The CMW team sat down with Silke Calder (pictured), event director at AIME, to discuss the 2022 event’s role in leading the revitalisation of the MICE industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Click here to read the feature in the CMW March/ April 2022 Magazine.
CMW: What is the theme of this year’s show?
Silke Calder: Reconnect; Revive; Thrive. After two years of cancelled events, fear-induced living, and a rollercoaster of emotions, we understand that the events industry is now ready to lift the Covid veil, reconnect, and resume business activities.
Prior to the pandemic, it was easy to take for granted those moments of joy and creativity that are so often sparked during face-to-face connection.
When planning AIME we knew we wanted to create a show that would lift spirits, reignite creativity and support people in stepping out of survival mode and into a world of optimism and opportunity.
This year, delegates can expect a show that is injected with personality, energy, and delivers a strong ROI.
CMW: Explain the mood among delegates about returning to live; what’s the incentive to attend the in-person event, or why might someone join online?
SC: Since the announcement earlier this month that travel restrictions both within and to Australia were easing, we have received another wave of enquiries from excited exhibitors and buyers who are keen to attend AIME in person. I think border restrictions lifting was the only incentive they needed.
There is no doubt from the many conversations I’ve had over the past year that delegates are ready to connect. With over 220 exhibitors and 300 buyers attending the live show, there will be plenty of opportunities to supercharge business.
For those delegates unable to attend AIME in person, we have created AIME Online, a platform for buyers and exhibitors to be able to connect in their own time zones and start filling their pipelines for 2022 and beyond.
CMW: Event planners are under increasing pressure to create more sustainable events, what content do you have planned to support them?
SC: There is certainly an expectation that event planners need to act sustainably when hosting large-scale events, and it’s climbing higher and higher on the industry’s agenda. Planners should be constantly reviewing ways to ensure their events are as green as possible, whether that’s through minimising energy consumption or eliminating unnecessary waste.
With sustainability in mind, we’ve ensured that our event partners reflect these values. AIME’s host venue, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), is committed to fulfilling a range of sustainability goals, including eliminating 90% of problematic single-use plastics by 2025, improving Victoria’s biodiversity and ecosystems, operating from 100% renewable energy by 2028, and reducing net carbon emissions to zero by 2030.
Additionally, certifications and government approvals are also great indicators that a venue meets environmental standards. That’s part of the reason why we’ve partnered with Melbourne and Olympic Park’s newest venue, CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park for AIME’s Welcome Party.
The venue has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification, which means it’s been independently verified as being resource- and energy-efficient, and helps contribute to cleaner, greener, healthier cities.
