Baking & Snack - May 2019 - 140

MEETING PREVIEW

Show organizers go above and beyond to assist international attendees at IBIE
before and during the show, including helping with visas and providing translators in the International Lounge for the duration of the expo.
IBIE

Tour bakeries around the world
Interested to see what bakeries all over the world look like
from the inside? Now you can, and you won't even have
to leave the expo hall at the 2019 International Baking
Industry Expo (IBIE) in Las Vegas.
In a partnership with iba, IBIE will offer attendees the
opportunity to tour bakeries in the US, Germany, Greece,
Iceland and Austria using virtual reality (VR).
With the help of VR glasses and 360-degree videos,
attendees will be able to see inside renowned bakeries
from around the world, including Tartine Bakery in San
Francisco; Sandholt Bakery in Reykjavik, Iceland; and
Joseph Brot in Vienna.
Initially launched by iba in 2018 at its trade fair in
Munich, IBIE will bring the tours to its attendees with
enhanced content.
Requests for bakery tours are not uncommon, according to Fred Springer, IBIE technology task force chair, but
they are logistically hard to execute at an event of IBIE's
scale. These virtual tours help fulfill these requests in an
engaging, interactive way.
"Virtual reality creates a completely immersive experience for IBIE attendees, allowing them to explore top bakeries on a national and international level without having
to board a plane," Mr. Springer said.

140 Baking & Snack May 2019 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Saturday, Sept. 7- a day before the show floor opens -
to help attendees maximize their time. Session topics
will range from talent management to consumer trends
to robotics. According to Mr. Cornelis, the learnings will
be universally valuable and applicable across all markets.
IBIE is also partnering with international trade associations to share industry trends as well as opportunities
and challenges emerging in their local markets. More information on these sessions and the education schedule
will be available closer to the show.
With such a large international attendance, logistics
for those traveling to IBIE from outside the US are a huge
undertaking, and one show organizers do not take lightly.
"Over the years, we've evolved our services and benefits
for international guests, and in 2019, we are going even
further by providing dedicated international support both
before the show and onsite," Mr. Cornelis said.
There is international support available to assist attendees prior to the show. Information is accessible through the
international page on the IBIE website including answers
to questions about international delegation discounts, the
exhibition, the educational program, accommodations,
registration and visa questions.
Once attendees arrive, there are registration counters reserved to serve international guests to facilitate easy checkin. The International Lounge provides onsite support for
business meetings and informal networking with amenities
such as Wi-Fi, refreshments and translators to help overcome language barriers.
When it comes to travel and visas, the process is generally a smooth one, according to Mr. Cornelis. When international guests register in advance online, the registration
company automatically generates visa letters. However,
there is always the potential for hiccups. But show organizers are prepared to handle any such issues.
"Every year we have a small handful of guests who have
some visa challenges, and we do what we can to help," he
said. "We have an international specialist on staff who has
relationships with local embassies and has helped to facilitate visa challenges."
In the end, attending IBIE is meant to be a positive, seamless experience for all guests, domestic and international.
"IBIE is the world's destination for baking. The US is
known for innovative baking technology and trends, and
many of our suppliers time their product launches around
our show," Mr. Cornelis said. "We know our international
guests travel a long way and make a big investment in their
participation, so we want to ensure their planning and participation in IBIE is as easy as possible."

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Baking & Snack - May 2019

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