The queue for the lying-in-state of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

The Iceberg and Business Events World are produced from an office close to Tower Bridge, London’s iconic landmark. For several days last week the area was host to a strange and quietly moving parade, a slowly shuffling line of members of the public, queuing to pay their respects during Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s lying-in-state.

Westminster Hall is several miles of queuing away for these people, and the line has at times taken a full twenty-four hours to traverse. Is there any more British spectacle than a mass of subjects, in the shadow of Tower Bridge, across the Thames from the much more historic Tower of London, waiting to pay respect to their late Queen… in an orderly queue?

The impact of the Queen’s passing on events is perfectly caught in an article which arrived too late for me to post it in Opinions this edition. In it, Meetings & Incentive Travel Editor Paul Harvey reflects upon how the M&IT Awards, which took place just twenty-four hours after the Queen’s passing was announced, adapted to the altered circumstances.

Before getting to this issue’s content, The Iceberg has just made its call for partners and ambassadors through 2023 / 2024. Founder and Producer and James Latham asks you to join us in advancing the sector’s narrative. Kai Hattendorf, Managing Director and CEO of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, also discusses on video the value of contributing to our platform at the same link.

In News this issue, there is a sometimes contradictory mix. A new report from Tourism Australia’s specialist business events unit indicates positive prospects for Australia’s business events industry and good interim outcomes from the recently launched Business Events Australia global brand campaign. But the need to fill many vacancies and train staff is limiting the recovery of major meeting venues. So says the latest quarterly Meeting Room of the Future barometer from IACC. The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau has engaged Sheila Alexander-Reid in the role of PHL Diversity’s Executive Director, to promote Philadelphia as a both inclusive and welcoming destination for meetings and conventions. A new organisation has been launched to drive the need for diversity, equality, inclusion and environmental action in global business events. New Intent will work with destinations, meeting strategists and supply chains to create positive societal transformation. But Meeting planners are more likely to focus on DEI than on environmental impact as part of any sustainability policy, according to a Northstar Meetings Group survey.

Also in News, global travel prices will continue to rise in 2022 and throughout 2023. So says the 2023 Global Business Travel Forecast just out from CWT. The US Travel Association has launched the Sustainable Travel Coalition to advance the industry’s strategies in the field. Its almost sixty members include major DMOs, hotel groups, meeting venues and the Professional Convention Management Association. The sustainable event organisation and Iceberg partner Positive Impact is urging event professionals to post, share and pledge during the United Nation’s #FlipTheScript action strategy. The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has now celebrated the first lettuce harvest of its rooftop hydroponic farm. A group of academics from various disciplines will promote the capital of New Zealand as a place to hold international conferences, Wellington having just launched its Advocate Network. This October Germany will host an international meeting to discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. The hosts will be Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Finally, Incredible Impacts, from Iceberg partners the International Congress and Conference Association (ICCA) and BestCities Global Alliance, has awarded three associations that have left legacies of social impact and public engagement with their meetings. This year the events covered water, brain health and the health benefits of playing football.

All twelve Opinions articles this issue are fresh. Two cover views of industry titans. Gary Grimmer, Executive Chairman of Iceberg partner GainingEdge, has revisited both his own career path across four convention bureaux, plus the journey of his consultancy from early days through to navigating the pandemic. Peggy Daidakis joined the Baltimore Convention Center just ahead of its grand opening in 1979. Eight years later, she made Executive Director, the first woman to do so at a US convention venue. Now in 2022, after years of service and awards, she is retiring from her post.

Six Opinions tick off current sector talking points. No industry has escaped the wider talent crunch. For events, hit so hard by the pandemic, the severe staffing shortage as business returns really stings. We have a useful roundup of voices on the subject with additional reading links. How can organisers deliver on diversity, equity, access and inclusion? Arinex Managing Director Nicole Walker offers ten tips for holding a more inclusive event. Future Meeting Space’s latest research radar looks at global studies, reports and articles on the future of business events in relation to business travel. Director of Event:Decision Matt Grey, and Mark Handforth, Director of 3Sixty Event Consulting and Healthcare Venues, haven’t got any quick fixes for sustainable meetings and conferences. Instead, they lay out methods to cut event emissions in twelve key tips for the industry. After the pandemic, the way that associations and destinations are interacting has altered. Several experts weigh in on the changing landscape, among them Nikki Walker of Iceberg partner MCI, Jane Cunningham from Iceberg partner Destinations International, and The Iceberg’s own Founder James Latham. PCMA has hosted a roundtable discussion in Washington DC on navigating events after the US Supreme Court’s overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights. Ninety minutes of fascinating talk on the rights and wrongs of events boycotting destinations because of their laws ensued.

