The survey quizzed buyers on their use of social media, both as a professional meetings and event management tool and as a networking channel. 625 respondents answered the social media questions and confirmed their preference for LinkedIn as an online networking site. LinkedIn was used by 64 per cent of respondents, and Facebook by 60 per cent of buyers. Twitter is currently used by 27 per cent and YouTube by 23 per cent.

46 per cent of respondents also confirmed an increase in the use of social media for networking over the past 6 months, although 32 per cent felt it had remained about the same. At the same time, 44 per cent of respondents agreed that 'there are too many social media and networking sites to keep up to date with.' Surprisingly given the proliferation of blogs within the wider business world, and increasingly within the international meetings industry, 83 per cent of respondents still do not regularly follow an industry blog.

Also in line with wider business trends, Blackberry is currently the Smartphone of choice in the global meetings industry, with 57 per cent of respondents saying they use one. Of these, 47 per cent are using Blackberries as opposed to 31 per cent using Apple iPhones and 24 per cent using Nokia devices.

In November 2009 an IMEX Global Insights Poll of 45 senior international meetings industry professionals revealed a certain degree of frustration with social media. That poll showed that 22 per cent agreed with the statement: 'my company wants to use every social media channel - but with no extra resource to support the added work.' At that time a similar number - 22 per cent - used social media in a limited way for professional and networking purposes, preferring to use it just for personal communication.

However, the findings of the 2010 IMEX Post-Show survey suggest that the uptake of social media for professional and corporate use has now accelerated significantly. They also show that YouTube especially is making its mark as a credible and viable channel for corporate marketing and communications within the international meetings industry.

Says Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, "As a truly international show with a good cross-section of buyers from across Europe, the USA plus the 'BRICs' countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China, it is interesting to observe the rapid growth of marketing channels such as YouTube and realise quite how far it has come as a credible, global communications channel that's open to all. Further into the future, once more African countries move from 2G to 3G technology, for example, and mobile penetration really accelerates, this could create yet another step change. Current trends suggest that mobile payment systems, environmental monitoring and even intelligent sensors embedded into mobiles are all just around the corner and these will have huge implications for the meetings and events industry.

"The growth of social media in different world markets creates both enormous pressures and provides international businesses such as ours with fantastic opportunities. The discipline for all of us is to pay careful attention to where the value truly lies for each of our different audiences and never to assume that a 'one size solution fits all."

Some of these issues have already been raised and are being explored by UK research company, Fast Future Research through its ongoing Convention 2020 research study. IMEX is one of the study's founding sponsors and encourages all meetings industry professionals to share their views and get involved in Phase 2 workshops. For more information - http://convention2020.meetingsreview.com/

MCI, a global leader in association, communication, and event management, expands its presence in Asia with two new offices in Seoul, Korea.

MCI Korea has been established in joint venture with leading destination management company, Kim’s Travel, whose meeting & events subsidiary, M&C Planners, will be rebranded into MCI Korea. Chun Kim, founder of Kim’s Travel, will serve as CEO of MCI Korea, Peter Lee, current Director General of M&C Planners, will become Executive Director for meetings & events and destination management, while Steve Kim, previously with the Daejeon Convention Bureau & Center, will join the Korean team as Executive Director for association management & consulting.

“We are proud to be able to bring MCI to Korea”, says Chun Kim. “MCI is the leading event management company in the world and we believe it is a great step for the Korean meetings industry to have one of the global leaders firmly established in our country. We can see significant new business through this joint venture, which will bring great benefit to all our clients, partners and suppliers.”

MCI Korea will make a significant investment in FAMC, the first and only association management company (AMC) in Korea, established in October 2009 as a pioneer in the Korean meetings industry. FAMC will become the Association Management division of MCI in Korea, serving international associations, who want to have a presence in Korea and North East Asia. Glynn Cho, founder of FAMC, who used to serve as Secretary General for several associations, comments: “Our partnership with MCI will help FAMC to become the leading AMC in the region and support the Korean association sector to further enhance its professionalism and impact.”

“With the opening of MCI Korea, MCI now has 11 offices and over 200 professional employees in Asia,” says Robin Lokerman, President of MCI Asia Pacific. “A growing number of our global clients are interested in expanding into Korea, which is also home to many multinationals who can benefit from MCI’s global reach to manage their programmes outside of Korea. Many international and AsiaPac associations have leaders from Korea and we look forward to working with them to bring more conferences to Korea. We have assembled a very strong team to develop our business in Korea and expect significant future growth.”

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About MCI

MCI is a globally integrated association, communication, and event management company. For over 20 years, MCI helps companies, governments and associations bring people together to create meaningful connections and win.

MCI helps clients to outperform by offering strategy, creativity and execution in the fields of Association Management & Consulting (AMC), Performance Improvement, Professional Congress Organisation (PCO), and Meetings & Events. MCI support services, which include Global Destination Management (DMC) in 17 countries and Audio Visual & Staging solutions, “make it happen” by connecting the best people in the right places.

Including this new joint venture, MCI has 44 or offices in 22 countries and employs 900+ professionals worldwide.

