Kai Hattendorf documents a fundamental shift in the way AI will influence the future of events: rather than primarily being a suite of tools for organisers, AI’s most impactful role will be in how younger delegates use it long before the event starts to guide their entire decision-making on whether and how to participate.
David Adler, Gathering Point News, explores the rationale for establishing the Centre for Events & Festivals as a response to a fragmented events industry, weak knowledge-sharing, and limited use of evidence. The organisation aims to bridge academia and practice, strengthen collaboration, and promote more sustainable, inclusive, and community-focused approaches to event design and delivery.
Boardroom’s Vicky Koffa and Remi Deve summarise the key issues, opportunities and challenges discussed at the recent EAS 2026, all of which provide vital insights for business events suppliers and destinations interested in better understanding the current thinking and priorities of their association clients. An important conclusion: collaboration has become a strategic necessity.
M&C Asia magazine examines the changing picture of global rankings in passport power (how easy it is for holders of a particular passport to visit other countries) and border openness (how restrictive countries are to holders of different passports), and explains the implications for destination competitiveness for international business events.
Australian-based association consultancy Mayvin Global has released a series of three White Papers packed with valuable insights from 15 international association case studies, focused on the most mission-critical strategic challenges and potential solutions, many of which have implications for the future evolution of their event strategies.
International association meetings can find themselves in the frontline when geopolitical conflicts erupt. This Boardroom feature by Pamela Wilton explores the implications of key risk factors, illustrates why associations can no longer argue that they are “apolitical by nature”, and outlines how to build a geopolitical resilience framework.
Gatheringpoint’s David Adler suggests answers to the conundrum of managing two conflicting realities simultaneously: projecting confidence to the market, whilst making real-time decisions behind the scenes. Exercising resilience in real-time during periods of high uncertainty is one of the hardest challenges imaginable, especially with only partial vision of what’s happening.
60 years young: that’s the spirit of Melbourne Convention Bureau, one of the world’s most successful and innovative DMOs. The MCEC – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre – is a relative youngster with only 30 years under its belt, but the venue laid out its ambitions at birth by achieving a six Green Star sustainable…
Dr Emma Delaney analyses some key issues regarding subventions and other financial incentives, drawing from the perspective of PCOs. Amongst her conclusions: flexible, co-created incentive packages are more effective than rigid, conditional offers, and when aligned with a destination’s goals, incentives can facilitate sustainable, inclusive and high-quality conferences and stronger societal impact. From CEF…
Tommy Goodwin, Vice President of Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance, provides a helpful and robust decision-making framework for industry leaders attempting to understand and navigate the fast evolving geopolitical landscape we all are facing. From Exhibition World Magazine…
Scotland’s capital is set to become the first city in the UK to fund its convention bureau through a mandatory tourist tax – or ‘visitor levy’ – in what could herald the start of major changes to how cities across the country attract business events and conference tourism. From M&IT…
The launch of the MeetEngland Impact Network at Sheffield’s Cutlers’ revealed why intellectual capital is one of England’s biggest advantages on the international business events stage. It was a genuinely significant industry moment — not just another announcement, but the start of something that could reshape England’s global competitiveness. From M&IT…
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This City/Nation/Place article highlights how economic development agencies and universities can best collaborate, but notably absent is the business/professional events sector, a key vector for such partnerships and for maximising collaborative impact: evidence that our industry still has far to go before earning a permanent seat among place leaders.
From City Nation Place: Ever booked a trip, only to suddenly feel a nagging doubt as political headlines flare up? You’re not alone. In today’s hyper-connected world, the news doesn’t just inform us; it shapes our choices, especially when it comes to travel. Political instability isn’t just a distant issue anymore; it’s a critical player…
From Centre for Events & Festivals: Why do some international meetings keep circling the same regions, while others roam the globe? Behind every association event is a quiet game of geography, power, and preference — one that shapes who gets access to knowledge, influence, and economic return. While host cities compete aggressively to secure International…
As sustainability efforts gain momentum, fragmented rules frustrate crews and contractors. “Too many rulebooks for the same game,” one industry insider says. With multiple standards, shifting timelines, and unclear mandates, execution often falls apart on the show floor. Industry leaders are calling for unified, practical, consistent guidance, built for real-world conditions. From Exhibit City News…
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