Professor Greg Clark (left) and Robert Coren in the webinar’s virtual Iceberg.
As we TV folk often say… “welcome back after the break”.
The Iceberg and Business Events World just took a short hiatus from our fortnightly regular delivery. The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, had come up with the idea of producing a global manifesto to help the sector put business events at the heart of economic recovery from COVID-19 in advocacy. From that came the idea of getting a large cross-section of leading and emerging industry lights on video to shape the document’s content. Plus, turning the material into TV reports, getting reaction to them and other commentary from renowned urbanist Professor Greg Clark, and putting out the finished caboodle as a global advocacy webinar. This would be shared on one day across four satellite events in Asia Pacific (hosted by AIME), Africa and the Middle East (hosted by Meetings Africa), Europe (hosted by IBTM), and the Americas (hosted by IMEX).
Some videos were self-filmed. Many contributors were recorded by Iceberg Founder James Latham as interviews over Zoom (sometimes even correctly!). I edited them together, then introduced the resulting segments through our recording with the remarkable Greg Clark. JMIC Executive Director Rod Cameron and President Kai Hattendorf kept a watchful eye on proceedings, and a dizzying selection of sector voices was duly assembled.
We are extraordinarily grateful to everyone who took part (it does seem like it was almost everyone), to the four Iceberg partners who hosted the satellite events on July 2nd, and to everyone who attended them. I’ll talk content below as we get to it. Suffice it to say first that it was good to be reminded how valuable holding a business event can be, not by creating or curating content about the meetings of others, but by staging one all of our own. It was also fun to welcome a global industry audience into my humble home office, the innocent-looking crime scene from whence this publication is fortnightly perpetrated (at least until CSI Iceberg catches up with me).
So in Features this issue, you’ll find the fruits of the above, meaning the JMIC Global Manifesto itself (hot off the press!), our webinar in two parts, and some of the other coverage it generated. We strongly recommend you make the time to read the first and last, watch the second, and shape your own advocacy accordingly. Please help the JMIC Global Manifesto and its webinar to create their own legacies.
Also in Features, the “Incredible Impacts” grant partnership between Iceberg partners ICCA (the International Congress and Convention Association) and BestCities Global Alliance has been renewed, and 2020 submissions are now open until July 24th. Our video page features entry encouragement from BestCities’ MD Lesley Williams, ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath and judge Tracy Bury, as well as videos from two past winners.
In News, our webinar got a detailed write up in Conference & Meetings World, from the stable of new Iceberg partner Mash Media. Welcome! Too many other stories in this issue show why the event was necessary. IBTM Americas 2020 postponed again. The Iceberg partner’s show, set for Mexico City in August, gets replaced with virtual events through the rest of 2020 into 2021. IMEX America 2020 cancelled. Iceberg partner IMEX Group confirmed the show, set for Las Vegas in September, is now another casualty of the era. Over 80 percent of associations have been forced to cancel a flagship meeting due to COVID-19, says a survey. Worryingly, almost 18 percent said the effects on the organisation had been “severe”. Europe’s largest exhibition centres have demanded a reopening by September 1st. EMECA, which represents major venues, called for financial support to help the industry to survive. The owners of ICC Wales and Celtic Manor Resort are cutting staff by almost half due to the pandemic. 450 of 995 workers are to go, the financial model not now being sustainable.
But there’s good News as well. RAI Amsterdam is one of first venues in Europe to reopen without visitor number restrictions. Large trade fairs hosting thousands of visitors are already taking place in South Korea, which has one of the lowest death rates for COVID-19 in the world. Until June 2021, funding is available there for safety measures, which you can watch at work in the incredible SIDEX video embedded in this piece. Montreal has become the first Canadian city to join Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index. GDS-Index has also just launched another platform to help cities develop economic and social structures to make them fairer, more inclusive and more resilient. The Global Destination Sustainability Movement steps forward from GDS-Index foundations. A “groundbreaking” Phd study into the academic benefits of attending and hosting meetings has been published by the convention bureau Wonderful Copenhagen. Plus, a step-by-step guide to creating meetings with long-term legacies has just been published by MeetDenmark. The study was co-authored by Iceberg partner GainingEdge.
