PRESENTS
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The Iceberg has always been dedicated to identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies lying hidden under the all-too-visible tip of travel and hospitality spending. So now it’s time to examine what lies beneath in a bracing new way. It’s time to take a deep breath and plunge “Below the Waterline”. In…
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Launched in February, the #MEET4IMPACT Project is creating a framework to support and measure association meetings’ social impacts. In this third instalment of our Features series, founder Geneviève Leclerc explores the key steps needed to achieve successful impact. Global nonprofit NewCities is the example. From Boardroom…
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Cambridge is capitalising on its reputation in medical science and technology, winning international events that will bring in more than 3,000 delegates and £3.2 million of economic impact over the next two years. The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is also expanding into one of the world’s leading centres in the sector. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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A multi-year, international study of business events has found a mismatch between how governments value the sector and its broader long-term outcomes, with researchers recommending ways the industry can better document these legacies. The report is a compendium of the Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies hosted right here on The Iceberg. From Meetings International…
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Taiwan is now one of its region’s most dynamic economies, with industry specialties including IT, telecommunications and semiconductors. Government-driven and foreign investment assists Taiwanese firms venturing into areas like artificial intelligence, blockchain, fifth-generation telecoms, gaming, Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality. The sector is also attracting meetings. From Boardroom…
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A year ago Amsterdam hosted the 22nd International Aids Conference. A visual “dressing” campaign made the meeting very hard to miss in and around the city. Holland may be a compact in size as a conference destination, but it packs a punch when it comes to its knowledge infrastructure and congress capabilities. From Boardroom…
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During Meetings Africa 2019 held recently in Johannesburg, a noticeable change of tone was detected in the young doctors and scientists attending the Association Day presented by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). It was a clear message to established medical association leaders that “Madiba’s Children” have arrived with legacy in their hearts. One…
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Hamburg Convention Bureau is busy profiling the city as a medical hub. So is the soon-to-reopen CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. Home to internationally renowned doctors and hospitals, over 169,000 people work in Hamburg’s healthcare sector, or one employee in seven. As a result the city is securing one medical congress after another. From Boardroom…
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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…
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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…
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Business and professional events are key to economic and social transformation. South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom, confirmed as much at Meetings Africa 2019, held recently in Sandton, Johannesburg. Minister Hanekom acknowledged the contribution to tourism numbers from business events but emphasised that the legacies of events in healthcare and economic development were where…
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A recent trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, including both The Iceberg and its partner Boardroom, revealed a lot about this emerging conference destination. Also visiting the Jalisco state capital and life sciences hub of Latin America was Professor Bettina Borisch, Executive Director of the World Federation of Public Health Associations. From Boardroom…
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London has been chosen to host the IEEE RAS (Robotics and Automation Society) flagship International Conference on Robotics and Automations in 2023. Over 4,000 experts in artificial intelligence and robotics will attend the four-day conference at ExCeL London, bringing £13 million into the city. The event will feature a robotics competition for schoolchildren. From Association Meetings International…
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Hamilton in New Zealand has hosted a record-breaking Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference. The event, held at the University of Waikato, was being staged for the first time outside the United States or Canada. It attracted a record 1,872 registrations from countries as far afield as Scandinavia and South America. From Meetings International…
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Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has announced Brisbane will receive an economic boost of over AU$112 million from new business events taking place in the city over the coming years. The forecast is an annual record achieved by Brisbane Marketing with partners including BCEC (the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre). From Meetings International…
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Dubai Business Events, the emirate’s convention bureau, has secured 118 business events during the past six months, attracting 75,200 delegates to the city. The meetings include the World Hospital Congress 2021, the ISPRS Geospatial Week 2021, and the AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress 2025. From Association Meetings International…
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NewcastleGateshead will showcase its world-leading mitochondrial research at the Euromit conference in 2020. The largest event in its field will take place in June at the Sage Gateshead, and is expected to draw over 650 clinicians and scientists from across the world over four days. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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CTICC, the Cape Town International Convention Centre, has just passed its sixteenth birthday. To mark the occasion, CTICC shared sixteen of its achievements. Among them were job creation, economic contribution and training, growing the province’s knowledge economy, and CTICC’s response to Cape Town’s water crisis. From Meetings International…
