The only way is up, baby.
So good riddance 2020! It was a year the meetings industry will remember for its prophets of doom and profits of Zoom. Even with the light of vaccination shining from the end of the tunnel, there is pain still to come for most. Things here in the United Kingdom are grim with the variant strain of the virus spreading fast. At least Santa has just dropped a last minute post-Brexit trade deal down the chimney to brighten an otherwise miserable Christmas eve.
The year has seen real heroes and heroines stepping up to the plate and battling against the brutal forces of nature. But even as we plan to build back better, the devastation around is hard to miss. The Iceberg was born of the need for sector advocacy, and there has never been a more critical time to demonstrate this industry’s worth.
You can join us in that goal by becoming a partner or ambassador of The Iceberg. Please click the link at the top of this issue! But below I also repost the two-part webinar that the Iceberg team produced to support the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s Global Manifesto in July. This was our own contribution to the fight and (we like to think) is a serious resource for recovery advocacy. The recent posting of JMIC’s Local Government and Community Advocacy: Some Basics (see Research below) should also further the legacy of the JMIC Global Manifesto.
The Iceberg‘s JMIC Manifesto Webinar Part I. Full feature here.
In Features this issue there is more advocacy. The completed Kaohsiung Protocol, a global recovery framework document, finally gets posted. This is the crowdsourced legacy outcome of Iceberg partner ICCA’s 59th Congress. Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre’s Convention Advocates Partnership is marking a ten year legacy securing conferences for the Queensland capital. The article includes an interview about COVID-19 vaccines with immunologist Professor Ian Frazer, who I had the privilege of interviewing myself a few years back.
In News this issue, things have been busy for Iceberg partner and global association of the exhibition industry UFI. The 87th UFI Global Congress was attended by about 700 members from over fifty countries, making it the largest edition ever. UFI has also just released the eleventh edition of its annual Euro Fair Statistics, plus the second edition of its report on the exhibition industry in Latin America. The latter study now covers sixteen markets in the region, reveals healthy growth prospects prior to the pandemic hit and also the prominence of women in senior roles across the region. UFI and live event research specialists Explori have released the second part of Global Recovery Insights 2020, which focuses on the future of digital and hybrid events.
The Iceberg‘s JMIC Manifesto Webinar Part II. Full feature here.
Other research is also making News. The global exhibition market is likely to shrink $19.9 billion, a total year-end contraction of 69 percent. So says the twelfth edition of market assessment Globex. By 2022, the report expects to see the market back at 78 percent of its 2019 size. Shrinking budgets for travel and visa issues are causing concern to planners of international association meetings, according to a survey from the Union of International Associations. The IBTM Global Trends Report 2021 “Build Back Better” has drawn on the pandemic to forecast what could lie ahead for the business events sector in 2021.
The IBTM Global Trends Report was launched at the first IBTM World Virtual. The Iceberg partner’s online event closed with Reed Travel Exhibitions reporting nearly 13,000 business meetings as having taken place and almost 8,300 eventprofs as having taken part. The 2020 Global Forum of Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has been held, mixing physical and digital elements to create a unique hybrid meeting for over 128 delegates around the world. The BMO Convention Centre in Calgary has completed its new Exhibition Hall F. The total expansion project is to cost $500 million, and the facility upon completion will be Western Canada’s largest. COVID-19 SMART testing (Systematic Meaningful Asymptomatic Repeated Testing) was successfully used at the Livercool Conference 2020 for the first time, following the mass testing of 90,000 Liverpool residents in November. After both the protests and the pandemic, Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association has welcomed the HKSAR Government’s recognition of the exhibition sector and also its commitment to expanding meeting space.
All twelve Opinions articles this issue are fresh, and what a breadth of perspective they make! Ten well-known UK exhibition organisers have been describing their thoughts and plans for next year. Kai Hattendorf, Managing Director and CEO of Iceberg partner UFI, offers with his team five trends to drive industry development. Five European convention bureaux share perspectives on the role of the meetings industry and the function destinations now play as intellectual capitals. Managing Editor at Iceberg partner Mash Media Paul Colston has put questions to Ray Bloom, Chairman and Founder of the IMEX Group, also a partner. The CEO of Cape Town International Convention Centre, Taubie Motlhabane, has been talking about her career path and pandemic journey.
