The CIMERT International Conference Researchers Roundtable 2021 was held on September 15 at Wangjiang Hotel in Chengdu, hosted by the ICCA Center for International Meetings Research and Training (hereinafter referred to as "the Center"). The conference, with "professional research and innovative education of international conference industry in the digital era" as its theme and on the basis of concerted consultation of the CIMERT Center and all participants, has released a document "The CIMERT International Conference Industry Data Research and Talent Training".
Due to the epidemic, the conference was held in a mixed-mode. Over 80 guests attended the conference offline, who were from international conference professional venues, conference enterprises, government authorities, universities and think tanks at home and abroad, such as the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), China Convention/Exhibition/Event Society, China Center for International Science and Technology Exchange, MeetingsChina Magazine, Guangdong Fairs Organizers Association, Trade Promotion Chengdu Council (Chengdu Expo Bureau), Sichuan University and the like. Around 1,500 relevant professionals joined in online. Yuan Zaiqing, President of the China Convention/Exhibition/Event Society, Li Changwen, Director of Chengdu Expo Bureau, Yang Yuhua, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Chengdu University, and Executive Director of the CIMERT Centre all attended the roundtable.
The attendees had an in-depth discussion on the two themes of the "Research Frontier of International Conference in the Digital Era" and "Case Study of International Conferences (Exhibitions) Practices in the Digital Era" with six topics. Zhu Dan, Dean of the School of Tourism and Culture Industry of our university, thought that both opportunities and challenges along with the digital revolution in the new era demand a closer relation in conferences in the big-data age. Building up professional teams of international conferences is key to the sustainable and high-quality development of the conference industry. There is a need to enhance further the transformation and utilization of the intellectual fruits of experts and scholars, and promote further the integration of industry, university, research and its use, so as to explore a higher-level development path of the international conference industry. "The CIMERT International Conference Industry Data Research and Talent Training", issued by the Center, has reached a consensus on the big data research and destination marketing innovation of international conferences in the Asia-Pacific region, the innovation-project incubation of international conferences and exhibition industries in the big-data age, the education and exchanges in international conference professionals, the industry research, talent training, tutor promotion and the like. Industry knowledge has been updated in the document to enhance global inclusion, mutual learning and communication. Meanwhile, seven domestic senior leaders, such as Yuan Zaiqing, President of the China Convention/Exhibition/Event Society and the like, in the convention and exhibition community were employed by the Center as "special tutors for CIMERT data research and talent training", in a bid for the Center's further promotion in its Chengdu-based and Asia-Pacific-oriented professional research and talent training programs.
