High Take-Up of Engagement Activities As More MICE Destinations and Brands Choose Exclusive Sessions

As IT&CM China’s first day of business appointments and exhibition showcase kicked off, so did a multitude of engagement activities that ranged from media briefings, hosted luncheons, cocktail and dinners as well as destination presentations as part of a dedicated Association Days programme.

By fulfilling a host of wishlists from 288 MICE destinations and brands this year, IT&CM China proved its mettle in delivering specific ROIs by customising exclusive events that allowed featured companies to reach their desired buyer and media profiles.

First-time exhibitor National Institute of Tourism Promotion, Argentina is one of four destination bureaus that decided on a targeted luncheon for select international and local buyers this year. Explained its Meeting Industry Coordinator, Emora Franco, “We really want to organise these kind of events as it is a good way to engage the buyers to the destinations.” The bureau also leveraged on one of the 13 media briefing sessions earlier this morning to reach out to international media. Franco said of the session, “It was really good, really productive, with many questions asked about the MICE industry in Argentina and how the country has been positioning itself. The show has been really good for us.”

Meanwhile, Tourism Fiji hosted a luncheon concurrently today while Hainan Tourism Development Commission conducted a MICE Promotion Session for invited buyers. Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau and South Africa National Convention Bureau will have a captive networking session with their potential buyers tomorrow over lunch.

In addition, AccorHotels, JW Marriot Shanghai Changfeng Park, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), and Shanghai Marriott Parkview are part of the line-up of exhibitors who chose to benefit from being a cocktail or dinner sponsor.

Others like returning destination CCPIT Chengdu (Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition), Hangzhou Tourism Commission, Malaysia Convention & Visitor Bureau (MyCEB), Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Burea (TCEB), and new-comers VisitScotland, found the Association Days’ Destination Presentation the right fit for them to reach much sought-after Association buyers. In response to heightened interest, IT&CM China 2017 featured twice as many destination presentations than the year before.

Local exhibitor Gloria Hotels & Resorts appreciated the opportunity to engage exclusively with Chinese media to spread their brand message even wider across the local industry space. “A briefing to the local Chinese media, allowed us to create connections with aims of spreading our brand message further in the domestic market. We were able to introduce our brand, latest developments and upcoming initiatives such as our loyalty programme. The session also helped in attracting more people to the booth later in the day,” said Thomas Jouan, Director of Branding, Gloria Hotels & Resorts.

Delta Air Lines, Gloria Hotel & Resorts, HNA Hospitality, Huangshan Tourism Committee, MEET TAIWAN, Ministry of Tourism of The Republic of Indonesia, Monaco Government Tourist Bureau, Ningbo Tourism Administration, Pacific World, Shouqi Limousine and Chauffeur, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, and Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention and Exhibition Affairs, form the remaining organisations that benefitted from one or more of IT&CM China’s core business engagement sessions this year.

For more information on IT&CM China, visit www.itcmchina.com