It is time once again to grab your own little piece of The Iceberg!
The Iceberg is rattling the collection box a little louder than usual this issue.
We have just issued a call for partners and ambassadors through 2021 and 2022. In Features below, The Iceberg’s Founder and Producer and James Latham explains that sharing storytelling and advocacy is the best route to wider appreciation of the sector and its vital role in economic recovery. Please email to apply for partnership or ambassadorship with The Iceberg for 2021 and 2022. Kai Hattendorf, President of the Joint Meetings Industry Council – which presents The Iceberg – also discusses the value of our platform on video.
In News this issue, conferences and exhibitions were not allowed to reopen on October 1st, nor for six months thereafter, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed. Business events for up to thirty can run. Without a support package the UK meetings industry will enter free fall. The stark message from the Association of Event Organisers, Association of Event Venues and the Event Supplier and Services Association came in response to the reopening delay. Informa has posted pre-tax losses of £739.9 million ($946.9 million) in its financial results for the six months ending June 30th 2020. A survey posted by Iceberg partner ECM (European Cities Marketing) shows that three quarters of Europe’s city destination management and marketing organisations have seen budget reductions as a result of the pandemic, some of over fifty percent. The convention bureau Meet in Reykjavik has joined Promote Iceland, making it a national convention bureau for the whole country.
There are positive stories to celebrate in News. The managers of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre have welcomed the launch of a subsidy deal to “reinvigorate” the city-state’s business events industry. After “overwhelming” interest, Austria Center Vienna has published key findings of its COVID-19 rapid testing pilot at an event on September 16th and 17th. The UK Space Agency is supporting a new exhibition and conference to drive growth through the sector, Space-Comm Expo. The EICC (Edinburgh International Conference Centre) marked its 25th, revealing 2019 as its most successful ever year. The venue has made an economic impact of over £720 million since opening its doors in 1995. 2020’s Top 25 Influencers within the Meetings Industry have been named. The list includes the Iceberg partner UFI’s (and also JMIC’s) Kai Hattendorf, plus Iceberg partner Talley Management Group’s Gregg Talley. “Incredible Impacts”, the awards for legacy run by Iceberg partners ICCA and BestCities Global Alliance, has unveiled three 2020 association winners. Plus, BestCities has released a global study of legacy impact measurement in the business events sector.
All twelve Opinions this issue are fresh. Convention centres know that as meetings return they will often be hybrid. So many are installing broadcast studios, like the Javits Center in New York. In another article, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal Robert Mercure also spells out how his venue’s media offer is adapting with client needs. The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre has just resumed major business events with a meeting attracting over 4,500 people, including the Prime Minister. Jeremy Rees, CEO of ExCeL London, discusses how his venue became an emergency field hospital for COVID-19 patients. ICCA President and ExCeL London Executive Director James Rees talks to IMEX CEO Carina Bauer about the same subject, part of a video double feature from AIPC, the other being about the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. AIPC, ICCA and IMEX are all Iceberg partners.
Also in Opinions, the first UKickstart event brought together 1,419 event professionals both online and across twelve “in person” venues. Illuminate at the Science Museum was one of them. Germany has a more receptive attitude now to business events than most nations. Congress Centre Leipzig has just played host to 600 doctors at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Phlebology. The PCMA Rocky Mountain Chapter just hosted an in person meeting for over sixty with an additional online audience. When the Georgia Society of Association Executives held its annual meeting in August at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, the event was the first in person meeting the hotel had hosted since the pandemic began. Plus, the first Exhibitions Think Tank has launched a report gathering insights from over 150 eventprofs and setting out ideas for the future of the global industry. COVID-19 has slammed the brakes on the international expansion of associations. International Advisor Martin Sirk, of Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs, says association-friendly regional destinations are the answer. Finally, looking to hold a memorable virtual event? We have five unusual ideas for injecting some fun, from sharing musical experiences with karaoke or kazoos to the nonprofit animal sanctuary running a service called “Goat-2-Meeting” (I kid you not).
