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The 46th ICCA Congress in Pattaya, Thailand, has broken last year’s record for the greatest number of attendees. Although registrations were fractionally down on last year’s figures – 818 in 2007 compared with 820 in 2006, the number of participants attending actually rose from 811 in 2006 to 814. The number of countries represented increased from 60 to 64. There were 268 first time attendees. Two thirds of the delegates were at CEO, company President, or senior director level. One third of the attendees came from Asia Pacific region.
Martin Sirk, ICCA CEO said a stronger educational programme with greater resources allocated to sourcing expert speakers from across the globe was the primary reason behind the increased numbers.
“ICCA’s networking and business exchange opportunities are always a big draw for senior meetings industry directors”, says Sirk, “but this year we have paid particular attention to the strength of the education programme and this has really caught the attention of our membership in Asia and beyond. The post-congress evaluations for educational content are the best we have ever recorded”
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility was a key topic at the recent ICCA Congress, where as well as talking about the issues involved, delegates made direct contributions by planting trees and donating over EURO 12,000 towards a local orphanage (which was raised from the new ICCA charity event, the I&MI Media Golf Classic and other initiatives and donations).
The venue of this years conference, the Pattaya Exhibition & Convention Hall (PEACH), takes its corporate social responsibility extremely seriously. As well as introducing major environmental initiatives such as treating all its own waste, it has taken a lead role in cleaning up the environment throughout the Pattaya area. They directly support local charities, and regard the venue’s success as being a way of producing sustainable and high quality jobs for local people.
Education programme
Main Congress programme
Highlight of this years education programme was Martin Lindstrom’s keynote “Copenhagen Lecture” on the power of branding, which was rated “excellent” by two-thirds of the participants and “good” by an additional 22%. A newly introduced range of skills and techniques workshops averaged 86% excellent or good, whilst innovative formats such as an “experiential” session on disability awareness which exposed delegates to what it was like to experience a meeting as a disabled delegate achieved superb levels of positive feedback. Overall, the education session ratings were higher than for any previous ICCA Congress.
ASIA for ASIA Summit
Unique for 2007 was an ASIA for ASIA Summit on Challenges and Opportunities of the Meetings Industry in the Next Decade, a brand new initiative by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau with the support of ICCA, which took place just before the Congress opened, involving 40 industry leaders from around Asia.
This event was organised by Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau with support from ICCA, aimed at giving back some of ICCA’s global expertise to young delegates from Thailand in particular and Asia in general. It was run simultaneously with the ICCA Congress and attracted over 30 delegates. By using ICCA delegates and Congress speakers as this event’s faculty, ICCA was able to deliver an exceptional programme.
“We invited more than 20 of our senior delegates and some of the expert guest speakers to volunteer their time to provide a uniquely high-powered faculty for this initiative” said Sirk. “Our aim was that this year’s Congress should make a contribution towards improving the education of young meetings professionals in Asia”.
ICCA General Assembly
ICCA CEO Martin Sirk and ICCA President Leigh Harry reported a continued strong growth in membership levels from all regions of the world and all meeting industry Sectors, reports on ICCA’s financial stability and plans for future innovations and improvements to member services.
Elections – Sector representation:
Mrs. Handan Boyce and Mrs. Anne Wallin Rodven were elected as chairpersons for the Destination Marketing Sector and Mr. Juriaen Sleijster and Mr. Lars Christensen were elected as chairpersons for the Meetings Management Sector. Mr.
Bart Heinrichs is elected unopposed as chairperson for the Meeting Support Sector chairperson.
Geographic representation:
The election for the North American BOD representation was won by Mr. Eduardo Chaillo of the Mexican Tourism Board.
Mr. Anthony Wong for the Asia Pacific region and Mr. Lutz Vogt for Europe are re-elected unopposed, and Mr. Mariano Castex is elected unopposed for Latin America.
Future ICCA Congress destinations
At this year’s General Assembly in Thailand the ICCA Board confirmed the selection of Hyderabad, India as the host destination for the 2010 Congress. This will be the first time that ICCA has ever organised a Congress in the Indian sub-continent, and the event will be timed perfectly for members to see the multitude of new meetings industry developments around the country, as well to experience the superb new facilities which have been built in Hyderabad itself.
“This was a thoroughly professional and highly creative bid proposal by an enthusiastic team of ICCA members, and we are confident that ICCA’s 2010 Congress will mark a major milestone in the development of the meetings industry in India” said Martin Sirk.
The ICCA Board has selected a shortlist of three destinations to be considered for the 2011 Congress. They are: Leipzig, Germany; Dubai/Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Pittsburgh, USA. Site inspections and detailed consultation meetings will take place over the next few months, and final bid presentations will be made to the ICCA Board at their mid-year meeting prior to IMEX 2008.
Best Marketing Award
The ICCA Best Marketing Award, established in 1997, recognises the excellence and outstanding achievements of organisations in their effort to market their destination or product. The winner of this year’s Best Marketing Award was announced at the closing session of the ICCA Congress: Promo Leader Service, Italy.
On winning the award, Luigi Cammi, Chief Executive Officer of Promo Leader Service, said: “We live in a society that reduces desire to something that can be calculated, whereas what men truly desire is not to comply with any calculation or limit. We always aim to desire something more, something better, something happier for our families, our friends and our work. Thanks to the opportunity of presenting our project to the ICCA Assembly, I tasted part of that happiness and I now look at the future to experience more and more.”
The other finalists were Congress Frankfurt, Germany, Conventions Australia, Australia and Gold Coast Tourism Corporation, Australia.
ICCA Silent auction
The Silent Auction raised over EUR 12,000 at the 2007 congress. The ICCA Silent Auction is run in support of ICCA’s Education Fund, established in 1992 to create more educational opportunities for young people within the international meetings industry and help raise professional standards. The fund also financially supports the Forums for Young Professionals at EIBTM and AIME.
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