AIME 2022 will first be held in-person from 21 – 23 March, with a welcome event at Centrepiece at the Melbourne Park, and then online from 28 March - 1 April. Photo Credit: AIME
The buzz is on among local meetings industry professionals ahead of
the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) from 21-23 March,
as Australia finally prepares to open to international visitors starting
21 Feb 2022.
AIME 2022 has confirmed hosted buyers from Australia and Zealand, and
with the end of a two-year freeze on Australia's borders, organisers
are also anticipating a spike in attendance when the event opens at the
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Nearly all of Australia’s Convention Bureaux will be participating, as well as the Business Events Council of Australia.
The event will first be held in-person from 21 – 23 March, with a
welcome event at Centrepiece at the Melbourne Park, and then online from
28 March - 1 April. The hosted buyers programme will also proceed
online.
A total of 14,000 meetings, and 300 exhibitors are expected to be concluded over the three-day event.
One of its key programmes, the AIME Knowledge Exchange, will be
delivered by partner Professional Convention Management Association
(PCMA), focused on three core themes: Business Innovation, Driving
Engagement and Human Connection by PCMA, and Fostering Collaboration by
Meetings & Events Australia.
Hosted
by Australian broadcast journalist and former news anchor Mimi Kwa,
speakers include tech entrepreneur and growth hacker Steve Sammartino,
and CEO of profit-for-purpose toilet paper company Who Gives A Crap,
Simon Griffiths.
“I hope those attending AIME will come out of the Knowledge Program
with actionable insights that will help them take their business to the
next level," said Sammartino, noting that the event is focused on
rebuilding the events industry and re-instilling confidence in industry
professionals.
"Given the challenges of recent years, now, more than ever, we
recognise the value of harnessing the skills and expertise of our
industry to share knowledge and collaborate, and the Knowledge Program
is set to deliver a program that will help educate, guide and set the
scene for the year ahead in business events," said Patricia O’Callaghan,
CEO, Destination Gold Coast.
AIME 2021 was scheduled to take place at the MCEC and online from 15
to 17 March, but was eventually scrapped in January due to ongoing
travel restrictions.