Bangkok – Safari Net
This year’s IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2013 has proved itself as a trade event that delivers strong business generation, with 86% of exhibitors expecting to receive orders as a result of their participation. In addition, 40% of buyers were polled to have confirmed purchases during the show, while 80% of 2013 exhibitors indicated that they will return to next year’s event.
“We successfully completed 60 appointments with buyers from around 20 nationalities representing different sectors. Most importantly, we received useful contacts and leads by being at the show,” commented Melia Hotels International, China’s Director of Global Corporate Sales, Asia-Pacific – Zita Ng, highlighting that the event has certainly helped strengthen the hospitality chain’s position in the Asia-Pacific region over the few years of exhibiting at the event.
Bruno Simoes, Managing Director of DOC DMC Macau who has also participated at the event for several years shared, “IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific has helped us to expand our company’s awareness and business revenue over the years, and we are reaping the results now.”
The 21st IT&CMA and 16th CTW Asia-Pacific was deemed as the best show to date, with the event scoring numerous highs to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. This includes some 14,000 business appointments generated over 2 days, an impressive buyer-to exhibitor ratio of 1.6 Buyers to 1 Exhibiting Company, fresh procurement opportunities with 60% new MICE Buyers and 47% new Corporate Travel Managers, attendance of relevant, dynamic and valuable buyer profiles across MICE, Association, Luxury Travel and Corporate Travel sectors, as well as the successful debut of the Association Day programme. The launch of the Online Diary facility also benefitted close to 1,300 exhibitors and buyers enabling them to schedule up to 100% of their business appointments ahead of the event. Collaborating with the best minds and expertise in the field, IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2013 delivered its strongest educational line-up featuring some 15 educational sessions and 35 speakers from across the industries – the show’s largest to date.
The success of IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2013 was also evident in the strong support from industry exhibitors, notably from new participants and destination CVBs. This year’s showcase featured 122 new exhibiting companies, including new participating countries Jordan, India and New Zealand. Japan’s private MICE sector chose IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific to stage a strong comeback to the MICE scene, while Taiwan doubled their confidence in the event with twice the booth space this year.
Host country Thailand with their new Thailand Connect brand launched at this year’s event, featured additional MICE cities Phuket and Khon Kaen amidst overwhelming response from Thailand’s private sector that resulted in 15 Thai spillover booths. This is on top of an already strong contingent of 66 organisations in the main Thailand pavilion led by Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
Said Thai exhibitor Sarinya Holloway, Groups & Events Manager of Go Vacation, “This year’s edition attracted more buyers and sellers than ever before. The show was a perfect platform for us to penetrate the MICE industry. We had an absolutely full schedule, 0 no-shows and benefitted from the good mix of buyers – and their commitment towards doing business. We also found the Online Diary facility extremely well-done.”
Other Corporates, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and Convention Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) such as Tourism New Zealand, Airports of Thailand, Dusit International, sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau, 3rd Planet Pte Ltd and Kenes Asia leveraged on the event as a springboard to reach out to the global MICE and Corporate Travel industry via the over 140 international and local Thai attending media with their latest announcements. More than 50 of the international media hailing from 25 countries around the world participated as part of the show’s hosting programme – the largest of its kind in the industry.
This year’s event also saw significant support from sponsors including Abacus International, Frasers Hospitality, Travelport, Sukosol Hotel Bangkok and Taiwan Convention & Exhibition Association.
Underscoring the show’s significance, Taiwan also coincided their exclusive MEET TAIWAN networking for local industry buyers and media with the show to maximise their already significant presence at the event. “We took advantage of IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific’s robust platform to share about Taiwan’s myriad of cultural experiences, gastronomic delicacies, natural scenic locations, as well as its modern convention and exhibition venues, accommodation choices and strong infrastructure facilities and resources. The multitude and diversity of options that Taiwan offers makes it easy to create programmes and packages for a variety of MICE agendas. Taiwan offers unlimited advantages for both buyers and sellers looking for innovation, value and fully integrated supply chain networks. There is certainly something for everyone!” said Ms Lily Su, Senior Manager of the MEET TAIWAN project.
Held from 1 to 3 October at the Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2013 culminated in a successful finish as the World’s Doublebill Event In MICE and Corporate Travel honoured its first decade of co-location.
Meanwhile, event organisers are gearing up for their next show in the IT&CM events series. IT&CM China will run from 15 to 17 April 2014 in Shanghai. Registrations for exhibitors, buyers and media will close in February 2014.