Politicians Forum
About the Politicians Forum, The 2012 Forum Theme, Case Studies, The 2012 Programme, Who Can Attend? Inviting Your Politician, Politicians Forums Around the World, Relevant Industry Initiatives
Tuesday 22 May 2012
The IMEX Politicians Forum is co-organised by ECM (European Cities Marketing) and AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres) and held under the auspices of JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council). Supported by the German Convention Bureau (GCB), the Frankfurt Convention Bureau, Messe Frankfurt and Meetings Review.
"By attending today I've gained a good impression of the meetings and events industry and how hard 
they are working to involve politicians, and how important the industry is to the economy. When I return to Seoul I will help to locate the budget to develop the industry."
HyeonKi Kim, Chairman of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council
10 Years of Excellence
In 2012, IMEX celebrates 10 years of excellence in an ever-changing industry and a more challenging world. The Politicians Forum also celebrates 10 years of successfully uniting politicians and the business events industry for further understanding, co-operation and mutual benefits.
About the Politicians Forum
Political Support for Business Events is MORE Vital than Ever to a Destination’s Success
The IMEX Politicians Forum, arguably the most important and influential event of its kind, is committed to highlighting the social and economic impact of business events on a destination.
Each year, some 100 business event industry leaders including 30 politicians and government officials, representing local and regional government in Europe, Africa, North America and Asia Pacific come together during IMEX, the essential worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Business Events – A Political Priority?
The Politicians Forum will showcase a powerful collection of case studies highlighting how political engagement has led to a destination’s success, providing a clear definition of business events as an economic and political resource.
During the Politicians Forum you will have an unrivalled opportunity to engage in discussions with economic policy leaders from across the world on the benefits of business events to a destination’s economy.
The 2011 Politicians Forum Synopsis
The 2011 Politicians Forum Report
The Fact Sheet
The 2011 Programme
Previous Attendees - politicians and industry leaders
Testimonials from Previous Attendees
The 2011 IMEX-AACB Vin Barron Prize winning paper by Melissa Reilly
Centres are becoming more active in communicating their key role in economic development,
with over 70% putting more emphasis on community, government and business relations in their
respective communities.
“The important message here is that venues and politicians must work together. It seems obvious to me as it is more common in North America where local level politicians are really aware of the importance of conventions. They care about them.”
Mayor of Ville de Quebec, Regis Labeame
The 2012 Forum Theme
The Knowledge Economy
Business events are where knowledge and new research findings are presented, collaboration is fostered, investment is stimulated, networks are initiated and jobs created.
The 2012 Politicians Forum will focus on the critical role played by meetings, conventions and related business events in the development of the knowledge economy. Plus how this sector can help cities and countries access the activities and investment that will drive and diversify their future economic growth.
“In a knowledge economy, education and innovation are principal drivers of productivity and prosperity. Innovation is driven by collaboration. Innovation requires the exchange of ideas, skills and passion. Business events provide opportunities to network and collaborate locally and globally.”
Professor Roy Green, Dean of the UTS Business School and Business Events Sydney Ambassador.
Case Studies
Case studies from successful meetings destinations highlighting how they worked together with local government to achieve their success are presented to politicians during the Forum.
Case studies that have been presented:
Germany case study
Rimini case study
Seoul case study
Sydney case study
“Smart governments use business events to boost their country’s profile and drive trade, innovation and education to theirdestinations, in addition to lifting tourism spend. The integration of businesses events into broader government strategies requires vision and willingness to act by both industry and government. Those smart enough to see the potential are already reaping the benefits.”
Elizabeth Rich, Chief Executive, Business Events Council of Australia
The 2012 Programme
Tuesday 22 May 2012
12.30 Open Session – Messe Frankfurt Congress Centre (open to politicians, government officials and IMEX delegates)
Case Study on the Mayor who turned his city into the BioTec city of the world by attracting business events and creating 40,000 jobs.
13:30 Visit the IMEX Exhibition
A chance to see the industry at work and visit your national stand.
16:30 Politicians Forum – Hotel Villa Kennedy (exclusive to politicians, government officials and industry leaders)
Business Events – A Political Priority? A powerful collection of case studies will be presented to demonstrate why political support for business events is MORE vital than ever to a destination's success.
19:15 Networking Reception (invitation only)
"It's important to find synergies between government and the industry and the key is how politicians can open the field for the meetings industry to develop.”
Nicolas Kanellopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Greece.
Who Can Attend?
For the past nine years, the Forum has attracted 25-30 international politicians. The level of politician varies, with the majority being city mayors to national politicians. The Forum is also attended by approximately 80 leaders of the meetings and events industry i.e. presidents and CEOs of all the main industry associations and the major tourism and convention bureaux.
IMEX is at the Heart of the Business Events Industry
• A crucial calendar date for the industry’s most prominent individuals, IMEX provides the perfect platform to showcase the industry at work and the high level of competition for business your destination faces.
