Linda Pereira is CEO of the L&I Communications Group. A professional congress organiser firmly based in Portugal but with huge international experience, the “Destination Diva”‘s smile is a familiar sight right across the global meetings industry community. In this Iceberg exclusive video, however, Pereira’s assessment of the damage COVID-19 has now caused the sector is sobering to…
The President of the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has addressed on video the disruption of meetings, events and exhibitions worldwide caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Kai Hattendorf called upon all industry members to actively support measures to help restore and build confidence in event participation including: Making sure policies and procedures…
The torrent of business event cancellations precipitated by the coronavirus crisis has seen planners all over the world examining the small print of their insurance contracts. Indeed many have had to reassess their entire approach to purchasing coverage. Terry Waller is Managing Director of event insurance specialist Arc International. In this Iceberg exclusive video, Waller…
A resource from Iceberg partners AIPC (the International Association of Convention Centres) and UFI (the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) for venues addressing the challenges related to COVID-19. The guide focusses on updated health and safety policies, plans and procedures. It includes both strategic and practical guidance in form of advice, suggestions and best…
The European Exhibition Industry Alliance, representing nearly 400 European exhibition organisers and venue operators in Brussels to the European institutions and wider stakeholders, has welcomed recent economic support measures for the industry the European Commission has announced in the wake of COVID-19. From Exhibition World…
The owner of Scandinaviaâs largest convention centre is making 350 people redundant due to “a brutal slowdown” caused by the COVID-19 crisis. BC Hospitality Group, which runs the Bella Center Copenhagen, as well as the Comwell Conference Center and several hotels, has not said where the cuts will fall. From Association Meetings InternationalâŠ
Iceberg partner the IMEX Group has cancelled meetings industry trade show IMEX Frankfurt 2020, due to take place in May. IMEX Chairman Ray Bloom and CEO Carina Bauer released a joint statement revealing the news, in which the pair said the decision had been made with “deep sadness and heavy hearts”. From Association Meetings InternationalâŠ
Iceberg partners AIPC (International Association of Convention Centres), ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) are jointly now backing a campaign âThis show is open for business” first launched by UFI and SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers). From Association Meetings InternationalâŠ
Iceberg partner UFI has released the first economic impact assessment on global exhibitions and trade shows of COVID-19. At least âŹ23 billion ($26.3 billion) total worth of contracts have not concluded with shows not taking place as planned. The industry’s economic output in total is down âŹ14.4 billion ($16.5 billion). From UFI…
Edinburgh International Conference Centre has created a sustainability programme called “Step Change”, which it claims as a “world-first” for the events industry. From now each meeting taking place at the venue will receive a detailed and tailored Event Impact Report, designed to focus on the environment, society and the economy. From Association Meetings InternationalâŠ
Toulouse is the fourth French city to join Iceberg partner GDS-Index (the Global Destination Sustainability Index). The Toulouse Convention Bureau intends to use membership to map and showcase its business tourism partners’ initiatives around sustainable development. Bordeaux, Lyon and Nantes have already joined the GDS-Index. From Boardroom…
A major meeting of accountants and lawyers about to have taken place in Cape Town has been cancelled amid fears of COVID-19. Organiser INSOL International, a federation of smaller associations, was expecting up to 1,000 delegates, and the decision to cancel could cause the organisation “significant hardship” with refunds. From Association Meetings InternationalâŠ
The decision to cancel a conference in Denver over COVID-19 fears has left some of its more than 10,000 delegates perplexed and angry. The 55,000-member American Physical Society, a professional association for physicists, cancelled its largest meeting of the year less than 48 hours before it was due to open. From Association Meetings International…
Iceberg partner M&IT’s 2020 Awards saw over 1,200 event professionals celebrating the industry at Battersea Evolution in London. For the 14th year in a row, Glasgow Convention Bureau was named the UK’s best. The former CAT Media Managing Director Martin Lewis was named “Personality of the Year”. From Meetings & Incentive TravelâŠ
The 13th International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes has just been held in Madrid, Spain. Despite massive event cancellations due to the COVID-19 crisis, the meeting brought together more than 3,800 healthcare professionals from 81 countries, start-ups and investors, reaching a new delegate record. From Boardroom…
Whatâs the number one challenge facing business events? When this question was posed in November 2019 by Convene as part of its 29th Annual Meetings Market Survey, just a few answers talked about dealing with the unknown. One respondent alone cited the management of risk, and specifically of epidemic risk, as a challenge. From PCMA…
Iceberg partner IMEX has just taken the âdevastating decisionâ to cancel IMEX Frankfurt. Citing the danger of the German health ministry forcing a last minute shutdown very close to the trade show’s opening this May, the meetings industry stalwart has just given the sector a textbook lesson in how to make a difficult call. From PCMA…
The meetings industry, very used to things “going viral”, is now dealing with a real virus crisis. One of this site’s favourite bloggers has distilled down five suggestions for survival. Stick with the facts. Postpone, donât cancel. Make use of this âperiod of reflectionâ. Be kind. Remember, this too shall pass. From SoolNuaâs PĂĄdraic Gilligan at PadraicinoâŠ
While some organisers are taking the nuclear option and cancelling their events altogether, others postpone or try pivoting to online solutions to make sure delegates donât miss out completely. William Thomas, CEO of Gallus Events, recalls the first online event he ran and the lessons learned from it. From Association Meetings International…
Public views about COVID-19 have seemed to polarise around either very sensationalist panic or similarly dangerous complacency. Perhaps we should choose to hear neither of these extreme positions. The events industry is going to take a battering from this crisis. The sector should try to accept this. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
The spread of COVID-19 has many planners confronting big questions about the risk assessment, the crisis management and communication involved in bringing thousands of people together. Bill Reed, Chief Event Strategy officer at ASH, the American Society of Hematology, has just had to pull the plug on a meeting. From PCMA…
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