The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) will celebrate its 30th anniversary when it returns to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from February 13 to 15 this year. As the flagship trade event for the MICE industry in the Asia Pacific region, AIME expects to connect more than 350 local and international exhibitors with 400 Hosted Buyers and 2,000 Visitor Buyers.
TTN sat down with AIME Event Director Silke Calder for a preview of what’s to come…
The countdown to AIME 2023 is well and truly on. How are preparations going with just weeks to go?
I’m delighted to confirm that AIME 2023 is sold-out. The response from exhibitors all around the world has been fantastic and a wonderful testament to the resilience of the business events industry. Seeing everyone coming together on the showfloor is going to be a real buzz.
Visitor registration is now open, and we look forward to welcoming all those with an interest in business events to AIME. Visitor buyers can also upgrade their ticket to attend the Welcome Event and/or Knowledge Program - a great way to enhance their time at AIME.
The 2023 Knowledge Program Theme is: Your Industry. Your Opportunity. What is the opportunity for the events industry right now? Can you share more about what you have in-store here?
As part of our ongoing commitment to deliver the best program for the industry, we established a Knowledge Program Advisory Committee. This group of eight leaders from the MICE industry in the Asia Pacific have helped guide the curation of the 2023 program.
The events industry has had a big year. We know from all our conversations and planning sessions with the Committee that everyone is starting to feel the ‘burn’. Event planners more than ever are having to balance the practical skills of event planning with the more humanistic qualities, which build connection within our workplaces and our events.
We have kept this front of mind when curating the 2023 Knowledge Program, selecting a diverse range of speakers and sessions to create space for us as individuals, and together as an industry, to inspire leadership, creativity and map a better path forward.
Can you share a preview of what Hosted Buyers can expect at AIME next year?
In a partnership first, we have taken on a naming rights partner for the Hosted Buyer Lounge. The Accor Hosted Buyer Lounge has been carefully designed to enhance the tradeshow experience by demonstrating Accor’s exceptional offerings for meetings and events.
Our event planners already receive the full VIP treatment with inclusive travel, invitations to exclusive events and access to pre and post-show famils. Now with this new partnership, they will also receive the first-class hospitality at AIME for which Accor is renowned.
AIME 2023 Exhibitors have been finalised. Can you share a few highlights with us?
Yes absolutely – as an Australian-based show we are so pleased to share that every Australian state and territory will be represented on the show floor in 2023.
It is also wonderful to be welcoming – or in some cases, welcoming back - international destinations and partners from Japan, Abu Dhabi, New Zealand, Malaysia, Qatar, Philippines, Hawaii and more.
Lastly, the Activate/Activate Live space that showcases some of our smaller exhibitors has more than tripled in size since last year. We are excited to have this space for our more boutique suppliers who really help planners finesse their events.