PRESENTS
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The Global Destination Sustainability Movement has released a must-read guide for destination marketers and managers on the latest regulations, including advice on what practical steps to take, both to remain in compliance and to use your sustainability positioning for competitive advantage in attracting events. From GDS-Movement…
A thoughtful article by Gary Grimmer on the latest geopolitical changes and their implications for both international business events and the societal cost in the fields of healthcare, science, trade and beyond. Numerous commentators and analysts are concluding that the changes to US policy and in power relationships between countries and regions will generate far…
The 7-times winner of the 8 GDS-Index Awards for Leadership, the city of Gothenburg in Sweden, share this long-awaited series from The Iceberg into the DMOs 3-part framework which provides a systematic approach to realising impact from business & professional events; The Gothenburg Way to Legacy… In this 4-part mini-series, we begin with an introduction…
“It’s more than a visitor economy,” says Damien Kitto, CEO of Business Events Adelaide. And the benchmarking and KPIs that track the impact data of events reveal metrics that extend far beyond the consumption economy of events hosted in the South Australian capital. The reason lies in the value sought by the Department of Trade…
In this series of articles Boardroom pulls together some excellent practical ideas on how associations can advocate more effectively, both in support of business and scientific events in general, but also to drive the mission of their own specific organisation. A highlight is the case study on how the US National Down Syndrome Society utilised…
From Skift Meetings: President Trump’s second term began with a series of executive orders that immediately impacted the meetings industry. On Inauguration Day, January 20, Trump signed the Executive Order, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.” It eliminates federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. All federal DEI staff were also placed…
From City Destinations Alliance: Held from April 9 to 11, 2025, in the heart of Hungary’s vibrant capital, the City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) International Conference & General Assembly brought together over 250 tourism leaders, destination experts and changemakers from across Europe to explore how cities can drive business transformation through the visitor economy. Under the…
ECA and its public policy counsel, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, have prepared the following detailed analysis of recent tariff developments and what they mean for the business and professional events industry. Please bookmark this page for future updates as circumstances warrant. On April 17, the Office of the United States Trade Representative took action…
From Smart Meetings: Four years into an experiment to replace an annual spring event in Washington, D.C., with a collaborative concentration of events organizations all gathering in the same place, Business Events Industry Week (BEIW) has built some popular must-attend features and announced that other pieces will shake off, either going away altogether or moving….
By Kai Hattendorf: 2024 was the best year ever for the trade show industry globally by revenues. 2025 likely won’t be. Uncertainties around an aggressive, tariffs-driven challenge to global trade from the new U.S. administration are shaking markets and economies around the world. If high import tariffs announced by the U.S. administration are here to…
From PCMA: According to a new Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) statement, the latest round of proposed tariffs will “increase costs for business and professional event organizers, exhibitors, and attendees alike.”When Convene spoke in December with Tommy Goodwin, vice president of Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), tariffs imposed on U.S. trading partners didn’t top the…
From BestCities: On 1 April 2025, BestCities Global Alliance and ICCA hosted two insightful sessions to unpack the dynamics of creating lasting impacts through international conferences and celebrating these through the Incredible Impacts Programme. This article captures key takeaways from the collaborative discussions, where industry leaders shared their experiences and offered valuable guidance for prospective…
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It’s great to see a dramatic example of The Iceberg’s central metaphor on the cover of this book about the enormous impact and value of trade shows! It’s focused on the USA, but the arguments and insights are universal. Read a review from ExhibitCity News here. The Invisible Industry: The Evolution of Trade Shows can…
Hugh Jones, CEO of RX Global and President of UFI, the Association of the Global Exhibitions Industry shares the organisation’s key advocacy messages in a video address to policymakers.
