The Iceberg does like an ice event. The synergy between academia and meetings was recently on show with the University of Leeds hosting a group of experts on the Great Ice Age. The meeting, which explored the pressing issues around climate change, worked closely together with the college’s convention bureau MEETinLEEDS. From Association Meetings Internationalā¦
Conference Aston Head Samantha Brown explains how the industry can meet the needs of all delegates through a new approach to venue accessibility. Delegates with sight, hearing and some lesser-known impairments need just as much consideration as attendees with restricted mobility. The value of proper training should never be underestimated. From Meetings & Incentive Travelā¦
With a scientific consensus that we are already in a full-blown climate crisis, events are under widespread scrutiny for environmental impact. So are meetings now in a state of emergency? German Convention Bureau Director Matthias Schultze, UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf and Iceberg Founder James Latham are among the sector voices canvassed. From EventMB…
As Sherrif Karamat, President and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association explains, PCMA and the PCMA Foundation have set a goal of raising at least $250,000 to help those affected by the recent bushfires in Australia and earthquakes in Puerto Rico. The first $50,000 is already committed. From PCMA…
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 has just taken place inĀ Davos, Switzerland. You might think those invited to attend are all part of the global elite, but the World Economic Forum actually assigns its delegates a category according to their level of importance. Photo: World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico. Ā From PCMA…
Workers in any industry can suffer from burnout, stress, anxiety and exhaustion. For those employed in the medical field, problems can be real and severe. So in the last few years planners have been designing medical meetings that provide some appropriate “provider wellness”, as well as more customary networking and education. From PCMA…
According to Jim Sharpe, the new CEO of Aventri, event technology is now far easier to use.Ā Whether itās using a WhatsApp group to stay in contact with event planners, or automating reporting to capture meeting metrics, technology is not only impacting carbon footprint but also changing and upskilling teams. From Meetings & Incentive Travelā¦
The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the fourth of a series featuring significant meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with BestCities Global Alliance Director of International Associations Jane Cunningham…
Destinations’ medical expertise wins them association meetings. This global checkup includes oncology in Copenhagen and Lyon, ENT medicine in Brisbane, child cardiology in Washington DC, pain management in Dublin, medical physics in Adelaide, womenās mental health in Maastricht, oesophageal disease in Tokyo and obesity in Glasgow. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Many cities powering ahead in renewable energy have appropriate geographic or climatic conditions.Ā But traditional oil and gas-rich destinations are also attracting meetings in the sector. Here’s how Abu Dhabi, Calgary and Singapore, plus Costa Rica, Norway, Monaco, Australia and New Zealand, are all meeting the shifts in power. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, has updated its database of initiatives and projects from the exhibition industry that support the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This resource showcases work done by organisers, venues, and service providers alike. It was initiated by the UFI Working Group on Sustainability and put together…
The teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg may have grabbed more headlines, but meetings and events leaders also got to address some of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the industry during a panel debate at UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. Article includes full video from the session. From Association Meetings Internationalā¦
The US Congress has just voted to renew funding and thus rescue the nationās destination marketer Brand USA as part of a $1.4 trillion budget package. The reauthorisation comes with a changed funding structure, and a rise in the cost of Americaās online visa waiver programme ESTA from $14 to $21. From Skift…
Congress organisers at ESTRO, the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, are requiring host destinations bidding for their events to help them connect with local communities and create lasting legacies in cancer care. They are doing so through the running of so-called “engagement projects”. Ideas for such initiatives, typically with stakeholder involvement from cancer specialists,…
Would you accept a media blackout required by your keynote speaker? PCMA, the Professional Convention Management Association, has just done so for former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.Ā Media outlets registered for Convening Leaders were strictly forbidden from reporting her main keynote. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
2019 was the year veganism went mainstream. In 2020 Veganuary, or going vegan for January, is bigger than ever. One Iceberg publishing partner is sampling fast food vegan options, went vegan at Associations UK Congress 2019, and will again at all 2020 events. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travelā¦
When an attendee posted video of a speaker’s lewd remarks at a financial services conference, it was actually the video poster who was breaking the rules, since the invitation-only event had a privacy policy. But the event in fact commended the poster and instead the billionaire panellist was barred from future events. From PCMA…
Sustainability is high on the events industry agenda. COP25’s Events Industry Council panel discussed vegan menus, recyclable cups and refillable bottles. Britain’s Brexit is shaking up supply chains and may encourage local sourcing. Iceberg partner Positive Impact is engaging the industry in the UNās Sustainable Development Goals. From Meetings & Incentive Travelā¦
Last December Mariela McIlwraith, Director of Industry Advancement at the Events Industry Council, went to the UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. There she took part in a panel discussion on the role of the meetings sector in bringing people together to act on climate. From the Events Industry Council…
If the music of modern life seems too allegro, presto or prestissimo, then perhaps an occasional adagio is a good idea. The so-called Slow Movement started off as a protest against fast food, and now extends to many aspects of contemporary culture. So why not also hold slow meetings? From editor’sĀ blog at Association MeetingsĀ International…
Last month, just prior to IBTM World’s staging, the Iceberg partner’s inaugural Global Policy and Practice Forum was held in partnership with The Business of Events. Supporting the gathering were the Barcelona Convention Bureau, PCMA (the Professional Convention Management Association) and JMIC (the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg). The forum brought together…
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