PUBLISHER ’ S WORD
PUBLISHER ’ S WORD
Opportunity knocks
AIME celebrates its 25 th anniversary this year , and while we are all busy packing our carry-on bags for flights to Melbourne – heels ( check ), flats ( check ), berocca ( check ) – it ’ s worth taking a moment to look back at the show that has brought the industry together for such a long time . Beginning life as the Melbourne Meeting Mart back in the 80s thanks to the single-minded vision of Sue Calwell , who spearheaded the transformation of Melbourne ’ s fledgling convention bureau into the powerhouse it is today ( see more on page 28 ), AIME has grown to become the signature show for the events industry in the southern hemisphere .
This will be a great chance to look back at that evolution , and
I know the Melbourne Convention Bureau and Reed Travel Exhibitions are planning some great things to celebrate the journey . But it is also a good opportunity to look forward and speculate where the show will be in another 25 years . Reed surprised everyone when they announced they weren ’ t going to tender beyond 2018 , and it does beg the question who could take on the job ?
With change comes opportunity , for both the new organiser to take AIME in a new direction and potentially for Sydney to start up a rival . This isn ’ t a new idea , with many over the years arguing that Sydney should be the city that hosts an international event show of this scale . Those that have been in the industry for as long as I have may remember my Dad having crack at starting a rival show in Sydney . But every time Sydney tried to get something off the ground , it simply withered and died . With a change of hands at AIME and Sydney still basking in the glow of a box-fresh convention centre , maybe this time could be different ?
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Alexandra Yeomans , Publisher
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THIS ISSUE ’ S TOP STORY
The future is looking bright for Queensland ’ s Sunshine Coast , with a line-up of major events booked for 2017 and potential partnerships on the horizon . See the full story on page 22 .
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