Finally, four Opinions directly cover legacy. The Edinburgh International Convention Centre has given hundreds of Edinburgh Festival Fringe tickets to the venue’s local community. After the New York International Auto Show 2022, 1,000 plants used in its exhibits were donated to local organisations to green all five boroughs of New York City. A new initiative at the Collision tech conference is now expanding the community-centred impact and influence of Indigenous-led tech startups in Canada, in a legacy showcase of “Indigenomics”. Plus, Montreal just hosted AIDS 2022 (the 24th International AIDS conference). Legacies of the conference include additional government funds for remote HIV testing in Canada and for ending AIDS worldwide. All outcomes will be measured by the Montreal-based Iceberg partner #MEET4IMPACT.

In Features this issue, there are two great video stories. The AIPC Annual Congress took place in July at Hungexpo in Budapest. We hear from CEO Sven Bossu about the association and also about the extraordinary emerging talent showcased by AIPC’s Future Shapers program. Plus, Sven Bossu’s fellow Iceberg ambassador Virginie De Visscher of Destination Canada outlines the sector-specific strategy of her organisation’s marketing, and how events are being encouraged to leave legacies across the country.

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), the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), plus publications Conference & Meetings World, Conference News, Exhibition News and ASAE’s Associations Now Today’s Coronavirus Tracker.

There are association resources aplenty at the 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 Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has announced the appointment of Alexander Alles as its new Executive Director. Alles brings experience from a broad career working in both the private and non-profit sectors. The appointment follows the official incorporation earlier this year of JMIC as a not-for-profit association headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Most recently the organisation has been driving crucial industry issues, collaborating to produce the JMIC Global Manifesto and launching the UNFCCC supported Net Zero Carbon Events initiative.

UFI has posted Regional spotlight: What’s trending in the North American exhibition industry?

UFI, in partnership with GL Events South Africa and in collaboration with the African Association of Exhibition Organisers, organised the Africa Exhibition Industry Outlook on September 13th 2022. The one-day workshop and seminar for the African Exhibition Industry featured expert speakers from across the region, including award-winning journalist and author Bruce Whitfield.

The UFI Digital Innovation Award is designed to reward the best exhibition industry initiatives and to offer a platform to exchange ideas, concepts, techniques and knowledge on digital innovation issues. This year UFI received over thirty entries and invited three finalists to Paris’ Porte de Versailles exhibition hall on September 5th. The jury selected Jaarbeurs for having developed a smart venue concept centred on a proprietary app Jaarbeurs Live.

Registrations are now open for the 89th UFI Global Congress 2022. Taking place in Muscat on November 14th to 17th, it is the “must-attend” annual event for the global exhibition industry. UFI has announced that the keynote for the event will be given by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker, and Director of the critically acclaimed Marvel Studio’s series Ms. Marvel. This year’s Congress is tracking to be among the largest ever gatherings of leaders of the exhibition and business events industry.

UFI President Monica Lee-Müller posted this update in September. UFI CEO and Managing Director Kai Hattendorf posted this one, also for September.

The inaugural Asia CEO Summit, taking place from October 5th to 7th 2022 at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, will gather around 100 senior representatives of global business events organisers. Supported by Singapore Tourism Board and co-organised by Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, Association of Event Organisers, Society for Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and UFI, the event will chart sustainable growth for the region’s business events industry.

Iceberg partner SISO has announced that Vincent Polito has been selected at its next CEO, with his firm VP International chosen to take over as the management company for the organisation.The recommendation was unanimously approved by SISO’s Board at its August 11th meeting in Oklahoma City, held in conjunction with the organisation’s Summer Conference. VP International and Polito will formally take the helm on January 1st 2023.

SISO has posted this video from its summer conference.

SISO newsletter updates can be viewed here.

In August, the first on site #ICCASkills Certified International Convention Specialists course started at the Dubai world Trade Center. Iceberg partner ICCA’s ICCASkills delivers the only globally recognised certification for suppliers in every sector of the meetings industry.

The 61st ICCA Congress on November 6th to 9th, themed “Together We Can”, will take members to a city in the heart of Europe that is also a centre of international culture, art and science. Kraków, Poland, is a place to explore centuries of history alongside jewels of modern architecture. Each year the easily accessible city welcomes many important cultural and academic events as well as business meetings.

