PRESENTS
Showing Featured Features
View all Features
The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the fifth of a series featuring significant meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with Talley Management Group President and CEO Gregg Talley. Gregg…
Meetings Africa 2020 is currently preparing to open up shop at the Sandton Convention Centre. The show is celebrating fifteen years as the continent’s premier industry event. The Iceberg has been hearing about South Africa’s own approach to its meetings business from the Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism, Sisa Ntshona. As a young democracy…
Laboratory medicine in the Middle East is now experiencing healthy growth. The trend helped Medlab Middle East 2019, the region’s largest sector exhibition and congress, to generate over $152 million of business, with $329 million more in deals twelve months after the show. The 2020 edition has just wrapped up. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Copenhagen’s strong life sciences sector has proved to be fertile ground for researchers in reproduction, with the city winning the 36th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. The event is expected to attract 10,000 experts on infertility and reproduction to the Bella Center this July. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Who helps an association to decide which destination should host its next conference? Who better to provide the personal element than the city’s own thought leaders? Prague’s Ambassador Program started back in 2008, shortly after the establishment of the Prague Convention Bureau. A collection of academics was assembled with immediate results. From Boardroom…
Japan is hosting a “smart farming” conference this year as its manufacturers use technology to improve yield efficiencies in the sector. The International Conference on Agricultural Internet of Things and Smart Farming is being held this April in Tokyo. It comes as the Osaka-based Kubota Corporation has unveiled a fully autonomous tractor. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The “Incredible Impacts” grants celebrate the “beyond tourism” legacy value of international association meetings and their projects that are delivering positive social impact. A panel of independent judges from the association world determines which meetings have left a proven legacy, and award three grants of $7,500 on behalf of Iceberg partners BestCities Global Alliance and…
It has ancient academic powerhouses with adjacent knowledge clusters like Oxford and Cambridge. It has the meetings-friendly pairing of Newcastle and Gateshead in the North, not to mention Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and of course London. England’s expertise is making it a world-class meeting destination. Photo: VisitBritain / Guy Richardson. From Boardroom…
Athens boasts an event history that spans 5,000 years. Holding modern meetings across sectors like maritime, sports, architectural design and culture, This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau is now launching its own destination ambassador programme to attract knowledge through international conferences and grow sectors like IT. From Boardroom…
Over 500 senior oil and gas executives will visit Nairobi in March with Kenya poised to become a hub of oil and gas exploration. The sixth edition East Africa Oil & Gas Summit & Exhibition will bring together government officials, national oil companies and investors to examine significant opportunities across the region. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the fourth of a series featuring significant meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with BestCities Global Alliance Director of International Associations Jane Cunningham…
Destinations’ medical expertise wins them association meetings. This global checkup includes oncology in Copenhagen and Lyon, ENT medicine in Brisbane, child cardiology in Washington DC, pain management in Dublin, medical physics in Adelaide, women’s mental health in Maastricht, oesophageal disease in Tokyo and obesity in Glasgow. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Showing Featured News
View all News
Mobile World Congress, the huge smartphone conference, has been cancelled after significant exhibitors pulled out citing the coronavirus crisis. The association behind the event, GSMA, could have to foot the bill for the entire cost of cancellation unless Spain’s government declares the outbreak a health emergency. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
As a founding member of twenty years’ standing, the departure of Edinburgh from Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance came as quite a shock. BestCities’ new MD Lesley Williams felt the loss very keenly, having in the past spent seven years as Head of Business Tourism at Marketing Edinburgh’s Convention Bureau. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, has postponed its Macau Asia-Pacific Conference and Digital Innovation Forum, set to take place early next month. Over 300 delegates were expected at the Iceberg partner’s event, which due to the coronavirus crisis in China will now take place “later in the year”. From Association Meetings International…
In China, major venues like the Wuhan International Convention and Exhibition Center have been repurposed as temporary hospitals during the novel coronavirus crisis. But British nationals evacuated from Wuhan, the centre of the outbreak, have been taken to Kents Hill Park hotel and conference centre to spend fourteen days in quarantine. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The potential long-term impact of novel coronavirus on international events was underlined after planners cancelled a massive art fair in Hong Kong. Art Basel, Asia’s largest event of the kind, had to be called off even though taking place in late March. Iceberg partner ICCA has made a statement on the outbreak. From Association Meetings International…
