PRESENTS
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From the Cambridge Union debating chamber Michael Dominguez, President & CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), charts the leisure-led recovery of the travel sector but warns that commitment and consistency are key to successful government relations, advocacy, and support. The source code to the recent $1.7 trillion 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Act including the appointment…
At ‘The Great Industry Debate’ hosted in January by the Cambridge Union, UKinbound CEO and former Visit Britain chief, Joss Croft, echoes fellow speaker Michael Dominguez regarding the importance of consistency and relevance to government in communicating a new narrative. Croft confirms the need to elevate the ‘Gross Value-Add’ (GVA) in order to appeal to…
The BestCities Global Forum delegates in Vancouver were exposed to the social procurement and environmental activities developed within and by the city of Vancouver which can be applied to association meetings. The example of Ocean Wise, a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower communities and individuals to take action to protect and restore our…
The 12 BestCities Global Alliance partnership convened in Vancouver in December to once again drive legacy and sustainability standards for association meetings. In a sequel to the Capilano Impact Study Report, the attending associations react to the Vancouver experience. The next edition, in January 2024 will be in the medical city of Melbourne. The…
Iceberg Partner VisitFlanders has implemented a Legacy & Impact Program to ensure that the value creation derived from events is aligned to the destination’s vision for 2050. Leveraging the region’s academic, start-up, and key sectoral assets, the DMO is aggressively targeting events which can leave a positive social or economic impact across the region. In…
As we enter a new year, #Meet4Impact’s Geneviève Leclerc, assesses the progress the sector has made in relation to value creation. “We’re close to the tipping point,” she says. Destinations are recognising the need to embed impact strategies into their marketing alongside their sustainability programs. Professional societies and associations (as illustrated by the International Liver…
The 61st International Congress and Convention Association Congress was held last month in Kraków, Poland. The four days of content programming concentrated on three key industry topics: diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and legacy. Some of the legacy speakers also contributed to this Iceberg video Feature, here presented together with video of five of the legacy sessions….
The 36th edition of the CityDNA Summer School was hosted in late August. This year the Iceberg partner educational meeting graduated 43 students from Europe and South Africa. As well as video about the Summer School itself from Turin, Italy, this feature looks at participating medical associations and their meetings, sustainability and also hybrid meetings….
Washington may be the oldest, largest and busiest global hub of associations working in different professions, trades and social endeavours. Associations are at the heart of city strategy, both in hosting meetings in the capital, and in locating headquarters there. In this video feature, Destination DC explains how change is being made through business events….
This May the BestCities Global Alliance community of convention destinations welcomed Guadalajara, Mexico, as its twelfth member. The city earned its place through a shared commitment to support meetings that create a positive impact. Guadalajara went through a stringent process to join the Iceberg partner, including a detailed site inspection and tour of the city….
Virginie De Visscher is Senior Director of Business Development – Economic Sectors at Destination Canada. She is also an Iceberg ambassador. In two video viewpoints, she outlines Canada’s economic sector-specific approach to destination marketing and the increasing focus the organisation is now placing on both leaving business event legacies and on measuring their final impact….
The 2022 Annual Congress of Iceberg partner AIPC was held this July in Budapest. In a video triple bill, AIPC CEO Sven Bossu introduces both his association and its event. Two further videos explore the AIPC Future Shapers program, with two teams of emerging leaders presenting solutions at the congress to leave lasting legacies in the sector….
