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.
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,…
Australian PCO owner Emma Bowyer argues that legacy measurement is woefully absent across most of Asia-Pacific Destination Marketing Organisations, and that it’s become the responsibility of event organisers to educate clients to include such metrics in the way they evaluate the impact of their meetings. A Robotics conference that will track 200 local high-school attendees…
Futurist, urbanist, author Greg Lindsay’s speech to the Events Industry Council on Global Meetings Industry Day draws parallels between the nuclear fusion of stars and serendipitous power of both cities and business events to unlock human potential. An inspiring take on the value of our industry that speaks to policymakers in language they will understand.
PCMA’s President & CEO Sherrif Karamat argues that it is past time for the Business Events industry’s myriad associations to consolidate in order to deliver better value to all industry stakeholders on both the supplier side and amongst all categories of organiser. Failure to modernise and evolve will lead many organisations to be non-selected by…
Anna Look argues that the most important impact of conference subvention programmes such as Canada’s International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF) comes from the conversations that can be initiated with local intellectual and business leaders, enabling them to understand how their bidding for and hosting of international meetings can exploit and showcase their expertise and attributes.
From Meetings Today, by Vincent Alonzo: On April 22, more than 10,000 Earth Day events unfolded across the globe—river cleanups in Bali, regenerative tourism pledges in Canada, LEED-certified renovations in Tampa, and a wave of “conscious luxury” messaging from hotel brands worldwide. The meetings and events industry showed up as well. On paper, at least…
As geopolitical instability continues, organisers are under growing pressure to respond quickly, communicate clearly and reassure clients when disruption strikes. Boardroom’s Vicky Koffa interviews Kenes Group CEO Ora Lahav on why crisis readiness should no longer be treated as an occasional capability, but needs to become part of an international event organiser’s everyday operating mindset.
ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath argues that despite all today’s geopolitical pressures, associations can still remain both neutral and resilient. But what they have to accept is that disruption, uncertainty and ongoing threats are the “new normal”, not anomalies that will swiftly pass on by. From Boardroom…
Sumaira Isaacs analyses the 5-decades long-term vision that underpins the UAE’s economic strategy, and argues that what makes UAE different is not just resilience, it is preparedness embedded into infrastructure, policy and execution. Business Events may have short-term disruption, but remain central to the delivery of many of UAE’s strategic developmental objectives.
ICCA CEO Dr Senthil Gopinath argues that a projected doubling of business events sector value by 2035 makes it more imperative than ever to communicate the societal value of events to policymakers. Their role in setting visa regimes, air travel regulations, infrastructure development and destination development strategies will determine whether this growth projection transpires.
Iceberg Ambassador Peng Ee Ooi argues for a creative synthesis between competing visions of business events as either a sub-sector of the travel and tourism economy or a driver of economic and social agendas, supported by examples from leading destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. From Associations Commons…
Former Events Director at International Gas Union Rodney Cox has strong views on the all-too-frequent under-utilisation of exhibitors at international association events, to the detriment of the event owner, the delegates, and the host destination. Far too many organisers build exhibitions as a matter of habit rather than intent. “I like the word intent,” states…
Lakshman Rathnam, Founder and CEO of Wordly, the AI-driven, 60+ language meeting interpretation company, had a revelation early in the company’s seven-year journey: “Clients were saying to us, ‘What are you doing to hear us?’ — not asking for passive access to (usually English-language-using) presenters.” Essentially, they were asking for multilingual tools to offer engagement,…
By Padraic Gilligan, Co-founder, SoolNua Consulting: In the last six years alone we’ve had Covid, Ukraine, Israel, tariffs, Venezuela, Greenland and now Iran. Layer onto that the existential debates around climate and AI and you begin to understand why the question keeps surfacing: should we be worried for our industry? The short answer is yes…
AMI’s James Lancaster analyses the geopolitical balancing act that helped UAE, particularly Dubai, become one of the most successful association meetings destinations, arguing that it’s premature to write the city off. With a long-term government vision centring business events, Dubai has the assets and the will to bounce back swiftly, provided the conflict is short-lived.
UFI CEO Chris Skeith OBE argues that economic impact data underpins effective advocacy, highlighting a powerful case the exhibition industry rarely amplifies. There is a story the sector has always struggled to tell. Not because it isn’t compelling – it is – but because the evidence that makes it undeniable has, for too long, been…
Naomi Smith explores what events are revealing about association leadership this year in places where strategy becomes visible: association events. Naomi is joined by Ariane Brusselmans, Senior Nonprofit Executive and Director of Conferences at the International AIDS Society, and Professor Peter Van Daele, Secretary General of the International Union of Radio Science.
AMI’s James Lancaster examines a peculiar contradiction that sits at the heart of Europe’s convention bureaux: while they spend much of their time handing out money to compete for lucrative association conferences, they often struggle to secure their own funding. Could tourism tax up-end the rules of the game?
Dr Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA, articulates the case for why and how we can change external perceptions of the business events sector amongst audiences beyond our own “bubble”. He argues the industry must speak with a stronger, unified narrative that highlights business events as drivers of knowledge exchange, innovation, economic growth and long-term societal impact.
Experienced sustainability practitioner and impact consultant Jessica Vandy takes issue with the inappropriate and reputation-damaging misuse of sustainability terminology such as “regenerative”, a slowly growing trend that she argues is infiltrating event websites, venue brochures and destination marketing. Credibility and trust are essential attributes, and sloppy use of language is putting these at risk.
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