New generation of international MICE industry executives meets in Athens

With an average age of 36 years and an average experience in organizing conferences of 6.7 years, 50 executives from 18 countries participated in the IAPCO Edge Seminar which was held in Athens on 17-19 January 2017.

During the seminal, among others, delegates gained specific conference management skills, solid understanding of the environment and the roles of the various players and advanced understanding of how the industry collaborates and operates by speakers - experts who covered the widest range of subjects of the conference market.

The event was a joint initiative of three Greek IAPCO Members (AFEA, ERA, ERASMUS). The three PCOs aimed at contributing actively to IAPCO’s educational activities, allowing fellow colleagues share their knowledge and experience in the city of Athens. At the same time, IAPCO EDGE was a first class opportunity to showcase the convention potential of Greece's capital to a targeted audience of meeting professionals from around the globe.

Athens made an excellent choice for the IAPCO EDGE Seminar and can accommodate the needs of the most demanding of events. A European Metropolis at the crossroads of three continents, Athens is a city endowed with year-round sunshine, the European capital city with the most blue flag beaches, a booming gastronomic scene and warm, hospitable people. In Athens you will find new high-end convention facilities and hotels, a vibrant entertainment scene and a state-of-the-art transportation network. 

Vision to create advanced conference management skills 

AFEA, ERA and ERASMUS, invited the participants to the IAPCO EDGE Seminar Athens with the following message:

"We are inspired by IAPCO’s vision to create advanced conference management skills and establish an advanced understanding of how the industry collaborates and operates. Athens, a vibrant and modern European capital, situated at the foothills of Acropolis and next to the sea, is a perfect location for international meetings and events. Easily accessible from every part of the world, it is considered to be one of the safest cities, providing abundant modern hotel accommodation and boasting an excellent metro network and overall transportation system. It presents great opportunities for sightseeing, excursions and technical visits. Moreover, Greece is host to important knowledge centres, notably in academia and research, especially in the bio-sciences field, thus becoming a clever choice for international events that aim, among others, at increased attendance. With these in mind, we invite you to follow the steps of ancient Greek philosophers and join us in Athens for a unique educational opportunity and an acquaintance with our city’s great meeting potential."

ACVB also embraced the effort from the early beginning, both during the biding and the execution phase. ACVBs executives attended the Seminar and Mr. Galinos, Managing Director of City of Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau opened the event by welcoming all delegates. Additionally, Mr. Galinos gave a presentation focusing on Bidding processes by presenting several Case Studies built on ACVBs expertise. Moreover, ACVB hosted the welcome reception at the premises of the Cycladic Art Museum welcoming all delegates.

The Meeting Professionals were invited to join the seminar for a unique learning experience that is focused on a well-rounded look at conference management and the changing landscape of our industry. In order to maximize learning outcomes and networking opportunities, this seminar was strictly limited in size and allows for maximum interaction with faculty and industry experts. They were expected to take away the following from the seminar:

• Specific conference management skills and tool kits
• Solid understanding of the environment and the roles of the various players
• Advanced understanding of how the industry collaborates and operates

The seminar's faculty included:

· Keith Burton, IAPCO Council member & Managing Director, African Agenda
· Alexios Galinos, CEO, Athens Development and Destination Management Agency
· Nikolaos Kaklamanakis, Olympic Gold & Silver Medalist
· Nicola McGrane, IAPCO Council member & Managing Director, Conference Partners Ltd.
· Giorgos Papastamatiou, Managing Director, FORTHCRS AE
· Μarie-Claire Pickaert, Deputy Director General, EPFIA
· André Vietor, IAPCO Training Academy Chair & Managing Director, Barceló Congresos

Accreditation

IAPCO EDGE Athens has been awarded 10.5 hours CMP credit.

The high-level educational IAPCO seminars are organized three times a year in different geographic areas and have built up a reputation second to none in the field of international meetings management training. 

About IAPCO

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) was founded in 1968, is registered in Switzerland and represents today more than 120 professional organisers, meeting planners and managers of international and national congresses, conventions and special events from 41 countries. IAPCO members organise in excess of 7075 meetings annually, totalling some 2.861 million delegates and representing an economic impact in the region of 4.63 billion euros (as in 2014). IAPCO is committed to raising standards of service among its members and other sectors of the meetings industry. Today IAPCO membership offers a unique quality assurance, since entry into membership of IAPCO is by meeting strict criteria and by continuous quality assessment. The high quality standards are secured by means of continuing education and interaction with other professionals.

About EDGE 

The new educational offering “EDGE from IAPCO” is available. No longer will the Annual Seminar be limited to Switzerland, the dynamic educational seminar will now be offered worldwide with three seminars per year in different regions. EDGE will provide education at three  different levels, giving people that edge they need in a global competitive environment. Focused on professional congress organisation these seminars will replace the traditional Wolfsberg Seminar and will fill the existing void in international MICE education for the PCO and the Meeting Planner. Providing a destination focus, Destination Partners in IAPCO Education will be able to participate in the programme, showcasing their destination and bringing an international location perspective to EDGE.

 Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report