Also in Opinions, listen to two podcasts. David Thompson, the Event Director of Iceberg partner IBTM World, has been talking to M&IT Acting Editor Paul Harvey, and Fiona Pelham, CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact, with AMI Editor James Lancaster. After years at the helm of the Meetings Industry Association of Australia and Business Events Council of Australia, industry legend and friend of the Iceberg Elizabeth Rich remains a keen observer in challenging times. A keynote was given at the 87th Global Congress of Iceberg partner UFI by the President and CEO of WTTC (the World Travel and Tourism Council) Gloria Guevara Manzo. Read highlights of her address. Convention centres around the world have been working quickly to install broadcast studios. We have a global roundup of this emerging trend. Coronavirus vaccinations are already happening, thanks in part events like “Vaccinology in the Age of Pandemics: Strategies Against COVID-19 and Other Global Threats” held online in June. Plus, during the pandemic venues have been used as field hospitals. Why shouldn’t the sector also help roll out the vaccines? So argues Julian Agostini, Managing Director at Mash Media.
In Research you will find PCMA’s COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard for November. From UFI also read Euro Fair Statistics 2019 (December 2020), from IBTM the IBTM Trends Watch Report 2021 plus from JMIC Local Government and Community Advocacy: Some Basics, all mentioned above. Competitive Index 2020, posted by Iceberg partner GainingEdge, is essential reading as well.
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), Conference & Meetings World, Conference News, Exhibition World, Exhibition News and ASAE’s Associations Now Today’s Coronavirus Tracker.
JMIC, which presents The Iceberg, has announced Cliff Wallace as the winner of the 2020 JMIC Unity Award. Wallace has had many years of service in the design, construction and management of public assembly venues and has elevated those facilities to a respected presence in the communities in which they are located. He has also been a senior leader of many industry associations and an instructor and mentor across a wide range of training programs.
There are association resources aplenty at the new website of Iceberg partner 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.
The 87th UFI Global Congress welcomed a united and resilient industry. The association’s first digital running of the event drew its biggest audience to date, with sixteen hours of live broadcasts from Hong Kong, London, Bogotá and Dubai. Over 1,200 connections were forged through the congress platform. Iceberg partner Mash Media posted reports from Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 of the event.
Anbu Varathan, the Director General and CEO of the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association and the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, has become UFI President for 2020 – 2021. The baton was passed to him by outgoing President Mary Larkin at the Global Congress closing ceremony on November 18th. Anbu Varathan has since posted a December message.
UFI has announced themes for its 2021 awards. The focus will be on awarding best practice and highlighting creative solutions during and after the pandemic. The entry deadline for all categories is March 16th 2021.
Sven Bossu, CEO of Iceberg partner AIPC, has posted thoughts on the association’s hybrid annual conference in Paris. AIPC member Congress Center Messe Frankfurt has been completely modernised and reopened, with the new design already snagging an award. Software business partner Ungerboeck has unveiled a video campaign around the challenges faced by the event industry over the past year, “We Will Event Again”. AIPC member Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre recorded a contribution of more than AU$740 million in economic impact to Victoria in the 2019 – 2020 financial year, despite a reduction in activity due to the pandemic.
IMEX Group has announced that about 6,000 planners and suppliers attended the October edition of PlanetIMEX. 95 percent of survey respondents said the event had met or exceeded expectations.
Iceberg partner AIME has announced new exhibitors for its 2021 show. These include Business Events Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, Daydream Island in Queensland, Sapporo Convention Bureau in Japan and India. Potential hosted buyers from Australia and New Zealand gathered together on November 5th, with those in Asia joining on November 18th, for the AIME-first regional Virtual Gatherings. AIME has also announced an AIMEbassador programme to kick-start business in 2021.
