Edinburgh has just shored up its ambition to become the “data capital” of Europe by hosting ESOMAR Congress 2019. The global data and insights summit at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre attracted more than 1,200 international delegates, and over 3,600 online viewers. The Scottish capital is considered the UK’s fastest growing tech hub. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Glasgow will welcome 30,000 delegates, including 200 world leaders, to discuss the climate change emergency when it hosts the 26th Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in November 2020 at the Scottish Event Campus. This year’s event will be held in Santiago, Chile, where the UK bid will be formally accepted. From Association Meetings International…
When tourist visitors to a city greatly outnumber the resident population, it’s not hard to understand locals feeling crowded, some to the point of revolt. But is overtourism an issue for the meetings industry? What have selfie-stick wielding hordes that descend seasonally on top destinations have to do with business events? From PCMA…
Aberdeen’s economy may once have been powered by oil and gas, but Scotland’s third city is now becoming an all-energy hub, with major investment in renewables, especially wind. It’s a life sciences hub as well, with coming new infrastructure in that sector, plus in transport, digital and the P&J Live venue (pictured). From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Ahead of the World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, held in Glasgow, First Citizen Eva Bolander posed for Project Ability artists. The initiative showcases people living with disability, and the event was part of the wider “People Make Glasgow Healthier” campaign. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Glasgow Convention Bureau has reported an almost £1 million boost to the city’s economy after hosting the recent 27th International Input-Output Association Conference. The IIOA meeting was in the UK for the first time and attracted a record number of delegates from nearly fifty countries. Sustainability was critical in its staging. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Hamilton in New Zealand has hosted a record-breaking Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference. The event, held at the University of Waikato, was being staged for the first time outside the United States or Canada. It attracted a record 1,872 registrations from countries as far afield as Scandinavia and South America. From Meetings International…
Glasgow Convention Bureau has reported best-ever year-end results with conference business generating more than £150 million for the city. Between 2018 and 2019, Glasgow hosted more than 530 conferences which brought in almost 160,000 delegates. Four significant medical meetings alone boosted the local economy by more than £17m. From Association Meetings International…
The Scottish Event Campus has had its most successful year since 2014 and the Commonwealth Games. Trading turnover increased by 21 percent to £35.1 million, and contributed an average of £1.5 million per day to the Glasgow economy in 2018 – 19, a total of £457 million over the year. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Glasgow is using major medical meetings held in the city as a platform for championing and improving public health. Glasgow Convention Bureau is leading the People Make Glasgow Healthier campaign, launched at IMEX (pictured), with support from the Scottish Government, the Scottish Event Campus, local industry and the city’s academic community. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Glasgow has been selected to host the ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology) Annual Congress in 2023. The event will take place at the Scottish Event Campus. The choice was based both on the logistical capacity to host Europe’s largest meeting in the field, plus the creation of a local engagement project. From Boardroom…
VisitBritain’s flagship business event MeetGB has been held in Windsor, and VisitScotland Expo has said that its recent staging was one of the biggest since the event began life in 1980. The exhibition took place at Glasgow’s SEC over two days, and saw 340 businesses showcasing products to over 550 buyers. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre has posted record financial results for 2018 as managers wary of a Brexit downturn target growth opportunities outside Europe. EICC is owned by Edinburgh City Council, which last month cut £300,000 from the annual budget of Marketing Edinburgh, the body that runs CVB Convention Edinburgh. From Association Meetings International…
Once famous for ship and train making, Scotland is now building rockets and satellites. Sutherland, the first spaceport in mainland Europe, will soon see its first launches. VisitScotland recently held INNOVATESPACE at the University of St Andrews, right after Data Space 2019 was held at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
During a busy European Cities Marketing Spring Meeting 2019 in Edinburgh, meetings professionals debated the successes and failures of city event organisations from all over the continent. Contributors included Iceberg partner ECM’s President, Dieter Hardt-Stremayr. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
What does leaving a legacy really mean for the events industry? As part of a collaboration with the European Society of Association Executives, here are two perfect case studies: the European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy Congress held in Glasgow, and Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress. From Boardroom…
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…
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…
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…
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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…
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…
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