The August 2017 total solar eclipse. Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
It has not exactly been an uneventful final fortnight of the holiday season. Spain suffered a major terror attack. Texas is coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Even the sun went dark for a while.
In this edition of Business Events World, The Iceberg’s Features lead explains the chemical attraction of Cologne, and why the destination was recently home to the 20th European Symposium on Organic Chemistry.
In Opinions there are pieces on training / recruitment, engaging speakers (pun intended), and on keeping the joy in events. We also repost an AIPC advisory on industry advocacy from the redoubtable Rod Cameron.
In News, Dubai Business Events and the Cape Town & Western Cape Convention Bureau have announced strong results (click on “View all News”). Melbourne has won its largest ever conference. The European Society of Cardiology has issued a statement on the Barcelona terror attack on the eve of its congress there. Industry mental health is being discussed in the UK’s Midlands. Attendee list vetting – anonymous blacklists notwithstanding – is being discussed in London. Life sciences and biotech are cross-pollinating in Aberdeen. The Malaysian Society of Association Executives has been launched. Singapore is uniting tourism and business events under one brand.
There are also three research-based stories in News. Venues’ quality of service is crucial in customer retention. Medical congresses are finding healthcare provider education to be a challenge, and just how do leading companies use incentives? The full research upon which the latter two stories are based is also posted in Research below.
And finally… at President’s Trump’s iconic Mar-a-Lago resort, three major charities have cancelled bookings since POTUS’s much discussed comments on the violence in Charlottesville. Are these examples of what I now tag as “Reverse Legacy”? On many sides?
Here’s to the end of the quiet season…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
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Last month the 20th European Symposium on Organic Chemistry took place in Cologne. The choice of destination was due in no small part to the high industrial and academic “chemical” density of the region, as well as the University of Cologne’s reputed chemistry department. A current Nobel chemistry laureate gave the keynote. From tw tagungswirtschaft…
As The Iceberg reaches its half birthday – having launched in January 2017 – perhaps it is time to restate the principle behind the unusual metaphor we appropriated. If you prefer, perhaps it is time to gaze again at the blue sky above The Iceberg. This platform is presented by the Joint Meetings Industry Council and emerged not only as a vehicle for industry advocacy in general…
The gleaming new ICC Sydney has just hosted the 2017 Annual Conference of the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC). As well as being a prime example of what a modern centre should itself be, the entire Darling Harbour redevelopment precinct was also the perfect setting for a theme of “Transformation”. From CIM News Magazine…
The Outdoor Retailer trade show is switching to a three event annual format and coming to Denver and the Colorado Convention Center. The story of its move away from Utah is a tale of politics, proposed legacies in conservation and health, and the tireless campaigning of Colorado’s outdoor recreation chief – and Everest mountaineer – Luis Benitez. From Outside…
At Meetings Africa 2017, South Africa announced a bidding fund to target and win international association conferences and meetings. But subvention can be a mistake if not clearly linked to encouraging growth in key knowledge sectors. A special Event video report – produced in partnership with The Iceberg – explores the role the meetings industry will play in African economic development.
Innovative technology start-ups are now increasingly visible alongside the more established energy sector across Calgary’s business landscape. The destination is home to the largest number of fledgling tech businesses per capita in Canada, and the recently refurbished Calgary TELUS Convention Centre likes to see itself as a facilitator of this entrepreneurial trend. From PCMA Convene…
Already with the world’s fastest Internet connection speed, the city-state of Singapore is making a play to become Asia’s leading start-up incubator and the next silicon valley. The Singapore Tourism Board makes the case that coming investment in R & D, the many ICT events already held there, and an easy business environment all help foster tech success. From PCMA Convene…
From its annual home in Berlin, re:publica is a sizeable conference celebrating and debating digital disruption in a face-to-face format. The bohemian approach of the 2016 running cemented a ten year track record of legacy influence on regulation and legislation. There are also now sister events in Dublin and Thessaloniki. Photo: Jan Zappner. From tw tagungswirtschaft…
IMEX 2017 in Frankfurt saw the launch of one initiative rather complementary in its aims to what the Joint Meetings Industry Council and The Iceberg are also trying to achieve. ICCA – the International Congress and Convention Association – and BestCities Global Alliance announced that associations whose meetings have a great legacy story to tell will be able to apply for…
IMEX 2017 – the largest ever running of the show – officially opened on May 16 with a state of the industry address from IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom. German Convention Bureau Managing Director Matthias Schultze also spoke – in strong support of unfettered movement across borders – and the opening keynote came in the form of a unique city perspective on the…
Vilnius, capital of the Republic of Lithuania in Northern Europe, was the host for CONVENE earlier this year and has long been a leading events destination in the region. Now the new Go Vilnius agency will link up the city’s marketing with its more strategic economic goals of attracting investment and talent. From tmf dialogue marketing…
