The Beautiful Incalculability of Our Inherently Messy Industry
Having worked in our sector for almost four decades, it’s fascinating to observe the continuing struggles to “define” our industry, to calculate its value, impact and outputs, to get policymakers and business leaders (and even our own industry insiders!) to recognise its massive scale and scope. The latest chapter is the belated recognition by venture capital, well covered in this edition’s Features section, that business events are truly worth multi-billion-dollar investments. These huge investors can see that trust-building face-to-face interactions are the only smart play in the era of AI disinformation, and many will no doubt aim to build near-monopolies that can “own the vertical” in selected growth industries.
But can they succeed? Will they be able to replicate the controlling power of Big Tech, Big Finance and the many B2B and B2C sectors that are increasingly run by small numbers of mega-corporations?
In a word (and thankfully!), the answer is “no”: we are simply too messy! We have almost no barriers to entry: any smart idea or under-accommodated challenge or passionate and driven individual can kick-start a successful meeting. Associations, companies, entrepreneurs, small groups of like-minded experts, even cities are all potential players and competitors in any given field. We have almost no barriers to exit: delegates and sponsors can vote with their feet after a single unhappy experience with zero penalty. If a Congress centre isn’t available we can organise in a park or across an entire city. If one destination won’t play ball, there are thousands of others ready to step into the breach to host or even to invent a competing event themselves. There will always be more events than we can count; and millions of individual outcomes that are never quantified.
Having said that, policymakers always feel the need for facts and figures, and advocates have to respond. In our Reports & Research section you’ll find plenty of ammunition, from EIC’s and Oxford Economics’ broad-brushstroke US$1.3 trillion worldwide estimate, to IAPCO’s €17.36 billion value related just to the events run by its members, to GCB’s country-specific barometer, to single-venue impact reports.
Perhaps more importantly, and definitely more messily, Case Studies from Strasbourg, Copenhagen and across Canada will provide a different perspective, defining value less in dollar or euro terms and more in terms of healthcare improvements, knowledge transfers, and societally valuable legislative change, all incredibly difficult to quantify but invaluable stories to communicate. Meanwhile under News, you can gain a sense of the complex evolution of our industry in real time, from Vietnam to Washington DC, from China to Paris!
Getting back to messiness: our Opinions section demonstrates this nature of our industry perfectly! Scepticism and idealism, calls to move from promises to proof, despair, utopianism and realism. The business events sector doesn’t lack for passionately held views. And it is precisely in the cauldron of differences of opinion and experience and perspective at every meeting that genuine innovation and societal progress take shape.
Finally, alongside its often beautiful messiness, another incalculably valuable attribute of our industry is altruism. Few things exemplify this better than the Destination Canada Legacy and Impact study, whose invaluable insights and case studies are shared throughout this newsletter, and Copenhagen Convention Bureau making their innovative Risk Navigator, a comprehensive toolbox of risk management models and resources, freely available to their peers and competitors worldwide. Check out these and other inspiring stories below!
The Curator
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Copenhagen Convention Bureau launched the Copenhagen Risk Navigator at this year’s IMEX, and explained that this comprehensive, practical collection of 14 different risk management tools has been custom-developed and made available freely to the entire business events community: destinations and organisers / owners, as well as industry suppliers. Developed by CCB in partnership with GainingEdge…
David Adler, GatheringPoint.News, explains why big investors have decided the most valuable asset in an artificial age is a room of people who showed up, and have spent US$5 billion in five weeks to prove it. The events business has become a veracity business, and veracity is in short supply in the age of AI.
As the events industry pushes for greater inclusivity, new parents, especially mothers, are asking why so many events still turn them away at the door. For many parents, particularly those with infants who are breastfeeding or not yet in childcare, the inability to bring a child means skipping the events entirely. From Skift…
The latest edition of IMEX’s European show offered participants a glimpse of the state of the global events industry. Compared to last year, the geopolitical uncertainty was more obvious and no more resolved, but somehow the events world appears to have become used to this level of stress, on both buyer and supplier sides.
From Māori-led programming to youth-led declarations, New Zealand’s conferences are shaped by values as much as venues. In M&C Asia’s latest cover story on legacy in business events, Penelope Ryan, Tourism New Zealand Global Manager Business Events, explains how the country deliberately engineers long-term legacy across every event it hosts.
