{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1", "user_comment": "This feed allows you to read the posts from this site in any feed reader that supports the JSON Feed format. To add this feed to your reader, copy the following URL -- https://www.seebtm.com/en/tag/knowledge/feed/json/ -- and add it your reader.", "home_page_url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/tag/knowledge/", "feed_url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/tag/knowledge/feed/json/", "title": "SEE Business travel & meetings magazine", "description": "Magazin za oblast poslovnih putovanja i kongresnog turizma Jugoisto\u010dne Evrope", "items": [ { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/knowledge-japan-s-forte/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/knowledge-japan-s-forte/", "title": "Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte", "content_html": "

Japan. Land of the Rising Sun. With a population of around 130 million people, the country boasts a literacy rate at near 100%. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h, cell phones are used as credit cards (osaifu-keitai), and many restaurants have robots serving their patrons.

\n

The national unemployment rate falls below four percent. Children in Japan are encouraged to transfer the skills they acquire to their peers, which helps them to remember 90% of the curriculum. In addition, after each class children thank their teachers for the knowledge
\nthey were passed on. This just might be the reason why as many as 15 Nobel Prizes found their home in Japan.

\n

In Japan, competence is highly regarded, and mutual respect and esteem are part of the culture. All this helped to Japan taking the lead in many fields, including the MICE industry. In light of this, we had the pleasure to discuss this year\u2019s ICCA results, state-of-the-art technology in event planning, and plans for the future with Margaret Mann, Manager at the Japan Convention Bureau in London.

\n
\"Margaret
Margaret Mann, Convention Manager, Japan Convention Bureau
\n

This year\u2019s ICCA statistic report shows that Japan and Tokyo are very high ranked. Could You please comment those results?

\n

Japan is a well-respected globally as a leader in a diverse range of industries and academic fields. Its reputation as a knowledge hub makes it an attractive destination for associations from all fields seeking to expose their membership to new ideas and inspiration from Japan\u2019s pool of knowledge and talent. If you look at the ICCA rankings, you\u2019ll also notice that while Tokyo ranks highest in the ICCA rankings, Japan has three cities in the top 100 and nine cities in the top 200 globally. This illustrates the strength of Japan\u2019s regional cities and showcases the diverse options that Japan can offer associations.

\n

What do you consider as a four main advantages of Japan as a destination for achieving such a result?

\n
\n

1. Knowledge: Japan\u2019s academic and industry reputation is a huge advantage for associations. Japan is home to high concentrations of academic and research institutions with
\nadvanced R&D capabilities that can support events with respected speakers, inspirational
\ntours of local industry, and high level knowledge exchange.
\n2. Culture: Japan\u2019s unique culture contributes to its attractiveness as a destination for association meetings. Experiences a different culture is still a key reason why people travel to attend conferences. Attending a conference in Japan is a rare opportunity to experience things that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; from unique performances at gala
\ndinners to interactive sessions during coffee breaks, Japanese culture can be incorporated
\nthroughout a meeting program to attract higher delegate levels.
\n3. Infrastructure: Japan has 12 global MICE cities which have been recognized by the government as having the infrastructure and connectivity to host international meetings and events. Meeting planners have a diverse portfolio of purpose-built convention centers and high quality hotels to choose from. With five international hubs and many other regional international airports, access from around the world is convenient by long-haul standards, and the high-speed shinkansen (bullet train) system connects all major cities making domestic travel easy.
\n4. Experience & Expertise: Japan was one of the first Asian countries to establish a convention bureau. The Japan National Tourism Organization works in coordination with the local experts of our municipal convention bureaus to help support meeting planners to maximize the value Japan as a destination can add to their events. Each of our twelve global MICE cities have a professional convention bureau who work closely with our highly experienced DMCs and PCOs.

\n
\n
\"Kiyomizudera
Kiyomizudera Temple Autumn in Kyoto, credit JNTO
\n

In your opinion, what is the next big technology trend in event industry?

\n

I don\u2019t think technology will ever replace face-to-face meetings, but I think the most successful technology will enhance engagement before, during and after meetings. This might be through wearable technology, like the human body communication devises launched
\nby Panasonic at least year\u2019s CEATEC, or perhaps through AI or interactive apps. Japanese tech companies are always coming up with creative solutions that the industry needs can develop into practical applications.

\n

Since Japan is the country known for its Hi-Tech approach, can you share with us what are the most common use of modern technologies at events in Japan?