On the occasion of the UFI Global CEO Summit in Rome, Pope Francis invited the meeting’s one hundred participants to a private audience in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina. His Holiness spoke and shook hands with every delegate, and told them their events would “contribute to a more just and humane global economy”. From UFI…
Glasgow’s Conference Ambassador Programme, the first in the UK, has contributed at least £650 million to the city’s economy since it started thirty years ago. The scheme has 1,600 members. 141 events, indeed 35 percent of all meetings held in Glasgow last year, were led by a local conference ambassador. From Association Meetings International…
Almost half of delegates at business events think face-to-face meetings are “critical”, says a new trade show study. The report out from AIME, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event set to open in Melbourne, also shows 93 percent of delegates find human interaction and connections “important” during business events. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
A brand new event for association executives has been added to the calendar, and it’s taking place in Switzerland. GIAF, or the Geneva International Association Forum, is to be held in June, bringing together the not-for-profit sector to “tackle common challenges”. GIAF’s venue has yet to be announced. From Association Meetings International…
Dubai Business Events chalked up 301 successful bids for meetings, conferences and incentives in 2019. Set to attract over 150,000 delegates in coming years, the wins will deliver around 620,000 room nights for the emirate. DBE’s Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme grew to 342 active ambassadors in 2019. From Meetings International…
As coronavirus continues to disrupt global travel and trade, planners of events are delaying, cancelling, or soldiering on with their plans. The Singapore Airshow 2020 has gone ahead with temperature screening on site. But some exhibitors have pulled out and a related conference has been cancelled. Other events have been postponed. From PCMA…
The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has put out a statement about coronavirus. President Kai Hattendorf said the crisis showed that freedom and will to travel to meetings can be easily affected. But events are also the best way to address such issues. Photo: CDC / Dr Fred Murphy. From Association Meetings International…
Showing Featured JMIC Case Studies
View all JMIC Case Studies
This project collected, analysed and synthesised the findings of all prior Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies to deliver a verdict on the broader contributions that conferences, congresses, trade shows, convention centres and bureaux deliver to destinations, communities, industries and economies. The cases were drawn from four continents: Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The…
The China-LAC Summit is an annual meeting organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It is a key entrepreneurial event for companies from China and the Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Center in Uruguay hosted the 11th edition of the…
The EuroHeartCare conference is one of the most important platforms for driving research publications, exchanging ideas, and forming and deepening collaborations within the field of cardiovascular nursing in Europe. It aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering the best care possible to patients with cardiovascular disease. The 2017 edition was hosted by Jönköping University in…
The study explores the benefits and barriers for individual researchers and universities when hosting research conferences. The study has been commissioned by the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy – an advisory body to the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science. Thereby the study situates the hosting of research conferences as a potential…
London Tech Week is a festival of live events taking place once a year across the United Kingdom capital. Having been held now for four years, it has become a key gathering for the ICT industry in London. It connects the entire tech ecosystem both within the city and beyond, shapes the future of the…
Many international convention centres use sophisticated methods to measure the economic impact of business events in their host cities. Others recognise the importance of food in customer experience and promote programs like paddock to plate or food miles. ICC Sydney marries these two concepts together and takes them to a new level by measuring the…
Showing Featured Research
View all Research
This study is based on a global survey, concluded in January 2020. It represents up to date information on the development and outlook of the global exhibition industry as well as on 22 specific countries and zones. Global Exhibition Barometer 24th Edition (February 2020)
The IRF 2020 Trends Report highlights key trends that will affect organizations, their products and services, and the workforce in 2020. From enhancing program reporting to embracing the experience economy, the study identifies key areas of change and their implications for workforce engagement, incentive travel and recognition. The IRF 2020 Trends Report (IRF website version)
UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, has updated its database of initiatives and projects from the exhibition industry that support the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This resource showcases work done by organisers, venues, and service providers alike. It was initiated by the UFI Working Group on Sustainability and put together…
Copenhagen CVB and Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance have conducted an in-depth piece of future research in a unique collaboration with future scientists and designers. Explore four immersive scenarios for 2040 that spell out potential futures for our industry. The report is accompanied by four audio narratives to make each of the scenarios real and…
