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Media Blackouts: To Speak But Demand Silence Outside the Hall

Would you accept a media blackout required by your keynote speaker? PCMA, the Professional Convention Management Association, has just done so for former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Media outlets registered for Convening Leaders were strictly forbidden from reporting her main keynote. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…

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Meat-Free Meetings: The 2020 Commitment of a Trade Show Vegan

2019 was the year veganism went mainstream. In 2020 Veganuary, or going vegan for January, is bigger than ever. One Iceberg publishing partner is sampling fast food vegan options, went vegan at Associations UK Congress 2019, and will again at all 2020 events. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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Speaking Out Against the Speaker: A Financial Services Watershed

When an attendee posted video of a speaker’s lewd remarks at a financial services conference, it was actually the video poster who was breaking the rules, since the invitation-only event had a privacy policy. But the event in fact commended the poster and instead the billionaire panellist was barred from future events. From PCMA…

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Sustainability: COP25, Brexit, Greta Thunberg and the UN SDGs

Sustainability is high on the events industry agenda. COP25’s Events Industry Council panel discussed vegan menus, recyclable cups and refillable bottles. Britain’s Brexit is shaking up supply chains and may encourage local sourcing. Iceberg partner Positive Impact is engaging the industry in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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Mariela McIlwraith: The Events Industry Climate Panel at COP25

Last December Mariela McIlwraith, Director of Industry Advancement at the Events Industry Council, went to the UN Climate Conference COP25 in Madrid. There she took part in a panel discussion on the role of the meetings sector in bringing people together to act on climate. From the Events Industry Council…

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The Slow Movement Says: Take Your Time with Slow Meetings

If the music of modern life seems too allegro, presto or prestissimo, then perhaps an occasional adagio is a good idea. The so-called Slow Movement started off as a protest against fast food, and now extends to many aspects of contemporary culture. So why not also hold slow meetings? From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…

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Looking on the Bright Side: Four Positive Trends for 2020

Carina Bauer, the CEO of Iceberg partner the IMEX Group, has been looking at four very positive industry trends for 2020 and beyond with her team: the “circular” economy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, health and wellbeing (with increased focus on mental health), and how artificial intelligence can improve travel. From IMEX…

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Five Trends to Watch During 2020 Across Exhibitions and Events

2019 is drawing to a close. As we enter a new decade, the world now seems less stable and facing further disruption. Global association of the exhibition industry, UFI, has as per every year been tracking sector developments around the world. Here are five key trends the Iceberg partner has noted. From Kai Hattendorf via LinkedIn…

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Meetings Sustainability: A Technology Provider on Association Events

The trend of making meetings more sustainable is growing. Momentum is gaining pace, and not just in terms of recycling and reducing wastage. Director of Marketing, Europe at Cvent, Judy Elvey, discusses how associations are now integrating sustainability more and more into meetings. She also mentions work with Iceberg partner Positive Impact. From Boardroom…

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One Young World: Meat-Free Meeting for the Next Generation

In October the One Young World Global Summit came to London collecting together trailblazers including HRH The Duchess of Sussex. With sustainability at the core of the event, organisers asked venue partners for wholly meat-free menus. With over 3,600 delegates attending, meat-free meeting was no mean feat. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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DMCs, DMOs and the Market’s Disruption: An Incentive Perspective

In what way does the purpose of DMCs (Destination Management Companies) change in a market disrupted by the Internet? What happens when the core value proposition of “local knowledge, expertise and connections” is accessible, sometimes more efficiently and affordably, via other platforms? From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…

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Panels Not Manels VIII: Shoptalk 2020 Opts to Feature Only Women

Retail conference Shoptalk has just announced that its next conference, to be held in Las Vegas next March, will feature an all-women speaker lineup, including both the track sessions and main stage keynotes. The decision has been applauded as a bold move, but is not uniformly seen as a good idea. From PCMA…

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“We Want the World to Know our Full Impact”, PCMA CEO

Convening Leaders, the flagship event of PCMA (the Professional Convention Management Association), is taking place in January at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Setting out the agenda and stage for this major industry meet, PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat explains how debate has shifted towards the outcomes and impact created by the sector. From PCMA…

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Associations Like Cities “Business-friendly”, Says GAHP

Cities with a “business-friendly” environment for international associations will find more of them opening offices, including regional headquarters, within their vicinity. So says Martin Sirk, International Adviser of Iceberg partner GAHP, the Global Association Hubs Partnership. New data on association office locations backs up the claim. From Association Meetings International…

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Accessibility: Barriers Still to Overcome for Disabled Delegates

“The majority of disabled people don’t travel to conferences because they expect their needs will not be met”. So says Alan Broadbent, an accessibility writer and consultant to the events industry. Three examples of inclusivity, a venue (ICC Wales), a meeting (Glasgow’s IASSIDD World Congress) and a city (Dubai), are analysed. From Association Meetings International…

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