Business events are increasingly recognised as critical platforms for industry-wide advocacy and long-term impact. As government action more frequently intersects with various sectors, organisations must ensure their collective voice is heard. Tommy Goodwin, President & CEO of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), highlights this reality by quoting an old saying in DC: “If you’re…
What makes an event worthy of being a role model? David Adler reflects on IMEX America and the people behind its success, making the case for a different way to think about events. He introduces the idea of a “Lovemark Event” and explores what the industry can learn from one that gets it right.
Launched at 2026 IMEX America alongside innovation partners Business Events Montreal and the IMEX Group, the AI-powered platform and extensive toolkit help event organisations and destinations to prove the wider societal value their events create, build stakeholder support, and make better decisions. ImpactAIQ enables organisations to evaluate social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes, but even…
Drawing on a survey of more than 1,000 US travelers, self-reported diaries from people booking real trips, and interviews with executives across hotels, distribution, destinations, and business travel, this report sets out where decisions are actually being made now—and what it takes to stay credible, visible, and bookable across a journey no single player controls.
Some of the meetings industry’s most prominent leaders are making a public appeal to their Canadian counterparts: We still want your business. Leaders from major industry associations have signed an open letter assuring Canadian members and partners that, despite political tensions, their commitment to working with Canada remains strong. From Skift Meetings…
The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) has submitted comments to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on behalf of 100 industry organizations urging the agency to preserve longstanding rules that allow new and emerging technologies to be imported, displayed, and demonstrated at U.S. events and tradeshows before receiving final FCC equipment authorization.
In this interview at the 2025 IMEX Place Leaders Forum, US Travel Association MD Group Travel Kevin Hinton explains the two critical sides of his job, and how USTA’s efforts in these dimensions interact to support the success of the US business events sector. Before they travel, overseas visitors to the US frequently receive inaccurate…
ECA is actively opposing and coordinating an industry-wide response to a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposal that would prevent exhibitors from importing, displaying, and demonstrating certain new and emerging communications technologies at U.S. events and tradeshows before those products have received final FCC authorization.
ECA is introducing the Connections Series, to facilitate year-round insight and opinion-sharing, using Natter’s conversational intelligence engine, business events industry leaders are matched one-on-one with each other for a series of short, candid, (confidential!) virtual conversations on issues impacting the industry. The program is available to ECA member associations, partners, and other invited industry leaders.
With a government funding deadline looming, three of the industry’s largest trade associations are urging Congress to resolve differences between competing continuing-resolution spending bills for the fiscal year 2027 and avoid a federal shutdown that could disrupt travel operations ahead of the fall travel season. From Northstar…
ECA, the public policy voice of the US business events industry, has launched the ECA Ambassadors Circle, designed to recognise, empower and engage the industry’s most committed advocates. The programme will provide a select group of industry leaders with specialised year-round programming, advanced advocacy training and new opportunities to help amplify the industry’s voice.
642 delegates from 177 cities across 12 countries attended the 5th International Placemaking Week in June in Detroit. Experiential learning was at the centre of the educational programme, with opportunities to view and understand regenerative and resilient placemaking initiatives located across the city, ensuring extensive hands-on and tacit knowledge exchanges as well as formal learning.
The 53rd annual SIGGRAPH conference convened thousands of innovators, researchers, and industry leaders from around the world in Los Angeles in July to explore innovations, trends, and predictions of computer graphics and interactive techniques. As host city, LA also took centre stage, showcasing its creative and technical talent and institutional strengths throughout the conference.
TEAMS: TRAVEL, EVENTS AND MANAGEMENT IN SPORTS, is the world’s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. Presented by SportsTravel, and hosted by the Greater Birmingham CVB, TEAMS ’26 will be held October 26–29 in Birmingham, Alabama. For more than 25 years, TEAMS has helped define the sports-event and appointment-based trade show industries.
David Adler takes a critical look at the threat to scientific and medical meetings should US federal regulation OMB-2026-0034 go ahead, prohibiting grant recipients from attending conferences not named in the original grant proposal (in practice, an impossibility!). David also brilliantly articulates the processes by which face-to-face meetings generate scientific insights and progress.
Northstar’s Meetings + Sports Leadership Forum brings together the industry’s thought leaders – planning professionals and suppliers – for three days of education, networking and sharing of best practices. This forum is unlike any other industry gathering: a unique, high-level experience where business relationships and friendships are forged.
Join your industry peers for the must attend hosted-buyer event bringing together the most highly-qualified meeting and incentive buyers with top destinations, hotels/resorts, attractions, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the Southwest U.S. Meet buyers who are ready to book business in: Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas.
Luxury Meetings by Northstar connects North American planners seeking luxury-focused venues for their meetings or incentives. Those who are selected to attend will participate in two productive days of pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings with suppliers; insightful educational presentations from inspiring speakers, great meals, receptions, and numerous networking opportunities with other elite buyers.
The ICCA Association Insights Circuit heads to Chicago for its second North American stop of the year — another intimate, invitation-only gathering for senior leaders of international associations. This event is designed for senior-level association executives and programme leaders responsible for international meetings, global event strategy, or cross-border membership engagement.
Northstar’s premier hosted-buyer event designed specifically for small and boutique-sized meetings brings 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 exclusive group.
This is the premier hosted-buyer event for Midwest suppliers to connect with meeting professionals. Join your industry peers for the must attend hosted-buyer event bringing together the most highly-qualified meeting and incentive buyers with top destinations, hotels/resorts, attractions, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from the Midwest US.
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