The Events Industry Council (EIC), in collaboration with the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), today announced the next phase of its targeted refinement of the Sustainable Event Standards (SES), marking a significant step forward in strengthening alignment, usability and real-world application across the global business events sustainability landscape.
226 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of the ECA’s annual Legislative Action Day to meet with members of Congress with a unified message: our industry is a proven engine of economic resilience and growth, that requires a policy environment to match.
#MEET4IMPACT’s Geneviève Leclerc summarises Destination Canada’s Legacy and Impact Study with four key conclusions: impact moves like a chain reaction; inclusion isn’t a programme, it is architecture; impact doesn’t scale by accident; frameworks are not documents, they are the architecture of intention. From #MEET4IMPACT…
Destination Canada’s research provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of how events create lasting economic, social and environmental impact. In collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT and GainingEdge, thousands of data points were analyzed from 15 global events hosted across Canada in key sectors. The findings are clear: impact is not accidental — it is engineered.
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…
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.
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…
Following the recent deal around UK-based exhibition organiser Closer Still, M&A activity in the business events sector is heating up. Apollo-managed funds agreed to acquire Emerald Holding Inc. and Questex LLC in separate transactions, with plans to combine the two companies into a privately owned North American business-to-business events and media platform. From Eventsful…
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.
Small & Boutique Meetings — Northstar’s premiere hosted-buyer event designed specifically for small and boutique-sized meetings — bringing together highly-qualified meeting buyers with destinations, hotels, DMCs, technology and merchandise providers, and other suppliers ready to welcome smaller events. Attendees participate in one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments, gain industry insights from our guest speakers and network with this…
Destination East is the premier hosted-buyer event for qualified meetings and incentive professionals sourcing programs in the East. Destination East will include destinations, hotels, DMCs, technology and merchandise providers, and other services provided in the Eastern US. Learn from, and be inspired by, our guest speakers who will provide targeted education…
Northstar’s premiere hosted-buyer event designed specifically for small and boutique-sized meetings, bringing together highly-qualified meeting buyers with destinations, hotels, DMCs and other suppliers ready to welcome smaller events. Attendees participate in one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments, gain industry insights from our guest speakers and network with this exclusive group.
The 10th Edition of the EsportsTravel Summit is the world’s largest gathering of esports tournament and video-game event organizers—and the only event dedicated to the travel side of the esports industry. Launched in conjunction with the TEAMS Conference & Expo in 2017, the EsportsTravel Summit quickly established itself as the industry’s leading platform.
ECA has registered its opposition to potential new tariffs under consideration by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), which could lead to new tariffs on imports from 60+ countries across a wide range of product categories. The scope is unusually broad, which increases the likelihood of increased costs and potential supply chain disruptions.
Destination Canada’s Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035, prepared with Tourism Economics, highlights that demand for Canada as a destination is accelerating. The sector is outperforming expectations. The opportunity ahead is bigger than ever. This Outlook gives industry, government and partners a shared, current view of where growth is heading and what it takes to capture it.
In a vote of confidence for the positive societal and economic impact of Business Events, C$15 million has been earmarked over the next three years to help attract events in strategically important sectors. Administered by Destination Canada, ICAF has helped secure 116 international conventions, generating C$803.3 million in direct economic impact and supporting 6,692 jobs.
CEMA Summit is the annual moment that brings the world of event marketing together to compare strategies. We test ideas, we track lessons learned, and we unpack the best practices emerging as the industry evolves. Join event marketers from around the globe for three days of practitioner-led education, global case studies, and candid, future-focused conversation.
US Travel Association has published a helpful fact-sheet which not only provides key facts and figures related to travel and immigration, but outlines policy proposals (e.g. for visitors to provide social media histories) that would have a negative impact on visitor flows and the advocacy steps US Travel is taking to oppose them.
ASAE has released a free-to-download snapshot report on how associations are navigating a rapidly changing environment, drawing on a series of “pulse polls” conducted throughout the last year, and including trends in their meetings and international participation, helping association leaders connect data to strategy and identify where to focus for greater impact and resilience.
ECA announces a new era of advocacy, engagement and growth with a range of new tools, services and activities, and names Tommy Goodwin as President and CEO. Building on ECA’s success over the past five years, ECA 2.0 represents the next phase of growth as ECA deepens its advocacy work, and introduces new opportunities…
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