In Research you’ll find UFI’s Waste Management in the Exhibitions Industry – 1st Edition, Fast Forward 15’s Diversity and inclusion and from PCMA the COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard for September. Also just added, aforementioned in News and right on the sweet spot of The Iceberg‘s own take on the sector, Advancing Event Legacies Through Impact Measurement from BestCities Global Alliance. Plus, the Joint Meetings Industry Council joins up with UFI for JMIC & SDGs – Meeting the World’s Sustainable Development Goals.
This issue’s parish notices start with previously published coronavirus resource pages from within our own partner community: the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), IMEX Group, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), plus publications Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT), Association Meetings International (AMI), Conference & Meetings World, Conference News, Exhibition World, Exhibition News and ASAE’s Associations Now Today’s Coronavirus Tracker.
There are association resources aplenty at the new website of Iceberg partner the Global Association Hubs, including a Free Virtual Meetings Guide made available by Julius Solaris of eventmanagerblog.com, and COVID-19 advisories from the four GAH destinations: Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC.
ICCA’s registration for its 59th ICCA Congress in Kaohsiung remains open. The hybrid format regional hubs are Cape Town, Sarawak, Luxembourg, Malaga and Riyadh, with Latin and North America events being held virtually. A six-week online programme is already underway leading up to main dates November 1st to November 3rd.
ICCA has just partnered with ISSA and GBAC to enhance event safety. The Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of worldwide cleaning industry association ISSA, will offer essential business reopening resources to ICCA members.
ICCA has also partnered with the Geneva International Association Forum (GIAF), which was launched by the ASSOCIATIONWORLD Foundation in collaboration with the Geneva Convention Bureau and Congrex Switzerland earlier this year, now postponed to November 5th and 6th.
UFI’s registration for its “glocalised” Global Congress 2020 in November remains open. There will now be physical attendance in two locations, hosted by Dubai World Trade Center and by MCH Group in Basel. The theme is “resilience”. UFI Connects is also back with all new online talks.
Hannover Fairs México is the winner of the UFI Marketing Award 2020 for its project “Multi-channel, Cross-generational marketing”. Koelnmesse is the winner of the UFI Operations and Services Award 2020, for a large-scale digital signage project combined with an intelligent digital communication system.
Designed for the creative and the curious, “Monday Funday” opened the revamped PlanetIMEX on October 12th. Funday launched a five day run of creative, insightful, community-minded and educational content. The German Convention Bureau has announced it will be partnering with PlanetIMEX, and contributing several sessions to the event’s programme. “Unprecedented leadership during unprecedented times” is the focus of the 2020 Association Leadership Forum, created by ASAE, at PlanetIMEX on Thursday October 15th. The programme offers high level insights into the strategies association executives can employ to navigate a business environment that continues to change and challenge. On the same day, IMEX Group working with partners ICCA, Destinations International and the German Convention Bureau has “on the ground” advisors presenting detailed business and events updates from various parts of the world. Also at PlanetIMEX on October 15th, Virtual Event Tech Day, which has been created by IMEX partner EventMB. EventMB has brought together 20 event technology specialists from all over the world to share their insights and experience. Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance is holding two sessions at PlanetIMEX on October 16th: “Around the World in 80 Minutes” and “Your Meeting Can Be More Meaningful”. Global Association Hubs will be asking the question “Still Going Global?” on the same day. Registration for the October PlanetIMEX is now open.
Iceberg partner IBTM has announced the first details of IBTM World Virtual, taking place between December 8th and 10th 2020. Organisers say the online event will incorporate three days of one-to-one business meetings, a comprehensive programme of content and many key features of the live event. The main event page is here.
Iceberg partner AIME (Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event) already launched its 2021 Hosted Buyer program, to help kickstart the industry back into action whilst having fun at the same time. AIME also announced the appointment of new Event Director, Silke Calder, to lead the first hybrid event taking place from March 15th 2021.
