Famous for its giant Buddha and historic temples, the ancient city of Nara will open a new venue this spring in a bid to become one of Japan’s leading event destinations. The Nara Prefectural Convention Center will allow the compact city to host conferences for up to 2,000 participants. From Association Meetings International…
As bushfires continue to cause devastation across all of Australia, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has become a disaster relief centre. It is offering transition assistance to evacuees from Mallacoota in East Gippsland, including access to food and water, medical support and other services. From News.com.au…
The teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg may have grabbed more headlines, but meetings and events leaders also got to address some of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the industry during a panel debate at UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. Article includes full video from the session. From Association Meetings International…
A further raft of associations have signed up to hold flagship meetings at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, less than a year before the venue’s scheduled opening. Te Pae managers finished 2019 on a high with more than 50 events already confirmed, worth about NZ$30 million to the New Zealand city. From Association Meetings International…
In comes another year, and with it yet another list of trends to watch on the horizon. Events will deliver personalised experiences with the aid of artificial intelligence. Plus, sustainability, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and flygskam (flight shaming) are also on the map, as is Q and A 2.0, Conversation and input. From PCMA…
2019 was the year veganism went mainstream. In 2020 Veganuary, or going vegan for January, is bigger than ever. One Iceberg publishing partner is sampling fast food vegan options, went vegan at Associations UK Congress 2019, and will again at all 2020 events. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Last December Mariela McIlwraith, Director of Industry Advancement at the Events Industry Council, went to the UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. There she took part in a panel discussion on the role of the meetings sector in bringing people together to act on climate. From the Events Industry Council…
Last month, just prior to IBTM World’s staging, the Iceberg partner’s inaugural Global Policy and Practice Forum was held in partnership with The Business of Events. Supporting the gathering were the Barcelona Convention Bureau, PCMA (the Professional Convention Management Association) and JMIC (the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg). The forum brought together…
The way people eat at events is changing. As populations around the world begin to understand the impact of their eating habits, we are seeing a massive change in what and how people eat. This chapter of the Beyond Food report series delves deeper into these trends, and into the emergence of the plant menu…
Iceberg partner GDS-Index (the Global Destination Sustainability Index) and EarthCheck have signed an alliance to develop then launch special certification and services for business tourism, event and meeting cities. The goal is to let destinations become sustainable and healthy places to visit, meet in and live in. From Boardroom…
Business Events Sarawak at Sarawak Convention Bureau has announced that the Malaysian state has made history by securing its highest number of bid wins to date. The news was broken at the annual BESarawak Appreciation Dinner. Legacy Impact Assessment has counted 965 potential benefits from these 76 events for Sarawak. From Meetings International…
The UK capital’s progress in tackling HIV will be showcased when ExCeL London hosts the 2021 European AIDS Conference. The city says 95 percent of patients are diagnosed, 98 percent are on therapy and 97 percent are virally suppressed. Many medical associations now choose London and ExCeL. Photo: Swadim. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The industry has reacted and urged vigilance in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack. Two attendees were killed and three injured at an event at Fishmongers’ Hall. The attacker was shot dead by police. The security concerns raised have been circling for some time. Photo: Ethan Doyle White. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced that the Japanese capital secured its bid to host the 7th Asian and Oceanian Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Congress at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba in 2021. AOPMC 2021 is anticipated to lead future breakthroughs in research and attract over 1,200 specialists. From Boardroom…
Meeting venues are facing increasing event acquisition, property and staff costs and competition from new venues. Planners are having to reconcile rising venue and travel costs with their flat budgets. Both groups are embracing technology in solving these challenges. Carl Law is a Development Manager at Capita Travel and Events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The trend of making meetings more sustainable is growing. Momentum is gaining pace, and not just in terms of recycling and reducing wastage. Director of Marketing, Europe at Cvent, Judy Elvey, discusses how associations are now integrating sustainability more and more into meetings. She also mentions work with Iceberg partner Positive Impact. From Boardroom…
In October the One Young World Global Summit came to London collecting together trailblazers including HRH The Duchess of Sussex. With sustainability at the core of the event, organisers asked venue partners for wholly meat-free menus. With over 3,600 delegates attending, meat-free meeting was no mean feat. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
In what way does the purpose of DMCs (Destination Management Companies) change in a market disrupted by the Internet? What happens when the core value proposition of “local knowledge, expertise and connections” is accessible, sometimes more efficiently and affordably, via other platforms? From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
England and Scotland have many established convention centres, but finding a home for one in Wales was problematic until Celtic Manor went fifty-fifty with the Welsh government on the £83 million ICC Wales. CEO Ian Edwards runs through the long consultation process that decided what the new venue should be. From Association Meetings International…
Mubarak Al Shamsi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, has been speaking about the emirate’s Economic Vision 2030, and the part played in it by business events. New infrastructure includes Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company’s The Hive, and its 80-seat auditorium The Collaboratorium. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
It’s not as easy to get to Kathmandu as it is to Brussels or Barcelona. But the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition accepted such logistical challenges with its 19th General Membership Meeting this March. The event drew 300 experts and over 60 speakers from around the world, also leaving a major local legacy. From Boardroom…
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