AGI GeoCommunity '09 - First Announcement

23 January 2009, 3:17pm

AGI is pleased to announce that the 2009 AGI Annual Conference will return to Stratford-upon-Avon in September.

For more nearly two decades the AGI Conference has been the centre-piece of the GI professional's year and the flagship event for the AGI. As the usage of GIS has spread through Central and Local Government to Utilities, Health, Emergency Services, Infrastructure, Insurance, Marketing, Retail and broader Business Intelligence, Consumer Applications and many more, the conference has grown to the largest and broadest ranging independent GI event in the UK.

Starting with a pre-conference event and an evening 'Icebreaker' on the 22nd September, AGI GeoCommunity '09 will open on the 23rd September and offer two packed days of diverse and exciting content.

Attendance at AGI GeoCommunity '08 was 20% up on 2007 at just over 600 delegates. The new residential conference format introduced in 2007 is now well established and the event has proven its high value and sustainability.

Feedback from 2008 delegates and sponsors was very positive with most indicating that they would return in 2009. AGI research showed that:



84% attended for networking
78% for learning & training
91% stated the current exhibition format met their requirements
79% prefer the current event format to 'old' style of event run prior to Stratford-upon-Avon
90% prefer the two day format for the conference
With 79% saying 'stay at the Holiday Inn'



This year's conference will again offer a limited number of sponsors' spaces to showcase new products and services and network with delegates both at the sponsors' exhibition pods and in the conference sessions and social events. The conference format will offer our sponsors an unrivalled opportunity to achieve close contact with the key participants and influencers in our industry.

Sponsorship packages will be released along with the activation of the delegate on-line booking system in February.

'AGI GeoCommunity '09 is the biggest independent GI event on the UK calendar and a 'must attend' opportunity for all in the GeoCommunity. The conference delegate packages have been intentionally priced at very competitive rates to reduce the barriers to attend across all sectors of the GeoCommunity. I'm very pleased that we have been overwhelmed by positive feedback for the past two years and AGI is planning this year's conference with that feedback in mind. We are extremely grateful for the support we've had and greatly look forward to a successful, highly topical and entertaining conference in 2009', said Chris Holcroft, AGI Director.

AGI