At PCMA Convening Leaders in Texas, collaborative education by IAPCO (the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers) and the event hosts reinforced the need for global association education strategies to be applied locally. Having a professional congress organizer (PCO) that understands the importance of locally-sourced intellectual capital – and that is aligned to the mission of the association – can…
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Singapore has just announced a unified brand – “Passion Made Possible” – to market itself both for tourism and business events under one umbrella. Singapore’s Tourism and Economic Development Boards are jointly behind the move. The idea is to capture the spirit of the nation and communicate its value proposition both for both travellers and companies. From Boardroom…
Malaysia now has its own Society of Association Executives, a response to the need for a single body to regulate the sector. The society’s mission is to advance Malaysian associations by offering advocacy, education and advice. Initiated by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, MSAE follows in the footsteps of other national societies around the world. From Boardroom…
Three quarters of event planners will not return to a venue if they receive bad service, according to a survey by the Victory Services Club. 84 percent think quality of service is one of the most important aspects of the overall experience. 61 percent base their booking decision on first contact and staff attitude. From Meetpie.com…
The Incentive Research Foundation has released a checklist of best practice for companies in rewarding employees. The foundation reviewed 900 organisations in its new Incentive Benchmarking Survey to reveal what the most successful do regarding non-cash bonuses and recognition. The results confirm the value of incentives as tools for recruitment, retention and engagement. From Meetpie.com…
Cross-pollination is a great wonder of biology. At the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre next month major bio conferences have co-located to benefit from the interactions that occur across disciplines. Natural product biotechnology conference ICNPB takes place immediately ahead of the three-day joint ICMAN / IUPHAR meeting (nutraceuticals / natural products). From Association Meetings International…
Following the anonymous email blacklist of 31 people alleged to be serially freeloading at business events – one of those named has now said he will no longer be doing so – familiarisation trips and the vetting of attendee lists will be debated at the next #EventPlannersTalk breakfast on 26 September in London. From Meetpie.com…
Businesses in the UK’s Midlands are being invited to join a series of focus groups to raise awareness of mental health issues in the meetings industry. The discussions are part of a campaign run by the Meetings Industry Association, and will help event professionals understand how their colleague’s organisations are building compassionate and productive workplaces. From Meetpie.com…
Melbourne has announced the securing of its largest ever conference: the Lions Clubs International Convention 2024. The huge event will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, deliver AU$84.4 million to the state of Victoria. 13,000 Lions Club members will stay a total 48,000 room nights. A “powerful legacy” is also promised. From Meetpie.com…
After the Barcelona terror attack, messages of international support for the city included one from the European Society of Cardiology, whose congress is bringing in 32,000 to the Catalonian capital. “Our sympathy is with the victims and their families.” its statement read. “Our solidarity is with all the people of Spain.”. Photo: Tiputini. From Association Meetings International…
President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida has already been referenced by those protesting his stance on climate change. Now in the days after his comments on the violence in Charlottesville, three big charities have cancelled events at the iconic venue. None have explicitly linked their decisions to the remarks. Photo: Edward Kimmel. From Meetings & Conventions…
Organisers of medical meetings are finding it difficult to deliver education to healthcare providers, according to a survey. More than 124 healthcare planners, congress organisers and meeting suppliers were surveyed, with twelve in-depth interviews conducted. The top trends identified included the intense time pressures imposed on HCPs by patients and practice management. From Association Meetings International…
Meetings secured since January 2017 by Dubai Business Events are expected to bring more than 51,000 delegates to the emirate. The Al Safeer Ambassador Programme has contributed to DBE’s success in winning bids. The network of 300 experts from diverse disciplines has helped secure eleven business events for Dubai. From CIM News Magazine…
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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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In today’s highly competitive economy, it is not surprising that businesses are seeking trusted new ways to differentiate themselves and sustain success. As major thought leaders and consultancies point repeatedly to human capital as the prime modern differentiator (even outstripping financial capital), it raises the question: what are truly successful companies now doing differently regarding…
For the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, compliance and regulation are a way of life. In this already complex environment, the ever-changing regulatory landscape has increased the pressure over recent years. These dynamics are having a profound effect on healthcare congresses, which represent the largest segment of educational meetings. The future of these events depends on…