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Day delegate rates in the UK reached their highest rates in the last 10 years in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the latest VenueVerdict research from BVA BDRC. And rate rises outside London have outstripped those in the capital in the last three years… From M&IT…
US firm Providence Equity Partners has agreed a deal to acquire UK-based exhibition business Hyve Group. The terms of the offer are 108p in cash for each Hyve share and the deal values the international exhibition organiser at approximately £481m (US580m). A previous bid of 105p per share had been rejected. From Exhibition World…
Meetings, events and hospitality technology provider Cvent Holding Corp. (“Cvent”) (Nasdaq: CVT), has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of private equity funds managed by Blackstone in a transaction valued at approximately $4.6bn. From Conference & Meetings World…
Global event organiser Informa has strengthened its presence in growing regions and markets significantly with the acquisition of B2B events group Tarsus in a deal valued at $940m. The combined business is expected to create incremental revenue opportunities through the cross-marketing of major brands, digital expansion and new event launches. From Exhibition World…
The upcoming UFI European Conference in Maastricht will be collaborating with Women in Exhibitions to honour women’s accomplishments in the exhibition industry. The Conference’s keynote speaker on 15 June will be Ann Daniels, a polar explorer and motivational speaker, who will share her story and leadership lessons with UFI’s delegates. From Exhibition World…
Planners looking to increase the positive impact of a conference on a host city are being helped by convention bureaux and venues through the launch of impact toolkits, dedicated legacy teams and legacy ‘how to’ guides’. Both ACC Liverpool and Glasgow Convention Bureau have announced the launch of legacy-creation initiatives. From Association Meetings International…
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman issued the following statement on news of the withdrawal of tennis champion Novak Djokovic from participating in an upcoming U.S. tournament in California: “America’s outdated vaccine policy for international visitors is an unforced error that is contributing to an $80 billion loss in foreign traveler spending…”
Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has urged the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) to be more aggressive in hosting international events. “As international travels are returning to normal, the ministry is proactively supporting business events activities that will bring more delegates into the country.” From The Malaysian Reserve…
Business networking events and conferences are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels this year, but they’ll look different than they did in 2019. And believe it or not, that’s because of AI. By Stefan Deeran, Forbes Councils Member, co-founder and COO of Vendelux, a leading AI platform for event marketers and conference organizers, from Forbes…
RX (Reed Exhibitions) joined fellow members of the UFI Net Zero Carbon Events initiative at Cop 27 in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt on November 11 to officially launch the event industry’s Roadmap to a more sustainable future. RX reveal how it is informing their journey to net zero. From RXGlobal.com…
“When I am asked why international conferences are important for the academic community I often reflect on my own experience. When a discovery is made in one location you can’t truly feel the context until you’ve spoken to an international audience” – Professor Barry Marshall. From Association Meetings International…
Aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus has joined a consortium of companies including Air New Zealand and Christchurch Airport with the goal of pioneering the commercial deployment of green hydrogen-powered aircraft. The six businesses in the Hydrogen Consortium include Airbus, Air New Zealand, Fortescue Future Industries, Taranaki’s Hiringa Energy, Fabrum and Christchurch Airport. From stuff.co.nz…
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Glasgow Convention Bureau’s Impact and Legacy team have taken a fresh approach to uncovering the true meaning and impact of conferences when they take place in Glasgow, by revisiting the World Down Syndrome Congress team five years on since they met in Glasgow in 2018. Over the last ten years, Glasgow Convention Bureau has delivered…
Liver disease is killing over 300,000 Europeans every year. It is one of the silent killers of mass destruction. And it’s about to get significantly worse… In a case study video double-bill The Iceberg shares the ‘Legacy and Impact Trilogy’ developed for the International Liver Congress (ILC) in London by the European Association for the…
In December, the BestCities Global Alliance convened once more for its annual Forum, this time in Vancouver. The event always breaks new ground, particularly regards the evolution of impacts and legacies sought by professional associations and societies, and the host, to advance social and economic transformation. This was no exception. After the development of the…
Using the BESLegacy Initiative Guideline, the strategic pursuit of measuring the legacy impacts of the first International Conference on Education in the Digital Ecosystem (ICEdDE) 2019 were mapped. The authors found strong agreement on the immediate impacts that the conventions had on the delegates across eight domains: Knowledge Expansion & Education Networking & Relationship Collaboration…
An association for cataract surgeons ensures its events have a more positive social, environmental, and economic impact through measurement and strategy. What does it take to ensure an event has increasingly positive sustainability impacts? For the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), vision, collaboration, and action are key. It has taken the medical…
The official opening of the new Congress Center Hamburg in April 2022 has definitely put the city back on the national and international market of business events. CCH’s soft opening began already in fall 2021 with the ITS World Congress, with many events following, including the successful Visceral Medicine Congress in September. In Hamburg, the…
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The impact of climate change and the ongoing environmental degradation of the planet has highlighted the urgent need for sustainability across all industries and sectors, including meetings and business events. But while sustainability is the word on everyone’s lips, to what extent are meeting planners incorporating sustainable practices into their work? From Northstar Meetings Group…