\n

In addition to the software that is developed to encourage the smooth organization of events, many Japanese venues are using modern technology to encourage sustainable meetings. For example, venues like the PACIFICO Yokohama have pioneered technology partnerships with local universities to improve sustainability. Japan also develops many of the top technology trade fairs and conferences in the world, which helps encourage the adoption of new technology.

\n
\"Makuhari
Makuhari Messe, credit JNTO
\n

Could You tell us about the future plans?

\n

Japan welcomed a record 24 million visitors in 2016 and we aim to increase that to 40 million by 2020, the year Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The meetings industry plays a key role in this goal. Cities throughout the country are continuing to invest in the meeting industry, with new venues, transportation infrastructure and applicable technology. Further increasing the wealth of options for meeting planners throughout Japan, new convention centers and venues are currently in the works for Yokohama, Nara, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and subtropical Okinawa.

\n

After successfully working with the government to implement fast-track immigration lanes for conference delegates, improve tax exemption programs for visitors and relax visa requirements, the Japan National Tourism Organization is also working closely with our cities to open up important cultural properties for use as unique venues to showcase Japan for meeting delegates.

\n

The post Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.

\n", "content_text": "Japan. Land of the Rising Sun. With a population of around 130 million people, the country boasts a literacy rate at near 100%. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h, cell phones are used as credit cards (osaifu-keitai), and many restaurants have robots serving their patrons.\nThe national unemployment rate falls below four percent. Children in Japan are encouraged to transfer the skills they acquire to their peers, which helps them to remember 90% of the curriculum. In addition, after each class children thank their teachers for the knowledge\nthey were passed on. This just might be the reason why as many as 15 Nobel Prizes found their home in Japan.\nIn Japan, competence is highly regarded, and mutual respect and esteem are part of the culture. All this helped to Japan taking the lead in many fields, including the MICE industry. In light of this, we had the pleasure to discuss this year\u2019s ICCA results, state-of-the-art technology in event planning, and plans for the future with Margaret Mann, Manager at the Japan Convention Bureau in London.\nMargaret Mann, Convention Manager, Japan Convention Bureau\nThis year\u2019s ICCA statistic report shows that Japan and Tokyo are very high ranked. Could You please comment those results?\nJapan is a well-respected globally as a leader in a diverse range of industries and academic fields. Its reputation as a knowledge hub makes it an attractive destination for associations from all fields seeking to expose their membership to new ideas and inspiration from Japan\u2019s pool of knowledge and talent. If you look at the ICCA rankings, you\u2019ll also notice that while Tokyo ranks highest in the ICCA rankings, Japan has three cities in the top 100 and nine cities in the top 200 globally. This illustrates the strength of Japan\u2019s regional cities and showcases the diverse options that Japan can offer associations.\nWhat do you consider as a four main advantages of Japan as a destination for achieving such a result?\n\n1. Knowledge: Japan\u2019s academic and industry reputation is a huge advantage for associations. Japan is home to high concentrations of academic and research institutions with\nadvanced R&D capabilities that can support events with respected speakers, inspirational\ntours of local industry, and high level knowledge exchange.\n2. Culture: Japan\u2019s unique culture contributes to its attractiveness as a destination for association meetings. Experiences a different culture is still a key reason why people travel to attend conferences. Attending a conference in Japan is a rare opportunity to experience things that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; from unique performances at gala\ndinners to interactive sessions during coffee breaks, Japanese culture can be incorporated\nthroughout a meeting program to attract higher delegate levels.\n3. Infrastructure: Japan has 12 global MICE cities which have been recognized by the government as having the infrastructure and connectivity to host international meetings and events. Meeting planners have a diverse portfolio of purpose-built convention centers and high quality hotels to choose from. With five international hubs and many other regional international airports, access from around the world is convenient by long-haul standards, and the high-speed shinkansen (bullet train) system connects all major cities making domestic travel easy.\n4. Experience & Expertise: Japan was one of the first Asian countries to establish a convention bureau. The Japan National Tourism Organization works in coordination with the local experts of our municipal convention bureaus to help support meeting planners to maximize the value Japan as a destination can add to their events. Each of our twelve global MICE cities have a professional convention bureau who work closely with our highly experienced DMCs and PCOs.\n\nKiyomizudera Temple Autumn in Kyoto, credit JNTO\nIn your opinion, what is the next big technology trend in event industry?\nI don\u2019t think technology will ever replace face-to-face meetings, but I think the most successful technology will enhance engagement before, during and after meetings. This might be through wearable technology, like the human body communication devises launched\nby Panasonic at least year\u2019s CEATEC, or perhaps through AI or interactive apps. Japanese tech companies are always coming up with creative solutions that the industry needs can develop into practical applications.\nSince Japan is the country known for its Hi-Tech approach, can you share with us what are the most common use of modern technologies at events in Japan?\nIn addition to the software that is developed to encourage the smooth organization of events, many Japanese venues are using modern technology to encourage sustainable meetings. For example, venues like the PACIFICO Yokohama have pioneered technology partnerships with local universities to improve sustainability. Japan also develops many of the top technology trade fairs and conferences in the world, which helps encourage the adoption of new technology.\nMakuhari Messe, credit JNTO\nCould You tell us about the future plans?\nJapan welcomed a record 24 million visitors in 2016 and we aim to increase that to 40 million by 2020, the year Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The meetings industry plays a key role in this goal. Cities throughout the country are continuing to invest in the meeting industry, with new venues, transportation infrastructure and applicable technology. Further increasing the wealth of options for meeting planners throughout Japan, new convention centers and venues are currently in the works for Yokohama, Nara, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and subtropical Okinawa.\nAfter successfully working with the government to implement fast-track immigration lanes for conference delegates, improve tax exemption programs for visitors and relax visa requirements, the Japan National Tourism Organization is also working closely with our cities to open up important cultural properties for use as unique venues to showcase Japan for meeting delegates.\nThe post Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2017-12-04T12:19:46+01:00", "date_modified": "2017-12-04T12:19:46+01:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Sensoji-Temple-in-Tokyo-credit-JNTO.jpg", "tags": [ "congress organisation", "convention bureau", "culture", "icca statistic", "infrastructure", "japan", "knowledge", "new technologies", "tokyo", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/rob-davidson-success-with-deep-mice-knowledge/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/rob-davidson-success-with-deep-mice-knowledge/", "title": "Rob Davidson \u2013 Success with deep MICE knowledge", "content_html": "