Iceberg partner IMEX’s IMEX America, which returns to Las Vegas from October 10th to 13th, is set to address the new needs of the industry head on, bringing together the global business events community in a four-day event designed to deliver a tailored, targeted and enjoyable business experience. Just two months after registration opened, over 3,000 global buyers have so far confirmed their participation. Under an educational theme of “Pathways to Clarity”, learning at IMEX America will be delivered in four simple tracks, reduced from ten: “Respect for People and Planet”, “Future Self”, “Innovation and Creativity”, and “Event Planner Toolkit”. Registration for the event is now open.

IMEX America has been saying more about its sustainable event practices after a year of wildfires and record temperatures. Newly released findings show that the 2021 event was “zero waste”. The event measures itself against the findings and recommendations of an independently verified annual sustainability impact report.

Iceberg partner IBTM has announced the first details of IBTM World 2022 which will focus on “culture creation” as the business events world adapts to a more disparate post-pandemic working environment. The organisers say the event, which take places at Fira Barcelona from November 29th to December 1st, will explain how modern business challenges create opportunities across the industry, and will explore the convergence of events and business culture. As part of its theme, IBTM has revealed the first details of new “Culture Roadshows”. The roadshows have been designed to “showcase destinations whose unique cultures create exceptional experiences for event delegates”. Plus. Meetings & Incentive Travel’s Holly Patrick has sat down with IBTM World Event Director David Thompson to discuss what delegates can expect from this year’s show.

Iceberg partner City Destinations Alliance City is holding its “Tourism in Transit” conference in Tel Aviv from October 19th to 22nd. The meeting will see destination management organisations and convention bureaux discuss everything from new trends in technology to the target of reaching net zero carbon.

Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance has posted What’s New this September?, which includes news of its breakfast session at IMEX America in Las Vegas.

Iceberg partner Destinations International has unveiled a tool to measure equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Users can create intended EDI goals and track progress in the workplace through data-driven metrics. Destinations can assess workplace dynamics, operations and policies, vendor selection, community engagement and accessibility-related strategies.

Every year the Destinations International Advocacy Summit presents ideas, strategies and tactics for destination organisations. From October 26th to 28th in Bloomington, Minneapolis, this year’s event has fourteen mainstage sessions, twenty breakout sessions, three short introduction sessions, two networking receptions and four advocacy workshops. Since 14+20+3+2+4=43, Destinations International’s Chief Advocacy Officer Jack Johnson has posted “43 Reasons to Attend This Year’s Advocacy Summit”.

Destinations International’s Senior Manager of Advocacy and Research Content Alyssa Poulin has posted “Taking a Pulse Check on Global Destinations”, featuring the legendary Jane Cunningham.

Destinations International’s “Architects of Destination Advocacy” podcast has posted “Sustainability at the World Stage”. In it, Andreas Weissenborn, Destinations International’s Vice President of Research and Advocacy interviews  Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the German Convention Bureau.

Iceberg partner VISITFLANDERS has had is hybrid event platform HHYBR featured in an association partner case study by ICCA. Meanwhile the convention bureau is celebrating the reopening of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Peter Paul Rubens, Jan van Eyck and Anthony Van Dyck are among the artists whose work the museum has on display. The iconic building was in dire need of restoration and expansion, which has taken some time. It reopened on September 24th.

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, Building Confidence with Your Stakeholders, Destination Planning: Evolving the Role of CVBs, Legacies – the New Meetings Business Driver, Building a Better Business Case, and What Meeting Planners Are Looking For, 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, Issue #13, Issue #14, Issue #15, Issue #16, Issue #17, Issue #18, Issue #19, Issue #20, and Issue #21. GainingEdge also posted GainingEdge’s Pick 5 Issue #1 and Pick 5 Issue #2.

Iceberg partner AIPC has posted this roundup of the 2022 AIPC Annual Congress held in July and hosted by Hungexpo, Budapest. For the first time since 2019, the association had a truly global audience of 125 senior leaders from 42 countries, representing 81 organisations, coming together for the three-day congress.

The 2022 edition of the AIPC Operations and Facility Summit will take place on November 28th, just before the launch of IBTM, and will be hosted by the Barcelona International Convention Centre. This year’s edition will be a mix of lectures by subject matter experts, testimonials by colleagues and the sharing of best practices in a fun and purposeful way.