Meetings and events industry trade show IBTM Asia Pacific has announced it will take run at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention centre on June 8th and 9th 2021, to “allow time for travel restrictions to be eased so that as many as possible of the event’s international audience can attend in person”. Originally scheduled for May 2021, Reed Exhibitions Mexico, organiser of IBTM Americas, has announced the event’s postponement to August 18th and 19th 2021. The new event dates have also been announced as an ongoing result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reed Travel Exhibitions has announced that Shane Hannam is stepping down from his position as Portfolio Director of IBTM Events after almost three years in the role. The IBTM Events portfolio will now be managed by Claude Blanc. Commenting on his move, Shane Hannam said: “While I’m sad to be leaving Reed Exhibitions, it’s been a great experience, both professionally and personally, and I’m incredibly proud of what the IBTM team has achieved”. The Financial Times of London has reported at least 500 staff have already left Reed Exhibitions or will be gone by the end of the year. The world’s second largest exhibition organiser, Reed’s redundancy programme can be seen as a result of the industry’s slow recovery from the pandemic. Newly published insights from Reed Exhibitions’ COVID-19 Customer Needs and Mindset Barometer has revealed that 84 percent of visitors and exhibitors have tried at least one new digital service since the lockdown was introduced in March 2020.
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has run its annual Global Forum, blending “physical” and “digital” to create a unique hybrid educational event for delegates around the world. The event featured one-of-a-kind experimental sessions on transforming events to future-proof models. The Forum also saw the announcement of BestCities Global Forum Madrid 2021, hotly anticipated since its postponement this year. BestCities has posted nine takeaways from the experience.
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has launched the ECM Benchmarking Report and the ECM Meetings Statistics Report, with results from the 2019 on both bed nights and meetings in Europe. These reports show the healthy growth of the industry before the pandemic that has changed the sector forever.
Iceberg partner Mash Media has announced that nominations for its newly unveiled Digital Event Awards are open. The DEAs has been launched to recognise excellence in the delivery and production of digital events that have come to the fore in 2020 due to the postponement of live events. The team behind the new DEAs has announced its first group of judges. The panel will be chaired by Dr James Morgan, Principal Lecturer in Event Design at the University of Westminster. Meanwhile, the shortlist for the Exhibition News Awards’ COVID-19 categories have been revealed. The new categories, which sit alongside the traditional line-up, were announced to recognise the achievements of the industry during lockdown and include online events, fundraising initiatives and supplier and venue safety products and plans. Tickets for the Exhibition News Awards (EN Awards), now on February 5th 2021, remain on sale.
To add to its Boardroom MiniCourses, the online learning site full of short, high-quality educational videos, Iceberg partner Boardroom has recently launched #Roadmap2030. This will deliver practical, hands-on educational content, networking opportunities, mentorship, news and community engagement all year-round. An initiative by the publishers of Boardroom, Boardroom MiniCourses and the advanced tech company Bond, #Roadmap 2030 is set to become a global resource for associations executives and staff.
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 insights Tracking the Return of the MICE Events Sector in a COVID-19 World, The MICE Sector in a COVID-19 World – Lockdown, Transition, New Normal, Tracking the Return of the MICE Events Sector in a COVID-19 World – Part 2, and “How Accessible is Your Association?”, plus Bulletin: COVID-19 Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, Issue #5, Issue #6, Issue #7, Issue #8, Issue #9, Issue #10, Issue #11, Issue #12, and Issue #13.
Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events is seeking 100,000 event professionals to build the future of the industry. There is a great video here.
There are extensive further COVID-19 resources at the Events Industry Council (EIC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), Meetings Mean Business and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Northstar Meetings Group has posted a running list of New Dates for Events and Conventions Postponed Due to Coronavirus.
Northstar’s Travel Technology Europe is marking its coming of age by rebranding to TravelTech Show and launching as the first global event for the travel tech industry.
In line with the suggestion in Opinions, industry services are being adapted to assist COVID-19 vaccination efforts. beMatrix, a supplier of exhibitions stands, is helping build sustainable and safe vaccination centres. The company has designed several modular units, which it says can be used to repurpose sports and events halls. Meanwhile global event and specialist logistics provider Production Resources Group has been lending expertise and knowhow to the set-up of a treatment centre in two Berlin exhibition halls. PRG will also complete a similar technical framework for temporary vaccination centres at Tempelhof Airport and the Arena Berlin Treptow.
In cooperation with IMEX and MGM Resorts, MPI is asking event professionals around the world for their input on what the industry’s future will look like. Participation is anonymous, but you can also enter your name and email address to receive an advance look at the survey’s results.