There’s still more bad and good on The Iceberg itself (click View all News). The Geneva International Motor Show, cancelled just days before opening earlier this year, will no longer take place in 2021 and has been put up for sale. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives has ceased operating and after 32 years will be filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. ACTE had not only cancelled its April New York Global Summit because of COVID-19, but also the August 2019 Macau edition due to the Hong Kong protests. But Berlin’s business events industry is kickstarting reopening, with outdoor meetings of up to 500 delegates allowed since June 16th. Plus, the Scottish Event Campus has secured new conference business during lockdown in partnership with Glasgow Convention Bureau and academic institutions across the city. The business won will bring £144 million into Glasgow’s economy.
All twelve Opinions this issue are fresh, and six are from Iceberg ambassadors. Jane Cunningham is Director of Community Engagement for Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance, Global Ambassador for JMIC, and the star as well of a second Deep Dive podcast from Association Meetings International Editor James Lancaster. During COVID-19, conference centres have become field hospitals, logistics networks have shipped personal protective equipment, and surplus food has been donated. A new social contract is being written for the industry, explains Geneviève Leclerc, CEO of Iceberg partner #MEET4IMPACT. Iceberg partner IMEX Group has just had to cancel IMEX America 2020, after also cancelling IMEX Frankfurt earlier this year. CEO Carina Bauer explains how the decision was taken. Martin Sirk, of both Sirk Serendipity and Global Association Hubs, an Iceberg partner, has thoughts on how some countries will be more successful at reopening business events than others. The contributions on video in our JMIC Manifesto webinar included one from Martin Lewis, the former Managing Editor of Iceberg partner CAT Media. In this longer extract from his Zoom interview, he paints a picture of the “new normal” that will be tough for many in the industry to hear. The webinar also contained a section on the manifesto promoting the use of business events to address UN Sustainable Development Goals. Fiona Pelham, CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events, picks up that baton.
Also in Opinions, our JMIC Manifesto webinar got a review! The packaging may have been “inflated”, but the content was “laser-focused”, and the main speaker Professor Greg Clark “supernaturally articulate”. Mark Taylor, Chief Executive of the QEII Centre in London, believes the industry’s recovery from COVID-19 could see it in time get to be even stronger. Iain Bitran, the Executive Director of ISPIM (International Society for Professional Innovation Management), shares the challenges of changing a key physical meeting into a digital one: the XXXI ISPIM Innovation Conference. As many business events also pivot to virtual, what does that mean for the presentation skill demanded of speakers? Roy Sheppard, a conference MC and presentation trainer, explains. The death of George Floyd, and of others before him, has prompted black meeting professionals in the US to speak out, including the President and CEO of Destination DC, Elliott Ferguson. Plus, shall we get back to talking about legacy? A New Zealand conference where experts will discuss protecting the earth’s precious wetlands is being held up as an example of the positive impact of business events on society.
In Research you’ll find seven fresh items, beating last issue’s record of six! These are first the aforementioned and important dissertation from Thomas Trøst Hansen via Wonderful Copenhagen The Impacts of Academic Events: Cycles of Credibility as an Analytical Framework, IRF’s new COVID-19 and Disruption in the Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events Industry: Adaptation and Recovery, Iceberg partner TMG’s (Talley Management Group’s) How Can Associations Be Ready for Post COVID-19?, Iceberg partner GainingEdge and CVB Wonderful Copenhagen’s Meeting Legacies: Innovating for Enhanced Value Creation (also a remarkable piece of work), PCMA’s June COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard, ICCA’s 2019 ICCA Statistics Report: Country & City Rankings (the public abstract), and finally UFI’s Global Exhibition Barometer 25th Edition (July 2020).
