The meetings, incentive travel, and exhibition industries have just come through one of the most difficult periods in their history…
The meetings, incentive travel, and exhibition industries have just come through one of the most difficult periods in their history, as the impact of September 11 and the concurrent global recession have wreaked havoc on business. When members of these various groups reconvene for the European Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings exhibition (EIBTM) in Switzerland, May 21-23, the focus on getting back to business will be key.
The Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (
"EIBTM is a critical business forum for our industry and we want to provide exhibitors with the tools to make their participation successful," explains SITE president Peggy Whitman, cite, (western regional sales director, MI Fulfillment Services, LLC). "We are presenting several workshops immediately prior to the opening of the trade show floor that will assist them with business contacts made during the three-day exhibition," she added.
The courses presented by SITE were selected to assist exhibitors and show attendees position incentive rewards and incentive destinations effectively to corporate users and intermediaries.
On Monday, May 20, SITE will present two half-day workshops. The two sessions are:
Incentive Proposals That Sell (9am-Noon) was developed to provide attendees with effective techniques for creating and delivering proposals that win client support. The interactive session focuses attention on the types of information needed to prepare a successful proposal. Attendees will learn a six-step process to utilize in preparing written proposals and coach them for oral presentation situations.
Developing Your Incentive Destination (1:30 – 4:30pm) is a vital topic for the time. Corporations are weighing carefully the motivational appeal and return on investment they can expect when putting an incentive travel program in place. Now, more than ever, destination suppliers need to demonstrate the strengths of their locale and appropriateness of the area for specific clients. This workshop will teach attendees to evaluate their destination against an "ideal," using industry standards and to focus on areas that need improvement. The workshop will stress the need for suppliers to work cooperatively with other area suppliers to achieve positive results for the destination.
On Tuesday, May 21, immediately prior to the opening of the EIBTM exhibit floor, SITE will present a complimentary seminar (8:30 – 9:30am) designed to assist incentive houses and their corporate clients derive the strongest return from their incentive investment. The seminar, ROI – An Executive Summary, provides an overview of the steps to follow to accurately measure Return on Investment, while maximizing the value of these programs. This one-hour session is extracted from a full-day seminar recently developed by SITE. Anne Turnbull, senior consultant, Maritz Canada, Inc., will present the summary in Geneva. Turnbull served as one of the authors for this program.
Membership recruitment is a natural byproduct of SITE's involvement with the Geneva-based trade show. "Prospective members have a chance to see SITE's strongest benefits in action," explains Whitman. "The show has always been a strong recruitment venue for us," she adds. "If you can benefit from tailored industry education, an international network of business contacts, and a community dedicated to increasing incentive usage, you should stop by the booth and take advantage of special membership recruitment offers."
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
