AIME 2024 WELCOME EVENT REVEALED The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has today revealed the theme and location for its 2024 Welcome Event on Monday 19 February: AIME Neon Carnival at Grazeland. Grazeland is an outdoor foodie playground that showcases the very best of Melbourne’s deliciously diverse food and drink scene. With an extensive array of bars and food stalls featuring the flavours of Melbourne’s multicultural population, for one night only this dining destination will be transformed into a neon playground exclusively for AIME Welcome Event attendees. The highly-anticipated event marks the opening of the leading business events tradeshow in the Asia Pacific region, and will be attended by more than 1600 guests including Hosted Buyers, Exhibitors, Media Partners, VIPs. Visitor Buyers may also attend by upgrading their ticket. AIME Event Director Silke Calder says she is thrilled to be able to reveal the event location and theme ahead of time for the tradeshow’s 31st year. “Let us inspire you! We are so excited to offer this colourful foodie haven for the business events industry to network, dance and have fun. Embrace the different, feel uplifted and find your event inspiration at AIME’s Neon Carnival. “While we are keeping some details under wraps, I can guarantee there will be food, drinks, dancing and a few surprises for those who stay till the end. Watch this space!” Grazeland Director John Forman says the way food brings people together can be a powerful networking or team-building tool. “Food is at the heart of so many cultures, which is why food-driven events are the perfect setting for building connections while having fun. Grazeland’s multitude of stalls means we can customise menus for all needs, so every function can be as unique as this one. I cannot wait for AIME delegates to sink their teeth into the Grazeland experience this February.” The theme AIME Neon Carnival was inspired by event producers Cirkus Bizurkus and its Creative Director Fernando Barraza and marks the entertainment agency’s Melbourne event debut. “With a focus on interactive live entertainment, clever cool food and out of the box drinks, I am sure attendees will be inspired and uplifted at AIME’s very own Neon Carnival Extravaganza,” Barraza says. “Have your camera handy and put on your dancing shoes – our musical acts will feature a world-first performance and sounds that will get you on your feet. This is a Welcome Event full of vibrant characters and photo moments, but most of all, fun.” AIME 2024 will run 19 – 21 February, 2024 at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the Welcome Event at Grazeland taking place on Monday 19 February from 7pm to 10pm. For more information, or to register to attend AIME and the Welcome Event visit aime.com.au. Originally published by AIME News, Press Release on 6 February 2024
Want evidence that Victoria’s annual Digital Innovation Festival has impact? Take Colac’s use of QR codes to net the Chinese tourist dollar on the Great Ocean Road. by Georgina Jerums | 17 Sep 2019 In the next decade, the number of Chinese tourists holidaying in Victoria is set to surge, bringing financial windfall with it. By 2027, it’s expected that Chinese tourism will funnel $7 billion into our state. Provided relevant digital marketing is put in place, that is. To win over Chinese tourists, Victorian retail, hospitality, accommodation, food, services and tourism need to have communication in place to which Chinese tourists can relate, such as QR code technology. Abbreviated from ‘Quick Response’ code, users scan a readable label, or code, on their mobile device to download information about a business in their language of choice. While not in widespread use in Australia, QR codes are commonplace and instantly-recognisable via WeChat and other social media sites in China, home to 1.4 billion people. Colac – with a population of 12,000 people about 150 kilometres from Melbourne – fully understands that tech trend. Getting on the QR code bandwagon to woo Chinese tourists is proving a business win for the town, which greets 2000 Chinese tourists heading to and from our world-famous Great Ocean Road each week. In February, just before the Chinese New Year, Colac introduced regional Victoria’s first-ever QR code technology at 22 of its tourism businesses, with QR stickers advertising goods and services in Mandarin Chinese on their storefronts. Those participating have reported up to a 15 per cent increase in the number of Chinese customers visiting their businesses since February. "With the QR code, you’re demonstrating to Chinese customers that you welcome them into your store with open arms," says Colac Chamber of Commerce CEO, Mark Sherry. "They can scan your unique QR code that directs them to your online business profile in both Mandarin and English. Alternatively, international tourists can access without the need to scan by visiting www.gdayfriends.com – they’ll find a map of where they’re visiting and can zoom in to find Chinese-friendly businesses that have done Chinese customer success training (for example, a counter card of Chinese phrases for staff) and who welcome their custom. This map is accessible in China before people visit Australia." Branded as G’Day Friends, the rollout comes after the Colac Chamber of Commerce held a session for Colac and surrounding regions at the state-wide 2018 Digital Innovation Festival (DIF), to show how local tourism companies could benefit from mobile technologies to enhance the Chinese visitor experience. "We recognised the potential, and that’s why we hosted the DIF workshop," says Mark. "The QR code is an accessible, easy-to-use, modern approach via a digital medium to engage a growing demographic: the Chinese tourist influx. The new Chinese tourist wave is one of the fastest-growing business opportunities Australia has seen, presenting huge opportunities to engage. G’Day Friends is accessible to all businesses who want to capitalise on the steady stream of Chinese tourists travelling through, or staying in, their community." Even so, there’s still a fair way to go to get the message out. "There’s currently less than a handful of regional places who have adopted the QR code promotion: it’s in its infancy," says Mark. "Colac Chamber, however, recognises the potential for the future and we were determined to get on board at ground level. Being a forerunner, it does take time before such innovation catches on, however we continue to slowly build it towards something significant into the future." While feedback from Chinese tourists is minimal due to the language barrier, Mark says tutorial videos provided to retailers by G’Day Friends – focusing on basic Chinese language to engage customers – are slowly helping to change that. “This has been most informative but mispronunciations or accents can lead to humorous interactions helping to break the ice between cultures, which is important and very much part of the aim of productive interactions.” Steps to scanning a QR code.For regional business owners who are serious about capitalising on the growing Chinese customer market, Mark offers up the following: "I’d encourage regional business owners to get on board as, like anything in business, it’s all about involvement. The more who become involved, the greater the potency of engagement and marketing." Evidence of that potency is seen in the fact that G’day Friends has been implemented in hospitality and retail businesses in the Southbank precinct and at Melbourne Airport. It has also been working with Life Saving Victoria, as well as local governments in Geelong, the Surf Coast Shire, Colac and the Otway Shire to promote water safety though the technology. Such a strong preliminary track record paves the way for even bigger QR code collaborations down the line. This year’s Digital Innovation Festival finished on 6 September. Watch our video from one of the events.