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 Policy Forum examines the current economic and political climate and reviews the latest policy developments affecting the events sector. In 2025, it attracted 300 senior leaders from destinations, venues, exhibition organisers, event agencies, associations and trade bodies. Attendees are joined by MPs who serve on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Events, plus Ministers, officials…
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.
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.
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…
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…
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.
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.
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.
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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.
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…
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…
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