#MEET4IMPACT’s Geneviève Leclerc summarises Destination Canada’s Legacy and Impact Study with four key conclusions: impact moves like a chain reaction; inclusion isn’t a programme, it is architecture; impact doesn’t scale by accident; frameworks are not documents, they are the architecture of intention. From #MEET4IMPACT…
Today, legacy matters just as much as delegate numbers, room nights and economic impact. Across Asia-Pacific, destinations are embedding legacy thinking into each stage of the event lifecycle, from bid strategy to programme design and post-event tracking. M&C Asia asks how convention bureaus are turning business events into catalysts for lasting change and impact.
Apollo bought 140 trade shows. Searchlight bought CloserStill. MARI bought the consumer side. In short: Apollo, Searchlight, and MARI just spent $5B on live events in seven months. What looked like isolated deals may signal a broader shift: live events becoming a serious asset class. David Adler spells out the profound implications of these mega-purchases.
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At the recent edition of The Meetings Show Asia Pacific, held in Singapore, Northstar Travel Group’s CEO Jason Young reported healthy growth in buyer attendance, pre-booked business meetings and exhibition space booked, along with strong positive sentiments from all sectors of the industry. Young pointed to the growing importance for show organisers of offering high…
At PCMA’s recent Asia-Pacific conference in Singapore, Chair Kelly Ricker and CEO & President Sherrif Karamat called for stronger alignment amongst all players in the industry if we are to be heard more clearly by policymakers and others outside our sector. PCMA’s Vision 2030 aims to unite these diverse voices, anticipate global challenges, and ensure…
The recent unveiling of Hongqiao Tech Week is the latest sign that the global technology events landscape is becoming closer tied to the Chinese market. Taking place in Shanghai in November, the event will bring together enterprises, startups, investors and leaders across sectors including AI, future mobility, digital infrastructure, and life sciences. From M&C/ASIA…
The recent cancellation of a prominent African financial conference comes as confirmed Ebola cases surge, raising questions about whether more meetings will be impacted, not just within Africa itself, but at events in destinations such as India and the Middle East which have traditionally relied on large numbers of African delegates.
According to the results of a recent Cvent survey, while 87 per cent of event professionals are more confident in using AI-generated content, 85 per cent believe their audiences are growing increasingly sceptical of whether content is genuinely created by humans and whether information is accurate.
‘Influence Architecture: The 15 Laws of How Washington Actually Works: A Field Guide for the Leaders Who Pay for Outcomes.’ ECA’s Tommy Goodwin strongly recommends this new book written by Austin O’Boyle as an essential guide for anyone in the Business Events sector whose organisation is planning or participating in a US advocacy campaign.
Destinations International (DI) has announced an expanded organisational commitment to advocacy and destination policy aligned with its newly launched Advocacy & Action Strategic Roadmap. The initiative reinforces DI’s vision of positioning destination organisations as essential leaders in advancing community vitality, economic growth and long-term destination resilience.
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and FIEXPO Exhibitions Group have announced the launch of the FIEXPO & IAPCO Emerging Leaders Programme – LATAM and Jorge Castex Scholarship, a new regional initiative designed to identify, develop and support the next generation of leaders across the meetings and events industry in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Progressive policies and culture converge with mega-venue developments as Vietnam’s US$6 billion MICE sector is primed for growth. This pivotal growth phase is supported by economic stability, rising consumer spending and government efforts to liberalise the cultural and events industries, according to leaders speaking at the 2026 Exhibition, Event and Advertising Summit in Hanoi.
Planners are confronting a broader and more complex risk landscape, from violence and cyberattacks to fraud and workplace safety gaps. In response, a coalition of industry associations is working to revive and expand a security initiative designed to help convention centres, trade shows, and meeting organisers better prepare for a widening range of risks.
Global Destinations Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement) revealed the winners of Innovation, Impact, and new Changemaker Awards, recognising leading destinations driving positive transformation across the tourism and events sectors, during the GDS-Awards Ceremony, held as part of the GDS-Forum and Impact Day in Szczecin, Poland.
The Paris je t’aime Convention Bureau and Choose Paris Region recently jointly launched the Guichet Unique Grands Événements, a one-stop portal for major events. One team, one contact, one voice for events of 500 participants or more – across association congresses, corporate events and agency-led programmes.
On 29 May 2026, ECA, UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and MAD Event Management hosted the inaugural Global Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. This invitation-only forum brought together leaders from across the global business and professional events industry for a focused dialogue on key cross-border policy issues shaping the industry’s future.
