The quiet before the oncoming storm.
At the moment I’m testing an online platform for client approval of video content. It lets creators and reviewers swap comments timestamped to specific shots in a film. To encourage the feature’s usage, the empty comments section reads “It’s quiet in here. Start the conversation by leaving the first comment.”.
It is quiet in here just now, and too darn quiet. Not just because this is the silly season or “cucumber time”, but because of the real fear of renewed lockdowns with second waves. The fear that ongoing restrictions and low delegate confidence will scupper the safe restart we all want to happen. It’s the quiet before the storm, as the ending of governmental support and furlough schemes looms for an industry that cannot yet resume at anything like full capacity, meaning the sector will soon be in free fall without any safety net at all. It’s the brace before bankruptcies and redundancies. “There are very few brave faces left out there”, says my colleague James Latham, noting that his email traffic has dropped right down. While a responsible industry must put lives before livelihoods, perhaps this quiet is the dawning realisation that protecting both is now a wholly unrealistic ambition for far too many.
Of course, the quiet may just be my elaborate excuse that for once in Features this issue, nothing new at all has been posted. But if you’ve not already read last issue’s Joint Meetings Industry Council Global Manifesto, and also watched our remarkable webinar in two parts about it, please do. An article about the manifesto’s advocacy from JMIC Executive Director Rod Cameron has been added to the page.
In News, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that conferences and exhibitions in the United Kingdom will restart on October 1st. Venue managers welcomed this announcement, including ACC Liverpool Group, ExCeL London and Birmingham’s NEC. The UK sector is now launching a campaign to boost confidence and to prove its worth to the country. Elsewhere, Singapore Tourism Board is piloting two hybrid events which will allow up to 50 delegates to attend in person, to stress-test its new risk management framework before gradually scaling up to larger meetings. Vienna Convention Bureau was instrumental in hosting exclusively online Europe’s largest radiology and radiotechnology congress. Organisers say that 15,000 international attendees from 30 countries took part.
Also in News, the pandemic continues to rage. Trade show business will contract by 60 percent compared to 2019, says the global association of the exhibition industry and Iceberg partner UFI. The updated assessment compiles data from the new UFI Global Exhibition Barometer. CPhI Japan, the pharmaceutical trade show organised by Informa Markets, has announced it will postpone until 2021, also moving from Osaka to Tokyo. CPhI brings together over 100,000 pharma professionals every year. The Consumer Technology Association has announced the cancellation of January’s CES 2021 in Las Vegas. The huge event usually draws around 170,000 visitors. Planners will create an all-digital experience in its place. Also in the US, President Trump has cancelled the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville as the pandemic continues to rage in Florida. A scaled-back event in North Carolina will be held instead. Plus, some better news for the future. Melbourne Convention Bureau has announced a hat-trick of significant congress wins taking place over the next eight years. These high-profile events will deliver AU$24.8 million to the state economy. Designers of new meeting space CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park have also been setting out their ideas. Cairns Convention Centre is starting to market its AU$176 million brand expansion and refurbishment as well.
There’s still more on The Iceberg itself (click View all News). In a bid to relaunch international events, Brussels is launching a €2 million fund to entice planners to choose the Belgian capital as a destination. Funding of £10 million has also been offered by Scotland’s Government to help the events sector recover. Plus, Iceberg partner the International Congress and Convention Association has now opened registration for its 59th ICCA Congress this November in the port city of Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei. The event will be a hybrid format produced together with Iceberg partner Maritz Global Events.
Eleven Opinions this issue are fresh. Iceberg partner MCI has a guide for associations and their congresses on the myths, facts and opportunities around virtual events. In planning a hybrid or digital meeting, content is key to success. Panelists said as much during the first hybrid webinar of The Hague Convention Bureau. After the American Society for Nutrition switched its live meeting in late May to all-virtual just sixty days before it opened, attendance rose from 3,500 delegates to 30,000. Meanwhile, the largest business-to-business, face-to-face exhibition in the US, CES 2021, is going online and all-digital. The early pivot sent shock waves across an already devastated industry. Plus, with COVID-19 forcing a rethinking of travel, and many conferences cancelled or virtual, a Nature analysis looks at actions that might reduce event travel emissions by up to 90 percent.