Iceberg partner AIPC has issued a members’ reminder that the JMIC Global Manifesto, for which the Iceberg produced a webinar in July, is available in PowerPoint format for use in presentations.
BestCities Global Alliance has posted Your Guide to COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols at Every BestCities Destination.
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing launched its first ever ECM Mentor Programme during the ECM Summer School 2.0. The industry-supported initiative has been created to secure networking, relationship building and knowledge exchange between newly-appointed and advanced professionals in the meetings industry.
Iceberg partner Mash Media has announced that the Exhibition News Awards (EN Awards) are postponed to February 5th 2021. Tickets are on sale here. Mash Media has also partnered with EVNTe.ch to launch the Everything Event Tech Guide, which will be unveiled with a series of event technology awards at International Confex 2021.
Iceberg partner GainingEdge has posted the advisories COVID-19 and Destination Promoters, Putting Some Order to the Chaos, What to Ask Associations Beyond “Will You Be Rebooking?”, Partnerships and Collaboration: Now Even More Essential, and Building Confidence with Your Stakeholders, plus insights Tracking the Return of the MICE Events Sector in a COVID-19 World, The MICE Sector in a COVID-19 World – Lockdown, Transition, New Normal, Tracking the Return of the MICE Events Sector in a COVID-19 World – Part 2, and “How Accessible is Your Association?”, plus Bulletin: COVID-19 Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, Issue #5, Issue #6, Issue #7, Issue #8, Issue #9, Issue #10 and Issue #11.
As mentioned above, Iceberg partner Talley Management Group President and CEO Gregg Talley has been named one of the “Top 25 Influencers of the Meetings Industry” in 2020 by Northstar Meetings Group. The citation mentions Gregg’s work on the current 59th ICCA Congress, on which the Iceberg team is also contributing.
Iceberg partner Boardroom has launched Boardroom MiniCourses, a dedicated online learning site loaded with short, high-quality educational videos. New strategy, communications and marketing MiniCourses are available. Contributors include Geneviève Leclerc, Chief Executive Officer of #MEET4IMPACT and Iceberg ambassador, plus International Pitch Coach David Beckett. Boardroom MiniCourses has an Instagram page here.
Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events is seeking 100,000 event professionals to build the future of the industry. There is a great video here.
There are extensive further COVID-19 resources at the Events Industry Council (EIC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), Meetings Mean Business and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Northstar Meetings Group has posted a running list of New Dates for Events and Conventions Postponed Due to Coronavirus, and updated its Pulse Survey in September.
Following up on its Meeting and Event Design Accepted Practices Guide (see Research), EIC has released Health and Safety for Hotels Accepted Practices Guide, which covers how hotels and planners can have “open and honest” conversations about holding in-person meetings.
PCMA will hold its flagship annual meeting Convening Leaders as a hybrid event. Originally scheduled to take place in Houston, the conference will now have multiple further hubs for small face-to-face gatherings around the world from January 11th to 14th as well as going online.
To support continued activation of PCMA’s global business events recovery plan Recovery Discovery, PCMA has announced the appointment of Bruce MacMillan as Chief Operating Officer.
The Meetings Mean Business Coalition board of directors has announced the appointment of Michael Massari, Chief Sales Officer for Caesars Entertainment, as its next co-chair.
The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella body for the UK’s events industry, has launched a reopening survey. The poll will show how industry suppliers across the country are preparing to reopen safely. Take part here.
The IRF, FICP and SITE Foundation partner each year with market leader Oxford Economics to conduct the most comprehensive research ever into the incentive travel industry and its future evolution. This year’s Incentive Travel Industry Index survey is now open for submissions.
The World Travel Market and Travel Forward shows are going digital only this year, and will take place on November 9th to 11th as “WTM Virtual”.