The Events Industry Council (EIC), in collaboration with the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), today announced the next phase of its targeted refinement of the Sustainable Event Standards (SES), marking a significant step forward in strengthening alignment, usability and real-world application across the global business events sustainability landscape.
226 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of the ECA’s annual Legislative Action Day to meet with members of Congress with a unified message: our industry is a proven engine of economic resilience and growth, that requires a policy environment to match.
The Sustainable Event Goals are 13 interlinked goals designed to minimise negative environmental and social impacts while maximising positive economic outcomes, and translating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into clear, actionable, event-specific guidance for organisers, suppliers, destinations, and partners across the global Business Events ecosystem. From Kenes Group…
The 2026 edition of IMEX Frankfurt closed today, confirming its biggest show floor to date, combined with strong buyer and exhibitor numbers. The show (May 19-21) saw almost 3,000 exhibiting companies, from destinations and venues to tech providers and event agencies, all representing the breadth of a future-focused global industry.
Meetings Capitalized is a fresh approach shaped by research and focus groups, which identifies experiential design as a defining priority for meeting planners. DDC’s updated approach makes it easy for planners to lead with experiences and outcomes, with Washington, DC’s institutions and offerings becoming integral to the meeting experience itself. From Exhibitor…
The 2026 Economic Significance of Business Events study by EIC found that the “invisible industry” — a term coined by Charles Osgood to describe “an industry that no one thinks about, let alone thinks about as an industry” — supports 24.2 million jobs and contributes $3.1 trillion in sales to the global economy. From Skift…
Saudi Arabia has invested billions to become a global meetings hub, but Routes World’s decision to move its flagship event to Frankfurt shows attendee confidence can outweigh even the most ambitious destination strategy. It will now run October 21–23 at Messe Frankfurt, instead of October 27–29 at Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. From Skift…
The Academy of Management is pulling its 2027 annual conference out of the U.S. through 2031, relocating meetings to Europe and Canada after members raised alarm over U.S. immigration enforcement and the political environment facing international scholars. The 2026 conference will be the last on U.S. soil for at least five years. From Skift…
Leading associations expert Thomas Reiser has joined business events industry consulting firm GainingEdge. Reiser has more than 25 years’ experience working within international associations, including the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, association management companies and PCOs. His main role will be to focus on expanding GainingEdge’s service portfolio towards international associations. From AMI…
Angola has officially launched the Angola Convention Bureau, marking a key milestone in its ambition to become one of Africa’s emerging destinations for business events. The inauguration on 6 May at the Talatona Convention Centre in Luanda, brought together around 400 delegates from government, tourism, aviation, hospitality and the international events industry. From M&C/ASIA…
Three of the world’s leading events and exhibition associations have joined forces to unite and strengthen their European advocacy work under a single body: the European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA). The move expands the existing European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), founded by EMECA and UFI in 2012, to formally incorporate ICCA…
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This paper summarises the Legacy Event Advocacy Policy Summit 2025 and explains the significance of the Borneo Legacy Declaration as a strategic framework for advancing sustainable development, legacy creation, and policy integration through business events, highlighting how the Declaration aligns with sustainability and legacy theories, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and Sarawak’s long-term development agenda.
The value of a congress is increasingly assessed beyond attendance figures or immediate economic return – its significance lies in its capacity to reshape ecosystems, accelerate knowledge circulation, and anchor territories within global networks of influence. The SRS Annual Meeting 2025, hosted in Strasbourg, offers a particularly instructive example of this shift.
Held alongside the 2026 European Congress on Gynaecological Oncology, the ESGO Legacy event convened leading experts, policymakers, patient advocates and industry representatives in Copenhagen to advance sustainable improvements in women’s cancer care. “Imagine a Europe where your address no longer determines your survival,” outgoing ESGO Vice-President Associate Professor Maja Pakiz said as she opened the…
Destination Canada’s three-year Legacy & Impact Study highlights the long-term economic, social and environmental benefits of major events hosted in Canada. This case study examines how the 11th International Conference on Isotopes (ICI) leveraged Saskatoon’s nuclear expertise to respond to instability in global isotope supply, vital to healthcare and food security worldwide. The…
The International Water Association World Water Congress & Exhibition brought together academics, utility leaders and water professionals from around the world to advance global scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange in water management. It is a strong example of how hosting an international event can elevate domestic participation and raise the profile of national stakeholders.
The International Marine Protected Areas Congress was intentionally scheduled to occur six weeks after COP15 to maximize relevance and impact. It brought together global Marine Protected Area practitioners to work toward conserving 30% of the ocean by 2030, emphasizing MPA networks, the blue economy, biodiversity, climate action, and the connection between ocean culture and wellbeing.
