MICE Show Asia 2024 to host record corporate and meetings industry buyers

MICE Show Asia 2024 brings together over 700 corporate and MICE buyers, along with event professionals, convention marketing experts and thought leaders under one roof. With over 50% of MICE industry planners projected to increase both their event budgets and in-person event volume in 2024(*1), MICE Show Asia 2024 is poised to meet the needs of the industry by showcasing cutting-edge insights, solutions and connections.

“As the industry recovers with increased demand, the show will offer a comprehensive programme featuring key MICE exhibitors, insightful conference sessions and invaluable networking opportunities. Attendees will interact with leading MICE destinations, associations and service providers, gaining access to industry trends and future insights critical to thriving in this dynamic sector,” said Joyce Wang, CEO of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, organiser of MICE Show Asia, Travel Tech Asia and ITB Asia.

Networking opportunities and pre-scheduled meetings

Pre-scheduled appointments and business matching at MICE Show Asia ensure AI-generated profile recommendations and intelligent lead retrieval. Exhibitors can now connect with targeted international corporate and MICE buyers and engage in post-show lead generation activities. Additionally, the trade show includes a series of networking sessions, including B2B structured appointments, an opening night function, and evening receptions. These sessions are designed to foster interaction and collaboration, allowing sponsors to expand their professional networks and explore potential partnerships.

Key exhibitors headlining this year’s 3-in-1 event include leading names such as Alaska Destination Specialists, Asia DMC, Business Events Perth, Business Events Sarawak, Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Gangneung Convention Bureau, Glopen, Guam Visitors Bureau, Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention & Visitors Bureau, Jakarta Convention Bureau, Le Meridian Phuket Beach Resort and Sapporo Convention Bureau. These exhibitors will offer a comprehensive showcase of innovative solutions and unique spaces that meet the evolving needs of event organizers and corporate planners across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

“This will be our third consecutive year participating in MICE Show Asia. In our quest to promote our city as a distinctive MICE destination for buyers from Southeast Asia and around the world, MICE Show Asia offers an ideal platform to connect with motivated buyers and high-potential prospects,” said Aya Sugimoto, Manager of Corporate & Incentive Events at Sapporo Convention Bureau.

Thought leadership and expert-led conference sessions

Over three days, conference sessions at MICE Show Asia 2024 will cover topical topics ranging from the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimising corporate travel processes to the future of experiential experiences at events.

Key sessions include:

• Experiential experiences at events and beyond: Navigating the future of MICE technology

• Creating perceptions and experiences: the evolution of incentive travel through storytelling

• Globalization and localization in the current market demand for travel management companies (TMC)

• The shift in distribution channels: how digital transformation is redefining corporate travel bookings

The MICE Leaders Panel will feature leading industry figures such as Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre, and Iain Bitran, Executive Director of the International Society for Professional Innovation Management, who will share strategies for achieving excellence in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Another highlight of the event will be the CVB Talks: Discovering the Excellence of MICE Destinations, where leaders of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond will discuss the latest trends and showcase inspiring success stories from their destinations. Ainura Turezhanova, Director of Tourism and MICE Development at Almaty Tourism Board, will be among the speakers sharing her insights on how digital transformation and AI are reshaping the MICE industry.

The session on the role of digital transformation in the meetings, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector and how AI is transforming the industry will feature experts including Errol Lim, COO of Jublia, and Dylan Sharma, Co-Founder and Director of TRICOM Events and Vice President (Advocacy & Communications) of the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), who will discuss how AI and digital tools are revolutionising the meetings, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector. Topics include using AI for personalisation, data analytics and enhancing attendee engagement, along with strategies for navigating a rapidly evolving landscape to create impactful event experiences.

Corporate travel professionals won’t want to miss the Buyers Meet TMCs panel, which will explore strategies for navigating a new era marked by hybrid work models, evolving travel patterns, and the integration of digital tools. Experts including Pom Corpuz, Associate Director, APAC, TCG Consulting, and Prashant Kirtane, CEO and Co-Founder, WegoPro, will offer their perspectives on balancing cost efficiency and travel quality, the importance of sustainability, and the future of corporate travel.

In addition to the panels, MICE Show Asia will feature further sessions led by leading industry experts including:

• Belinda Morris, Director of Hospitality Distribution for Asia Pacific at Amadeus

• Taylor Smith, Vice President and Executive Creative Director, BCD Meetings & Events

• Alexis Lhoyer, co-founder and CEO for Asia at Chab Agency

• Abel Zhao, CEO of Connexus Group Holdings and CTL-CONNEXUS TRAVEL LIMITED

• Jing Wen Wong, Meetings & Events Leader for Southeast Asia and Greater China at FCM Meetings & Events

• Tamsyn Barker, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, FIRST

• Qinxin Khoo, Asia Pacific Director at Live Group

• Judith Huisman, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Meetingselect

• Lance Ng, CEO of Searix Group

• David Hughes, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Uniglobe Travel International

These sessions will address topics such as sustainability in MICE, shaping the future of incentive travel and navigating business events in an increasingly digital world.

Strategic alliances and exclusive perspectives

MICE Show Asia 2024 has partnered with leading regional and global associations to deliver critical insights for the MICE industry. Partners include China Business Event Industry Committee (CBEIC), Global Destination Sustainability – Movement, Global MICE Collaborative, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and Tourism Economics. These collaborations will feature sessions on current topics such as MICE and Business Travel Outlook, Sustainability in MICE, Shaping the Future of the Exhibitions Industry, Key Trends in Incentive Travel and Meetings Outlook: Navigating Business Events Today and Tomorrow.

“We formed the Global MICE Collaborative to reach new markets with foundational education on the power of business meetings, exhibitions and incentive travel. We are thrilled to bring our Global MICE Certificate and workshop education to ITB Asia/MICE Show Asia 2024, the premier convention for business events. This show brings together the region’s top industry professionals in a powerful educational marketplace that will move our industry forward,” says Annette Gregg, on behalf of the Global MICE Collaborative, a joint initiative of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).

Source: ITB Asia.