Shanghai – Registrations for IT&CM China have spiked in recent months in the run up to this leading international MICE event in China. Spurred by growing interest in international buying demand for China and the other destinations in the Greater China region, IT&CM China is experiencing its largest record of buyer registrations in its 8 year history. As of today, over 963 buyers from across 37 countries have submitted their interest to participate at the event and vie for one of 400 hosting places available.
German buyer – Bernd Maesse, Managing Director of Maesse Marketing Consulting Limited estimates that the total volume of MICE business that he will be buying into China this year alone will reach some 1 million Euros. “As China is the number 1 trading partner in Asia for Germany, the destination will be the most important MICE destination in the region for us and our clients.”
Meanwhile, Shital Rajan, President and CEO – Meeting & Incentive Department of Air Safety Equipment Inc,. USA, expects an increase of at least 10 to 12% for their incentive and meeting programmes in China. “Our experience with incentive programs, meetings and new product launches in China has been extremely successful and popular. The destination has become very important for my clients in the advanced aircraft industry.”
The region is also on the top of the list for many other end-user clients across diverse industries including automotive, agricultural, computer hardware, construction engineering, fashion & lifestyle, finance & insurance, manufacturing, software technology, steel and production, and pharmaceuticals. Rachel Dobbs, Manager – Global Accounts of Helmsbriscoe, USA, attributes this uptrend in China’s popularity to the growing partnerships between Chinese companies and foreign companies. She elaborates, “Whenever there is an increase in such collaborations, those industries are going to see a growth in the number of foreign companies bringing their meetings, conventions and programs there. As such, I think that China is going to be popular for educational trainings, and for organisations and associations that have growing numbers of members and constituents who are China based.”
Others like Rocky Kerney, Director of Vedis International Tours & Travels, India, point to the multiple touch-points which China resonates with the objectives of corporate clients, “The destination scores high in terms of cost effectiveness, economical packages, excellent MICE infrastructure, as well as being a shopping, cultural and a corporate knowledge haven.”
Buyers cite continued interest in already popular cities within China and the Greater China region including: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Sanya, Shanghai and Shenzhen. While up and coming destinations among European and American buyers such as Dalian, Fujian, Guilin, Guizhou, Hunan, Tianjin, Tibet, Xian and Yunnan are already on the radar for some of the attending IT&CM China buyers.
Said Teresa Sans, Manager of Sol Dor Travel Agency, Spain “We want to offer our clients something different from the well-known destinations in China. My interest in visiting IT&CM China is to look for ‘insider’ destinations that may already be a hit with locals but is not yet so for the Europeans. I expect water towns and small, boutique traditional Chinese hotels to be something of interest to my small incentive groups.”
The array of buyers that will be present at IT&CM China span a variety of portfolios and include those representing and/or serving MICE, Association and Corporate Travel companies. Group sizes handled by the buyers also vary, and can range anywhere from 10 pax to 100 pax. Among the confirmed buyers polled, some like Jasmin Schenk, Product Manager Incentives of Poppe Reisen Gmbh & Co. Kg, Germany already have confirmed bookings in hand ahead of the event, and anticipate that IT&CM China will expand her supplier networks to better plan both her existing and future programmes.
Similarly, returning buyer Kim Burdett, Student Experience Coordinator of University Of Adelaide, Australia looks forward to searching for new and unique destinations, products, services and engagement opportunities as she plans to bring more student group tours and events into China. She says “IT&CM China is the most comprehensive platform in the market that brings all these suppliers together in an excellent showcase. This makes the sourcing effort on my part simple, convenient and efficient. From my experience with the show, the exhibiting DMCs have good track records of handling the type of groups I manage, and I have since also collaborated on several projects and initiatives with contacts made at the networking events. Thus, partner selection at IT&CM China has been extremely successful for us.”
Others like first-time Polish buyer, Agata Goscinska, President of Viventum is on the look-out for Chinese imperial places of interest, destinations with outstanding Chinese landscapes, ultra-modern metropolis cities and experiences involving the Chinese culture, heritage, religious and natural aspects. In this regard, she adds, “IT&CM China is the largest and leading international MICE trade event in China. I have heard of the show’s excellent organisation, extensive range of quality suppliers and business partners, as well as buyer benefits that include the opportunity to participate in the well-crafted post-show tours. I am confident that this trip to IT&CM China will certainly enable us to be more competitive in the Polish incentive market.”
International buyers are slated to occupy 35% of all available hosting slots, with another 480 Chinese trade, corporate and association buyers expected to participate at the IT&CM China 2014. Registration for the buyer hosting programme closes on 15 February 2014. If successful, fully-hosted buyers receive entitlements that cover both flight and accommodation costs.
ABOUT IT&CM CHINA 2014
IT&CM China 2014 will be held from April 15 to 17 at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. This is the 8th instalment of the international MICE event that seeks to “Promote China to the World and the World to China”. This year’s event will see an attendance of 3,000 MICE professionals from sectors including DMCs, PCOs, corporate travel and associations, some 400 hosted delegates, over 10,000 business appointments as well as over 60 business, education and networking sessions.
The event is organised by TTG Events, a business group of TTG Asia Media, CITS International M.I.C.E – a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITS (China International Travel Service) and MP International. It has the support of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration (SMTA), Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Industries Association (SCEIA), Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) and Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE), International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Society of Incentive Travel Executives (Site) China chapter.
IT&CM China is proud to be the anchor event of the Shanghai Business Events Week 2014 for the 4th year running.
IT&CM CHINA EVENT DESCRIPTION
The Leading International MICE Event In China
Since 2007, IT&CM China has established itself as China’s leading international Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) business, education and networking event, dedicated to “Promoting China to the World and the World to China”. Bringing together Chinese and International MICE exhibitors and buyers in one dynamic marketplace, IT&CM China is the platform for international and leading Chinese players in the MICE industry to explore business opportunities on all fronts – inbound, outbound and domestic. Delegates to the 3-day event receive the best return on their investment in business, education and networking through structured business appointments, exhibition showcase, seminar sessions, official networking functions and tours.