The International Conference on Liquefied Natural Gas offered a critical platform to discuss the energy sector’s role in enhancing global security following Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, and address other issues such as eliminating energy poverty and tackling the climate crisis. The Canadian Gas Association staged a world-class event that highlighted Canada’s clean energy potential.
The International Social Innovation Research Conference brought together academics, researchers and practitioners from more than 30 countries to share and discuss the latest research and ideas on social innovation. The conference focused on themes such as social entrepreneurship, social impact and social innovation policy, and included workshops and doctoral sessions to support early-career scholars.
The MACRO World Polymer Congress 2022 brought together the global polymer science community for the first time in Canada. The goal of the gathering was to advance international research collaborations, strengthen the profile of Canadian polymer science, and create valuable career development opportunities for graduate students and early career researchers.
The International Metropolis Conference brought together 1,400+ participants from over 100 countries, making it one of the largest global gatherings focused on migration and integration. The purpose of the event was to reinforce Canada’s international leadership on migration governance, while simultaneously strengthening local research and civil society networks addressing immigration and settlement.
The goal of GLOBExCHANGE 2025 was to bring Canada’s clean economy transition to life. The event served as a catalyst for collaboration across government, industry, finance and civil society, translating climate and sustainability commitments into tangible partnerships, policy initiatives and new sectoral platforms.
The UN Biodiversity Conference aimed to finalize and adopt a new post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which would guide international action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Canada’s role was to provide the political and logistical platform for multilateral negotiations. The conference exemplified the role of business events as platforms for transformative environmental policy.
The AquaCulture Canada and World Aquaculture Society North America event showcases how business events can deliver substantial value across multiple domains when it is strongly linked to sectoral development. The conference amplified visibility for the local industry and provided momentum for long-term positioning in ocean tech and sustainable seafood development.
The 24th International AIDS Conference represented a significant moment in the global HIV response, uniting researchers, policymakers, clinicians and people living with HIV. For the International AIDS Society, it was an opportunity to accelerate scientific evidence and global solidarity. For local stakeholders, it mobilized the pursuit of renewed advocacy and expanded service access.
The International Council of Nurses Congress in Montréal highlighted the significant impact of global business events in raising visibility, shaping policy and promoting sectoral reform. The event set out to address post-pandemic workforce challenges, stimulate dialogue on systemic racism and equity, and influence ethical recruitment practices amid acute global nursing workforce shortages.
In conjunction with Gothenburg hosting the AC Forum Annual Meeting 2026, Gothenburg Convention Bureau and AC Forum collaborated to design a joint impact project. The initiative aims to strengthen the destination’s understanding of international associations and their meetings, build local capacity to attract and host international congresses more effectively, and foster stronger partnerships with associations.
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Deanna Varga, CEO & Founder of Mayvin Global, has published a series of three follow-up White Papers to her COVID and Association Toolkit papers for association leaders. The overall theme is Mission and Margin, with three strategic areas of attention: Financial Sustainability, Mitigating Risk and Innovating for Growth. Varga notes that associations frequently struggle to…
Kai Hattendorf, Partner at JWC, outlines the objectives and key principles behind their new Destination Development Model, designed for DMOs and policymakers to measure how a destination’s current mix of business events is impacting key economic and societal objectives, and where there is the potential for key priorities to be supported by targeting events in…
At their IMEX press conference in Frankfurt, Destination Canada and #MEET4IMPACT presented this extended summary of the findings from the multi-year, multi-event Canadian Legacy & Impact Study, focusing on the key drivers of long-term impact, the critical success factors that determine whether impact strategies will be effective, and the wide range of tactical legacy drivers…
In the latest PULSE Survey, planner optimism has increased dramatically: The percentage of planners who are more optimistic than they were two months ago has nearly doubled since the March PULSE Survey. The research indicates meetings demand is strong — and that planners must navigate significant cost-related and geopolitical challenges to execute those business events.
Developed by USTA’s Group Travel Network, MMTM is a unified industry platform and resource kit aimed at shaping how business executives understand when and why meeting in person is worthwhile. These resources are designed to be adapted and distributed to marketing and sales teams to incorporate into client campaigns, sales conversations and content channels.
