By Nicole Millman-Falk, CAE
Growing by expanding internationally is a strategy many associations follow. In fact, for the first time ever, more than 10,000 regularly occurring association events which rotate between at least three countries were identified by International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) members and ICCA’s in-house research team as having taken place during 2011.
Speaking on “Taking Your Meeting Program Global” (left to right), were: Francesco Leboffe, manager meetings conventions and exhibitions, Hong Kong Tourist Board; Stuart Ruff, CMP, director of meetings and events, Risk and Insurance Management Society; and Timothy McGuinness, staff vice president, global trade expositions, International Council of Shopping Centers.
But taking your association and meetings global means more than offering American programs and services abroad, advised Gregg Talley, FASAE, CAE, president & CEO, Talley Management Group, and moderator of a MeetNY panel on Taking Your Meeting Program Global. Presenters included: Stuart Ruff, CMP, director of meetings and events, Risk and Insurance Management Society; Francesco Leboffe, manager, meetings conventions and exhibitions, Hong Kong Tourist Board; and Timothy McGuinness, staff vice president, global trade expositions, International Council of Shopping Centers/ The program was one of two educational sessions presented at MeetNY.
The International Council of Shopping Centers has been involved internationally for the past 10 to 15 years, having remote offices in a number of overseas locations. “Going global was part of ICSC’s growth strategy,” said McGuinness. “It required a long-term plan with clear objectives and an understanding of the local markets we were looking at. To do this, we hired local people because they understand the local issues and the nuances of their marketplaces.”
McGuinness explained that one size does not fit all in the global market. “What we learned through growing pains was that we needed to customize our programs and services for the market that we are in. We are now partnering with other local associations and government agencies because they have strong ties with the local regions where we are expanding.”
Ruff agreed that expanding internationally means more than just holding an American meeting in an international location. “You need to tailor your offerings to each individual city,” he said. “Research is a key component to understanding local needs.”
“There are hundreds of local professionals and governmental agencies, not just in Hong Kong,” said Leboffe, “who are available to help organizations learn about the local issues, about the culture, and who can help U.S.-based organizations navigate the international arena. I’ve seen too many groups fail because they failed to understand the local culture.”
A full house packed the educational sessions at MeetNY. The educational component of the program was held at the offices of the New York Society of Security Analyists. In addition to working with a country’s local tourist board and your local hotel partners, Ruff suggested that foreign embassies can provide additional support. “Everything from contract language to marketing meetings to an international audience is different,” he said.
In addition to a question about negotiating years out when the international currency exchange rates may change, MeetNY attendees wanted to know about leveraging rates with airlines. “With the number of mergers and acquisitions in the airline industry, rates may not be as competitive, said Leboffe. Whether meeting nationally or internationally, he advised association meeting planners to provide airlines with their meeting travel histories and to consider leveraging shipping instead of passenger travel rates.
Said Susan Henning, sales manager, United Airlines, “Most major airlines have a discount of some variety for associations. The best model is where attendees can book themselves online. Unfortunately, because associations cannot guarantee that people will fly on one carrier or another, it is harder to negotiate beyond the standard discounts.”
The number one lesson before expanding internationally—do your homework.
Nicole Millman-Falk, CAE, is president of Millman-Falk Communications, LLC, and managing editor for NYSAE’s InView. She is also vice chair of the Awards Committee. She can be reached at 201-652-1687; mfc32@optonline.net; or millmanfalk@nysaenet.org.