A new advocacy movement, The Athens Promise, has launched this July to support existing efforts and further unite the meetings and events industry behind one clear message: the work of business events matters, and the world needs to understand why. The initiative is led by the IAPCO, in partnership with AIPC AMC Institute and PCMA.
The process of designing and executing a seamless event is an art, but tracking and analysing all the metrics is definitely a science. The formula for success can vary from group to group, but there are some universal metrics that most planners should focus on — ones that go beyond total attendance and satisfaction scores.
Skift analyses new research from Freeman that confirms what meeting planners have suspected for years: the agenda they spend months building isn’t where attendees are finding the most value. Attendees say they would ideally spend 54% of their learning time in unstructured formats rather than formal sessions. At trade shows, that figure rises to 64%.
Why does The Iceberg consider the just-released IMEX White Paper, “Place Leadership and the Business Events Sector”, to be so important? In almost four decades of monitoring and supporting this sector, The Iceberg Curator, Martin Sirk, has reviewed hundreds of research reports, policy documents, and thought-leadership papers, yet he notes that “few match this paper’s…
Speaking at this year’s Place Leaders Forum at IMEX Frankfurt, future of cities expert Prof. Greg Clark articulates the potential for business events to fulfil a pivotal role within destinations’ strategic thinking, thanks to the emergence of new competitive realities as we enter an era where the Innovation Economy interacts with the Experience Economy. Our…
Talley Management’s Ksenija Polla illustrates dimensions in delivering association event impact through the example of ISPCAN, describing intentional steps to put victims’ voices and experiences at the centre of ISPCAN’s Jamaica conference, and how a simple change of emphasis led to a profound communication impact via a presentation for ICCA’s Incredibile Impacts programme.
PCMA’s newly released report provides in-depth analysis of the trends, market dynamics, innovation priorities, and stakeholder perspectives shaping one of the world’s fastest-evolving sectors. Combining sector intelligence, community insights, and practical implementation tools, the report equips event professionals, destinations, and suppliers with actionable strategies to make more informed business and event decisions.
Destinations International’s President & CEO Don Welsh shares his personal business philosophy and his views on the future role of convention bureaux or DMOs. Leaders of these organisations will need to evolve into “alternative mayors”, ringmasters of the complex institutional relationships that make up modern place leadership in destinations large and small. From GatheringPoint.news…
Kigali has joined the BestCities Global Alliance as its 14th member, placing Rwanda’s capital within a network of leading international convention destinations. The move reflects Kigali’s growing profile as a meetings destination in Africa, combining modern event infrastructure, accessibility and a strong focus on sustainability, innovation and economic development.
TEAMS: TRAVEL, EVENTS AND MANAGEMENT IN SPORTS, is the world’s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. Presented by SportsTravel, and hosted by the Greater Birmingham CVB, TEAMS ’26 will be held October 26–29 in Birmingham, Alabama. For more than 25 years, TEAMS has helped define the sports-event and appointment-based trade show industries.
Northstar’s TMS APAC is the leading tradeshow gathering event organisers and suppliers to connect, contract and forge new partnerships within the global MICE industry. Discover leading destinations, venues, hotels and other key MICE suppliers, complemented by an exclusive hosted buyer programme, bringing senior meetings, conventions, events and incentives buyers to a bustling tradeshow floor.
IMEX Frankfurt is where the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry comes together for the largest trade show of its kind in Europe. This is where you can walk through the world in a day, immerse yourself in the latest industry developments and ideas, and find yourself at the heart of the industry’s community.
David Adler takes a critical look at the threat to scientific and medical meetings should US federal regulation OMB-2026-0034 go ahead, prohibiting grant recipients from attending conferences not named in the original grant proposal (in practice, an impossibility!). David also brilliantly articulates the processes by which face-to-face meetings generate scientific insights and progress.
UFI is delighted to announce that the 94th UFI Global Congress will be held in the dynamic and welcoming city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Hosted by the Guadalajara Convention and Visitors Bureau, this flagship global event will once again unite exhibition industry leaders from across the world for four days of collaboration, innovation, and strategic dialogue.
The UFI European Conference 2027 will take place in the historic city of Rimini in Italy, where industry leaders will gather to chart the future of face-to-face events. IEG’s expansive Rimini Expo Centre provides the perfect setting to explore the latest innovations, challenge conventional thinking, and strengthen the connections that drive our industry forward.
The UFI Asia-Pacific Conference will return in 2027 in one of Asia’s most inspiring destinations: Bali, Indonesia. The conference will once again bring together exhibition industry leaders from across the region and around the world to connect, exchange insights, and explore the trends shaping the future of exhibitions in Asia.
The Global CEO Summit (GCS) is an invitation-only conference for CEOs and equivalents from international exhibition organisers and venue operators. Participants can look forward to high-level networking with global industry leaders, exclusive CEO insights on challenges and opportunities ahead, and future-focused strategies shaping the exhibitions sector.
The latest annual Hall of Leaders honourees have been announced by the Events Industry Council, including international event-impact advocates WeeMin Ong from Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and Kit Lykketoft from Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau. The six inductees will be honoured at a ceremony held alongside IMEX America in Las Vegas on 12 October.
Bringing together exhibition and events industry leaders from Latin America and beyond, the conference will serve as a key platform to exchange insights, explore opportunities, and strengthen connections in Central & South America’s largest exhibition market. This year’s edition will be hosted by the Brazilian Association of Exhibition and Events Industry.
Northstar’s Meetings + Sports Leadership Forum brings together the industry’s thought leaders – planning professionals and suppliers – for three days of education, networking and sharing of best practices. This forum is unlike any other industry gathering: a unique, high-level experience where business relationships and friendships are forged.
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