Three major events industry campaigns, #WeCreateExperiences, #WeMakeEvents, and #LetTheMusicPlay have joined forces under the One Industry One Voice banner.
Until the next time…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
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It is time once again to grab your own little piece of The Iceberg! The call has just been issued for partners and ambassadors through 2021 and 2022. Iceberg Founder and Producer and James Latham believes sharing storytelling and advocacy is the best possible route to wider appreciation of the sector and its vital role in…
The 59th ICCA Congress in Kaohsiung is to showcase a unique and hybrid hub-and-spoke model, with regional events across the globe coinciding with the main congress and sharing the experience for those unable to attend it. The locations include the main host destination, along with Kuching, Cape Town, Luxembourg, Malaga and Riyadh. An all-virtual option is…
Seoul cautiously resumed business events in June, starting with exhibitions and congresses. Dental meeting SIDEX was the first large-scale example with 4,860 attendees over two days. After their firm focus on sanitation protocols, organisers confirmed two weeks later that no COVID-19 cases had arisen after it. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has released a manifesto that sets out arguments as to why business events can and should be utilised to drive economic recovery and renewal in the post-COVID-19 era. The document was assembled with the advice and input of a broad range of industry leaders. This was…
Iceberg partners ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and BestCities Global Alliance have announced that their “Incredible Impacts” grants, which awards associations leaving lasting legacies, are to return for their fourth year in a row, with the partnership also renewed for a further three years. Incredible Impacts is now open for submissions, and presents an opportunity…
During 2018 MeetDenmark, with consultancy and Iceberg partner GainingEdge, began a major project on legacy. The study involved desk research on fifty international associations and fifty destinations as well as interviews with twenty from each of the two groups. Some of the findings on the current global landscape were published last year in the MeetDenmark…
Wedged in amongst some of Norway’s most impressive fjords, Stavanger boasts a range of water-based and engineering industries, like shipbuilding and the building of rigs, platforms and subsea installations. But energy is the key sector, and “Europe’s energy capital” has a committed convention bureau keen to attract association meetings. From Boardroom…
The legacies of business events should start early on in life. July 2019 saw a new era begin for Malaysia’s youngest children on the back of the 2nd Sarawak Conference on Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Organised by Fu Yuan Kindergarten, the three-day meeting brought together more than 800 people from over 20 countries. From Boardroom…
Toulouse recently joined Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index, which measures and benchmarks cities’ green strategy and performance. The opening of the new LEED certified MEETT Convention Centre, scheduled for the end of 2020, shows the environmental commitment of the city’s partners. From Boardroom…
As the world’s population grows, the percentage of people living in cities is rising steadily. The future success of humanity is therefore more and more tied to, and even defined by, the future success of the city as a model. In that, of course, business events have a critical role to play. Professor Greg Clark has…
Australia’s business events landscape is surveyed here in a rich collection of articles. BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith, ICC Sydney’s Geoff Donaghy, ACC’s Simon Burgess, MCEC’s Peter King, Brisbane Marketing’s Juliet Alabaster, plus the team behind JMIC’s (the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s) case studies, all offer up viewpoints. From Meetings International…
When President Nelson Mandela opened the Durban ICC in 1997, it was South Africa’s first international convention centre. It has since then been voted “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” by the World Travel Awards no fewer than seventeen times. But some of the venue’s greatest legacies lie in environmental sustainability. From Boardroom…
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The EICC (Edinburgh International Conference Centre) was marking 25 years of operation in the same week as revealing that 2019 was its most successful ever year. The venue has made an economic impact of over £720 million since opening its doors in 1995, with £12.6 million achieved in 2019. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The UK Space Agency is supporting a new exhibition and conference to drive growth throughout the UK’s space sector. Space-Comm Expo will take place from in May 2021 at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. It will be a showcase for key technologies and thought leadership in the sector. From Exhibition News…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has released a global study of legacy impact measurement in the business events sector. Whilst it is recognised legacy impact makes a significant contribution to the true value of meetings, there are too few indicators and measurement tools in place for the task. From Meetings International…
