CONFERENCE organisers association ICCA and the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event are formalising their longstanding links to become partners in supporting advocacy for the business events industry.
The collaboration also promises to bring extended business opportunities to ICCA members across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and worldwide.
Activities planned include a Bidding BootCamp and an AIME scholarship aimed at cultivating talent for the next generation of business events professionals. AIME will also have a presence at the 2025 ICCA Congress in Porto, Portugal, November 9-12.
ICCA chief executive Senthil Gopinath signed the agreement with AIME representative Matt Pearce, Director of Talk2Media and Events, and Julia Swanson, CEO of Melbourne Convention Bureau, during AIME 2025 in Melbourne.
AIME, which is owned by Melbourne Convention Bureau and managed by Talk2Media and Events, will be a partner in “advocacy, amplifying the voice of International BE industry for destination enhancement”, said a spokesperson.
ICCA also participated in the AIME Leaders Forum with the Australian Business Events Association during which emerging leaders shared their insights and ideas on the future of the business events industry. Participants discussed issues surrounding advocacy including legacy, growth, and the value of business events.
“ICCA’s partnership with AIME signifies our commitment to supporting the growth of the Asia Pacific meetings industry, which has experienced incredible growth over the past few years and continues to figure prominently on the world stage,” said Gopinath.
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“We’re looking forward to working with APAC members to support development of meetings and events professionals in the region, including ICCASkills, business exchange workshops, advocacy and more.”
Pearce, of Talk2Media and Events, said: ”The AIME team has worked closely with Senthil, Waikin Wong [ICCA Asia Pacific Senior Regional Director] and the whole ICCA team for several years and we are pleased to formalise this with an industry partnership.
“We look forward to driving business events growth and prosperity in APAC with ongoing personal and professional development opportunities through AIME and ICCA in the coming years as AIME cements its position as the leading business events exhibition and learning platform.”
Main picture… from left: ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath, Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Julia Swanson, with Talk2 Media and Events Director Matt Pearce