When knowledge, professionalism and a great personality come together, you have\u00a0a winning, charismatic combination. It is always a pleasure to speak to and listen to such people.

\n

One of them is certainly Mr Rob Davidson, author of seven books, speaker, researcher\u00a0and consultant for the MICE industry.

\n

For the past 5 years, Rob Davidson has\u00a0been included in Conference & Incentive Travel magazine\u2019s \u201cPower 50\u201d \u2013\u00a0the 50 most influential people in the\u00a0UK conference industry.

\n

Well known for his annual Trends Watch\u00a0industry reports, launched at EIBTM\u00a0in Barcelona each year for the past\u00a0decade; Senior Lecturer in Events Management and Business Tourism for\u00a017 years at the University of Westminster\u00a0and the University of Greenwich,\u00a0this year Rob Davidson made a major\u00a0decision and founded MICE Knowledge\u00a0(www.miceknowledge.com), a research\u00a0and consultancy service for\u00a0the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences\u00a0and Events industries.

\n

 

\n

1. We tried to present you in just couple\u00a0of sentences. And that\u2019s not easy.\u00a0What have we omitted?

\n

Something that I consider to be very\u00a0important about myself is that I am\u00a0from Scotland. Although I live in London\u00a0now, I still think of Scotland as\u00a0my home, and I visit Edinburgh, my\u00a0city of birth, almost every month.
\nThe work I do as a consultant means\u00a0that I travel a lot, internationally.\u00a0Almost every week I am travelling overseas,\u00a0and several times a year I find\u00a0myself in South East Europe.
\nIt\u2019s always a pleasure to visit your region\u00a0and to see my friends there. That\u00a0way, I can combine business with fun.\u00a0I find that people in SEE really like to\u00a0work\u00a0hard and play hard!

\n

2.\u00a0You have 17 years of experience\u00a0of working with students. What is\u00a0the most valuable thing you have\u00a0learned from it and from them?

\n

The most remarkable thing I have noticed,\u00a0when working with students, is\u00a0their incredible energy.\u00a0

\n

Men and women in their early 20s\u00a0are just beginning their professional\u00a0lives, and it\u2019s a source of great joy for\u00a0me to see their enthusiasm and determination\u00a0to succeed in the world\u00a0of work.

