Euromic, a non-profit association of 52 DMCs, has revealed that it will launch a by-invitation-only client event in 2H2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“This inaugural event will invite around 80 MICE buyers from all over the world to meet our 52 member DMCs. It will be a two- or three-night event, and will be a substantial investment on our part. We are planning to hold such an event once every two years,” Huw Tuckett, executive director, Euromic, told TTGmice at a networking event in Singapore last week.
When asked what was unique about this event, given that buyers already have access to Euromic members at tradeshows, Tuckett opined: “The relationship between buyers and DMCs at tradeshows is just one route to market. There are multiple other routes to market, beyond 15-minute meetings at tradeshows. Nothing beats close contact, and a demonstration of our capabilities on the ground.”
Details have not been confirmed at press time, although Tuckett shared that the event will comprise a welcome event on the first evening, education opportunities, a meeting component, a gala dinner, as well as destination experiences.
“The plan is to break up the. buyers into smaller groups to experience what the destination has to offer, be it archery, whisky tasting, or even the Highland Games. This will not only allow buyers to experience Scotland, but also allow them to have fun, spend time with each other outside of the business environment, and build relationships that are beyond transactional,” he elaborated.
According to Rajeev Kohli, president of Euromic, and the joint managing director of India-based Creative Travel, members have been clamouring for such an event for a long time. Moreover, this self-organised event will allow Euromic to have “direct control on the quality and number of buyers” as compared to tradeshows.
Euromic also has a strong peer-to-peer mission, where all members consciously support each other by referring potential buyers, emphasised Rajeev.
Aside from this debut event, the rest of 2024 is shaping up to be quite “exciting”, shared Tuckett, with the opening of Euromic’s US office in 2023 taking up a bulk of the association’s attention in 1H2024. Plans are also afoot to open an office in Asia Pacific in 2024 or 2025, as the burgeoning region “cannot be ignored”.
