AIME 2017
The AIME team with Ali Thompson (3rd from
left) and Ian Wainwright (far right).
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Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo in Melbourne next year,
CIM spoke with event director Ian Wainwright and sales manager Ali Thompson about bringing together
a community of over 4600 all under one roof.
Celebrating a quarter of a century of bringing
the meetings and events industry together,
the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings
Expo (AIME) team have been working on a
revitalised awards program, competitions,
international participation, expanded Hosted
Buyer program, diversity of exhibitors and
exciting networking functions, all to ensure
the pinnacle industry event best reflects the
evolving community.
Event director Ian Wainwright says he
is excited to be leading the show for the
second year.
“As the largest event of its kind in the AsiaPacific region, AIME is trusted for bringing
together local and international exhibitors
under one roof,” he says.
“In 2017, over 500 exhibitors will fill the show
floor, the very successful Knowledge Program
will return with an all new line up of Saxton
speakers, a series of new city experiences
have been designed for Hosted Buyers to
explore Melbourne, and the much-loved
welcome event hosted by the Melbourne
Convention Bureau will be back, with many
more surprises in store.
“AIME has grown over the past 25 years and
in 2017 we will reflect on the industry’s past;
the people, the places and the events that
changed and shaped the industry into what
it is today. Whilst also looking at the future of
the industry; the up and coming leaders, the
new technologies, the new event styles and
forms of global collaboration. There is going to
be so much to see and do and I look forward to
welcoming the industry to AIME in February.”
New to the AIME team, sales manager Ali
Thompson has been focusing on delivering
more return on investment for exhibitors,
through a range of new promotional and
sponsorship opportunities, which has led to
an increase in the number of exhibitors and
increased global representation.
“When I joined the AIME team in May
2016, I recognised that exhibitors had
a real connection to AIME, giving them
the opportunity to network, learn, make
connections and do business,” she says.
“Year on year, exhibitors want more return
on their investment, and this year was
no different. I set about developing new
packages, ensuring that exhibitors can
maximise their experience at AIME and their
return on investment.
“We’re excited to welcome so many
international exhibitors to AIME in 2017,
including the Japan National Tourist
Organisation who is bringing 16 of their
26 Convention & Incentive Marketing, Issue 8, 2016 www.cimmagazine.com
finest suppliers including the ICC Kyoto,
Osaka Convention & Visitors Bureau and
The Peninsula Tokyo. India Tourism and the
Turkish Ministry of Culture & Tourism will
both return, and the Las Vegas Convention
and Visitors Authority and Los Angeles
Tourism and Convention Board, along with
Rocky Mountaineer from Canada, are all
confirmed to exhibit.”
Returning local suppliers include Palazzo
Versace Gold Coast, P&O Cruises, Decorative
Events & Exhibitions, TFE Hotels, The
Star Entertainment Group, Hyatt Hotels &
Resorts, and many more.
“Plus we’re really ramping up the show floor by
showcasing multiple destination presentations,
more than ever before,” says Thompson.
“These offer an engaging platform for
exhibitors to connect with visitors, immersing
them in all that their destination has to offer.
“I’ve also been working closely with our
Hosted Buyer team, who have been scouring
the globe for event organisers, to bring those
decision makers with budget to spend, to
the show floor to connect with exhibitors. An
enhanced appointment system is in place,
looking to build on the 9,000 appointments it
facilitated for the 400 hosted buyers, across
the two days.”