Martin Sirk is International Advisor for Iceberg partner GAH (Global Association Hubs). In a sharp reality check for the business events sector, he warns that successful reopening relies on a much wider containment of the pandemic than the industry on its own can ever achieve. The economy and health are not zero-sum trade-offs or parallel-track…
When ASN (the American Society for Nutrition) decided to switch its live event set for late May in Seattle to all-virtual just sixty days before the meeting, the organising team of ten didn’t know what to expect from the pivot. Nutrition 2020 typically draws 3,500 delegates, but about 30,000 attended the virtual version. From PCMA…
In the rush to pivot strategies for the new normal, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters for an association and its members. Here is a guide to this transformative shift for associations and their congresses, including the delegates, sponsors and technology: the myths, facts and opportunities around virtual events. From MCI…
Academic events such as congresses, conferences, symposia and meetings are part and parcel of most academic careers. Endless hours are spent for both attendees and chairs on travelling, logistics, socialising and many other activities not directly related to core tasks such as teaching, research and knowledge dissemination. Despite the entrenched nature, and the general wave…
The Scottish Event Campus has secured new conference business during lockdown in partnership with Glasgow Convention Bureau and the city’s academic institutions. The business won amounts to 189,944 participant days for the city and will bring £144 million into Glasgow’s economy. From Association Meetings International…
Large trade fairs hosting thousands of visitors are already taking place in South Korea, which stemmed the spread of coronavirus and thus has one of the lowest death rates in the world. Until June 2021, funding is available for safety measures. Piece includes video from 5,000 delegate dental conference SIDEX. From Association Meetings International…
RAI Amsterdam is one of first venues in Europe to reopen without visitor number restrictions. The relaxation of further measures by the Dutch government on July 1st means the centre can again host major events. The RAI had already made its spaces COVID-secure and fully in line with health and safety guidelines. From Meetings International…
A step-by-step guide to creating meetings with long-term societal benefits has just been published by MeetDenmark, an association of the country’s convention bureaux. The study Meeting Legacies: Innovating for Enhanced Value Creation was co-authored by MeetDenmark and consultancy and Iceberg partner Gaining Edge. From Association Meetings International…
A “groundbreaking” Phd study into the academic benefits of attending and hosting meetings has now been published by the convention bureau Wonderful Copenhagen. The thesis by Thomas Trøst Hansen, 148 pages long, has identified specific benefits academics can reap by hosting or attending academic events. From Association Meetings International…
The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has released a manifesto that sets out arguments as to why business events can and should be utilised to drive economic recovery and renewal in the post-COVID-19 era. The document was assembled with the advice and input of a broad range of industry leaders. This was…
Jane Cunningham (second left) is Director of Community Engagement for Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance, and Global Ambassador for the Joint Industry Meeting Council. In this new Deep Dive podcast, AMI Editor James Lancaster asks Jane how associations and destinations best collaborate. From Association Meetings International…
Medical and scientific meetings came to a sudden halt when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world. Kenes Group kept cancellations to a minimum, postponing most events, but there was one event in particular that took a leap of faith to turn into virtual with less than three weeks’ lead time: the 2nd AAT-AD/PD™ Focus Meeting…
Governments have differing ideas about how meetings should return safely during the pandemic. Industry bodies advocate different plans. But what of the science? Dr. Brian Labus, epidemiologist and health sciences expert at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, prepares organisers for the months ahead. From Event MB…
Associations have long advocated for their members’ interests before governments and other institutions around the world. Now COVID-19 has completely revolutionised this function. As policymakers react to the crisis in real time, the advocacy associations do on behalf of their members has never been more urgent. From Boardroom…
In Iceberg partner ICCA’s annual rankings for international meetings, Paris has taken the top spot for the second year in a row, pulling even further ahead of other European destinations. The city’s dominance validates the work of both the local sector and the Conference Unit of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. From Meetings International…
Ancient King of Scotland Robert the Bruce once learned a lesson about patience watching a spider spinning its web. Now modern Scotland has sent a clear message to the world’s business events community in the wake of the country’s coronavirus lockdown: “we will wait for you”. From Boardroom…
Early this year a new event launched for associations. GIAF, or the Geneva International Association Forum, was hoping to draw together the sector and “tackle common challenges”. The meeting was scheduled for June, and at the moment is still going ahead face-to-face. From Boardroom…
Australia’s business events landscape is surveyed here in a rich collection of articles. BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith, ICC Sydney’s Geoff Donaghy, ACC’s Simon Burgess, MCEC’s Peter King, Brisbane Marketing’s Juliet Alabaster, plus the team behind JMIC’s (the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s) case studies, all offer up viewpoints. From Meetings International…
The recent staging of Iceberg partner AIME (the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event) was not only a platform to showcase the strength and resilience of the region’s events industry, but also as always of destination Melbourne itself. Last October Melbourne Convention Bureau posted record results for the financial year 2018 – 2019, with over…
In January two scientists wrote an article asking why conference design for those involved in scientific research has been slow in evolving. While some science meetings are surely guilty as charged, others do have an appropriately innovative approach. Here are ten that break with tradition to design experiences with big impact. From PCMA…
Once they relied on actors or even mannequins, but more and more medical associations now involve real patients in their congresses. Whether as speakers, panellists or co-designers, they add a different perspective. The result is meetings that are engaging, insightful and enlightening. From Association Meetings International…
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