The International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) 2nd Asia Pacific Chapter Summit 2020 was held on December 15-16 at PACIFICO Yokohama North (Yokohama, Kanagawa), hosted by the ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter and the local host, ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Summit 2020 Local Host Committee (City of Yokohama, Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau and PACIFICO Yokohama).

On Dec. 16, Kaoru Shibuta, Executive Managing Director, gave a presentation onsite at the venue, the recently opened PACIFICO Yokohama North, and Makiko Nishimura, Corporate Director/Executive Officer and Regional Manager, Kyushu Branch, presented her lecture online.

ICCA is a global association comprised of diverse members engaged in all aspects of international meetings & events, including MICE venues, related government agencies, convention bureaus, PCOs, DMCs and other suppliers. This year marks the second AP Chapter Summit, which gathers members from the entire Asia Pacific Chapter. Under the main theme of “Navigating a New Model for Meetings,” the meeting was held in a hybrid format, both physically at the PACIFICO Yokohama North venue and online.

Congrès was involved in the meeting operations and the atmosphere in the broadcasting room resembled a global TV channel’s studio, as staff communicated in English and Japanese second-by-second with speakers participating virtually from points in Japan and overseas.

Kaoru Shibuta, Congrès’ Executive Managing Director, was a speaker in the session entitled “Get a New Compass for Your Events” that highlighted technological solutions for giving meetings/events fresh value in the “new normal” era. Shibuta, who concurrently serves as President, MICE One Corporation, Congrès Group, introduced the facial recognition system “FacePass,” developed by the company. “FacePass” is a solution that enables organizers to ensure touchless check-in and social distancing during registration for physical meetings and events.

Also, Congrès’ Corporate Director/Executive Officer and Regional Manager, Kyushu Branch, Makiko Nishimura joined the “The Role of the Venue during the Crisis” session virtually, and presented the Safety MICE Solutions that Congrès as a PCO has independently developed and how they are being utilized today in venue operations. She also introduced “Dejima Messe Nagasaki,” Nagasaki’s first convention center scheduled to open in November 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and touched upon the important role that venues play in regional collaboration.

Congrès is privileged and delighted to have been involved, albeit in a small way, in this international meeting that was successfully held in the midst of the current circumstances.
We are committed to continuing to contribute to the advancement of MICE going forward.