EDITORIAL 03
Dear Readers ,
IMEX , the leading international exhibition for the incentive travel , meetings and events industry , will be hosted by Germany this year for a remarkable 11 th time . The exhibition will open its doors at Messe Frankfurt science . Event organisers build and maintain local networks with businesses and scientific institutions that enable them to provide valuable contacts and topical programmes of accompanying events – a significant
Leading the way with industry expertise and know-how for “ green meetings ”
from 21 to 23 May 2013 . With around 215 exhibitors participating under the umbrella of the GCB , Germany will once again be the most heavily represented destination . The broad range of products and services on offer are just one of the reasons why a visit to IMEX can pay rich dividends : the trade fair also offers a variety of interesting initiatives and an extensive educational programme , which also includes the series of seminars organised by the GCB .
n New publication : “ Germany . Expertise .” There are many good reasons why the organisers of IMEX have remained loyal to Germany as the venue for their sector meeting : the country not only offers outstanding infrastructure but also excellent value for money and industry expertise in important areas of business and added value to planners of meeting events . At this year ’ s IMEX , we will also present another useful tool : our new publication “ Germany . Expertise .”. This guide provides a compact and convenient overview of Germany ’ s regional fields of expertise and helps event planners to seek out the most suitable destinations for their events .
n Go green ! Germany is also an expert in the area of “ green meetings ”. In 2012 , according to the Meeting- & EventBarometer , 37.7 percent of companies had already implemented a sustainability management system in their companies – 10 percent more than in the previous year . The significance of this topic is also reflected in the enormous response to the greenmeetings and events conference 2013 . With initiatives such as the sustainability code “ rightandfair ” and seminars providing a training pathway for sustainability consultants , the GCB is also working to ensure that the topic is even more
broadly and securely anchored in the German events sector . Join us !
n Fit for the future This year , the GCB celebrates its 40 th birthday . Since it was founded , it has repeatedly been a source of new ideas in the meetings and events sector , which continues to develop dynamically . In our birthday year , though , we want to look forwards not just backwards : the GCB has recently commissioned a study to investigate the challenges and opportunities that will arise in the sector in future and provide detailed action plans and recommendations for those involved in the event industry . Let us set course for the future together – today .
I hope you enjoy reading this edition of the GCB customer magazine .
Matthias Schultze
Managing Director GCB German Convention Bureau e . V .