AIME sets new date for new type of show model
Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced the 2021 show will now take place from 15 to 17 March at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, incorporating a virtual format.
With uncertainty around international travel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AIME team have developed a show model that combines virtual and live event components, to ensure the industry can still meet, exchange knowledge and do much-needed business, wherever they are in the world.
A poll conducted during the APAC webinar on the Joint Meeting Industry Council Manifesto for Economic Recovery using Business Events revealed that 89 per cent of attendees expected to see hybrid events in 2021.
“We understand that we all have a role to play in driving business events to help rebuild global economies and the new hybrid AIME is being designed to quickly help kickstart our industry in 2021,” Matt Pearce, CEO at Talk2 Media & Events, said.
“By moving the show to March, we are giving the industry some extra time to adjust to post-COVID conditions as well as providing them with a road to new business opportunity.”
According to AIME, the hybrid model will see exhibitors, hosted buyers and visitors attend either in person in Melbourne or virtually via the AIME online event portal.
The virtual component means that meetings will no longer be restricted to the physical show dates, and international virtual exhibitors and visitors will have the freedom to schedule meetings best suited to individual time zone schedules.
All exhibitors will form part of the virtual exhibition, with those able to travel still taking part in the vibrant live show floor in Melbourne. They will also benefit from an increased number of buyers, particularly buyers who have previously been unable to attend and can now do so from the comfort of their own office.
All buyers that form part of the AIME Hosted Buyer program, whether they be virtual or hosted in Melbourne, will continue to be vetted to ensure that they have business to place. The AIME team have commenced buyer recruitment and anticipate a large increase of buyers attending AIME virtually or in-person in 2021.
Further improvements are also in the works across the show, including an updated meeting matching process, which will adopt a more enhanced filtered approach designed to deliver better meeting outcomes for exhibitors and buyers, virtual networking opportunities and new activations on the show floor.
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