85% of global companies are failing to set ambitious targets to reduce corporate travel emissions, reveals the second edition of a ranking on business travel by The Travel Smart Campaign. Only 50 companies out of 322 have set targets to reduce business travel emissions. From CleanTechnica…
Since 2015, Omnipress has been tracking the evolution of conferences and the role content plays before, during, and after the event through an annual survey of meeting and association professionals. This year’s edition of the Conference Industry Report explores what “back to normal” actually means in 2023… From Omnipress…
The Association Engagement Index is a global benchmark study that measures the performance, relationship strength, and outcome of engagement tactics as seen through the eyes of associations’ members and customers. 51 associations across multiple industries and professions participated in the 2022 edition of AEI, generating more than 12,700 responses from around the world. From MCI…
Trend towards virtual and hybrid conferences may be an effective climate change mitigation strategy. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has urged event holders to shift conferences online. Virtual and hybrid conferences are greener alternatives to in-person conferences, yet their environmental sustainability has not been fully assessed. From Nature.com…
What event organizers have learned about what their audiences want now: Here’s how a handful of organizations are incorporating lessons learned from the ways the pandemic affected their audiences, stakeholders, and members into their go-forward strategies – and how they continue to transform (or at least tweak) themselves and their events. From PCMA CONVENE…
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Associations are, ultimately, responsible for the carbon emissions produced by their meetings. Yet, when it comes to doing something about them, too many focus almost entirely on the supply chain – relying on host cities, venues, caterers etc. to provide evidence of how they are reducing their emissions. By James Lancaster, from Association Meetings International…
Exhibition News guest editor Phil Soar analyses the effects of Informa buying Tarsus on the wider industry and considers the road ahead for our major exhibition groups: “A couple of months ago that I suggested the trade show world was very likely to be back to normal by 2024 and, in many cases, well ahead…”
Menopause will affect half the world’s population but it’s very rarely spoken about, even less so in professional settings. So how do we get it on the agenda and how do we create supportive, inclusive and encouraging working environments for menopausal women? From M&IT Magazine…
The people in the room create the DNA of an event, and like-minded people usually generate one-dimensional thinking. So imagine the magic that happens when an eclectic group of thinkers from varied backgrounds, professions, and demographics gather together — exactly what happened during the Google Experience Institute (Xi) Days. From Skift Meetings…
It took a pandemic for governments to realise the value of business events. Now the sector has to keep up its advocacy and collaboration efforts. At the recent UFI Asia-Pacific Conference 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, leaders in the Asia’s events and exhibitions space shared about their effective advocacy strategies and learnings… From Meetings & Conventions…
‘The Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is the collective effort of the global events industry, to make sure that our sector can do its part in that important journey to net zero to combat climate change. It is by now the most global, most inclusive initiative our industry has ever seen…’ From Association Meetings International…
This is a stressful time in our society and just as importantly, within our destination organization family. And I cannot think of a better first step than to reach out to our families, friends, neighbors, and our peers within the destination organization community and ask that simple question, “How are you doing?” From Destinations International…
Around the world, there’s a new course to be plotted as destination organizations look inward at stakeholders and residents and begin to address the organizational changes needed to facilitate that shift: marketing must have a local voice, budgets need to address a wider scope of projects throughout the community with diverse partners… From Simpleview…
Earlier this year, PCMA announced a collaboration with the American Geophysical Union to further its action on climate change at events. Shawna McKinley, AMI expert contributor, asks Lauren Parr, Senior Vice President of Meetings and Learning at AGU how the union approaches this intention at its own events. From Association Meetings International…
Steve Monnington of Mayfield Merger Strategies reports the most recent transactions and analyses the M&A news. As well as several deals announced, there have been two important pieces of news which could impact big ticket M&A. There were also seven transactions announced which brings the total for 2023 to 13… From Exhibition News…
International Advisor to Global Association Hubs Martin Sirk believes that people have a greater impact on outcomes than processes, regardless of the governance model. However, the potential harm caused by a single “bad governor” with significant influence over the association’s decision-making is often neglected in discussions of this topic… From Boardroom Global…
Zhanna Kovalchuk, Executive Director of the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy, talks to AMI about the importance of knowing how, dealing with ‘confident’ men, and what the future holds for associations. Interview by James Lancaster, from Association Meetings International…
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Global industry thought leaders will share their insights and knowledge with the participants in a campus-like environment and will be available throughout the duration of the programme to provide coaching and guidance when it comes to the team challenges, which aim to shape the future of convention centre management. Next to learning and shaping, connecting…
The UFI Operations & Services Forum is a one-day event targeted at senior exhibition industry professionals from around the world. The Forum is organised by UFI’s Operations and Services Working Group, a member-driven body comprising organizers, venues, and suppliers. The Forum will take place from 13–14 June 2023, at the MECC Maastricht and is open to…
The UFI HR Management Forum is a “must-attend” event for any professional wishing to gain insight into innovative talent retention and recruitment strategies, and to discover best-practice examples from across the exhibition industry and beyond. They will join HR directors, team managers and executives who have all benefitted from taking part in past UFI HR Forums.
