The Memphis Cook Convention Center in Tennessee is getting a $175 million refit. The upgraded venue will boast 52 meeting rooms, glass covered concourses, and outdoor terraces looking over the Mississippi. The city plans to use a hotel / motel tax to fund the project as well as the Downtown Tourism Development Zone. From News Channel 3…
London Tech Week is a festival of live events taking place once a year across the United Kingdom capital. Having been held now for four years, it has become a key gathering for the ICT industry in London. It connects the entire tech ecosystem both within the city and beyond, shapes the future of the…
Last month the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) welcomed a record number of delegates to its 56th annual congress. Almost 1,300 members, including more than 40 association executives, travelled to Prague for four days of education, chapter meetings and networking. According to Czech Statistical Office data, Prague welcomed a total of 4,426 conferences in…
The IMEX Group has changed the name of its IMEX Politicians Forum to the IMEX Policy Forum, reflecting a shift in focus and participants. Policymakers and government influencers attend the influential meeting as well as politicians. The 2018 forum is during IMEX itself on May 15 at the InterContinental Frankfurt. From Meetings & Conventions…
At a gala evening, the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau has welcomed six new “Kesatria” into its ambassador programme. The Kesatria are usually association presidents or industry leaders that are chairing major business events in Malaysia. Since 2012 the programme has contributed 123 meeting leads and attracted 188,317 delegates. From CIM News Magazine…
The first Dubai Association Conference has been held at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event focussed on building the association community, skills development for executives and global best practice. Last month it was announced that over 40 licences have been issued for associations to trade and operate in Dubai. From CIM News Magazine…
Dan Lincoln, President and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau for 11 years, is retiring this month on health grounds. While his replacement is sought, COO Mike Laatsch will serve as interim CEO. Under Lincoln, more than 3.3 million convention delegates brought $990 million into the region. From Meetings & Conventions…
Geneva is getting a new convention bureau director. 49-year-old Didier Allaz – a wine, food and golfing enthusiast – will succeed Anja Loetscher, who retires next spring having served in the position since the bureau’s launch in 2007. Allaz’s main aims will be to reinforce national and international activities, and to maintain economic contribution. From Association Meetings International…
The Trump effect on the US’s standing as a destination is much discussed. But what about the actual meeting that helped elect him: the 2016 Republican National Convention? The RNC and its economic impact are at the centre of some thoughts about the real return on investment of face-to-face. From PCMA Convene…
The commitment of one of Barcelona’s biggest association meetings, Mobile World Congress, has become lukewarm amid ongoing political unrest after the Catalonian independence referendum. Last year MWC attracted 108,000 delegates to the city, generating €465 million for the local economy and more than 13,000 temporary jobs. From Association Meetings International…
Sheffield’s conference ambassador programme has celebrated its 10th anniversary at the annual dinner given for advocates who bring larger business events into the city. The city’s conference market is estimated to be worth £113 million to the local economy and the ambassador programme itself has contributed close to £30 million over the last six years. From Association Meetings International…
Brisbane has launched a Convention Trailblazer Grant programme. The new initiative will make up to five awards per year, each of AU$5000, to passionate, talented and capable locally-based professionals or researchers. Recipients will use the money to attend the international conference of their choice, and attract those events to the Queensland capital. From CIM News Magazine…
Belfast Waterfront is hosting nine major international conferences in 2018, generating around 29,000 delegate nights and more than £10 million for the city. The convention centre’s management says £1 billion of investment has just revitalised Belfast’s tourism offering. The city is also attracting visitors as a Game of Thrones location. Photo: William Murphy. From Meetpie.com…
Abu Dhabi has launched a fund to incentivise international, regional and local companies to enhance its events programme. Attracting more meetings is a key goal of the emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism. The initial funding is AED10 million, with further tranches being made available as the scheme evolves. From CIM News Magazine…
Business Events Sydney’s results, announced by new chairman Bruce Baird, show Asia is largely responsible for the destination’s record-breaking wins. The figures also highlight 85 events delivered during the year with an estimated direct spend of AU$170.1 million. Over a decade Asia business has grown by 20 percent every year. From CIM News Magazine…
As destinations face pressure and even community backlash over visitor numbers, Rod Cameron, Executive Director of the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) and the Joint Meetings and Industry Council, examines the effect visitors have on destinations, and how targeting business events can reap real dividends for destination communities. From CIM News Magazine…
The Event, a partner of The Iceberg, has just produced a five part series of video interviews called “Business Events Insights and Predictions”. These examine Africa’s current meetings industry and its future opportunities from a number of differing industry perspectives. The series includes Gary Grimmer, CEO of The Iceberg partner GainingEdge, on business events as…
A new convention centre is to be built in Hong Kong to bring in more international meetings to the city. The new venue will be near the existing Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The site currently houses government buildings which will be demolished to create the new facility. From Association Meetings International…
Australia is losing more international conference bids despite a modest increase in the number of overseas events heading to the country. The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) has released its latest Forward Calendar of International Business Events, which shows lost business is up 7 percent, despite wins being up 3 percent. From CIM News Magazine…
Over $80 million of public benefits, including affordable housing, cycling, pedestrian and road projects, have been agreed by the Washington State Convention Center as part of its planned $1.6 billion expansion in downtown Seattle. The agreement with a group called the Community Package Coalition will include $29 million of funding for affordable housing. From The Seattle Times…
The Finnish capital hosted 38,000 congress visitors this summer, an increase of 8,000 on last year. The visits added about €50 million to the city’s economy. Local expertise attracted 150 international association meetings between May and September, including the World Glaucoma Congress, which was attended by 3,500 delegates instead of an anticipated 3,000. From Association Meetings International…
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