PCMA will hold its flagship annual meeting Convening Leaders as a hybrid event. Originally scheduled to take place in Houston, the conference will now have multiple further hubs for small face-to-face gatherings around the world from January 11th to 14th as well as going online. Held last month in Sydney, PCMA’s Convening Asia Pacific: Global Recovery Forum provided lessons in hybrid event experience design that prioritises safety for in-person attendees and interactivity for digital participants.
The reopening of business events in Australia prompted responses from ICC Sydney, BESydney, Adelaide Convention Bureau, and Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Melbourne Convention Bureau also posted figures, and hosted 140 business events before the sector was forced to close its doors in March.
Auckland Convention Bureau has announced the winning of the bid for the International Association of Women in Police Annual Conference in 2023, and the same year’s International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists. COVID-19 has increased the value New Zealanders put on face-to-face meetings, according to new research conducted in the business events sector for Tourism New Zealand.
The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia broadcast three events live in a hybrid format from ICC Sydney on December 8th. The EEAA Annual General Meeting, CEO Forum and Awards for Excellence were attended by over 150 industry representatives in person and virtually.
South Korea’s Busan is running a new campaign with the slogan “GREEN MICE GREEN BUSAN”. The objective of the campaign is to promote and create a sustainable MICE environment, applying green ideas at all stages of event planning. Meanwhile the PLUS SEOUL support programme has been revamped again by lowering the requirement and enriching customisation. With the pandemic gluing people on the ground in front of their computer screens, SCB has brought the destination to delegates instead with the Virtual Seoul platform.
The Singapore Tourism Board has signed three memoranda of understanding with international event organisers at TravelRevive, a pilot international travel tradeshow and conference powered by ITB Asia and STB. The November meeeting was the first such event to take place physically in Asia Pacific with foreign attendees and exhibitors since the pandemic. Speakers included UFI Managing Director and CEO Kai Hattendorf, ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath, and AIPC President Aloysius Arlando.
The World Economic Forum will convene its Special Annual Meeting 2021 in Singapore this May. It will return to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, for the Annual Meeting in 2022.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has announced an increased focus on online events, with its “Thailand LOG-IN events” plan. The initiative aims to boost industries which the Thai government is targeting for growth, including logistics and infrastructure.
IMPACT Exhibition Management has given the green light for live audiences to return to the IMPACT Arena in Bangkok. The venue has a number of conferences and exhibitions lined up in the coming weeks. One already held was the twelve-day 37th Thailand International Motor Expo 2020, which attracted 1.2 million visitors and saw over 33,000 car orders placed.
Arab Health, the largest exhibition for healthcare and trade professionals in the region, has announced that its 2021 edition will include a four-day live event taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre in June, as well as a two-month-long series of online events running from May to July. Meanwhile, Medlab Middle East’s live show will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from June into July 2021, with the online element taking place from May to June.
Organisers of the Paris Air Show have cancelled the event for 2021 because of the “uncertainty” caused by the pandemic. The show, held on alternate years with the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow (cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic) was to have taken place in June. A new date will likely be in June 2023.
Mack-Brooks Exhibitions has announced the postponement of its ICE Europe, CCE International and InPrint Munich 2021 shows, which were scheduled to take place together at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in March. Instead, the exhibitions will run in June. The decision was taken, the organiser said, in light of the ongoing pandemic and continued uncertainty over travel restrictions.
The Brussels European Association Forum, ASSOCIATIONWORLD‘s new association event, now has a new date. Moving from January 15th to 29th, the event will take place with strict compliance to COVID-19 health and safety measure, welcoming a maximum of forty association professionals.
After a successful bid by WEC The Netherlands, together with the proposed host city and several bid partners, Rotterdam is hosting the World Energy Congress 2025. The Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre will welcome around 4,000 delegates from all over the world between in September 2025.
The city of Rotterdam and Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau have launched what they call “The Rotterdam Experiment”. A total of seven hybrid events under specific themes will be used to collect data to find innovative solutions for the meeting of the future.
The Hague Convention Bureau, Ottawa Tourism Business Events, Prague Convention Bureau and Geneva Convention Bureau have launched the Hybrid City Alliance in a collaboration that sees four like-minded destinations joining together to provide a creative offering for conference and event buyers.