AIPC has posted an update on the Net Zero Carbon Events campaign. What started as an initiative of Iceberg partners AIPC, ICCA and UFI, in collaboration with the UN and in partnership with other industry stakeholders, was lifted to the level of the Joint Meeting Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg. At the end of August 2022, the initiative had over 260 signatories and 130 other supporters.

AIPC has posted a touching tribute to former CEO of the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and BC Place Stadium Warren Buckley, who passed away on July 14th.

AIPC President Greg O’Dell posted this message on September 1st.

Associations that have made “invaluable contributions to America and the world” will soon be honoured at an awards dinner in Washington, DC. Iceberg partner the American Society of Association Executives has named six associations for the top honour at its 2022 Power of Associations Awards. Fifteen associations have also been honoured with Power of Associations Gold Awards and twenty-seven organisations have received Power of Associations Silver Awards.

Association executives have just flocked to the first on site ASAE annual meeting since 2019 for more than 100 educational sessions on everything from board governance to global operations, to diversity, equity and inclusion. They were inspired by keynote speakers on the topic of disruption, and had some fun in country-music capital Nashville, Tennessee, to boot.

Iceberg partner Mash Media’s Exhibition News Supplier Awards took place at AFC Wimbledon in London on August 11th, with DCE Agency as the headline sponsor. EN has posted the winners and video of the evening.

The conference programme and judges for the EN Indy Awards and Conference 2022 have been announced. The event will take place at the Honourable Artillery Company in Moorgate, London, on October 21st.

Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Movement has posted video of its online event “Feeling the Pulse: Demystifying Climate Jargon”. The session was hosted by GDS’s Chief Changemaker and CEO Guy Bigwood with Changemaker Khalisah Stevens.

There are extensive further COVID-19 resources at the Events Industry Council (EIC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Meetings Mean Business and Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

PCMA EMEA’s Regional Director, Jaime Bennett, has revealed that the association is set to break pre-pandemic records for the greatest number of participants gathering in Europe. From September 28th to 30th, almost 400 business event professionals from 31 countries will meet for PCMA’s Convening EMEA in Vienna. This is an omnichannel event which aims to bring together experts from the corporate and association sectors in a variety of fields.

PCMA’s President and CEO Sherrif Karamat has posted the editorial “Attracting Talent to the Business Events Industry”.

The Meetings Industry Association has unveiled the finalists for this year’s miaList awards following more nominations than ever before. Now in its twelveth year, the miaList recognises inspiring individuals and teams who continually go the extra mile and play a pivotal role in making their business meetings and events organisations so successful.

The Association of Event Venues has announced a partnership with nQ legal, a law firm specialising in creative industries and live events. nQ legal, based in Manchester, will support the AEV Conference 2022 at the Harrogate Convention Centre on November 30th and provide AEV members with access to legal services and consultants specialising in live events.

AEV has announced the publication of the 2022 edition of its industry guide to compliance and standards in events. The latest edition of the eGuide includes new information and updates to sections covering almost every aspect of venue operation and management.

The Royal Armouries Leeds, home of the National Collection of Arms and Armour, and part of the Royal Armouries group of museums, has joined AEV. The Royal Armouries and New Dock Hall is the largest dedicated conference, events and exhibition space in Leeds, hosting 380 international and national events every year.

Nominations have opened for the 2022 ESSA Awards as the Event Supplier and Services Association prepares to celebrate the sector’s talent. This year, nominations are open in eight categories, and will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. Completed forms and portfolios must be submitted by 5pm on October 14th. The awards will be presented after the ESSA Conference at ESSA’s annual Dinner and Awards hosted at the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel and Country Club in Birmingham on December 8th.

The Event Supplier and Services Association has announced that global events company Montgomery Group has endorsed the ESSA Accredited qualification. The annual accreditation demonstrates company-wide competency in the health and safety benchmarking of industry services and suppliers.

A record number of event professionals will represent event industry charity Meeting Needs in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on October 9th. With two weeks remaining to register, 45 participants had signed up to walk or run the course that takes in four London parks, starting and finishing in Hyde Park. The event will attract around 12,000 participants in total and for Meeting Needs supporters, will end with a networking lunch event.

Northstar Meetings Group’s M&IT Awards 2022 took place on September 9th at Evolution London. As mentioned above, organisers adapted the way the evening was hosted, after the death the previous day of HM Queen Elizabeth II. In the main awards, Glasgow Convention Bureau picked up the Best UK Convention Bureau award for an incredible 16th year running.