Also in Opinions, issues around reopening events. After months of lockdown, many countries are now restarting, so how does the sector look in a COVID-19 world? Rod Kamleshwaran of the Iceberg partner GainingEdge finds out. In the UK many industry associations have produced their own COVID-19 safety guidelines. We have a guide to these guidelines, albeit one put together before the All Secure Standard approved by the UK Government was launched! Associations are perfectly placed to reshape the world emerging from lockdown. But is this an opportunity they really will grasp? Iceberg partners and ambassadors are among the views canvassed. Months into the pandemic we are awash in sector pronouncements and assertions. But the recent global manifesto published by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (which presents The Iceberg) is a little different. So argues JMIC Executive Director Rod Cameron. In a sharp reality check for the business events sector, read how successful reopening relies on a much wider containment of the pandemic than the industry on its own will ever achieve. Th author is a masked Martin Sirk, the International Advisor for Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs. Plus, try a new spin on political event legacies. The UK’s Conservative Party will be hosting its annual conference at ICC Birmingham in 2022, 2024 and 2026. The party has made political gains by staying loyal to destinations that have traditionally voted for the other side.
In Research you’ll find four fresh items. The 2020 IACC Meeting Room of the Future, PCMA’s latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard, the UK’s All Secure Standard (AEO, AEV and ESSA), and the Event Industry Council’s Meeting and Event Design Accepted Practices Guide.
This issue’s parish notices start with previously published coronavirus resource pages from within our own partner community: the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), IMEX Group, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), plus publications Meetings & Incentive Travel (M&IT), Association Meetings International (AMI) and ASAE’s Associations Now Today’s Coronavirus Tracker.
JMIC also posted a press release about the Iceberg-delivered JMIC Manifesto for Economic Recovery Webinar.
There are association resources aplenty at the new website of Iceberg partner the Global Association Hubs, including a Free Virtual Meetings Guide made available by Julius Solaris of eventmanagerblog.com, and COVID-19 advisories from the four GAH destinations: Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC.
There is a further outbreak advisory from the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), via UFI
UFI has opened up registration for its “glocalised” Global Congress 2020. There will be physical attendance in three locations: Dubai, Basel and Hong Kong. The main theme is “resilience”. The registration page is here. The UFI Board of Directors has elected Monica Lee-Müller, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Managing Director, as President for the 2021/22 period. As per above, UFI has updated its COVID-19 damage assessment for the global exhibitions and trade show industry, based on figures from the new Global Barometer survey. Grip has been named the winner of the UFI Digital Innovation Award 2020, for the project: “Taking ITB Berlin Virtual In Two Days”. Grip is an AI-powered event matchmaking solution that first won the UFI Digital Innovation Award back in 2017. This accelerated the company’s credibility and enabled Grip to become a trusted partner for many leading organisers.
ICCA has opened up registration for its 59th ICCA Congress in Kaohsiung. The congress has a hybrid format and is themed: “Transforming Global Events Together”. ICCA has worked with fellow Iceberg partner Maritz Global Events on the format of the event, hosted both live in Kaohsiung as the regional hub and virtually from November 1st to 3rd. There’s a six-week online programme leading up to the main dates. The registration page is here.
Maritz Global Events has itself announced that two of the company’s brands, Maritz Travel and Experient, are being formally incorporated into Maritz Global Events. The rebranding was shared in an industry email from Maritz President David Peckinpaugh.
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing has announced the first edition of the ECM Summer School 2.0, which will take place online from August 24th to 26th. Attendees will take a deep dive into the meetings industry and aim to kick off a smart and sustainable recovery.
