PRESENTS
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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….
Australia is a hotbed of business event excellence, the country’s cities and states both competing and collaborating to win events for the destination. In this high-powered video double bill, The Iceberg hears once again from BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith, and also from Tourism Australia’s Robin Mack, about the role of meetings in diversifying destinations’ economies….
Located in the Beijing Olympic Green Area, the China National Convention Center, Phase 2 is on track to open in 2025. CNCC-II will host conferences, forums, and banquets for up to 20,000, as well as exhibition events for over 50,000. Rod Kamleshwaran, pre-opening international consultant of CNCC-II and partner at Iceberg partner GainingEdge, explains. From GainingEdge…
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has just staged its International Conference and General Assembly in Hamburg, rebranding during the event as the City Destinations Alliance. Visit Flanders and #Meet4impact presented a legacy collaboration there, and the latter’s Geneviève Leclerc now explains how the SDGs make a great framework around which to anchor the legacy of association meetings….
Glasgow, home of the famous Glasgow Botanic Gardens, will welcome over 2,000 soil scientists this summer for the quadrennial World Congress of Soil Science. Over the past twelve months, the city’s convention bureau secured 71 new conferences, expected to bring about 36,000 delegates to Glasgow and add £53 million to its coffers. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
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Kai Hattendorf, the omnipresent managing director of UFI and past president of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) reports back from COP27 with a progress report on the sector-wide Net Zero Carbon Events movement. “We’ve done what we initially wanted to achieve in three years in just eighteen months through the power of collaboration.”…
At Convening Leaders this month, PCMA confirmed a partnership with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) as it builds defences amid escalating climate crisis. The collaboration brings the largest earth and climate scientific community on side to confirm the data associated with the sector and to demystify the false narrative, the fake carbon footprint, being levied…
Business events are poised to make a vital contribution to Dubai’s economic development and tourism growth, with another exceptional year of successful bids for international conferences, congresses, meetings and incentive travel programmes. Dubai Business Events said it won 232 bids in 2022, almost twice as many as in 2021. From Government of Dubai Media Office…
The Council of the District of Columbia in the US has approved legislation for a temporary 1% increase in the hotel tax that will go to Destination DC (DDC) to market the destination. Authorities believe the move will raise more than $20m per year for four years. From Conference & Meetings World…
CES brought in more attendees than organizers had initially anticipated during the annual four-day tech trade show. The convention brought an estimated 115,000 industry professionals to the Strip, the Consumer Technology Association announced, marking a significant year-over-year increase in attendance but still lower than pre-pandemic figures. From Las Vegas Review-Journal…
The Events Industry Council (EIC), the global voice of the business events industry on advocacy, research, professional recognition and standards, today announced the election of officers and directors to its 2023 Board of Directors. Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President and CEO, PCMA and CEMA transitions to Chair of EIC. From Events Industry Council…
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has revealed the speakers for its Knowledge Program, which takes place the day before the show floor opens for meetings between the world’s business events buyers and sellers next month. Sessions presented by industry have been broken down into emotional intelligence and classic intelligence sessions. From micenet…
In the normal pre-pandemic years of 2018 and 2019 there were over 80 reported exhibition transactions with over 50 buyers. As reported at the end of 2020 and 2021, Covid resulted in about 50% of normal M&A activity. 2022 represented the first post-Covid year but activity was still well below historic levels. From Exhibition News…
Malaysia’s regional CVB, Business Events Sarawak has signed a collaborative agreement with the Professional Convention Management Association as a strategic partner to develop the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies. IJBEL claims to be the world’s first academic journal to merge business events and legacy topics under one title. From Conference & Meetings World…
At PCMA Convening Leaders 2023, Destination DC (DDC), the official destination marketing organization for Washington, DC, provides an update on the benefits of meeting in DC and the organization’s convention sales and services strategies to attract events of all sizes to the nation’s capital. From Destination DC…
After three years, mainland China opened sea and land crossings with Hong Kong and ended a requirement for incoming travellers to quarantine, dismantling a final pillar of a zero-COVID policy that had shielded China’s 1.4 billion people from the virus but also cut them off from the rest of the world. From Reuters…
Welcoming international conference delegates back to the USA and tackling climate change will be top of the agenda for the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) this year. Specifically, the organisation, which was established in 2021 during the pandemic, wants to restore visas to pre-pandemic levels and ‘encourage smart decarbonisation’. From Association Meetings International…
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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…
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…
The International Academy of Pathology (IAP) is the largest worldwide professional body of Pathologists. Dedicated to the advancement of Pathology through educational exchanges worldwide, IAP has numerous divisions in countries and regions including Asia Pacific, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Bridge to a Cure, the 34th World Congress, hosted in Sydney was one of…
What happens when associations prioritise long-term positive impact in the early planning stages of their event? And what kind of activities and outcomes can it lead to? To cast light on this, Copenhagen Legacy Lab is launching a series of legacy case studies. Throughout 2022, Copenhagen Legacy Lab has been rolled out at several congresses…