The managers of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre have welcomed the launching of a subsidy scheme to “reinvigorate” the local business events industry. The HK$1,020 million ($131 million) deal offers to cover the full venue rental costs for exhibitions and global conventions. From Association Meetings International…
After “overwhelming” interest, the Austria Center Vienna has published key findings of its COVID-19 testing pilot at a September 16th and 17th event. Each test took approximately 30 seconds with results delivered in six to ten minutes. Out of the 2,000 rapid tests taken, five were positive. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The convention bureau Meet in Reykjavik has joined together with Promote Iceland. After agreement between the Reykjavik city council executive committee, with Promote Iceland and with Icelandair, Meet in Reykjavik will also market meetings as a national convention bureau for the whole country. From Meetings International…
“Incredible Impacts”, the awards for legacy run by Iceberg partners ICCA and BestCities Global Alliance, has unveiled three association winners whose events have been “leading examples of excellence within the global meetings industry”. Each will receive a $7,500 grant toward future legacy projects. From PCMA…
2020’s Top 25 Influencers within the Meetings Industry have been named. The list includes the Events Industry Council’s Amy Calvert, Destination DC’s Elliott Ferguson, the Iceberg partner UFI’s (and also JMIC’s) Kai Hattendorf, plus Iceberg partner Talley Management Group’s Gregg Talley. From Northstar Meetings Group…
Without a support package the UK meetings and events industry will enter into free fall. The very stark message from the Association of Event Organisers, Association of Event Venues and Event Supplier and Services Association was in response to the UK government delaying the reopening of business events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Informa has posted pre-tax losses of £739.9 million ($946.9 million) in its financial results for the six months ending June 30th 2020. The group updated actions to ensure stability through into 2021, amid ongoing disruption and the postponements of events extending into the spring. From Exhibition News…
Conferences and exhibitions will not be allowed to run from October 1st, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed. Business events for up to thirty can run, but the backtrack on the date for reopening large events will be place in for six months with the UK now at COVID level four. From Exhibition News…
A survey on funding from Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has shown 75 percent of Europe’s city destination management and marketing organisations have seen budget reductions as a direct result of the pandemic, some reporting cuts of over 50 percent. From Conference & Meetings World…
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This project collected, analysed and synthesised the findings of all prior Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies to deliver a verdict on the broader contributions that conferences, congresses, trade shows, convention centres and bureaux deliver to destinations, communities, industries and economies. The cases were drawn from four continents: Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The…
The China-LAC Summit is an annual meeting organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It is a key entrepreneurial event for companies from China and the Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Center in Uruguay hosted the 11th edition of the…
The EuroHeartCare conference is one of the most important platforms for driving research publications, exchanging ideas, and forming and deepening collaborations within the field of cardiovascular nursing in Europe. It aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering the best care possible to patients with cardiovascular disease. The 2017 edition was hosted by Jönköping University in…
The study explores the benefits and barriers for individual researchers and universities when hosting research conferences. The study has been commissioned by the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy – an advisory body to the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science. Thereby the study situates the hosting of research conferences as a potential…
London Tech Week is a festival of live events taking place once a year across the United Kingdom capital. Having been held now for four years, it has become a key gathering for the ICT industry in London. It connects the entire tech ecosystem both within the city and beyond, shapes the future of the…
Many international convention centres use sophisticated methods to measure the economic impact of business events in their host cities. Others recognise the importance of food in customer experience and promote programs like paddock to plate or food miles. ICC Sydney marries these two concepts together and takes them to a new level by measuring the…
