Comparing IMEX and EIBTM

MICEpoint has been an exhibitor at both, IMEX and EIBTM. They are (as far as I know) Europe's most important MICE trade shows. There are some other (smaller) very interesting trade shows (see the MICE conference calendar on miceconferences.com for more details) but I want to focus on the two largest ones.

Some facts:
EIBTM 2007:
7'218 visitors whereby 3'326 were Hosted Buyers and 3'892 were Trade visitors.
IMEX 2007:
8'310 visitors whereby 3'592 were Hosted Buyers and 4'718 were Trade visitors

Looking back now at EIBTM 2007 and IMEX 2008 (sorry, no figures available yet), I must admit that EIBTM had more qualified hosted buyers and trade visitors then IMEX. While during EIBTM, MICEpoint had 3 diaries fully booked and some times up to 5 people waiting for an appointment at our booth, at IMEX we had one (almost) fully booked diary and very few additional visitors passing by.

At IMEX 2008, about 30% of pre-scheduled appointments did not show up, while at EIBTM only 10% did not show up.

Quantity is one thing but Quality is more important to me. And also there I have to admit that EIBTM is two steps ahead of IMEX!

And if I am talking about trade shows and hosted buyers:
Dear IMEX and EIBTM, please stop bringing organizers who will arrange a conference in 2018 (or similar). I have listened several of these "organizers" who commented something likd "I will enjoy with my wife a nice trip to Barcelona/Frankfurt free of charge". These are not the organizers we want. Quality is more important then Quantity!

Still, MICEpoint will keep exhibiting at both trade shows for the coming year.

What is your opinion?

Thanks to IMEX for the photo!

What has a bathroom to do with your next conference venue?

We all travel a lot, and we all see a lot. And while we all travel the world, we encounter amazing locations with amazing facilities. One of those amazing facilities are public bathrooms, right? Oh yes, we all can write books about them. I have seen (but not used!) bathrooms I will never forget. And I have seen bathrooms (and have loved using them) I will also never forget. One of them is this one here on the picture, coming from the Sofitel Queenstown, New Zealand. For us men it is quite a challenge to do our "daily business" in such circumstances, but it has been a unique experience.

Designers Brett Taylor, Mark Perriam, and Cam Marsh installed life-size photographs of female voyeurs, who peep saucily from behind the cone-shaped urinals—with binoculars, glasses, cameras, even a tape measure in hand.

Well, why not choose your next conference venue with a special bathroom? It sure will contribute to great communication. And that's always good. Would you like to see more such ideas? Then write a comment, thanks.

Visit us at the 4th international MICE Forum in Moscow

The next chance to meet me at an international MICE trade show will be in March.

The 4th international MICE Forum will be held on March 18 at the T-Modul Exhibition Hall in Moscow, Tishinskaya sq., 1, building 1. See the map.

The Russian Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions business is growing. It is reported to be worth more than $.150 million per year and increasing fast with more than 3 million Russians traveling internationally on business trips. This is becoming one of the most dynamic sources of business travel in the world.

At the Moscow International MICE Forum you will have the opportunity to meet with most of the leading Russian MICE specialists and corporate travel buyers in a professional workshop environment.

So come and say hello to MICEpoint!

Global Hotel Alliance welcomes two new members

Cooperations are growing and so is it no wonder that the Global Hotel Alliance is welcoming two new hotel chains as member.

The first one, Anantara Resorts , is currently located in Thailand in the seaside town of Hua Hin, on Koh Samui, in the Golden Triangle; and also in the Maldives and in Bali, with several new resorts already under development.

Second hotel group joing the Global Hotel Alliance is Cham Palaces & Hotels , a collection of eleven city and resort hotels in Syria and Jordan and soon Algeria. Royal Regency International Hotels is also part of the Cham Group with its properties in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Marsa Allam in Egypt and Minsk.

Egyptian rescue for Swiss village?

Andermatt, a sleepy village in the Uri canton of Switzerland perhaps best known for producing the champion Olympic skier Bernard Russi, commands a strategic post in the Alps. Three passes--Oberalp, Furka and the famous St. Gotthard--all meet in Andermatt's bucolic valley 4,737 feet above sea level, historically a mountainous choke point for travelers trying to cut through the Alps en route from Italy to Germany or vice versa.

But now this peaceful Swiss village is moving up two ranks to the same level as St.Moritz, Gstaad or Zermatt, thanks to Samih Sawiris, worth $1.5 billion. He runs Orascom Hotels & Development, one of the Egyptian family's companies, which built from scratch the 2,500-bed El Gouna resort on the Red Sea.

Doubling the town's hotel room inventory, he'd make it big enough to attract tour operators and then add an ice rink, a golf course and an indoor pool with its own beach. He'd quickly follow up with 600 apartments and 100 villas. Let's hope it will work out the way the entire village and valley thinks.

Welcome to Switzerland, Alpine Pharao!

Amazing Spa, even for groups!

It has been a very hectic autumn and I was thinking for a while to go to a Spa in Europe and get my batteries recharged again.

So I have decided to visit the Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel and Spa (near Graz, Austria, just about 1 and half hour away from Vienna), an extraordinary Design Hotel with a VERY large Spa . The philosophy of the Hotel is: "At Rogner Bad Blumau, as a hotel with soul, well being of every individual has top priority. Below its green covered and colourful roofs, its varied shapes and flowing lines activity is combined with a relaxed and laid-back feeling."

Designed by the famous Friendesreich Hundertwasser ("Life in harmony and in harmony with nature", his vision), this hotel is more then just a Design Hotel.

And for the MICE industry, this 4* Hotel offers 5 meeting rooms with up to 200 participants. So why not combining your next conference or workshop with a fantastic Spa visit?

Visit MICEpoint at EIBTM 2007 in Barcelona, Spain

Stop by at our booth O522 during EIBTM in Barcelona, Spain (27-29 November 2007) and participate in our great lucky draw where you can win beautiful prizes!

The prizes are:

• Magic weekend in St.Petersburg, Russia
• Discover Essen, Germany
• A weekend at the Casino, Pfaeffikon (near Zurich), Switzerland
• Meet with our history in Athen, Greece
• Feel the heart of Europes Financial City, Frankfurt, Germany

How to participate: visit micepoint.com for more information...