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Left : m & i Fest , selecting events for serendipity
“ The event had barely started before I met with a fellow delegate , whose path I would never usually cross , and sure enough there was business synergy which made attending the m & i Fest worthwhile ,” commented Nicholas Macgowan von Holstein , MD of Match IQ . for an educational workshop on the revolutionary changes powered by Generative AI in the MICE Industry ; presented by Michael Cohen and Vincent Somsen .
Cohen , managing partner of Growth Advisors International Network - GAIN said : “ I ’ m not a futurist , I am a reality-focused person . The train has left the station on Generative AI , the future is now and the industry can decide to board as a 1st class , 2nd class passenger or be left on the tracks of progress ”.
What seemed to be a consensus among the savvy and seasoned MICE buyers , very used to being indulged , alongside experienced suppliers , was that the larger ‘ festival ’ concept retained the personalisation and intimacy of traditional m & i Forums even though the footprint had drastically expanded .
Helena Kurkina , account director of The Westin Paris Vendome , was located within the Global Terrace , which she said offered “ a sense of spaciousness , good acoustics so you can hear each other speak , but most importantly , a good flow of quality buyers ” m & i is buyer-led , meaning that organisers have an intuitive ‘ ear-to-the ground ’ and the set up was prescheduled morning meetings followed by afternoon ‘ Pathways ’ experiences , across two of the four-day event . This injected a freshness and appetite to
make all meetings as creative and productive as possible , with the Pathways a good conversation opener to finding common ground .
Experiencing Marrakesh through m & i ’ s Pathways The curated Pathways experiences provided the frisson of excitement post meetings ; coaches waited beside the hotel to take groups on their journeys of discovery . The labyrinthine alleyways of the medina brought into focus the ‘ red city ’ s ’ architecture , heritage and tradition , craftsmanship , cuisine and landmarks , while others selected activeadventure from jet-skiing to desert buggies and golf lessons at the soon to be opened Grand Hyatt Marrakesh .
The ‘ Pathways ’, provided the big opportunity for m & i to go back to its ‘ Forum ’ roots , and let the social roulette-wheel bring buyers and suppliers randomly together and let friendships and new business connections develop organically , within Marrakesh ’ s breathtakingly cultural surroundings .
The Pathway experiences , offer that element of surprise and serendipity of meeting someone while jet-skiing , dancing in a desert or other scenarios curated for delegates , and it is something m & i have honed over their two-decades of bringing the MICE community together .
Making experience count The closing party delivered by Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakesh , alongside Fairmont colleagues from properties across Morocco , showcased the clout and network of partners m & i can leverage . As CEO Richard Barnes put it : “ We focus on quality over quantity , creating connected communities , authentically crafted experiences and social events , to personalise individual and collective stories and ultimately deliver greater ROI ”.
Akin to an Oscars after-party , the landscaped gardens and pools of the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakesh , were illuminated by candles , while the sky was lit up by fireworks . Each Moroccan Fairmont added a little regional flavour through an army of chefs , food and drink stations and supported by audiovisual presentations , which further reflected Morocco as a burgeoning and trendy events destination .
Habib Amir , m & i ambassador and global MD - Prestigious Venues , said : “ m & i Fest Marrakesh retains its buyer / supplier personalisation and destinationled experiences in this larger format event , which shows us that m & i is developing for the future , not resting on laurels , which is good for the whole industry ”.
“ You can create unique programmes in Morocco , through unique group experiences , so we will have our next group here in Marrakesh in June ,” added Femmy Oldenbeuving , Owner , Style2Events .
It seems that the m & i Fest ‘ caravan ’ looks set to return to its Caravanserai for years to come on the silky road to more and better meetings . n
66 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 130