The UK city of Leeds is ramping up its offering as a centre of excellence for the tech sector. One of the latest events to land was digitech18, which just brought over 600 delegates into the First Direct Arena. During the Leeds Digital Festival in April, over 143 events took place. Photo: Harshil Shah. From Meetpie.com…
A Riyadh investment conference, dubbed the “Davos in the desert”, kicked off amid huge controversy surrounding the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. Dozens of business leaders and politicians pulled out of the Future Investment Initiative following the mounting speculation over the Saudi Arabian government’s role in the journalist’s consulate murder. From Meetpie.com…
Sibos has been held in Sydney, bringing with it 7,000 business leaders and decision makers from around the world. One of the world’s largest financial events, Sibos was secured over four years ago by Business Events Sydney. As at Sibos 2016 in Geneva (see JMIC Case Studies), local fintech start-ups are exhibiting. From CIM News Magazine…
A new study has valued the global business events industry at more than $1 trillion. Preliminary results were announced by Iceberg partner The Events Industry Council at IMEX America. The full report is available from November 9th. The Global Economic Significance of Business Events is the first research of its kind. From Association Meetings International…
Bali has hosted the International Monetary Fund World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2018, attracting 36,669, including delegates from 189 member countries. Heads of state, ministers and other delegates met at BICC, the Bali International Convention Centre, while 467 guest rooms at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua were converted to offices for their use. From CIM News Magazine…
New Zealand’s tourism minister has thanked 31 experts who have secured international conferences for their efforts in growing the country’s business, research and technology hubs. The 25 events that were secured are expected to bring over 18,000 international experts into New Zealand, and an estimated NZ$37 million into the local economy. From Association Meetings International…
Australia’s convention bureaux are attracting eight percent more large international business events to the country, and boosting opportunities for small businesses beyond those traditionally seen in tourism. This sector analysis is contained in the new International Business Events Forward Calendar, produced by the AACB (Association of Australian Convention Bureaux). From CIM News Magazine…
Dubai and Houston will both be collaborating to keep momentum going between this year’s ICCA Congress and the next running in 2019. Dubai will soon host the 2018 International Congress and Convention Association event. Next year’s will take pace in Houston late October. Both destinations belong to Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance. From CIM News Magazine…
The rise of the ‘individual’, modern consumerism, social media, open-source publishing: all have been cited as reasons why the traditional association model is doomed. It’s a viewpoint which does assume that associations are incapable of self-reform. And yet industry research keeps showing the number of international association meetings going up and up. From Association Meetings International…
It’s the job of a convention bureau to promote destination assets. In 2017 The Hague & Partners created an awards programme to highlight innovative local organisations and professionals. This year the scheme was expanded further to showcase sustainability initiatives leveraging The Hague’s location as the only Netherlands city on the sea. From PCMA Convene…
Like many new markets, the Middle East and North Africa has its own dynamics with events, meetings, and conferences. The culture is all about personal relationships, so face-to-face is always important for business. Exhibition Director Middle East of IBTM Arabia, Danielle Curtis, shares insights on future trends and technology. From the Event…
The Swiss regions Lausanne and Montreux have joined forces to cater for the larger association market. Lausanne Montreux Congress will not be limited to marketing, but also organise conferences, with the aim of increasing both destination’s influx of larger events. There will continue to be two offices, and also an LMC team. From Association Meetings International…
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has invited early career professionals and researchers to help Brisbane attract international conventions and conferences. He was opening the second round of the Convention Trailblazer Grant, which funds its recipients to attend major events in their field and try to win future editions for Brisbane. Photo: Kgbo. From CIM News Magazine…
A record 52 events brought more than 3,500 delegates to the UK’s North East last month and led to an economic impact of more than £4.3 million. Over 1,500 attended major medical meetings. Where delegates booked accommodation through NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, half were international and from 43 different countries. From Meetpie.com…
Wales Business Events has held its first The Business of Events Wales conference in Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, where the new ICC Wales (pictured) is under construction. The idea was to motivate the region’s industry to grow to an international scale. Prominent UK advocates were on hand to deliver the message. From Association Meetings International…
Tourism Australia’s key event for promoting Australia as a world-class destination for the incentive sector, Dreamtime, will be held in Perth for the first time in 2019. The city’s Convention Bureau Chairman Kevin Skipworth said CVB members would benefit enormously from hosting the event and promoting the city to meetings groups. From CIM News Magazine…
The convention bureau tasked with bringing international association meetings to Istanbul has signed a two-year partnership agreement to strengthen its hand. Istanbul’s CVB has therefore now become an Association Relations Partner of ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association. The city’s standing as a destination has collapsed in recent years. From Association Meetings International…
Iceland’s academic events and conferences are further ramping up. Meet in Reykjavik has signed another three universities to help develop the Scandinavian country as a key player in the sector. Bifröst University, Hólar University College and the Agricultural University of Iceland join three signed earlier this year. From Meetpie.com…
City leaders in Dundee want to “open its doors to the world” with business events. Scotland’s fourth largest city has won six “major” conferences for 2019 through its Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau Conference Ambassadors. The events are worth £1.6 million and will attract some 1,250 delegates to the city. From Association Meetings International…
The debate about whether business events are “tourism” or “economic development” has been rumbling on for a decade. At a JMIC meeting earlier this year, the room decided “economic development” was the correct term. But one Iceberg partner finds himself going both ways (and with a spectacular mixing of metaphors). From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
The Watkins Report for US and Canadian convention bureaux is published biennially, and Curt Watkins of Watkins Research has been conducting the study for the past 25 years. Here he shares his perspective on how the features planners are seeking in their host destinations have changed over recent decades. From PCMA Convene…
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