Iceberg partner AIPC has announced that its Annual Congress will take place in Paris on September 24th and 25th. Hosted by the Palais de Congrès in Paris, members who are facing travel restrictions will be able to participate virtually.
New Iceberg partner Mash Media has announced that the Exhibition News Awards (EN Awards) will now be held on October 9th at Evolution London from 18.30. Duncan Siegle, Publishing Director of Exhibition News, said Mash is working with Smart Venues to ensure a safe and compliant event. Tickets on sale here.
Iceberg partner IBTM has announced live pitching and a new judging panel Chair, DAHLIA+Agency Founder Dahlia El Gazzar, for its Tech Watch Awards at IBTM World, which takes place from December 1st to 3rd at Fira Barcelona. The new format will give five technology businesses the chance to live pitch products and services to the panel and a live audience, aiming to secure finance and mentorship. Entries for live pitching stay open until September 30th.
Iceberg partner GainingEdge has posted the advisories COVID-19 and Destination Promoters, Putting Some Order to the Chaos, What to Ask Associations Beyond “Will You Be Rebooking?”, Partnerships and Collaboration: Now Even More Essential, and Building Confidence with Your Stakeholders, plus Bulletin: COVID-19 Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, Issue #5, Issue #6, Issue #7 and Issue #8. GainingEdge has also announced Vinícius Ribeiro da Silva from the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil as the newest GainingEdge Scholar recipient. Vinícius will be the third student to receive a scholarship since the programme was launched in 2018.
Brian Mushakwe from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe has won the International University Challenge at the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum. The event took place online for the first time this year, as part of IMEX’s new virtual experience, PlanetIMEX. The Iceberg partner runs the event in partnership with MPI (Meeting Professionals International) and fellow Iceberg partner MCI.
Iceberg partner Boardroom has launched Boardroom MiniCourses, a dedicated online learning site loaded with short, high-quality educational videos. Contributors include Geneviève Leclerc, Chief Executive Officer of #MEET4IMPACT and Iceberg ambassador. Boardroom MiniCourses has an Instagram page here, and the available content is already growing.
Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events is seeking 100,000 event professionals to build the future of the industry. There is a great video here.
There are extensive further COVID-19 resources at the Events Industry Council (EIC), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and at Meetings Mean Business. Northstar Meetings Group has posted a running list of New Dates for Events and Conventions Postponed Due to Coronavirus, and updated its Pulse Survey in July.
The European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA) has published a “Position Paper” called Trade Fairs and Exhibitions Business Still Flat – Incentives for Exhibitors and Visitors Needed.
The Society of Independent Show Organisers (SISO) has postponed its annual Summer Conference due to the recent spikes in COVID-19 infections across the US. The proposed venue, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, is currently limiting gatherings to groups of less than ten individuals.
The Meetings Show in the UK has unveiled plans for a hybrid 2020 edition. Moved to October due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the event is to run both a live and virtual show alongside one another.
The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella body for the UK’s events industry, has launched a reopening survey. With the Government recently announcing that live events can take place again from October 1st, the poll will show how industry suppliers across the country are preparing to reopen safely. Take part here. Plus, read BVEP’s letter sent to UK event and brand experience industry leaders as part of a new campaign under the “One Industry, One Voice, One Message” mantra.
Finally and as always, The Iceberg reiterates its call for you to join our Global Ambassador Program. You can see ambassadors listed on The Iceberg homepage, Ambassadors page, and in Business Events World below. Visit Call for Ambassadors 2019 & 2020 to find out more.