The DestinationNEXT Futures Study identifies the trends and opportunities that will shape the future of destination marketing and management. This Futures Study update, conducted in 2017, is intended to build on the learnings from the 2014 Futures Study, and to determine updated trends and strategies that will keep the thousands of destination organizations around the…
A skills survey of the business events sector, coordinated by Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) in partnership with the Australian Association of Convention Bureaux and the Exhibition & Events Association of Australasia (EEAA), has found that critical skills gaps are considerably impacting the business events industry. With a significant survey response rate of 39 per…
This study is based on a global survey concluded in July 2017. It represents up to date information on the development and the outlook of the global exhibition industry as well as on 14 specific countries and zones. Global Exhibition Barometer 19th Edition (July 2017)
The latest UFI / Business Strategies Group report on the trade fair industry in Asia has now been published complete with updated statistical information from 2016. Leaflet here… The Trade Fair Industry in Asia – 13th Edition (July 2017) – Leaflet Order form here… The Trade Fair Industry in Asia – 13th Edition (July 2017) –…
The future belongs to cities. To be specific, the future belongs to cities that can attract the brightest and the best people, and encourage them to thrive. Today cities compete nationally and internationally to attract businesses, skilled migrants, and of course visitors. However, to an increasingly globalised population a city’s postcard views and monuments matter…
The Global Association Hubs Partnership (GAHP) was created by Brussels, Dubai, Singapore, and Washington DC to engage with the international association community as a trusted partner for international growth. A key component of the GAHP strategy is to feed this dialogue with original research-based content and to provide education and networking opportunities for association decision…
The meetings and conventions industry is evolving into a global innovation distribution channel. Over the last decade, convention bureaus have been collaborating more strategically with their local and state governments, economic development agencies, academic and scienti c institutions, and local business improvement districts to better leverage the value of conventions in their cities, especially those aligned…
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A roadmap for industry advocacy has emerged from a piece of research conducted by AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centres. The AIPC Local Resident’s Survey targets three cities where the impact of visitor traffic is considered an issue: Berlin, Barcelona and Amsterdam. An advisory from Rod Cameron, Executive Director, AIPC and the Joint Meetings Industry Council…
As we switch from “business tourism” to “economic development” and “knowledge transfer” – and as we quantify the return on investment our events create – let us not forget the human values also at the heart of this industry. Let us not squeeze the joy out of meetings. From the editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
We all know what professional conference organisers want from speakers they engage in constructing content for meetings and events. But what do the speakers want in return from organisers? Consultant and Strategic Meetings Management guru Kevin Iwamoto offers a list of eight peeves and pointers from the speaker point of view. From Meetings & Conventions…
The UK meetings and events industry is heavily dependent on foreign labour. The effect of Brexit on its ability to recruit remains a unknown quantity. Even before the surprise referendum result, possibly the country’s biggest independent conference group, Principal Hotel Company, created a training academy which is now attracting local talent. From the editor’s blog at Meetpie.com…
Manchester Central is now celebrating ten years since becoming an exhibition and conference centre. The venue’s new CEO Shaun Hinds has clear views on its next decade, in terms of industry disruption, the evolution of meetings and events, extending the conference experience beyond the event itself, and in the use of technology. From the editor’s blog at Meetpie.com…
According to the Incentive Research Foundation’s 2016 Event Disruption study, 59% of planners in 2015 and 2016 and had to deal with outside disturbances to their meeting itineraries. One brave Iceberg partner journalist signed up to sample a unique dinner-in-the-sky experience in London. Sadly sometimes even a suspended event has to be… erm… suspended. From the editor’s blog at Meetpie.com…
Whilst direct spend on business and professional events – the tip of the iceberg – is relatively easy to quantify, their legacy return on investment has always been harder to assess. ROI specialist Michael Piddock of Glisser links its measurement to the goals an event is seeking to achieve, be these in revenue, reputation, relationships or recall. From Meetings & Conventions…
Small may be beautiful… but it does make economies of scale harder to achieve and is a niche that businesses either overlook or manage on an ad hoc basis. Two corporate meetings chiefs offer their thoughts on how best to think big about small, particularly in regards to the use of technology. From Business Travel News…
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Learn the structure and content requirements for qualitative and quantitative tracking methods to measure the accomplishment of your meeting’s goals and objectives–the ROE (experience), ROO (objective), and ROI (investment). Discover a list of post-meeting lifecycle dimensions (what to measure) and guidance on how to conduct post-event qualitative interviews and group discussions. Learn a model for…
Designing better meetings and events is more relevant than ever and growing in importance. And while technology advances influence many aspects of the planning process, our knowledge, and skills as planners and meeting designers, must also evolve to keep up with the constant developments in the Meetings and Events Industry.
