Conference & Meetings World Issue 101 — July / August | Page 16

Big interview
A winter of content in Chile
CMW WENT TO SANTIAGO TO LEADING REGIONAL MEETINGS SHOW FIEXPO AND MET
WITH SHOW DIRECTOR SERGIO BARITUSSIO AS HE SAID ‘ADIOS’ TO CHILE AND ‘HOLA’ TO COLOMBIA
ow did you first come
into the MICE industry?
I started working in the
industry in 1987, when I
was in charge of the MICE department
of one of the leading travel agencies in
Uruguay. There I also started
working with ICCA, as our agency was
the only ICCA member in Uruguay and
one of the few members in Latin
America.
What did you change this year in
terms of content?
We try to improve every year, especially
with the academic sessions, and this year
invited meeting industry leading
authorities such as Christian
Mutschlechner (ex-Vienna CVB), Didier
Scaillet (SITE) and Sherrif Karamat
(PCMA).
You are both a publisher, editor and
show director. How do you divide up
your time?
I started with the magazine Eventos
Latinoamericanos (Latin American
Events Magazine) in 2000. The objective
then and now was to promote Latin
America as a destination for international
events. I enjoy it because it allows me to
travel and to meet a lot of interesting
people.
The show is more complex, but we
have a wonderful team that is growing
every year.
A lot of work clearly went into the
2019 edition of FIEXPO in Santiago.
What are you particularly proud of
and how would you summarise this
year’s event?
The show is growing 25-30% each year,
with more participants and hosted
buyers. But, the most important thing is
our team, that is like a family, with
everybody working hard and with great
commitment. The Political Forum is also
growing, not only in quantity but in
quality, with more authorities present
every year, including governors,
ministers, vice ministers, etc.
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CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
What have been your main
challenges this year?
It was the last show in Chile, as we rotate
every three years from one country to
another. The 2019 show ran very
smoothly as we have been working with
the same hotel and venue for two years
now. Now the challenge will be
organising the next show with a different
venue, in a different country (Colombia)
with different suppliers.
What is the secret to building good
partnerships for both you as an
organiser and for your clients?
That we are in it together, in the same
ship, with the same objectives. If the
show grows, then we all benefit. We have
a very good relationship with our clients,
we are like friends.
FIEXPO moves to Colombia next
year for three editions, right? What
attracted you to Colombia and how
are you hoping to develop the show
there further?
It’s a real challenge because it will be the
first time that FIEXPO is moving to a
new country with three different venues.
In 2020 we’ll be in Cartagena, in 2021 in
Medellin, and the last show in Colombia
will be in 2022 in Bogotá.
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ISSUE 101
The Colombian government gave us
their support and confidence because
they know the importance of the MICE
industry and FIEXPO, a leading show in
the region.
Above: FIEXPO
showtime at Casa
Piedra, Santiago
Above: Main
man: Sergio
Baritussio
Above: Flying the
flag for Patagonia
at Lago Grey
How do you think FIEXPO stands
out from the competition in the
region?
Well, we have no competitors, because
we are the only show where the
exhibitors are only from Latin America
and the Caribbean. Hosted buyers and
visitors know what they are going to
find.
We also are ARP (Association
Regional Partners) of ICCA exclusively
for Latin America and the Caribbean and
we have signed agreements with SITE
Global, JMIC and many regional
associations.
We are also becoming UFI members
and are planning to do many things
together in Colombia at the show.
Tell us about your new show launch
for the luxury meetings and travel
market that you announced in
Santiago.
It was something that the market was
asking for. In Latin America we have
many wonderful places that are excellent
for incentives, especially luxury
incentives. That’s why we launched the
Motivation Luxury Summit during
FIEXPO 2019, an exclusive business
exchange between 50 incentive houses
from around the world, all looking for
new venues and destinations in Latin
America, and 50 suitable convention
bureau and destination representatives.
The first edition will be in Chile, in