After a challenging 2020, the Monaco Convention Bureau is set on building a solid basis for the meetings industry of the Principality for 2021. A new communications campaign with the slogan #REEVENT was launched on December 8th at IBTM World Virtual.
An association of sport scientists has chosen Rimini in Northern Italy as the host destination for its 2024 annual congress after collaboration between two of the region’s prestigious universities. Professor Marco Narici from the University of Padova, with input from the University of Bologna (Rimini campus), formulated the bid on behalf of the city of Rimini and host venue Palacongressi di Rimini.
Milan will host the 2024 World Conference in Earthquake Engineering, arguably the most important international event in the field, after a successful online bid. The meeting, held every four years and attracting around 5,000 delegates, will be returning to Italy for the first time in more than half a century.
In the midst of this challenging period, Glasgow’s Conference Ambassador Programme has celebrate its thirtieth anniversary. Glasgow Convention Bureau has been sharing memories of successful events brought to the city thanks to its committed academic community.
The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella body for the UK’s events industry, has launched a reopening survey. The poll will show how industry suppliers across the country are preparing to reopen safely. Take part here.
The UK’s One Industry One Voice coalition #WeCreateExperiences B2B campaign kicked off on December 7th. The star-studded launch video was viewed over 250,000 times.
The Face Of Events campaign has been launched by event professionals to highlight the struggles being faced by those in the business events and meetings sector. The aim is to create a virtual gallery of those who have been affected and continue to face hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Everybody from the events and hospitality sector is encouraged to take part by simply uploading an image of themselves.
Season’s greetings, and here’s to a better 2021…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
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The recent 59th Congress of the International Congress and Convention Association saw the creation via crowdsourcing of a framework document designed to let the international meetings industry thrive now and into the future. Named after the event’s host destination, the Kaohsiung Protocol is the Iceberg partner event’s major legacy outcome. A large number of attendees at…
A partnership between the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and local scientific and industry leaders has secured 127 conferences for the city over ten years. BCEC’s conference ambassadors are recruited to win important meetings for the Queensland capital, including immunologist Professor Ian Frazer, who offers thoughts on COVID-19 vaccines. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The congresses of the future need to have a positive, long-lasting impact at heart, not solely as a justification to travel and meet, but also to augment their contribution to stimulating and driving social and economic change. In order to achieve this, associations and destinations need concrete tools that can help them work strategically with…
It is time once again to grab your own little piece of The Iceberg! The call has just been issued for partners and ambassadors through 2021 and 2022. Iceberg Founder and Producer and James Latham believes sharing storytelling and advocacy is the best possible route to wider appreciation of the sector and its vital role in…
The 59th ICCA Congress in Kaohsiung is to showcase a unique and hybrid hub-and-spoke model, with regional events across the globe coinciding with the main congress and sharing the experience for those unable to attend it. The locations include the main host destination, along with Kuching, Cape Town, Luxembourg, Malaga and Riyadh. An all-virtual option is…
Seoul cautiously resumed business events in June, starting with exhibitions and congresses. Dental meeting SIDEX was the first large-scale example with 4,860 attendees over two days. After their firm focus on sanitation protocols, organisers confirmed two weeks later that no COVID-19 cases had arisen after it. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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…
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Iceberg partner UFI, global association of the exhibition industry, has released the second edition of its report on the exhibition industry in Latin America. The study now covers sixteen markets in the region, reveals very healthy growth prospects prior to the pandemic hit and also the prominence of women in senior roles. From Exhibition World…
The Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association has welcomed the HKSAR Government’s recent recognition of the exhibition industry and also its commitment to expanding meeting space. A plan is now on the table to redevelop three Wan Chai North government towers and the Kong Wan Fire Station into new venues. From Exhibition World…
The first ever IBTM World Virtual drew to a close with Reed Travel Exhibitions reporting nearly 13,000 business meetings as having taken place and almost 8,300 eventprofs taking part. 87 content sessions and four keynotes were presented at the Iceberg partner show, many around topics to help the sector rebuild. From Exhibition World…
COVID-19 SMART tests (Systematic Meaningful Asymptomatic Repeated Testing) were successfully used at the Livercool Conference 2020 for the first time. After mass testing of 90,000 Liverpool residents in early November, Liverpool City Council partnered with venue ACC Liverpool and Downtown in Business on the approach. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Global association of the exhibition industry and Iceberg partner UFI and live event research specialists Explori have released the second part of Global Recovery Insights 2020, which focuses on the future of digital and hybrid events. The first part looked at how exhibitors and visitors were hit by the lack of live events. From Exhibition World…
