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Mike Cannon, former Executive Director of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, was recently in Sydney to collect an AACB Hall of Fame plaque. During he visit he gave an interview on affordable events, Australia’s new Business Events Bid Fund, regional meetings, future challenges for convention bureaux, and their value to members. From CIM News Magazine…
It’s the job of a convention bureau to promote destination assets. In 2017 The Hague & Partners created an awards programme to highlight innovative local organisations and professionals. This year the scheme was expanded further to showcase sustainability initiatives leveraging The Hague’s location as the only Netherlands city on the sea. From PCMA Convene…
Like many new markets, the Middle East and North Africa has its own dynamics with events, meetings, and conferences. The culture is all about personal relationships, so face-to-face is always important for business. Exhibition Director Middle East of IBTM Arabia, Danielle Curtis, shares insights on future trends and technology. From the Event…
The recent Conservative Party conference offered little clarity on the UK’s route forward to leaving the European Union. But did delegates also miss some irony? The event’s venue, Birmingham’s International Convention Centre, was partially funded by the EU with a donation of £50 million in 1991. Photo: Philip Pankhurst. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
The Watkins Report for US and Canadian convention bureaux is published biennially, and Curt Watkins of Watkins Research has been conducting the study for the past 25 years. Here he shares his perspective on how the features planners are seeking in their host destinations have changed over recent decades. From PCMA Convene…
Comments from planners surveyed by the biennial Watkins Report show that when convention bureaux go out of their way to make personal connections with them, it has a big impact on site selection. Making introductions, escorting planners round hotels, and demonstrating how well stakeholders will work together, all make an impression. From PCMA Convene…
Getting the Institute of Internal Auditors to hold its conference in Dubai began with the United Arab Emirates IIA Chapter and the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme. It helped that the city had hosted the IIA Global Council back in 2014. The four-day 2018 event attracted 3,000 experts from over 100 countries. From Boardroom…
The retirement of Christian Mutschlechner from the Vienna Convention Bureau next year may, or may not, mean he is departing from the wider industry. But the fact Vienna consistently out-performed bigger cities, and has become one of the world’s top convention destinations, owes a great deal to him. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
Aaron Etra co-founded the Institute for Life Sciences Collaboration, which organises the ICMAN and ICNODAT conferences. He is also Chair of the Executive Committee of the Council of Organizations of the United Nations Association of the USA. Here he shares insights on youth empowerment with Iceberg parter BestCities Global Alliance. From Boardroom…
As the exhibition industry continues to grow, more US destinations are upgrading or expanding convention centres. Some projects are at the planning stage, like the Los Angeles Convention Center. Some are underway, like at the new Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Some are complete, like the Kentucky International Convention Center. Here’s a roundup. From TSNN…
While the larger markets of Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia will surely be the focus of the upcoming UFI Latin America Conference, the growing economy of Peru is also worthy of attention. Better known as a holiday destination and for Machu Picchu, a new convention center has been built in the capital city, Lima. From UFI…
The Iceberg’s very own Phileas Fogg, Pádraic Gilligan, was recently asked to deliver a workshop about “how Malaysia can build & sell compelling incentive travel experiences”. He took advantage of his time there to explore some new, and also not so new, products and experiences for the global meetings sector. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
The 7th International Conference on Hydrogen Technologies took place in Prague in July 2017. Work to bring the conference to the Czech Republic capital started as early as 2009. Professor Dr. Ing. Karel Bouzek (above receiving an ambassador award) was the meeting’s local champion, and reflects how it developed after the bid was won. From Boardroom…
Vienna is the world’s most “liveable” city. That’s according to the annual Economist Intelligence Unit Global Liveability Index. It’s also the first city in Europe to top the survey: Melbourne had lead for seven years previously. But what is the link between “liveability” and actually attracting conference delegates? From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…
Claire Smith is Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Vancouver Convention Centre, and also Chair of PCMA. Here she answers three questions: about how working with associations has changed for her over the years, about the kind of meetings her venue targets, and about the future of the association sector itself. From Boardroom…
The Mexican exhibition sector has certainly attracted major global players. But it’s still mostly smaller organisers or societies hosting regional or local events. UFI, the exhibition industry’s global association, has been talking to José Navarro, Chairman of its Latin American Chapter and General Director of E.J. Krause Tarsus de México. From UFI…
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