Opinions

  • Category

  • Sector

  • Host Destinations

Found 108 Opinions

Viewing all Opinions

The Role of Business Events in Combatting Over-Tourism

From Conference & Meetings World: Can business events play a role in helping to tackle global issues like over-tourism? This is one of the topics to be discussed at this month’s IBTM World Forum for Advocacy, in partnership with The Business of Events. Eloísa Urrutia (pictured), head of global sustainability, meetings & events at American…

Read More

Forging a Planner-Focused Approach to the Future of AI

From Smart Meetings: Chantal Sturk-Nadeau’s blond locks are a familiar sight at meetings industry conferences. She served as executive director of business events with Destination Canada for no less than 7 years, with Tourism Winnipeg for 17 years before that and at a production company before that. For her next chapter, she was looking for…

Read More

The Overtourism Conundrum: Can Associations Turn the Tide?

From AMI Magazine, by Holly Patrick: If association meetings can no longer be excluded from the overtourism conversation, what can be done to mitigate their impact on already strained infrastructures and frustrated residents? Overtourism, when tourism exceeds physical, ecological, social, economic, psychological, and political boundaries, has historically been associated with leisure tourists. But as thousands…

Read More

Driving the Twin Transformation in Business Events

By Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, German Convention Bureau: A couple of years back, a figure caught my eye: According to the World Economic Forum, digital solutions, if brought to scale, could reduce global emissions by 20% by 2050 in the three highest-emitting sectors energy, materials and mobility. Applying this to the business events sector, it…

Read More

Barcelona: A Convention Powerhouse Confronting Overtourism Challenges

From Skift Meetings, by Miguel Neves: The head of the Barcelona Convention Bureau, Christoph Tessmar, was delighted that the city hosted record numbers for PCMA’s Convening EMEA, with 636 in-person attendees. This is a significant increase from last year’s event in Copenhagen, which attracted 550 and almost triple the attendance of the 2019 PCMA European…

Read More

How Gothenburg Became One of the World’s Most Sustainable Places

From Forbes: Ask Katarina Thorstensson to define sustainability in tourism, and you might think you’re talking to a character in a Star Wars movie. Sustainability surrounds us, and it binds the galaxy together like the Force — at least her galaxy. Thorstensson, a sustainability strategist for Gothenburg, Sweden, says her city has been working on…

Read More

Conferli the Podcast | Unmasking Legacy Washing

Conferli – The conference matchmaking platform’s latest podcast features Beatriz Ibañez, Impact Specialist at #MEET4IMPACT. In this episode, Beatriz unpacks the critical difference between impact and legacy in the events industry, discussing the concept of legacy washing; barriers to creating true, lasting impact; why focusing on long-term change is essential for meaningful progress. Ready to…

Read More

Can Climate Action Week Stop the Hot Air?

From Forbes, by Michael Sheldrick: UN Secretary-General António Guterres framed this week as a pivotal moment to “reboot” multilateralism with the adoption of the Pact for the Future. Described by the UN as “the culmination of a years-long effort to adapt global cooperation to today’s realities,” the Pact’s real-world impact remains uncertain and open to…

Read More

Takeaways from the ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting in Zurich

From Boardroom, by Remi Deve: Attending an ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting was a first for Boardroom. Expertly organised in Zurich by the Zurich Convention Bureau, it was an insightful experience filled with valuable lessons on the future of events. Here are my key takeaways. 1. The Need for Purpose-Driven & Human-Centric Events: Co-founder and…

Read More

Iceberg Ambassador Tommy Goodwin in Conversation

From Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance: At last month’s SISO Leadership Conference, CNTV’s Bob Frier sat down with Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance’s Tommy Goodwin to talk about ECA’s 2024 accomplishments to-date, what to expect between now and the election, and what’s on the horizon for 2025.

Read More

Time to Get Involved (Wherever You Are)!

From TSNN, by Tommy Goodwin: From bringing back international exhibitors and attendees to attracting and training the next-generation workforce, there is a lot happening in Washington, DC that will impact the future of the trade show industry. While ECA brings industry leaders and advocates to our nation’s capital annually for Legislative Action Day, we know…

Read More

Stop Talking About Tearing Down Silos & Instead Fix Them

From Destinations International, by Jack Johnson: Silos, whether in agriculture or organizations, are not inherently problematic. By focusing on improving the connections between silos, destination organizations can maximize the benefits of specialization while avoiding the pitfalls of fragmentation, ultimately driving innovation, efficiency, and success in promoting their destinations.

Read More

From our Experts: DMO Funding – a New Frontier?

From GainingEdge, by Gary Grimmer: If destination marketing organisations (DMO) are to receive funds derived from private sources, there would need to be a mechanism by which the City imposes a levy or tax and then provides the resulting funding to the DMO. That could be through a hotel tax, or a district levy or…

Read More

Climate change: Is it time for NZCE to join the race?

From AMI, by James Lancaster: Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) – the business events industry’s attempt to tackle its carbon emissions – has galvanised companies and associations to act on climate change. But there is a growing sense of disquiet amongst event professionals that the scheme doesn’t go far enough and that its light-touch approach…

Read More

Igniting the AI Spark to Break Barriers

Conference & Meetings World (CMW) talks to Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, newly appointed vice-president of Spark and PCMA insights: What excites you most about your new role? After 25+ years leading a DMO and an NTO, I can now leverage my knowledge and expertise with an industry association leader. I have been a PCMA member for a…

Read More