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It will be the first event worldwide to offer visitors a comprehensive array of test drives with the new vehicle models.

All the main events at the IAA MOBILITY will be streamed; the IAA MOBILITY APP will provide visitors with orientation and information at the show itself. "The IAA MOBILITY 2021 in Munich will be the largest and most modern mobility event in the world and is a perfect fit at a time when Europe has

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set out to be the world’s first climateneutral continent. Traffic plays a major role in this scenario," says Jürgen Mindel, Managing Director of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), organizer of the IAA MOBILITY. "We are already uniting the sectors – automotive, digital, bicycle and urban planning – that will belong together in the future. We will present new concepts and invite visitors to debate on the right path to a climateneutral future." The German automotive industry is still the world’s most innovative.

At the IAA MOBILITY numerous developments will be presented that

make driving safer, cleaner and more digital including new driver-assist systems and technologies for highly automated driving. Visitors can glimpse what automobile design will look like in the e-mobility era. With design studies and concept cars, the exhibitors will demonstrate the new options created by the switch to e-mobility. Moreover, suppliers will be presenting AI-based high-performance processors capable of controlling all stages of automated and fully autonomous driving in tomorrow’s cars.

The IAA MOBILITY links the key players in high-tech and mobility – an important step since the future of mobility will be dominated by digitization and vehicle connectivity. For many companies, new opportunities and business fields will emerge – ranging from the AI-based "Industry 4.0" and emobility to smart data analytics, innovative automation and intelligent assistance systems.

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