Published by Neil ThompsonAhead of the show, we caught up with Jack Marczewski - Event Director of The Meetings Show to see how the last minute arrangements are going before their 10th anniversary show
Q. So Jack, we are nearly here now. How are all the arrangements going for your 10th anniversary show?
Jack: Everything is coming together nicely. The event app has been live for several weeks, thousands of appointments have already been made, and we are seeing a real buzz building on social media.
We’re really looking forward to bringing the meetings and events community back together again for our landmark 10th edition. There is a genuine excitement among our team, who cannot wait to get on site and start the build, and the wider meetings and events community who are eager to get back to business.
After two years in limbo, our industry is ready to move forward, and this year's programme of content has been designed to reflect just that. We have a stellar list of industry experts lined up to cover wide-ranging, thought-provoking topics such as the metaverse, diversity, what hybrid has taught us, greenwashing and more.
Q. Back at ExCeL again this year. How’s that transition been? It looks fantastic to me…
Jack: Relocating the show to ExCeL London in 2021 put it in the heart of an area which is undergoing exciting regeneration and growth.
Already widely accessible to UK and international event professionals, thanks to its proximity to London City Airport and excellent connections via the Jubilee Line and the DLR, ExCeL is now even easier to get to thanks to the opening of the new Elizabeth Line last month.
It really is a game changer for The Meetings Show, and the wider events industry, cutting journey times by up to two-thirds. Our exhibitors and visitors can get to the venue in just 12 minutes from central London, while door-to-door from Heathrow Airport is around 43 minutes.
The team at ExCeL London are fantastic to work with, and our new home gives us plenty of room to grow the show in future.
Q. So what’s new for 22? Any highlights we should be looking out for
Jack: As it’s our 10th edition, we have a few celebrations and surprises up our sleeves. We are hosting a special drinks reception at the end of day one, sponsored by VisitNorway, giving visitors the opportunity to unwind after a busy day on the show floor with some well-earned drinks and network, whilst DJ 'Foxy Arve' takes to the decks.
We are excited to be showcasing several new initiatives to support new talent at this year’s show, including The Meetings Show Next Generation in collaboration with Event First Steps. This will see students invited to spend an afternoon at the show on Thursday 30 June, offering them the opportunity to meet with exhibitors, attend a curated panel session, and join the Event First Steps post-show networking event.
The Meetings Show has also pledged to support the REACH Events Scholarship programme, launched in 2021 to increase diversity in the Events, MICE & Hospitality sectors, and we’re hosting an event at 4.30pm on Wednesday 29 June to help promote the initiative and encourage support across the wider industry.
We haven’t been able to hold fam trips for hosted buyers for the past two years due to numerous restrictions, so it’s exciting to see these return. We’ve got fam trips to Norton Park Hotel & Spa, Cardiff, Bristol & Bath and Chantilly, France organised.
Q. Are you expecting growth on last year’s event, when we were coming straight out of the pandemic.
Jack: We have experienced fantastic growth compared to 2021. This year’s show is twice the size of last year’s, with a 92% increase in visitor buyer and 100% increase in hosted buyer registrations, and more than 500 suppliers signed up to exhibit.
We’re thrilled to see the return of our international exhibitors, many of whom were unable to make it last year for obvious reasons. From Aberdeen to Abu Dhabi, and Zurich to Zimbabwe, our exhibitor list really does span the entire globe.
Portugal will have its biggest ever presence at this year’s show, with 17 companies participating inside the Portuguese Pavilion, while Estonia Convention Bureau, Visit Norway, Destination Toronto, Singapore Tourism and Melbourne Convention Bureau are among the many international destinations exhibiting, alongside suppliers from across the UK.
The Meetings Show always attracts a high calibre of hosted buyers and this year is no exception, with planners from some of the world’s biggest businesses and organisations including Ericsson, BCD Meetings & Events, Ashfield Event Experiences, Capgemini, MCI, First Event, Alzheimer’s Society and NHS Federation, signed up to attend as part of the hosted buyer programme.
Q. So what’s the point that you’ll look at the show and take it all in and think, yep, we did that…
Jack: From past experience it’s not until the show closes on the second day. We all work in events, often the adrenaline of being on site doesn't give you much of a chance to take in what the team has achieved, and the show is over before you realise. However, with the short time we have managed to pull this together since our last show, hopefully midway through the first day I will look at all of the stands and the meetings taking place, and feel some pride wash over.
If you haven't already got your ticket for The Meetings Show, you can register HERE