Until the quiet ends, for good or ill…
Robert Coren, Curator of The Iceberg
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The Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg, has released a manifesto that sets out arguments as to why business events can and should be utilised to drive economic recovery and renewal in the post-COVID-19 era. The document was assembled with the advice and input of a broad range of industry leaders. This was…
Iceberg partners ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and BestCities Global Alliance have announced that their “Incredible Impacts” grants, which awards associations leaving lasting legacies, are to return for their fourth year in a row, with the partnership also renewed for a further three years. Incredible Impacts is now open for submissions, and presents an opportunity…
During 2018 MeetDenmark, with consultancy and Iceberg partner GainingEdge, began a major project on legacy. The study involved desk research on fifty international associations and fifty destinations as well as interviews with twenty from each of the two groups. Some of the findings on the current global landscape were published last year in the MeetDenmark…
Wedged in amongst some of Norway’s most impressive fjords, Stavanger boasts a range of water-based and engineering industries, like shipbuilding and the building of rigs, platforms and subsea installations. But energy is the key sector, and “Europe’s energy capital” has a committed convention bureau keen to attract association meetings. From Boardroom…
The legacies of business events should start early on in life. July 2019 saw a new era begin for Malaysia’s youngest children on the back of the 2nd Sarawak Conference on Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Organised by Fu Yuan Kindergarten, the three-day meeting brought together more than 800 people from over 20 countries. From Boardroom…
Toulouse recently joined Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index, which measures and benchmarks cities’ green strategy and performance. The opening of the new LEED certified MEETT Convention Centre, scheduled for the end of 2020, shows the environmental commitment of the city’s partners. From Boardroom…
As the world’s population grows, the percentage of people living in cities is rising steadily. The future success of humanity is therefore more and more tied to, and even defined by, the future success of the city as a model. In that, of course, business events have a critical role to play. Professor Greg Clark has…
Australia’s business events landscape is surveyed here in a rich collection of articles. BESydney’s Lyn Lewis-Smith, ICC Sydney’s Geoff Donaghy, ACC’s Simon Burgess, MCEC’s Peter King, Brisbane Marketing’s Juliet Alabaster, plus the team behind JMIC’s (the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s) case studies, all offer up viewpoints. From Meetings International…
When President Nelson Mandela opened the Durban ICC in 1997, it was South Africa’s first international convention centre. It has since then been voted “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” by the World Travel Awards no fewer than seventeen times. But some of the venue’s greatest legacies lie in environmental sustainability. From Boardroom…
The recent staging of Iceberg partner AIME (the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event) was not only a platform to showcase the strength and resilience of the region’s events industry, but also as always of destination Melbourne itself. Last October Melbourne Convention Bureau posted record results for the financial year 2018 – 2019, with over…
Luxembourg has a new convention bureau aiming to punch above its weight in business events. The CVB is prioritising green meetings, so wants to register with Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index. As not only a city, Luxembourg will be registered as a country, the first to be benchmarked in the index. From Boardroom…
In January two scientists wrote an article asking why conference design for those involved in scientific research has been slow in evolving. While some science meetings are surely guilty as charged, others do have an appropriately innovative approach. Here are ten that break with tradition to design experiences with big impact. From PCMA…
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Vienna Convention Bureau was instrumental in hosting Europe’s largest congress for radiology and radiotechnology exclusively online for the very first time in its history. Organisers say 15,000 international attendees from 30 countries took part in the European Congress of Radiology “Virtual Exhibition”. From Exhibition World…
The CTA (Consumer Technology Association) has announced the cancellation of January’s CES 2021 in Las Vegas. The huge event draws around 170,000 visitors annually. Now organisers say they will create in its place an all-digital experience designed to keep exhibitors and customers connected. From Exhibition World…
Melbourne Convention Bureau has announced a hat-trick of significant congress wins taking place over the next eight years. These high-profile events will deliver AU$24.8 million to the state economy, and drive 3,750 delegates through the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s doors. From Association Meetings International…
CPhI Japan, the pharmaceutical trade show organised by Informa Markets, has announced that it will postpone until 2021. It had been set to run in Osaka from September into October, but will instead run at the Big Sight Exhibition Centre in Tokyo in April. CPhI brings together more than 100,000 pharma professionals. From Exhibition World…