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Support from a who’s-who of top Australian scientific minds has just secured ICME15 for Sydney in 2024. The International Congress on Mathematical Education is the largest event in its field, and was won by advocates including Australia’s Chief Scientist, one leading mathematician, and a YouTube sensation maths teacher. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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Bordeaux Convention Bureau has become the 49th DMO (destination marketing organisation) to join the Global Destination Sustainability Index, an Iceberg partner that ranks cities by their environmental performance. The wine capital of the world is a hub for meetings of the medical industry, academia and learning, the digital economy and aeronautics. From Association Meetings International…
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CTICC, the Cape Town International Convention Centre, carried off the 2019 Delegate Choice Award for Innovation at the AIPC (International Association of Convention Centres) Annual Conference in Antwerp. The accolade recognised the venue’s water saving efforts during Cape Town’s water crisis. From the Event…
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Glasgow Convention Bureau has reported best-ever year-end results with conference business generating more than £150 million for the city. Between 2018 and 2019, Glasgow hosted more than 530 conferences which brought in almost 160,000 delegates. Four significant medical meetings alone boosted the local economy by more than £17m. From Association Meetings International…
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Italy has seen a jump in international events it stages with major overseas participation, up from 7.9 percent in 2017 to 8.1 percent in 2018. Overall conferences and events held in Italy rose by 5.8 percent in 2018, with delegates down by 2.4 percent after a fall in international association conferences. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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The London Convention Bureau has asked UK hospitality tourism players during London Climate Action Week to sign up to commitments in the Mayor of London’s environment strategy. The week was launched by Mayor Sadiq Khan as a drive to make the UK capital a leader in tackling climate change. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Read MoreShowing Featured JMIC Case Studies
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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What’s trending around the globe in the events industry? With the help of its international partners, Maritz Global Events investigated the current state of the field and narrowed down the top five trends affecting the event industry right now. These global experts and local champions from the industry share their take, and provide a diverse…
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The release of the 2018 ICCA Statistics Report: Country & City Rankings marks yet another successful year for the association meetings market. The International Congress and Convention Association captured a total of 12,937 rotating association meetings taking place in 2018, an increase of 379 compared to the number recorded at the same time in 2017. This…
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Now in its third edition, this report brings together insights from meeting planners, IACC members and industry experts from around the globe. Initially published in 2016, the IACC Meeting Room of the Future™ report provided an overview and foundational benchmarks on meeting industry trends. The 2019 report builds on the findings from both the 2017…
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On the occasion of 2019’s Global Exhibitions Day (GED), UFI, the industry’s global association, is launching a new report and online database. These will track initiatives and projects in the global exhibitions business shaped around the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This resource, a first of its kind, aims to showcase work done…
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Unlike anything humanity has experienced before, the current scale, scope and complexity of change is shaking foundations society has accepted as the norm. Five converging megaforces present destinations with both tremendous opportunities and challenges: climate breakdown, ecocide, demographic shift, social change and digitalisation. The meetings and events industry supports 26 million jobs, $1.5 trillion in global…
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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…
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What will the meetings industry look like in 2029? New tech, spiralling travel costs, legislation about the environment and “flight guilt” will transform the sector. The industry will still thrive. The need to “meet” will not go away. But “meeting” will more often be through a screen. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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Iceberg partner AIPC, international association of congress centres, has just held its annual conference in Antwerp. At the Flanders Meeting and Convention Center, next to the city zoo, 150 delegates discussed future economics of such venues, the technology transforming them, and the expectations of big clients like Sibos and the European Society of Cardiology. From Boardroom…
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Festivalisation refers to a process of making existing meeting structures more engaging, more immersive, and more tailored to the individual. The word is everywhere and may sound like a gimmick, but there’s a serious side to it, which might determine whether your congress lives to see another ten years. From Association Meetings International…
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The international conference just staged in Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing included thoughts about destination sustainability from Nobel prize winner and climatologist Lučka Kajfež Bogataj. Another Iceberg partner participating, the Global Destination Sustainability Index, also released its third white paper. From European Cities Marketing…
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“Business Events Legacies”, the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s recent report, reveals “significant” failings in the way governments measure the true value delivered by conferences, congresses and trade shows. But further sharing of sector impact stories could give the report weight in the battle to convince the world of the industry’s worth. From UFI…
