The “Future Meeting Space” (FMS) innovation network was launched by the GCB (German Convention Bureau) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO. This research project focuses on trends, innovations and social developments, identifying their possible influence on the event industry. In this context, research questions focus on how future events should be…
A slightly higher percentage of planners and suppliers described feeling exhausted and burned out in the February Dashboard survey than in January’s survey, but that can probably be chalked up to yet another month of enduring the COVID crisis. It’s coming up on a year now since the lockdowns began. Some especially harsh winter weather…
The GSM Association intends to welcome 50,000 attendees on site to Barcelona during Mobile World Congress at the end of June, plus many more digitally for the entirely hybrid event. The show welcomed over 100,000 visitors in 2019. Every physical attendee will need to give a negative COVID-19 test every three days. From Conference News…
The World Congress on Railway Research will be taking place at ICC Birmingham, following a global bid process. On behalf of the UK’s rail industry, the RSSB and the University of Birmingham will jointly stage the meeting in June 2022. Birmingham is a key hub across both current and forthcoming railway networks. From Conference News…
Following on from the publication of two very different views on business events recovery, Juliano Lissoni, the Managing Director of MCI Group in Canada, makes a further and more academic argument for face-to-face meetings. The Iceberg partner chief makes his case around an in depth analysis of our innate “need to meet”. From PCMA…
The impact of the pandemic on Australia’s business events is well documented. The Business Council of Australia has reported a loss of AU$35 billion in direct expenditure for Australia’s economy and over 230,000 jobs affected. But what about the country’s knowledge economy, asks ICC Sydney CEO Geoff Donaghy? From Meetings International…
In Barcelona, organisers of Mobile World Congress are counting on a comeback, and have booked their event to resume in late June. The industry association behind MWC, the GSMA, thinks it will draw less than half of its usual turnout, but the Barcelona Convention Bureau says the numbers aren’t important. From the Washington Post…
As well as about 3,000 delegates taking part for PCMA Convening Leaders 2021 virtually, 300 more joined in person on site at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Organisers worked closely with the venue and also the Singapore Tourism Board, making sure the event was safe with protocols in place like rapid antigen testing. From PCMA…
This autumn the Global Forum of Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance returns in Madrid. Other major congresses are also heading to the Spanish capital, including World Blindness Summit, the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology and the Spanish Society of Stomatological Prosthesis. All are committed to leaving legacies. From BestCities Global Alliance…
US distribution of the vaccine in the weeks that followed initial rollout was anything but smooth, with vaccine shortages around the world, confusion around US distribution plans that vary state by state and challenges with registration systems. Those frustrating realities dampened the hopes of participants (491 planners and 219 suppliers) in this latest survey, conducted…
According to the COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard conducted between December 14th and 17th, eleven percent more suppliers and planners checked off “hopeful” when asked how they were feeling, nearly half of suppliers (49 percent) and 54 percent of planners. Planners in particular have come a long way since October when the were first asked to share…
Confidence among exhibition organisers that profits will double this year has been revealed in the latest UFI Global Barometer survey of 457 companies. The exhibition organisers’ association and Iceberg partner reported said that though over half of members have had to reduce workforce, the crisis has reinforced faith in face-to-face events. From Meetings International…
PCMA’s Convening Leaders has been held as a global showcase of business events. Houston in Texas had initially been chosen to host, but the pandemic meant that PCMA connected delegates mainly via the Marina Bay Sands Global Broadcast Center in Singapore. The content was constructed around “Recovery Discovery”. From Conference & Meetings World…
A roadmap to merge the Events Industry Council with the Joint Meetings Industry Council (which presents The Iceberg) was finalised in December with both optimistic it would get ratified. JMIC members gave the plans unanimous support, but the deal is no longer on, albeit with the door still apparently left ajar. From Association Meetings International…
Gregg Talley, President and CEO of Iceberg partner Talley Management Group, believes Africa’s attraction as a business event destination should remain clear-cut after the pandemic. The continent is still “an incubator for innovation and an incredible cultural experience that connects us all to the cradle of humanity”. From Conference & Meetings World…
Sven Bossu was named as Iceberg partner AIPC’s first CEO back in May. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director for Innovation at ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology) after eight years at SWIFT’s SIBOS. Here he offers the same message of a retiring Flemish TV anchor… “everything will be fine”. From AIPC…
To prevent catastrophic warming, humanity must get its act together. More and more industry sectors are committing to carbon reduction, but what about the agencies, PCOs and commercial event producers? Fiona Pelham, the CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events, feels a voice at the table is crucial. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
During the virtual CL21 (Convening Leaders 2021), over fifty delegates contributed to “Hospitality Helping Hands”, PCMA’s pre-conference social responsibility opportunity. Participants created online art, in doing so raising money for water filtration systems in East Uganda. The sponsor was Iceberg partner Maritz Global Events. From PCMA…
As well as assessing the impact of COVID-19, this report includes a global economic analysis for 2020, a deep dive into global mega-trends (including security, sustainability, wellness, diversity and inclusion), an exploration of the virtual experience economy, an individual industry analysis, an examination of meetings and events performance by sector, and a regional analysis. IBTM…
The pandemic has made this year seem interminable. Days, weeks and months blur together. But the period between the last COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard, conducted between October 19th and 22nd, and the survey sent out between November 16th and 19th has been punctuated by a few major events. In the US, the election took place and…
Global association of the exhibition industry and Iceberg partner UFI and live event research specialists Explori have released the second part of Global Recovery Insights 2020, which focuses on the future of digital and hybrid events. The first part looked at how exhibitors and visitors were hit by the lack of live events. From Exhibition World…
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