Whilst the corporate meeting market is seeing a sharp decline, a new push into the Association market will drive growth in the Indonesian meetings industry in 2009 and 2010.
A new initiative launched today in Bali Indonesia to attract association conferences has received strong support from international associations around the world and has seen bidding commence to attract over twenty thousand new delegates into the country over the next two years, generating an additional $US50 million for the local economy.
The initiative involves the development of a new centre to host conferences and generate valuable corporate sponsorship for international conferences.
Called the International Centre for Industry Development (ICID), it will act as a local host for international association conferences, working in partnership with the convention centre, local associations and universities.
Managed by the Global Research and Intelligence Network (GRAIN), ICID Indonesia is the first of four International Centres for Industry Development (ICID) which will be opened around the world to act as a local host for bids by convention bureaus and convention centres.
Three more ICID offices are planned to open in Malaysia, the Middle East and United States of America in 2009. ICID Indonesia is located within the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua, and is supported by the Bali tourism industry, Government, and Universitas Udayana.
At a press conference and signing ceremony to launch the office and memorandum of understanding, Scott Campbell, Executive Director of the Global Research and Intelligence Network said; "ICID revolutionises the way destinations go to bid, as ICID can underwrite the conference and act as a local host, reducing headaches for Bureaus and Convention Centres in having to gain local host support. This allows the academics and associations to focus on the technical and educational programs, without having to worry about the financial risk".
"The lack of a strong local host can stop a destination from bidding, and so with the association member or academic working in partnership with ICID, the Convention Centre and Bureau, they can access the financial backing of corporate sponsors and gain support for their bid from around the world. International Associations have responded positively, with a recent sales mission into Australia seeing ICID now working with international associations to launch new branches in Indonesia, increase membership, and obtain financial sponsorship to fund the association’s future development objectives".
Whilst the first ICID office in Indonesia was established with the support of the Bali International Convention Centre and tourism industry, GRAIN has worked to secure sponsorship for bidding from companies in Australia, Indonesia and the United Kingdom that operate in the mining, resources, medical research, biotechnology and aeronautics industries.
All of the companies that are supporting the bids see conferences as a way of growing their industries and business, entering new markets and gaining valuable exposure to potential clients.
"In what are difficult economic times for many multi- national companies, it is great to see the commitment to continued growth and the understanding that business events are a catalyst for industry development, and by having sponsorship support prior to bidding the international associations are more receptive and confident of the conference being successful" added Scott.
One such association receiving corporate funding and support is the Friends of National Parks Foundation in Indonesia, who are being supported by ICID in generating sponsorship for reforestation efforts in Borneo and Nusa Penida.
A future conference is under development to bring experts from around the world to discuss reforestation. The Global Research and Intelligence Network supports convention bureaus and convention centres around the world, and is a leader in the provision of in-market support, lead generation research and market intelligence, and comprises of a team located across 14 countries. GRAIN currently provides in- market support to Bureaus and Convention Centres in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and United States of America.
For more information, visit Global Research and Intelligence Network
Image: Signing ceremony BICC and GRAIN – seated at table (DPP-0116) From left – Michelle Wong (Manager for Industry Development Malaysia - GRAIN), Bipan Kapur (General Manager – Westin Resort and Bali International Convention Centre), Dr Bayu Wirayudha (Executive Director – National Parks Foundation), Scott Campbell (Executive Director – GRAIN), Matthew Hammond (Director of Research – GRAIN), Hardi Hardiman (Manager for Industry Development Indonesia – GRAIN)
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