President Trump has cancelled the pre-election Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, as the pandemic continues to rage in Florida. The convention had been scheduled for August. The party will hold a scaled-back event in North Carolina instead, which is where the President’s formal nomination will take place. From Conference & Meetings World…
Singapore Tourism Board is piloting two hybrid events, which will allow 50 delegates to attend in person, to stress-test its new risk management framework before gradually scaling up to larger meetings. Both events will have up to 50 attendees on site and about 1,000 online. From Association Meetings International…
Trade show business will contract by 60 percent compared to 2019, says global association of the exhibition industry and Iceberg partner UFI. €158 billion of total output and 1.9 million jobs are now affected. The updated assessment compiles data from the new UFI Global Exhibition Barometer. From Exhibition World…
Venue managers across the UK have welcomed the announcement that business events are to resume this autumn, subject to the successful outcome of pilot events. The ACC Liverpool Group, ExCeL London and the NEC in Birmingham are among those responding. From Association Meetings International…
The UK meetings industry is now launching a campaign to boost confidence in the sector and to prove its worth to the country. Smyle’s Rick Stainton and BVEP Chair Simon Hughes are leading the drive to embed trust in the industry’s safety approach. They are calling for contributions. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said conferences and exhibitions in the country will be permitted from October 1st. The PM announced that the decision would depend on data and that local authorities would have powers to close events if there was a danger to the public. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
With a location near two World Heritage sites, Australia’s Cairns Convention Centre is starting to market its AU$176 million brand expansion and refurbishment. The first stage of the work, completing in February, will see a refurbishment of the existing Centre. Then expansion will create all-new spaces. From Conference & Meetings World…
Designers of Melbourne’s latest meeting space, CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, have been setting out their ideas. NH Architecture was selected as part of the final stage of AU$972 million redevelopment. The firm has worked on other projects in the city, including the expansion of MCEC. From Association Meetings International…
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This project collected, analysed and synthesised the findings of all prior Joint Meetings Industry Council Case Studies to deliver a verdict on the broader contributions that conferences, congresses, trade shows, convention centres and bureaux deliver to destinations, communities, industries and economies. The cases were drawn from four continents: Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The…
The China-LAC Summit is an annual meeting organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It is a key entrepreneurial event for companies from China and the Latin American and Caribbean countries. The Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Center in Uruguay hosted the 11th edition of the…
The EuroHeartCare conference is one of the most important platforms for driving research publications, exchanging ideas, and forming and deepening collaborations within the field of cardiovascular nursing in Europe. It aims to support healthcare professionals in delivering the best care possible to patients with cardiovascular disease. The 2017 edition was hosted by Jönköping University in…
The study explores the benefits and barriers for individual researchers and universities when hosting research conferences. The study has been commissioned by the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy – an advisory body to the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science. Thereby the study situates the hosting of research conferences as a potential…
London Tech Week is a festival of live events taking place once a year across the United Kingdom capital. Having been held now for four years, it has become a key gathering for the ICT industry in London. It connects the entire tech ecosystem both within the city and beyond, shapes the future of the…
Many international convention centres use sophisticated methods to measure the economic impact of business events in their host cities. Others recognise the importance of food in customer experience and promote programs like paddock to plate or food miles. ICC Sydney marries these two concepts together and takes them to a new level by measuring the…
Growing its business events sector is part of Malaysia’s strategy to achieve status as a developed nation by 2020. This case study presents the contribution made by the 55th ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Congress towards developing the business events sector in the country. ICCA’s event engaged political leaders and the local community to raise awareness of the needs…
The Geneva Convention Bureau has adopted a policy of promoting Geneva not only as a destination but also as a center of economic, knowledge and innovation excellence. It does this by marketing meetings and events in relation to local key clusters of industry. As a result, a dynamic and virtuous feedback loop is established between Geneva’s economic or knowledge…