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UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released the latest, 30th edition of its flagship Global Exhibition Barometer research, which takes the pulse of the industry. The results highlight the quickening pace of the industry’s recovery in 2022 and a positive outlook for 2023. Download the Report here: UFI Global Exhibition Barometer, January…
The GDS-Index is a destination-level programme that measures, benchmarks and improves the sustainability strategy and performance of tourism and events destinations. The GDS-ICCA-CityDNA 4-month course for Regenerative Destination Management starts on 2nd March 2023 The 2022 GDS-Index showcases brave, bold and pioneering destinations that recognise the urgent need to work together to regenerate cities…
The Business of Events (TBOE) launched the second edition of its Global Destination Report at IBTM World in Barcelona. The report, conducted by specialist business events research agency, SFA Connect on behalf of TBOE, is looking to establish how the industry has changed since 2019. The research focused on six main areas, including funding, volume…
Last year, the IBTM World Trends report found itself looking at new frontiers. How had the meetings and events landscape changed in the wake of the pandemic, what behaviours had been adopted, how were other industries looking at this same landscape? Also, how was the global economy dictating the future welfare of our own market…
The 12th annual Global Meetings and Events Forecast is based on a survey of 580 meetings and events professionals from around the world and interviews with industry leaders. The survey ran in May and June 2022. Respondents represent corporations, associations, buyers and suppliers from five continents and 23 countries. The result is a statistically and…
During BestCities Global Forum 2022, Capilano University’s School of Tourism Research and Destination Vancouver shared groundbreaking research resulting from a comprehensive Legacy Impact Study. This partnership between industry and academia will create a framework of best practices guiding associations towards ideating and executing sustainable, purpose-driven events that exceed the standard expected by delegates today.
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Iceberg Ambassador Jane Cunningham, director of European engagement at Destinations International, has concluded her ‘Year of the Ear’ and plans to unveil the organisation’s community-led pathway to European services at IMEX in Frankfurt. Cunningham is seeking to elevate the role of the DMO beyond the visitor economy.
Outgoing CEO at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Peter King, reflects on the needs of the business events sector to have a ‘North Star’ upon which to attract talent. In a parting message, the former AIPC president hints that he still has a significant contribution to make to the broader wellbeing of the sector’s…
Rory G. Archibald confirms the mission of New Intent – a movement designed to galvanise diversity, equity, and inclusion across the business events sector. In an exclusive video, Archibald explains that the ambition is to go far beyond housekeeping, beyond box-ticking, or DEI-washing. “We have a duty to do this or we are doing humanity…
Iceberg Ambassador Tommy Goodwin, Vice President, Government Affairs for the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance, discusses the value and power of advocacy for the meetings industry. ECA has spearheaded a number of programmes to help small businesses and key stakeholders across the industry within the US. From Skift Meetings…
Known for the close connection to its people, Guadalajara in Mexico has set a steady course to help elevate their quality of life through innovation and the strategic attraction of business events. With extensive support from the government, Guadalajara is consolidating its 4.0 economy while promoting its strengths in the meetings industry. From Boardroom Global…
In his work as an organizational psychologist and consultant, Adam Grant has seen a lot of companies go out of business, he told a packed audience at Convening Leaders 2023. It wasn’t because their leaders weren’t good at thinking, said Grant, “They were too slow when it came to rethinking.” From PCMA…
Originally broadcast live on YouTube & LinkedIn on 5th Jan, Dan Assor chatted with Kai Hattendorf, CEO of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, about the the key trends for 2023: Doubling Down on Customer Focus; The Climate Crisis Will Hit; More Data, Less Hype; Staffing Stays Key; Accelerating Change. From Dan Assor…
Sustainability and climate scientist professor Kimberly Nicholas sums up the climate challenge concisely, stressing: “It’s warming. It’s us. We’re sure. It’s bad. We can fix it.” But what role do associations play? How is it us? And how can we fix it? From Association Meetings International…
The CEO of Iceberg partner UFI, Kai Hattendorf (pictured right!) has been looking into his crystal ball yet again as the year ends. With the pandemic lingering in some territories, Russia’s war in Ukraine, inflation skyrocketing and the climate crisis, what are the key trends to see business events through 2023? From Exhibition News…
Copenhagen Convention Bureau launched the Copenhagen Legacy Lab in 2019 to bridge international congresses held in Copenhagen with the local public, business and science communities. This Iceberg partner lets global associations both to achieve their objectives and solve societal challenges through events, and it aims to create the world’s leading hub for legacy. From Meetings International…
Jane Cunningham has worked for hotels, a convention centre, a DMO (destination marketing organisation) and a PCO (professional conference organiser). She has also worked for two Iceberg partners, BestCities Global Alliance and Destinations International. Here she offers her thinking on legacy and Net Zero Carbon Events. From Meetings International…
Meeting planners reacted strongly to the US Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights. Over 40 percent said state abortion legislation would influence site-selection decisions. But Iceberg partner Destinations International has been on a mission to convince groups that travel boycotts simply do not work. From Northstar Meetings Group…
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AIME kicks off with the popular Knowledge Program. The 2023 theme: Your Industry. Your Opportunity. What is the opportunity for the events industry now? will focus on your wellbeing, your inspiration levels, your IQ and EQ development so you can leave feeling engaged, renewed and armed with new skills to take your events and your…
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…
The event is designed for ICCA Africa members as an educational seminar and to informally network with the hosted association buyers. Deepen your knowledge of international and regional association meetings, build relationships and network with prospective association executives, hear first-hand the objectives, challenges and needs of associations.