\n

Their enthusiasm is very contagious,\u00a0and for professors it\u2019s impossible to\u00a0ignore the students\u2019 optimism and\u00a0energy. Professors have the important\u00a0role of developing their students\u2019\u00a0potential to learn and to use that knowledge\u00a0in their careers, and one of\u00a0the greatest pleasures of my working\u00a0life has been to see so many of my former\u00a0students creating successful careers\u00a0for themselves in the meetings\u00a0and events industry. That makes me\u00a0feel very happy indeed.

\n

\u00a03
\n.\u00a0Your last book, called Winning Meetings\u00a0and Events for your Venue, was\u00a0written for sales people in venues.\u00a0What are the main issues you discuss\u00a0in it?

\n

With my co-author Anthony Hyde,\u00a0we wanted to write a book for people\u00a0working in sales roles in any type of\u00a0venue, such as hotels or conference\u00a0centres. The book was published\u00a0in 2014, and it has been very successful.\"Students\"

\n

It describes where and how\u00a0sales managers can find new clients\u00a0for their venue; how to negotiate with\u00a0potential clients; how to show the\u00a0venue to meeting planners in the\u00a0most effective way; how to create an\u00a0attractive website for the venue; how\u00a0to use the social media as a way of finding\u00a0new clients; and so on. The book\u00a0also discusses current trends in venue\u00a0design and management.

\n

The book\u00a0offers many real-world examples of\u00a0how sales managers from countries\u00a0all over the world have used creative\u00a0and innovative ideas to win more\u00a0business for their venues.

\n

4.\u00a0You have been many times in the\u00a0SEE region as a speaker at various events.\u00a0How are conference topics and\u00a0questions from delegates different in\u00a0this region from those in other parts\u00a0of the world? Is it possible to point\u00a0this out?

\n

I am fascinated by the development\u00a0of the meetings and events industry\u00a0in the SEE region. My initial motivation\u00a0for visiting your region was because\u00a0some of my former students at the\u00a0universities where I worked in London\u00a0were from this region: people such as\u00a0Milan Culic from Serbia and Leonarda\u00a0Djinovic who is now Sales Manager at Regent Porto Montenegro.

\n

I was curious to visit these countries\u00a0and the others in this region, to see\u00a0how the meetings and events industry\u00a0was developing. Now whenever\u00a0I come to speak at conferences in the\u00a0SEE region, I always notice the similarities\u00a0between topics and questions\u00a0in your region and in others around\u00a0the world.

\n

\"PeopleFor example, MICE professionals\u00a0want to know how to win\u00a0more meetings, especially international\u00a0conferences. They want to know\u00a0about the latest trends and techniques\u00a0for connecting with meetings\u00a0planners, for example.

\n

These are the\u00a0same topics that MICE professionals\u00a0in countries such as France, Germany\u00a0and the UK also want to discuss.\u00a0One difference, perhaps, is that MICE\u00a0professionals in SEE are sometimes\u00a0more concerned with the international\u00a0image of their countries \u2013 which\u00a0many people still remember from being in the news during the conflicts of\u00a0the 1990s.

\n

My personal opinion is that by winning\u00a0international conferences, cities\u00a0in the SEE region can receive more\u00a0foreign visitors and show them how\u00a0hospitable and friendly the people\u00a0are here, and how the region has so\u00a0many beautiful, vibrant and most importantly,\u00a0safe destinations for business\u00a0events.

\n

5.\u00a0As we mentioned, this year you made\u00a0big step in your career and founded\u00a0MICE Knowledge. Can you tell us\u00a0something more about this?

\n

Certainly I can. In parallel with my\u00a0academic career, I have always been\u00a0involved in doing research for the\u00a0meetings and events industry \u2013 practical\u00a0research that MICE professionals\u00a0can use in their work. I was also\u00a0doing more and more consultancy \u2013\u00a0working for clients such as convention\u00a0bureaus, advising them on their\u00a0marketing strategy, for example.

\n

These activities were growing so much\u00a0and taking up more and more of\u00a0my time, so I had to make a change\u00a0in my life, because it was becoming\u00a0increasingly difficult to combine my\u00a0work as a professor with my work as\u00a0a researcher and consultant.