Cost and venue quality are the top concerns for UK planners, according to a report by The Business of Events, the first of its international planner sentiment reports, surveying corporate, association and agency planners across the UK, Europe and the US. Cost / value for money and venue quality / suitability scored nine out of ten among UK planners. The next most important areas were accessibility / ease of travel, sustainability and quality of welcome, which all scored eight out of ten.

Cvent has finalised the agenda for its hybrid annual customer conference Cvent CONNECT Europe. The event takes place on October 4th to 6th at the InterContinental London – The O2, with a one-day, on site event at the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel with live streaming from London. The three-day conference is designed to help industry professionals master the evolving events landscape, and includes over 45 breakout sessions, learning opportunities and networking events.

The Business Design Centre has released its roadmap to net zero and aims to achieve the target before 2030. The London venue has been certified Carbon Neutral since 2010, working with Climate Impact Partners to measure and offset emissions. But this latest news will see the business take the steps needed in the next few years to reach net zero.

Global exhibition organiser Montgomery Group has announced key changes to the business’s senior leadership team. Shane Hannam, who joined the business from RX in Autumn 2021, has taken on the role of Managing Director for the Montgomery Events division, which operates seven trade shows in the food, drink and hospitality sector across the UK and Europe. Lori Hoinkes, previously Managing Director for Montgomery Events, has taken on the role of Chief Growth Officer for Montgomery Group.

“Jurassic World: The Exhibition” had a record-breaking opening at ExCeL London in late August. This is the venue’s first venture into live immersive events and is set to change how the wider campus is used. The show has already sold more than 100,000 tickets in pre-sales prior to the gates to the “famously terrifying” attraction opening.

Clarion Events has announced that Lisa Hannant will become the company’s new CEO, succeeding Russell Wilcox, who moves to the position of Executive Chairman. Hannant joined Clarion in 2008 and was appointed to the board as group Managing Director in 2013, with responsibility for driving international expansion. During this time, Clarion has grown significantly in key US, European and Asian markets.

PLASA Show, London’s international event for entertainment technology, has been held at Olympia London to celebrate the live industry’s “strength and innovation” following the pandemic. Thousands of professionals from across the sector attended the show from September 4th to 6th, with over 200 global brands in Olympia’s Grand Hall representing audio, lighting, audio-visual, rigging and staging technologies.

Organisers of the UK Games Expo at the NEC in Birmingham are launching a new trade show for games industry professionals. The first Games Industry Conference will take place on February 13th 2023 at the NEC Hilton Hotel. The show is a joint venture of the UK Games Expo, the largest consumer games show in the UK, and All About Games Consulting.

Delegate numbers at Manchester Central have risen beyond pre-pandemic levels in recent months and contributed twelve percent more to the economy, according to the venue’s latest quarterly report. Between April and June 2022, the venue held 56 events and welcomed 100,419 visitors, a thirteen percent rise in delegates compared to the same period in 2019. These numbers contributed £38.2 million economic impact to the region.

Andy Sahota, Founder of ShowFighter productions in the UK’s Midlands, has partnered with disability activist Shani Dhanda to launch a new internship to help those with disabilities to enter the events industry. The internship is a result of the pair’s concern that the events industry “under represents disabled people” and therefore overlooks talented professionals. The launch also stems from Dhanda’s own personal experiences.

Business events are returning to pre-pandemic levels in the Coventry and Warwickshire thanks in part to a buoyant UK regional sector. Suppliers are reporting a changed marketplace, with corporate clients looking for more outdoor events post-COVID, as well as a new emphasis on regional relationships. DMO Destination Coventry has launched a new membership to support suppliers to the sector.

A major show for the engineering sector is set to return to Coventry Building Society Arena for a tenth year. The Engineering Design Show, which will be held from October 12th to 13th, regularly attracts over 4,000 people and is the UK’s only event dedicated to engineering, electronics and embedded design.

The Home and Gift Buyers’ Festival marked one year of business recovery at Harrogate Convention Centre since it reopened in summer 2021 as part of the government’s Events Research Programme. HCC was redeployed as a 500-bed Nightingale Hospital from March 2020 to June 2021 and had to close as an event venue for fifteen months. In the year since, events have attracted 267,000 visits, bringing a combined economic impact of £27.6 million to the Harrogate town and district.

