EMEC 2012 Budapest

24/01/2012 Landing place EMEC

EMEC

The European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) will be held in Budapest, Hungary from January 29-31, 2012. The theme of “Innovation. Re-imagined.” defines the 3 days of 28 sessions featuring speakers from 22 European countries.

Redesigned to deliver immediate returns for conference attendees, this year’s EMEC is different. With new meeting formats and educational opportunities, the 2012 EMEC goes far beyond simple lectures. In fact, many sessions will be condensed into video presentations so delegates don’t have to miss a thing!

Held at the Novotel Budapest Congress, the EMEC is held in a central European city for the first time this year. “Hungary is a European hub of innovation, so it’s especially appropriate that its capital is our host city for the 2012 conference,” says MPI President and CEO Bruce MacMillan.

Though many changes have been made in the program layout, one thing has remained the same. From last year’s conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, returns the Solution Room, where delegates can brainstorm ideas and share solutions to common challenges.

EMEC 2012 will be divided into 3 main categories: Educate, Exchange and Experience. Each is well-represented in the conference’s opening social event held at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts. Here attendees will experience the latest catering innovation of Molecular Mixology, thanks to Chef Christian Bitz. Later during the conference, the Danish Chef will lead his own session on the importance of food to meetings and their participants. Bitz has also created 4 unique coffee sessions for EMEC delegates to taste local, healthy food, around the themes of Vitality, Brain Food, Back to Nature, and Artisanal.

Much of EMEC’s heralded innovations will be found in the application of technology. New this year are the Smartphone and tablet EMEC applications, giving delegates the capacity to evaluate speakers and sessions on the spot! Delegates can send direct messages to other attendees and even to maintain a personal conference diary. All are encouraged to participate and experiment with their Smartphone or tablet during sessions like “The Revolution Starts Where?” and “Make Virtual Presentations Inspiring and Engaging”.

Flash Point is also making its EMEC début. This MPI program will allow attendees to dig deeper into a specific topic that is particularly interesting for them. Speakers are presented through the program in a showcase of presentations on subjects impacting the industry. The mobile elements and meeting design area experiences are formatted so attendees can experience what they are learning about simultaneously.

Meeting design is another crucial element of EMEC. The Future of Meetings Thought Leadership Initiative involves inspiring speakers,

sharing vital information about the MICE industry, based on global research. Additional sessions will educate delegates on innovative opportunities for their professional development. The Thought Leadership Initiative will incorporate Flash Point.

Thus, the theme of innovation fits EMEC 2012 appropriately. MacMillan agrees, noting that “Ubiquitous human connectivity is one of today’s most pervasive global trends. Applying innovation is the key to successfully managing that connectivity for our fast changing industry and crucial in helping planners and suppliers bring more value to their events.”

Find more innovative details at www.mpiweb.org/Events/EMEC2012!

C.MCMANEMY