SELECTING A DESTINATION FROM THE BUYERS PERSPECTIVE: FINE-TUNING - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SELECTING A DESTINATION

FROM THE BUYER‟S PERSPECTIVE: FINE-TUNING THE SELECTION

Richard Holmes International Director of Meetings

International Bureau for Epilepsy International League against Epilepsy

• International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE)
• Lay Organisation
• Global network of Epilepsy Associations and Organisations
• International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)
• Medical Organisation
• Network of National Chapters around the world

Prevalance studies estimate the following number of people with epilepsy:

World: 50 million SEAR: 15 million Thailand: 876,000 (total population 67 million)

• Only 20% of all patients with epilepsy in South East

Asia receive appropriate treatment.

• People in rural areas of South East Asia, including

Thailand, often seek treatment from faith healers instead of going to a medical doctor.

• In rural Thailand, more than 40% of people with

epilepsy are not compliant with prescribed medication due to perceptions and pooor accessibility of treatment.

Epilepsy Congresses

• International Epilepsy Congress
• Every 2 years in uneven years
• Attendance 3,000 – 4,000 depending on

location

• The next opening is in 2019
• Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congress
• Attendance 1,500 – 2,500
• The next opening is in 2018

Other Regional Epilepsy Congresses

• European Congress on Epileptology
• Every 2 years in even years
• Attendance 3,000 – 3,500
• Latin American Epilepsy Congress
• Attendance 800 – 1,200
• East Mediterranean Epilepsy Congress
• Attendance 400
• African Epilepsy Congress
• Attendance 400

THE INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS MARKETPLACE

There are buyers and sellers...

SELLERS

Tourist Boards Convention Bureaux Convention Centres Hotels with meetings space Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) Destination Management Companies (DMCs) Associated Management Companies (AMCs) Travel Agencies

BUYERS

Corporate Sector Government Meetings Trade Associations Medical Meetings Arts/Culture/Heritage World bodies such as the UN and WHO

WHAT ARE THE MARKETING TOOLS USED BY SELLERS?

• Ambassador Programmes (Advocates)
• Client Advisory Board (CAB)
• Trade Shows
• ITCMA – Bangkok
• IBTM – Barcelona
• IMEX – Frankfurt
• AMEX – Las Vegas
• Others - China, Australia, Singapore, London
• ICCA Client Workshops
• ICCA database

25,000 MEETINGS WORLDWIDE, RANGING FROM 100 – 30,000 DELEGATES

International Medical Congresses

Trade Exhibitions Govt. Meetings Corporate Sector

Fine-Tuning the Selection Procedure

• Many associations will have their own selection

criteria, some of these are as follows...

• 1. Issue an invitation to all local chapters

worldwide or, in the case of a regional congress, to associations in the region to submit a bid.

LOCAL COMMITTEE

LOCAL PCO

CONVENTION BUREAU

PR Agencies

Office Supplies Entertainment Hostess Co.

HOTELS - TOURS

Retailers Airlines Florists Restaurants INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

SCIENTIFIC ORGANISATION COMITEE

Office Supplies

DELEGATE SPONSORS

Printers Airlines Designers Web Site Co. Software Co.

CONGRESS CENTRE

Audio-visual

Signage Co. Designers Printers

Exhibition Catering

THE CONGRESS MARKET PLACE

• 2. The Core PCO will prepare a short

list of destinations for the consideration of the Board.

THE CONGRESS MARKET PLACE

PR Agencies Office Supplies Entertainment Hostess Co. Retailers Airlines Florists Restaurants

HOTELS - TOURS

LOCAL PCO CORE PCO

CONVENTION BUREAU INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE DELEGATE SPONSORS

Printers Airlines Designers Web Site Co. Software Co.

CONGRESS CENTRE

Audio-visual

Signage Co. Designers Printers

Exhibition Catering

SCIENTIFIC ORGANISATION COMITEE LOCAL COMMITTEE

• 3. International Association In-House

Congress Secretariat

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

INHOUSE CONGRESS STAFF

THE CONGRESS MARKET PLACE

CONVENTION BUREAU

SCIENTIFIC ORGANISATION COMMITEE

DELEGATE SPONSORS

Printers Airlines Designers Web Site Co. Software Co.

