Speaking to EW live from IMEX, Amsterdam RAI COO Maurits van der Sluis said big data and VR have an interesting future.
Sluis said that a new four star hotel on the venue's site, the NHOW RAI Amsterdam, would bring 650 hotel rooms to the venue, adding the largest hotel in the Benelux on its doorstep. “This will be significant for our venue, and the plans look really exciting. The hotel will be unique, with each floor bespoke designed,” he commented.
Meanwhile, Sluis commented on the challenges facing the exhibition industry over the next few years. “People are looking for the next big growth market, and Africa is emerging as a forerunner. It is still an unknown, however. For us, the US, Mexico and China and Turkey are the main areas we are growing in."
Speaking about technology, Sluis said that VR products have a place in helping events, but they are yet to be effectively utilised. He added: “Big data is something we are looking into to help improve the experience for exhibitors. We have a lot of visitor information which could be of real help to various industries, so it’s how we use that most effectively.”
