Lviv Convention Bureau spent four days in Frankfurt at the international exhibition of the MICE industry – IMEX. We represented the interests of Ukraine among 150 countries, 2500 service providers, 5100 event business representatives.

What was accomplished during these four days of business meetings, presentations, and communication?

One more time we told our partners what is Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Behind each news and photo is a human life. Behind every procrastination, undefined position is a human life. It is impossible to stay away. It is not possible to continue living in a parallel reality and think that the Russian war is a problem only for Ukraine. No. After Ukraine, there may be Poland, the Baltic countries. We must continue to be united and resist Russia.

Again and again we explained why MICE-companies have to stop doing business with Russia.

Money is important. But no interests should prevail over the values ​​for which Ukrainians die. We have great news here. Since the beginning of the war, the leaders of the MICE industry have announced that they will not hold any events in the Russian Federation, and have suspended Russia’s membership in associations and organizations. The organizers of the IMEX exhibition did not allow Russian companies to participate.

LCB presented Lviv as a new partner.

We held three presentations of the city at the Ukrainian stand for international partners. We talked about our conference halls, hotels, restaurants, technical suppliers, etc. We got acquainted our partners with the local community, told about their unique projects, about work during the war. Even during the war forums are held in shelters, charity conferences are organized, and round tables are arranged. Moreover new hotels are planned to be opened.

We got huge professional support from international partners.

  • ICCA invited the office team to participate in the international congress in Krakow, where thousands of representatives of associations looking for new destinations for their events will gather.
  • MPI has provided acting director of the LCB membership and access to all training events, educational programs.
  • European City DNA offered mentoring support in an educational program for representatives of Lviv.
  • Gaining Edge offered assistance to Lviv and Kyiv in developing a strategy for working with international associations.
  • Conventa invited Lviv to present its conference opportunities.

We also agreed on cooperation with Polish conference bureaus in the format of trainings and exchanges of experience.

Gained new knowledge and contacts.

During IMEX LCB took part in ICCA Association Expert Seminar and European Business Forum for event professionals. During the discussion panels, they talked about the current situation in the world, future trends, how the MICE community copes with the impact of global problems: the pandemic, the Russian war in Ukraine.

Four days at the international exhibition with the leading leaders of the conference industry were definitely not wasted. All these meetings and presentations are about new contacts, connections, training, defending the country’s interests. This is about perspective, about positioning, about new projects, about opportunities for Lviv.