The Meetings Show, one of the UK’s leading show for the meetings community, returns on 30 September and 1 October and is welcoming associations along for the chance to network and do business with hundreds of UK and international event suppliers, from destinations and destination management companies, to conference centres, venues, hotels and technology suppliers.
The event, now in its ninth year, will be delivered live at ExCeL London for the first time, as well as virtually, where it will also offer 40 hours of education across the two days to inspire and inform attendees and offer solutions for navigating the way ahead following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Association buyers will be able to determine the perfect location for their forthcoming symposiums, secure appropriate accommodation for their delegates and investigate technological solutions to support them at face-to-face or virtual meetings with the show’s extensive list of exhibitors.
Among the international destinations signed up to exhibit are Finland Convention Bureau, Visit Monaco, Meet Riga, Seoul Tourism and the Saudi region AIUIa, while the UK will be represented by VisitBritain, VisitScotland and VisitWales and a host of regional convention bureaux including Belfast, Brighton, Leicester, Leeds, London and Newcastle Gateshead.
Some of the world’s most prestigious venues and leading hotel groups, such as ICC Belfast, The Winter Gardens Blackpool, Imago Venues, Lime Venue Portfolio, Marriott Frankfurt Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group Europe, will also be on-hand to discuss requirements with buyers and suggest ways they can accommodate their needs, while tech providers such as Shocklogic, CrowdComms and Cvent will talk about how their products and services can support both live and virtual events.
The Meetings Show’s education programme, curated by The Meetings Show’s new conference and content manager Erica Oghoghorie and delivered live and streamed, will provide support and insight to association event professionals.
Separated into five streams – Innovation and Industry Trends, My Career and Personal Development, Event Marketing, Event Technology and Meetings Design – there is a topic and subject relevant to every section of the industry as it sets out to reimagine events in the ‘new normal’.
For association event planners seeking guidance in venue-finding, session Adapting to Change: the new venue search is one education session to bookmark. The session, on Thursday 30 September will see Emma Little of ExecSpace, Denise Lopez of Helmbriscose and Dan Elliott of Center Parcs discuss the shift in priorities for event planners and how they can go about choosing the right venue for their needs.
On 1 October at 1:50pm, the AMI Summit will discuss the future of association meetings and the potential of online communities.
Chaired by James Lancaster, editorial director, Northstar Meetings Group, the session will see panellists Nikki Walker of MCI Group, Sharon Ashton of Eurordis and Bregji Frens of Conferli discuss the questions most asked about the future of association meetings before delegates join a breakout room to discuss one of five topics – solution-based meetings, accessibility, sustainability, online communities and hybrid meetings.
Also on 1 October is The Meetings Show’s keynote session with headline speaker Ric Salmon, CEO of Driift and producer of the first virtual Glastonbury. One to schedule into a busy schedule for sure.
The Meetings Show is at London ExCeL on 30 September and 1 October. To register visit https://www.themeetingsshow.com/register