From Skift Meetings: Visa delays, funding cuts, and geopolitical tensions are driving scientific conferences out of the U.S. Some are relocating. Others are canceling. The International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IACBT) canceled its August 14-17 conference in Nashville — its first U.S. meeting in 40 years. Approximately 900 were expected. Organizers cited visa uncertainty,…
From Boardroom: Associations are under pressure. Technology moves fast, members want different things, politics are unstable, and the climate crisis is ever-growing. Association leaders must make difficult decisions about what relevance means and how to partner strategically for impact. In this context, Sydney’s Leadership Choices: Driving Societal Change into Associations event served as a hands-on…
From PCMA: ABTS is seeing some troubling trends for international health-care events — some of which are due to global misperceptions of current realities in the US. After Convene sent out an email invitation to participate in our pulse survey with the subject line “Is Global Uncertainty Affecting Your Events?,” I received an email reply…
This is the calibre of policymaker every country should strive to involve in their business events activity, including recognition of local ambassadors and organisers. Singapore consistently aligns of its meetings strategy with key national development goals. (Pictured above, Mr. Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, Singapore.)
A record-setting group of 170 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates from 30 states met with more than 130 elected officials on Capitol Hill today as part of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance’s (ECA) annual Legislative Action Day. “What happens in Washington, DC is critical to the competitiveness of our industry going forward,”…
Early pre-event collaboration between the city’s destination marketing organisation and congress organisers was key in designing high-impact outreach programmes involving schools and thousands of ordinary citizens, raising awareness of how to maintain lifelong liver health. From Amsterdam Convention Bureau…
The 2025 IMEX Gala was the setting for the sector’s leading associations to present awards recognising star individuals within their communities who are raising awareness of the enormous long-term economic and societal impact of business and scientific events, amongst both policymakers and citizens.
The two most important umbrella organisations for the business events sector, Events Industry Council and Joint Meetings Industry Council announced at IMEX 2025 a joint programme of advocacy, research and sustainability standards, including working together with Oxford Economics on the 2026 Economic Significance of Business Events Industry report, which will provide worldwide data and analysis…
Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau has been the world leader in sharing its innovative work on event impact, creative event design and sustainability, recognising that encouraging competitors to embrace these changes will help the entire world of Business Events to increase its positive societal impact whilst reducing its carbon footprint, strengthening advocacy arguments for the entire…
Germany reports attendance figures back up to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. This is a useful report for those interested in communicating the enormous scale of the meetings sector in individual countries. 377 million attendees participated in approximately 2 million events in a single year! From Skift Meetings…
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From Boardroom: The 30th Annual Congress of the European Association for Osseointegration (EAO), one of the leading organisations within the field of implant dentistry, was a landmark event that underscored the city’s appeal as a world-class congress destination. With over 3,000 delegates and 140+ expert speakers, the meeting provided a dynamic platform for discussing cutting-edge…
An urban conference with a global impact Destination Canada’s Legacy & Impact Study examines the lasting economic, social and environmental impacts of up to 16 business events held across Canada between 2018 and 2024. This case study highlights the legacy of the CitiesIPCC Cities and Climate Change Science Conference, which inspired cutting-edge urban climate science…
HIV Glasgow, the HIV Drug Therapy Conference held in the medical hub city, has become the curator of data, the summary of knowledge from other international conferences focussed on the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS. But the legacy is truly unique… The 2025 edition revealed the circularity of a non-profit event dedicated to…
17-19th March 2025, Cape Town. The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) arrives into the Western Cape in pursuit of transformative social and innovation legacies for the forgotten continent of Africa. 150 innovation professionals from 29 countries connect through 75 presentations and workshops with Africa`s academic, consulting, and research communities. Its mission – to…
From Global Destination Sustainability Movement: If business events’ profits were a country, they’d be in the top 15 in the world. The Events Industry Council notes that “the $1.62 trillion of total GDP supported by global business events would rank the sector as the 13th largest economy globally.” We’ve seen encouraging progress from this vital…
Attracting knowledge, investment, and talent to a destination as the 3 pillars of a Knowledge & Creative Economy requires an ability to attract -and convene – business and professional communities from all over the world. The City of Calgary, famed for its Stampede, has emerged as a round-the-clock meeting space for all manner of sectoral…
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From Boldpush & Momentus: This exclusive report reveals how venue and event leaders across 50+ countries are reshaping the industry. We’ve uncovered the key trends, challenges, and opportunities that forward-thinking venues are focusing on today. From new technology and data use to better guest experiences and smarter operations, this research gives venue operators and event…
From Destination Canada: At IMEX Frankfurt, we shared insights that are reshaping how the global business events community thinks about legacy. Destination Canada’s Virginie De Visscher, together with The Iceberg, #MEET4IMPACT and GainingEdge revealed Year 2 findings of the Legacy & Impact Study—a groundbreaking initiative spotlighting the beyond-tourism benefits of business events.
