Sector: Economic Development

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City Destinations Alliance: Standing with Ukraine

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…

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IMEX in Frankfurt: Policy Forum, Association Focus

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…

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Glasgow Convention Bureau: A History of Neurology

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…  

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Electric City 2021: Legacies in Sustainability

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…

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Business Events Sarawak: Prioritising Legacy

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…

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Business Events Legacy in Daegu, Korea

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…

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Global Exhibition Barometer 28th Edition (February 2022)

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…

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Business Events are the Fast Track to Recovery

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…

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Competitive Index 2021

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)

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AIME 2022 Publishes Research in Melbourne

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…

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Daegu Releases Event Legacy Study

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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Business Event Legacy Journal Launched

A journal documenting the wider societal benefits of international association meetings and of other business events has been launched in Malaysia. Curtin University and Business Events Sarawak are the main “International Journal of Business Events and Legacies” partners. The publication will share case studies from 44 organisations. From Association Meetings International…

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ICCA and UFI Suspend Russian Members

As refugees flee the war in Ukraine, Russian members of Iceberg partner ICCA (the International Congress and Convention Association) will not be attending association events until further notice. The ICCA board also cancelled all planned activities and meetings in Russia. Iceberg partner UFI has as well suspended Russian members. From Association Meetings International…

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MWC Barcelona Draws 61,000 Delegates

The organiser of Mobile World Congress, the GSMA, has seen a “vibrant and dynamic” return after 61,000 delegates from 200 nations flocked to the meeting in Barcelona. Last year the event attracted around 20,000 visitors. The Russian pavilion was banned from the event, in light of the escalating conflict in Ukraine. From Association Meetings International…

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Meetings Africa: SANCB Focuses on Recovery

The sixteenth edition of Iceberg partner Meetings Africa has taken place at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. The flagship trade show of SANCB (South African National Conventions Bureau) drew together some 161 buyers and 216 exhibitors from 13 African countries, to focus on sector recovery. From Conference & Meetings World…

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UFI Global Barometer Notes Recovery

Iceberg partner UFI, the global association of the exhibition sector, has released the latest edition of its flagship Global Barometer. Figures highlight the quickening pace of the industry’s recovery in 2022 after the continuing impact of the pandemic throughout 2021. The results vary between locations, primarily driven by reopening  dates for exhibitions.. From Exhibition World…

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AIPC, ICCA and UFI Pen Industry White Paper

Three industry associations have published a white paper calling on governments to harness the power of business events to stimulate their economies. “Business Events are the Fast Track to Recovery” documents support for the return of the sector and is the work of AIPC, ICCA and UFI, all Iceberg partners. From Association Meetings International…

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Dallas to Get Huge New Convention Centre

A new 230,000 square metre convention centre is to be built in Dallas next to the current Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Work on the $2 billion venue is set to start in 2024 and complete in 2028. The new facility is expected to almost double annual attendance and associated convention revenue for the city. From Association Meetings International…

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Marjorie Anderson on DEI: Definitions and Event Approaches

Marjorie Anderson, the Founder of Community by Association, tells the Deep Dive podcast how associations should be addressing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). After definitive definitions of DEI, the conversation looks at how to be more inclusive at conferences, accommodating those delegates with impaired hearing or mobility, or with neurodiversity or photosensitivity. From Association Meetings International…

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Lessons from Ukraine: Associations Need to Take a Stand

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen international associations with either Russian or Belarusian members, or exhibitors, or events planned, forced to take hard decisions fast, and hold difficult discussions about ending or suspending long-standing, lucrative collaborations. Ioannis Pallas, the European Society of Association Executives’ Association Manager, offers a guide. From Associations Meetings International…

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Advancing Women’s Rights: The Business Events that Mattered

International Women’s Day, which has now been marked for over a century, offers the opportunity to remember the key conferences and other events that have helped move the needle on women’s rights. The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (pictured) in Beijing, China, featured participation by future Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. From PCMA…

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