IncentiveWorks hosts 26th annual show

The IncentiveWorks trade show and conference wraps up today at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, following two days of meetings, workshops led by industry experts, and networking on the trade show floor.

Now in its 26th year, the show presented travel professionals in the meetings and incentives industry with the opportunity to build contacts, liaise with suppliers and hone their ability to plan meetings, conferences and events.

The event was headlined by keynote speakers Michele Romanow, co-founder, ClearBanc and Seth Mattison of Management Renegade, with attendees also taking part in a range of conference sessions, learning lounges and workshops.

Topics ranged from ways to improve presentation skills, to the impact of global events on the travel industry, to a host of tips and techniques for improving event planning.

Some of the entertainment on dispay at the IncentiveWorks trade show.

‘See the world’

Melissa Arnott, show manager, IncentiveWorks, told PAX that over 750 different destinations and suppliers were represented by 375 booths over the course of the two days – with Canadian destinations out in full force for the country’s 150th anniversary.

“Our show is jam-packed this year,” she commented. “Every year we have a really good showing of Canadian destinations, but this year I think it’s extra special, because of Canada 150. Montreal, for example, is a big footprint on the show floor, and there’s lots of fun and interactive booths.”

That’s not to say, though, that international destinations weren’t strongly represented. “You can come to the convention centre over these two days and see the world,” Arnott said. “You have everybody from Scotland, to Dubai, to Barbados, and Aruba and Mexico.

“There’s so many different options for people, whether they’re planning a corporate meeting, whether they’re planning a holiday for their company, or whether they’re doing some destination management.”

Mauro Giacobbe, representative, Italian National Tourist Board and Serena Zagni, Events & RFP Project Leader, Convention Bureau Italia.

View from the trade floor

The Italian National Tourist Board was attending IncentiveWorks for the first time in 2017, with Italy’s popularity as a MICE destination witnessing dramatic growth over the last several years.

Board representative Mauro Giacobbe said that the trade show presented a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the country’s suitability as a destination for meetings, conferences and events to a Canadian audience.

“For us, it’s a window to make the first steps,” he told PAX. “We will [make] the first contact [with travel professionals] and, after, forward to the Convention Bureau [in Italy]. For us, it’s an important sector.”

Convention Bureau Italia, Giacobbe added, was established two years ago as a response to the ever-increasing number of international MICE events taking place in Italy each year, with the office aiming to promote the country as a MICE destination and liaise with travel professionals considering Italy as a location for events.

The view of the trade show floor at this year's IncentiveWorks.

Value for attendees

For professionals in the MICE industry, Arnott said, the benefits of the show were clear.

“I think our education programme is really well-layered, and really robust,” she commented. “You can learn so many different things. In our learning lounges on the trade show floor, we have two learning lounges that have three sessions each day, and we also run [sessions] that are an hour long – sometimes two hours long.”

In addition to gaining valuable advice and insight into developing their skills, Arnott added, the show also allowed attendees to earn C.E. credits throughout the course of each day. “All of our sessions are C.E. credit approved,” she said, “no matter if they [meeting planners] go to the trade show floor and learn, or one of our session rooms, or our keynote speaker.”

IncentiveWorks finishes up for another year this evening, after a day of further education sessions and the trade show, with a closing party at the Globe and Mail Centre.