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Jane Cunningham has worked for hotels, a convention centre, a DMO (destination marketing organisation) and a PCO (professional conference organiser). She has also worked for two Iceberg partners, BestCities Global Alliance and Destinations International. Here she offers her thinking on legacy and Net Zero Carbon Events. From Meetings International…
Meeting planners reacted strongly to the US Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights. Over 40 percent said state abortion legislation would influence site-selection decisions. But Iceberg partner Destinations International has been on a mission to convince groups that travel boycotts simply do not work. From Northstar Meetings Group…
The “Invisible Industry” was a label put on the meetings and hospitality sectors back in 1996 by broadcaster Charles Osgood. Now this title has become an advocacy roadshow, thanks to a 49-foot trailer stocked with interactive media. It launched a year-long “Invisible Industry Tour” of US cities last June. From PCMA…
PCMA has held a roundtable discussion in Washington DC on how to navigate events in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision on US abortion rights. Ninety minutes of fascinating crosstalk on the rights and wrongs of events boycotting destinations because of their laws ensued. From PCMA…
International Women’s Day, which has now been marked for over a century, offers the opportunity to remember the key conferences and other events that have helped move the needle on women’s rights. The 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (pictured) in Beijing, China, featured participation by future Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. From PCMA…
Michelle Mason heads up Iceberg partner ASAE as President and CEO. After she “stumbled into association management”, as a temporary staff assistant at what is now called the American Chemistry Council, Mason has climbed the ranks, transforming any barriers into opportunities and using her platform to raise others who are underrepresented. From PCMA…
When looking for hybrid meeting sites, over a third of respondents to the Convene Recovery Dashboard surveys conducted in late summer and autumn were seeking venues with broadcasting facilities. As a result, convention centres around the world have worked quickly to meet the demand, with facilities designed as spaces to reflect the destination. From PCMA…
Like many other organisations, the American Psychological Association quickly switched its in-person 2020 annual convention to an all-virtual event because of COVID-19. Even though the pivot happened in just three months, it was decided from the start to make the August event better than it could possibly have been on site. From PCMA…
COVID-19 has slammed the brakes on the international expansion of associations, their big conferences having been essential to delivering such goals prior to the pandemic. International Advisor Martin Sirk, of Iceberg partner Global Association Hubs, says that association-friendly regional destinations are the answer. From Boardroom…
Convention venues know that when meetings return they will often be in hybrid format. So many are installing amenities like broadcast studios. The Javits Center in New York has added a 30,000-square-foot studio with a private green room area, two studio cameras and a giant video wall. From Associations Now…
2020’s RNC (Republican National Convention) offered event industry strategists another opportunity to see how organisers of a high-stakes, big-budget meeting can answer the challenges of capturing audience attention and engagement during the pandemic, still getting criticism over their choice of venues and lack of social distancing. From PCMA…
When the United Fresh Produce Association cancelled its annual convention and expo this spring, organisers quickly put the content online. The scramble proved to be so successful that the association has kept it going, turning a one-off event into an online platform with permanent expo, social gatherings and on-demand education. From PCMA…
The death of George Floyd, and of many others before him, prompted black meeting professionals in the US to share thoughts on their own experiences, the protests and the need for diversity in the industry. Those speaking out include Elliott Ferguson (pictured), President and CEO of Destination DC. From Northstar Meetings Group…
The Iceberg is sorely missing a wide range of cancelled industry events. We’re also sorely missing the cheery Martin Sirk selfie posted from all of them. Fortunately, the International Advisor of our partner the Global Association Hubs Partnership has recorded a podcast. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
Most ambitious destinations market meetings by targeting key economic growth sectors and by making good use of knowledge economy assets. GAHP, the Global Association Hubs Partnership, links up four such cities with strong association ecosystems and support. GAHP is also a partner of The Iceberg. From Association Meetings International…
As Sherrif Karamat, President and CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association explains, PCMA and the PCMA Foundation have set a goal of raising at least $250,000 to help those affected by the recent bushfires in Australia and earthquakes in Puerto Rico. The first $50,000 is already committed. From PCMA…
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