LOCAL COMMITTEE

PR Agencies Office Supplies Entertainment Hostess Co. Retailers Airlines Florists Restaurants

HOTEL - TOURS

LOCAL PCO

CONGRESS CENTRE

Audio-visual

Signage Co. Designers Printers

Exhibition Catering

THE CONGRESS MARKET PLACE 1 3 2

Associations and Conference Forum - AC FORUM

• AC Forum meets twice a year
• Over 25 member associations around the world with offices in

Europe

• To share information on experiences in different
• Locations,
• logistics,
• suppliers,
• congress facilities
• To offer advice on a whole range of issues concerning association

conference organisers throughout Europe

• To improve the standards and facilities of International Meetings

for both delegates and organisations

AC FORUM Meets

• General Assembly
• Congress Reports
• New Members
• Keynote Speaker
• Workshops
• VAT
• Security
• Pharmaceutical Code
• Social Media
• Registration System
• Insurance

AC FORUM – full list of members

International Members

 Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique

(FIP)

 International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE)  International AIDS Society (IAS)  International Council of Nurses (ICN)  International Diabetes Federation (IDF)  International Society of Nephrology (ISN)  World Confederation for Physical Therapy

(WCPT)

 World Dental Federation (FDI)  World Heart Federation (WHF) European Members

 Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society

• f Europe (CIRSE)

 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

(EADV)

 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery

(EACTS)

 European Association for the Study of the Liver

(EASL)

 European Crohn‟s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO

IBD)

 European Federation of National Associations of

Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT)

 European Respiratory Society (ERS)  European Resuscitation Council (ERC)  European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT)  European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology

(ESTRO)

 European Society of Anaesthesiology a.i.s.b.l. (ESA)  European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons

(ESCRS)

 European Society of Human Reproduction and

Embryology (ESHRE)

 European Association for the Study of Diabetes

(EASD)

 European College of Neuropsychopharmacology

(ECNP)

 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)  European Society of Cardiology (ESC)  European Society of Radiology (ESR)  The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)  the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO)

Choosing a destination: The Selection Procedure

• The selection criteria can be a lengthy process

and can take up to 5 years before the decision is made.

Selection Procedure

• Invitation sent
• Expression of interest only
• Preliminary enquiries made
• 2 to 3 to be short listed as potential candidates
• A site inspection is undertaken of the shortlisted countries
• Selection narrowed down to 1st and 2nd choice. Once

review is complete, committee makes final decision on location for next congress.

• People
• Venue
• Safety
• Cost

Choosing a destination

SELECTING THE CITY

• Attractiveness or “pull” of the city for delegates
• Cultural aspects
• Association anniversary, for example;
• Budapest 1909 – 2009 ILAE
• Rome 1961 – 2011 IBE
• Strength of the local committee
• Is there a „Centre of Excellence‟ or important opinion leaders in

the city or country?

• Is there a lack of development in the field in this particular

region? – This can be an important criterion to some associations

SELECTING THE CITY

• The level of city support
• Feedback and reports from AC Forum members
• Visas
• Customs Clearance (for congress materials)
• Security
• Perception
• Hotel availability and rates

NEXT STEPS…

• STEP 1:
• Arrange site visit through
• (a) Convention Bureau or (b) alone
• STEP 2:
• Meet with Convention Bureau
• STEP 3:
• (a) Visit Convention Centre and (b) visit three 3 / 4 star hotels

Meeting with The Convention Bureau

• Does the City have a Convention Bureau?
• What is the strength of the Convention Bureau?
• Do they have a marketing budget for congresses?
• Is it a commercial partnership?
• Is it entirely funded by the government or is it a

public/private arrangement?

Meeting with the Convention Bureau

Will they:

• Sponsor the 1st meeting of the International Organising

Committee, travel, accommodation, meeting rooms, meals during their stay?

• Sponsor opening ceremony & reception?
• Arrange complimentary travel passes for delegates on

public transport?

• Provide passes to visitor attractions?
• Sponsor Key Note Speaker‟s travel costs?
• Provide marketing & promotional budget?

• Purpose Built Congress Centre
• Wi-fi
• In-House facilities for shipments
• In-House Security
• Access Issues
• Distance from the airport, city centre and main congress hotels
• Public transport access and traffic
• Access to detailed information early
• Detailed costs – in advance

SELECTING THE VENUE

• Optimal Dates
• Good Signage
• Good Floor Plans
• Number of Breakout rooms &

size

• Exhibition space & poster area
• Catering

SELECTING THE VENUE

Setting Costs

International organisers need to:

• Prepare budgets
• Some hotels in major cities are not prepared to give

rates

• If centre or hotels are not prepared to do this then we

consult with Convention Bureau.

• If they are unable to help then we recommend to our

Board that the location be removed from the shortlist

Appointing a Local Agency

• DMC/PCO
• Accommodation
• Social Events
• Tours
• Transport
• Hostesses
• Local requirements, e.g.

Printing, florists, restaurants

Dealing with an Agency

• Shared commission
• X amount of complimentary hotel

rooms for speakers, committee and staff

THE CONTRACT

• Once final decision is made by the Board, a contract

needs to be drawn up

• Many congress centres usually produce their standard

contract agreement

• If I am not happy with the contract I DO NOT SIGN IT
• I should be able to make changes and cross out the items

I am not happy with and add the items I want included

• We always engage a local lawyer experienced in contract

law to advise on the agreement

• No matter how well organised a congress

is it will not be a success without delegates

• This is why good communications and a

strong promotional plan are vital to the success of a congress

Who are the people who come to our congress?

