2019 Aim Conference
‘How to be a great destination’, was the theme of the 2019 AIM conference, held at The National Civil War Centre and The Palace Theatre, Newark, at the end of June.
AIM members come together every year to exchange valuable knowledge and learn from each other, to allow UK museums and communities to continue to develop and prosper. Research shows that culture tourism is on the up, in particular visits to museums. Organisations such as the AIM work tirelessly to ensure the many thousands of visitors attracted to UK museums continue to be inspired and drawn to them; we are glad we had the opportunity to be a part of this.
What happened during the two days
The conference was a medley of spoken sessions, charity updates, meet and greet sessions, exhibitors show-casing their products and services and plenty of networking opportunities. The spoken sessions were aimed at creativity, community, audiences and tips for creating and maintaining a desirable and successful destination. They were brimming with attendees creating many lively discussions.
Out and about in the historical market town of Newark
Socialising seems to be a very important part of the AIM conference and this year did not disappoint! There were excellent opportunities to do just that in some fabulous locations, with the AIM dinner being the pinnacle of the event. This was held at the great Thoresby Courtyard, followed by an evening at the historic Newark Castle, both desirable destinations in their own right and steeped in history; dating back to 1633 and the 12th century respectively. The conference culminated with study tours visiting The Holocaust Centre and Creswell Craggs, both receiving rave reviews and causing a storm on social media.
NovaDura’s role at the conference
We were there as suppliers, show-casing our wayfinding and interpretation products; primaDURA & ecoDURA. This was our first AIM conference, having joined the association last year and what a reception we received! A very warm welcome indeed; friendliness and inclusion throughout the whole of the conference was brilliant. Gaining quality information, meeting new contacts and putting faces to names of existing customers, meant it was a great experience for NovaDura.
We look forward to seeing how our newly gained business partners develop.
Well done to all those involved at the AIM and The National Civil War Centre and await the chance to get involved again soon.