The East of England Dentistry Show is set to debut at the East of England Arena and Events Centre in Peterborough on October 1st. The show has invited dental care professionals in the UK to discuss the development of the profession, learn from multiple lecture and seminar strands, and visit the trade exhibition of dental supplies and technology.

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced that Edinburgh could be the first city in the UK to tax overnight visitors. According to City of Edinburgh Council, this new law could generate £15 million of annual revenue for the city. The new law is expected to put before the Scottish Parliament in 2023.

EVENTIT, the Scotland-based exhibition for the meeting and hospitality sectors, has piloted a summer webinar series alongside its September 13th show. The webinars covered topics including communication, event design, sustainability and wellbeing within the global industry.

The Edinburgh International Conference Centre’s security team, sub-contracted from Croma Vigilant, has been recognised for its role when the conference venue doubled as the city’s main vaccination centre in 2021. The Scotland-based team has won “Outstanding Event Security Team” at the sixth annual UK Outstanding Security Performance Awards in London.

Three major events have been secured for Scotland that benefit not only the local economy but also create long term social transformation. The Organisation for Human Brain Mapping was held in June 2022 at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. The Association for the Study of Medical Education Annual Scholarship Meeting took place in July 2022 in Aberdeen at P&J Live. Finally, the sixth International Symposium on Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease has just been hosted at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The Scottish Event Campus has welcomed the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science.Returning to the UK for the first time since 1935, the event takes place every four years and was last held in Rio de Janeiro. The organiser has a particular focus on sustainability, with the congress letting specialists discuss managing soil sustainably, preserving its ecosystem and mitigating climate change.

Visit Belfast, the city’s official destination management and marketing organisation, launched a new tourism initiative aimed at tackling food poverty in the Northern Ireland capital. The sustainable tourism-focused “Changing the Menu For Good” project will enlist venues, caterers and event organisers to directly raise funds for local food banks, such as The People’s Kitchen.

A strong Scandinavian bid has helped Copenhagen win the 49th International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations Congress in 2025. The Apimondia Congress, which will be held at Copenhagen’s Bella Center, is expected to attract over 5,000 beekeepers and scientists from around the world.

In Gothenburg, large and innovative investments in electric transport are taking place. This has attracted the organiser of the world congress Electrical Vehicles Symposium to choose the city for its global meeting in 2025. The event is expected to draw over ten thousand visitors including leading experts in electromobility to Sweden.

After an enforced pandemic pause, the Czech capital Prague has once again honoured outstanding scientists, professors, doctors and other top experts for their contribution to the meetings industry. The Prague Convention Bureau organised the 11th Annual Ambassador Awards Evening on September 6th at the Residence of the Mayor of Prague. Mayor Zdeněk Hřib attended the event, and finally presented the 2019 awards, postponed due to COVID-19.

The Switzerland Convention and Incentive Bureau is organising an event on sustainability strategies. Organised in partnership with ESAE, the European Society of Association Executives, the annual gathering will be held in the presence of HE Philippe Brandt, Ambassador of Switzerland in Belgium, on October 18th at brand new venue Sparks Meeting in the heart of Brussels.

The German Convention Bureau has outlined a marketing strategy for 2023 and beyond called “Embracing a fluid future”. It focusses on “an anti-cyclical, evidence-based marketing approach that places customer needs at the core while considering the diversity of these needs and tailored range of services it requires”.

Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of GCB has shared research into the industry’s future potential and revealed the top three opportunities to which organisers should pay attention. These are refocusing the “customer is king/queen” principle, rethinking mobility and harnessing local character.

Bestival, the industry meeting for the national and international visitor economy and event business, has been held in Berlin. More than 800 guests registered for this innovative event with its festival character. Over two days, they attended expert lectures, workshops and heard the latest offers, which should enable Berlin to hold its position in the global top league of congress and tourism cities.

Researchers and cardiovascular professionals from 161 countries have met in Barcelona to discuss over 400 heart-related topics. This year’s congress marked the sixth time Fira de Barcelona has hosted the European Society of Cardiology Congress, with its last in person congress taking place in Paris in 2019. The 2022 edition was also the first hybrid congress in the society’s history.

The Resort and Residential Hospitality Forum, a resort-focused investment conference, has announced it will return in October 2022 at Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Resort, Algarve. R&R’s 2021 event was attended by over forty exhibitors and seventy investors, with overall attendees representing twenty countries over the course of the forum.

