The second iteration of the Get Global trade event convened by Gary Bender of World Corporate Travel and Tourism Portfolio’s Donna Kessler has been hailed as an “unrivalled success,” with the one-day show at the Sydney International Convention Centre bringing 140 international suppliers together with almost 300 senior local and international buyers. Get Global breaks the mould of the traditional business events trade show, with no hosted buyer program and no appointments, allowing for a free flow of interactions between buyers and sellers. Bender and Kessler are also adamant that the show maintain an exclusively outbound focus, despite strong interest in participation from a range of Australian-based suppliers.
Bender confirmed the 2018 show was a sell-out, and announced that Get Global 2019 would take place on 26 July next year. “Having sold out of our exhibitor spaces this year, with the opportunity to sell many more, we’ll inevitably have to look for expanded or alternative event space for 2019,” he said, forecasting a 30% increase in both buyer and seller numbers. “When you are expecting people to leave their offices for a day or more, our focus is on delivering the best event and help create real connections, networking opportunities and the flexibility to do business,” Bender added.
This year exhibitors came from as far afield as Scotland, with a large contingent from Hawaii as well as major participation from major hoteliers, DMCs and technology suppliers. A key innovation launched at Get Global was “beacon check-in” via the show’s dedicated smartphone app, created by Touchpoint. The system allowed pre-registered visitors to simply wave their phone on arrival to signify their presence, with Get Global the first event globally to use the feature on the EventsAIR platform.
