The 2019 edition of the Annual Conference and General Assembly took place at A Room with a ZOO. With ‘Changing Expectations’ as the main theme, the conference focused on the adaptive thinking the meeting industry must do to address the rapidly changing needs and expectations of customers and their delegates. All sessions were infused by daylight. Delegates could participate in many inspiring networking breaks during which great, healthy food was provided in order to stimulate the creative thinking process. The innovative ‘Brain Share Sessions’, for example, were a clear indication of how this edition of AIPC was completely ‘different’.
Not only the way the sessions were organised was different compared to previous editions, the social programme was out of the ordinary as well. Since traveling and attending congresses can be quite taxing, attendees of AIPC 2019 were able to enjoy the extraordinary surroundings of A Room with a ZOO. They participated in inspiring social activities such as a morning run in the magical, sleeping ZOO, a morning Tai Chi session and a gastronomical aquarium experience. They also enjoyed a diamond cocktail and one very lucky attendant even got surprised with a real diamond in it.
Calling this year’s conference a unique edition is an understatement. Attendees were able to experience for themselves what Flanders Meeting and Convention Center Antwerp in fact truly is: A Room with a ZOO.
A lot of participants were not yet familiar with Antwerp as a meeting destination and many of them fell in love with the city’s magnificent railway station, architecture, food, local beers and, of course, the ZOO. Conference attendees could discover Antwerp during a city walk. They attended a Belgian beer reception and enjoyed Belgian waffles during the Award Dinner on the evening lit Flamingo Square.
