WOW: That was our MICE LADIES Hosted Buyer experience at IMEX in Frankfurt

Monday, May 13th – Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

Through networking, education, workshops with a lot of fun and depth of content, we connected for our common higher goals and got to know visionaries, pioneers, impact innovators and their stories. And at the same time we also received valuable impulses for personal development – ​​key point: purpose!

YOUNG STARS: This new MICE Impact initiative for young talent in the industry was launched with great success as part of the Impact ACADEMY – and some of our MICE ladies were there as young planners! In the “Young Stars Dialogue”, the young planners discussed with senior planners their needs and wishes for the global meetings industry and how diversity can be lived together in cross-generational teams.

There were exciting insights, helpful expert tips and lots of inspiration on SDGs, circular economy, certifications and sustainable destinations – all tailored to the operational and strategic requirements of MICE planners.

Our highlights this year:

The MICE Impact ACADEMY on Monday, May 13th – the day before IMEX – in the memox.world Taunusanlage, the event’s location partner. The format convinced with a co-creative, inspiring and energetic program. Deep-dive workshops on the topics “IDGs – Inner Development Goals”, “positive images of the future”, “LEGO® Serious Play® – let’s create Impact” and the “SDGS – Sustainable Development Goals” offered in-depth insights and gave a lot valuable knowledge and new perspectives for your own job.

The MICE Impact LOUNGE

The MICE Impact LOUNGE celebrated a brilliant start to the IMEX week on Monday evening, where social impact was one of the main topics. As the event’s location partner, the Scandic Hotel Museumsufer offered a modern and equally sustainable ambience, and the evening’s culinary accompaniment with a meat-free buffet and finger food impressively demonstrated how delicious, healthy and varied sustainable catering can be. The young, committed team from Kreuter Eventtechnik delivered a highly professional event technology concept with a lot of joy in what they did.

Surfing legend Brian Talma, two-time Olympian in windsurfing, Master of the Ocean winner and founder of Global Organic Beach Culture spoke openly in his keynote about authenticity and a positive mindset and Stefan Hippler, HOPE Cape Town Trust impressively showed how our industry can build new bridges and can learn from and with each other

The subsequent impact rally aimed to connect the buying and selling sides through impact pitches instead of sales pitches. So instead of pure sales pitches, the discussions had to focus on the topics of sustainability and impact design. The idea: to connect planners and suppliers through impact content and to impart specialist knowledge on how they can score points with sustainable arguments when advising their customers and thus bring more sustainability to their events.

The Impact ZONE at IMEX – a new modular area in Hall 9 on the topic of impact, which was very well attended throughout. The approach of this new impact format received a lot of positive feedback: the stakeholders of the meeting industry – planners, suppliers, partners and media as well as selected impact-based initiatives and start-ups – through co-creative workshops, panels and stakeholder dialogues and a creative Workshop and lecture program on all three days of the trade fair to bring the big topic of impact into dialogue in all its facets

Two impact panels moderated by our MICE Ladies founder Tanja Knecht enabled valuable stakeholder dialogues with planners, suppliers and impact creators and were both filled to capacity.

In the Impact Creators Panel on Tuesday, May 14th, Tanja Knecht Corsin Parolini, CEO of the Alpin Convention agency, Fabian Höffner, founder of Trash Galore and Susanne von Ciriacy-Laumann, sustainability manager of the marbet agency, discussed where we stand in terms of sustainability and what we can – and must – achieve in our industry. Using practical examples, our speakers illustrated how impact can be actively shaped. In dialogue with Stefan Hippler, Founder HOPE Capetown Trust, we looked beyond the global business event industry to discuss new possibilities for impact design.

The Impact Destinations Panel on Wednesday, May 15th asked destinations and suppliers to discuss their impact and sustainability strategies and projects. Tanja Knecht Ibo Degirmenci, Dales Director DACH Center Parcs, Virginie de Fischer, Executive Director, Business Events Destination Canada and Bettina Reventlow-Mourier, Deputy Convention Director, Wonderful Copenhagen discussed opportunities but also challenges in an open dialogue and gave concrete practical advice Insights into your impact and sustainability strategies and projects.

Impressively presented by Dr. Michaela Hölz ​​with her impact keynote “COURAGEOUSLY moving forward in the event world: IDGs as a procedural guide” which five dimensions and 23 skills will shape the MICE industry in the future.

Another highlight was the exclusive Singapore Impact NIGHT on Tuesday of the IMEX week, powered by Singapore Tourism Board / Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau on the occasion of the 50th anniversary in the cool Chez Marie in the Taunusanlage, where we welcomed all 35 exhibitors from the Singapore stand were able to get to know the IMEX and chat over delicious cocktails from the bartender from Singapore and fine Asian vegetarian finger food and then had a wonderful evening with the finest DJ lounge music.

In the panel moderated by Tanja Knecht, Dr. Edward Koch Executive Director Singapore Tourism Board presented the destination’s sustainability strategy and Maria Criscuolo Charirwoman & Founder Triumph Group International based on best practices on how sustainable events can be designed in Singapore. Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group and Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group as well as Sheriff Karamat, President & CEO PCMA were guests of honor.

Our exclusive Monaco breakfast on the Tuesday before the trade fair visit, powered by Monaco Convention Board / Visit Monaco, gave us the latest information and insights into the sustainability strategy of the fascinating MICE destination Monaco and we were able to get brief introductions to selected partners – hotels, DMCs and locations – over a delicious breakfast – and get to know their sustainability activities at the Scandic Hotel Museumsufer.

Thanks to all participants, partners and sponsors for the super positive feedback – we are already looking forward to next year!

Save-the-Date:
May 19 to 21, 2025 – MICE Impact Experience
Registration opens in December 2024