From IMEX: With a mission of bringing the global events community together to do business, learn and drive positive change, IMEX decided to make IMPACT our annual Talking Point for 2024/25. At the time we knew little about the hundreds of destinations and organizations in the global meetings and events industry already focused on creating…
LJ TALKS at IMEX Frankfurt 2024 | In a world where constant growth seems to be the dominant economic paradigm, degrowth presents the way forward. Geneviève Leclerc, the founder of MEET4IMPACT, joined Jan and Gorazd to share how event organisers must rethink the impacts of their event. They also discussed how to define impact and…
By Pádraic Gilligan, Founder, Soolnua & Chief Marketing Officer, SITE: “To infinity and beyond” was a saying that Didier often used during his tenure as CEO of SITE when I served as his CMO. It’s half quoted in his last post on Facebook, from Christmas day, 2023 when he says “Merry Christmas to all my…
From Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, by Professor Greg Clark: Glasgow’s urban transformation is visible all over the city. On any measure, the results of 30 years of increased and diversified job creation, business investment, and renewed districts that specialise in financial services, creative and media, life sciences, advanced technology, engineering, or hosting fabulous experiences and…
As a member of the SITE International Board of Directors, Destination Canada’s Senior Director, Business Events, Jennifer Attersall, CIS highlights the importance of viewing sustainability as more than environmental. Jennifer also encourages telling the story of what makes your destination unique, while respecting other cultures coming in and emphasizes the importance of using inclusive language.
From M&IT: With Labour set to take the reigns of power following a landslide general election victory, Michael Hirst OBE, chair, UKEVENTS working group for advocacy and government relations, explains how the meetings and events industry is poised to play a significant role in the new government’s policy agenda. We’ve been working diligently leading up…
By Impact Catalyzt and Business Sociologist Annika Rømer, and Thomas Geuken Psychologist and Futurist at Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies: Upon governments countless attempts and good intentions to de-bureaucratize state institutions to support resilient societies ready for change, we must ask ourselves: ‘How will we achieve a sustainable transition in a world where reductionism, hierarchies,…
Amanda Ferguson, the VisitScotland and Marketing Edinburgh veteran DMO is now working alongside academics within the University of Edinburgh in a concerted effort to attract strategically important international conferences to Scotland’s capital city. The drivers are sectoral growth and the Research Excellence Framework (REF) which determines the global reputational standing of the university index-linked to…
From AMI: The Meetings Industry Manifesto is one of the most lucid – and mercifully succinct – advocacy documents I have read in 14 years as a journalist working in this field. The result of recent talks between newly elected members of the European Parliament and representatives from the Joint Meetings Industry Council, VisitBrussels, CityDNA,…
By Pádraic Gilligan: Recent research from McKinsey into the way we travel now is crammed with exciting, actionable insights for organisers of incentive travel programs. While the McKinsey research focuses on leisure, the trends here tend to replicate themselves in incentive travel as, after all, the travel reward is specifically designed to motivate and reward…
From The Straits Times: Other countries are stepping up their game in the competition for tourists and, to keep up, Singapore will need to play to its strengths and be more imaginative, all while keeping the human touch, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Speaking at the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) annual Singapore Tourism Awards on…
From Boardroom: Phillipa Harrison, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing Australia as a premier destination for business events. In an interview with Boardroom, she highlights the country’s innovative strategies to enhance sustainability, attract international visitors, and stay competitive in the global tourism market. Interview by Remi Deve…
From Boardroom: A leading destination in the business events landscape, Copenhagen has established a strong presence in the industry’s sustainability journey. Constantly with a proactive stance towards the future, the city’s vision is supported by forward thinking champions. Recently, Boardroom had the opportunity to catch up with Kit Lykketoft, Director of Convention at the Copenhagen…
From Boardroom: Ioannis Pallas, ESAE Managing Director, explores the intricate concept of legacy, differentiating it from immediate impact and emphasizing its lasting significance for associations: Let’s imagine for a moment that we are given an association to manage. An association with staff, members, stakeholders, policymakers to advocate to or to consult on topics related to…
By Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group: May was an eventful month, with IMEX Frankfurt and MPI’s WEC bringing the industry together under one roof once again. These events mark significant points in our calendars, offering us the global meetings and events industry a chance to pause and assess where we stand. It’s clear –…
By Pádraic Gilligan: Recently I posted on sustainability and incentive travel concluding that current definitions / understandings of each rendered them as irreconcilable opposites – sustainability was “limiting”, requiring restraint, reduced consumption, thoughtful, conscientious behaviour while a travel reward was sans frontiers and sans souci, suggesting freedom, extravagance, conspicuous consumption.
From ICCA: Guy Bigwood, a recognised expert in creating regenerative destinations and events, is featured in the third episode of the 971 Podcast. With his experience in consulting services, Guy has helped cities, governments, and the events industry enhance their sustainability programmes. As the founder of the GDS-Index and Chief Changemaker of the Global Destinations…
From WIT: Beyond numbers, destinations need to rethink what they really want from tourism, says Miguel Sanz Castedo. With European tourism at a critical juncture, coming under pressure on several fronts, including environmental and social, the new president of the European Tourism Commission (ETC) says it is even more timely to remind Europeans of the…
From Conference & Meetings World: Speaker and emcee, Holly Ransom, who hosted the recent PCMA Convening Leaders gathering in San Diego, shares her philosophy of effective engagement and leadership: Holly Ransom’s journey into public speaking began at a young age when she was involved in non-profit projects. She won an international award at a microfinance…
From WiT, Viator’s founder Rod Cuthbert on the rise of Google: As Google continues to roll out AI-powered search features, which will undoubtedly increase its dominance in travel, Rod Cuthbert, the founder of Viator and generally acknowledged as the “Godfather of tours and activities”, got quite indignant during his session at WiT Japan & North…
From New in Events Podcast: Mike Fletcher and Paul Cook catch up with ICCA President Marta Gomes to find out how her home city of Paris is gearing up for the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Marta also talks about the importance of advocacy to highlight and emphasise the events industry’s relevance, and importance…
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