With the proper help, it is possible to build a contract that will protect today’s meetings. This webcast will feature advice and tips from legal experts, meeting planners, and suppliers on how to customize a contract to address the specific needs of a meeting with a special emphasis on understanding the commitments and risks the…
Supplier Focus: Understand the emerging digital buying process for meeting planners and organizers; learn about what information planners want to see on your websites and digital promotional materials; discover how new technologies can transform the way you market your destination or venue.
What do hotel revenue managers look for when evaluating group business? Ask them! Decision-makers from the supplier side promise to demystify the process and provide frank answers to planners’ questions.
Everyone’s talking about the importance of the “meeting experience,” and how important it is for our delegates’ event satisfaction. But what is “experience,” and how can we evaluate a meeting or conference to ensure we’ve got it? In this session, consider the areas we can influence a meeting–from the venue facilities and the culinary line…
The business of meetings and events has changed, and the contracts associated with them are far more complex than ever before. With a disruptive market and new dynamics, it’s time to take a fresh look at contact clauses, the art and science of negotiation, and, most of all, the relationships between planners and suppliers. Take…
In this free webcast moderated by Incentive’s Leo Jakobson, attendees will learn everything they need to know to run an effective internal sales incentive program. The session will offer a step-by-step guide on how to create the rules structure, promote the program, track participant performance, deliver the awards, and measure the results.
Maritz Global Events’ resource library gives industry professionals the latest insights about solving their greatest challenges; experts share their insights on the value of face-to-face meetings and events, the journey to take your event global, and the power of experience design thinking.
Access our free library of industry-leading templates and checklists to guide you through every stage of your international conference planning. Read the latest industry trends, opinion pieces and best-practice guides to shaping international events, straight from some of the world’s foremost experts. Read the latest industry trends, opinion pieces and best-practice guides to shaping international events,…
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If you influence or manage international or domestic meetings and events, then IMEX America is where you belong. Whether you’re a corporate, association or agency planner you’ll discover fabulous business, education and networking opportunities. This truly is the power source for the meetings industry. Productive appointments. Face time with key players. The knowledge to boost your…
Associations @ Work is ASAE’s premier business conference that addresses the interrelated business functions – executive management, finance, development, operations, human resources, and fundraising – in associations. Associations @ Work is designed for association professionals to heighten collaboration and learning exchanges with colleagues by identifying and applying solutions to optimize efficiencies, solve cross functional operational…
For more than 30 years, DMAI’s Membership Summit has supported the evolving role and the impact of the membership professional. This community of partners, inclusive of both membership and partnership roles, targets discussions about changing trends in the destination marketplace, redefining membership and partnership responsibilities to maximize impact, and recalibrating the sponsorship value proposition, to…
Connect with the top hotels, CVBs, DMCs, and venues from across Arizona in pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments and unique experiential networking events, while enjoying a fully hosted, two-night stay at The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, AZ, from October 29-31, 2017.
(UFI Members Only.) UFI is the leading global association of the world’s tradeshow organisers and exhibition centre operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry.
Experience the beauty of Iceland at the 2nd annual event for incentive buyers in the U.S. and across the EMEA Region, featuring pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments, unique experiential networking events, and a fully hosted, three-night stay in Reykjavik, November 1-3, 2017.
THE ICCA CONGRESS: A MUST FOR MEETING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS! We’re committed to line up the largest and strongest ever group of expert speakers from outside the meetings industry, who will be drawn from all regions of the world. There will be a range of new networking experiments introduced to enable delegates to do better business with…
“Addressing hot topics with top notch speakers…” Conclave is the industry’s only exclusive meeting of CMPs. The Conclave is a unique event for CMPs who wish to contribute to their profession, while advancing their own knowledge and skills, and expanding their professional network.
The AIPC Facility Operations Summit is an opportunity for centre staff responsible for key operations functions to share issues and solutions on a global basis while also looking at how essential interactions amongst centre managers can be enhanced in ways that will increase overall centre efficiency and competitiveness.
Incentive travel professionals including SITE members, ibtm world delegates and guests and key industry decision makers connect for an afternoon of education and networking before ibtm world begins.
Connect with the top hotels, CVBs, DMCs, and venues from across the Lone Star state in pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments and unique experiential networking events, while enjoying a fully hosted, three-night stay at Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, TX, from November 27-29, 2017.
The leading global event for the meetings, events and incentives industry, ibtm world delivers three inspirational days of business, networking and education to a community of international suppliers and buyers, helping drive their business into the future. Join over 15,500 industry professionals and enter a world of business opportunities.