The International Research Foundation (IRF) and Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), with research partner Oxford Economics, have launched the 2026 edition of the Incentive Travel Index (ITI), the most comprehensive and longest-running annual study of the global incentive travel industry, exploring geopolitical risk, AI adoption, qualifier preferences and the future of destination management companies.
This article from the Centre for Events and Festivals analyses and summarises a new research report on long-term event impact from the University of Technology Sydney Business School, which shows governments are vastly underselling their investment in attracting conferences, justifying it purely with tourism data such as delegate hotel spend.
Destination Canada’s research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of how events create lasting economic, social and environmental impact. In collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT and GainingEdge, thousands of data points were analyzed from 15 global events hosted across Canada in key sectors. The findings are clear: impact is not accidental — it is engineered.
Global conflict, policy change and socio-political instability are having a growing and measurable impact on the international meetings and conferences industry. The findings reveal a significant shift in the operating environment for international meetings. 73.84% of respondents said global conflicts have impacted their ability to plan or host international meetings, up from 53.92% in 2025.
Building on the Copenhagen Risk Assessment White Paper from 2023, the Copenhagen Risk Navigator 2026 aims to elevate risk management to a core business discipline across the entire international business events ecosystem. The Navigator equips organisations, associations and destinations with a shared framework and structured approach to understanding, prioritising, and mitigating risk.
SITE and Maritz have released Investigating the Power of Incentive Travel Across Generations, a comprehensive study into how generations respond to incentive travel, reward and recognition. Findings show incentive travel works powerfully across every generation, but the profile of the people earning travel, assumptions behind programme design and the meaning of the reward are shifting.
University of Exeter research is being used to enhance the world’s only annual sustainability tourism and events benchmark since 2025. The GDS-Index Systems Map shows destinations how specific actions may create knock-on effects across environmental, social, supplier and destination management areas, empowering cities to make more effective decisions for a more sustainable visitor economy.
The new global research provides a comprehensive view of the scale, scope and impact of business events worldwide, measuring activity across more than 180 countries. Produced in association with Oxford Economics, the study finds that business events generated US$1.3 trillion in direct spending and supported US$1.8 trillion in total GDP worldwide in 2025. From EIC…
Effective advocacy requires access to accurate information and this inaugural report, “Strength Beneath the Surface,” was designed with a primary goal: To provide a loud and clearer voice for group travel, one that cuts through the noise and misperceptions, especially after a challenging 2025. In short: there is much evidence of resilience and optimism.
AI is increasing the need for human meetings, not reducing it, according to new research commissioned by The Meetings Show. Challenging assumptions about the role of technology in improving efficiency, almost two-thirds of business leaders (62 per cent) say AI is increasing the need for human discussion and alignment. From M&IT…
Germany continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for international meetings, congresses and events. The MICE sector remains stable, reinforcing the value of personal connections and strong networks. Despite global market pressures, Germany’s event industry continues to demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a strong focus on quality and international appeal.
In 2025, IAPCO Accredited PCO members organised 23,512 meetings and events across 187 office locations worldwide (an increase of 20.77% from 2024), with over 7.7 million participants. While the number of meetings delivered has increased, average participant numbers per event have dropped from 408 to 328, pointing to a market that is changing shape.
Live B2B event production company Encore and consultancy/research company Boldpush surveyed 447 event professionals to map the current state of experience design, focusing on four key areas: programming, connection, technology and trust. Headline finding: events and participant demands are evolving faster than the playbooks currently being used. Download the full report, free of charge…
This is the Edinburgh International Conference Centre’s (EIC) third annual Impact Report. This time, they decided to look at environmental, social and economic impacts together. The report doesn’t just track what happened inside the EICC, it reflects what events should do: create lasting value beyond the venue, the people who visit and the events themselves.
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Founder and Chair of the Centre for Events and Festivals, Dr Mike Duignan provides academic credibility to the recently released Canadian Legacy & Impact Study Final Report, stating, “This is a simple but rigorous framework of legacy drivers.” Duignan argues that there is a critical need for alignment between governments, DMOs, event owners and organisers,…
AMI’s James Lancaster urges caution when making all-inclusive economic expenditure claims that collate such items as flights and accommodation as well as meetings-specific spend. Instead, our arguments have a better chance of influencing policymakers if we focus on the societal value generated, and frame our industry as an enabler of other sectors’ activity.
ECA’s Tommy Goodwin argues that events bringing together policymakers, business leaders, media and lobbyists to discuss key issues offer far more transparent platforms than other forms of policy influencing activity. He encourages more media companies to embrace the importance of high-quality events as part of their respective journalistic missions.