\n

So I left my job at the University of \u00a0Greenwich and created MICE Knowledge\u00a0so that I could focus entirely\u00a0on research and consultancy. It was a very difficult decision because the\u00a0University of Greenwich is a wonderful\u00a0place to teach and to study.\"Baby

\n

\nBut I am still in touch with my colleagues\u00a0there. I still do some teaching \u2013\u00a0as a Visiting Professor in universities\u00a0in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.\u00a0I have also given lectures to\u00a0tourism students at the Faculty of Economics\u00a0at the University of Belgrade,\u00a0as well as at the University of Novi Sad\u00a0and TIMS. So I would say that I still\u00a0have one foot in the world of education\u00a0\u2013 and that\u2019s very important to me.

\n

6.\u00a0You have visited many convention\u00a0centers, exhibitions, conferences and\u00a0you find yourself almost every week\u00a0in some another country. As a world\u00a0traveler, what are the destinations\u00a0that remain to be checked?

\n

It\u2019s a good question, because many\u00a0people are asking where the next exciting MICE destinations will be.

\n

I would say that sub-Saharan Africa\u00a0is a region to watch these days. The\u00a0economies of many of those countries\u00a0are growing fast. They are experiencing\u00a0increasing urbanization, and\u00a0they have young and dynamic populations.
\nCountries such as Namibia\u00a0and Rwanda have enormous potential,\u00a0and they offer considerable novelty\u00a0value as destinations for business\u00a0events. Of course, right now, many\u00a0people are worried about the Ebola\u00a0virus, but that will be overcome and\u00a0sub-Saharan Africa will then continue\u00a0on its path towards progress.

\n

7.\u00a0To finish, can you give us your overall\u00a0opinion on trends in meetings industry\u00a0regarding South East Europe\u00a0region?

\n

I am very encouraged by what I see\u00a0whenever I visit this region, and the\u00a0main trend I see is towards growth in\u00a0demand for meetings here, as well as\u00a0growth in the supply of facilities and\u00a0services for meetings. You have some\u00a0world-class venues for business\u00a0events such as those belonging to\u00a0the Montenegro Stars Hotel Group, for example.

\n

\"WordYou have some dynamic\u00a0and innovative convention bureaus,\u00a0actively promoting your capital cities\u00a0as well as smaller destinations such as\u00a0Opatija. So the infrastructure for the\u00a0MICE market is developing fast.
\nOf course, better air links with the key\u00a0markets in Western Europe and North\u00a0America would help a lot, and these\u00a0are growing all the time. All of this\u00a0investment in South East Europe\u2019s\u00a0infrastructure and marketing is obviously\u00a0working well.

\n

For example, the latest International\u00a0Congress and Convention Association\u00a0(ICCA) ranking of the top countries\u00a0in the world for international conferences\u00a0indicate that Serbia has\u00a0gone from being last in SEE in 2007\u00a0to almost tying for first place in the\u00a0region with Croatia, both in terms of\u00a0the number of meetings and the number\u00a0of delegates. This is a clear sign\u00a0of progress. But in my opinion, the\u00a0SEE region\u2019s greatest asset are the\u00a0people working in our industry.

\n

I am convinced that it is their energy\u00a0and professionalism that will continue\u00a0to ensure the region\u2019s growth\u00a0and success in the international business\u00a0events market.

\n

The post Rob Davidson – Success with deep MICE knowledge appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.

