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During the European Banking Federation annual summit at the National Bank in Brussels, an alarm went off. Then another. And then another. In an exclusive interview, EBF senior events coordinator Tina Marolt describes the steps taken in dealing with every event planner’s worst nightmare. Photo: Tiger Rus. From Association Meetings International…
The branded plane that flew the foolhardy to the Fyre Festival in 2017 was just one footnote in the event disaster to end them all. After Fyre’s calamitous collapse, and the organiser’s imprisonment for fraud and $26 million fine, two new TV documentaries dissect every event planner’s worst nightmare. Photo: John Klos. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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…
Steff Berger is Managing Director of VOBE – Inspires People, which organises events of up to 20,000 attendees for mainly European associations. Here the conference consultant and event planner shares expertise in crisis management, from counterterrorism measures like airport scanners, to working with local authorities to minimise risk, and the potential threat of cyberattacks. From PCMA…
Events and meetings transform destinations for the better. The tireless Pádraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, offers a thought-provoking report from the recent SITE Executive Summit in Rwanda. The country saw a horrific genocide in 1994, and yet today is “incentive-ready”. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
Now companies have to respond almost immediately to bad publicity, overreaction is the danger. When the positive benefits of an activity aren’t understood, the damage can be even greater. Our incentive specialist looks at headlines the sector has weathered and what they say about the real value of incentive travel. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
Designed for an industry that never sleeps, IMEX America 2018 was brimming with opportunity and learning right down to its last moments. From hearing hosted buyer experiences and exhibitor perspectives, to education content like C2’s session on connecting with audiences and The Events Industry Council’s on cybersecurity, it was a packed final day. From the Event…
While Hurricane Florence didn’t touch down in Charleston, the destination estimates it took a $63 million hit as a result of cancelled events. Some organisers postponed early to avoid potential issues, others tried to move forward right up until the governor issued the call for mandatory evacuation. Some groups even turned events virtual. From PCMA Convene…
Where meetings and events choose to go, and how they approach their content, are affected by many factors, not least the influence of political disruptors like Brexit or the 2016 US presidential election. So says Rod Cameron, Executive Director of the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which presents The Iceberg. From CIM News Magazine…
Cybersecurity is among the top threats facing businesses and governments in 2018. What you might not realize, though, is that it can impact consumers not only at voting booths and cash registers, but also at meetings and events. Cybersecurity expert Rebecca Herold explains how to protect yourself from the threat. From Successful Meetings…
Border security seems to be of increasing importance in a more nationalistic political age. But sometimes the business of implementing border security involves collaborating across borders. Tony Smith, Chair of the International Border Management and Technologies Association, discusses IBMATA’s recent inaugural conference, and why collaboration is a main focus. From PCMA Convene…
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…
A recent report from the IMEX Policy Forum 2018 (see Research) outlines three areas of concern raised during the event by Gloria Guevara Manzo, the World Tourism and Travel Council President and CEO (pictured at IMEX with Group Chairman Ray Bloom). Her three concerns were: security and safety, crisis preparation and sustainability. From PCMA Convene…
Opinions has already published Convene’s annual Best in Show list, celebrating industry excellence. But Convene also invited notables from across the sector to reflect on how the business of events is getting better. Nineteen contributed, among them Gregg Talley of the Talley Management Group and SoolNua and SITE’s Pádraic Gilligan. From PCMA Convene…
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. When the US Supreme Court recently upheld Trump Travel Ban III, Vancouver quickly tweeted out a welcome mat. But here’s a tale of two cities, New York and San Francisco, that insist the US is still open for business. From PCMA Convene…
Meetings Professionals International’s World Education Congress has just concluded in Indianapolis, having welcomed around 2,200 attendees. Since WEC 2017 MPI had totally reimagined the event, and the 2018 running was certainly eventful, even to the extent of a Sudanese-Australian speaker being unable to attend because of a US visa waiver refusal. From Meetings & Conventions…
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