VIEWS
We asked the leading industry experts for their thoughts on destination marketing and bidding
Q: What makes a successful destination marketing campaign?
First, we should talk about the clear positioning of the country on the map of the world event market. That is to create a strong brand message of the country integral with the brand visual identity. The communication should reveal and make clear all the key advantages regarding destination product and combine rational as well as emotional peculiarities. The destination should represent not only reliability, infrastructure and so on, but offer a unique experience and features of local “flavour”.
Q: What can your destination offer event organisers that other destinations cannot?
Being quite a new destination, we can offer a new experience to the participants of events. Russia is usually associated with two well-known capitals – Moscow and St. Petersburg. But there is a vast country behind which offers the scope and versatility of opportunities for holding MICE events. The diversity of regional peculiarities in the areas of industries, science specialization, infrastructural variety and local unique characteristics allow us to make a tailor-cut offer for any request for holding events.
Q: In your opinion, what makes a good convention bureau?
Good convention bureau plays the role of a mediator in the market. It provides support at all stages of organizing the event. The involved team is of great value. There are also such important issues as personal attitude and creative approach to the business. Open-mindedness and readiness to learn and to share experience at the same time.
Q: How do you prepare a successful bid?
Successful bid means finding a relevant event for the appropriate region, industry or scientific association. The coincidence of the goals of the local scientific community and the international association is a powerful driver for attracting events. The active position of the scientific and industrial communities and their diversity allow the country to form an image of a destination with high scientific and industry expertise, ready to accept events of various types.
Q: Who should be involved in the preparation of a successful bid?
Preparing a successful bid means active participation of all the parties involved. Local host involvement is a key success factor. Pro-active position of a local convention bureau and market players multiplies the chances for conquest winning. Being an association, we engage our members into the bidding processes, and it allows to reach desired results.
Q: Latest stories of success?
The Russian Convention Bureau was founded only a year ago. And I may rate our first year as a year of success. Besides all the organizational issues, we, along with our members, won 4 bids for hosting international events:
- GMIS 2019 (Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit) which will take place in Ekaterinburg in July this year
- IPHS 2020 (International Planning History Society Conference). The host city is Moscow.
- The Association of Space Explorers XXXIV Planetary Congress which is to be held in St. Petersburg in 2021.
- The 25th World Energy Congress that will take place in St. Petersburg in 2022.
Q: What always makes you smile?
The specificity of our work – numerous trips and meetings – involves seeing and communicating with different people, each with their own interests and life experience. But a smile is one of the results that arise in the process of communication. This is the tool that forms the positive energy and helps to work with the partners and the team.
