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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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Access to Scientific Meetings: UK and US Visa Refusal Woes

Are openly hostile immigration policies in the UK and US making it harder for delegates from lower income countries to attend scientific meetings? Here’s a round up from both sides of the pond of events that have faced very high levels of visa rejections with delegates attending from developing nations. From Association Meetings International…

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London Meetings Set for Brexit Boom, Says Industry MD

London’s meeting industry will see a Brexit boom whatever happens. That’s according to etc.venues MD Alastair Stewart, who is refreshingly optimistic amid the current political turmoil and uncertainty. He sees substantial change as inevitable, and with change comes the need for meetings to address it. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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Using the Destination, Adding Value for the Community

During a busy European Cities Marketing Spring Meeting 2019 in Edinburgh, meetings professionals debated the successes and failures of city event organisations from all over the continent. Contributors included Iceberg partner ECM’s President, Dieter Hardt-Stremayr. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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Advocacy: Clear Goals, Good Storytelling and Industry Coalition

The Iceberg sits at the heart of the advocacy that the meetings industry makes to the world outside. But how do those who represent and defend the sector see their role? The views here include those of two Iceberg partners: IMEX Manager Natasha Richards and European Cities Marketing President Dieter Hardt-Stremayr. From Conference & Incentive Management…

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Knowledge Hub: What Future for Edinburgh’s Ambassadors?

Ambassadors help destinations secure international association meetings. So Edinburgh’s meetings industry has an anxious wait ahead of a council vote on budget cuts that could virtually wipe out the city’s marketing and lead to the closure of Convention Edinburgh and its ambassador scheme. From editor’s blog at Association Meetings International…

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Associations Growing Global VI: ISO Engages Asia from Singapore

The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews about the globalisation of large associations. These are jointly produced by partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. Nicolas Fleury, Deputy Secretary-General of the Geneva-based International Organization for Standardisation, describes ISO’s opening up of a regional office in Singapore. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…

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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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Lausanne Montreux Congress: The Two Directors’ Vision

As The Iceberg reported in October, the Swiss regions of Lausanne and Montreux have joined forces to create the joint Lausanne Montreux Congress. Two LMC representatives, Director Lausanne Tourisme Steeve Pasche and Director Montreux-Vevey Tourisme Christoph Sturny, have been speaking exclusively about their future plans. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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BestCities Global Alliance: Harness the Power of Partnership

Paul Vallee is Managing Director of Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance. Paul is also Executive Consultant with GainingEdge, another Iceberg partner which provides services exclusively to the meetings industry. Here he discusses the growing trend of partnership in associations and how the industry can benefit from such collaboration. From BestCities Global Alliance…

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Associations Growing Global V: ICCA Expands in Dubai

The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews about the globalisation of large associations. These are jointly produced by partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. This time we hear from another partner, the International Congress and Convention Association, which is spreading its wings in Dubai. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…

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Associations Growing Global IV: ESTRO in Singapore

The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews about the globalisation of large associations. These are jointly produced by partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. This time we hear from ESTRO’s (the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology’s) CEO, Alessandro Cortese (pictured), and its new MD of Innovation, Sven Bossu. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…

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2018: Climate Change, #MeToo, the War on Plastic and Brexit

As 2018 leaves its footprints on the sands of time, here’s to the past extraordinary year. The last twelve months brought great change to the meetings industry, from the #MeToo movement, to the war on plastic, and to fears about climate change. That’s before even the dreaded “B” word. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…

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Associations Growing Global III: ETHA in Brussels

The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews which all address the globalisation of large associations. These are being jointly produced by partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. Thomas Reiser, Executive Director of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, describes forming the European Thrombosis and Haemostasis Alliance. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…

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The Global Association Hubs Partnership: Growing Above Average

The Global Association Hubs Partnership, founded in Autumn 2015 and an Iceberg partner, brings together four major hubs across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. As it passes its third anniversary, Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC are enjoying association growth of 2.5 percent, well above the global average of 0.9 percent. From Boardroom…

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Associations Growing Global II: Middle East Council of Shopping...

The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews jointly produced by our partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. The contributors are all addressing the decentralisation and globalisation of large international associations. This time David Macadam, the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres’ CEO, is in the chair. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…

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