Dubai consolidated its position as a leading destination for international business events in the first half of 2022, securing the rights to host 99 major conferences, congresses, incentive travel programmes and other meetings over the forthcoming years. The wins underscore Dubai’s business proposition and track record in hosting large-scale international events.

Dubai is set to host the mega tourism event MENA Attractions and Destinations Forum 2022 on September 28th and 29th to explore upcoming cultural and leisure projects and ways to drive growth for the tourism sector. The event is aimed at supporting countries in the MENA region to strategise and implement plans for reopening existing destinations and attractions in a safe and sustainable manner after the pandemic.

The Magical Kenya Travel Expo is set for a physical return on October 5th to 7th after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic. MKTE, which is the largest East and Central African travel trade show, will bring together about 200 exhibitors and 150 buyers with other industry partners and media from some of Kenya’s key source markets.

Cvent, the US-based event management platform, saw second quarter revenue exceed expectations due to a quick recovery of on site meetings after the pandemic. Cvent announced second quarter revenue of $161 million, which is a quarterly record for the company and an increase of 31.1 percent on the second quarter of 2021.

The International Travel Show, a trade show for the business and leisure travel industry, has revealed its programme themed “The Future of Travel”. The show will take place from October 28th to 30th  in New York. The event is the successor of The New York Times Travel Show, last held in 2020, and will include content covering critical changes in technology, sustainability and responsible tourism important to the industry’s future success.

ASSOCIATIONWORLD opened registration for the first edition of WIAF, the Washington International Association Forum, on October 19th to 20th in Washington, DC. WIAF aims to establish a leading international platform and knowledge sharing event in one of the world’s flagship host destinations for professional associations and non-profit organisations.

The Event Leaders Exchange, a network for corporate global heads of meetings and events, is to gather in Chicago for its first ELX Annual Congress. Taking place at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on February 1st and 2nd 2023, the ELX Annual Congress will see a significant group of senior corporate event leaders convening to tackle some of the biggest topics these executives are facing.

Video conferencing platform Zoom has announced the financial results for its second fiscal quarter. Total revenue was $1.1 billion, up eight percent year on year. Kelly Steckelberg, Zoom’s Chief Financial Officer, expects the platform to deliver a FY23 revenue in the range of $4.385 billion to $4.395 billion.

Innovate Canada, a Destination Canada business event calling attention to innovation sectors across the country, is now back in action after the pandemic. This summer the event showcased St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, focusing on ocean sciences and transformative sustainable technologies and solutions for ocean restoration and marine health.

Ottawa is set to host over 1,000 delegates from AFOA Canada (formerly known as the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association) during its National Conference from February 14th to 16th 2023. AFOA Canada was founded as a not-for-profit association in 1999 to help Indigenous people better manage and govern their communities and organisations through a focus on enhancing management, finance and governance practices and skills.

The seventh edition of the Meet in Malaysia @ Malaysia Business Events Week (MIM @ MBEW) has taken place at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. According to MIM @ MBEW, 700 delegates were expected to attend the event, including international speakers, buyers, association executives, industry partners, stakeholders and the media.

In conjunction with MIM @ MBEW 2022, Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau participated in a social, economic and environmental legacy project. The “Lend a Hand” CSR initiative saw sixty children volunteering to help repaint Zoo Negara Malaysia, leaving the national animal compound in a better shape to welcome future visitors.

Kuala Lumpur will be the host of the Union Internationale des Architectes International Forum in November 2024. Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau worked with the Malaysian Institute of Architects to bring the conference to the city. Over 2,000 delegates are expected to address tourism industry issues and make contributions to developing a city model for sustainable communities.

Seoul Convention Bureau plans to strengthen its international influence after becoming the first business events marketing organisation in Asia to join the Hybrid City Alliance, the global network of cities using online and offline conference formats. The South Korea capital is cooperating with convention bureaus in The Hague, Geneva, Ottawa and Durban to find the best online and hybrid meeting solutions for international event planners.

The Singapore Convention Week 2022 saw thought leaders discuss insights into cross-border dispute resolution. Organised by the Singapore Ministry of Law in collaboration with supporting partner organisations, the SC Week 2022 featured a line-up of on site, hybrid and virtual sessions on topics like dispute resolution.

In 2022, the Meaningful Tourism Award will for the first time offer the opportunity to recognise Best Practice Examples of Meaningful Tourism projects and initiatives from around the world. Application is free of charge and can be submitted until September 30th. The list of Award winners will be announced as part of the Meaningful Tourism Panel workshop during ITB ASIA in Singapore on October 20th.