This research by Business Events Sydney (BESydney) demonstrates that business events offer delegates unrestricted exposure to innovative ideas and opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills. Part of the Beyond Tourism Benefits series, the new study by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – Conferences: Catalysts for Thriving Economies – provides further evidence showing that…
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In July 2020 the Events Industry Council released the Meeting and Event Design Accepted Practices Guide. It is intended to serve as a resource and educational tool for industry professionals to utilise. This guidance also is intended to be global and universal in nature. The work will continue to evolve through regional workshops led by task…
A combined group of members from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), led by the associations, has launched the All Secure Standard, a risk assessment based framework of COVID-19 secure industry best practice and guidance for business events and consumer shows which…
The results of the July COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard survey of 476 planners and 212 suppliers reveal a sharper divide between the two in several key areas. For instance, only one third of planners expect to see smaller local and regional events leading the recovery once the crisis is over (41 percent in the June survey),…
For the fifth year in a row, IACC is pleased to present a ground-breaking report that combines research and insights into the top issues facing the global meetings and conference industry. The 2020 IACC Meeting Room of the Future™ report brings together insights from meeting and conference venues, hotels and urban conference venues across three continents,…
This study is based on a global survey, conducted in June 2020. It represents up-to-date information on the development and outlook of the global exhibition industry as well as on 25 specific markets. Global Exhibition Barometer 25th Edition (July 2020) (UFI website) Global Exhibition Barometer 25th Edition (July 2020) Infographic (UFI website) UFI Global Barometer…
The ICCA Statistics Reports are based on the ICCA Association Database, which means the figures cover meetings organised by international associations according to ICCA criteria: a meeting must take place on a regular basis, host at least 50 participants, and rotate between a minimum of three countries to be included in the Database. ICCA’s Association…
As the pandemic wears on, respondents to the latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard have become more clear-eyed about its economic repercussions, but are still uncertain how best to plan for events in 2021. The new survey compares results from one month earlier and two previous bi-weekly surveys. Planners and suppliers have had another month under their…
Since 2018 GainingEdge has led two major projects for MeetDenmark on meeting legacies. The purpose has been to identify how Danish destinations can create significant added value for visiting congresses while also increasing the value for Danish society beyond the traditional economic benefits. Now MeetDenmark has released the second study completed in 2020 which explores the processes, mechanisms and…
In late May, Talley Management Group President and CEO Gregg Talley served as a panelist on a webinar TMG co-hosted with EventBank. The event discussed ways associations, both nationally and globally, can reposition themselves after the pandemic. Associations across the United States are facing unprecedented challenges because of COVID-19. From adapting to working from home…
This report was created for leaders in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry, and particularly operators of small and mid-size sector businesses who are focused on business survival and eventual recovery. It is based on an extensive review of recent and relevant news, studies and analysis, as well as interviews and panel discussions…
Academic events such as congresses, conferences, symposia and meetings are part and parcel of most academic careers. Endless hours are spent for both attendees and chairs on travelling, logistics, socialising and many other activities not directly related to core tasks such as teaching, research and knowledge dissemination. Despite the entrenched nature, and the general wave…
To quantify the economic significance of exhibitions globally, Oxford Economics has prepared a comprehensive model of global exhibitions activity that references recent studies on their economic significance. The results of this study show the scope of the global exhibition sector in terms of direct spending and jobs, as well as the total impacts of exhibitions…
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Martin Sirk is International Advisor for Iceberg partner GAH (Global Association Hubs). In a sharp reality check for the business events sector, he warns that successful reopening relies on a much wider containment of the pandemic than the industry on its own can ever achieve. The economy and health are not zero-sum trade-offs or parallel-track…
The largest business-to-business, face-to-face exhibition in the US, CES 2021, has moved to being an online, all-digital event. In 2019 CES had 170,000 visitors, 6,000 media, plus 4,000 exhibiting businesses from every corner of the world. The early pivot sent shock waves across an industry already devastated by the pandemic. From UFI…
The UK’s Conservative Party will be hosting its annual conference at Birmingham in 2022, 2024 and 2026. The event has alternated between ICC Birmingham and Manchester Central since 2008. Both used to be Labour heartlands, which shows the legacies that come from targeting a specific destination. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Months now into the COVID-19 pandemic we are awash in sector pronouncements and assertions, even if the route to recovery in this challenging situation remains rather unpredictable. But the recent global manifesto from the Joint Meetings Industry Council is a little different. So says JMIC’s Executive Director Rod Cameron…