Growing its business events sector is part of Malaysia’s strategy to achieve status as a developed nation by 2020. This case study presents the contribution made by the 55th ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Congress towards developing the business events sector in the country. ICCA’s event engaged political leaders and the local community to raise awareness of the needs…
The Geneva Convention Bureau has adopted a policy of promoting Geneva not only as a destination but also as a center of economic, knowledge and innovation excellence. It does this by marketing meetings and events in relation to local key clusters of industry. As a result, a dynamic and virtuous feedback loop is established between Geneva’s economic or knowledge…
This research by Business Events Sydney (BESydney) demonstrates that business events offer delegates unrestricted exposure to innovative ideas and opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills. Part of the Beyond Tourism Benefits series, the new study by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – Conferences: Catalysts for Thriving Economies – provides further evidence showing that…
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A new report published by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), which presents The Iceberg, offers the most comprehensive assessment yet of meetings industry activities addressing the full range of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The program was an extension of an initiative begun by Iceberg partner UFI, the global association of the…
When the lockdowns began in the US in March, it was hoped COVID-19 would be well under control by the autumn. As we enter the last quarter of 2020, we have come to accept that we will be living with COVID-19 well into 2021 and perhaps 2022, that its effects on the economy will linger,…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has collaborated with associations and destinations around the world to build new research around a “legacy language” and impact measurement indicators. This highly ambitious and innovative project involved an extensive study with over fifty interviews and surveys with destinations and associations across the world from a broad spectrum of sectors and disciplines….
The overall objective of this survey was to understand how inclusive events are as an industry. The survey also considered education, career progression, perceived success and salary. Diversity and inclusion – Fast Forward 15 (Fast Forward 15 website) Diversity in Events Has “a Way to Go”, Reveals Report (Meetings & Incentive Travel article) Women in Exhibitions (Exhibition News…
This report addresses the issue of waste in the exhibitions industry. It derives from several actions of Iceberg partner UFI, including the set-up of dedicated regional task forces around the world and the selection of best practices. Compiled by Greenview, a member of the UFI Sustainable Development Working Group, the report also includes a detailed…
As authorities around the world are increasingly clearing business events to run again, organisers of conventions and exhibitions, as well as venue and centre operators need to put respective measures in place that create safe environments for participants. A new guide on the matter identifies and promotes globally emerging standards, protocols and good practices. Good…
The latest UFI / Business Strategies Group report on the trade fair industry in Asia has now been published complete with the latest updated statistical information from 2019, as well as detailed commentary on the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaflet here… The Trade Fair Industry in Asia – 16th Edition (August 2020) –…
After reader input, latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard survey has changed the wording “cannibalise face-to-face attendance” to “impact face-to-face attendance” in the survey questions. Both planners and suppliers expect digital tech will have a greater impact throughout the rest of this year: an average of 57 percent in August versus an average of 47 percent in…
This white paper from Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events has been written to engage with CEOs, corporate heads of sustainability, global government staff, United Nations event organisers, association CEOs and corporate heads of events, plus any others in action innovating around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It explains why the event industry is best-placed to…
While some associations are adapting quicker than others, there remains a general misconception on what is a virtual event. Is it anything as simple as a giant Zoom call, or does it entail more than that? Can simply renting a platform solve everything? What is the role now of event planners? Creating a virtual congress is as…
Earlier this year, the Incentive Research Foundation published the results of a pulse survey fielded between April 2nd and April 16th COVID-19’s Impact on the Incentive Travel Industry (April 2020). Given the continued challenges for the industry related to the pandemic, IRF fielded a study between July 1st and July 15th, 2020 to understand the…
