In August 2024, Dublin became the global capital of geography. The 35th International Geographical Congress (IGC 2024) brought 2,654 delegates from 74 countries and five continents to Dublin City University (DCU) for a week-long celebration of research, collaboration, and connection under the theme “Celebrating a World of Difference.” The conference was supported by Fáilte Ireland,…
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…
Association leaders at Skift Meetings Forum 2025 highlighted current challenges faced by the events industry. They’re adapting by shortening events, creating value-driven and generationally tailored experiences, and managing attendee hesitancy. Declining international participation, late registrations, and political sensitivities are forcing leaders to rethink formats, messaging, and speaker vetting to keep conferences relevant.
Vienna has a decades-long track-record of proactively harnessing its intellectual capital both to attract international meetings, and to ensure those meetings generate long-term legacies at both the local and global level. Here are some of the latest examples. From Boardroom…
At the recent ICCA Middle East Summit, Dubai Business Events received the Association Development Award for its pivotal role in fostering collaboration between regional and international associations. Through Dubai Association Centre, DBE drives sustainable economic growth and advances legacy building within the association sector. From Emirates News Agency…
Henley Business Centre Professors Andrew and Nada Kakabadse outline ways in which insights and data from local, frontline stakeholders are key for international associations to navigate turbulent times. Without systems for obtaining such input, Boards cannot navigate effectively. This applies particularly to international meetings, as key platforms for obtaining grassroots feedback and input into strategy.
ITB China’s new MICE Meeting Point, debuting in Beijing Sept 11–12, has partnered with the China Association of Travel Services’ MICE Committee and the China Advertising Association’s Event Marketing Committee. The collaboration aims to drive professional development, foster international cooperation, and connect global resources with China’s evolving business events industry.
From Centre for Events & Festivals: Why do some international meetings keep circling the same regions, while others roam the globe? Behind every association event is a quiet game of geography, power, and preference — one that shapes who gets access to knowledge, influence, and economic return. While host cities compete aggressively to secure International…
This year’s Summit brought together over 260 Association professionals for a day of learning, sharing, and community-building. The energy was unforgettable. Now, we have a challenge and a responsibility: to build on that momentum and make EAS26 even more impactful. Mark your calendars: #EAS26 will return with fresh sessions, new voices, and the highly anticipated…
Loren Christie, GainingEdge Consultant and Managing Director of BestCities Global Alliance argues that Destination Marketing Organisations are discovering that collaboration enhances resilience, amplifies impact and drives innovation. These partnerships should be more than operational, they should be visionary and meaningful, and DMOs should leverage their qualities to bring unique value when hosting international association meetings.
From Meetings International, an illustration of the growing, and vital, role of international association conferences as platforms for overcoming dis- and misinformation. Face-to-face events led by experts in specialised fields are uniquely positioned to provide this essential public service.
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).
In a call to action for all Asian destinations to embrace “beyond-tourism” thinking in their approach to Business Events, PCMA’s Florence Chua summarises the opportunities and barriers to growth in the regional and international association market within Asia Pacific. Interviewed during this year’s PCMA APAC conference at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Chua highlighted the…
From ICCA: Signed during IMEX 2025 in Frankfurt by ICCA CEO Dr. Senthil Gopinath and ESAE Managing Director Ioannis Pallas, the agreement affirms both organisations’ commitment to nurturing the next generation of association leaders and professionals, as well as contributing to one another’s ongoing research and development efforts.
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…
From Boardroom: Associations are under pressure. Technology moves fast, members want different things, politics are unstable, and the climate crisis is ever-growing. Association leaders must make difficult decisions about what relevance means and how to partner strategically for impact. In this context, Sydney’s Leadership Choices: Driving Societal Change into Associations event served as a hands-on…
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