\n", "content_text": "When knowledge, professionalism and a great personality come together, you have\u00a0a winning, charismatic combination. It is always a pleasure to speak to and listen to such people.\nOne of them is certainly Mr Rob Davidson, author of seven books, speaker, researcher\u00a0and consultant for the MICE industry.\nFor the past 5 years, Rob Davidson has\u00a0been included in Conference & Incentive Travel magazine\u2019s \u201cPower 50\u201d \u2013\u00a0the 50 most influential people in the\u00a0UK conference industry.\nWell known for his annual Trends Watch\u00a0industry reports, launched at EIBTM\u00a0in Barcelona each year for the past\u00a0decade; Senior Lecturer in Events Management and Business Tourism for\u00a017 years at the University of Westminster\u00a0and the University of Greenwich,\u00a0this year Rob Davidson made a major\u00a0decision and founded MICE Knowledge\u00a0(www.miceknowledge.com), a research\u00a0and consultancy service for\u00a0the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences\u00a0and Events industries.\n \n1. We tried to present you in just couple\u00a0of sentences. And that\u2019s not easy.\u00a0What have we omitted?\nSomething that I consider to be very\u00a0important about myself is that I am\u00a0from Scotland. Although I live in London\u00a0now, I still think of Scotland as\u00a0my home, and I visit Edinburgh, my\u00a0city of birth, almost every month.\nThe work I do as a consultant means\u00a0that I travel a lot, internationally.\u00a0Almost every week I am travelling overseas,\u00a0and several times a year I find\u00a0myself in South East Europe.\nIt\u2019s always a pleasure to visit your region\u00a0and to see my friends there. That\u00a0way, I can combine business with fun.\u00a0I find that people in SEE really like to\u00a0work\u00a0hard and play hard!\n2.\u00a0You have 17 years of experience\u00a0of working with students. What is\u00a0the most valuable thing you have\u00a0learned from it and from them?\nThe most remarkable thing I have noticed,\u00a0when working with students, is\u00a0their incredible energy.\u00a0\nMen and women in their early 20s\u00a0are just beginning their professional\u00a0lives, and it\u2019s a source of great joy for\u00a0me to see their enthusiasm and determination\u00a0to succeed in the world\u00a0of work.\nTheir enthusiasm is very contagious,\u00a0and for professors it\u2019s impossible to\u00a0ignore the students\u2019 optimism and\u00a0energy. Professors have the important\u00a0role of developing their students\u2019\u00a0potential to learn and to use that knowledge\u00a0in their careers, and one of\u00a0the greatest pleasures of my working\u00a0life has been to see so many of my former\u00a0students creating successful careers\u00a0for themselves in the meetings\u00a0and events industry. That makes me\u00a0feel very happy indeed.\n\u00a03\n.\u00a0Your last book, called Winning Meetings\u00a0and Events for your Venue, was\u00a0written for sales people in venues.\u00a0What are the main issues you discuss\u00a0in it?\nWith my co-author Anthony Hyde,\u00a0we wanted to write a book for people\u00a0working in sales roles in any type of\u00a0venue, such as hotels or conference\u00a0centres. The book was published\u00a0in 2014, and it has been very successful.\nIt describes where and how\u00a0sales managers can find new clients\u00a0for their venue; how to negotiate with\u00a0potential clients; how to show the\u00a0venue to meeting planners in the\u00a0most effective way; how to create an\u00a0attractive website for the venue; how\u00a0to use the social media as a way of finding\u00a0new clients; and so on. The book\u00a0also discusses current trends in venue\u00a0design and management.\nThe book\u00a0offers many real-world examples of\u00a0how sales managers from countries\u00a0all over the world have used creative\u00a0and innovative ideas to win more\u00a0business for their venues.\n4.\u00a0You have been many times in the\u00a0SEE region as a speaker at various events.\u00a0How are conference topics and\u00a0questions from delegates different in\u00a0this region from those in other parts\u00a0of the world? Is it possible to point\u00a0this out?\nI am fascinated by the development\u00a0of the meetings and events industry\u00a0in the SEE region. My initial motivation\u00a0for visiting your region was because\u00a0some of my former students at the\u00a0universities where I worked in London\u00a0were from this region: people such as\u00a0Milan Culic from Serbia and Leonarda\u00a0Djinovic who is now Sales Manager at Regent Porto Montenegro.\nI was curious to visit these countries\u00a0and the others in this region, to see\u00a0how the meetings and events industry\u00a0was developing. Now whenever\u00a0I come to speak at conferences in the\u00a0SEE region, I always notice the similarities\u00a0between topics and questions\u00a0in your region and in others around\u00a0the world.\nFor example, MICE professionals\u00a0want to know how to win\u00a0more meetings, especially international\u00a0conferences. They want to know\u00a0about the latest trends and techniques\u00a0for connecting with meetings\u00a0planners, for example.\nThese are the\u00a0same topics that MICE professionals\u00a0in countries such as France, Germany\u00a0and the UK also want to discuss.\u00a0One difference, perhaps, is that MICE\u00a0professionals in SEE are sometimes\u00a0more concerned with the international\u00a0image of their countries \u2013 which\u00a0many people still remember from being in the news during the conflicts of\u00a0the 1990s.