This issue’s parish notices start with previously published coronavirus resource pages from within our own partner community: the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), IMEX Group, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), plus publications Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT), Association Meetings International (AMI) and ASAE’s Associations Now Today’s Coronavirus Tracker.
There are also association resources aplenty at the new website of Iceberg partner the Global Association Hubs, including a Free Virtual Meetings Guide made available by Julius Solaris of eventmanagerblog.com, and COVID-19 advisories from the four GAH destinations: Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC.
JMIC posted a press release about our JMIC Manifesto for Economic Recovery Webinar.
As mentioned above, IMEX has cancelled IMEX Americas 2020, due to have taken place at the Sands Expo, Las Vegas, from September 15th – 17th. The decision is outlined here by IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom and CEO Carina Bauer (also an Iceberg ambassador).
UFI posted a press release wrapping up Global Exhibitions Day. 114 countries and regions participated in GED activities on June 3rd. A GED “Position Paper” was also released. The UFI Global Congress will still be face-to-face, but now “glocalised” as a number of events held around the world in November at dates and times still to be announced. Sign up for information here. The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre will now host the event in 2022. The UFI Asia-Pacific Conference and Digital Innovation Forum, originally scheduled in Macau for late March and then rescheduled in August, has now been cancelled, ongoing travel restrictions making it impossible to proceed.
There are outbreak advisories from…
The Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), via UFI
The Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau, via UFI
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has called for an open and permanent dialogue between European institutions and local destinations. ECM proposes to open this dialogue and lead a task force.
Iceberg partner GainingEdge has posted the advisories COVID-19 and Destination Promoters, Putting Some Order to the Chaos, What to Ask Associations Beyond “Will You Be Rebooking?”, Partnerships and Collaboration: Now Even More Essential, and Building Confidence with Your Stakeholders, plus Bulletin: COVID-19 Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, Issue #5, Issue #6 and Issue #7.
Iceberg partner IBTM has released first details of the rescheduled IBTM Asia Pacific 2021, to be held on April 13th – 14th in Singapore, at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. IBTM has also launched the second edition of its Event Business Accelerator investment and mentoring programme, to run in conjunction with IBTM World, due to take place in Barcelona on December 1st to 3rd 2020. More here.
Iceberg partner AIME, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event, has announced that its 2021 show will now take place from March 15th – 17th at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, incorporating a virtual / hybrid format.
There are further resources at the Events Industry Council (EIC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and at Meetings Mean Business. Northstar Meetings Group has posted a running list of New Dates for Events and Conventions Postponed Due to Coronavirus, and updated its Pulse Survey in June.
The Geneva International Association Forum, launched earlier this year by the ASSOCIATIONWORLD Foundation in collaboration with the Geneva Convention Bureau and Congrex Switzerland, has been rescheduled to September 17th – 18th 2020.
Go LIVE Together has raised upwards of $500,000 to support legislative actions to aid the industry and its workforce recover from COVID-19. Go LIVE Together also has created a toolkit with material the coalition is using in its meetings with legislators that includes key facts about the economic impact of business events .
A group of leading agency heads offering free advice to smaller businesses on how to survive the COVID-19 crisis hit has helped more than forty firms so far and is set to help set up a similar service in the US.
As mentioned above, ICCA and BestCities Global Alliance have announced that their “Incredible Impacts” programme awarding associations leaving lasting legacies will be returning for its fourth year. The partnership has been renewed for a further three years.
Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index has as mentioned above announced that Montreal has joined, opened up the 2020 benchmarking period, and launched the GDS-Movement.
Iceberg partner Boardroom has launched Boardroom MiniCourses, a dedicated online learning site loaded with short, high-quality educational videos. Contributors include Geneviève Leclerc, Chief Executive Officer of #MEET4IMPACT and Iceberg ambassador. Boardroom MiniCourses has an Instagram page here.
