A technology-enabled programme designed to turn delegates into destination promoters; how to custom-build a super-friendly national brand ambassador; using cultural assets to tie-up client loyalties and motivate your staff at the same time; and a case study in how to win business in the face of overwhelming obstacles. These are the finalists in this year's ICCA Best Marketing Award, taking place at the 51st ICCA Congress in Puerto Rico. The ICCA Congress education programme is shaping up quickly and is on track of attracting a record attendance of any ICCA Congress in the Americas.

Best Marketing Award

The ICCA Best Marketing Award, established in 1997, recognises the excellence and outstanding achievements of organisations in their effort to market their destination or product. Entries range from national campaigns, innovative branding and the use of technology to success in the face of disaster. The ICCA Best Marketing Award is sponsored by Bedouk Meetings & Events Media (http://www.bedouk.com) and is open to ICCA members only.

The 2012 ICCA Best Marketing Award finalist are:

• Artion Conferences and Events (Greece)
• Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
• MEET TAIWAN
• Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions

These finalists will present their successful marketing campaigns at the 51st ICCA Congress, taking place 20-24 October in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Education programme

The ICCA Congress 2012 education programme is quickly taking shape and will feature a creative mix of clients, external experts, and a wide range of those ICCA members who are undertaking the most innovative and exciting initiatives around the world. More than 100 contributors drawn from all regions of the world participate each year as speakers, panellists, moderators, and discussion leaders  - not only sharing existing know-how and experience, but creating entirely new practical ideas and alternative ways of thinking about the meetings industry.

One of the highlight of the education programme is the Copenhagen – Denmark Lecture, titled “Goodbye Nation State – Hello Super City?“ by Jan Sturesson, about the phenomenon that the City is fastly becoming the key competitive unit in every important economic and society-wide dimension. Concepts such as “issues-based industrial clustering” will be presented. What it takes for cities to build a strategic brand, and the internal and external challenges that need to be overcome.

Attendance figures

The 2012 ICCA Congress is still on track to attract the biggest attendance figure of any ICCA Congress in the Americas (the 2008 Congress in Victoria, Canada attracted 734 delegates).

- ENDS

For more information on the ICCA Best Marketing Award visit: http://www.iccaworld.com/dbs/bma

For more information about the 51st ICCA Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico: http://www.iccaworld.com/dbs/congress2012

For more information on the Denmark-Copenhagen lecture: http://www.iccaworld.com/dbs/congress2012/prgmitem.cfm?ID=824