ICCA Business workshops are a quick and effective way to get a well-informed overview of what offers are available on the market from ICCA members and to exchange knowledge and best practices between associations and meeting suppliers. ICCA Business workshop offer an informal and small platform for associations and meeting suppliers to interact, and thus attendance is capped at 30 persons (15 ICCA…
Work alongside industry peers and grow your global network; continue to stay on top of market trends and developments in the exhibition industry. The programme will cover a wide range of relevant industry topics; set to two hours per topic, the online UFI-EMS will allow you to take part in the training in addition to…
EduCon’s energetic, immersive and provocative program attracts thought leaders, event marketers, experience designers and business events strategists from around the world. EduCon is known industrywide for its innovative approach to education — and the small-group learning that builds lasting relationships.
The Summer School provides great insights into the structure and functioning of the Meetings Industry. Our programme, filled with up-to-date and cutting edge examples of European best practice, lays out a comprehensive framework for you to build your expertise in one of the tourism industry’s most lucrative sector. It is perfect for those just starting…
The 18th TourMIS Users’ Workshop & International Seminar will be hosted in Vienna, September 7-8, 2023. It is organised jointly by City Destinations Alliance, the European Travel Commission & Modul University Vienna and is aimed at city, regional, national, and international tourism organizations, as well as universities and companies from the hospitality and tourism industry. It is directed toward managers,…
Every Wednesday, Iceberg Ambassador Anna Look hosts a FREE Q&A session to motivate & inspire business event professionals. Boost your week, ready to slay your 2023 sales targets with Anna’s industry trends insights and advice on tackling your specific prospecting worries. Let Anna help you get unstuck with tips, tricks and motivation.
GDS-Movement and Meet4impact changemakers, Jessica Vandy and Alexis Kereluk, and Simpleview’s Future Tourism Group lead, David Peacock, discuss how to how to build momentum and action to develop lasting positive value through sustainability efforts that continuously support more regenerative tourism on the Future of Tourism podcast. “We need to take a very careful look at…
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Opened to members, verified associations, and non-members, registration is open for the next ICCA UK & Ireland Annual Conference which will be held in Glasgow from 29th to 31st March 2023. View the provisional agenda and details of the registration fees.
The CEO Summit allows attendees to continue their transformational journey as they join forces with thought leaders and innovative thinkers who believe in collaborative inspiration and growth. Each segment of the CEO Summit is dedicated to a hot topic in today’s destination organization. In 2022, attendees experienced cutting-edge content including time to network and discuss…
City Destinations Alliance is proud to announce that the next CityDNA International Conference & General Assembly will take place on April 19-22, 2023 in Sofia! We are so excited to work with Sofia Tourism Administration to welcome you in this wonderful city and can’t wait to discover its many wonders together. Pencil the date in…
Emerging Leaders is dedicated to connecting the next generation of meeting and incentive planners and sellers. Buyers will be qualified based on their involvement in current meeting/incentive programs for their organizations as well as nominations from their senior management teams. Emerging Leaders will build authentic relationships between buyers and suppliers through collaborative content sessions, marketplace…
We are pleased to announce that ICCA France Benelux and Central European Chapters will organise their annual meeting in a joint format. And what better city to bring together the members of our two communities than Strasbourg, a Unesco World Heritage Sites City? Did you know that the city hosting our event was batted back and…
Over the years, UFI LATAM Conference has become one of the exhibition industry’s most important gatherings for learning and networking in the region. More information to come; pre register here…
Save the date for the 2023 UFI MEA Conference in Doha from 10-11 May 2023! Open to both UFI members and non-members, the UFI MEA Conference is the leading international exhibition industry event in the region. We look forward to seeing you there! More information to come soon.
