AIME review |
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complimented . In the past we have sometimes run the aisle , not walked it ! We now have a solid foundation to grow again .”
Evidence of the higher level of buyers is the fact that over 100 buyers who wanted to be hosted were rejected because they did not meet the criteria . “ An odd but quirky thing : you have to set the standard and live or die by that ,” says Pearce .
“ We can put all the fun parties on and make everything look pretty but unless the seller is meeting the right buyer , your show ’ s not working .”
He is a great advocate of the medium of the show . “ Exhibitions accelerate the buy cycle ,” says Pearce , and is proud
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that AIME 2023 delivered “ the whole package ”. “ You have destinations , venues suppliers but you have to have the right audience for all of them ,” he notes .
Another sign of growth was the activation area which last year had seven participants . This year there were 21 .
Pearce also noted that Covid had meant there had been no Chinese delegation at AIME since 2019 . “ They now have a year to get comfortable with re-establishing themselves in the world for tourism ,” he says , adding that the wider Southeast Asia region had been a bit slower out of the post-Covid blocks than elsewhere .
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Above and below : Delegates get acquainted at the Marvel Stadium |
Pearce clearly feels part of a holistic meetings industry show ecosystem and says he is keen to develop and learn from the likes of IMEX , and to talk about new ideas .
Sustainability , such a key part of the industry discussion and , indeed , AIME 2023 , he sees as a journey rather than a destination and points to one highlight there of many stands choosing to display photos on fabric which can be resused and doesn ’ t go to landfill .
The big thing to address is travel , Pearce reckons , and stresses that offsetting is more than planting a few trees . He says his team is now looking at a myriad of different things here , not least with a lot of travel involved for many visitors .
Australia ’ s Qantas said at the show it was the first airline in the world to announce that it would recognise and reward frequent flyers for taking sustainable actions on the ground as well as in the air . The Green tier will sit alongside existing flying tier to encourage and reward the airline ’ s 13 million frequent flyers for everything from offsetting their flights , to staying in eco-accredited hotels , purchasing sustainable wine and supporting environmental initiatives . Members who achieve Green tier status by completing at least five sustainable activities across six areas in their membership year , can choose to receive either 10,000 Qantas Points , 50 Status Credits or have three tonnes of carbon offsets purchased by Qantas on their behalf . n
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