Important industry meeting place now with an international focus
A new perspective on events: the theme focus of this year’s ITB MICE Forum at the ITB Berlin Convention is interaction and participant event formats, where qualified MICE experts will provide valuable know-how and examine forward-looking topics. In its role as the official MICE partner of ITB Berlin, the Association of Event Organisers (VDVO) has significantly expanded the MICE segment. Complementing the two-day ITB MICE Forum on 4 and 5 March, the ITB International MICE Forum is taking place for the first time on Friday, 6 March. Room New York 1 in Hall 7.1a is where all the sessions will take place.
Day one of the conference on Wednesday, 4 March will focus on interaction, participant event formats and AI. Following an introduction by Bernd Fritzges, CEO of the VDVO, Matthias Schultze (www.bit.ly/2Gqip4H), managing director of the German Convention Bureau (GCB), will talk about ‘Success Factor Participant Experience’ and illustrate the forms that digital and analogue interaction can take (11 – 11.45 a.m.). Afterwards, Bernd Fritzges and Doreen Biskup (www.bit.ly/38Je9cM), deputy chairwoman of the VDVO, will discuss the advantages and benefits of participant event formats. In the lecture to follow (1 – 1.45 p.m.), Michael Liebmann(www.bit.ly/3aLKmlp), managing director and founder of the event automation platform doo, will explain how AI can help make valuable use of participant information and contribute to the long-term success of an event. Under the heading ‘Visitor Tracking’, at 2 p.m. Prof. Dr. Cornelia Zanger(www.bit.ly/2uD6m1a) from the Department of Marketing and Retailing at TU Chemnitz, will provide a scientific insight into digital technologies that can optimise event concepts.
On Thursday, 5 March, the main topics will be event and crisis management. Colja Dams(www.bit.ly/2uy7nrs), CEO of VOK DAMS, will lecture on the need for agile work methods in event management (4 – 4.45 p.m.). Afterwards, taking his company’s crisis management programme as an example, Bernd Wiedemann(www.bit.ly/36xXZ4i), head of visitBerlin Convention Partner, will explain how the various skilled trades can master crisis situations together.
New: ITB International MICE Forum
On Friday, 6 March, the ITB International MICE Forum will celebrate its debut (10.45 a.m. – 2.45 p.m.). This is the first forum of its kind at ITB Berlin. It will be moderated by Caleb Parker(www.bit.ly/30WK9r7), director and founder of Bold London, who specialises in innovation and technology in the MICE market. During the sessions, international players will look at how a new work trend is influencing the event industry. Experts will have tips on key elements of the omnipresent phenomenon of influencer marketing. Best practices will be presented highlighting strategies that can potentially prolong the life cycle of an event. Rounding off the programme Kevin Jackson(www.bit.ly/36xY3ky), director of Ideas and Innovation at The Experience is the Marketing, and a well-known event industry pioneer, will explain how event management professionals can set up carefully staged micro moments to increase participant activity at any given moment.
International networking: MICE Hub, MICE Night and the new MICE Media Lounge
For the first time media representatives will have an opportunity to meet with MICE industry experts and hold on-the-spot interviews in a corresponding format at the ITB MICE Media Lounge in Hall 7.1a.
The MICE Hub is the place to head for leading industry representatives and exhibitors, where they can discuss meetings, incentives, conventions and events. From 4 to 6 March in Hall 7.1a on Stand 200, selected exhibitors will present their new products. For visitors to the stand of VDVO there will be opportunities to interact in the VDVO Aircraft.
On 5 March, to round off the ITB MICE Forum ITB Berlin and VDVO will extend an invitation to the official ITB MICE Night sponsored by Moskau at the International Club Berlin. This trendy Berlin venue, which is frequented by diplomats, big business names and artists, can be easily reached on foot from the grounds of ITB Berlin.
For more information on MICE topics at the ITB Berlin Convention please visit www.itb-kongress.de/en/Program/MICE.html.
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2020 will be taking place from Wednesday, 4 to Sunday, 8 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In 2019 a total of 10,000 companies and organisations from 181 countries exhibited their products and services to around 160,000 visitors, including 113.500 trade visitors. Parallel with the show the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest event of its kind, will be held from Wednesday, 4 to Saturday, 7 March 2020. Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitors and exhibitors. For more information please visit www.itb-berlin.com, www.itb-convention.com and the ITB Social Media Newsroom.
