After nine years of year-on-year increases in the number of association meeting planners attending the IMEX Association Day, the IMEX team, its association partners and advisors have completely revamped the day’s education program for 2012.
The result is that the 2012 Association Day, which takes place in the show’s 10th anniversary year, now offers double the number of education sessions, plus contributions from 25 speakers, including CEOs and Executive Directors from some of Europe and America’s largest associations including the European Cancer Organization (ECCO), the International Association of Public Transport and the Optical Society.
Brand new learning formats, such as “Deep Dives,” will allow delegates to explore a number of single issue topics over a three-hour period, and a new “Ask the Expert” clinic will provide complimentary, one-to-one consultancy on VAT issues. Three new education tracks (meetings, operations and executive) have also been introduced to allow for further content refinement based on attendees’ roles and responsibilities. The day will conclude with a choice of over 20 peer-to-peer round-table discussions with topics chosen by delegates in advance of the day.
IMEX Association Day targets and typically attracts around 300 association executives from more than 30 countries, 85 percent of whom are full-time senior association professionals. Most of the buyers attend as part of the show’s hosted buyer program, which means they also attend the tradeshow and meet exhibitors over the three days that follow.
“Our feedback shows that association executives want to be stretched and to step back from their day-to-day tasks to explore some big picture topics and long-term business challenges,” said Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group. “Alongside new content with a harder strategic focus, we have introduced some highly specialized topics such as ‘Managing Your Room Blocks.’ This ensures that there is excellent choice in the program, ranging from niche topics to broader strategic topics.”
The IMEX Association Day will be hosted by the Congress Center in Messe, Frankfurt, on May 21. Registration is available online.
“I am delighted and really excited by the changes we’ve put in place for Association Day this year,” said Bauer. “This part of our show’s educational program is exceptionally strong and we take the need to get it right, and to justify attendees’ time investment very seriously. More than ever, this year’s Association Day will be a power-packed, high value event.”
As usual, this day of intense education will end in an evening networking reception that is open to all IMEX exhibitors who are members of one of the organizing associations (ICCA, AIPC, IAPCO, PCMA, ESAE, ASAE, IAEE, DMAI). The evening traditionally attracts up to 900 guests and has become the unofficial opening event of the show and, as such, it sets the business and networking tone for the following three days of the show. This year’s reception will be held at The Westin Hotel, Frankfurt. Delegates can attend the Association Day either as a part of the IMEX hosted buyer program, or as association visitors.
