New, Expanded Education Program at IMEX 2008

When IMEX opens on April 22 in Frankfurt, the award-winning trade show will offer visitors and exhibitors its largest ever professional education program. With almost 60 different workshops, seminars and forums taking place over four days in English and German, the exhibition provides a wide choice of informative and highly topical professional development opportunities for meetings professionals of all levels.

Highlights of the 2008 seminar program include “Storm Clouds or Silver Linings” on April 22. This trend-centered debate, organized jointly by AIPC (International Association of Congress Centers) and ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) will bring together senior international experts from both association and corporate disciplines to provide a cross-sector, multicultural perspective on the industry’s future.

Environmental education highlights include “Implementing Sustainability”, which will present a case study of the MPI European Meetings and Events Conference 2008 and offer advice on applying the new BS8901 sustainable event standard.

In addition, “Staying Green in a Brown Situation” from IMEX partner, the Green Meeting Industry Council will offer practical tips on delivering a green event, even when plans go wrong.

Other sessions set to have strong appeal come from IMEX cross-cultural partner, Richard Lewis Communications, who will present “Vital factors in doing business with Middle Eastern countries”.

The German Convention Bureau (GCB) will present a total of 15 German-language and one English seminar, including new sessions for German association buyers on April 22.

IMEX Research partner, Travel Marketing Factory (TMF), will again provide an annual research report on trends in the German-speaking outbound market, incorporating for the first time the impact of CSR on the planning of events. TMF will also offer 15-minute lunchtime marketing sessions to exhibitors interested in best practice tips.