Convention centres are great places to exhibit the largest pieces of art. In Singapore, Sydney, Washington DC and Paris, four venues have placed significant works on display, from contemporary legends like Anthony Gormley and Anish Kapoor, to First Nations’ art in Australia, to Europe’s largest fresco (pictured). From Association Meetings International…
Fake and predatory events provide little or no substance, if they even take place at all, create confusion in the marketplace, and siphon off the very same audiences that legitimate events work so hard to attract and educate. They are becoming a real problem in the meetings industry. What can be done? From PCMA…
The London–based World Obesity Federation recently certified the Milano Convention Centre as the world’s first Gold Level Healthy Venue. MiCo management is very keen to talk about what this means in practice, and also about the role venues can play in creating wellness legacies for their stakeholders. From PCMA…
Has the war on plastic blinded us to other problems we face? Jemma Peers, Commercial Director at Top Banana, explores sustainability issues and shares the top three quick wins the industry can start practicing for long-lasting impact: watching air miles, reducing waste and creating sustainable menus. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The flying saucer of Palacongressi di Rimini (pictured), part of the Italian Exhibition Group, has become a strong contender for hosting high-profile international association events. In 2020 the venue is staging conferences that will create significant legacies in child protection, cardiology, organic chemistry, social work… and strawberry farming. From Boardroom…
Conferences and events are set to play a key role in the West Midlands’ new Regional Tourism Strategy, which aims to grow the area’s visitor economy by more than £1 billion and create 19,000 local jobs. At the conurbation’s heart is Birmingham, a city on the rise. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Looking into 2020, sector professionals are “very optimistic” about the meetings and events industry. This global survey’s respondents are predicting that the industry will remain steady with moderate growth across all meeting types, with modest increases in spend, and with a continued focus on the attendee experience and experiential events. 2020 Global Meetings and Events…
ICC Wales has hosted members of government, industry and academia from across the country for the UK Space Conference 2019. Over 1,800 delegates attended the three-day meeting, the first big international event held at ICC Wales, including representatives from space agencies around the world and astronaut Tim Peake (pictured). From Meetings International…
The International Convention Centre Wales, the new £84 million venue in Newport, South Wales, has opened its doors to UK and international events, with over 5,500 delegates experiencing the venue in a packed first week. The first event was the Association of Stoma Care Nurses three-day UK Annual Conference 2019. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
ExCeL London has hosted Sibos, the world’s premier financial services event, for the first time. With over 9,000 business leaders attending alongside 300 banking and fintech exhibitors, it was Sibos’ largest-ever audience and exhibitor participation. A host of fringe activity also took place around London, delivering significant economic impact. From Association Meetings International…
Meet in Reykjavik, in partnership with the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, has hosted an annual event for partners in the country’s meetings industry. At the event, three of the convention bureau’s ambassadors were honoured for their roles in securing important meetings for the Icelandic capital. From Meetings International…
In the first half of 2019, MyCEB, the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, secured a total of 301 events with an expected 570,741 delegates, 208,555 of them from abroad. These meetings will happen between 2019 and 2028, will create around RM3.9 billion of economic impact, and include four wins of particular significance. From Meetings International…
Edinburgh will leave Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance at the end of the year after major public sector funding cuts that have devastated Marketing Edinburgh. The body is the destination’s convention and visitors bureau, and is responsible for promoting the city to the world. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Construction work has just begun on a new trade fair and convention centre in Bruges. The new venue is located in the historical centre of the Belgian city, within easy walking distance of most hotels and tourist sights. It will open its doors at the end of 2021, and cost around €40 million. From Boardroom…
City leaders hope to fund a major expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (pictured) by selling off another of the city’s big meeting venues. The Governor’s administration intends to sell the Hynes Convention Center in the Boston Back Bay neighbourhood, and to “consolidate” convention business in one location. From Association Meetings International…
Adelaide is celebrating 75 secured meetings so far this year, which are expected to bring in around 28,000 delegates and AU$136 million to the South Australia capital. The Adelaide Convention Bureau says the longer term benefits of hosting the events include attracting trade and inward investment. From Association Meetings International…
Ottawa Tourism and The Hague Convention Bureau have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will bring the two cities’ convention offerings closer together over the coming years. The agreement was initially discussed five years ago at the ICCA Congress in Antalya, and both organisations have since then sought ways to cooperate. From Meetings International…
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