Lena Miranda, CEO of Linköping Science Park in Sweden and board member of the International Association of Science Parks & Areas of Innovation makes the case for events that bring together professionals from life sciences, technology, academia, healthcare and investment, and why destinations need to strategically partner with science parks in their cities and regions.
ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath argues that business events leaders must move beyond operational excellence and embrace advocacy. Sitting at the policy table is not about politics; it is about partnership. It is about ensuring that those who shape the rules understand the real value we deliver.
In a conversation with Guy Bigwood, the GDS-Forum 2026 emerges as a reflection of the meetings industry’s shift from ambition to accountability. Highlighting themes such as impact measurement, destination stewardship and regenerative development, the GDS-Movement CEO argues that stakeholders are increasingly demanding evidence of progress rather than sustainability pledges alone. From HQ Magazine…
#MEET4IMPACT is challenging destinations to rethink their role in the business events ecosystem, arguing that DMOs must move beyond promotion and become active facilitators of long-term social impact. In a conversation with their Consultant Made Raie, the organisation highlights the growing importance of legacy, community engagement and impact measurement for positive change. From HQ Magazine…
Paul Coulson despairs at cuts to the business events team within VisitBritain whilst the sector is attracting major investment and widespread recognition of its utility as a driver of economic and societal value. It’s time for joined-up thinking by policymakers that respects the essential role business events marketing plays at a national level. From CMW…
In just eight weeks, four of the ten largest exhibition groups in the world have been sold. This is unprecedented in the history of the exhibition industry – as are the sums of money involved. There is one common theme and that is the effect of AI. From Exhibition News, by Phil Soar…
In this episode of The Meeting Room, host James Lancaster sits down with Dr Mike Duignan, founder of the Centre for Events & Festivals (CEF), to unpack the BIG problems nobody is talking about enough, from fragmented advocacy and missing economic data to why festivals, sports events and business events must stop operating in silos.
Kai Hattendorf synthesises the views of a panel of global Business Events leaders who shared their perspectives during IMEX on resilience preparedness, leadership transitions, non-linear backgrounds as an asset, the necessity of better impact metrics, and “trust” as the industry’s USP in the AI era.
GainingEdge experts summarise this year’s GainingEdge Knowledge Exchange at IMEX Frankfurt, themed on risk management: the business events industry does not lack experience with crisis, but lacks a shared structure for managing it. That gap, and what the industry can do about it, is what the session spent an hour unpacking.
From Associations Commons, by Peng Ee Ooi: By every traditional measure, IFAT Munich 2026 is already a success story. The 2026 edition runs from May 4–7, 2026, celebrating its 60th anniversary, the event features 3,400 exhibitors and attracted 142,000 visitors from 170 countries, utilizing 300,000 square meters of space to showcase advancements in water, sewage,…
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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 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 event is aimed at city, regional, national, and international tourism organisations, as well as universities and companies from the hospitality and tourism industry. It is 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…
This event is open to senior meeting professionals and previous EDGE Seminar attendees. It is open to both IAPCO members and non-members. The event website will go live soon but we encourage you to register your interest to attend now in order to avoid missing the limited spots available.
At IMEX, the free professional education program includes 150+ in-depth seminars, hands-on workshops and specialist forums at each show, covering a wide range of industry insights, trends, and best practices. Spark your imagination at groundbreaking keynotes, soak up fresh ideas from experts and innovators, keep up with the latest event tech, polish your professional skills.
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…
UFI Learning is structured as a learning landscape that brings together programmes, events, communities, and resources. This flexible approach aims to provide diverse opportunities to encourage continuous learning for all. Whether it’s an UFI event, a programme, or a research report—every engagement with UFI offers an opportunity to learn.
Northstar Meetings Group has collaborated with industry experts isla to create unique online learning courses for event organisers, one for beginners (The Sustainable Events Course) and one for those looking to further their existing knowledge (The Advanced Sustainable Events Course). Watch and learn at a pace suited to you with these on-demand courses.
webEDGE provides information on a range of subjects that are pertinent to those working in the meetings industry. The Congress Project Management Course is designed to equip business events industry professionals with a 360-degree view of congress organisation. Learn new skills, stay up to date on industry trends, and advance your career.