Freeman has won the inaugural UFI Industry Partner Award 2020, for Fuzion by Freeman™. ICC Sydney is the winner of the UFI Sustainable Development Award 2020 for its Waste Reduction Program. See also here. UFI and MBB-Consulting have joined forces to launch a nw industry education programme for exhibition organisers, the UFI Exhibition Management School.
Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events is seeking 100,000 event professionals to build the future of the industry. There is a great video here.
Finally and as always, The Iceberg reiterates its call for you to join our Global Ambassador Program. You can see ambassadors listed on The Iceberg homepage, Ambassadors page, and in Business Events World below. Visit Call for Ambassadors 2019 & 2020 to find out more.
Until the next time…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
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The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has released a manifesto that sets out arguments as to why business events can and should be utilised to drive economic recovery and renewal in the post-COVID-19 era. The document was assembled with the advice and input of a broad range of industry leaders. This was…
Iceberg partners ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and BestCities Global Alliance have announced that their “Incredible Impacts” grants, which awards associations leaving lasting legacies, are to return for their fourth year in a row, with the partnership also renewed for a further three years. Incredible Impacts is now open for submissions, and presents an opportunity…
During 2018 MeetDenmark, with consultancy and Iceberg partner GainingEdge, began a major project on legacy. The study involved desk research on fifty international associations and fifty destinations as well as interviews with twenty from each of the two groups. Some of the findings on the current global landscape were published last year in the MeetDenmark…
Wedged in amongst some of Norway’s most impressive fjords, Stavanger boasts a range of water-based and engineering industries, like shipbuilding and the building of rigs, platforms and subsea installations. But energy is the key sector, and “Europe’s energy capital” has a committed convention bureau keen to attract association meetings. From Boardroom…
The legacies of business events should start early on in life. July 2019 saw a new era begin for Malaysia’s youngest children on the back of the 2nd Sarawak Conference on Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Organised by Fu Yuan Kindergarten, the three-day meeting brought together more than 800 people from over 20 countries. From Boardroom…
Toulouse recently joined Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index, which measures and benchmarks cities’ green strategy and performance. The opening of the new LEED certified MEETT Convention Centre, scheduled for the end of 2020, shows the environmental commitment of the city’s partners. From Boardroom…
As the world’s population grows, the percentage of people living in cities is rising steadily. The future success of humanity is therefore more and more tied to, and even defined by, the future success of the city as a model. In that, of course, business events have a critical role to play. Professor Greg Clark has…
Australia’s business events landscape is surveyed here in a rich collection of articles. BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith, ICC Sydney’s Geoff Donaghy, ACC’s Simon Burgess, MCEC’s Peter King, Brisbane Marketing’s Juliet Alabaster, plus the team behind JMIC’s (the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s) case studies, all offer up viewpoints. From Meetings International…
When President Nelson Mandela opened the Durban ICC in 1997, it was South Africa’s first international convention centre. It has since then been voted “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” by the World Travel Awards no fewer than seventeen times. But some of the venue’s greatest legacies lie in environmental sustainability. From Boardroom…
The recent staging of Iceberg partner AIME (the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event) was not only a platform to showcase the strength and resilience of the region’s events industry, but also as always of destination Melbourne itself. Last October Melbourne Convention Bureau posted record results for the financial year 2018 – 2019, with over…
Luxembourg has a new convention bureau aiming to punch above its weight in business events. The CVB is prioritising green meetings, so wants to register with Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index. As not only a city, Luxembourg will be registered as a country, the first to be benchmarked in the index. From Boardroom…
In January two scientists wrote an article asking why conference design for those involved in scientific research has been slow in evolving. While some science meetings are surely guilty as charged, others do have an appropriately innovative approach. Here are ten that break with tradition to design experiences with big impact. From PCMA…
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Unprecedented times mean unique collaborations. The Joint Meetings Industry Council has held a global webinar, delivered by The Iceberg and presented across four regional satellite events by four trade shows (AIME, IBTM, IMEX and Meetings Africa). JMIC was crowdsourcing ideas for an advocacy manifesto. From Conference & Meetings World…
