June 12th 2018. Again, the profound power of a face-to-face meeting.
The devil was in the lack of detail: too few specifics about denuclearisation, and barely a mention of human rights. There was a surprise concession on military exercises, and confusion between parties over sanctions. But after the long flight, there certainly was a photo op, plus a glitzy video trailer showcasing the future. So it definitely was a meeting.
Even the extraordinary sight this April of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un shaking hands with South Korea’s Moon Jae-in across the DMZ has now been comprehensively Trumped. For those of us who grew up watching M*A*S*H, it is remarkable to watch.
Meanwhile, on June 6th Global Exhibitions Day 2018 united the industry in 85 countries (see below). I give you two very different images of the power of face-to-face.
In issue 36 of Business Events World and on The Iceberg, Features hears more from GainingEdge’s Gary Grimmer and Gregg Talley of the Talley Management Group. This time they’re discussing the power of associations, and what these deliver that governments cannot.
In News (click the right arrow), Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum is installing a rooftop solar farm. Melbourne has won five big life science conferences. Conventions and Incentives New Zealand is calling for tax reform. The PCO community is mourning Gonzalo Perez Constanzo. The Earth Expo & Convention Center at Mohegan Sun, Connecticut, has opened. The Center for Exhibition Industry Research says the sector grew in Q1 2018. The Global Destination Sustainability Index has released a circular economy white paper. Ottawa’s targeting of knowledge hubs is paying off. London Tech Week 2018 is underway. Glasgow celebrated a record May. ICCA’s ranking have been reissued by participant numbers. Oh… and on June 6th Global Exhibitions Day united the industry in 85 countries.
There’s still more on The Iceberg itself (click View all News). “Te Pae” is the official name for the coming Christchurch Convention Centre. Marseille has won the 2020 IUCN World Conservation Congress. The UK government has green lit a third runway at Heathrow. Abu Dhabi is confident of exhibitions growth. ExCeL London will host the European Wound Management Association Conference 2020. There is optimism in the Australasian exhibition sector. A Hamburg stem cell knowledge hub has won a major meeting. Japan has launched a campaign to fill new venues.
In Opinions (also clicking the right arrow) you’ll find Lyn Lewis-Smith on Sydney incentives, Copenhagen on academic conferences, small meetings, how not to do pro badge registration, UFI’s Corrado Peraboni and Kai Hattendorf on Global Exhibitions Day, US convention centres, and an IMEX / GainingEdge session on legacy. In Research, the public abstract of the 2017 ICCA Statistics Report: Country & City Rankings is now out, as is that Global Destination Sustainability Index white paper Sustainable Destination Management: The Road to a Circular Economy.
Best wishes to Diane Waldron and Aileen Crawford, new chair and deputy at the ICCA UK & Ireland chapter. A salute also to Graeme Barnett, leaving Reed Exhibitions after 22 years.
Until the next time…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
Abu Dhabi’s exhibitions community on the ADNEC steps for GED 2018.
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In the second of three insights on the value of business and professional events, GainingEdge CEO Gary Grimmer and Gregg Talley, President and CEO of the Talley Management Group, analyse the crucial role professional associations and the broader “civil society” play across the whole of scientific and industrial development. Association meetings deliver the platforms and…
Brisbane has just reinforced its reputation as a powerhouse in robotics by welcoming 3,000 delegates from the sector to the 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. The six-day event brought an estimated AU$10.5 million into Queensland’s economy and connected together the state’s substantial ecosystem of robotics institutions and academic departments. From Intellectual Capitals…
As politicians and policymakers gather at the IMEX Policy Forum in Frankfurt, key partners of The Iceberg are providing a timely reminder of the transformational contribution of business and professional events and their ‘beyond tourism’ benefits. GainingEdge CEO Gary Grimmer and Gregg Talley, President and CEO of the Talley Management Group, discuss what meetings actually…
You might not think that the second man to walk on the moon would need a conference name badge. Back in 2015 Buzz Aldrin addressed the 66th International Astronautical Congress in Jerusalem. Hosted by the Israel Space Agency, the event saw over 2,000 participants brought together from 60 countries, and has left a significant legacy. From Boardroom…
With a network of eight major association destinations, the Hauts-de-France region definitely plays alongside the big champions of the meetings industry. It is also now committed to an ambitious and innovative policy: the Third Industrial Revolution, a concept right at the meeting point of energy transition, digital transformation and new economic models. From Boardroom…
The China-LAC Summit is an annual event 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 was honored to host the 11th edition of…
With more than 37 million people living in greater Tokyo, the city is probably the world’s largest metropolitan area. As the 2020 Summer Olympic Games approach, Japan’s capital is growing even busier with the preparation of infrastructure, transport and human resources. Business events are right at the centre of this development fever. From Boardroom…