As part of the #aNewTomorrow initiative, Iceberg partner ECM (European Cities Marketing) invited ten Long Thinkers – experts in their fields, industry influencers and purposeful changemakers – to look further ahead, beyond thee crisis and towards a New Tomorrow for tourism and destinations. These are now all compiled in this catalogue and shared anew. A…
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Looking to hold a virtual conference to remember? What can you do to spice things up? Here are five rather unusual ideas for injecting fun into the mix, from sharing some musical experiences with karaoke or kazoos to the nonprofit animal sanctuary running a service called (I kid you not) “Goat-2-Meeting”. From Associations Now…
COVID-19 has slammed the brakes on the international expansion of associations, their big conferences having been essential to delivering such goals prior to the pandemic. International Advisor Martin Sirk, of Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs, says that association-friendly regional destinations are the answer. From Boardroom…
The first Exhibitions Think Tank has launched a report gathering insights from over 150 sector professionals and setting out ideas for the future of the global industry. Two surveys plus close to 100 online sessions have culminated in a resource that will support the sector adapting to future changes. From Exhibition News…
The PCMA Rocky Mountain Chapter just hosted an in person meeting for over sixty people with an additional online audience. Chapter leadership recognised planner members’ fears over hosting live events themselves, so made the call to take the plunge first with their “Six Foot Laboratory”. From PCMA…
When the Georgia Society of Association Executives held its annual meeting in August at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, numbers totalled 113. The event was the first in person meeting the hotel hosted since the pandemic began in early 2020, and for many attendees their first event in months as well. From PCMA…
Iceberg partner AIPC has recently published two video perspectives about how business events are now evolving. ICCA President and ExCeL London Executive Director James Rees (pictured) talks to IMEX CEO Carina Bauer. ICCA and IMEX are also Iceberg partners. The second feature is on the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. From AIPC…
Convention venues know that when meetings return they will often be in hybrid format. So many are installing amenities like broadcast studios. The Javits Center in New York has added a 30,000-square-foot studio with a private green room area, two studio cameras and a giant video wall. From Associations Now…
Germany has a more receptive attitude to business events than most nations. In some states now national association meetings are taking place once again, some with hundreds attending them. Congress Centre Leipzig has just played host to 600 doctors at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Phlebology. From Association Meetings International…
The first UKickstart event brought together 1,419 event professionals both online and across twelve “in person” venues. It was the first live and virtual national gathering of the sector since lockdown. Illuminate at the Science Museum was one of the venues chosen to host a selection of physical attendees. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Jeremy Rees took over as CEO of ExCeL London towards the end of 2018, after joining as Sales Director in 2010. Here he discusses how the venue became an emergency field hospital for COVID-19 patients, the NHS Nightingale London, and is now restored to its original, event-ready state. From Exhibition News…
The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) has just hosted a major business event, the first during the country’s COVID-19 Recovery Movement Control Order. With strict safety protocols in place, the one-day meeting attracted over 4,500 people, including Malaysia’s Prime Minister and other senior ministers. From Association Meetings International…
As associations pivot their offerings to virtual or hybrid with the ongoing onslaught of COVID-19, so venues are also doing the same. President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal Robert Mercure spells out how the facility’s media services are adapting to address client needs through the sector’s new normal. From Boardroom…
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UFI connects is a way to stay connected, to get through this pandemic, and to be ready for the time afterwards. It is a programme of regular talks, panels, and webinar sessions – organized by the UFI team for you. Recordings of previous sessions are available to view.
Welcome to our all-inclusive video hub for associations. Learn anytime, anywhere, at your own pace. Our video minicourses, all given by specialised experts, have been structured into easily managed content which will help you overcome any challenge you might have. New courses will be added every month.