\nMy personal opinion is that by winning\u00a0international conferences, cities\u00a0in the SEE region can receive more\u00a0foreign visitors and show them how\u00a0hospitable and friendly the people\u00a0are here, and how the region has so\u00a0many beautiful, vibrant and most importantly,\u00a0safe destinations for business\u00a0events.\n5.\u00a0As we mentioned, this year you made\u00a0big step in your career and founded\u00a0MICE Knowledge. Can you tell us\u00a0something more about this?\nCertainly I can. In parallel with my\u00a0academic career, I have always been\u00a0involved in doing research for the\u00a0meetings and events industry \u2013 practical\u00a0research that MICE professionals\u00a0can use in their work. I was also\u00a0doing more and more consultancy \u2013\u00a0working for clients such as convention\u00a0bureaus, advising them on their\u00a0marketing strategy, for example.\nThese activities were growing so much\u00a0and taking up more and more of\u00a0my time, so I had to make a change\u00a0in my life, because it was becoming\u00a0increasingly difficult to combine my\u00a0work as a professor with my work as\u00a0a researcher and consultant.\nSo I left my job at the University of \u00a0Greenwich and created MICE Knowledge\u00a0so that I could focus entirely\u00a0on research and consultancy. It was a very difficult decision because the\u00a0University of Greenwich is a wonderful\u00a0place to teach and to study.\n\nBut I am still in touch with my colleagues\u00a0there. I still do some teaching \u2013\u00a0as a Visiting Professor in universities\u00a0in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.\u00a0I have also given lectures to\u00a0tourism students at the Faculty of Economics\u00a0at the University of Belgrade,\u00a0as well as at the University of Novi Sad\u00a0and TIMS. So I would say that I still\u00a0have one foot in the world of education\u00a0\u2013 and that\u2019s very important to me.\n6.\u00a0You have visited many convention\u00a0centers, exhibitions, conferences and\u00a0you find yourself almost every week\u00a0in some another country. As a world\u00a0traveler, what are the destinations\u00a0that remain to be checked?\nIt\u2019s a good question, because many\u00a0people are asking where the next exciting MICE destinations will be.\nI would say that sub-Saharan Africa\u00a0is a region to watch these days. The\u00a0economies of many of those countries\u00a0are growing fast. They are experiencing\u00a0increasing urbanization, and\u00a0they have young and dynamic populations.\nCountries such as Namibia\u00a0and Rwanda have enormous potential,\u00a0and they offer considerable novelty\u00a0value as destinations for business\u00a0events. Of course, right now, many\u00a0people are worried about the Ebola\u00a0virus, but that will be overcome and\u00a0sub-Saharan Africa will then continue\u00a0on its path towards progress.\n7.\u00a0To finish, can you give us your overall\u00a0opinion on trends in meetings industry\u00a0regarding South East Europe\u00a0region?\nI am very encouraged by what I see\u00a0whenever I visit this region, and the\u00a0main trend I see is towards growth in\u00a0demand for meetings here, as well as\u00a0growth in the supply of facilities and\u00a0services for meetings. You have some\u00a0world-class venues for business\u00a0events such as those belonging to\u00a0the Montenegro Stars Hotel Group, for example.\nYou have some dynamic\u00a0and innovative convention bureaus,\u00a0actively promoting your capital cities\u00a0as well as smaller destinations such as\u00a0Opatija. So the infrastructure for the\u00a0MICE market is developing fast.\nOf course, better air links with the key\u00a0markets in Western Europe and North\u00a0America would help a lot, and these\u00a0are growing all the time. All of this\u00a0investment in South East Europe\u2019s\u00a0infrastructure and marketing is obviously\u00a0working well.\nFor example, the latest International\u00a0Congress and Convention Association\u00a0(ICCA) ranking of the top countries\u00a0in the world for international conferences\u00a0indicate that Serbia has\u00a0gone from being last in SEE in 2007\u00a0to almost tying for first place in the\u00a0region with Croatia, both in terms of\u00a0the number of meetings and the number\u00a0of delegates. This is a clear sign\u00a0of progress. But in my opinion, the\u00a0SEE region\u2019s greatest asset are the\u00a0people working in our industry.\nI am convinced that it is their energy\u00a0and professionalism that will continue\u00a0to ensure the region\u2019s growth\u00a0and success in the international business\u00a0events market.\nThe post Rob Davidson – Success with deep MICE knowledge appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2015-03-12T13:27:28+01:00", "date_modified": "2017-03-22T12:36:08+01:00", "author": { "name": "Miona Milic", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/miona/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG-20240224-WA0003-e1728981138373.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/J7A11221.jpg", "tags": [ "knowledge", "meetings industry", "MICE", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/i-study-therefore-i-exist/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/i-study-therefore-i-exist/", "title": "I STUDY, THEREFORE I EXIST.", "content_html": "

