The semi-annual meeting of the Joint Meetings Industry Council after dealing with several issues recognised the accomplishments made and started planning for the future.
The semi-annual meeting of the Joint Meetings Industry Council was held in conjunction with the EIBTM industry trade show in Barcelona in late November and a number of initiatives were agreed and accomplishments announced in the Council’s ongoing efforts to raise the profile of the Meetings Industry and its value proposition in a time of ongoing economic uncertainty. Amongst the items dealt with were;
- Council members have concluded a Member’s Agreement which is a statement of purpose and commitment to the collective pursuit of industry-wide issues such as increased awareness of the industry and its role in supporting urgent global priorities around economic growth and development.
- It was announced that all recommendations arising from the JMIC Conference on the Value of Meetings held in London last year have now been acted on and remaining initiatives identified to maintain momentum in this regard.
- “Speak Up” a new booklet designed to encourage industry members to take the initiative in communicating the nature and value of the industry in their local communities was unveiled and is being made available as a download from the Advocacy Resources section of the JMIC website http://www.themeetingsindustry.org/ along with other resources like the JMIC Guide to Community and Government Relations which provides advice, tactics and key messaging to those engaging in local industry communications efforts
- A second JMIC conference – this one to address the need for a more coordinated and effective means of achieving better industry awareness – is to be organized and held within the next year and will bring together industry leaders and communications professionals with advocacy advisors in addressing this key topic.
- A new section of the JMIC website – The Value Proposition – was announced which will act as a repository for all available materials that can assist industry members in formulating and delivering value messages and measures in their respective communities.
- The 2012 JMIC Profile and Power Award which recognizes an individual who has performed an exemplary service in advancing the industry value proposition was made to Steven Hacker, former CEO of IAEE, for his work in effectively communicating the value of the exhibition sector and the obstacles to be overcome in order to ensure its ongoing growth and development, particularly to local economies, and his driving research to document the economic consequences of visa restrictions on participation in the exhibition sector.
- Finally, a survey of industry conditions, which is a feature of JMIC meetings, this year focused on how industry meetings formats have been changing in recent years. Key factors in this regard, as reported by Council members, included:
- Experimentation with different formats, including more interactive and “self-created” sessions and fringe meetings.
- New forms of interactions with suppliers and business partners including involving them as guest presenters and arranging scheduled interactions with interested members.
- Using “satellite” meetings to deliver more specific content to various component groups, and to making information available for non-attendees.
- An increasing use of technology, including digital / hybrid meetings and conference apps for registration, information delivery and interactions.
- Delaying the finalization of conference later than previously due to rapidly changing industry / economic circumstances.
- Council concluded that these recent achievements and planned new initiatives represent logical steps in the overall JMIC strategy of first developing the measurements and resources required to support the industry value proposition and subsequently getting that message out more effectively government and community audiences whose highest priorities at this moment align perfectly with the industry’s role in creating vehicles for economic, academic and professional advancement.
“We are pleased that we have come so far together in our collective mission to raise industry profile and reposition the industry as a primary factor in global economic development”, said JMIC President Philippe Fournier. “However, much remains to be done and we intend to keep up our direction and pace in the year ahead.”
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