Stavanger wins bid to host ICCA’s new 'AES on steroids'

The Board of Directors of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has chosen Stavanger, Norway, out of three shortlisted bids, to host its new annual event, The Association Meetings Programme (AMP). ICCA members will be able to mix with international association executives at the event, with the idea that they learn from each other and from a faculty of experts about aspects of bidding and decision-making, organising, promoting, and designing international association meetings. The new launch replaces ICCA’s old Research, Sales and Marketing Programme (RSMP), which was open to members only. Per Morten Haarr, convention director of the Stavanger Convention Bureau, said he was thrilled that ICCA had chosen Stavanger to host the first ever AMP. “This will also be the first global ICCA event to be held in Scandinavia since the 2002 Congress. “Stavanger has built an excellent reputation in the international association meetings sector over the past 20 years, and we plan to use that experience and expertise to deliver a programme that the participating international association executives and ICCA members will remember for many years to come.” ICCA CEO Martin Sirk explaining the reasons for the launch of the new event said: “Success in tomorrow’s meetings industry will increasingly depend on an ability to partner and collaborate with clients and with other suppliers. To avoid becoming caught up in a commoditised marketplace where low cost and standardised services are the norm, ICCA members need to learn new skills and adopt new business concepts. Likewise, to reach the often ambitious objectives of their meetings and deliver ROI to their delegates, international association executives need to learn how to build more constructive relationships with destination marketers, venues, PCOs, and airlines. AMP aims to bridge this gap: to build mutual understanding of objectives and business cultures; to identify practical new ways to work together; to generate ideas for improving the effectiveness and value of the meetings themselves.” Sirk emphasised that AMP was not a new meeting concept, however. “For many years we have been running an event linked to IMEX in Frankfurt called the ICCA Association Expert Seminar (AES). Enormously popular and always with a waiting list, this event brings together 20 association executives and 40 ICCA members, for a structured series of discussions on issues of mutual interest. AMP could be described as an ‘AES on steroids’! “There will be a larger faculty; more in-depth education sessions; tougher group exercises; more opportunities for private consultations and advice; extensive guidance on using all of ICCA’s research tools and business services; and inspirational meeting design concepts. It’s important to note that this is not a workshop or hard-sales event: the emphasis is strongly on education, mutual understanding and relationship building.” The inaugural edition of the AMP aims to attract 150 participants: 120 members; 20 associations (hosted by the host destination) and 10 faculty members. AMP will take place from 5-7 July for ICCA members, while associations will start a day earlier (4-7 July). ICCA members and associations can soon register on www.amp2016.iccaworld.org