The owners of ICC Wales and Celtic Manor Resort are to be cutting staff by almost half due to the COVID-19 crisis. The Celtic Collection, which owns both the Newport conference centre and hotel, has said 450 of its 995 staff are to leave, the financial model not now being sustainable. From Association Meetings International…
The Global Destination Sustainability Index, an Iceberg partner, has just launched a new platform to help cities develop economic and social structures to make them fairer, more inclusive and more resilient places in which to live and work. The Global Destination Sustainability Movement steps forward from the GDS-Index’s foundations. From Association Meetings International…
Large trade fairs hosting thousands of visitors are already taking place in South Korea, which stemmed the spread of coronavirus and thus has one of the lowest death rates in the world. Until June 2021, funding is available for safety measures. Piece includes video from 5,000 delegate dental conference SIDEX. From Association Meetings International…
Over 80 percent of associations have had to cancel one of their flagship meeting due to COVID-19, says a survey. Worryingly, almost 18 percent said the resulting effects on the organisation had been “severe”, causing “major implications” for the finances, staffing and organisational structure of the association. From Association Meetings International…
RAI Amsterdam is one of first venues in Europe to reopen without visitor number restrictions. The relaxation of further measures by the Dutch government on July 1st means the centre can again host major events. The RAI had already made its spaces COVID-secure and fully in line with health and safety guidelines. From Meetings International…
A step-by-step guide to creating meetings with long-term societal benefits has just been published by MeetDenmark, an association of the country’s convention bureaux. The study Meeting Legacies: Innovating for Enhanced Value Creation was co-authored by MeetDenmark and consultancy and Iceberg partner Gaining Edge. From Association Meetings International…
A “groundbreaking” Phd study into the academic benefits of attending and hosting meetings has now been published by the convention bureau Wonderful Copenhagen. The thesis by Thomas Trøst Hansen, 148 pages long, has identified specific benefits academics can reap by hosting or attending academic events. From Association Meetings International…
Europe’s largest exhibition centres have mobilised and demanded a restart on September 1st. EMECA, which represents major venues, issued a statement on the urgency of reopening centres and called for financial support from European and national authorities to guarantee the survival and recovery of the entire industry. From Exhibition World…
IMEX America has been cancelled due to COVID-19. Iceberg partner the IMEX Group has confirmed that the show, set for Las Vegas during September, will no longer run. CEO Carina Bauer with Chairman Ray Bloom cited issues with securing hosted buyers, long lead times and ongoing travel restrictions. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Montreal, World Environment Day 2020 host, has become the first Canadian city to join Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index. Initiated by the not-for-profit Tourisme Montréal, the city has now pledged to benchmark sustainability performance in tourism, meetings and events. From Association Meetings International…
IBTM Americas 2020 has now been postponed again due to COVID-19. The Iceberg partner’s show, set to have taken place in Mexico City in late August, is to be replaced with virtual events through the rest of 2020 into 2021. Reed Exhibitions Mexico said that travel restrictions were to blame. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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This project collected, analysed and synthesised the findings of all prior Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies to deliver a verdict on the broader contributions that conferences, congresses, trade shows, convention centres and bureaux deliver to destinations, communities, industries and economies. The cases were drawn from four continents: Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The…
The China-LAC Summit is an annual meeting 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 in Uruguay hosted the 11th edition of the…
The EuroHeartCare conference is one of the most important platforms for driving research publications, exchanging ideas, and forming and deepening collaborations within the field of cardiovascular nursing in Europe. It aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering the best care possible to patients with cardiovascular disease. The 2017 edition was hosted by Jönköping University in…
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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This study is based on a global survey, conducted in June 2020. It represents up-to-date information on the development and outlook of the global exhibition industry as well as on 25 specific markets. Global Exhibition Barometer 25th Edition (July 2020) (UFI website) Global Exhibition Barometer 25th Edition (July 2020) Infographic (UFI website) UFI Global Barometer…
The ICCA Statistics Reports are based on the ICCA Association Database, which means the figures cover meetings organised by international associations according to ICCA 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…
