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DMOs: Down But Not Out, Rebuilding for a Different Future

2020 has been crushing for the DMO (destination management organisations). Destinations in the US have endured wiped-out funds as a result of zero hotel occupancy, en-masse event cancellations, and double-digit layoffs, not to mention further challenges with social unrest and also, for some, natural disasters. 2020 has brought the DMO to the brink. From PCMA…

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GAH’s Martin Sirk and Association Leaders Talk Going Global

Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs’ International Advisor Martin Sirk interviewed four association leaders in preparation for an online education session during the recent #PlanetIMEX event. They discussed how the pandemic has impacted operations, is reshaping thinking, and what international meetings might look like in future. From Boardroom…

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Austria’s Labour Law Conference Chooses Not to Go Virtual

For 55 years the Austrian Society for Labour Law and Social Law has held its annual conference in Salzburg. This year proved no different. The conference was postponed from April until October to make sure it could be live under the belief that unrecorded public speaking is freer and “off-the-cuff”. From Association Meetings International…

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Fighting Zoom Fatigue: Taking Your Meeting Out on the Tiles

The Netherlands Tourism Board recently hosted a meeting called “Dis-Connect”. Association, venue and destination professionals joined a virtual workshop staged live at the museum of the Royal Delft pottery factory. They painted white tiles with blue paint in the style of the famous “Delftware” produced in the town since the 17th century. From PCMA…

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UFI’s 2020 NGL Grant Recipients Talk Hybrid Exhibitions

UFI’s NGL Grant promotes the next generation of leadership within the exhibition sector, rewarding young professionals who show initiative driving change and innovation in their own area. 2020’s recipients have been saying why they applied for the Iceberg partner scheme, and also discussing the role that hybrid offerings play in the sector. From UFI…

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From Field to Fork: The Venues Serious About Sustainability

Once the supply of event food was determined by the consumer. If a planner asked to have strawberries over winter or New Zealand lamb in Scotland, their whims were granted. Now more event venues around the world are implementing sustainable practices. Here’s a special report on those taking sustainability seriously. From Association Meetings International…

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AMI’s Deep Dive Talks 2020 with UFI Leader Kai Hattendorf

Kai Hattendorf, the MD and CEO of Iceberg partner UFI, the exhibitions industry’s global association, has just been a guest on the AMI Deep Dive podcast. Talking to AMI editor James Lancaster, he discusses the impact of the pandemic on the sector, its longterm future, plus advocating economic value to government. From Association Meetings International…

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Taking the Congress on Tour: SIAARTI’s ICARE Hits the Road

A medical association has taken its annual congress on the road so as to avoid any mass gathering of its members. The Italian Society of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Intensive Care and Resuscitation toured from Turin to Bari, visiting major hospitals as well in Bologna, Brescia, Padua, Milan, Naples and capital Rome. From Association Meetings International…

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APA Convention 2020: Pivot to All-Virtual, Then Crush It

Like many other organisations, the American Psychological Association quickly switched its in-person 2020 annual convention to an all-virtual event because of COVID-19. Even though the pivot happened in just three months, it was decided from the start to make the August event better than it could possibly have been on site. From PCMA…

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Meetings to Remember: Karaoke, Kazoos and Zooming with Goats

Looking to hold a virtual conference to remember? What can you do to spice things up? Here are five rather unusual ideas for injecting fun into the mix, from sharing some musical experiences with karaoke or kazoos to the nonprofit animal sanctuary running a service called (I kid you not) “Goat-2-Meeting”. From Associations Now…

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Association-Friendly Regional Destinations Can Still Fuel Growth

COVID-19 has slammed the brakes on the international expansion of associations, their big conferences having been essential to delivering such goals prior to the pandemic. International Advisor Martin Sirk, of Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs, says that association-friendly regional destinations are the answer. From Boardroom…

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Exhibitions Think Tank Final Report Gathers Sector Opinions

The first Exhibitions Think Tank has launched a report gathering insights from over 150 sector professionals and setting out ideas for the future of the global industry. Two surveys plus close to 100 online sessions have culminated in a resource that will support the sector adapting to future changes. From Exhibition News…

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Rocky Mountain High: PCMA Chapter Hybrid Event Lessons Learnt

The PCMA Rocky Mountain Chapter just hosted an in person meeting for over sixty people with an additional online audience. Chapter leadership recognised planner members’ fears over hosting live events themselves, so made the call to take the plunge first with their “Six Foot Laboratory”. From PCMA…

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Georgia on My Mind: GSAE Face-to-Face Returns in Savannah

When the Georgia Society of Association Executives held its annual meeting in August at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, numbers totalled 113. The event was the first in person meeting the hotel hosted since the pandemic began in early 2020, and for many attendees their first event in months as well. From PCMA…

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AIPC Interviews: James Rees with Carina Bauer, Shenzhen World

Iceberg partner AIPC has recently published two video perspectives about how business events are now evolving. ICCA President and ExCeL London Executive Director James Rees (pictured) talks to IMEX CEO Carina Bauer. ICCA and IMEX are also Iceberg partners. The second feature is on the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. From AIPC…

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