Shrinking budgets for travel and “increasingly difficult” visa issues are among the biggest concerns among planners of international association meetings, according to a survey. The Union of International Associations has released findings from its latest Survey on International Meetings Issues. From Association Meetings International…
When the SBFA (Serbian Federation of Beekeeping Association) entered the “Incredible Impacts” grants run by the Iceberg partners ICCA and BestCities Global Alliance this year, its bidding stage legacy story wasn’t eligible. Even so, SBFA’s efforts are discussed by the association and Serbia Convention Bureau. From BestCities Global Alliance…
In a move sure to be replicated across all destination marketing, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), partnering with the country’s State Tourism and Food Safety Agencies, has launched SAHMAN (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms). PwC is to audit the initiative, which will cover all aspects of tourism. From Meetings International…
Cancel, delay or go ahead? Planners of industry events are facing tough choices as significant gatherings of thousands or tens of thousands pose a major risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. The cancellation of Mobile World Congress due to have been held in Barcelona shows how organisers are now under intense pressure. From Tech Xplore…
Convention centres let architects push the limits of creative design and pioneer innovative solutions. With seventeen decades of venue architecture behind us, the 1850 Bingley Hall in Birmingham being the first example, here are five extraordinary modern venues. Photo: R. Elton. From Association Meetings International…
In what way does the purpose of DMCs (Destination Management Companies) change in a market disrupted by the Internet? What happens when the core value proposition of “local knowledge, expertise and connections” is accessible, sometimes more efficiently and affordably, via other platforms? From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
St Petersburg is now doubling its subvention fund for 2019 to 50 million roubles (approximately €700,000), as part of an ongoing strategy to attract to the city major international congresses. The fund is available across all the city’s venues, but will have a significant impact on Expoforum, the Russian city’s main congress centre. From Meetings International…
London has been named the top meetings destination in Europe for the fifth consecutive year. Cvent, the events and hospitality technology provider, has released its annual rankings. Eastern European cities are gaining momentum, with Prague moving back into the top ten. Istanbul has broken into the top twenty-five. From Association Meetings International…
The GSMA Mobile 360 Series – Eurasia conference, a regional event run by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, will be held in Moscow later this year. It follows last year’s successful debut in the same city, which gathered more than 600 attendees, over half of them director-level or above. From Association Meetings International…
Expoforum, the new congress and exhibition centre in St Petersburg, is trying to raise its profile as a place to host major international association congresses. As well as entering into media partnerships, attending trade shows and focussing on its ICCA membership, the venue has also engaged business development consultants. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director of The Middle East, Arabian Travel Market and IBTM Arabia, reveals seven destinations set to become prominent in the meetings and events industry. Her list comprises the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council states, other neighbours Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Rwanda. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Chapter Committee’s main objective is to create a better networking and business exchange environment among the Chapter members, to increase the awareness of the region’s meeting potential and its members. The Mediterranean Chapter aims to raise the profile of the region as one of the top meeting destinations as well as to promote its members…
Over 450 event professionals from over 54 countries have gathered in St Petersburg to attend the 85th UFI Global Congress. The event kicked off with the UFI General Assembly, and the exhibition industry’s global association, which is an Iceberg partner, also released two research reports: Global Visitor Insights, and Women in the exhibition industry. From the Event…
The convention bureau tasked with bringing international association meetings to Istanbul has signed a two-year partnership agreement to strengthen its hand. Istanbul’s CVB has therefore now become an Association Relations Partner of ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association. The city’s standing as a destination has collapsed in recent years. From Association Meetings International…
St Petersburg has won the 25th running of the World Energy Congress in 2022. Russia saw off competition from Portugal and the USA to host the six-day event, which is run by the World Energy Council and attracts around 4,000 international delegates. Russia last hosted in Moscow fifty years ago. From Association Meetings International…
Istanbul’s standing as a destination for international association meetings is in tatters, with ICCA’s city rankings suggesting that its popularity for conferences has collapsed. For years the city proudly occupied a top ten position. Because of terrorism and other political turmoil, it dropped first to 39th place, and this year to 133rd. From Association Meetings International…
In 2016 Turkey’s largest city Istanbul claimed eighth spot in ICCA’s much-trumpeted city rankings. Today it is in 133rd place. Over the past 24 months the city has suffered deadly terrorist attacks, a failed coup, and a series of purges against its citizens, including teachers, journalists and lawyers. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
UFI’s Annual Global Congress is known as the exhibition industry’s largest global meeting of the year, combining international networking with unique content. It is an ideal opportunity for members to gain insight into topics of strategic interest, on the current industry trends and challenges that the exhibition industry is currently facing. Open to UFI members only,…
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