Destination West is the premier hosted-buyer event for qualified meetings and incentive professionals sourcing programs in the West. Formerly Discover Colorado, Destination West will also include other destinations and hotels in the Western U.S. Destination West enables attendees to experience firsthand the most desirable destinations, hotels and activities for successful meetings, while making invaluable business…
Incentive Live offers a compelling agenda that makes this event a must-attend for industry professionals. In addition to one-on-one appointments with top incentive destinations, hotels/resorts, cruise lines, DMCs, DMOs, brand name merchandise, gift cards and tourism offices, Incentive Live presents leading industry experts providing the latest perspective on industry trends and best practices that will…
For each of the past 16 years, the AIPC Sales and Marketing Summit has proven to be the perfect kick-off for member participation in IMEX and all the client and industry interactions it entails. Summit participants have the opportunity to compare notes on current issues, consider the latest industry trends and hear from representatives of…
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 programme has it…
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Lyn Lewis-Smith is CEO of BESydney and leads a global team of professionals spanning Europe, North America and Asia who are charged with securing global meetings of strategic, economic and social benefit to Sydney, Australia. The organisation works across sectors which include infrastructure, technology, professional services, advanced manufacturing, education and health. Lyn has led transformation…
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A bona fide veteran of the MICE industry with over 25 years of experience building and managing some of the world’s biggest event, conference, and tourism organizations, Sumaira’s reputation precedes her. She has worked both as a destination practitioner (DMC, PCO) as well as an advisor consultant to Tourist Boards, Associations and Local Governments in…
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Nigel started his career at the head office of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) in Amsterdam. He was part of the event organizing team of the association and served 7 years organizing a host of events on all continents. During his tenure he gained extensive project management skills and was responsible for implementing…
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With more than 20 years’ experience in the meetings industry, Bettina has extensive knowledge on working with association congresses and in creating close collaboration between associations, academia, organisations, companies and government. AMCs in attracting international association congresses, meetings and exhibitions to Copenhagen. In her last 7 years as Deputy in the Convention department and Head…
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Ray Bloom is the chairman and founder of the IMEX Group, which organises worldwide exhibitions for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry in Europe and the USA. IMEX in Frankfurt takes place at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, every spring; while IMEX America takes place at the Las Vegas Sands Expo each autumn. Bloom is also…
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Marta Gomes has spent nearly 20 years working in the international events and meetings industry. She has collaborated extensively with professors, association executives and destination partners to attract international congresses to Paris, one of the leading global destinations for international events. As Deputy Executive Director Sales, she is charge of sales and business development for…
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Alex Alles joined JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council in August 2022. There he is responsible for the overall operations of the association as well as the project office of the Net Zero Carbon Events. NZCE is an industry-wide initiative aiming to help stakeholders of the meetings and events sectors to decarbonise. Before joining JMIC, Alex…
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Fiona launched not for profit Positive Impact in 2005 to provide education and collaboration opportunities to create a sustainable event industry. She was the youngest female to chair an ISO standard when, in 2012, ISO 20121 a management system for event sustainability was created. In 2014 Fiona received an honorary doctorate from Leeds Beckett University for services to…
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Tommy Goodwin is Vice President for the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), a newly-formed association dedicated to the recovery and advancement of the business events industry. In this role, he leads ECA’s advocacy and member engagement work on behalf the interconnected ecosystem of exhibitors, show and event organizers, suppliers, venues, and destinations that comprise the…
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Anna is a business event and tourism professional with European and Canadian expertise. She studied for her career at the University of Brighton in the UK and subsequently worked for international tour operators Thomas Cook and Cosmosair group before emigrating to Canada in 2005. British Columbia was her home for the first eight years, honing…
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Sherrif Karamat, CAE, is President and CEO of PCMA and CEMA, the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Karamat leads the vision, mission and promise for PCMA’s global family of brands. He is a prominent business architect, enabling communities to become…
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Having lived and worked in Asia, Africa and Europe before moving to Canada in 2010, Virginie is the Senior Director of Business Development – Economic Sectors for Destination Canada Business Events (DCBE), Virginie is responsible for leading the development and implementation of DCBE’s global economic sector strategy and team to increase overnight visitations to Canada…
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