The IBTM Global Trends Report 2021 “Build Back Better” has drawn on the pandemic to forecast what could lie ahead for the business events sector in 2021. Details of the report, written by Alistair Turner, were revealed over IBTM World Virtual, and chronicle economic, political and personal disruption. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The 2020 Global Forum of Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has been held, mixing physical and digital elements to create a unique hybrid event for over 128 delegates around the world. The meeting saw the launching of BestCities Global Forum Madrid 2021, anticipated since its postponement this year. From Meetings International…
The global association of the exhibition industry and Iceberg partner UFI has just released the eleventh edition of its annual Euro Fair Statistics. The research includes data from thirteen trade fair bodies in 21 European countries and covers 2,416 exhibitions from 803 planners, totalling 25.5 million square metres rented in 2019. From Exhibition World…
The BMO Convention Centre has completed construction of new Exhibition Hall F, which will offer 100,000 square feet of exhibition space. The total venue expansion is to cost $500 million. Funded equally by federal, provincial and municipal government, the facility will upon completion be Western Canada’s largest convention centre. From Exhibition World…
Iceberg partner UFI, global association for the exhibition industry, says the virtual meeting it recently held was the largest edition ever. The 87th UFI Global Congress was attended by approximately 700 members from over fifty countries, exceeding the record set last year in Bangkok, Thailand. More than 1,200 connections were registered. From Exhibition World…
The global exhibition market size is likely to drop by $19.9 billion, with a total year-end contraction of about 69 percent. That’s according to the twelfth edition of market assessment Globex. By 2022, the report expects the global market to have bounced back to 78 percent of its 2019 size. From Exhibition World…
Shrinking budgets for travel and “increasingly difficult” visa issues are among the biggest concerns among planners of international association meetings, according to a survey. The Union of International Associations has released findings from its latest Survey on International Meetings Issues. From Association Meetings International…
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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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As a provider of global meetings industry resources, the Joint Meetings Industry Council (which presents The Iceberg) is pleased to introduce its latest resource: a guide to organising and carrying out industry advocacy with local government and community audiences. The guide is not intended to be a comprehensive review of a complex subject. Instead it…
Global convention industry consulting firm and Iceberg partner GainingEdge has released its third annual Competitive Index of international convention destinations. The 2020 edition extends the listing to the world’s top 101 cities, those which have hosted 87 or more international conventions over the past three years as reported by the International Congress and Convention Association….
As well as assessing the impact of COVID-19, this report includes a global economic analysis for 2020, a deep dive into global mega-trends (including security, sustainability, wellness, diversity and inclusion), an exploration of the virtual experience economy, an individual industry analysis, an examination of meetings and events performance by sector, and a regional analysis. IBTM…
Data now released by Iceberg partner UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, identifies the European exhibition market’s development in twenty one countries. The certified data is gathered by a network of thirteen collaborating industry bodies from across the continent. The events examined showcased 643,738 exhibiting companies. Statistics in the report cover 2,416 exhibitions…
The pandemic has made this year seem interminable. Days, weeks and months blur together. But the period between the last COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard, conducted between October 19th and 22nd, and the survey sent out between November 16th and 19th has been punctuated by a few major events. In the US, the election took place and…
In all of the Dashboard surveys, PCMA Convene’s goal has been to get its arms around how the industry is handling the pandemic and moving forward. This time around, it decided to get more to the point, so simply asked respondents “what best describes how you’re feeling right now”? The most popular answer among the…
The IMEX Group has published a research report that urges the global meetings, incentive travel and events industry to adopt a new economic model… the circular economy. The Regenerative Revolution – A New Paradigm for Event Management calls on the global events industry to embrace circular design thinking and to understand the principles and power…
Has COVID-19 forced a new digital era in medical education? What do healthcare professionals (HCPs) really think about virtual scientific congresses? As the life sciences industry and medical associations prepare for a world in which virtual attendance becomes part of the “new normal”, the International Pharmaceutical Congress Advisory Association (IPCAA) and global healthcare meetings specialist,…
A new report published by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), which presents The Iceberg, offers the most comprehensive assessment yet of meetings industry activities addressing the full range of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The program was an extension of an initiative begun by Iceberg partner UFI, the global association of the…
When the lockdowns began in the US in March, it was hoped COVID-19 would be well under control by the autumn. As we enter the last quarter of 2020, we have come to accept that we will be living with COVID-19 well into 2021 and perhaps 2022, that its effects on the economy will linger,…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has collaborated with associations and destinations around the world to build new research around a “legacy language” and impact measurement indicators. This highly ambitious and innovative project involved an extensive study with over fifty interviews and surveys with destinations and associations across the world from a broad spectrum of sectors and disciplines….