From IAPCO: The results of the Global Socio-Political Impact Survey of 2025 which was issued by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), in collaboration with the National PCO Association Task Force members and global Strategic Partners, show two-thirds of respondents (59.53%) reported that global conflicts have impacted their ability to plan or host…
From Destinations International: This survey aims to gather your expert insights on emerging trends and strategic priorities that destination organizations should pursue over the next three years. Your perspectives will help shape the future direction of destination marketing and management organizations, including Destination Organizations (DOs), DMOs, DMMOs, CVBs, national/state/regional tourism offices, chambers of commerce, and…
From Boardroom: Just ahead of IMEX Frankfurt, a report has come out to reshape how destinations and associations collaborate in a shifting global environment. Purpose Under Pressure: Global Association Trends in 2025 – the result of a partnership between BestCities Global Alliance and Strategic Membership Solutions – unveils compelling data from 586 association professionals across…
Whilst there are unique Brexit-related challenges facing the UK and European Union with regard to cross-border events delivery and collaboration, the issues raised are relevant for all regions of the world. Business Events are collaborative, internationally-minded, complex and fast-moving: the more work visa restrictions apply to our sector, the more we will be held back…
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Ex-UFI CEO turned industry thought-leader Kai Hattendorf was ubiquitous at this year’s IMEX, challenging the industry to up its game in terms of global advocacy, arguing that this is even more critical than ever during a time of geopolitical flux and uncertainty, and then eloquently demonstrating in a series of interviews how to frame the…
Follow Geneviève Leclerc’s novel experiment through this series of LinkedIn posts, as she attempts to rigorously apply the “BE Impactful Framework” (designed to measure the overall business, intellectual and societal impact of an event) to her own PERSONAL impact and value gained from attending IMEX 2025 in Frankfurt.
From Meetings International: Few names resonate as firmly in business events as that of Rick Taylor, who has played a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s business events industry. With a career that spans decades, his contributions have left a permanent mark on the industry, shaping the narrative of business events as powerful catalysts for economic…
The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) broke new ground when it successfully brought all industry organisations and stakeholders under one umbrella organisation. In so doing, its CEO, Melissa Brown, has the mandate to craft the message conveyed to government – across all departments. As its chair, Peter King, reminded The Iceberg when the association was…
By Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, German Convention Bureau: How Business Events Can Adapt to Megatrends and Unlock Future Business Potential Business events remain vital arenas for innovation and strategic dialogue. Yet, in a rapidly changing world shaped by technological, societal and environmental shifts, these platforms are undergoing transformation themselves. In its most recent research phase,…
From 1TourismWorld: Jane Cunningham, Director of European Engagement at Destinations International, highlights a pivotal shift in destination management toward community-focused stewardship. She emphasizes prioritizing citizens’ interests, ensuring tourism contributes positively to local life rather than becoming a burden. Cunningham advocates engaging communities in tourism planning and aligning visitor experiences with residents’ values, promoting sustainable growth….
From Centre for Events & Festivals: What if we’ve been measuring the value of the Olympic Games all wrong? For decades, critics and champions of mega-events have sparred over their economic and social impact. Are they a catalyst for sustainable change—or just a two-week spectacle with ballooning costs? But maybe we’re asking the wrong question….