Photo: Chun Kim and Robin Lokerman.

iPhone users can now get boarding passes sent to their phone for domestic BA flights from London to destinations including Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Following a successful test on the Heathrow-Edinburgh route, travellers on the following routes will be able to use the iPhone boarding pass:

• London Heathrow to Glasgow

• Glasgow to London Heathrow

• London Heathrow to Aberdeen

• Aberdeen to London Heathrow

• London Heathrow to Newcastle upon Tyne

• Newcastle upon Tyne to London Heathrow

• London Heathrow to Manchester

• Manchester to London Heathrow

• London City to Edinburgh

• Edinburgh to London City

• London City to Glasgow

• Glasgow to London City

• London Heathrow to Edinburgh

• Edinburgh to London Heathrow

BA will be adding the boarding pass functionality to its Blackberry and Android apps “in the near future”.

The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) and European Cities Marketing (ECM) will join forces in June 2011 with a new workshop that brings tour operators and cities together to do business. This event will follow the successful model developed over many years: cities take tables and meet operators in pre-arranged appointments. This is the most time-efficient way for cities to hear what operators are looking for and how they work. Operators can find new ways to develop their product.

“We are very much looking forward to working with ETOA”, said Dieter Hardt-Stremayr, President of ECM. “They have a long track record of running well-organised and efficient workshops. They have membership that represents the most important operators from nearly all the main origin markets. This is a great opportunity for cities to gain a deep and intense understanding of how the market works.”

Tom Jenkins, ETOA’s Executive Director, said: “Cities are the cornerstone of European tourism. They are what people travel to see from all over the world. This is why ECM is one of the most important and dynamic marketing organisations in Europe. They represent what clients want to see. As the market is fluid, operators are constantly looking for ways to develop existing destinations and find new product. In one day all the most important people will gather under one roof.”

Further details regarding this event will be announced in September.

The National Business Travel Association next year will change its name to the Global Business Travel Association, it announced Monday during its International Convention & Exposition in Houston, to better reflect the organization's worldwide scope.

"Our industry continues to evolve, and our jobs are evolving as well," said NBTA president and CEO Craig Banikowski in a statement. "Just as we have all changed our thinking about our jobs in recent years, our association must shift its thinking. As your elected president and CEO, my primary strategic focus is taking NBTA from being a national organization to being a truly global business group that gives you seamless access to best-in-class resources, information and the global network you need—anytime, anyplace."

Meanwhile, NBTA has separately announced it has "acquired and taken full control" of The Masters Program, an annual corporate travel event in Washington. D.C. The association through a partnership with travel technology firm Amadeus "will transform the Masters Program into a global thought-leadership forum for C-level and senior executives and a think tank for the travel industry," NBTA said in a statement.

Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch will address the next Masters Program, to be held Feb. 7-8, NBTA announced Monday.

Photo: NBTA president and CEO Craig Banikowski.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) – the world's premier business travel organization – welcomed more than 5,500 corporate travel professionals to its 42nd annual International Convention & Exposition in Houston. For three days, business travel buyers and suppliers from 40 countries gathered at the George R. Brown Convention Center to discuss the latest in industry trends and innovations in a recovering economy and shifting corporate culture.

NBTA President & CEO Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CPM, said, “With an economic recovery underway in most global markets, executives are eager to get on the road to beat the competition. Now is the time for travel buyers and suppliers to come together to learn about the new rules in a new economy and forge lasting relationships to conduct better business and drive cost savings.”

The NBTA Convention also serves as an example of the importance of corporate events to local communities and businesses. The more than 5,500 attendees represents 50 percent of hotel occupancy in Houston, and the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the NBTA Convention will have an direct impact of nearly $6 million to the local economy.

“In addition to sharing insights and best practices about current and emerging industry trends, we’re proud that NBTA Convention attendees are also helping to boost a community in which they do business,” added Banikowski. “Not only will the Convention have an immediate economic impact, but the thousands of corporate travel and meetings professionals in town are sure to book future events, which will continue to contribute millions to Houston for years to come.”

NBTA this year undertook a service project to give back to the local community. More than 130 event attendees and NBTA staff yesterday helped to refurbish facilities for the Star of Hope, a community dedicated to meeting the needs of Houston’s homeless men, women and children. With the thousands of toiletry and service items donated by corporate travel and hospitality groups and individual donations from Convention attendees, in addition to the hours of onsite assistance, NBTA has to date contributed more than $30,000 in labor and goods. NBTA and Convention exhibitors will continue to accept donations for the Star of Hope for the remainder of the event.

For a schedule of Convention education and panel sessions, Exposition hours, and a list of the many famed speakers slated to address attendees, please visit www.nbtaconvention.org.

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About the 2010 NBTA International Convention & Exposition

Widely recognized as the must-attend event for business travel buyers, suppliers, industry leaders and business travel journalists, the 2010 NBTA International Convention & Exposition is taking place in Houston August 8-11, 2010. More than 5,600 travel professionals will take advantage of the Convention’s programming, designed to empower attendees to maximize value for their companies, including more than 65 seminars on the most important topics in business travel, more than 400 companies exhibiting in the Expo and countless opportunities for networking with peers. For details, visit www.nbtaconvention.org.

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About NBTA

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and corporate meetings organization. NBTA and its regional affiliates – NBTA Australia/New Zealand, the Brazilian Business Travel Association (ABGEV), NBTA Canada, NBTA Europe, NBTA Mexico, and NBTA USA – serve a network of more than 17,000 business travel professionals around the globe with industry-leading events, networking, education & professional development, research, news & information, and advocacy. NBTA members, numbering more than 5,000 in 30 nations, are corporate and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers. They collectively manage and direct more than US$340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually on behalf of more than 13 million business travelers within their organizations. For more information, visit www.nbta.org.