AIBTM Will Look to Crowdsourcing to Discover Future of Meetings
March 7, 2013
With more than 1,000 meeting planners, another 1,000 trade visitors and plenty of suppliers onsite for Reed Travel Exhibitions’ annual AIBTM – The Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition, it’s the perfect opportunity to reach out to the gathered community through crowdsourcing and ask them what the future of the meetings industry might look like.
“We want to know what they are seeing in their world,” said AIBTM Exhibition Director Michael Lyons.
He added, “We want to take all the info we gather, disseminate it and be able to say ‘this is what people are telling us.’ We want to know what the industry will look like two or three years down the road.”
AIBTM attendees, who will gather this year for the first time June 11-13 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, will have the opportunity to ‘crowdsource’ their ideas about what the future of the meetings industry might look like using their own smartphones or audience response systems during several education sessions.
“For all us in the industry, now we’re seeing the sunshine again, and yet what we’re finding is there’s a new normal,” Lyons said. “There were a lot of people shook up in the industry … Now that we’re come out of that dark period, where are we going in the next few years? We believe at AIBTM we need to provoke this kind of thought.”
The theme of the three-day, hosted buyer event is “Defining the Future of Meetings … Together”, and besides the education sessions, including ones held by several major associations on the event’s first day, there also will be a keynote luncheon during which J. Walker Smith, principal of the futures company, will speak about the continued value of face-to-face relationships in the current "kinship economy”, even in a digital age.
“The internet and social media are means not ends goal. Face-to-face engagement is no less important than ever, and more often than not, technology is used in a social way to create more not less physical connection,” Walker said.
He added, “In both business and personal transactions, relationships continue to matter in this ‘kinship economy.’”
Walker said this has big implications for the meetings industry because “the rise of social means that people are looking for more face-to-face connection when doing business, technology notwithstanding.”
In keeping with the theme of what meetings might look like in the future, there will even be ‘brain food’ served during the keynote, as well as a session beforehand about why eating ‘brain food’ is “particularly important during conferences, where food becomes the premium fuel to keep participants fully engaged, making smart decisions, staying focused, and most importantly - feeling good.”
Some other sessions that are on tap include “The Art of Engagement” that will talk about how to create a truly vibrant community and build deeper levels of engagement and “Hot Technologies 2013: It's #mobilesociallocal” that will take a look at technologies that are impacting people’s ways of doing business.
“We’re pretty pumped up about the direction we’re taking this year,” Lyons said. “We’re clearly happy we are in Chicago, one of the world’s greatest destinations.”
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
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The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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