In the heat of the pandemic, meeting tech evangelists were hailing the switch to virtual as a transformational moment, rather than a practical necessity. It was always odds on that most would return to meeting in person once the worst was over. So, is the new normal the same old normal? From Association Meetings International…
An unexpected artistic legacy now hangs in Salt Palace Convention Center, Utah. Monumental Mattie, by Chad Farnes, portrays Martha Hughes Cannon, a local physician and suffragist who became the first female state senator in America in 1896. The mosaic is made of carpet samples donated from a flooring trade show. From PCMA…
The European Association Summit has convened its first face-to-face meeting since 2020, gathering many Brussels-based associations for the tenth EAS edition. More than eighty association professionals attended either on site at The Egg venue in the south of Brussels or online for three days of education, networking and reconnecting. From Association Meetings International…
Iceberg partner IMEX has now been championing sustainable exhibitions for over two decades. With its two huge global events generating zero waste and powered by renewable energy, the Group has just set its sights on zero carbon. CEO Carina Bauer explains how exhibitions need to become much more sustainable in order to survive. From Exhibition News…
Fresh off the back of taking her first incentive trip since the start of the pandemic, agency Eventful’s Head of Incentives Holly Mills shares the changes she has witnessed in the industry and the trends that are going to shape the future of the category, including replacing that word “incentive”. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
In the film world, “slap” once meant make–up, slapstick comedy, or the slap of a clapperboard synchronising picture and sound. But for meeting planners, a rather different slapping incident at the 2022 Oscars reveals the need to have a full emergency response plan and code of conduct in place. From Associations Now…
Meeting organisers will often make blanket assumptions about which accessibility services participants, including speakers, will need. A very common wrong assumption is that all deaf people know sign language, then failing as well to understand how COVID mask-wearing affects event participation for delegates who lip-read. From PCMA…
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has just staged its International Conference and General Assembly in Hamburg, rebranding during the event as the City Destinations Alliance. The meeting formulated policy on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, also making a video of solidarity, and held a remarkable session hearing from two industry colleagues based in Lviv, Ukraine. Russia’s…
IMEX in Frankfurt will finally open its 20th anniversary edition to the meetings industry on May 31st. In a multi-video preview of the Iceberg partner show, Natasha Richards of IMEX looks at the high-level IMEX Policy Forum 2022, plus Martin Sirk of Sirk Serendipity discusses multiple issues facing associations after the COVID-19 pandemic. IMEX Policy…
During its recent Brain Awareness Week, Glasgow Convention Bureau took time to acknowledge its Conference Ambassadors, academics working to attract academic meetings to the city. Over 70 percent of Glasgow events are led or supported by the city’s academic institutions, and in 2022 many are in the field of neurology. From Glasgow Convention Bureau…
Iceberg partner Copenhagen Legacy Lab has just improved its methodology for planners, deepening the strategic approach. One past event that approached CLL with a clear legacy vision was Electric City 2021, WindEurope’s flagship meeting held in collaboration with WindDenmark. This was staged during November 2021 at the Bella Center in Copenhagen. From Boardroom…
Business Events Sarawak in Malaysia has launched the country’s first planning framework for organisers to create legacy-driven events that leave behind real change. Dubbed the Business Events Sarawak Legacy Initiative, this step by step guide designed to help groups reach their big-picture goals is separating the destination from others around the globe. From Boardroom…
Legacy after a conference is an organic concept that grows over the years. The Daegu Metropolitan City and Daegu Convention and Visitors Bureau have released a report on legacies from five business events, under the title Business Events Legacy in Daegu, Korea. The study starts from the International Solar Cities Congress 2004 (ISCC 2004), which…
Welcome to the 28th edition of the UFI Global Exhibition Barometer survey. This study is based on a global survey conducted in January 2022. It represents up-to-date information on the status and outlook of the global exhibition industry, as well as on 29 specific markets. UFI launched the barometer on the back of a global…
Two years into the global COVID pandemic, with much of the world’s population vaccinated against the disease, policymakers around the world are faced with the challenge of stimulating and managing their societies and economies. As COVID-related restrictions are rolled back and lifted, policy priorities are shifting. Business events will be a key driver of this…
The Hotel Management School Maastricht (HMSM) was appointed by IACC to research the impact that having a decentralised workforce may have on demand for external business events, specifically after COVID-19. With the rise of remote work in recent years, employees were forced to exchange meeting in person for virtual interaction. The research findings have been…
It is essential to rethink the relationship between meetings and events and climate change, according to BCD Meetings and Events. BCD M&E’s new sustainability report focuses on the impact the meeting, events and corporate travel industries have on the environment, and continues the discussion of how we move towards a more sustainable future together. The…
Global convention industry consulting firm GainingEdge has released its fourth annual Competitive Index of international convention destinations. The 2021 edition ranks the world’s top cities in terms of key draw factors for meeting planners. Competitive Index 2021 (GainingEdge website) 2021 Destination Competitive Index Offers Advanced Tools for Business Recovery (GainingEdge press release)
Given the importance of recruitment, retention and engagement, incentive programmes are more important than ever. Dramatic hiring shifts are driving companies to examine how to be even more competitive in the job market, and a robust incentive program is an important part of an organisation’s full benefits package. The IRF 2022 Trends Report (IRF website)
Iceberg partner AIME (the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event), the largest meetings and conventions tradeshow across the region, has run its much-anticipated 2022 show in Melbourne. As part of the show opening, AIME launched new research revealing how the industry, battered by the pandemic, intends to spearhead recovery. From Association Meetings International…
Daegu Metropolitan City and the Daegu Convention and Visitors Bureau have released a report on the legacies of five business events, starting with the International Solar Cities Congress 2004, which placed the South Korean city on the world renewable energy map. Research was reviewed by Gary Grimmer, Executive Chair of Iceberg partner GainingEdge. From Boardroom…
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