Reed Exhibitions’ Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition, on tap June 11-13 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, will feature a roundtable of meetings association leaders from around the world to debate future industry trends and challenges.  

Major topics of discussion will include insights into the future of face-to-face meetings, the impact of technology in meeting planning, the current evolution and innovation for tradeshows, the increasing need to tie meeting outcomes and content to business goals and the continued importance of education and sharing best practices and value drivers, according to show officials.

The panel will feature several association leaders:

Host/moderator Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of Meeting Professionals International

David DuBois, CEO of International Association of Exhibitions and Events

Martin Sirk, CEO of International Congress and Convention Association

Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of Professional Convention Management Association

John Graham, CEO of American Society of Association Executives

Allison Summers, Chief Staff Officer and managing director of Society for Incentive and Travel Executives

“Our theme ‘Defining the Future of Meetings Together’ prompted us to gather all the top industry association leaders to discuss the impending issues of our industry,” said Michael Lyons, AIBTM exhibition director.

Duffy will gather the views of attendees on key issues and share their responses, as part of AIBTM’s strategy to crowdsource as much information as possible.  

“It’s equally as important for us to hear what front line meeting planners think about industry challenges,” Duffy said. “We’re all in this together as the industry rapidly changes from one moment to the next in this global business landscape.”

Also, the Professional Convention Management Association will kick off the corporate program at AIBTM with The Corporate Meeting Planner of the Future.The session, presented by Greg Bogue, Experience Architect for Maritz Travel Company, will explore the why-to and how-to of enhancing attendees strategic value as a meeting professional in a corporate environment.

In the second session delivered as part of the corporate education stream, PCMA will combine forces with the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association, to share key findings from the organization’s State of the Industry report, which will offer specific insights for medical convention organizers and exhibit marketing personnel.

Healthcare Convention Trends – What Medical Meeting Planners Need to Know will be presented by Jacqueline Beaulieu, HCEA’s executive vice president.

The final session to be delivered by PCMA at AIBTM will explore Conferences and Trade Shows On the Go.

Terence R. Donnelly, vice president of sales for Experient, and Heidi Voorhees, senior vice president of Experient, will explore the future of mobile technologies and the impact this will have on event attendee experiences.