As the pandemic wears on, respondents to the latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard have become more clear-eyed about its economic repercussions, but are still uncertain how best to plan for events in 2021. The new survey compares results from one month earlier and two previous bi-weekly surveys. Planners and suppliers have had another month under their…
Since 2018 GainingEdge has led two major projects for MeetDenmark on meeting legacies. The purpose has been to identify how Danish destinations can create significant added value for visiting congresses while also increasing the value for Danish society beyond the traditional economic benefits. Now MeetDenmark has released the second study completed in 2020 which explores the processes, mechanisms and…
In late May, Talley Management Group President and CEO Gregg Talley served as a panelist on a webinar TMG co-hosted with EventBank. The event discussed ways associations, both nationally and globally, can reposition themselves after the pandemic. Associations across the United States are facing unprecedented challenges because of COVID-19. From adapting to working from home…
This report was created for leaders in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry, and particularly operators of small and mid-size sector businesses who are focused on business survival and eventual recovery. It is based on an extensive review of recent and relevant news, studies and analysis, as well as interviews and panel discussions…
Academic events such as congresses, conferences, symposia and meetings are part and parcel of most academic careers. Endless hours are spent for both attendees and chairs on travelling, logistics, socialising and many other activities not directly related to core tasks such as teaching, research and knowledge dissemination. Despite the entrenched nature, and the general wave…
To quantify the economic significance of exhibitions globally, Oxford Economics has prepared a comprehensive model of global exhibitions activity that references recent studies on their economic significance. The results of this study show the scope of the global exhibition sector in terms of direct spending and jobs, as well as the total impacts of exhibitions…
As authorities around the world are increasingly clearing business events to run again, organisers of conventions and exhibitions, as well as venue and centre operators need to put respective measures in place that create safe environments for participants. A new guide on the matter identifies and promotes globally emerging standards, protocols and good practices. Good…
A few things stood out in the latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard survey in which 515 business event professionals and 240 suppliers shared how they are envisioning and planning for the future. As the pandemic wears on and no clear plan for reopening the economy materializes, the business events community seems to be bracing for a…
As events begin to open in Asia and Europe, and regulations in Germany make the distinction between mass gatherings and business events, we see a glimpse of a post-COVID-19 future for our industry. Naturally attendees are concerned about health and safety and want assurances that the right measures are taken to maintain personal safety. Freeman’s…
Medical and scientific meetings came to a sudden halt when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world. Kenes Group kept cancellations to a minimum, postponing most events, but there was one event in particular that took a leap of faith to turn into virtual with less than three weeks’ lead time: the 2nd AAT-AD/PD™ Focus Meeting…
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The webinar that The Iceberg just produced on JMIC’s Manifesto for Economic Recovery Using Business Events contained a section on the document promoting the use of business events as a means of addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Fiona Pelham, the CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events, picks up that baton. COVID-19 has changed the…
During COVID-19 the meetings industry has pivoted to serve the community. Venues have become field hospitals, logistics networks have shipped personal protective equipment, and surplus food has also been donated. A new social contract is being written, explains Geneviève Leclerc, CEO of Iceberg partner #MEET4IMPACT. From European Cities Marketing…
The Iceberg has just hosted a webinar built around the JMIC Manifesto for Economic Recovery Using Business Events. This review says the packaging may have been “inflated”, but that the content was “laser-focused”, and that the main speaker Prof. Greg Clark (left) was “supernaturally articulate”. How unified is the sector? From Association Meetings International…
Iain Bitran, Executive Director of the International Society for Professional Innovation Management, shares the challenge of transforming a physical conference into a digital meeting. In just eleven weeks and with around 400 contributions, the XXXI ISPIM Innovation Conference succeeded in “Innovating in Times of Crisis”. From Boardroom…
Martin Sirk, of both Sirk Serendipity and Global Association Hubs, an Iceberg partner, has thoughts on how some countries will be more successful at reopening business events than others. International events can only reopen at the pace of the slowest participating country to get their COVID-19 under local control. From Association Meetings International…
