5 MINUTES WITH...
ROSS BARKER COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, THE MEETINGS SHOW
Travelling the world, discovering amazing destinations and meeting incredible people: Ross Barker, Commercial Director of Te Meetings Show, on the importance of face-to-face interaction and how technology is bringing people together like never before.
Recent past: As Commercial Director for Te Meetings Show, I have a great role at the heart of the meetings industry. Since joining Te Meetings Show team in 2016, I’m really proud to have helped steer the direction of the show and deliver what was our most successful event to date in 2018. We completely changed the format of the show last year, moving from three days to two, introducing a new pre-show conference and revamping our education programme and net- working events. One of the key parts of my
role is developing relationships with our exhibitors, including international destinations, presti- gious venues and suppliers to the industry, and so it was fantastic to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for the new format of the show, with 60% of exhibitors opting to rebook for 2019 onsite. My work now is focused on Te
Meetings Show 2019 and ensur- ing that we go above and beyond what we delivered last year to cement the show’s reputation as the leading event for the UK inbound and outbound MICE industry.
Before that: My career in sales started in 2000, working for the Newsquest Media Group, and I worked in the MICE publish- ing industry with roles at CAT Publications and the Haymarket Media Group, focusing on inter- national clients targeting the UK outbound market, before joining the team at Te Meetings Show in 2016. So, I’ve had a long time to get to know the MICE industry, both in the UK and internation- ally, and now I really enjoy being able to use that knowledge and expertise to help our exhibitors get the most out of the show.
Industry: I love working in the
meetings industry – it’s allowed me to travel all over the world, discover amazing destinations and meet some incredible people. Te people are a big part of what makes the meetings industry so great, and unlike in many sectors people tend to stay within the industry for a long time, which allows you to build the long-term relationships that make it so enjoyable. People are time-poor, so we
need to make sure meetings and events are structured to get the maximum return on investment, both in terms of time and money. Te importance and value of face-to-face interaction could not be higher, and I believe our industry has responded with the growth of experiential marketing and immersive events, which will continue to develop further in years to come. Developments in technology
and advances in connectivity mean people can also come to-
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gether in ways that were not pos- sible just a few years ago. I find it really exciting to see how the in- dustry is innovating to make sure events are relevant, personal and efficient, yet also enjoyable as the personal/professional boundaries continue to blur.
Vision: Our vision for Te Meet- ings Show is not just to be the leading event for the industry, but to be a catalyst for convergence and growth of the industry. We offer a platform for people to come together and look at the future of meetings and events, we provide inspiration and innova- tive new ideas, and we champion the event planners of the future.
Best moment: I would have to say the delivery of the 2018 show and the team we put together to make it happen. It was a brave decision to revitalise the show in the way that we did, and every single member of the team got
onboard with what we were try- ing to achieve. Trough their hard work, dedication and determina- tion we paved a solid path for 2019 and beyond.
Is Scotland the perfect stage? Scotland is a fantastic destination for MICE, as the Scottish events show, EventIt, clearly demon- strates. Business tourism is on the rise and the country now has a global reputation as a vibrant, contemporary business events destination. Scotland has such a strong
cultural identity which provides a great USP for both business events and incentive travel – what Scotland has to offer you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Visitors to Te Meetings Show
(26 & 27 June) will be able to find out more about everything Scot- land has to offer by visiting the VisitScotland Business Tourism stand H400 and EventIt’s Scottish stand E16a. n
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