Left to right: Mr. Senthil Gopinath (ICCA CEO) and Mr. Zhang Shenfeng (CCPIT Vice Chairman).
In a landmark recognition for ICCA’s global leadership in the meetings industry, CCPIT has also extended the highest status to ICCA as a co-host of CEFCO from next year onwards.
NANNING, CHINA – In an effort to support and raise the capacity building in China’s meetings industry, ICCA has inked an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) to offer tailor-made training for meetings industry professionals in China. This certification programme will be ICCA’s first of its kind programme specially tailored to the Chinese market and expected to be rolled out by end of this year. In a landmark recognition for ICCA’s global leadership in the meetings industry, CCPIT has also extended the highest status to ICCA as a co-host of CEFCO from next year onwards.
The MOU was signed at the opening ceremony of the 16th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO 2020) which was held on 9 – 11 January in Nanning, China. Prior to the signing ceremony, Senthil Gopinath, ICCA CEO and Zhang Shenfeng, Vice Chairman of CCPIT had a closed-door meeting discussing various topics of mutual interest. The meeting between two leaders was the result of a long-term business relationship building as ICCA has been involved in CEFCO event since 2014. CEFCO is a premier forum organised by CCPIT which has traditionally focused on the exhibition industry. Today, the Forum has included the association meetings segment in its plenary session due to its importance to the China economy. The Forum attracted around 1,000 delegates encompassing experts from the exhibition and convention business as well as senior government officials.
Zhang Shenfeng, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said, “ICCA is a highly respected industry peak body in the meetings industry. We hope to leverage on ICCA’s intellectual resources and leadership to design customised courses with country-specific needs to brush up the meetings capabilities of local professionals.
We work with our industry partners to ensure that those in the convention industry meet high standards of professionalism. Our aim is to support the local industry through such certification programme with ICCA. We are also very pleased that ICCA has agreed to be a co-host to CEFCO next year. This will lay a new relationship between the CCPIT and ICCA, which we highly value.”
“We are optimistic of this first-ever CCPIT-ICCA collaboration to bring programmes that benefit the China’s meetings industry at large.”
Senthil Gopinath, ICCA CEO commented, “We achieved an unprecedented milestone with the signing of MOU with CCPIT. This partnership is very much welcomed in our efforts to convert our global intellectual resources into customised services. ICCA is honoured to partner with CCPIT to provide a China-only course for the greater good of the industry. We know CCPIT is committed to providing professional training courses to grow a dynamic and sustainable talent ecosystem. We are committed to support CCPIT’s capacity building endeavour and our goals will focus on local professionals’ needs and the skills and knowledge they need to meet those goals.”
He added, “The expectations of the meetings industry have changed over the years just like our discerning clients, therefore the course will offer a structured curriculum that integrates industry needs with emerging trends and hands-on training. We will intensify our effort to provide localised education courses, especially in times like this, we stand by China in full solidarity and the current coronavirus outbreak does not deter us from working with China.”
Next year’s CCPIT will be held from 14 – 16 January in Fuzhou, China-P.R.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