Working with sister associations the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA). the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has compiled an economic impact study defining and measuring the significance of exhibitions to the UK economy. Using the Size and Scale Index for Events (SASiE) data, this new report was…
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…
Showing Featured Opinions
View all Opinions
The Events Industry Council recently held a webinar “Industry Discussion on Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): Identifying Reliable Sources and Factors for Informed Decision Making”. The conversation centred on how organisers should approach the choices about whether or not to postpone or cancel an event. Photo: Huangdan2060. From PCMA…
Attendees at the recent UFI Global CEO Summit in Rome were granted a private audience in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina with Pope Francis. His Holiness said that trade fairs and exhibitions were benefitting regional economies while “showcasing to the wider world the rich diversity and beauty of local cultures and ecosystems”. From UFI…
Homeless hackathons, like those being held this year in Edinburgh, Montreal, Barcelona, Dundee and London, are one way for meetings to tackle this pressing social issue. The MD of organiser Gallus Events recently had a personal experience of homelessness outside COP25, the UN Climate Change Conference, in Madrid. From Association Meetings International…
The Iceberg recently published German Convention Bureau MD Matthias Schultze’s views about the multisite BOCOM conference being held this April. As the coronavirus crisis devastates the whole global meetings industry, this borderless communication event’s approach could perhaps not be more timely. From Matthias Schultze via LinkedIn…
As coronavirus isolates China from outside countries, Ping Liu, CEO of destination management company and professional congress organiser China Star, offers cultural views on how her business is approaching cancellations and postponements. Links to Professional Convention Management Association resources on coronavirus. Photo: Painjet. From PCMA…
Both the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild served meatless meals during their award ceremonies this January. Meatless meals were also served up at Convening Leaders in San Francisco, sponsored by Iceberg partner IMEX. There are many good reasons to go meatless, but it’s not always easy getting attendees to stomach the idea. From PCMA…
As global leaders form strategies to contain the spread of coronavirus, so also must event managers and owners. Four distinct requirements are critical to meet. That’s according to Sylvia André, the Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Iceberg partner MCI. The article links to Professional Convention Management Association resources on coronavirus. From PCMA…
“Conference shame” was the term used in a Bloomberg article about the threat to events of “the Greta effect”. So the sector now needs to get its “game face” on. Partners of the Iceberg IMEX, Positive Impact and GDS-Index have already done so. Photo: World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
2020 began with disturbing images of burnt koalas and fears of their “imminent extinction”. Climate change has played a role in the catastrophic and unprecedented early fire season, and the meeting industry can take a lead in tackling this universal issue. Paula Blomster of MPI’s European Advisory Council explains. From Association Meetings International…
The Mayor of Sioux Falls in South Dakota, Paul TenHaken, was inspired to tackle his city’s inefficient transit system after attending a three-day, immersive classroom experience summit that kicked off the 2018 running of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. This is a year-long professional development programme for over forty global mayors. From PCMA…
Conference Aston Head Samantha Brown explains how the industry can meet the needs of all delegates through a new approach to venue accessibility. Delegates with sight, hearing and some lesser-known impairments need just as much consideration as attendees with restricted mobility. The value of proper training should never be underestimated. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Iceberg doesn’t usually focus on the activities of individual agencies working across the meetings and events sector. But it is hard not to notice one founded at the same time as our very own little platform celebrating business event legacy, particularly when that agency is actually called “Legacy”. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Showing Featured Education
View all Education
For years now, we’ve talked about the shift from destination marketing to management. We have discussed strategies, reasons and trends to support the transcend beyond marketing for more visitors. We have tackled the shift to digital communication, social media, demands for innovation and then, later, the perception and problems of overtourism. But perhaps it’s time…
Held in conjunction with the Conference of the Association of Latin American Convention Centres, this full day event brings together a range of sessions and participants to ensure the broadest possible perspective on industry conditions and facilitate strategic development in this rapidly developing region within a global context.
Attend the Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference (MMCC) to learn the smartest communication strategies and latest technology tools to engage your members and drive results for your organization. Leverage what you learn from education sessions, solution providers in the exhibit hall, and fellow attendees to boost your effectiveness and help your association reach its goals.
