The Asia
Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME), which took place in Melbourne in February, saw more than 13,000 meetings take place between 350 exhibitors and 400 hosted buyers across the three-day event.
More than 3,000 people attended the trade show, which for 30
years has brought together professional meeting organisers
and a range of suppliers, including venues and destinations to connect, discover
and trade.
The event
officially kicked off on Monday 13 February at THE LUME – a digital art gallery
inside AIME’s host venue, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Steve Dimopoulos, Minister
for Tourism, Sport and Major Events attended the opening press conference,
along Talk2 Media and Events director, Matt Pearce, Melbourne Convention Bureau
CEO, Julia Swanson, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre CEO, Natalie
O’Brien, and Tourism Australia managing director, Phillipa Harrison.
Pearce touched on the current issue of
staffing in the industry, “It's a common global struggle,” he said. “Staffing
has become the biggest issue and the biggest inhibitor of growth in the sector.
But as virtual events tail off and layoffs are announced at tech companies such
as Zoom, we should be looking to hire those people, they have the skills this
industry needs.”
Swanson reminded the audience of AIME’s
significant growth over three decades. “AIME is 30 years’ worth of legacy. When
AIME started in 1993, Melbourne only had 4,000 rooms. In 2023, it has 40,000
rooms and new infrastructure is being built all the time.”
Melbourne’s new infrastructure incluanes
a AUD7 billion art precinct annd a AUD25 million revamp of the Marvel Stadium –
where AIME’s opening party took place.
Following a day of insight at AIME’s Knowledge
programme on Monday 13, which saw tennis star Jelena Dokic deliver a keynote on
resilience, delegates headed to Marvel Stadium for a pitch-perfect opening
party.
The event, which was co-hosted with
MCB, saw delegates celebrate on the Marvel Stadium oval where some of the
world’s largest sporting and music events have taken place. To mark AIME’s 30th
anniversary, the menu was themed around pearls and the DJ set showcased 30 years
of hit songs, starting in 1993.
Silke Calder, who took over as AIME event
director in 2019 said she felt lucky to be part of the show. “It feels amazing
to be a part of this event. There’s such
a strong community and we always look forward to seeing each other.
“I also love that we get to showcase
Melbourne!”
The dates for AIME 2024 have already
been announced as 19-21 February 2024 and will again be held at the Melbourne Convention
and Exhibition Centre.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