\"KeepWe live in the time of digitalization and globalization. Everything, or almost everything can be found on the internet nowadays; via the mobile phone or the computer, we can read the news, pay for the parking, we can \u201cspend the time together\u201c through the social networks, we can purchase, share and access various contents, we can comment, criticize, praise; we have the possibility, although it is gradually becoming the necessity, to get informed about the current events from the most diverse fields of life. Whatever cannot be found on the web has neither happened nor does it exist. The technology is developing very rapidly, and it has become, whether we like it or not, the integral part of our everyday lives.

\n

All above mentioned results in the rapid share of information, and consequently, in the increase of scope and width of knowledge that we need to have in order to follow the trends, changes and events, and in order to stay in the course of events and to be competitive.

\n

The process of production, the system of services, the know-how, the \"Adultstrategy of sales, the medical approach and treatment methods, absolutely everything that might have been current and innovative some time ago, has now, perhaps, already become out of date.

\n

The success of the company is constructed by its employees. We have already heard that. On the other hand, working people can only be successful if they meet changes, as different to those that avoid changes or refuse to see them. \u201cOut of date\u201d is a description that could have been tolerated 10 or more years ago, but which is nowadays impermissible and equal to the statement \u201cI do not exist\u201d.

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Successful companies invest into knowledge and motivation of their employees, just like such employees, in order to become successful and needed, invest their time and efforts into expansion of their knowledge and personal development. Trainings, practical classes, and seminars are the integral part of their job.

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\"Never\u201cThere is always something new to learn. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. We should all pick up new skills, ideas, viewpoints and ways of working every day.\u201d Richard Branson

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The market is full of labour force with similar qualifications. Average people work within the patterns and within the established procedures. The difference is made by those that use their knowledge, abilities and information on their disposal to suggest the changes, new activities and who influence the improvement of the system they belong to.

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M.M.

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The post I STUDY, THEREFORE I EXIST. appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.

\n", "content_text": "We live in the time of digitalization and globalization. Everything, or almost everything can be found on the internet nowadays; via the mobile phone or the computer, we can read the news, pay for the parking, we can \u201cspend the time together\u201c through the social networks, we can purchase, share and access various contents, we can comment, criticize, praise; we have the possibility, although it is gradually becoming the necessity, to get informed about the current events from the most diverse fields of life. Whatever cannot be found on the web has neither happened nor does it exist. The technology is developing very rapidly, and it has become, whether we like it or not, the integral part of our everyday lives.\nAll above mentioned results in the rapid share of information, and consequently, in the increase of scope and width of knowledge that we need to have in order to follow the trends, changes and events, and in order to stay in the course of events and to be competitive.\nThe process of production, the system of services, the know-how, the strategy of sales, the medical approach and treatment methods, absolutely everything that might have been current and innovative some time ago, has now, perhaps, already become out of date.\nThe success of the company is constructed by its employees. We have already heard that. On the other hand, working people can only be successful if they meet changes, as different to those that avoid changes or refuse to see them. \u201cOut of date\u201d is a description that could have been tolerated 10 or more years ago, but which is nowadays impermissible and equal to the statement \u201cI do not exist\u201d.\nSuccessful companies invest into knowledge and motivation of their employees, just like such employees, in order to become successful and needed, invest their time and efforts into expansion of their knowledge and personal development. Trainings, practical classes, and seminars are the integral part of their job.\n\u201cThere is always something new to learn. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. We should all pick up new skills, ideas, viewpoints and ways of working every day.\u201d Richard Branson \nThe market is full of labour force with similar qualifications. Average people work within the patterns and within the established procedures. The difference is made by those that use their knowledge, abilities and information on their disposal to suggest the changes, new activities and who influence the improvement of the system they belong to.\nM.M.\nThe post I STUDY, THEREFORE I EXIST. appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2013-05-09T14:07:24+02:00", "date_modified": "2015-04-01T11:04:09+02:00", "author": { "name": "Miona Milic", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/miona/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG-20240224-WA0003-e1728981138373.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Adult-Online-Education.jpg", "tags": [ "change", "knowledge", "study", "Hot topics" ] } ] }