Australian cities are leveraging medical knowledge and research specialities to secure major events and realise the investment, employment, healthcare and other legacies that result from them. The 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014), which took place in Melbourne after over two years’ extensive planning and preparation, might well be the epitome of this. From Boardroom…
From ICC Sydney, to NZICC in Auckland, from Setia SPICE in Penang, to the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, Rome’s Convention Center La Nuvola, the Paris Convention Centre, ICC Wales, and CRCC in Costa Rica, the construction of new convention centres across the world suggests face to face has a future. From Association Meetings International…
When the Singapore Tourism Bureau invited several international and European associations to come over and visit local societies and conference venues, they did not expect much symbiosis between these different organisations. But the group started to see synergies across its various fields of expertise and even dreamed up a joint congress together. From Boardroom…
In November the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) welcomed a record number of delegates to its 56th annual congress. Almost 1,300 members, including more than 40 association executives, travelled to Prague for four days of education, chapter meetings and networking. During the event, the inaugural winners of the “Incredible Impacts” grants supported by both…
Montreal has become Canada’s cultural capital: not quite North American, but not entirely European either. Already home to top-notch researchers in fields like genetics, aging, economics and life sciences, Montreal’s scientific community is building on its international reputation. It is doing this both by winning scientific awards and by attracting large-scale international conventions. From Boardroom…
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Last month the International Congress and Convention Association published its annual rankings of countries and cities for international association meetings. Now ICCA has an alternative view of the data: destinations ranked by estimated number of meeting delegates. Again, Barcelona is top city, and the United States top country. Other placings shift slightly. From Meetings & Conventions…
Glasgow celebrated its busiest May on record with more than 22,000 event delegates visiting, bringing in an estimated £25.5 million to the local economy. The month started with 7,000 attendees at the All Energy Conference and Exhibition, followed by two medical meetings at the SEC attracting a total of over 8,000. From Meetpie.com…
Exhibition professionals from around the world participated in record numbers during the third Global Exhibitions Day on June 6th. GED 2018 both showcased the industry’s major contribution to destination economies, and was the largest exhibitions advocacy event to date, with some 85 countries taking part according to UFI, the industry’s global association. From TSNN…
Some of the biggest names from the global technology and business community have joined more than 50,000 delegates at London Tech Week 2018. The event is Europe’s largest festival of technology and innovation, where major tech brands like Google, Twitter, and Facebook are joined on stage by some of London’s leading sector stakeholders. From PCMA…
Ottawa has won a clutch of major international association meetings as part of its ongoing campaign to target industry sectors with strong links to the city. This focus has netted more than a dozen big events held over the next two years, including the International Conference of Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments. From Association Meetings International…
The Global Destination Sustainability Index has released its second white paper: “Sustainable Destination Management Trends and Insights: The Road to a Circular Economy”. The GDS-Index is a partnership between ICCA, ICCA’s Scandinavian chapter, IMEX, ECM and MCI Group. The report draws from 40 cities that participated in the 2017 GDS-Index benchmarking study. From Meetpie.com…
Although underperforming against the wider economy, the exhibition industry continued to expand during the first quarter of 2018, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, which has published the first-quarter results of its periodic Index research report. The industry posted a “decent” year-over-year gain of 1.8 percent in the quarter. From Meetings & Conventions…
The opening ribbon has been cut in the new Earth Expo & Convention Center at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Connecticut. The $80 million expansion brings the venue’s meeting space to more than 275,000 square feet, including the 125,000 square foot, column-free Earth Expo Center, and the 20,000 square foot Earth Ballroom. From Meetings & Conventions…
The PCO community is mourning the loss of Gonzalo Perez Constanzo who has died aged 61. The past President of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers passed away in Buenos Aires after a long battle with cancer. During his tenure as IAPCO President he launched the Albert Cronheim Scholarship. From Association Meetings International…
Conventions and Incentives New Zealand has called for the removal of the Goods and Services Tax disadvantage the country’s international conferences face compared to other destinations like Australia. Currently GST is charged at 15 percent on registration fees in New Zealand regardless of whether or not attendees are residents. From CIM News Magazine…