The overall objective of this survey was to understand how inclusive events are as an industry. The survey also considered education, career progression, perceived success and salary. Diversity and inclusion – Fast Forward 15 (Fast Forward 15 website) Diversity in Events Has “a Way to Go”, Reveals Report (Meetings & Incentive Travel article) Women in Exhibitions (Exhibition News…
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Ten well-known UK exhibition organisers have been describing their thought processes and plans for 2021. Several talked about how their teams had risen to the multiple challenges of keeping the lights on and their businesses ticking over. There was also real consensus of opinion about key learnings and outlook going forward. From Exhibition News…
Managing Editor at Iceberg partner Mash Media Paul Colston has been putting questions to Ray Bloom, the Chairman and Founder of the IMEX Group, also a partner. The pair talk PlanetIMEX, resilience, lobbying the politicians, the skills the team learnt during the crisis, and what is coming next for the group. From Exhibition World…
Fiona Pelham has been leading the charge of more sustainable business events for over fifteen years. In this episode of the Deep Dive podcast, the CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events talks with AMI Editor James Lancaster about changing narratives across that time, about leadership and also about carbon targets. From Association Meetings International…
David Thompson, the Event Director of Iceberg partner IBTM World, has been talking to M&IT Acting Editor Paul Harvey. The discussed IBTM World Virtual and the challenge of turning a live physical show into an online-only event, plus Thompson’s outlook for planners in the coming year. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
In 2000 and 2006 business events legend and friend of the Iceberg Elizabeth Rich wrote provocative articles about the sector’s struggle with identity. After years at the helm of the Meetings Industry Association of Australia and the Business Events Council of Australia, she remains a keen observer in challenging times. From Meetings International…
We are in unchartered territory with a global pandemic disrupting lives and livelihoods. But with improved knowledge about the virus, more efficient testing and now with mass vaccinations, the tide is turning. Kai Hattendorf, Managing Director and CEO of Iceberg partner UFI, offers with his team five trends to drive industry development. From UFI…
The CEO of CTICC (the Cape Town International Convention Centre), Taubie Motlhabane, had been in postition for about three months when coronavirus took hold. She has been talking about her earlier career journey, about CTICC’s role as the Hospital of Hope, and about working with soup kitchen Ladles of Love. From Exhibition World…
The pandemic has questioned the role of the meetings industry and the function destinations now play. Five European convention bureaux, part of an informal alliance, share perspectives on how emerging as intellectual capitals may be key to staying relevant beyond the crisis: Glasgow, Copenhagen, Vienna, Brussels and Barcelona. From Boardroom…
When looking for hybrid meeting sites, over a third of respondents to the Convene Recovery Dashboard surveys conducted in late summer and autumn were seeking venues with broadcasting facilities. As a result, convention centres around the world have worked quickly to meet the demand, with facilities designed as spaces to reflect the destination. From PCMA…
During the pandemic meeting venues have already been used as field hospitals. Why shouldn’t the sector also play a role in rolling out of the coronavirus vaccine? It boasts exactly the right set of skills to help deliver such logistics at scale. So argues Julian Agostini, Managing Director at Iceberg partner Mash Media. From Exhibition World…
A live keynote was given at the 87th Global Congress of Iceberg partner UFI by the President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council Gloria Guevara Manzo. Her address presented WTCC research, outlined WTCC efforts to jumpstart recovery, and offered key learnings from past crises that relate to the current pandemic. From UFI…
Coronavirus vaccinations are already happening, the success of their rapid development owed to many factors. One is the rise of virtual meetings which let delegates around the world work collaboratively on solutions. Organiser Keystone Symposia moved “Vaccinology in the Age of Pandemics: Strategies Against COVID-19 & Other Global Threats” online this June. From PCMA…
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Delivered by a faculty of industry experts, the UFI-EMS will combine both global insights and regional expertise – following the clearly articulated need for education that adapts a global curriculum to the specific regional and local needs. The curriculum was developed jointly with the UFI community, making it a programme designed by exhibition organisers for exhibition organisers.