Accompanying clients should be decision makers/influencers of an International conference and have between 800-3000 delegates. More information will be available in September 2019 and registration opens October 2019.
Where association executives and ICCA members come together to exchange knowledge, network and get the latest news. The AES covers all aspects of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings and at the same time is a unique opportunity for suppliers to understand client objectives and business cultures, and for association executives to understand how to…
Driven by a powerful 12 year history of growing influence this event is recognized as a critical forum for international sales and marketing executives and the clients, suppliers and industry observers who each year help define key challenges and solutions in a collaborative environment. A “must do” preparation for the rigors and opportunities of IMEX.
IMEX in Frankfurt begins with a full day of free education on EduMonday. Whether you want to keep up with fast-changing event trends, explore event tech, polish your professional skills or connect with your peers, our groundbreaking free programme has it covered.
Open to all event industry professionals, the forum, entitled “Event Performance: Economic, Social and Environmental Impacts” offers valuable insight into industry best practices in the area of sustainable development. A series of workshops designed to facilitate knowledge exchange between the audience and experts will take place during this one-day meeting. Participants will also enjoy a networking welcome…
XDP is a two-day business-focused experience for association professionals and their key partners. You’ll work together to co-create powerful association events and experiences that attract the right audiences, get results, and increase the success of your conferences and tradeshows. XDP features learning, connections, and business, making it an indispensable event that delivers a positive return…
FIRST, A PROPOSITION FOR YOU: Perhaps it is time we, as destinations, stop referring to certain groups of tourists as the cultural tourists as opposed to other groups of tourists. Maybe it is time to stop talking of culture as the fun side-event, as the offering outside meeting rooms or even as something that should…
The International Summer University is aimed at professionals working within the trade fair industry and provides an interactive educational platform for the exchange of strategic and operational knowledge. Industry professionals from around the world form a learning community to discuss themes that are critical to the success of the industry.
Accompanying clients should be decision makers/influencers of a European conference with more than 500 delegates. More information will be available in December 2019 and registration will open January 2020.
Showing Featured Events
View all Events
The next ICCA Scandinavian Chapter Annual Meeting will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden from 04-06 March 2020. The event is open to ICCA members and for non-members by invitation only.
Brought to you by the most experienced name in MICE events, IBTM Asia Pacific provides a gateway to the Asia Pacific meetings, incentives, conferences and events market. Meet with a curated mix of industry suppliers and pre-qualified hosted buyers and be inspired by content that will elevate your events from great to world class.
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry is proud to announce that the second Latin-American Conference will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the last week of April, 2020 at Centro de Convenciones de Buenos Aires. The event will be collocated with the 17th Expoeventos Latinoamerica, one of the major exhibition industry events in…
Focussing this year on redefining the impact of business events on destination eco-systems – our Policy Forum brings national and city policy makers, association leaders, destination innovators and industry thought-leaders together to discuss and influence the future direction of business events related to policy making and strategic destination management.
The worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events. Expect expert speakers, brand-new ideas and plentiful inspiration at 250-plus educational and networking events – and an exhilarating exhibition. Whether you want to keep up with fast-changing event trends, explore event tech, polish your professional skills or connect with your peers, our groundbreaking free programme has it covered.
IBTM Americas brings together the who’s who of the events industry to meet in Mexico City for two days of inspiration, networking and education. All under one roof! Don’t miss your chance to be part of IBTM Americas and connect.
UFI’s annual European Conference will be held in Goteborg (Sweden) in 2020. The conference is the most international gathering of 200+ European exhibition industry leaders, and it is also attended by colleagues from Asia and the Americas. This event is geared towards providing industry updates and insights from across the region, combined with quality networking…
City Fair is the event for European cities, destinations and suppliers to showcase all of their tourism products to the international travel trade in a productive business environment. Join over 150 European cities, destinations and their partners, showcasing their tourism offering to over 100 city break product developers & buyers from international markets.
Brought to you by the most experienced name in MICE exhibitions, IBTM provides a gateway to the Chinese and Asia Pacific meetings, events and incentives market with IBTM China. Our aim is to immerse you in a community that, through networking, education and career development, will leave you inspired to create better events for better business.