In planning a hybrid or digital event, content is key to success. Panelists said as much during the first hybrid webinar of The Hague Convention Bureau. Talking through the viability of such events were a corporate and two association planners, a meeting design expert and a hotel executive. Article includes webinar video. From PCMA…
In the UK many industry associations have produced their own COVID-19 safety guidelines. While a measure showing initiative and real thirst to restart, this has caused confusion among planners over which label to seek out. List compiled before the Government-approved All Secure Standard was launched. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
After months of lockdown, many countries are just now gradually reopening events. This is not just countries that have suppressed the pandemic, but also many where the situation remains uncertain during a second wave of cases. So how do events look in a COVID-19 world? From Rod Kamleshwaran of the Iceberg partner GainingEdge via LinkedIn…
Associations are perfectly placed to reshape the world emerging from lockdown. They are repositories of expertise and best practice. They are trusted curators of information. They connect people all around the world and provide lifelong learning beyond university. But is this an opportunity they will grasp? From Association Meetings International…
COVID-19 has forced a rethinking of travel. Many conferences have been cancelled. Some have gone virtual. This analysis looks at actions that might reduce conference travel emissions by up to 90 percent, including holding a conference biennially in accessible locations, plus having both regional hubs and more virtual events. From Nature…
When ASN (the American Society for Nutrition) decided to switch its live event set for late May in Seattle to all-virtual just sixty days before the meeting, the organising team of ten didn’t know what to expect from the pivot. Nutrition 2020 typically draws 3,500 delegates, but about 30,000 attended the virtual version. From PCMA…
In the rush to pivot strategies for the new normal, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters for an association and its members. Here is a guide to this transformative shift for associations and their congresses, including the delegates, sponsors and technology: the myths, facts and opportunities around virtual events. From MCI…
The webinar that The Iceberg just produced on JMIC’s Manifesto for Economic Recovery Using Business Events contained a section on the document promoting the use of business events as a means of addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Fiona Pelham, the CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events, picks up that baton. COVID-19 has changed the…
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Expert content leaders share their knowledge and facilitate live online conversations in convenient, one-hour sessions. You can register for the full series or choose one or more individual sessions, letting you select the content that best meets your needs and fits your schedule: Dealing With Problematic Board Members | Determining Board Member Competencies and Identifying…
The UFI Exhibition Management School is a continuum of the Exhibition Management Degree that UFI initiated and has been organizing since 2007. UFI and MBB-Consulting Group are working to provide this new industry education programme for exhibition organisers. In the years to come, this collaboration will respond to a clear demand for high-level, focused quality…
A minimum of 10 and maximum 15 ICCA Destination Marketing members each invite an accompanying association executive to the Workshop to discuss their specific meeting requirements. Association executives must conform to strict selection criteria, so ensuring that participating Destination Marketing members can promote their company and services to senior decision-makers who are actively looking for…
The first step to becoming a more effective leader is to improve yourself from within, which can mean developing your emotional intelligence, improving your ethical foundations, and becoming more mindful, among other valuable internal qualities. Enroll in this collection to explore several aspects of leadership and learn how you can be a better leader. Lessons…
Accompanying association representatives should be decision makers/influencers of an International conference with more than 500 delegates and must use a local PCO (not a Core PCO). Find an accompanying guest now! No other event offers the same opportunity for association executives and ICCA’s meeting management members to meet face-to-face and discuss future co-operation in a tailor-made…
The FYP brings together 35 young industry professionals from a diverse array of backgrounds. Over 3 days, the selected applicants are given networking opportunities, educational sessions, social activities and guidance worth their weights in gold from some of the most influential meetings industry figures. Participants will complete the FYP with a wealth of knowledge, a…
Welcome to our all-inclusive video hub for associations. Learn anytime, anywhere, at your own pace. Our video minicourses, all given by specialised experts, have been structured into easily managed content which will help you overcome any challenge you might have. New courses will be added every month.