Enhance your career with short, industry courses or build organizational capabilities with relevant company learning for immediate impact. Our extensive on-site training and coaching programmes are now online to make them more easily accessible for business event professionals anywhere. The content has been specifically designed for convention bureaus, convention centres and any suppliers to the…
ECM wants to continue to empower the conversation during this unprecedented situation with a new initiative, “A New Tomorrow”. The purpose is to share ideas and challenges, find inspiration in new practice and different approaches, and envision together with all of our members, a new future of destinations rebuilt and conventions reimagined to meet new…
We have created a library of resources to not only help you through COVID-19 but also to ensure that you’re ready to get back to face-to-face business on the other side. Because there will be another side. You’ll find webinars and videos from key industry professionals, providing you with the great insights you need to keep…
JMIC, together with AIME, IBTM, IMEX and Meetings Africa, have released a 2-part webinar showcasing the industry speaking with one voice. All the major trade shows for our industry, leaders of associations and leading experts in our sector haved united to put together a joint message – to governments, decision makers, stakeholders – about the…
The recent COVID-19 pandemic produced shifts in member behavior and drove membership models to evolve. Due to the pandemic, many successful associations are moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to varied membership options and more individualized engagement opportunities to embrace the “new normal” in a post COVID world. This online seminar series will offer insights into…
The first step to becoming a more effective leader is to improve yourself from within, which can mean developing your emotional intelligence, improving your ethical foundations, and becoming more mindful, among other valuable internal qualities. Enroll in this collection to explore several aspects of leadership and learn how you can be a better leader. Lessons…
We create the world we want to live and operate in with the words we use and hear. This is especially true in the workplace. In this session, we’re going to learn: how to become aware of our own impact and influence on those around us; how to design crucial conversations—which can include performance reviews,…
Immerse yourself in new, interactive opportunities designed to help move your organization forward at this year’s revitalized Technology Exploration Conference. Get real-world experience in our new, hands-on tech training seminar and attend a series of learning sessions and demos from the best in the industry. Discover how the latest technology can drive your organization to…
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Immerse yourself in new, interactive opportunities designed to help move your organization forward at this year’s revitalized Technology Exploration Conference. Get real-world experience in our new, hands-on tech training seminar and attend a series of learning sessions and demos from the best in the industry. Discover how the latest technology can drive your organization to…
Due to incredibly unpredictable travel restrictions, we’ve decided to transition IBTM World 2020 to a virtual experience, incorporating one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers, as well as a knowledge programme, with a range of targeted education sessions. Exhibitors and buyers will benefit from IBTM’s bespoke appointment system, matchmaking buyer’s business needs with supplier’s services to…
This event will see ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter – the largest Chapter in ICCA’s global membership with nearly 300 members coming in full force, enabling Xiamen to showcase its local expertise to international attendees to encourage collaboration, innovation and business exchange. In turn, Asia Pacific delegates will be provided with opportunities to advance their knowledge…
(By invitation only.) The Global CEO Summit, is one of UFI’s most prestigious events. It serves as the exhibition industry’s annual curtain raiser event for the most senior executives worldwide, offering top-level content, dialogues, and excellent networking. The event is for CEOs and equivalents from international exhibition organisers and venue operators. A series of GCS…
A new starting point for exhibitions is here… Recognition and celebration is what we all need right now, but the awards signifies something much more important, it will give us a template and new starting point in which we can kick start awards in a face-to-face environment and not just with confidence but with style!…
* * * EVENT POSTPONED * * * A minimum of 10 and maximum 15 ICCA venues each invite an association executive to the Workshop to discuss their specific meeting requirements. Association executives must conform to strict selection criteria, so ensuring that participating venues can promote their company and services to senior…
Come and join us for the best attended and most loved events industry showcase! It’s a tough time for our industry and we will certainly have some mountains to climb post COVID-19, it will be more important than ever that we unite for 2 days of knowledge sharing, networking and inspiration. Discover over 300 event,…
EPS will now take place outdoors with marquees at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. EPS is the longest-running event designed for all event professionals involved in running outdoor events; including festivals, sporting events, corporate and brand experiences, local authority events and stadium/arena tours. The Event Production Show was created to support the live events community…
The modern PA, VA and EA are at the epicentre of the companies and industries they serve. Long gone are the days of limited power and influence, the modern assistant carries strong responsibilities and has a powerful place as the backbone of their company. The PA Show exists to support an incredible number of talented…
Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, we must share the heartbreaking news that AIME 2021 has been cancelled. Like many other event organisers, we face the challenges brought about by international and domestic travel restrictions despite healthy interest for the event from exhibitors and buyers. As the past year has shown, it’s difficult to predict…
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