September 2023

The m&i Fest is the latest events industry festival format created by Worldwide Events, of a large scale gathering where buyers and suppliers in the MICE industry, can do business combining meeting, networking and exhibition with its successful long-running m&I Forums.

While the programme for the event is based along three core pillars of ‘Develop, Discover and Celebrate’. 

It will be held in Marrakesh from March 17 to 21 in 2024. This brand new event format offers a unique experience for buyers and suppliers, with enhanced destination time and opportunities for meaningful connections and face time.

Around 240 buyers and 230 suppliers are estimated to attend with m&I Fest expected, to be the must attend event of 2024, and a landmark event for the MICE industry.

In the mornings there are 1-2-1 meetings where buyers and suppliers will have opportunities to create and develop great relationships. For the first time there will be dedicated branded areas giving businesses and destinations enhanced visibility and a unique platform to showcase their services.

In the afternoon attendees choose their own pathway, creating shared experiences between buyers and suppliers with the time to explore the destination and discover exclusive venues.

Evenings are all about networking in style, with exquisite local cuisine, and high-octane events giving more opportunity for buyers and suppliers to connect in a setting that is more relaxed.

Morocco has long been established as a global MICE destination, and over four days, attendees at m&i Fest will discover stunning venues around Marrakesh, as well as experiencing the top highlights of the destination.

m&i Fest will take place at Palais des Congrès Marrakech: Marrakesh’s largest venue, with accommodation at the Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech a a 5-star luxury hotel located just a few minutes away from the Medina, and only a 15-minute drive from the airport.

For more information visit www.mi-forums.com/mi-fest or email hello@miforums.com

Mr. Hamid’s appointment will be for a three-year term and takes effect October 1 this year.  A Malaysian citizen, Mr. Hamid, 60, has had a distinguished 35 year career in travel and tourism, including the last 13 years in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition sector.

He was inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders in 2022. The most prestigious award in the global business events industry and the only Asian recipient alongside distinguished professionals from America and Europe.

In 2018, he received the China MICE Leaders Award from Meetings and Conventions China for his contributions to the Asia Pacific region.

As the new chief executive officer, his inaugural engagement will be the prestigious PATA Travel Mart, scheduled from October 4 to 6 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.

He looks forward to connecting with host destination officials and members, chapter and youth leaders, exhibitors and buyers, partners, members of the media, and the entire travel and tourism community.

Left is Peter Semone, Chairman of PATA with Noor Ahmad Hamid, the new Chief Executive Officer of PATA.

At the extended 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and UNESCO organised a side event on the ‘Dive into Heritage’ initiative. This groundbreaking project will leverage digital technologies to explore and conserve UNESCO World Heritage sites and their related intangible heritage.

‘Dive into Heritage’ has been made possible through the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has seen the team develop an online platform that will create unique ways to digitally experience World Heritage.

The platform harnesses the power of digital technology such as 3D models, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), interactive maps and geo location narratives to recreate a truly accurate and immersive digital viewing experience.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Funds-in-Trust for Culture at UNESCO was established in 2019, following a commitment of USD25 million from the government to fund UNESCO projects in support of strategy and actions for the preservation of heritage.

Phase I from 2022 to 2024 of the ‘Dive into Heritage’ initiative will see the development of a platform that allows people to digitally discover World Heritage sites in the Arab States region.

A full public release of the platform is planned by the end of Phase I in 2024, when other regions will benefit from the ‘Dive into Heritage’ programme.

“The endless potential uses of Artificial Intelligence will allow us to transform the way in which people can experience heritage,” said Mr. Ernesto Ottone, assistant director general for culture at UNESCO.

The Centre will now subscribe to the use of renewable electricity supplied by the nation’s largest utility company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad known as TNB. It comes under the Green Electricity Tariff, an innovative and transformative programme launched by the Malaysian government.

The GET programme was created to empower electricity users across Malaysia, to reduce their carbon footprint in electricity consumption.

Through this initiative, the Centre can now power its facilities and events with renewable energy resources, sourced from solar power plants through Malaysia’s Large-Scale Solar (LSS) programme and TNB’s hydropower and renewable energy plants.

Currently, the Centre stands as the first business events venue in Malaysia to be approved for participation in this environmentally conscious initiative.

This subscription to GET marks a significant stride towards the Centre’s ambitious commitment to become a net-zero carbon venue by 2030.