Melbourne has secured five international life science conferences in 2019 and 2020, boosting Victoria’s status as a medical technology and pharmaceutical investment destination. The AusMedtech Conference in 2019, AusBiotech National Conferences in 2019 and 2020, and the Biotech Invest Conferences in 2019 and 2020 will attract thousands of delegates. From CIM News Magazine…
Next year Grimaldi Forum Monaco and the Monegasque Company of Electricity and Gas will together install a photovoltaic power station on the venue’s roof. The solar farm will be the Principality’s largest, and the project comes in advance of the integration of the centre into an eco-district planned on land reclaimed from the sea. From Boardroom…
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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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When city convention bureau leaders at ICCA’s Scandinavian Chapter set up the first Scandinavian Destination Sustainability Index – the precursor to the Global Destination Sustainability Index – they had two primary objectives: to drive sustainability across the region through competition, collaboration and raised consciousness, and to differentiate the Nordic region to non-European markets as the most sustainable…
The ICCA Statistics Reports are based on the ICCA Association Database, which means the figures cover meetings organised by international associations according to this criteria: a meeting must take place on a regular basis, host at least 50 participants, and rotate between a minimum of three countries to be included in the Database. ICCA’s Association…
For the third year in a row, IACC is pleased to present a ground-breaking report that combines research and insights into the top issues facing the global meetings and conference industry. The 2018 IACC Meeting Room of the Future™ report brings together insights from over 50 venues across four continents, as well as suppliers including global meeting…
When an academic participates in a large conference, her or his likelihood of subsequently writing a paper with at least one participant at the conference increases by one-sixth (close to 18%). Moreover, it seems that conferences improve the quality of matching among co-authors, leading to papers that are published in higher-ranked journals. These findings are…
The days of isolating a convention centre on the edge of downtown are over. Today, cities are developing vibrant, walkable neighborhoods around their convention centres that are integrating the facilities more deeply into the culture of their communities. Learn how the redevelopment of convention centre districts are changing meetings and how planners, as well as…
For almost 30 years, GLOBALSTRAT has been collecting independent data on how international associations are approaching global membership, programs and engagement. This valuable information and insights are used to help associations to make better informed decisions when developing their international strategies and business plans. According to the United Nations, the world population is expected to…
Most leaders expect their investments in incentive, reward and recognition (IRR) programs to drive more sales, increase revenue, result in a larger share of the market, or produce some other return on investment. Leaders may also seek measurable improvements in production costs, product quality, reduced accidents and down-time, lower attrition and absenteeism, and increased engagement,…
Have a look Pacific World’s Destination Index, a unique tool to provide corporate, association and agency planners with an advanced indicator of destination popularity for international meetings, incentives and events. The index is based on over 5,000 international enquiries received worldwide, actual meeting and event results and highly valuable feedback from attending delegates from around…
“2017 was a good year for UK meetings industry sales growth” reports Louise Goalen, Chair of HBAA, as the HBAA Meetings Barometer results for 2017 are revealed. The average spend per meeting and average spend per delegate in the UK both grew significantly year on year in 2017, despite a slight decline in the average…
Ashfield Meetings & Events is pleased to announce a 2018 follow-up study to the 2016 “Future Of Meetings” white paper. “The Science Of Healthcare Professional Meetings” compares and contrasts the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) across a wide variety of speciality areas, and dives deeper into the ongoing evolution of the medical meetings landscape. By looking…
A new research report examining “The Rise of Midsize Cities in the Meetings Industry” in North America and Europe, commissioned by the IMEX Group and developed by Skift, has been published. The free 40+ page report carefully examines why and how some midsize cities (historically known as second-tier cities, a label they’ve now shaken off) have managed…
This Economic Significance Study (ESS), conducted by Oxford Economics, quantifies a vital industry that contributes billions of dollars to the US economy, while creating millions of jobs in almost every community in the country. The data in this study provides a clear and credible statistical base on which to gain recognition for this vast and…
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The Rehabilitation International World Congress (pictured), held in Edinburgh in 2016, fundamentally advanced approaches to accessibility and inclusion. The event’s legacy – and indeed the distinction between legacy and impact – was one of three case studies discussed at an IMEX 2018 session hosted by Iceberg partner GainingEdge. From Boardroom…