MICE/BE/CVB/LINK veteran Gary Grimmer reinvigorates an age-old challenge: we may understand and are able to communicate the scale and range of impacts that our events deliver for destinations, organisations, attendees and society at large, but what is the best way to present our sector to policymakers and other non-insiders? Is it possible or even desirable…
From Skift Meetings, by Andrea Doyle: A temporary U.S.-China tariff rollback is offering short-term relief for the global events industry, which has suffered under trade tensions that disrupted supply chains, cut budgets, and cast a shadow over international shows. Greater Pacific, a 31-year-old U.S.-based promotional products supplier, had paused all projects after the tariffs took…
From Boardroom, by Dr Ole Petter Anfinsen: The COVID-19 pandemic drove a shift in how organisations manoeuvre, with many transitioning from traditional office settings to fully remote work almost overnight. What started as a substitute or interim measure soon revealed unexpected benefits—greater flexibility, cost savings, and access to a broader talent pool. Yet, as remote…
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Our lineup is all about igniting ideas, creating breakthroughs, and shaping the future of the meetings, events and incentives world, so come and share your game-changing ideas and insights with our global audience of corporate, agency and association planners. With C-suite executives through to those just beginning their event professional journey, and your expertise will…
Does your audiovisual production proposal read like a foreign language? After the venue, audiovisual is often one of the largest budget items, yet so often planners are unable to make sense of a typical proposal. Do you know how many lumens your projector should have? Should you use a PAR fixture or Lekos to light…
The CDME program prepares senior executives, who want to advance their careers to blend theory with experience and application of knowledge to help industry leaders thrive in a constantly changing environment. The program focus is on vision, leadership, productivity and implementing business strategies. An approved CDME Application is required prior to registering for courses. Please…
The Enhancing Events with AI certificate course (with refreshed content for 2025) is a tailor-made program for all event organizers who want to bring the power (and magic) of artificial intelligence (AI) into their work. This course goes beyond helping you understand AI. We’ll take you behind the scenes, revealing how to use the most…
Transform the way you deliver events… Two 6-week online courses, curated by isla, and designed to support you on your journey to become an expert in delivering sustainable events – one for beginners (The Sustainable Events Course) and one for those looking to further their existing knowledge (The Advanced Sustainable Events Course), in line with…
This advanced certificate course is designed to equip experienced event and meeting managers with the tools, resources, and business savvy to serve as a strategic advisor in designing, planning, and executing programs. Expanding on foundational and fundamental skills in event and meeting planning for in-person events, learners will explore progressive approaches to apply program strategy…
Now, more than ever, clients and stakeholders are bringing a laser-like focus to the R.O.I. of their events. With all the structural changes to the event industry wrought by the pandemic, decision-makers are scrutinizing how much money, time, and energy they invest in hosting, attending, exhibiting, and sponsoring events. And surveys alone won’t cut it….
The future of Africa looks bright. Ratified by a majority of African countries, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement will merge 55 economies into a single, competitive mega market of more than a billion people, making it one of the biggest free trade areas in the world. This also means that there will…
Earning the Events Industry Council’s Certified Meeting Planner designation showcases your industry expertise to employers and clients and enhances prestige among peers. However, with the last standardized exam in the rearview mirror for many, navigating the CMP-International Standards (CMP-IS) and related study material can be intimidating. This course from the long-time leaders in professional development…
The CityDNA Summer School is one of the flagship event of the meetings industry. It 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…
Learn how to manage destinations through regenerative business models, destination stewardship approaches, and stakeholder engagement methodologies. We are all under pressure: visitor economies, their host communities, the earth, and the vulnerable. We need a new approach that considers how interconnected networks – social, environmental, and economic – can work together to restore, replenish, and sustain…
If you are new to the events industry, looking to become an event or meeting planner, or you’ve been planning events for a while but never received the proper training, this is the ultimate course for you! By the end of this course, you’ll have a thorough understanding of how events work, why people and…
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AIPC – the International Association of Convention Centres – is the industry association for professional convention and exhibition centre managers world wide. AIPC is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention centre management, while at the same time providing the tools to achieve such high standards through its research, educational and networking programs. The…
The Meetings Show is the UK’s leading exhibition for the events, meetings, and incentives community. Proudly brought to you by Northstar Meetings Group, a name synonymous with excellence in the MICE industry, we’ve been bringing together thousands of event professionals since our launch in 2013. It’s an event all about connections – providing a platform…
The world of destination marketing and management is now completely different. Destination organization professionals of today must have a renewed focus on solutions to tackle the challenges of showcasing organizational strength and resilience that create welcoming communities and increase resident engagement. Now is the time to revisit the values of destination organizations through destination stewardship…
The Visitor Services Summit is a gathering of visitor experience and community engagement professionals. Join us as we focus on re-envisioning the purpose and value of the visitor center and how we engage with our communities, visitors, and residents. Learn from your peers as we share best practices, opportunities, and new innovations.
