New Asian and Latin American membership for JMIC

The Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS) and the Association of Convention Centres of the Caribbean and Latin America (ACCCLATAM), are the latest industry organisations to join with global colleagues as members of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC). The two associations, along with the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) make for a total of three additions to the Council roster in the last three months and illustrate a new momentum since the approval late last year of a new Charter and Strategic Plan for the industry body. “Along with a strong new sense of direction as approved at our most recent Council meeting in Barcelona in November has come an enhanced sense of engagement as reflected in the addition of these valued new members and several more recent member applications which we are currently processing” said JMIC President Kai Hattendorf, who is also CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. “These new members, particularly in terms of the strong geographic diversity they represent, illustrate the importance we are placing on having comprehensive industry engagement in the process of more effectively representing and speaking for the global industry.” The final meeting of the Joint Meetings Industry Council for 2018 delivered a consensus on a number of key structural changes intended to guide the ongoing development of the Council, including a new and unanimously agreed Charter that set out the nature of Council responsibilities, a revised constitution in the form of a Letter of Agreement amongst members and a streamlined Strategic Plan, all of which were developed as a direct outcome of the Meetings Industry Global Summit that took place in Hannover earlier in 2018. “We will continue to build momentum as we enter into an important new phase for JMIC as the global meetings industry representative”, said Hattendorf. “To do the job properly and to generate the kind of credibility needed to support this it is important not only that we have our messaging and facts straight but that we are also seen to represent the full spectrum of industry interests. Given the huge diversity in our industry this is a big job – but these latest additions to our membership are moving us a lot closer to where we need to be.”