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The African Opportunity for Associations

Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies as well as more than half of the world’s youth population. Whilst there is poverty in Africa, there is also a growing middle class of educated people with significant purchasing power living in large urban centres. From Meetings International…

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Gary Grimmer Talks GainingEdge, Sector Resilience and More

Gary Grimmer, the Executive Chairman of Iceberg partner GainingEdge, has been revisiting both his own career path through four convention bureaux, plus the journey of his consultancy from its early days through to navigating the COVID-19 crisis. In this interview he also talks through the GainingEdge report “Leveraging Intellectual Capitals”. From Conference & Meetings World…

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Vienna Waits for You: Conference Supports Elderly Bakers’ Café

Jaimé Bennett, PCMA’s Regional Director of EMEA, was taken on a tour during her site visit to Vienna earlier this year. The aim was to find places Convening EMEA participants could explore during the meeting. One was a café which helps older residents augment their pensions and social lives through baking. From PCMA…

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Sarawak’s Tourism Minister Discusses Legacy Strategy

Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, the Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has been discussing the Malaysian state’s approach to recovery and its strategy of promoting business event legacy creation. Subjects covered include ventures with Iceberg partners GDS-Index and ICCA. From Boardroom…

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ICCA and BestCities Talk About Association Legacy at IMEX America

During the recent IMEX America in Las Vegas, Iceberg partners ICCA and the BestCities Global Alliance collaboratively staged a deep dive workshop that explored “Legacy for Association Meetings”. With the use of templates taken from the toolkit of Copenhagen Legacy Lab, also an Iceberg partner, attendees worked to develop tangible solutions for sector challenges. From ICCA…

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Serendipitous Meeting Leads to Girl Guides Keeping Bees

Much is said about serendipity at events. A recent gathering of the Membership Committee for the African Society of Association Executives, attended by Gary Grimmer of Iceberg partner GainingEdge, saw a chance encounter develop into a legacy collaboration helping Girl Guides to learn beekeeping. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…

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PCMA’s GMID Debate: Vaccine Passports and Industry Recovery

In celebration of Global Meetings Industry Day, PCMA hosted the first ever PCMA APAC and EMEA debate, attracting over 500 registrations from 57 countries. Moderated by Oscar Cerezales, Global Executive Vice President Corporate Division of Iceberg partner MCI Group, the big debate discussed the pros and cons of the potential vaccine passport. From PCMA…

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TMG’s Gregg Talley: The Cradle of Humanity Incubating Innovation

Gregg Talley, President and CEO of Iceberg partner Talley Management Group, believes Africa’s attraction as a business event destination should remain clear-cut after the pandemic. The continent is still “an incubator for innovation and an incredible cultural experience that connects us all to the cradle of humanity”. From Conference & Meetings World…

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Coronavirus: African Sector Also Suffering Under COVID-19 Crisis

Meetings Africa 2020 already seems so long ago. As the world struggles to tackle COVID-19, not only have major conferences and exhibitions in Asia, Europe and America been cancelled, but Africa is also feeling the crisis. Interviews include Gregg Talley, President and CEO of Iceberg partner Talley Management Group. From the Event…

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The Inaugural Africa Association Summit Staged in Nairobi

Over 100 association executives from seven African countries have just gathered in the Kenyan capital Nairobi for the inaugural Africa Association Summit (AAS1). The two-day event was run by the African Society of Association Executives, in partnership with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. AfSAE President Jeffers Miruka reports. From Boardroom…

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ICCA Country and City Rankings: An African Chapter Perspective

The Africa Chapter of Iceberg partner the International Congress and Convention Association is small but active. ICCA’s annual statistics list how many association meetings are held in cities around the world. The Regional Director for Africa at ICCA, Esmaré Steinhöfel, explains what the latest rankings mean for the continent, and where growth opportunities lie. From the Event…

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Meetings Africa 2019: Sowing the Seeds of Food Security

Meetings Africa 2019, recently held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, featured both South Africa Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom (pictured left) and Iceberg friend Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo of the South Africa National Convention Bureau. Now the continent will be looking to farming technology event Agritech Africa to shape and secure its future. From Boardroom…

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Designing Legacy: The Meetings Approach Across Africa

The legacy of events is best pictured as an iceberg, as this website should certainly know! Design Indaba, held annually in Cape Town, is extending the legacy it creates for participating SMMEs through four simulcasts of its conference. Natasha Skoryk looks at the impact of business events on destinations and the meetings industry itself. From the Event…

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Africa: Ready for Association Legacies

Jeffers Miruka is President of the African Society of Association Executives, headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has over ten years of experience across association management and the meetings industry, and shares his views on how Africa is fast developing, both as an association and a meetings destination. From Boardroom…

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“Shared Economies” at Meetings Africa 2018

Meetings Africa 2018 is about to open its doors, as the travel and tourism trade, plus local and international buyers and media, head for the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. This year’s theme is “shared economies”, meaning the importance of collaboration in destination marketing and boosting development in Africa through business meetings. From the Event…

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2017’s Business Event Lessons

From politics, security and safety to the dipping of congress statistics and how learning and education is at the forefront of growth, South African thought leaders, association heads and professionals share thoughts and predictions on where the local business events industry is heading. What lessons has 2017 taught, and what will 2018 bring? From the Event…

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