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After enduring record temperatures at sector meetings, the CEO of UFI, global association of the exhibition industry, muses on its recent report about supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Joint Meetings Industry Council is doing similar work, plus Iceberg partners UFI, ICCA and AIPC have launched a Global Alliance. From Kai Hattendorf via LinkedIn…
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The meetings and events industry is served by many international trade associations, quite a few of them partners of the Iceberg. Some have formalised collaborations, the latest being The Global Alliance, a sharing of content between ICCA, UFI and AIPC. But are there still too many for the sector? From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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How can associations grow in a manner that creates a positive impact on society? This is the key question the five-year-old Dubai Association Centre is aiming to address this December at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the second edition of the Dubai Association Conference. Impact and legacy will be centre stage. From Boardroom…
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The perspectives on outreach and legacy of associations, compared with destinations, have significant differences. So says a new study by MeetDenmark, the development association for business and event tourism in Denmark, and meetings consultancy and Iceberg partner GainingEdge. But the study also shows common ground to build on. From Boardroom…
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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…
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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…
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Food waste is a universal problem, a lesson in Moroccan manners clearly shows. In the latest Meeting Room of the Future report from IACC, 62 percent of planners consider how a venue manages its waste before booking. 54 percent want to know if it buys from sustainable sources. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
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The ECM Summer School is an unmissable learning opportunity for all professionals working in Convention Bureaux, Tourist Offices, Congress Centres, Airlines, Hotels, DMCs, PCOs & Meeting Planners! The aim is to equip professionals with the latest marketing tools and to help them to develop the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in conference,…
Brilliant speakers, fresh ideas and continuous inspiration at 180-plus educations events over four days. Whether you want to tap into event tech, polish your professional skills, spark your imagination at a ground-breaking keynote, or connect with your peers, our unique and free program has it covered.
The 15th TourMIS Users’ Workshop and International Seminar is organised by the European Travel Commission, European Cities Marketing & MODUL University Vienna on September 12-13, 2019. Both events are directed toward managers, academics, as well as consultants and representatives of governments and international organisations dealing with tourism. Participants are invited to register for both days or can choose to participate…
English is unquestionably the language of the event industry. In cooperation and during the production planning with international customers a safe handling of the English language is indispensable. Central to the seminar concept is the teaching of the English language, individually tailored to the needs of the company and the course participants. The seminar deliberately focuses on…
If you also want to know how to avoid legal traps and ensure a successful, legally compliant event business as comprehensively as possible, you should attend this seminar. You will get to know the current legal requirements and discuss practical solutions comprehensively. Includes: Responsibilities and Duties of Executives and Business Leaders; Legal assignment of external companies…
If potential customers do not buy, it’s not always because of the price, or because your location’s infrastructure is inappropriate for the event. If you address your customers in a solution-oriented manner, you will create trust in your service and give them the feeling of being understood and well cared for. Communicate with customers convincingly;…
The FYP brings together 35 young industry professionals from a diverse array of backgrounds. Over 3 days, the selected applicants are given networking opportunities, educational sessions, social activities and guidance worth their weights in gold from some of the most influential meetings industry figures. Participants will complete the FYP with a wealth of knowledge, a…
Mark Your IBTM World Calender Now for the 2019 Edition of AIPC’s Facility Operations Summit. This is one of the only opportunities in the industry for those representing the critical area of centre operation to build beneficial networks, strategize on issues of common concern and explore how improving interactions amongst centre managers can increase centre…
AIPC will again be at the fore with a mix of high-level industry interactions, member engagement and participation in programming that facilitates member access and creates opportunities for interactions and consultation. Visit us at stand K85.
Teambuilding … how do you do that? – Why are employees so important to the company? The seminar content answers questions about motivation, communication and leadership. Based on practical examples of solutions, you tackle problems together with the speaker, for example – how do you achieve and promote teamwork and teambuilding? How can you increase the satisfaction…
Following the sell-out success of last year’s event, this year’s UFI-VMA Venue Management School (VMS) will once again be held in Shanghai. UFI joined forces with the Venue Management Association (VMA) in Australia to develop this innovative training programme, which is tailored to the specific requirements of venue managers in China. The Mandarin-language programme was created…
The AIPC Academy is the only comprehensive professional development program aimed specifically at international convention centre issues and opportunities. Updated annually to reflect the most current conditions, it is the best possible investment a centre can make in the development of fully professional staff ready to meet the facility management and marketing challenges of today…
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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.
The ICCA Central European Chapter meeting will take place in Belgrade, Serbia from 29 – 31 August 2019. This is an annual meeting open to ICCA members and for non-members by invitation only. More information will be available soon.
