Business tourism trade fairs: tools to be exploited

According to a 2005-2006 survey carried out by the Bedouk Meetings & Events Media-Coach Omnium business tourism observatory, 8 % of professionals go to specialist trade fairs to find meeting venues. That's both a lot and a little. At least that's the main motivation for Laurent Bellini, Client Director at ICS Conseils, who spends a quarter of his working time looking for new venues. "Trade fairs are an integral part of my work. So I regularly go to Imex in Frankfurt, EIBTM in Barcelona and Bedouk MC & IT in Paris. Bedouk MC & IT has the advantage of concentrating in one place, right in the centre of the capital, a wide range of opportunities available in France, and even abroad."

Eva Kammermann, Events Manager at Alice Evénements, also appreciates the event's geographical location. "In half a day, we can visit all the stands that interest us: it's quick and practical! In the same way, we regularly go to the Heavent show at the Longchamp racecourse in Paris. It's a great opportunity to pick up some original ideas. Bedouk MC & IT is more about taking stock of what's on offer in the hotel industry. At Connect Factory, Pierre-Cyril Dugast, associate director and head of sales and marketing, has a more nuanced view: "Apart from Bedouk MC & IT, I rarely go to trade fairs. Both because of a lack of time and because I prefer to meet service providers directly at my agency. That doesn't stop Pierre-Cyril Dugast moderating: "I have two exceptions to this rule: ILTM in Cannes and Destev, which took place in Morocco in 2006. And why is that? Because these events function like workshops: visitors make appointments with exhibitors and are obliged to keep them, otherwise... the following year they are persona no grata. Conclusion: these meetings generate business". And with good reason.

Personalised appointments

"Everything is being done to achieve this. At least, that's what Hayet Zinedine, Project Director of Destev 2007, says. "These meetings are organised in advance and always take place in a convivial setting: hotel rooms converted into offices. The principle is as follows: market players meet, by appointment only, with principals who want to meet them or who they themselves want to get to know. In both cases, the participants must agree on the substance of the meeting and plan it in advance. At the same time, the guests have the opportunity to talk during informal meetings, lunches for example, with exhibitors not included in the schedule". On both sides, the conversations are motivated and targeted. As a result, they generate productive spin-offs.

It's the same principle that attracts Coralie de la Martinière, development assistant at Denis & Co, to workshops and personal meetings. "We never go to trade fairs. Instead, we meet with service providers regularly to keep abreast of the latest developments. This approach is an integral part of our business". However, Coralie de la Martinière does make regular visits to Top Résa, which takes place every year at the end of September in Deauville, "because it's the biggest tourism trade show in France!"

Laurent Bellini also visits the show "much more to keep abreast of emerging trends in the countries concerned than to do business", he explains. Pierre-Cyril Dugast gives the same reason: "Every two years I go to Top Résa for social reasons. I meet up with friends and colleagues, keep abreast of what's going on in the industry and what the trends are, and discover, rediscover, confirm or refute the zeitgeist...".

Nearly 400 stands representing some 1,370 brands, 16,000 visitors including 47 % from the Paris region... it's true that Top Résa is by far the biggest tourism trade show in France. "We try to support a profession, to present what you won't find anywhere else, to help you acquire knowledge, particularly through training courses", says Joël Gangnery, the show's general manager, who continues: "We provide visitors with a range of tools to help them prepare for their visit. This year, for example, we are offering themed itineraries, a direct connection with an exhibitor via our website, etc. Because a good trade show must look to the future, justify to exhibitors and guests the profitability of their visit and, lastly, be as comprehensive as possible in terms of what it has to offer, but also in terms of ancillary services: conferences, round tables, etc."

Benoît Rosenthal, Managing Director of the Bedouk Group, also believes that a trade show should be more than just a stand. "It's not enough to be a showcase. It's vital to go further, to offer ancillary services to the entire industry. Visitors to Bedouk MC & IT need to be able to find out more, get training and exchange ideas. Hence the round tables, debates, training workshops, etc. For 2007, an educational and social programme is currently being studied. But that's not all. To cope with its expansion and give itself the means to become the benchmark trade show for the French market, the 2007 edition of Bedouk MC & IT will no longer take place at the Carrousel du Louvre, but should be held at the Porte de Versailles. Not everyone is happy about this change of location. Cyril Wigniolle, Sales Director at the Creativ agency, remains sceptical: "We've been exhibiting at this show for two years. One of its strengths is its central location. But I'm afraid that visitors will be put off by the Porte de Versailles. Precisely because of the problems of eccentricity and therefore of access."

Return on investment

Denis Sappey, International Hotel Sales Director at Accor, a group which exhibits at several specialist shows including Bedouk MC & IT, is more pragmatic: "As an exhibitor, we have three objectives: to assert the strength of our brands, build relationships with our customers and present our professional solutions. We select our exhibitors according to qualitative and quantitative criteria. We have therefore decided not to exhibit at ITME in Chicago.

Every year, Adeline Margerand, Marketing Manager at Bateaux Parisiens, who plans the national and international trade shows at which her company will open a stand, proceeds differently: "In France, we are present at Top Résa, Bedouk MC &IT and Heavent, at Longchamp. Abroad, we are exhibiting at EIBTM in Barcelona, WTM in London and Travel Market in Dubai. For the latter, our choice was dictated by the desire to prospect an emerging market. The other events are more to do with customer relations, or even finding new prospects, as is the case with Bedouk, where we are raising awareness among companies."

Participation comes at a cost: between 20,000 and 25,000 euros for Bateaux Parisiens. Hence the importance of being well prepared and analysing the return on investment, as Linda Sangaret, Director of the South African Tourist Office in Paris, explains: "Beforehand, we draw up a list of events and select them on the basis of market studies evaluating, among other things, the number of international visitors and exhibitors and the relevance of the show's geographical location. We then measure the impact in terms of recognition of our country as a business destination, based on data provided by our local service providers and visitors who contact us directly.

On the other hand, the Cypriot Tourist Office in Paris only exhibits at Top Résa, as confirmed by its director, Dimitri Demetriou: "Cypriot professionals are used to going there. We have to be there! As far as the more specialised trade shows are concerned, we only go to EIBTM in Barcelona. The reason given? Lack of time, and also because every two years the Cyprus Tourist Office organises a workshop for French business tourism professionals. "This module has a big advantage over a trade show: the Cypriot professionals present and the French participants are motivated. As a result, the spin-offs are excellent", concludes Dimitri Demetriou. Sometimes the simplest things...