On December 18, 2024, the MP Impact Awards® 2024 Grand Finale took place at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, organized by MeetingPlanner.pl. This prestigious competition honours initiatives, campaigns, and events that significantly contribute to the development of the meetings and events industry. This year, three projects by the Polish Tourism Organisation (PTO) made it to the finals, highlighting the Polish Convention Bureau’s commitment to innovation and growth in the tourism and MICE sectors.
Finalist Projects Featuring the Polish Tourism Organisation
Three PTO-led initiatives were recognized by both the jury and the audience, showcasing creativity, strategic thinking, and industry impact:
- Laboratorium Twórców (Eventprofs Creators Lab) – A project by the Poland Convention Bureau, in collaboration with regional convention bureaux, universities, and industry associations. As a finalist in the Initiative category, it exemplifies an innovative approach to fostering creativity and cooperation in the MICE sector.
- Spotlight on Poland – The event co-organized by Stowarzyszenie Konferencje i Kongresy w Polsce (SKKP), this project reached the Event category finals. Spotlight on Poland underscores Poland’s growing role as a prime international destination for conferences and business events.
- Poland Soul Travel – A promotional campaign by PTO, in partnership with oLIVE media and the Polish Tourism Organisation’s Foreign Office in Vienna. Finalist in the Campaign category, this project was praised for its creativity and effectiveness in shaping Poland’s international image.
Award-Winning Projects and Industry Recognition
MP Impact Awards® 2024 presented awards in four main categories:
- Initiative – Winner: AV Academy by Brill AV Media
- Event – Winner: New Trends in Tourism, organized by Gdańsk Tourism Organisation
- Campaign – Winner: Poznań’s successful bid for the IAC 2027 World Congress, led by the European Space Foundation and its partners
- MICE for Good – Recognizing projects with sustainable and social impact
The Poland Convention Bureau (PCB) played a key role in two of the finalist projects – Laboratorium Twórców and Spotlight on Poland. These initiatives showcase a strategic approach to positioning Poland as an innovative and inspiring MICE destination.
For the second year in a row, Poland Convention Bureau secured a place in the finals. In the MP Impact Awards® 2023, PCB was a finalist in the Campaign category for its MICE Poland promotional campaign: Poland. More Than You Expected.
Activations at the Copernicus Science Centre
During the event at the Copernicus Science Centre, the Polish Tourism Organisation surprised participants with an innovative AI activation – PicBot®, a unique combination of photography, artificial intelligence, and robotics. This modern solution transformed portraits of participants taken on-site into artistic sketches in real-time. In just 60 seconds, advanced robots, using machine learning technology, created precise drawings on 10×15 cm paper. Each sketch was branded with the logos of the Polish Tourism Organisation and Poland Convention Bureau, along with the promotional slogan “Poland. More than You Think.”
The activation attracted numerous participants who eagerly engaged with this exceptional attraction, admiring both the precision of the robots and the creative final results. The initiative not only provided entertainment but also effectively promoted Poland’s modern and innovative image as a leader in merging technology, culture, and art. PicBot® became a true hit at the MP Impact Awards® 2024, highlighting the Polish Tourism Organisation’s commitment to using cutting-edge tools for promotion.
@callmejaro POLAND. More than you expected. AI activation and photo experience during MP IMPACT Summit Awards 2024 in Warsaw. Created be Polish Tourism Organisation – Poland Convention Bureau at Copernicus Science Centre. Polska Więcej niż myślisz. Wydarzenie #polandcvb #eventprofs #eventprofspl #polskatravel #polandtravel #meetingplannerpl #poland #meetingplanner ♬ Rockin – Chris Alan Lee
Congratulations to the Winners and Finalists
The MP Impact Awards® 2024 once again demonstrated how many excellent projects are being implemented in Poland. For detailed information, visit meetingplanner.pl. We congratulate all the winners and finalists, and especially thank the teams of the Polish Tourism Organisation for their contribution to the development and promotion of our industry. Your efforts are inspiring and show that Poland is a place with tremendous potential for the meetings and events industry.
The MP Impact Awards® 2024 judging panel consisted of distinguished experts representing the meetings, tourism, business, and academic sectors. The panel was chaired by Dominik Górka, CEO and creative director of Live Age. Among the members were experienced leaders such as Łukasz Adamowicz, president of the Meeting and Events Industry Council Tugether (until October 30, 2024) and vice-president of BFC Group, Sylwia Banaszewska, president of MeetingPlanner.pl, and Prof. UMK Dr. Hab. Krzysztof Celuch, rector of the Vistula School of Tourism and Hospitality.
Other panel members included Wojciech Cłapiński, vice president of El Padre, Joanna Gorczyca, director of the Sustainable Development Office at PZU, Wojciech Herra, psychologist and business coach, Anna Jędrocha, CEO of Symposium Cracoviense, and Grzegorz Kieniksman, head of marketing & creation at Rebelia Media Group. The jury also included Michał Kaleta, managing director and board member at endorfina events, Magdalena Kondas, editor-in-chief of MeetingPlanner.pl, Artur Kozieja, owner and CEO of Europlan Group, Rafał Krawczuk, CEO of Plej, and Rafał Kupidura, CEO of IF Nation Group.
Additionally, the panel included Darek Maciołek, CMO at BNP Paribas, Jan Mazurczak, president of Poznań Convention Bureau, Rafał Rzeczkowski, co-owner of Prolight and president of the Scena Jutra Foundation, and Ewelina Sasin, co-founder of TerGo and founder of Ewesa. The evaluation of the projects was also significantly contributed to by Dr. Stanisław Trzciński, cultural studies expert and president of STX Music Solutions, Ireneusz Węgłowski, president of the Polish Hotel Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Hab. Piotr Zmyślony, professor at the Poznań University of Economics.
Thanks to the diversity of experiences and specializations of its members, the panel provided a comprehensive assessment of the submitted projects. The competition rules stated that panel members associated with the projects participating in the competition did not take part in discussions and voting in the respective categories, ensuring impartiality of the decisions.
We look forward to the next editions of the competition and further successes!
#PolandCVB #EventprofsLAB #SpotlightonPoland #iMPACT