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 Client/Supplier Workshop is your ground to meet key decision makers or board members of associations that has the potential to bring their meetings to your destination. It is the most cost-effective way for you to meet 10-15 other clients who have been carefully vetted and approved by ICCA. This Workshop is definitely the most…
Responding to huge market demand, the hugely successful M&IT Agency Challenge concept will be replicated with participation from leading corporate buyers. Organised in association with the Event Marketing Association, the M&IT Corporate Challenge will bring together suppliers and corporate event organisers in the modern way to engage with key new contacts through a creative and interactive…
The small workshop is open to all members of the destination marketing sector who are interested in attracting smaller conferences to their destination. Accompanying clients should be decision makers/influencers of a European conference which has less than 800 delegates.
Registration will open in March 2019! The ICCA Congress: A must for meeting industry professionals! A global, modern and vibrant city bursting with culture and personality, Houston has innovation and technology at its heart. With unique educational content and unrivalled networking and business opportunities with local stakeholders, the 2019 ICCA Congress is not to be missed.
Open to UFI members only, UFI’s annual Global Congress is known as the exhibition industry’s largest global meeting of the year and the “must attend” event for all industry professionals, combining international networking with unique content. It is an ideal opportunity for members to gain insight into topics of strategic interest, on the current industry…
IBTM World is the leading global event for the meetings and events industry and we have one goal; we want to inspire the events world to deliver exceptional experiences. For 31 years, IBTM World has been providing the global community with the inspiration, business connections and content you need to create world-class events for your customers. Make a year’s worth of connections…
Open to senior international association executives (or AMC on behalf of the associations), the Global Forum is the ideal opportunity for decision-makers considering hosting an event in a BestCities’ destination, to meet all the partner cities and meeting planners in one stunning location. Participating associations will return home with a tangible tool to use in the…
Over the past 14 years, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference has become one of the exhibition industry’s most important gatherings for learning and networking. Each year, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference attracts around 300 leaders from organisers, venues, associations, service providers and government bodies. The next edition of the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference 2020 will take place in…
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…
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Melissa Riley serves as the Vice President of Convention Sales and Services at Destination DC, the official convention and tourism corporation for the nation’s capital. A 20-year veteran of the travel and hospitality industry, Riley leads a team of more than 30 who work in concert to generate a positive economic impact for the District….
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Gary has over 30 years’ experience in the convention industry. In 2004 he founded GainingEdge, a global consulting company that offers advisory services in relation to destinations, convention bureaus and convention and exhibition centres. It also provides convention and incentive sales representation services in all of the world’s key markets. The company’s services are end-to-end,…
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I just celebrated my 25th anniversary here at Maritz Global Events. During this quarter of a century time frame I saw people come and go but I chose to stay because I consider working at MGE a career development journey not a job. I believe strongly what my mentor Professor Saar who used to teach…
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Working out of both USA and Netherlands; projects in Asia, Europe, Middle East and North America, with a mix of clients including IMEX, UFI, SITE and other international associations and meetings companies. Expert Advisor to tech start-up Kubify, Strategic Relations Advisor to IASP, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and International Advisor to…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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With 32 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Schirmacher leads Experient’s strategic plan development and implementation, as well as industry presence for Maritz Global Events. He was awarded the company’s highest honor, the Pinnacle Award, in 2005, and was inducted into the Colorado Meetings Hall of Fame in 2011 with the Lifetime Achievement Award….
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Carina entered the meetings industry in 2002 as Marketing and Operations Director for IMEX in Frankfurt and part of the original launch team for the exhibition. Following the expansion of the IMEX brand into America in 2009, Carina was appointed CEO of the IMEX Group. In this role, Carina is responsible for all aspects of the business. Throughout…
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A specialized journalist in the association management field, Remi has been active in the meetings industry for more than 10 years. Together with Cecile Koch, he launched Boardroom in 2017, a niche publication specialized in association management and events. Boardroom covers a wide spectrum of issues of interest to associations based globally and is specifically targeting association…
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Flavie Baudot has more than 15 years’ experience in the Tourism and Meetings Industry. She began her career with diverse experiences in customer relations in the insurance and hospitality sectors and then decided to specialise in tourism, mixing her avid passion for international relations, people and cultures. Having graduated in Tourism Management and Culture in…
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Ajay, who is from Indian origin has been residing in the Middle East for over 20 years and been involved in organizing meetings in emerging markets for the past 15+ years as well as working with associations in defining and implementing strategies in global expansion. With an MBA in marketing, a degree in software engineering…
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