22 – 25 May 2016 Maastricht welcomes the prestigious 25th Congress of the International Committee for Insurance Medicine (ICLAM). ICLAM (formerly AIMECA) was founded in 1901 in Amsterdam and will celebrate its 115th birthday in 2016. Therefore, the board of ICLAM chose to return to its origins. For the fourth time in history the Netherlands is the hosting country for the triennial Life Disability and Health Insurance Medicine convention. Over 500 insurance professionals will attend the convention where various topics related to medical and surgical treatments and advances will be discussed.
ICLAM
ICLAM is an intercontinental convention on insurance knowledge. The meeting has as subject the latest developments in medical science and the latest statistics on prognoses of medical and surgical treatment in the field of “life, disability and health insurance.” Topics from all medicine are discussed, from the perspective of different approaches such as statistics / epidemiology, medical technology / laboratory, medical law and ethics. During the conference there is plenty of opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world informally. ICLAM is an independent non-profit organization (association) with no commercial interests. The theme for ICLAM 2016 will be ‘accessibility of insurance”; a hot topic that leads to different social problems in different continents.
ICLAM in Maastricht
The organization of ICLAM chose Maastricht because of the hospitality, gastronomy, historical and international character and the many facilities the city has to offer. There is plenty to do; Maastricht is vibrant and large enough to draw your own plan, but also charming and compact enough to meet your international friends. Besides the personal approach and the good cooperation between the MECC Maastricht and the Maastricht Convention Bureau and the facilities of the MECC Maastricht played an important role.
Economic importance
International conventions such ICLAM are a major economic boost for the city of Maastricht. Regardless of income, these types of events are of great importance for employment and the reputation of the region.
The coming of ICLAM means to Maastricht & region:
• between 500 and 600 convention attendees, that stay in the city with or without a partner;
• attendees stay at least 4 days (often people come earlier or stay longer);
• there are at least 1.500 hotel stays;
• attendees spend together approximately € 730.000 in Maastricht & region .
Mr John Aarts, alderman Economics, Mobility and Finance, explains: “The revenues for the city are high. Many different parties benefit from a convention or forum that takes place in MECC Maastricht. Think for example of hotels that accommodate the attendees, but also to transport organizations that bring them to and from MECC Maastricht. In addition, participants and exhibitors will visit our beautiful downtown during their stay in Maastricht. They will visit restaurants and shops, they will drink and eat and buy souvenirs or gifts for home. “
