Archives: Events
5 Trends Driving the Future of Business Events in 2025
From Skift Meetings: Budgets are tighter, audiences are more diverse, and the old event playbook is cracking under pressure. Skift Meetings Forum tackles the real-world shifts redefining how event pros plan, prove value, and make destination decisions. There’s no shortage of “trends” floating around in eventland – some recycled, some wishful thinking, and some straight…
ECA Pushes for Faster US Visa Processing Times
ECA continues to advocate for lower visa wait times at US embassies and consulates around the world. As of May 25, 51 US embassies and consulates had average interview wait times of 3 months or longer. Long wait times persist in Mexico, India, Columbia, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries. While wait times…
The Global Exhibition Barometer | July 2025
UFI has released the latest 35th edition of its flagship Global Exhibition Barometer report, which captures the current status and outlook of the exhibition industry worldwide. The UFI Barometer has been providing benchmark data across key metrics for the industry since 2009, helping organisations to gain insight on trends to help them plan their business…
Do Companies Need a Chief Meeting Officer?
From Skift Meetings: Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg says meetings are a bigger expense than IT when you add the cost of attendees’ time and salaries. So why is no one at the top in charge? Few corporations view meetings as a critical business function and there’s no one at the executive level who actually owns…
A New Era of Recalibration for European City Tourism
The City Travel Report by CityDNA 2024–2025 marks a pivotal moment for Europe’s urban destinations. Stabilisation replaces recovery as European city destinations adapt to a shifting tourism landscape. Based on benchmarking insights from 128 cities, the 21st edition of the report reveals that growth is moderating—average bednight growth slowed to 5.8% in 2024, down from…
TOPOSOPHY Whitepaper: Politics, Perception & Travel
Tourism faces constant challenges, but political instability has emerged as a critical disruptor. How do political shifts affect travellers and how can destinations stay resilient? TOPOSOPHY’s research, based on a 6-country survey and case studies, explores traveller perceptions and offers smart strategies for destinations to build trust and adapt, whether facing a crisis or preparing…
How Political Events Shape Traveller Sentiment and Destination Reputation
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…
The Hidden Patterns Behind Association Events: A New Strategy For Smarter Bidding
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…
How to Architect Serendipity and Connect People in Meaningful Ways
From Freeman: Today’s attendees aren’t satisfied with small talk. They want real, genuine connections, and fresh industry insights. They want a new kind of networking. This component of Freeman’s XLNC Framework (eXperience, Learning, Networking, and Commerce) gives new insights to drive measurable event value by strategically designing modern networking experiences.
Networking Isn’t a Nice-to-Have, It’s Non-Negotiable
From GatheringPoint.news: For too long, the event industry has treated networking like a natural resource — abundant, automatic, and free. Put people in a room, offer wine, dim the lights, and wait for something to happen. Connection, we’ve assumed, is a given. It isn’t. And Freeman’s 2025 Networking Trends Report says so—finally and forcefully.
Informa PLC 2025 Half Year Results: Continuing Growth and Delivery
Informa, the international Live B2B Events, B2B Digital Services and Academic Markets Group, today published half year results for 2025, delivering 20%+ reported revenue growth, increasing operating margins and confirming £150m of additional share buybacks. Group CEO Stephen A. Carter talks through what’s driving Informa’s strong performance and the outlook for the rest of 2025…
What the First Six Months of 2025 Reveal About Hosting Sector-Aligned International Meetings
From SFA-Connect: Understanding why international business events choose specific host cities is essential for cities looking to attract more conferences and meetings. While factors like accessibility, venue capacity, and destination appeal play a role, a key insight from our analysis shows that the majority of events align closely with the host city’s academic strengths, industrial…
Paihia New Zealand Welcomes Marine Mapping Conference in 2027
From Headquarters Magazine: Maritime mecca the Bay of Islands will host GeoHab 2027, the international conference for Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping. The event, taking place in Paihia in 2027, will welcome around 200 scientists, industry and technical experts working in marine mapping to support sustainable ocean management and planning. The conference bid was…
EIC Announces 2025 Hall of Leaders and Global Awards Recipients
Today, the Events Industry Council (EIC), a global federation of Associations and Corporations representing the business events industry, announced the recipients of its annual Global Awards. This recognition, which includes the prestigious Hall of Leaders, celebrates and honours exemplary achievements and leadership at all levels and areas of focus within the global business events industry.
ICMPC 2025: Driving Sarawak’s Future in Materials Science, Sustainable Development
From BIZ + Leisure: Sarawak will take centre stage in the global scientific community with the 17th International Conference on Materials Processing and Characterisation (ICMPC 2025) from November 27-29, 2025. To be held at Imperial Hotel, Miri, this conference will bring together leading researchers, engineers, and academics from all over the world such as the…
US Adds $250 Visa-Integrity Fee for International Travelers
From CNBC: Visitors to the United States will need to pay a “visa integrity fee,” according to a provision of the Trump administration’s recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the…
Skift Research | State of Travel 2025
A comprehensive analysis of the travel industry, the report includes more than 300 charts and insights covering nearly every facet of the industry. Despite the rising geopolitical and trade tensions, there has been sustained growth in global travel demand, but the online travel distribution landscape is fragmenting as financial institutions launch their own booking platforms…
The Latest Tariff News
From Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance: ECA, EDPA, IAEE, SISO, UFI, and 160+ trade associations have called on the U.S. Trade Representative to rescind the port fee on Chinese-built ships, scheduled to take effect in October. ECA continues to strongly oppose tariffs that raise costs on event organizers, suppliers, exhibitors, and attendees alike…
Brand USA Will ‘Recalibrate Resources’ to Market the US
From Northstar Meetings Group: Brand USA executives set a largely optimistic tone during their summer board meeting Thursday, acknowledging the challenges ahead while highlighting promising developments and underscoring the imperative that they market the country effectively as a travel destination. “Like many of you, we were disappointed by the reduction of Brand USA’s federal matching…
The Art of Advocacy
From Boardroom: Sven Bossu, CEO of AIPC, unpacks the complexities and challenges of advocacy within the meetings industry. Drawing from first-hand experience and real-world examples, he explores why a structured, consistent approach is essential to making the industry’s voice heard—especially at the policy level.
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