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)
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…
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…
A large number of meetings industry groups have now made statements condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are raising awareness or funds, or have barred Russian state participation in meetings. More and more convention venues in Europe have now converted their facilities to house the millions of Ukrainians escaping the ravages of war. From PCMA…
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…
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…
Ukrainian scientists have called for an international boycott of scientific conferences inside Russia and asked for Russian institutes and scientific leaders to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile international associations and other academic bodies are scrambling to cancel conferences in Russia and find alternative venues or pivot their meetings to virtual events. From Association Meetings International…
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…
IMEX in Frankfurt has barred all Russian state enterprises from exhibiting at the show in May in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Iceberg partner’s Group CEO Carina Bauer and its Chairman Ray Bloom posted the decision in a statement on social media which also offered Ukraine sipport. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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…
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…
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…
After two extremely hard years for associations, the first edition of the Brussels International Association Forum, from ASSOCIATIONWORLD, has been held, making a community out of its attendees. The changing sector models, good governance, diversity and inclusion, as well as skills of pandemic leadership, all made for lively panel discussions. From Boardroom…
The “Metaverse”, as a concept, has been around for a long time. But it now looks set to become a reality and have significant impact within the events industry. Harry Prince, the Creative Content Manager at venue finder Spacehuntr, explains how the Metaverse will improve networking for hybrid meetings. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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…
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…
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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