By James Latham, The Iceberg
Originally published on 2 April 2020

Melbourne’s AIME (the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event), with its more than 2,500 visitors and 300 exhibitors on the showroom floor, was one of the last significant industry gatherings successfully delivered in February before the coronavirus pandemic shutdown large meetings across the globe.

The Iceberg partner’s buyers and exhibitors connected to conduct business at more than 10,000 meetings conducted over two days. Overall registrations were up 20 percent despite reduced levels of international travel due to the outbreak, on the back of Australia’s own national bushfire crisis.

After the country announced it was banning travel from mainland China with few exceptions, the show worked with its Chinese buyers to cancel bookings and re-set them for 2021. AIME reopened its hosted buyer list and with modest short-term effort secured some additional buyers. Communications went out to exhibitors, visitors and other stakeholders explaining what was happening. For ten days the situation was managed and calm restored.

“The beginning of 2020 has seen our industry faced with many challenges, both locally and abroad, however the community spirit imbued AIME 2020 and has never been stronger”, said Matt Pearce, CEO of Talk2 Media & Events.