From regenerative strategy development, to circular thinking and the SDGs, to conducting supply chain analysis and reducing food waste, our training enables professionals to become leaders empowered with up-to-date knowledge on best practises and how to implement regenerative practices. Our courses are personal, practical, backed by decades of experience, and informed by the latest theory…
The Intellectual Capital (IC) certificate program caters to destination sales and services professionals at all career stages. This program provides participants with vital knowledge and practical skills to effectively utilize the community’s infrastructure and economic resources, human and social connections, as well as cultural and creative assets. These capabilities directly contribute to the success of…
Become an authority on live stream and digital events; master the art of event measurement, from event conception to post-event debrief; crack the code on producing hybrid events that work for your organization’s needs, budget, and technology; solve complex business challenges with innovation-driven strategic solutions – study on-the-go and on your schedule with PCMA…
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Annual Convention is the destination organization industry’s premier event to meet your peers and gain cutting-edge knowledge to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. 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…
Destination East is the premier hosted-buyer event for qualified meetings and incentive professionals sourcing programs in the East. Destination East will include destinations, hotels, DMCs, technology and merchandise providers, and other services provided in the Eastern US. Learn from, and be inspired by, our guest speakers who will provide targeted education…
Bringing 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 this exclusive group.
Small & Boutique Meetings — Northstar’s premiere hosted-buyer event designed specifically for small and boutique-sized meetings — bringing together highly-qualified meeting buyers with destinations, hotels, DMCs, technology and merchandise providers, and other suppliers ready to welcome smaller events. Attendees participate in one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments, gain industry insights from our guest speakers and network with this…
CEMA Summit is the annual moment that brings the world of event marketing together to compare strategies. We test ideas, we track lessons learned, and we unpack the best practices emerging as the industry evolves. Join event marketers from around the globe for three days of practitioner-led education, global case studies, and candid, future-focused conversation.
The event attracts 600+ business event leaders from over 40 countries to challenge each other and develop ways to move forward together. It is the platform to share knowledge, make meaningful connections, learn, do business, be inspired and to grow as individuals, teams and organisations. This is your opportunity to contribute to building a stronger…
Convene 4 Climate (C4C) is a global platform and movement aimed at accelerating the transition of the Business Events Industry (BEI) towards sustainability and regeneration. A collaborative initiative born in 2024 between PCMA in collaboration with The Strategic Alliance of National Convention Bureaux of Europe (SANCBE), C4C has taken a structured, action-oriented approach, stimulating cross-sector…
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 industry come together at IMEX, held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas.
The Business Operations Summit is a cross-functional gathering of destination organization professionals in finance, human resources, operations and technology. This year’s summit will provide insight on post-pandemic recovery from an organizational perspective, focusing on new ways to think about how destination organizations are organized, staffed and operated.
The UFI Global Congress is a unique platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring innovative solutions to the challenges facing the exhibition industry. By choosing Bahrain, UFI highlights the Kingdom’s growing importance as a hub for international events and its commitment to fostering the global exhibition ecosystem. (Open to UFI Members Only)
The 65th ICCA Congress in Panama will be a powerful celebration of connection, innovation, and shared purpose. Join us to explore new perspectives, forge meaningful partnerships, and shape the future of business events in one of the world’s most vibrant destinations. This is our moment to learn, grow, and lead — together.
Step into the global hub of the events community. IBTM World is where connections spark ideas, collaborations fuel transformation, and the business events industry shapes what’s next. Three days in Barcelona to meet, share, learn — and move the world forward. Meet 2,500 destinations, hotels, event tech providers, and suppliers from 150+ countries…
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After spending his first 20 years in the international MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry in various executive roles — including meetings organisation, management, MICE technology, as well as planning infrastructure projects — Adem, commonly known as Braco within the industry, sought to contribute his extensive knowledge and experience on a broader scale. Since…
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Stephanie Lynch is a results-driven event professional with a proven track record of creating impactful experiences and driving measurable success. With over eight years at Explore Edmonton, Stephanie has consistently demonstrated her expertise in event strategy, economic impact maximization, and stakeholder collaboration. Currently serving her second term as Chair of the International Congress and Convention…
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As the Founder and CEO of 49travelmice.com, Peng Ee leverage over four decades of expertise in the media, travel and MICE industries to deliver strategic consultancy and tailored solutions for the business events and travel sectors. His passion lies in mentoring high performance teams, and driving growth for clients by providing valuable insights, facilitating industry…
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Anna Look is a tourism and destination strategy consultant who helps destinations realize their full potential through focused, intentional positioning. Her differentiator: she holds multiple specialized ecosystems in mind simultaneously and translates between them in real time. Whether in convention bureaus, startup environments, or tourism markets, she sees what complex systems need to solve, who…
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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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Aileen has worked in the meetings industry for over 25 years and is currently the Head of Tourism and Conventions at Glasgow Convention Bureau, Glasgow Life. Aileen has served on the board of ICCA as Destination Co-Chair. The Convention Bureau focus on attracting and supporting association conferences to meet in Glasgow. The Bureau offer a…
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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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Natalie O’Brien AM is Chief Executive of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), where she is responsible for the strategic direction of the business. She also has oversight of planning and future operation of Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, opening in 2026. Natalie is a former CEO of Food + Wine Victoria, producers…
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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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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Kai Hattendorf is one of the most prominent thought leaders in the global business events and exhibition industry, building on a decades-long legacy of transformation and innovation across the sector. In his decade at the helm of Paris-based UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, he spearheaded numerous initiatives and projects to develop the…
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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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Stay informed with the latest association insights and trends by subscribing to regular updates from Boardroom, the global reference point both for the world of associations and within the meetings industry, with articles written by the sector’s most-experienced professionals and a magazine endorsed and supported by the members of its Association Advisory Board.