Iceberg partner IMEX Group has just been forced to cancel IMEX America 2020, after the cancellation of IMEX Frankfurt earlier this year. IMEX CEO and also Iceberg ambassador Carina Bauer explains how the decision was taken, and reflects upon politicians’ appreciation of the value of events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The many contributions on video for The Iceberg webinar about the JMIC Manifesto for Economic Recovery Using Business Events included one from Martin Lewis, former Managing Editor of Iceberg partner CAT Media, and Iceberg ambassador. The photo is of Martin in lighter mood at the 32nd M&IT awards last year. But in this longer extract from his…
Jane Cunningham (second left) is Director of Community Engagement for Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance, and Global Ambassador for the Joint Industry Meeting Council. In this new Deep Dive podcast, AMI Editor James Lancaster asks Jane how associations and destinations best collaborate. From Association Meetings International…
A New Zealand conference where experts will discuss protecting the earth’s precious wetlands is being held up as an example of the great positive impact of business events upon society. The 11th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference is being staged in October 2021 at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The death of George Floyd, and of many others before him, prompted black meeting professionals in the US to share thoughts on their own experiences, the protests and the need for diversity in the industry. Those speaking out include Elliott Ferguson (pictured), President and CEO of Destination DC. From Northstar Meetings Group…
Mark Taylor, Chief Executive of the QEII Centre in London, believes the meetings industry’s recovery from the impact and threat of COVID-19 could see it become even stronger. The venue has had an interesting journey, with one delegate in early February diagnosed with the virus just after attending. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
As so much of the business events world pivots to virtual meetings in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, what does that mean for the skill in presentation demanded of those who are speaking? Roy Sheppard is a conference MC, a facilitator, an interviewer and an online course creator, who first worked with the team…
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Over the past few months, most organisations have had to move their meetings online, and virtual events have become the default method of bringing colleagues together for the purposes of discussion, training and information-sharing. Many such organisations will have discovered, or will have been reminded of, the convenience, cost-savings and other advantages that virtual meetings…
We are now fully immersed in creating the most dynamic Virtual Annual Meeting experience for our members possible, virtual attendees can expect the same great content that we were primed to deliver in Las Vegas. We’re going to structure this reimagined experience to fit every member’s schedule and budget and there are going to be…
Build the confidence, skills, and capability to apply marketing strategies that will help you advance your association career. Learn how to drive growth with multichannel campaigns powered by data and customer insights. This course collection—which includes special sessions recorded in ASAE’s studios—is designed to provide cutting-edge tactics and learning that can help any marketing pro…
Associations play a crucial role in our world today. Professionals interested in a specific topic, industry, or cause can find a way to come together, elevate their knowledge, strengthen their voices, and find community. This online course collection, curated by Lowell Aplebaum, CPF, CAE, CEO and strategy catalyst at Vista Cova, LLC, describes the fundamentals…
For 33 years, the ECM Summer School has been a flagship event in the Meetings Industry. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, this year will break from the tradition and we will not meet physically. But we also know that krisis in ancient Greek means also new decisions and new opportunities…. Therefore, we have set up in a…
When making decisions on behalf of your organization, you need to be aware of potential legal risks. This online course collection explores legal basics you’ll need to know in several areas of association management. Online course collections give you the flexibility to work through a curated group of courses on the go, at whatever time…
This exclusive online event is designed by ISU Alumni for their peers to ensure the programme covers hot industry topics, address concerns and share industry voices relevant for you. It will be interactive as the focus will be to re-connect and exchange. Unfortunately, during the past months our industry was forced to stay apart, but the…
The UFI Exhibition Management School is a continuum of the Exhibition Management Degree that UFI initiated and has been organizing since 2007. UFI and MBB-Consulting Group are working to provide this new industry education programme for exhibition organisers. In the years to come, this collaboration will respond to a clear demand for high-level, focused quality…
Welcome to our all-inclusive video hub for associations. Learn anytime, anywhere, at your own pace. Our video minicourses, all given by specialised experts, have been structured into easily managed content which will help you overcome any challenge you might have. New courses will be added every month.