UFI connects is a way to stay connected, to get through this pandemic, and to be ready for the time afterwards. It is a programme of regular talks, panels, and webinar sessions – organized by the UFI team for you. Recordings of previous sessions are available to view.
JMIC, together with AIME, IBTM, IMEX and Meetings Africa, have released a 2-part webinar showcasing the industry speaking with one voice. All the major trade shows for our industry, leaders of associations and leading experts in our sector haved united to put together a joint message – to governments, decision makers, stakeholders – about the…
In a focused session, our ECM partners shared some of their newest insights and data to help face the reputation issue the tourism industry might face because of the Coronavirus crisis and provide us with some tools to work around it. Free to view recording, with guest speaker Olivier Henry-Biabaud, Founder and CEO at TCI Research…
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An invaluable feature of AIPC is the sense of community which in turn is part of a global meetings industry ecosystem. Now more than ever, this sense of community is needed to jointly address the challenges we are facing, as a result of Covid-19. The 2020 AIPC Annual Conference will be the perfect place to…
The TIC Expert Meeting offers a mix of incentive and exchange opportunities. This is why the diversity of participants is of great importance. This event is for managers and TIC front office professionals coming from small and large cities and working for either public or private tourist information organisations – whether they are ECM members…
A new starting point for exhibitions is here… Recognition and celebration is what we all need right now, but the awards signifies something much more important, it will give us a template and new starting point in which we can kick start awards in a face-to-face environment and not just with confidence but with style!…
This event is open to ECM members only, specifically to tourism professionals working on city cards schemes (Product Managers, Project Leaders, Marketing Manager) who are looking to improve – but also share – their knowledge with other participants. Meet and network with European colleagues managing city cards schemes, share knowledge and insights to stay ahead of…
The congress has a hybrid format and is themed: “Transforming Global Events Together”. The event will allow ICCA’s global community to connect with each other and explore new ideas, formats and technologies. ICCA’s global community of member-suppliers and associations can experience the future of global events live in Kaohsiung, at a regional hub or virtually….
UFI’s annual Global Congress is known as the “must attend” event for all industry professionals. With travel restrictions expected to continue over the coming months, instead of holding the event in one place, we will adopt a ‘glocalised’ approach – Dubai, UAE 15-16/11/20 | Basel, Switzerland 18-20/11/20 | Hong Kong (dates tbc) | Online 15-20/11/20
The BestCities Global Alliance is gathering industry thought-leaders, international associations and destination partners from around the globe under one digital roof for the anticipated return of their annual Global Forum – with a virtual twist. There has been much to learn from the challenges that the business events sector has faced over the last year, and…
Due to incredibly unpredictable travel restrictions, we’ve decided to transition IBTM World 2020 to a virtual experience, incorporating one-to-one meetings between exhibitors and buyers, as well as a knowledge programme, with a range of targeted education sessions. Exhibitors and buyers will benefit from IBTM’s bespoke appointment system, matchmaking buyer’s business needs with supplier’s services to…
Immerse yourself in new, interactive opportunities designed to help move your organization forward at this year’s revitalized Technology Exploration Conference. Get real-world experience in our new, hands-on tech training seminar and attend a series of learning sessions and demos from the best in the industry. Discover how the latest technology can drive your organization to…
This event will see ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter – the largest Chapter in ICCA’s global membership with nearly 300 members coming in full force, enabling Xiamen to showcase its local expertise to international attendees to encourage collaboration, innovation and business exchange. In turn, Asia Pacific delegates will be provided with opportunities to advance their knowledge…
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Kai Hattendorf is Managing Director / CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. As such, he is responsible for UFI activities and events globally, as well as the operation of its offices and presences in Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, and Bogota. From 2019 to 2021, Kai served as Honorary President…
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