A $1.5 billion expansion of Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Center is underway. The Las Vegas Convention Center is getting $1.4 billion, the Moscone in San Francisco $500 million, the Orange County Convention Center in Florida around $500 million, and the Miami Beach Convention Center $620 million. But how are decisions behind these projects made? From Successful Meetings…
When most people think about international meetings they think about bed-nights and tourism expenditure. But hidden below the iceberg surface are the impacts that really count: knowledge creation and transfer, new solutions to societal issues, and opportunities for inward investment, partnerships and business deals. From ICCA CEO Martin Sirk via TTG Mice…
On Global Exhibitions Day the international sector joined in force to advocate for its future and also catch the attention of young professionals considering the industry. Every year tens of thousands of exhibitions are held worldwide, serving 4.4 million exhibiting companies and attracting 260 million visitors. From UFI Managing Director Kai Hattendorf via LinkedIn…
On June 6th event professionals around the world celebrated Global Exhibitions Day. Corrado Peraboni, President of exhibition industry global association UFI, offers his insights on this international celebration of a €98 billion sector, and also on the industry’s impact and legacy on jobs, innovation and investment for hosting destinations. From PCMA…
How not to punch your own event in the face #472. The comics community has hit back at New York Comic Con and its organiser ReedPOP after noted professionals found out that their pro badge applications had been rejected. The mess was caused by a simple Excel spreadsheet sorting glitch. From The Beat…
According to ICCA, almost two-thirds of international association meetings attract 250 or fewer delegates. Only seven percent welcomed more than 1,000 people, and just a tiny fraction (1.3 percent) attracted 3,000 or more. Small events can indeed be beautiful, but we hear little about them. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
During IMEX, Copenhagen described the image problem academia is facing: endless conference invitations alongside carbon footprint concerns and straining public budgets. Industrial PhD student Thomas Trøst Hansen has been researching how delegate academics work and receive recognition through the value chain used as a basis for evaluating academic events. From Boardroom…
Sydney has just hosted over 6,500 members of Jeunesse Global, the largest corporate incentive group ever to visit during the city’s Vivid festival. The huge meeting should contribute almost AU$40 million to the NSW economy. The Chief Executive of Business Events Sydney reflects on the value and legacies of such incentives. From Lyn Lewis-Smith via LinkedIn…
Pádraic Gilligan is Chief Marketing Officer of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence. During IMEX 2018 in Frankfurt, Pádraic (pictured on the far right at SITE NITE Europe) also jointly chaired a discussion on current trends in the incentive sector. SITE colleagues from all corners of the globe contributed. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
Jenner Carter, Head of Marketing at Lime Venue Portfolio, believes that team building, training and incentives have a cyclical outlook. As businesses return to investment, teams are again under pressure to perform and excel in a tough market. So after the lean years, are incentives once more on the up? From editor’s blog at Meetpie.com…
At IMEX 2018’s Association Day (pictured), executives fretted about how their organisation’s events could leave behind appropriate legacies. The thinking seemed to be that legacy was an adjunct to rather than an intrinsic part of planning meetings. But well-run events should automatically leave a legacy. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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The CIS, Certified Incentive Specialist, is an entry level certification program from SITE. Professionals from around the globe will acquire in an efficient manner a broad comprehension of the incentive travel industry. All emerging professionals, faculty members and students aspiring to enter this specialized segment of the meetings and events industry may use CIS as a…
Engagement, collaboration and measurement are recognised as the most important drivers for implementing sustainability in the exhibition industry. Showcasing best practices, this event will include interactive sessions to facilitate exchanges between the audience and all the international experts present. Open to all industry professionals from the events industry, the forum has been scheduled immediately before the SISO Leadership Conference, which…
Meeting professionals see many challenges as they look to the future of events, and one of the biggest is how to make better technology decisions in the face of so much choice. Discover a framework to refer to when considering and investing in technology. From virtual reality and telepresence to RFID and near-field communication make…
An IAPCO EDGE embraces all sectors of the Meetings Industry. The target audience is PCOs/Meeting Planners; National/International Organisations/Associations; Convention Bureaux/Tourism Bodies; Congress Centres/Conference Hotels; Exhibition Managers; Pharma and Medical Device Companies; DMCs; AMCs; Travel Agencies.