• With all the major players in attendance, the Politicians Forum allows politicians and industry leaders to exchange information and see how successful co-operation between local politicians and the meetings community is directly impacting destinations both socially and economically and helping to achieve government agendas.
• Be inspired by other destination’s innovations and share best practices with destinations that have already developed smart strategies to harness the many educational, trade and investment outcomes that business events can deliver.
• As governments are primary investors in the industry in most parts of the world as owner/operators of primary convention facilities, the Politicians Forum is an opportunity to ensure a level of understanding required to ensure the best return on that investment.
The IMEX Politicians Forum is an important Forum where disseminators from the fields of business, politics and media can share opinions and information. A dialogue between politics and industry is important to ensure the industry’s future development and profile-building processes for a destination.”
Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, GCB German Convention Bureau e.V.
Inviting your Politician
How to Invite Your Politician
If you wish to invite a politician to the Forum, please contact Debbie Woodbridge with your full postal address to receive further information and support: debbie.woodbridge@imexexhibitions.com
Please don't allow this opportunity to pass by. Help leverage this event and derive maximum benefit for the industry and your destination by inviting influential political figures to this prestigious event.
Your Politician’s Travel Arrangements
IMEX will provide the following for your politician:
- Up to €300 towards a politician's flight
- Arrival transfer from Frankfurt Airport
- One night’s accommodation in a 5-star hotel in Frankfurt
- VIP entrance to IMEX and the Politicians Forum
- Exclusive drinks reception
- Comprehensive documentation of the Forum including detailed reports and analysis
Press Conference
Please advise Debbie Woodbridge debbie.woodbridge@imexexhibitions.com if you wish to organise a press conference during IMEX to give your destination additional exposure.
“Associating the business events industry with leisure tourism is difficult to reconcile with positioning, it is an essential and integral part of global, broad-based economic development. The key thing is for the industry to be taken seriously.”
The Hon Bruce Baird AM, Chairman, Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF), Australia
Politicians Forums Around the World
The Politicians Forum concept continues to expand around the world through a series of IMEX alliances. We are seeing destination focused Politicians Forums in Sweden on an annual basis every March and Puerto Rico - in conjunction with ICCA 2012.
Politicians Forum, Gothenburg, Sweden
The second Politicians Forum to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden in conjunction with TUR took place on 23 March 2011. Attended by some 80 Swedish politicians and many leaders from the Swedish meetings industry, the Forum has significantly expanded this year. Speakers included Martin Sirk, CEO, ICCA; Rod Cameron, Director Programming and International Development AIPC; Bjorn Masuhr and Tom Hulton, Director International Relations, IMEX.
Roger Kellerman, Publisher of Meetings International who organised the Forum said "We are delighted with the response from our politicians and the industry which has made this Forum another great success. This is an endorsement from government that the meetings industry is recognised as a valuable contributor to the social and economic development of a city, region and country."
Watch an interview with Rod Cameron at the Swedish Politicians Forum.
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Relevant Industry Initiatives
The Beyond Tourism Benefits – Measuring the social legacies of business events study was conducted by University of Technology, Sydney Business: Leisure, Sport and Tourism. It was commissioned on behalf of and with the co-operation of Business Events Sydney (BESydney). The study was an online survey of 1090 attendees – comprising delegates, sponsors, exhibitors and members of the organising committee – to five international congresses held in Sydney between 2009 and 2011.
“FACE TIME. It Matters” is a grassroots industry campaign theme designed to promote the benefits of meeting face-to-face. The campaign was developed in response to one of the most challenging years ever faced by the meeting, convention and exhibition industries. It was based on the findings of a recent national survey of corporate and association meeting planners, plus in-depth personal interviews with the industry’s leading executives as well as focus groups consisting of corporate and association executives, business travellers and professional meeting planners.
Meetings Mean Business: a collaboration led by the US Travel Association, between MPI, PCMA, NBTA, IAEE, DMAI, ASAE, Site and American Hotel & Lodging Association. This campaign is strongly promoting the value of meetings to the US economy through high-level lobbying in Washington - they have already achieved a meeting with President Obama, national PR and advertising campaigns and viral marketing campaigns. This has also led to The Economic Significance of Meetings to the US Economy study spearheaded by an alliance of 14 organisations representing the collective meetings, travel, exhibitions and events industries in the US. The study has revealed that the US meetings industry directly supports 1.7 million jobs, $263 billion in spending, a $106 billion contribution to GDP, $60 billion in labour revenue, $14.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $11.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. Visit the website for up-to-date information on the campaign, facts and figures.
Maritz: Rather than rely on personal preferences or currently popular approaches, the decision regarding what type of meeting to run will have a direct impact on the effectiveness of your meeting. This paper examines those science-based decision criteria to help executives determine when face-to-face is the most effective approach to large-group meetings or events. The research presented in this paper authored by Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Maritz Travel, and Mary Beth McEuen, vice president and executive director, The Maritz Institute, provides direction for determining when an investment in large-group face-to-face meetings and events will have the greatest impact.
Study: The Future of Meetings: The Case for Face-to-Face
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