This virtual edition of Exceptional Boards is an online workshop for CEOs and elected officers. Delivered live and highly interactive with plenty of time to process what your team is learning, the program fosters effective governance and optimizes the entire board as a cohesive unit through best practices in board organization, structure, and operations. Discover…
Enhance your career with short, industry courses or build organizational capabilities with relevant company learning for immediate impact. Our extensive on-site training and coaching programmes are now online to make them more easily accessible for business event professionals anywhere. The content has been specifically designed for convention bureaus, convention centres and any suppliers to the…
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.
We have created a library of resources to not only help you through COVID-19 but also to ensure that you’re ready to get back to face-to-face business on the other side. Because there will be another side. You’ll find webinars and videos from key industry professionals, providing you with the great insights you need to keep…
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.
ECM wants to continue to empower the conversation during this unprecedented situation with a new initiative, “A New Tomorrow”. The purpose is to share ideas and challenges, find inspiration in new practice and different approaches, and envision together with all of our members, a new future of destinations rebuilt and conventions reimagined to meet new…
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,…
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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Tasked with finding the right Marketing Technology Systems for your organization? Wondering what platforms are out there and what features you should be looking for? Join us for our FREE Marketing Automation & Technology Systems Demo Day event and experience seven in-depth demos from industry partners that are standing by ready to help.
(By invitation only.) The Global CEO Summit, is one of UFI’s most prestigious events. It serves as the exhibition industry’s annual curtain raiser event for the most senior executives worldwide, offering top-level content, dialogues, and excellent networking. The event is for CEOs and equivalents from international exhibition organisers and venue operators. A series of GCS…
A new starting point for exhibitions is here… Recognition and celebration is what we all need right now, but the awards signifies something much more important, it will give us a template and new starting point in which we can kick start awards in a face-to-face environment and not just with confidence but with style!…
* * * 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…
EPS will now take place outdoors with marquees at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. EPS is the longest-running event designed for all event professionals involved in running outdoor events; including festivals, sporting events, corporate and brand experiences, local authority events and stadium/arena tours. The Event Production Show was created to support the live events community…
* * * 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…
The modern PA, VA and EA are at the epicentre of the companies and industries they serve. Long gone are the days of limited power and influence, the modern assistant carries strong responsibilities and has a powerful place as the backbone of their company. The PA Show exists to support an incredible number of talented…
Come and join us for the best attended and most loved events industry showcase! It’s a tough time for our industry and we will certainly have some mountains to climb post COVID-19, it will be more important than ever that we unite for 2 days of knowledge sharing, networking and inspiration. Discover over 300 event,…
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…
It is with regret that we announce the cancellation of IMEX in Frankfurt 2021, due to take place at Messe Frankfurt from 25 – 27 May. We know the timing of our announcement comes as a blow so early in 2021. More than anything, and like you, we’re eager to deliver some good news and…
IBTM Asia Pacific is the leading event for the meetings and events industry in the region bringing together a high calibre group of international, APAC regional and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking. The event is under-pinned by IBTM’s sophisticated, industry-leading Hosted Buyer programme which…
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Born in Toronto, Canada, Greg has divided his life between living in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. More than 25 years in the hospitality industry, Greg has spent time in Management of a high-end independent mountain resort property (The Rimrock Resort), Hyatt Hotels and the Intercontinental group before moving over to convention centres. Greg had the…
Jane loves life in the Nordics and the spirit of Scotland. Her expertise is based on 20 years of experience across the global meetings industry. Over this time she has been fortunate to have gained wonderful experience and friends from working for some great hotels, a convention centre, a destination marketing organisation, a PCO, and…
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