For an academic perspective on the events sector (as opposed to the usual industry-led approach), make sure you follow the Centre for Events and Festivals. Many of CEF’s professors are attempting to evaluate events with a much more scientific rigour than is the norm. CEF Insights are short, accessible articles written by industry experts.
Everything you wanted to know about how US policymaking influences business events, and how to participate in campaigns designed to nudge policy in the right direction. Every other Friday, the ECA Advocacy Update email newsletter shares the latest advocacy news from Washington, DC and beyond on the public policy issues that matter to the industry.
For perspectives from around the world on destination competitiveness in the business and professional events space, check out the regular thought-pieces from the GainingEdge experts, exploring trends, developments and insights in the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and destination-marketing industries, and strategic topics for DMOs, CVBs associations, exhibition & conference venues, and their advisors.
David Adler is consistently one of the most eloquent and far-sighted commentators on how the business and professional events sector is changing, and the mega-trends most likely to shape that evolution. He’s also never afraid of a good controversy! GatheringPoint.news is the insider’s guide to the most powerful industry you don’t hear enough about…
Receive monthly updates from GDS-Movement, a pioneering, data-driven international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world, empowering tourism and events professionals with the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets to co-create more regenerative and resilient destinations to visit, meet, and live in.
Northstar Meeting Group’s flagship business events newsletter, with the option to sign up to lots of specialist feeds, including region-specific news, and the latest news of interest to association meeting professionals. Providing meeting planners and suppliers with comprehensive information and original content in the form of articles, magazines, podcasts, and videos.
The mission of Our World in Data is to make data and research on the world’s largest problems understandable and accessible. Sign up to receive a biweekly Digest with highlights of their latest and past work every other Friday, to keep abreast of research, insights, and product announcements.
PCMA offers a range of newsletters, so you can tailor your subscription(s) to match your interests. Get daily industry headlines with News Junkie; weekly inspiration from Convene magazine via ThisWeek at Convene; and career guidance in The Raise. Stay informed with PCMA Institute updates, or connect regionally through APAC Exchange, EMEA Connect, and LATAM CONECTA.
Better understand the business of travel through Skift’s wide range of daily and weekly newsletters. From daily travel news to a deep dive into the events industry, you can tailor your subscription to the information relevant to you. Weekly briefings cover topics such as how AI and tech are changing travel…
Thoughts & Observations is a weekly newsletter by Kai Hattendorf. It shares updates, reflections, and analyses on the business events and exhibitions industry, covering topics ranging from market trends to industry practices and emerging developments. Each edition provides a concise summary of recent news, data, and professional insights relevant to event organizers and stakeholders.
A monthly update of reports, news, events and insights into the exhibition and trade show sector from UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry – this is where the global community stays connected and informed.
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The Dubai Association Centre (DAC) is an initiative designed to support the growth of international associations in the UAE and the broader Middle East region. Established through a partnership between the Dubai Chambers, Dubai’s Department of Economy & Tourism (DET), and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), DAC helps non-profit organizations, trade associations, and professional bodies…
Consistently ranked as Asia’s Top Convention City by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Singapore is a global leader for business events. As the lead government agency for the business events sector in Singapore, the Singapore Exhibition & Convention BureauTM (SECB) is responsible for shaping and retaining Singapore’s exceptional reputation as one of the…
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