The Meetings Industry's national and international market is undoubtedly growing but first and foremost it is subject to a deep change- Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, Managing Director of AIM Congress and  Vice – President of IAPCO has described the main market transformations and its consequences for the role of PCOs within this new scenary.

"During the past years the congress markets of both the corporate and the association clients became more and more connected: nowadays the Scientific Associations pursue the same goals and guidelines as the corporations. Following their improved competence to value the services provided by PCOs, the associations are now considering the return on investment and the cost savings of their congresses and meetings."

The congress is not anymore the essential, but just a substantial component of the association's activities, which include a full range of services supplied to the members.

The most innovative PCOs have shifted their profile from simple "organizers" to Core PCOs or Association Management Companies in order to match this more comprehensive demand: as  overall business partners of the Associations they are managing the activities and projects of the customer, acting as strategic services providers, rather than suppliers of commodities …

Similarly, within the corporate market, the PCO is improving from supplier to "preferred vendor" and is assessed in terms of ROI : the client is considering not only the PCO's purchasing power, but also its potential to provide a professional advice that generates appeal, brand loyalty and company's image.

"The Associations and the companies require from the PCO a global approach and a local accomplishment that could highlight the added value of the chosen location. Nowadays the PCO must ensure the highest flexibility and a quick reactivity to changes: in brief the aptitude for innovation!"

Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno has then outlined the development of the PCO's innovation process, following the AIM Group footsteps :

"We started as an "accidental innovator" and afterwards "reactive innovator", obliged to face the competition. In the following years we developed new services and new markets and became an "active innovator". 

The next step, "strategic innovator", has been achieved thanks to a consistent market analysis and to the involvement of strategic partners.

Finally, after a large investment and an overall internal reorganization we can now consider our company as a "leader innovator".

"Innovation is not merely an option for AIM – Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno concluded her speech – It is the sole winning strategy to secure and to keep our leadership"

Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, Managing Director of AIM Congress and  Vice – President of IAPCO