Western Australia has officially been awarded the 17th World Congress on Environmental Health 2024, according to an announcement by Business Events Perth. The congress is expected to be attended by over 700 environmental health professionals, for a six-day program addressing the challenges faced in the global environmental health sector.

Celebrating the abundance, vibrancy and diversity of Queensland’s fresh produce, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre has launched its 2022 menu planner, with the intention of leaving legacies of of food security, sustainability and climate change. Featured in the selection are a group of city fringe farmers.

More than eighty interventional neuro-radiologists from Australia, New Zealand and the United States attended the NeuroExchange conference to discuss the latest treatments for stroke and brain aneurysms. A further six medical conferences on the Gold Coast, attracting over 4,600 delegates, have already been scheduled for 2022 and 2023. Before the pandemic, major international conferences were worth almost AU$36 billion to the Australian economy.

Victoria, Australia, is hosting twelve international and national business events through September. Melbourne is expecting 9,400 delegates to attend events in the city, delivering AU$43.5 million in economic contribution to the state. Notable business events include CODA 2022, the World Barista Championships and World Brewers Cup 2022 as part of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo, and the 2022 National Catholic Education Commission Conference.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has welcomed over 10,000 attendees to Australia’s largest education technology event, EduTech. Two days of networking saw tech experts attend over twelve conferences, learn from 300 speakers, and connect to more than 280 revolutionary solution providers including a mammoth trade show with over 250 exhibitors.

MCEC has announced its annual Club Melbourne Ambassador Program Award winners in a ceremony at the venue, acknowledging the recipients of the past three years. With support from the Melbourne Convention Bureau, Club Melbourne Ambassadors have helped to secure 156 business events for the city, bringing over 177,000 delegates and contributing AU$1.02 billion to the Victorian economy since 2005.

The Darwin Convention Centre has become the latest member of Iceberg partner AIPC centre to achieve AIPC Quality Standards certification after its audit last June by the designated external auditor. The venue joins a group of thirty AIPC centres that have now successfully achieved this international certification, with a number of additional centres in various stages of the certification process.

International Convention Centre Sydney management is projecting a sooner than expected return to 2019 revenue figures. The venue welcomed over 470,000 visitors that delivered AU$190 million in visitor expenditure across 300 events, up from 200,000 visitors and an economic contribution of AU$80 million in 2020/2021.

A digital experience called “Gadigal Dreaming – The Sacred Country of the Gadigal People” is now available for visitors around ICC Sydney. The innovative experience will present the traditional cultural practices of the Gadigal Country, the land on which the venue is situated. From September 1st to October 31st, Gadigal Dreaming will show interactive, animated scenes at sunset daily on outdoor screens.

Sydney has won a global bid to host the 23rd International Vacuum Congress in 2025. The Congress is expected to attract around 1,300 global delegates to Sydney over five days, generating an estimated AU$7.5 million for the local economy. Taking place every three years since 1958, the congress showcases recent advances in vacuum science and technology. It has a focus on material science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, life science and science based on large-scale infrastructures.

In a bid to bolster New Zealand’s biotechnology and life sciences reputation, BioTechNZ, WellingtonNZ, and Business Events Wellington have launched a dedicated annual summit. The first Life Sciences Summit will take place on March 22nd and 23rd 2023 at Shed 6, a waterfront venue. From 2024 onwards, the conference will be based at Wellington’s new convention centre, Tākina, with the aim of growing year-on-year to attract wider domestic and international audiences.

With the opening of Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre looming, New Zealand CVB Business Events Wellington has announced further international conference wins. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has chosen New Zealand’s capital city for its Annual Scientific Meeting in October 2024. 900 delegates are expected to descend on the city for the four-day event.

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will host the 2035 Oceania Summit, an agri-food-tech industry event, from October 10th to 11th 2022 at Aotea Centre. Delegates from multiple continents will collaborate on how agritech can support farmers and growers to reduce emissions to net zero and build more resilient systems. Over forty national and international speakers are to attend, alongside breakout panels, an exhibition of the region’s research, a start-up hub and networking opportunities.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s 46th AGM and Annual Conference has opened its registration. The event, held at Napier Conference Centre in Hawke’s Bay New Zealand, will run from October 4th to 6th 2022. Themed “Ignite the Future”, BEIA’s first conference for New Zealand after a three-year hiatus is focused on discussing industry challenges, opportunities and business models.

Until the next time…

Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg

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