WORLD - From a warning that the global economic concerns are far from over to the kinds of specific strategies and actions that convention centres should be taking in response, this year's AIPC Annual Conference in San Diego, USA addressed both the challenges facing the industry and the opportunities available to those who respond appropriately.

"There are a lot of questions about where we are in global recovery, what kind of industry is now emerging from the crisis and what we should be doing about it," AIPC President Edgar Hirt told the conference.

Keynote speaker David Blanchflower, a former member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, and Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College, advised delegates that a return to robust growth should not be taken for granted and that a long period of slow recovery punctuated by periodic setbacks was much more likely. “During this period, governments will be looking desperately for economic stimulus tactics and centres need to keep that in mind as they plan both their business prospects and the ways in which they interact with government owners,” Blanchflower said.

Common themes flowing through AIPC member’ reports to the conference were modest growth combined with an ongoing need for flexibility and caution.

Presenters also identified the need for a greater effort to look for new services that can generate value for both suppliers and clients and new ways of organising business relationships that can again benefit both parties in times that are financially challenging for everyone.

Member centres were addressing these challenges with a range of new planning, programming and community interaction programmes.

New approaches to revenue generation, facility design and refurbishment and the rise of premium food and beverage and managing change in a centre environment. Also addressed were action areas indentified.

A comprehensive member survey was hardly music to the ears of those of us hoping for a speedy recovery. “But,” said Hirt, “there was general agreement that a realistic assessment of business conditions combined with a spirited discussion of tactics for response provided members with the best possible value for their participation. I think we all consider ourselves to be better prepared for the challenges of the future as a result of what was conveyed in the course of the Conference and this is the best outcome we could have achieved".

In the AIPC Board elections, Iker Goikoetxea Mendoza, MD of the Kursaal Congress Centre in San Sebastian, Spain, replaced Marisa Marin as a Spanish representative and Peter Gunn, Chief Executive of the Bournemouth International Centre, replaced previous UK Board member Jacquie Rogers.

Re-elected for subsequent terms were Carol Wallace, CEO of the San Diego Convention CenterCorporation; Treasurer Jonas Scharf, MD of Congress Centre Basel; Vice-President Geoff Donaghy, representing Cairns Convention Centre in Australia and President Edgar Hirt of Congress Centre Hamburg.

These elected members join current Clare Amsel, Director of Conferences of the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, who was re-elected in 2010.

AIPC also welcomed seven new centre members to the Association: John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, Boston (USA); Atatürk Congress Culture Center, Bursa (Turkey); ICE Krakow Congress Centre (Poland); Las Vegas Convention Center and Los Angeles Convention Center (both USA); Centro Banamex Convention and Exhibition Centre, Mexico City, and Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre, Moscow (Russia).

These new additions bring AIPC membership to a total of 170 members representing 54 countries.

"We are of course pleased that AIPC membership has continued to grow and diversify in a time when many organisations have felt the negative impacts associated with the global recession, but we have never pursued membership for its own sake", said Edgar Hirt. "Our objective is to include centres who share our objective of excellence in convention centre management and who help us maintain a truly global perspective".
 
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