• 1. Epileptologists
• 2. Neurologists
• 3. Neuro-surgeons
• 4. Neuro-psychiatrists
• 5. Neuro-psychologists
• 6. Physiologists
• 7. Social workers
• 8. Nurses
• 9. Medical students

Who pays for delegates coming to our congress?

• Until recently, up to 70% of delegates

were sponsored by a pharmaceutical company

• At the past two congresses, only 25% of

delegates were sponsored

• The remaining 75% paid themselves

Why is this and what has changed?

Rules governing Pharmaceutical participation in congresses and the effect on venue selection

Regulatory Bodies

• Industry regulatory bodies with codes of practice – for example:
• International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

& Associations (IFPMA)

• European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and

Associations (EFPIA)

• Eucomed (for the device industry)
• National associations, e.g. Pharmaceutical Research and

Manufacturers Association (PReMA) in Thailand

• Legislation – e.g. US Sunshine Act, UK Bribery Act, French

Transparency Law

“Host & Home” Rule

• The “host and home” rule applies when companies

participate in a congress – they take the strictest regulation of their home country, of the home country of their HQ, of the country where the congress takes place, and of the home country of a sponsored delegate if relevant, plus any overall regional or international regulations

Venues & Hospitality

• All codes of practice and relevant laws state that events must

be held in an appropriate venue

• Venues must not be renowned or extravagant. No beach

resorts in summer or ski resorts in winter!

• Luxury or 5* hotels are considered as extravagant, and so are
• ff-limits
• Refreshments and/or meals can only be provided if they are

moderate and reasonable as judged by local standards

• No entertainment or other leisure or social activities may be

provided or paid for by companies

Congress Vetting Systems

• EFPIA has e4ethics (www.efpia-e4ethics.eu), a pre-assessment of

events with regard to the EFPIA HCP Code

• Conclusions of the pre-assessment are posted on the e4ethics

website, with colour coding

• Anything other than a green rated congress would not be an option

for EFPIA members

• Eucomed has EthicalMedTech (www.ethicalmedtech.eu), which

reviews the compliance of educational conferences with the Eucomed Code of Ethical Business Practice

• Conclusions of the pre-assessment are posted on the

EthicalMedTech website

• Congresses are judged either compliant or not and members may not

participate in a congress which is found to be not compliant.

Disclosure Codes

• EFPIA HCP/HCO Disclosure Code (2014) requires disclosure of

transfers of value from pharmaceutical companies to healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations

• Each member company must document and publicly disclose

transfers of value it makes, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of a HCP or HCO

• For congresses, this means disclosing on the company website

contributions to costs related to the congress, such as registration fees, sponsorship agreements, and travel & accommodation

• French Transparency law already requires French companies to

disclose this information publicly

Effect on Congresses

• Companies err on the side of caution and if in doubt, will not take a

risk, as the stakes are too high for them

• Companies report each other to the authorities, delegates report

companies, and in the worst case scenarios, companies can be charged under national laws for bribery

• Even if a company overcomes a complaint or court case, the

damage to their reputation is considerable.

• Associations wishing their congresses to be judged as compliant

may not promote or advertise elements of a congress such as accompanying person programmes, tours, congress dinners, etc.

• Congress venues are closely scrutinised and venues must be

carefully selected to comply with the criteria

Pharmaceutical Companies

• No Holiday resorts
• No 5 star hotels
• Social Events?
• No partner support

CHOOSING A DESTINATION:

WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS TO A HOST CITY?

VIENNA – AUSTRIA 2003: THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ESC CONGRESS University of Economics and Business Administration

Objectives of the Study

• Assess the economic and fiscal effects by large

congresses on a city like Vienna - Austria

Economic and Fiscal Effects

• 70 million (m) euros
• € 80,6 m contribution to GDP
• € 21,8 m taxes
• Of which € 4,1 m for the city of Vienna

Basis: 27,500

Video: 10th AOEC Singapore 2014

• What steps can be taken by Thailand to

sharpen the bidding process?

• Which cities are attracting the numbers?

Source: ICCA , 2014

Source: ICCA , 2014

Source: ICCA , 2014

THE MARKETING PROGRAMME

• Ambassador Programmes (Advocates)
• Is he/she known to the board?
• Is he/she an international opinion-leader &

speaker?

• Do they attend the annual meetings?
• Are they enthusiastic, over-enthusiastic or

inactive?

• Client Advisory Board (CAB)
• Made up of previous clients & potential

future clients, as well as local opinion leaders or ambassadors

THE MARKETING PROGRAMME

• Trade Shows
• Research: check the clients‟ requirements

before meeting them

• Ask them for a “wish list” in advance
• ICCA Client Workshops
• ICCA database
• Marketing Consultants
• Hosting Site Inspections
• Hosting “FAM Trips”

• Some associations include cities which have lost
• ut in the next short list
• Government support
• Utilise ambassadors and CAB in highlighting the

relevant health issues within the region

• Emotional appeals by individuals

Some additional factors that can influence a successful “Bid”

Thank You!