The AIPC Academy is the only comprehensive professional development program specifically serving the needs of international convention centre managers! Designed to address the critical need for centres to maintain fully qualified staff in a highly competitive industry, the AIPC Academy provides a targeted, cost effective form of training and development along with the means to…
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,…
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By invitation only. The Global CEO Summit, or the GCS as it is also known, is UFI’s most exclusive event. It serves as the exhibition industry’s annual curtain raiser event for the most senior executives worldwide. The GCS event offers top-level content, dialogues and excellent networking – all in a relaxed environment.
The summit is the preeminent gathering place of marketing, communications and public relations professionals dedicated to helping destination organizations thrive. This year’s summit will challenge you to think about your role within destination organizations as communities tackle new and diverse issues. Topics include social media and blog content strategy creation, building creative environments for your…
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS – The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) is the leading trade event for the meetings and event industry in the Asia Pacific region. AIME is where industry decision makers connect, create and do business. We bring together international and local buyers to access the best exhibitors from around the world.
AIPC is proud to announce its first Africa Summit, which will take place on February 27th at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg (South-Africa), just before the start of Meetings Africa. During this one-day summit, which will be a combination of lectures and facilitated networking, we will touch upon both the global outlook for convention…
For 40 years Confex has delivered ideas, inspiration and a meeting ground for the events industry. Over that period, the events landscape has changed beyond recognition and International Confex has evolved with it, from ground-breaking technology, crazy feature builders, wow factor venues, standout destinations to a vivid showcase of all the elements that make events…
Over the years, UFI’s Asia-Pacific Conference has become one of the exhibition industry’s most important gatherings for learning and networking in the region. More information about the event coming soon; pre register here…
POP is an annual one-trip call-to-action for business events stakeholders everywhere to gather in Washington, D.C. — through a series of co-located new/existing experiences — as one global movement to do business, architect their future, demonstrate the power of inclusivity, showcase innovation and insights, and advance key policy initiatives.
The Convention Sales & Services Summit is a cross-functional gathering of sales and services professionals dedicated to helping clients plan and execute successful meetings and events. This year’s summit will challenge you to think about your role and your destination differently, providing insights and information that will promote a deeper collaboration in the sales and…
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…
IBTM Asia Pacific is the leading event for the meetings and events industry in the region bringing together a high calibre group of international, APAC regional and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking. The event is under-pinned by IBTM’s sophisticated, industry-leading Hosted Buyer programme which…
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…
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Heike Mahmoud has been Chief Operating Officer (COO) of CCH – Congress Center Hamburg since March 1st, 2018. As COO and a fully authorized officer, the business administration professional is also a member of the Executive Board of Hamburg Messe und Congress. The new CCH was officially opened by the First Mayor of the Free…
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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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A passionate and dedicated leader, Carina Bauer is the CEO of the IMEX Group – an organisation responsible for organising the leading global trade shows for the international business events industry. Carina is passionate about the business events sector and its impact on the world, taking a particular interest in issues around sustainability, diversity and…
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For the last 15 years, Guy has been delivering award-winning consulting services focused on helping cities, governments, corporations and associations step up, scale up and speed up their sustainability programmes and regenerative practices. Guy’s pioneering work has been recognised with 22 sustainability awards including the Events Industry Council Pacesetter Award, and recognition as a Fellow…
Jane loves life in the Nordics and the spirit of Scotland. Her expertise is based on 20 years of experience across the global meetings industry. Over this time she has been fortunate to have gained wonderful experience and friends from working for some great hotels, a convention centre, a destination marketing organisation, a PCO, and…
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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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Ms Petra Stušek is Managing Director of the Ljubljana Tourism and President of the Board at European Cities Marketing, a non-profit organization which aims at improving the competitiveness and performance of city tourism destinations in Europe, including the leading ones. Prior to this, she managed communications for the foreign and domestic public at Ljubljana Tourism, which…
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Sven joined AIPC as CEO in May 2020. Together with the Board, the Members and the Business Partners he will be spearheading a transformation programme which will result into an entirely new value proposal to Convention and Exhibition Centres across the globe based on the changing needs of the members and the challenges they are…
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Gemmeke has over 15 years of experience in the meetings industry. She advises especially international associations on how to develop positive impact on the longer term with their conferences or events within Flanders (Northern Belgium) and Brussels together with the different stakeholders in the Quadruple Helix. Based in the capital of the European Union, Gemmeke…
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Kai Hattendorf is Managing Director / CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. As such, he is responsible for UFI activities and events globally, as well as the operation of its offices and presences in Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, and Bogota. From 2019 to 2021, Kai served as Honorary President…
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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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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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