BSI Hive #2 May 2008 - The Tin

21
client zone
Buyer/sponsor 1-2-1’s have been a regular
feature of ITM conferences for many years,
with buyers’ free places dependent on attending
a fixed number of 15 minute meetings with
sponsors who have specifically requested to
meet with them. “We developed a meetings
diary function within IDM especially for this
event” explains Emma Wilson.
“This gave both buyers and sponsors separate
periods in which to request meetings from their
opposite numbers, which then allowed sponsors
who signed up after the 1-2-1’s diary went live
to request and make meetings too.” In all, over
1,228 1-2-1 meetings took place over a two
and a half hour period.
Linked to the free places for buyer delegates
was a free transport offer. Delegates had the
choice of traveling to Dublin by air or rail & ferry.
Juggling a limited number of flights & seats was
an unenviable task, whilst matching availability
with delegates’ airport and time preferences
was harder still. Around 80% of delegates took
advantage of the offer, with the association laying
on courtesy transport between Dublin Airport,
the venue and the five hotels on the official
accommodation programme.
Hotel Solutions
Emma Wilson: “As the ITM Conference has
grown, we’re no longer able to fit everyone into
one hotel. Our solution was to secure rates and
allocations at five different hotels, all of which
had to be managed to ensure that delegates
had no problems booking into and out of their
hotels. We also secured discounted rates at
each, and coordinated a daily shuttle bus service
to the main venue.”
In all, over 1,228 1-2-1
meetings took place over a
two and a half hour period
No conference is complete, however, without
a social programme to remember. The
ITM/Olive 360 o team came up with a day and
three nights of entertainment, each with a
distinct business purpose yet all designed to let
delegates have fun.
During the day before the conference started,
delegates were able to travel to Ireland early
to participate in a golf or gym, swim & spa day.
Those attending their first-ever Conference were
invited to a dedicated first timer reception at
Jameson’s’ Distillery. On the first night of the
conference, ITM staged the return of 90’s
daytime quiz ‘Going For Gold’; including original
host Henry Kelly, in which all 500 delegates
participated.