Latest research about trends in incentive travel shows that “soft power” (meaning persuasion rather than coersion) is now competing with sales and the bottom line as a key driver in the industry. The 2019 Incentive Travel Industry Index’s preliminary results were revealed at IMEX America in Las Vegas. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
CWT M&E says the buoyant global meetings industry is poised for eight percent growth next year, despite looming geopolitical and economic headwinds. The 2020 Future Trends report notes these as the trade war between the US and China, Brexit and its wider impact, the protests in Hong Kong and climate change. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Despite the Hong Kong government giving in to protestors’ demands to withdraw its extradition bill, political disruption has continued across the territory. Organisers are nervous of holding events there, but the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and other local players have been keen to allay all fears. Photo: Studio Incendo. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Denver is the latest city, and the fourth in the US, to join Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index. The Colorado capital’s sustainability credentials as both convention city and destination include the LEED Gold certified Colorado Convention Center with its own sustainability programme, green hotels and citywide bike sharing. From Boardroom…
CWT M&E has unveiled its ranking of the top ten cities for meetings and events in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2020, with London holding onto the coveted number one spot. The ranking is based on data in the CWT 2020 Future Trends in Meetings & Events report just out. From Meetings International…
Iceberg partner IBTM World has announced first details for its 2019 Association Programme, which takes place on the show’s first afternoon this coming November. The annual event for the global events sector will be attended in Barcelona by over 15,000 professionals, among them 300 international association meetings planners. From Boardroom…
St Petersburg is now doubling its subvention fund for 2019 to 50 million roubles (approximately €700,000), as part of an ongoing strategy to attract to the city major international congresses. The fund is available across all the city’s venues, but will have a significant impact on Expoforum, the Russian city’s main congress centre. From Meetings International…
Flight-shaming, which many believe started in Sweden, has not reached the US yet, which basks in the glow of a demand boom. Greta Thunberg, the pioneering young eco-warrior (pictured), crossed the Atlantic in a yacht to avoid flying to two major climate summits. How realistic is idealism? From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
In issues 18, 33, 53 and 60 of The Iceberg’s fortnightly Business Events World, the importance of meetings has been discussed in terms of President Trump’s rapprochement with Kim Jong-un. Their summit venue, the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ, is also a fascinating outing for incentive delegates. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
When tourist visitors to a city greatly outnumber the resident population, it’s not hard to understand locals feeling crowded, some to the point of revolt. But is overtourism an issue for the meetings industry? What have selfie-stick wielding hordes that descend seasonally on top destinations have to do with business events? From PCMA…
Technology that mimics human behaviour and helps delegates to interact with each other is set to change the face of events, it has been claimed. The Tech Watch Award winners will be announced during IBTM World in Barcelona this November, and the experts on its judging panel have been discussing emerging trends. From Association Meetings International…
Brussels is expected to attract some 5,000 members of the public for two free days of conferences and activities about osteoarthritis. The second World Osteoarthritis Day Intergenerational Events will be held at SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre in September. Unlike most traditional conferences, WODIES is tailored for the general public. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Meetings and event activity continue to increase faster than budgets, finds a new study from American Express Global Business Travel. Based on fifteen in-depth interviews with event owners in Europe and the US, the report reveals that ad hoc events with quick turnaround often have no set budget. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The She Means Business educational event at IMEX America will address issues surrounding economic and gender equality within the meetings industry. A joint event by IMEX and tw magazine, supported by MPI, She Means Business will launch in Las Vegas at the Smart Monday event, a pre-show day of education. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Agencies Lime Venue Portfolio and BCD Meetings & Events have just partnered to launch an extensive research initiative into food and sustainability in the meeting and events industry. Their initiative “Beyond Food” aims to shed light onto the economic impact of food production and the role that event businesses can play. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The event industry talks a lot about “experience” in meeting design, and that “experience” should always be “immersive”. But what does it mean in practice for planners? How should they build experience into meetings they run, and then how should that experience made immersive? From Maritz Global Events…
Plastic pollution is a blight on the world’s oceans. After an almost plastic-free staging of its annual conference, the Australian Marine Sciences Association, and event management organisation Encanta, have created a tip sheet for other planners. They share what they did, what they didn’t, what was learned, and what challenges remain. From PCMA…
Getting proactive with meaningful data is always a good idea. In 2018 the key metric for meetings and events was the number of leads. In 2019 67 percent of marketers are looking to calculate ROI. Here findings from some of the latest meetings and events research are explored. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Iceberg partner IBTM World has just launched a mentoring / investment scheme for young entrepreneurs. The Event Business Accelerator will give those with an idea, product or service for the events industry the chance of intensive mentoring, and of pitching to potential investors at IBTM World this November in Barcelona. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to evaluate the socio-economic impacts created by business events. Project learnings will be shared across BestCities’ networks within and outside the industry. Recommendations will be provided on how meetings legacy activities can be encouraged, developed, implemented and measured. From BestCities Global Alliance…
UK events budgets have defied the trend of total marketing budgets during the second quarter of 2019, showing solid growth and extending the climb of recent quarters. So says the Q2 2019 IPA Bellwether Report. The rise in events spend contrasts with flatlining marketing overall amid growing political and economic uncertainty. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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