Any manifestation of political instability can have a devastating effect on a destination’s perceived attractiveness for staging major events. Stuart Bailey, the CEO of a Hong Kong-based exhibition and conference organiser, believes that international impressions of the special administrative region’s recent protests are overblown, and should not deter either business or leisure visitors. From UFI…
The World Tunnel Congress 2019 was recently held in Naples, Italy. Over 2,700 attendees from more than 70 countries, an 80 percent rise in delegates, gathered at the Mostra D’Oltremare Congress Center. Trips included ancient and Renaissance archaeological sites, and legacy projects donated excess food and helped build community housing. From Boardroom…
Dr Lance O’Sullivan certainly knows the power of conferences. Aged 17, the twice-expelled disruptive child from a deprived background was taken to a Māori medicine meeting by his aunt. A smart and charismatic doctor speaking there captured the teenager’s attention and started his career path as healthcare innovator. From Association Meetings International…
At the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence’s Global Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, during January 2019, The Bangkok Manifesto was created following a series of workshops with SITE’s International Board of Directors, Trustees of the SITE Foundation and a cohort of global experts in the field of incentive travel. The final ten statements of the document…
Austria’s largest congress centre, Austria Center Vienna, has revealed that 2018 was the most successful year in its three-decade history. The venue generated €14.85 million (£13 million) and also welcomed 136,000 international delegates, representing a 29 percent year-on-year increase in visitor numbers. From Association Meetings International…
While nobody can predict the future, the BestCities Global Forum looks to offer perhaps the next best thing: a futurologists’ analysis of challenges the meetings industry may face in 20 years’ time. In conjunction with the Copenhagen Convention Bureau, the conference will take place in the Danish capital this December. From Boardroom…
Africa’s Travel Indaba, hosted again at the Durban ICC, has attracted over 1,000 exhibitors and 1,500 buyers, as well as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (centre). The event was organised around greening principles in evidence throughout the three days, which included introducing Meetings Africa’s Green Stand Award for the most sustainable exhibitor. From the Event…
The International Association for Suicide Prevention has selected the Gold Coast to host its 31st World Congress in 2021. The meeting will bring together around 800 mental health professionals, academics, crisis workers, teachers and suicide survivors from around the world. The bid was a collaborative effort with strong local support. From Boardroom…
Five Canadian convention bureaux recently attended London Tech Week’s AI Summit at ExCeL. Their aim was to attract tech-related business events across to their own destinations, along with the inward investment that follows. Among them was Virginie De Visscher, Director of Business Development for Economic Sectors, Business Events Canada (third left). From Association Meetings International…
Elliott L. Ferguson II, President and CEO of Washington DC’s official marketing organisation Destination DC, has been talking “connected capital”, inclusion and positive impact at IMEX in Frankfurt. His themes included which knowledge sectors the district is targeting, the legacies its meetings are leaving in their wake, and issues of diversity. From Boardroom…
As IMEX Frankfurt wraps up for another year, the events industry is already looking foward towards IMEX America this September in Las Vegas. “Imagination” is IMEX’s talking point for the year, and this theme will inform content throughout the meeting, bringing with it exciting new experiences, exhibitors and educational sessions. From Boardroom…
Keith Tan has been the Singapore Tourism Board’s Chief Executive for about half a year. During IMEX he spoke about the city-state’s plans and approaches for continuing to attract international associations and their meetings, which include working alongside Iceberg partners BestCities Global Alliance and Global Association Hubs Partnership. From Boardroom…
A legacy of awareness around visual impairment was created during IMEX in Frankfurt with the holding of a “Dialogue in the Dark” workshop. Hosted by industry association IAPCO, and the business events teams of both Dubai and Melbourne, it all started with a blindfold. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
The head of tourism association Destinations International says his organisation spends a lot of its energy and resources doing battle with politicians around the world on behalf of members facing financial and legislative challenges. CEO Don Welch was speaking out at IMEX about issues like “over-tourism” and womens’ and LGBTQ rights. From Association Meetings International…
At the recent CEO Summit held in London by Iceberg partner UFI, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism Saif Saeed Ghobash explained how international business events and exhibitions play a key role in diversifying the emirate’s economy away from petrochemicals. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
A recent trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, including both The Iceberg and its partner Boardroom, revealed a lot about this emerging conference destination. In this second video from the Jalisco state capital we hear discussed two key sectors earmarked for growth – high tech and creative – and the role of events in shaping that legacy. From Boardroom…
Expo 2020 Dubai and its legacy are expected to contribute AED122.6 billion of gross value added to the UAE’s economy from 2013–31, according to the EY report, The Economic Impact of Expo 2020 Dubai. The report states that Expo 2020 is also expected to support up to 905,200 full-time equivalent job-years in the UAE from…
Glasgow is using major medical meetings held in the city as a platform for championing and improving public health. Glasgow Convention Bureau is leading the People Make Glasgow Healthier campaign, launched at IMEX (pictured), with support from the Scottish Government, the Scottish Event Campus, local industry and the city’s academic community. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
A thunderstorm delaying flights failed to deter meetings industry professionals in their thousands from gathering at IMEX in Frankfurt on Tuesday May 21st. Association congress organisers were already in the city having taken part at the ICCA Association Experts Seminar over the weekend and at IMEX Association Day on Monday. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Corne Koch, the head of the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, a division of Wesgro, has been elected Board Chair of the BestCities Global Alliance. Koch made her first appearance in the new position at the BestCities media breakfast at IMEX Frankfurt, and takes over from Jeannie Lim of Singapore. From the Event…
After IMEX 2019 opened in Frankfurt with EduMonday and Association Day (pictured), the Alliance of Brain Cities, a group of four Scandinavian destinations, held a breakfast for twenty international associations. Attendees at the meeting expressed enthusiastic support for choosing second-tier cities for their events, and for destination transparency and sustainability. From Meetings International…
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