Each year, the CONVENE Education Programme serves as a valuable platform for information sharing on the meetings and events industry’s hottest topics and most current challenges. The 2018 edition of the event is no exception, with notable industry speakers from around the world set to take to the stage to share their insights with CONVENE participants.
This year’s Education Programme, which will be live-streamed, features a list of sessions spread out over the course of the two-day event. Caroline Mackenzie, co-founder of Global Association Partners, will focus on the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and what it means for the MICE sector. Linda Pereira of CPL Meetings & Events will tackle the topic of Terrorism and Events, and share her advice on what meeting planners need to know to keep their events safe. Ralph Knoblauch of American Express Meetings & Events, together with Mark Scales of Bank Sadlers, plan to discuss the key global and regional trends impacting the meetings industry in 2018, and My Opinion’s Janne Bjorge will talk about Brand Experience vs Event Marketing. Jan Gemrich from Foccus Design will advise how to improve the client/agency relationship for success.
The programme will also feature a four-person panel discussion moderated by Paul Kennedy of Kennedy Integrated Solutions on how the shifting nature of meetings affects destination and venue choices. In addition to these and the other sessions making up the CONVENE Education Programme, the exhibition’s annual Meet the Expert sessions will give participants an opportunity to ask featured experts specific questions and engage in discussions in a less formal setting.
CONVENE Event Director Jolanta Beniuliene is excited to be putting forth such a diverse set of experts for the Education Programme, saying, “The emphasis for the sixth edition of CONVENE has been on quality, and our Education Programme really reflects that. These sessions are an important part of our event and we’re happy to be able to give participants an opportunity to engage in fresh ideas and constructive dialogue.”
Organised by the Vilnius Convention Bureau, part of Go Vilnius, the city’s Official Business and Tourism Development Agency, CONVENE is a business marketplace with non-stop networking opportunities for meeting professionals. 165+ Hosted Buyers from all over Europe are attending CONVENE 2018, and an estimated 3,500 pre-scheduled business meetings with some 80 Exhibitors from the region are scheduled to be conducted. CONVENE will be held at the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO in Vilnius on 14-15 February 2018. Visitors interested in taking part in the event can register online now at www.convene.lt
As mentioned above, CONVENE offers different “Meet the Expert” sessions that give participants an opportunity to meet with featured experts in a less formal setting.
Johanna Fischer, Managing Director at tmf dialogue marketing, is one of those experts. She will give you advice and guidance on two different topics:
1. “The Power of 1.3 Billion: Why the Indian MICE Market Continues to Grow Exponentially!”
(Wednesday, 14 February, 14:10-14:30, Table 2)
A growing economy and an increasing desire to host different types of meetings and congresses make the Indian MICE market one of great potential. Johanna Fischer will be available to share insights and discuss potential solutions to tap into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
2. Destination Marketing in the Comfort Zone?
(Thursday, 15 Feburary, 12:10-12:30, Table 2)
How to stay relevant in times of new technologies, strict data protection, and overall saturated planners. In this session we discuss the feasibility of any new ideas you might have and how we can help stepping out of the comfort zone to stay in touch with your planners markets.
Source press release: CONVENE
Picture Copyright: ©CONVENE