Knowledge Exchanges are localised platforms for education and exchange, focusing on regional education to grow the local audience and build brand awareness. 20 – 30 persons per session, with the segment engaged dependent on the topic proposed for the Knowledge Exchange. The duration of a Knowledge Exchange is between 90 mins – 120 mins, may…
Meeting professionals are so over-taxed in the present, they often forget—or don’t have the time—to look ahead. Take a moment to preview the future based on MPI’s most recent Meetings Outlook research, published quarterly in The Meeting Professional magazine and then discuss the trends that are most affecting you and your peers. Brainstorm ways to…
Plan Your Meeting Live (PYM LIVE) is a cutting-edge, relevant and engaging event developed specifically for the non-traditional meeting professional – the person whose job responsibilities include so much more than planning meetings or events. PYM LIVE is a great way to hone your planning skills and connect with people who can help increase your chances…
Join us for a C-suite education program that you need to succeed for 2018. This is a board governance focused series co-presented by Destinations International and ASAE. The Friday session (Day 1) will be exclusively for our CVB members, with training by Destinations International on how to work with your board, succession planning and governance challenges. CVB…
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.
Capturing valuable insights and conversations: Be immersed in engaging live or virtual technologies with MCI proven expertise to be aware of the latest trends. Explore the key topics that affect your business environment through the unique insights of MCI’s industry experts.
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No other event offers the same opportunity for clients and for suppliers to meet face-to-face and discuss future co-operation in a tailor-made Workshop environment. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 ICCA Africa members each invite an African Association Executive to the Workshop to discuss their specific meetings requirements. Client must conform to a…
This reception will raise funds for the PCMA Education Foundation’s new Deborah Sexton Education Scholarship Fund. In recognition of Deborah’s extraordinary contributions to PCMA and the business events industry, the fund will provide an annual scholarship to an individual to advance their education and career.
Paradise Awaits! Connect with the top hotels, CVBs, DMCs, and venues from across the Hawaiian Islands in pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments and unique experiential networking events, while enjoying a fully hosted, three-night stay at the Wailea Beach Resort Marriott Maui. Invaluable business connections, targeted education, and unforgettable experiences—all while experiencing the magic of the Hawaiian Islands.
The Workshop is organized by the ICCA Asia Pacific Regional Office annually, specifically catered to members in the Asia Pacific region. Client/Supplier Business Workshop is an intensive and focused two-day networking event between ICCA members (suppliers) and international association clients, offering the opportunity for both to meet face-to-face and discuss future co-operation in a tailor-made…
ibtm latin america, now ibtm AMERICAS, is the event for event organizers, the meeting point for the America Latina’s leaders and bridge with the major community of global business. When the business connects at ibtm latin america, great things happens. Connections mean everything.
Connect with the top hotels, CVBs, DMCs, and venues from across the Southeast in pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments and unique experiential networking events, while enjoying a fully hosted, three-night stay at PGA National. Invaluable business connections, targeted education, and unforgettable experiences—all while experiencing Florida’s Golf Capital and the Signature City of Palm Beach Gardens.
World Meetings Forum is a dedicated space open for discussion and analysis of global trends, statics and the path for the Global MICE Industry including business exchange and networking moments. WMF puts all the effort to bring events that helps our industry to educate on all levels.
The Leaders’ Forum is a platform for industry thought leaders from the PCMA ICESAP Corporate, Agency and Partner membership base to gather and discuss key pressing issues within their segment through a moderated framework. This concludes with a joint session to present findings and agreement on an implementation plan or further investigation steps.
ibtm china is where meetings, events and incentives industry decision makers meet to do business. We unite global suppliers with highly qualified Chinese and international events and meeting planners for two inspirational days of business, networking and education. We look forward to welcoming you at the China National Convention Centre (CNCC) in Beijing from 12-13 September 2018.
Connect in the Caribbean. A world-class networking event like no other, where planners and supplier attendees join to meet with regional suppliers as they showcase what they can offer this active, RFP-ready audience.
This conference aims to be the most international gathering of industry leaders, attended by colleagues from across Latin America including Brazil, North America and beyond. This will be a one day event following a golf-tournament and evening reception on Tuesday 18th September, and will provide industry updates and insights from across the region, as well as…
The Visitor Services Summit offers professionals vested in the planning, development, and management of visitor experiences within their destinations an opportunity to: Exchange ideas and solutions; Learn new practices, opportunities, and resources; Network and connect.