Learn, network, connect with the global meetings industry. Inspirational exhibitors, fresh ideas from experts and innovators, countless networking opportunities—this is where you need to be. If you’re a meeting and events professional, you’ll find all the suppliers you need for your events—from new venues in major cities across the world to the latest event tech providers.
The 59th ICCA Congress will be held in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei from 31 October – 4 November 2020. More information will be available at a later stage.
Open to UFI members only, UFI’s annual Global Congress is known as the “must attend” event for all industry professionals and is the exhibition industry’s largest global meeting of the year, combining international networking with unique content. It is an ideal opportunity for members to gain insight into topics of strategic interest, on the current…
Showing Featured Ambassadors
View all Ambassadors
Website: View website
Paul Vallee is managing director of the BestCities Global Alliance. He is responsible for the successful delivery of the alliance’s strategic plan, performance monitoring and overseeing its operations. Paul is also executive consultant with Gaining Edge, which in addition to managing BestCities, provides consulting exclusively to the convention and meetings market. Paul recently assumed these…
Website: View website
David Peckinpaugh is seen throughout the events industry as a passionate leader and tireless advocate. Over the last 30 years, David has experienced nearly every facet of the industry – from hotels and convention and visitor bureaus, to sales and marketing and business strategy. As president of Maritz Global Events, David provides strategic oversight for…
Website: View website
Elling Hamso is Managing Partner of Event ROI Institute and a leading expert on how to measure results from meetings and events. He spends most of his time as a trainer and consultant to event agencies, associations and corporate event planners across Europe. He is currently a member of the jury of European Best Event…
Website: View website
Joining IBTM in September 2018, David came with 14 years’ experience in the events industry, producing award-winning events for the likes of Haymarket Exhibitions, BBC, Informa, Daily Mail Group and Clarion Events. Having previously organised exhibitions and conferences across Europe, the Middle East and the US, he brought with him an international perspective. With an…
Website: View website
James Lancaster is the editor of AMI Magazine, amimagazine.global and Intellectual Capitals, part of the CAT Media portfolio owned by Northstar Travel Group. James gained his experience as a journalist in various reporting and editing roles on business magazines after starting his career as reporter on a newspaper in the UK. He joined CAT Media…
Website: View website
Born in Toronto, Canada, Greg has divided his life between living in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. With now more than 20 years in the hospitality industry Greg has spent time in Management of a high end independent mountain resort property (The Rimrock Resort), Hyatt Hotels and the Intercontinental group before moving over to convention centers….
Website: View website
Robin has over 25 years’ experience of the events industry with the last 20 focussed on the convention sector. His career in business events has led him from the SECC in Glasgow to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), where he has spent the last seven years diversifying and growing the venue’s conference and…
Website: View website
Gillian Taylor has over 25 years experience in the meetings industry spanning from Australia to the Arabian Gulf. Currently, Gillian is Director of Business Development at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), an iconic landmark for Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman. A new hub for Business Events, and with the Oman Convention Bureau…
Anja was born in Germany and spent her childhood in Africa, returning to Germany to complete her formal education. In 1978, she joined her then hotel manager husband, travelling and supporting him in several countries in the Middle East, Australia, Tahiti and Asia. During the past 20 years, she has held several senior management and…
Website: View website
A founding member of ICC Sydney’s leadership team, Sam developed the communications and marketing strategies that have resulted in establishing one of the business events industry’s strongest brands. Story-telling, building emotional connection and strong stakeholder engagement have been core to ICC Sydney’s successful brand development throughout its pre-opening, launch and operational phases. Sam steered the…
Website: View website
Geoff Donaghy is CEO of Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, ICC Sydney, which since its opening has been successfully attracting local, national and international visitors with its focus on high quality events, local produce and commitment to service excellence. He is also the Director of Convention Centres for leading venue management specialists, AEG…
Website: View website
Director of Tourism, Conventions and Major Events, Tracy Halliwell joined London & Partners from Visit London, the capital’s global marketing organisation. At London & Partners, Tracy heads up London’s Tourism division, managing the event solutions team and a proactive global sales team focused on attracting discretionary business, cultural & sporting events to the capital. At…
Powered by 