UFI connects is a way to stay connected, to get through this pandemic, and to be ready for the time afterwards. It is a programme of regular talks, panels, and webinar sessions – organized by the UFI team for you. Recordings of previous sessions are available to view.
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The TIC Expert Meeting offers a mix of incentive and exchange opportunities. This is why the diversity of participants is of great importance. This event is for managers and TIC front office professionals coming from small and large cities and working for either public or private tourist information organisations – whether they are ECM members…
A minimum of 10 and maximum 15 ICCA Destination Marketing members each invite an accompanying association executive to the Workshop to discuss their specific meeting requirements. Association executives must conform to strict selection criteria, so ensuring that participating Destination Marketing members can promote their company and services to senior decision-makers who are actively looking for…
This event is open to ECM members only, specifically to tourism professionals working on city cards schemes (Product Managers, Project Leaders, Marketing Manager) who are looking to improve – but also share – their knowledge with other participants. Meet and network with European colleagues managing city cards schemes, share knowledge and insights to stay ahead of…
The congress has a hybrid format and is themed: “Transforming Global Events Together”. The event will allow ICCA’s global community to connect with each other and explore new ideas, formats and technologies. ICCA’s global community of member-suppliers and associations can experience the future of global events live in Kaohsiung, at a regional hub or virtually….
UFI’s annual Global Congress is known as the “must attend” event for all industry professionals. With travel restrictions expected to continue over the coming months, instead of holding the event in one place, we will adopt a ‘glocalised’ approach – Dubai, UAE 15-16/11/20 | Basel, Switzerland 18-20/11/20 | Hong Kong (dates tbc) | Online 15-20/11/20
Accompanying association representatives should be decision makers/influencers of an International conference with more than 500 delegates and must use a local PCO (not a Core PCO). Find an accompanying guest now! No other event offers the same opportunity for association executives and ICCA’s meeting management members to meet face-to-face and discuss future co-operation in a tailor-made…
The BestCities Global Alliance is gathering industry thought-leaders, international associations and destination partners from around the globe under one digital roof for the anticipated return of their annual Global Forum – with a virtual twist. There has been much to learn from the challenges that the business events sector has faced over the last year, and…
Due to incredibly unpredictable travel restrictions, we’ve decided to transition IBTM World 2020 to a virtual experience, incorporating one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers, as well as a knowledge programme, with a range of targeted education sessions. Exhibitors and buyers will benefit from IBTM’s bespoke appointment system, matchmaking buyer’s business needs with supplier’s services to…
* * * EVENT POSTPONED * * * A minimum of 10 and maximum 15 ICCA venues each invite an association executive to the Workshop to discuss their specific meeting requirements. Association executives must conform to strict selection criteria, so ensuring that participating venues can promote their company and services to senior…
Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, we must share the heartbreaking news that AIME 2021 has been cancelled. Like many other event organisers, we face the challenges brought about by international and domestic travel restrictions despite healthy interest for the event from exhibitors and buyers. As the past year has shown, it’s difficult to predict…
* * * EVENT POSTPONED * * * A minimum of 10 and maximum 15 ICCA venues each invite an accompanying association executive to the Business Workshop to discuss their specific meeting requirements. Association executives must conform to strict selection criteria, so ensuring that participating venues can promote their company and services to…
IBTM Americas is the international trade show for the meetings and events industry where the decision makers connect and do business across North America, Latin America, Europe and beyond. IBTM Americas brings together the who’s who of the events industry to meet in Mexico City for two days of inspiration, networking and education. All under…
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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…
