Average spend per meeting in the UK increased in 2018, while lead and conversion times came down year on year, according to the latest HBAA Meetings Barometer. The report, developed by HBAA with The MeetingsBenchmark, also reveals a wide range in the average day delegate rate across the country. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
A 2018 economic impact report published by the Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau shows that £71 million was generated from the thriving business events sector in the Scottish region last year. The figure represents a four percent increase on 2017. The area attracted 257,000 conference and event delegates in 2018. From Association Meetings International…
Belfast’s official tourism marketing agency, Visit Belfast, has launched a new marketing campaign designed to rapidly accelerate the volume of inbound business conferences and events taking place in the city. The digital-led campaign is the city’s largest-ever dedicated business tourism marketing initiative. From Association Meetings International…
Edinburgh Marketing, the body behind the city’s convention bureau, has been dealt an eleventh hour reprieve after city councillors accepted a counter offer to proposed cuts. The council had sought to slash the organisation’s funding by £567,000 next year and by 89 percent over two years. Now it has reinstated £267,000. From Association Meetings International…
Conference ambassador programme Club Liverpool has honoured the ambassadors who brought £10.8 million worth of events to the city in 2018. Each ambassador who successfully brought a meeting to Liverpool was awarded a certificate by the Lord Mayor, with ten in all presented for seven different events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Leaders from one of Europe’s most prestigious gatherings of destination marketing organisations have voiced disbelief at proposed budget cuts which could see the end of both Marketing Edinburgh and the city’s convention bureau. Partner of the Iceberg European Cities Marketing’s Spring Meeting 2019 has just been held in the Scottish capital. From Association Meetings International…
Manchester Central saw 31 percent growth in exhibition revenue during 2018, thanks to a rise in the total number of shows hosted (37) and a repeat rate of 86 percent from 2017. High-profile new events included The Northern Business Exhibition. Repeat clients included IP EXPO. 2018 also saw investment in new facilities. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Aileen has worked in the meetings industry for over 25 years and is currently the Head of Tourism and Conventions at Glasgow Convention Bureau, Glasgow Life. Aileen has served on the board of ICCA as Destination Co-Chair. The Convention Bureau focus on attracting and supporting association conferences to meet in Glasgow. The Bureau offer a…
It’s been a busy year for James Rees, Executive Director of ExCeL London. Following election as ICCA President in November 2018, Rees reveals his approach to the US market, to diversity at both ExCeL and ICCA, and how being in a New Romantic pop band helped him thrive in the events industry. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Ambassadors help destinations secure international association meetings. So Edinburgh’s meetings industry has an anxious wait ahead of a council vote on budget cuts that could virtually wipe out the city’s marketing and lead to the closure of Convention Edinburgh and its ambassador scheme. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
While the Edinburgh Convention Bureau’s future funding lies under threat, so the city has also voiced the idea of a £2 per person nightly “room tax”. Some see this as a welcome source of new revenue, but will any get back to marketing, and what about competitiveness? From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
An Iceberg partner’s first ever mental health survey received responses from event professionals struggling to stay afloat. The results reinforce the much-referenced CareerCast survey from 2017 that ranked event planner as the fifth most stressful job in the world, beaten only by roles in the emergency services and military. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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Fiona launched not for profit Positive Impact in 2005 to provide education and collaboration opportunities to create a sustainable event industry. She was the youngest female to chair an ISO standard when, in 2012, ISO 20121 a management system for event sustainability was created. In 2014 Fiona received an honorary doctorate from Leeds Beckett University for services to…
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Lesley joined BestCities in 2017 as Market Development Director, and was Managing Director from January 2020 to July 2023, following the decision of BestCities to award extending the management contract to GainingEdge. Lesley is a strong supporter and advocate of the beyond tourism impacts of meetings. In 2017 BestCities formed a collaboration with ICCA to…
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As Director of Impact & Industry Relations, Natasha leads a dedicated business unit overseeing our industry partnerships, advocacy and advancement and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. This includes initiatives and charitable endeavours that the IMEX Group either drives or supports. Recognising the collective impact IMEX makes and that lies at the very heart of…
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Ray Bloom is the chairman and founder of the IMEX Group, which organises worldwide exhibitions for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry in Europe and the USA. IMEX in Frankfurt takes place at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, every spring; while IMEX America takes place at the Las Vegas Sands Expo each autumn. Bloom is also…
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James has 25 years’ experience in event organisation and major venue management. He began as a conference organiser for UK-based Water Research Centre organising national and international events then made a move into venue management, joining Wembley Stadium Ltd as an event manager across Wembley’s Stadium, Arena and Conference & Exhibition Centre venues, managing international…
he UFI Forum is a one-day event on a specific topic or area of focus. The Forum 2019 themed “How to push Digital Innovation” is open to all industry professionals, both UFI members and non-members. UFI members benefit from a reduced participation fee. Join us on 15th May for more insight & networking! UFI thanks the members of…
Despite its reputation of centuries-old tradition, London is the mover and groover of the technology universe. 80 percent of venture capital invested in UK tech firms since 2016 has gone to the capital. This investment is drawing, indeed being facilitated by, venues and events sharing in the sector’s strength. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
London and Paris are collaborating to offer a range of travel products aimed at North American incentive buyers. Specialised itineraries of the two-in-one incentive trip have been created allowing delegates to experience new cultural attractions, restaurants and hotels in both capital cities. This includes an official partnership with Eurostar. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Academics across Edinburgh have slammed proposed budget cuts that would see an 89 percent drop in the capital’s marketing over the next two years as well as the closure of its ambassador programme. Over 75 Edinburgh ambassadors contacted the City Council objecting to the proposal to slash Marketing Edinburgh’s budget by £790,000. From Association Meetings International…
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