Northstar Meetings Group’s Luxury & Wellness Meetings event connects North American planners seeking luxury or wellness-focused venues for their meetings or incentives. Those who are selected to attend will participate in: Two productive days of pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings with suppliers; Insightful educational presentations from inspiring speakers; Great meals, receptions, and numerous networking opportunities with other…
Destination Southeast — Northstar’s destination-specific hosted-buyer event — brings together the most highly-qualified meeting and incentive buyers with top destinations, hotels/resorts, cruise lines, attractions, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the Southeastern states including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Attendees…
Join your industry peers for the must attend hosted-buyer event bringing together the most highly-qualified meeting and incentive buyers with top destinations, hotels/resorts, attractions, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the Midwest U.S. Meet buyers who are ready to book business in: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North…
M&C Asia Connections is an exclusive tabletop tradeshow that unites Asia’s top suppliers and global buyers in the MICE industry. This premier event offers a compelling agenda tailored for forward-thinking MICE professionals to forge impactful connections through pre-scheduled 1-to-1 business appointments and enriching networking sessions. Leveraging Northstar’s comprehensive global MICE database and esteemed brands, M&C…
An attendee favorite, Destination Caribbean + Islands, brings together the most highly qualified meeting and incentive buyers with top destinations, hotels/resorts, cruise lines, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the Caribbean. Attendees participate in one-on-one prescheduled appointments with strongly vetted buyers, gain industry insights from our guest speakers, and network with…
Destination California — Northstar’s destination-specific hosted-buyer event — enables attendees to experience firsthand the most desirable destinations, hotels and activities for successful meetings, while making invaluable business connections. This unique event is hosted by Northstar Meetings Group’s leading brands—Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, and Incentive magazine.
City Destinations Alliance is proud to partner with Visit Tórshavn and Visit Faroe Islands to bring our community to this unique destination and can’t wait to explore its stunning landscapes and rich culture together. To better align with available flight connections, the conference will take place from Tuesday to Thursday instead of the usual Wednesday…
IMEX America is the largest trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry. Our award-winning show brings the meetings industry together to do a year’s worth of business under one roof. Suppliers and buyers from every sector of the meetings industry come together at IMEX, held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino,…
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Managing Director and owner of SFA Connect (trading name for Sarah Fleming Associates Ltd), Sarah has over 25 years’ experience in the Meetings Industry. She was a board director of a leading UK PCO for ten years where she handled numerous large, high-profile events all over the world. Through this work she gained an in-depth…
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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…
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Heike Mahmoud has been Chief Operating Officer (COO) and authorized signatory at Estrel Berlin, Europe’s largest hotel, congress and entertainment complex with over 1,000 hotel rooms and 30,000 sqm of event space, since August 2024. She is responsible for the operational business of Estrel Berlin and the marketing of the new Estrel Tower, the first…
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John Burke is the General Manager of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) and is a senior venue operation professional with over 25 years’ experience working across all areas of venue and event management including leadership, commercial management, construction liaison, vendor management, programme management, facility operations & engineering, and audio visual (AV) & technical…
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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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Dr. Edward Koh has been leading the Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel division of the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, a group under the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), since 2019. He provides strategic counsel to attract quality association congresses and corporate-driven events to Singapore, maintaining its position as a leading International Convention and Meetings destination….
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Peirui joined UFI as the Programme Manager for Advocacy and Alliances in 2023. In this role, she collaborates with UFI members and partners to advance advocacy initiatives for the exhibitions industry globally. A Singaporean based in Frankfurt, Peirui brings over 20 years of international experience to her position. She has previously worked with the Singapore…
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A specialized journalist in the association management field, Remi has been active in the meetings industry for more than 15 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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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…
Ben works in the international not-for-profit sector with an emphasis on professional medical associations. Since 2019 Ben is Executive Director of EASL, European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL has over 5,000 members, an annual meeting with over 7,000 participants, a portfolio of hybrid educational meetings, an online education platform and mobile solutions…
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Flavie de Bueil has more than 20 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…
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Born in Toronto, Canada, Greg has divided his life between living in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. More than 25 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 centres. Greg had the…
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