The relationship between major associations and the cities hosting their meetings, although generally happy and fruitful, is beset by the similar issues to any relationship essentially transactional in nature. So, how will things change in the industry landscape redrawn by COVID-19? From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
BestCities Global Alliance has just celebrated twenty-one years since its founding. Managing Director Lesley Williams reflects upon the Iceberg partner’s past and future, and upon the role collaboration has played in the journey. She also pays tribute to the BestCities’ member destinations and to more recently formed alliances. From BestCities Global Alliance…
Sherrif Karamat is the President and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association. He claims here that the pandemic is raising the need to focus now on why we meet and why events like congresses are held. He also has some interesting ideas about The Iceberg’s favourite subject of legacy. From Meetings International…
The Iceberg always enjoys meetings described with an iiceberg metaphor. But this time it is not the broader legacy benefits that are harder to see below the surface, but the tacit versus explicit knowledge imparted. German Convention Bureau MD Matthias Schultze discusses face-to-face and his hybrid BOCOM event. From Matthias Schultze via LinkedIn…
The Strategic Alliance of the National Convention Bureaux of Europe has published an update of its 2020 study on The Impact of Coronavirus on Europes Convention Sector. The new report, prepared by Tourism Economics, provides three recovery scenarios to reflect the possible range of developments given the level of uncertainty about how the pandemic situation…
We know that the pandemic has accelerated our need to change. Business models must be reimagined. From delegate experience and content delivery, to operational considerations like revenue streams, manpower, and vendor relationships, the exhibition industry must adapt to the evolving needs of our customers. Join us as we discuss ‘Reimagining business events – through COVID-19…
The exhibition industry is built on understand our customers. We have been using intelligent data to understand our attendees and exhibitors at face-to-face events for years. Today, there is more data and customer insight about our communities than ever before, thanks to organisers using digital event platforms, tools, and technology partners. But the big question…
Convention bureaus have operated as key stakeholders in the meetings industry for over a century, assuming major responsibility for marketing their cities, regions and countries as destinations for the hosting of business events, from small corporate gatherings to the vast annual conferences organised by international associations. During all of that time it has been clearly…
In April’s survey against March’s, much of the sector is experiencing a sense of languish. In the month between the two, vaccinations in the US (where the majority of survey respondents live) have averaged around three million shots a day, certainly the country’s best chance of recovery. Yet seven percent fewer planner respondents reported feeling hopeful…
The health and safety of event attendees has always been a big consideration for meeting professionals. The COVID-19 outbreak, however, has brought health and safety into focus like never before. As many organisations consider resuming incentive group travel programs, health and safety is the most talked about element and an area of uncertainty as COVID…
To mark Global Meetings Industry Day, Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance and the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) have joined together to help associations articulate their new hybrid congress guidelines. In the wake of the pandemic, associations must rethink the design and delivery of events to make sure they can bring together international…
Chapter IV of Beyond Food looks at the devastating effect of the pandemic on the conference and events market, and at how the industry is addressing a new way of working post-COVID. Beyond Food: Beyond COVID-19 (Lime Venue Portfolio website, registration required)
Between February and March, a flurry of news articles predicted a huge surge in leisure travel, sometimes referred to as “revenge travel”, as people celebrate the end of the pandemic, make up for lost time and splurge after the stress of living through COVID. Airlines have reported substantial jumps in air travel demand during March…
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has opened the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall’s $1 billion expansion to launch Informa Markets’ World of Concrete. The event is the first big convention to return to the destination and the US after the pandemic. LVCC is now the second largest US facility. From Exhibition News…
Global Exhibitions Day has been marked by the industry all over the world. The milestone coincided with Fira Barcelona’s return to activity on site for Integrated Systems Europe. The leading event for the audiovisual industry ran both on site and online. Fira will also soon be hosting Mobile World Congress Barcelona. From Exhibition World…
Average association meetings were fifty percent bigger in 2020, but only because they pivoted online. So say the latest ICCA Statistics just posted. Average registrations rose from 908 to 1,356 delegates, but associations did take a huge hit on fees, average prices dropping from $525 to $211. From Association Meetings International…
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