Over 175 congresses, trade shows and other events are taking place at Messe Frankfurt before the close of the year as venue chiefs hail a return to pre-pandemic numbers. Meeting restrictions were lifted at the start of April. In May alone, some 35 events hosting 110,000 people took place. From Association Meetings International…
Following a comprehensive remodelling and modernisation which began in 2017, the Congress Center Hamburg has fully reopened for business. Thee new CCH is now one of Europe’s largest convention centres with 36,000 square metres of available space, which includes fifty multifunctional halls spread across four levels for conventions and events. From Association Meetings International…
Venue ICC Belfast has hosted the Microbiology Society Conference, an event anticipated to kickstart its target of generating a £125 million economic impact for the province. The conference is the first of three international events being held at ICC Belfast this year, estimated to together deliver £5 million impact. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
There is no denying events have changed because of the pandemic, as have the wants and needs of both organisers and attendees within the healthcare space. So, what are the key changes, and the trends we are seeing in terms of the way that the industry approaches them? From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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)
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 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…
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…
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…
Australia’s recent reopening to the world, and the lifting of domestic border closures and restrictions, makes this an important moment in the county’s business events sector. Andrew Hiebl, the CEO of AACB (the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux), discusses the upcoming pipeline plus Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund. From Association Meetings International…
Carola van der Hoeff is the new President of AC Forum (Associations and Conference Forum). In a broad interview on the Deep Dive podcast she discusses restarting association events, changing business models, building back better and organising her first webinar. As well as that, she looks forward to face-to-face IMEX meetings. From Associations Meetings International…
Early in the pandemic, Quebec City Convention Centre’s Director of Building Management and Event Support Marc Poirier was shocked at how many masks were ending up in the venue’s rubbish. He set to work finding a partner to reuse them. Also in Quebec, Go Zero Recycle has developed the process. From PCMA…
According to Nikki Walker, who is Global Vice President Engagement, Associations and Communities at Iceberg partner MCI, associations are craving to get back to meeting face-to-face, yet prefer to hold a fully virtual substitute rather than hybrid. In this Deep Dive podcast, Walker examines how associations have evolved through COVID. From Associations Meetings International…
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