Everything you wanted to know about how US policymaking influences business events, and how to participate in campaigns designed to nudge policy in the right direction. Every other Friday, the ECA Advocacy Update email newsletter shares the latest advocacy news from Washington, DC and beyond on the public policy issues that matter to the industry.
The inaugural Advocacy & Action event will unite and reimagine two of DI’s most dynamic gatherings into one event dedicated to advancing purpose-driven destination leadership. “Advocacy & Action brings together the full spectrum of what destination organisations stand for — community resilience, brand stewardship, leadership and impact,” said Don Welsh, DI President & CEO.
Thoughts & Observations is a weekly newsletter by Kai Hattendorf. It shares updates, reflections, and analyses on the business events and exhibitions industry, covering topics ranging from market trends to industry practices and emerging developments. Each edition provides a concise summary of recent news, data, and professional insights relevant to event organizers and stakeholders.
The Iceberg, presented by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), exists to enable its Partners & Ambassadors to advocate the transformative socio-economic and societal impacts generated by business and professional events . The Tip of The Iceberg: A Visitor Economy Great work by the Events Industry Council (EIC), in partnership with Oxford Economics, has quantified…
Destination leaders recently gathered in California as Destinations International shared new research and resources for destination organisations to strengthen reputation, advocacy, and long-term success. This included The Advocacy Leadership Imperative, produced with MMGY NextFactor and supported by the DI Foundation, outlining a model for destination advocacy that embeds it across governance, strategy, and performance.
Hip replacements in Africa, domestic violence abatement in Mongolia, autism inclusivity, First People’s engagement, public health structural transformation – the wide-ranging case studies highlighted in this Boardroom article have one thing in common: a shift from “recognising” the impact of events, to partnerships between organisers and destinations that proactively plan for positive outcomes and long-term…
For the latest news and factual information, and intelligent analysis of both current impacts and anticipated future implications of the continuing shutdown, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance is the go-to resource for the business events sector. We recommend signing up to their newsletter and following their updates.
Sally Beerworth and Caroline Fleming from Good Talent Media share best practices on how organisations can move from reactive to proactive advocacy, to turn good ideas into impactful influence: For associations and not-for-profits, advocacy isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s essential to delivering on our mission. These days, making your voice heard feels like shouting…
From AMI: The campaign will throw a spotlight on how IAPCO members can help associations through governance support, driving advocacy, and creating outcomes that matter. Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO, said: “Associations deserve the highest standards and IAPCO accreditation is that guarantee. From strategic guidance and content curation to logistical precision and compliance expertise…
For all those confused about the roles and aspirations of the umbrella organisations that aim to provide global leadership for our industry (and our Alphabet Soup of business event associations!), Kai Hattendorf’s article is a must-read: Global Meetings Industry Day to move from US Travel Association to EIC—an alignment, or a strategic power play?
Mark your calendars for 5 May 2026, when the next iteration of this global report is issued (superseding the 2023 edition) on Global Meetings Industry Day, the global advocacy programme championed by Events Industry Council. This is the most authoritative global estimate of “above the waterline” economic impact of event expenditure by delegates and organisers….
Business NSW’s gain is also a win for the Business Events sector, recognising the importance of meetings in a destination’s economic strategy… Business NSW is pleased to welcome Lyn Lewis-Smith OAM GAICD to the Board, appointed as a director on 1 September 2025. Lyn has served as a Business NSW State Councillor since February and…
From Boardroom: Sven Bossu, CEO of AIPC, unpacks the complexities and challenges of advocacy within the meetings industry. Drawing from first-hand experience and real-world examples, he explores why a structured, consistent approach is essential to making the industry’s voice heard—especially at the policy level.
Hattendorf argues that government support is vital for SME participation in international trade fairs, and is critical for many early-stage export-oriented companies’ success. We now have evidence of what happens when the government funding tap is turned off (in UK) and clear ROI data for schemes that have been consistently running for decades (in Germany).
From Boardroom: As the European Green Deal is shaping various sectors in the continent, associations need to step up their game for advocacy and actively lead their sectors towards transformation. Few have risen to that challenge with the clarity and collaborative ambition of the European Boating Industry (EBI), which has just been awarded the 2025…
Ex-UFI CEO turned industry thought-leader Kai Hattendorf was ubiquitous at this year’s IMEX, challenging the industry to up its game in terms of global advocacy, arguing that this is even more critical than ever during a time of geopolitical flux and uncertainty, and then eloquently demonstrating in a series of interviews how to frame the…
From Thoughts & Observations on Business Events with Kai Hattendorf: Today is the 10th “Global Exhibitions Day”. It was launched in 2016 by UFI to bring together many actors across the trade show ecosystem that had been mulling a joint advocacy activity for a while. Now, every year, exhibition professionals in more than 100 countries…
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