The looming threat of climate change poses huge questions for the international meetings industry, particularly for high profile global events under intense media scrutiny like COP24, the World Economic Forum and the UN Climate Change Conference. But does the sector itself have the answers, and how is it approaching the problem? From Association Meetings International…
Don Welsh, CEO of Destinations International, once headed up individual convention bureaux in Seattle, Indianapolis and Chicago. Now he’s the leader of the entire CVB community. Here he describes how the roles differ, and also how the function of a convention bureau has evolved in recent years. From PCMA…
Meetings Africa 2019, recently held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, featured both South Africa Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom (pictured left) and Iceberg friend Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo of the South Africa National Convention Bureau. Now the continent will be looking to farming technology event Agritech Africa to shape and secure its future. From Boardroom…
Many healthcare and STEM meeting participants can justify attendance because an abstract of theirs has been accepted. But rather than holding conferences of speakers speaking to speakers, perhaps there is space for a “flipped” model, where the event environment is a place for peer review and improvement of works in progress. From PCMA…
The financial health of a medical association convention can depend on whether its exhibition floor is or isn’t sold out. Attending doctors though aren’t usually buying drugs directly but prescribing them. So measuring the return on investment of exhibiting at medical meetings has become a science in its own right. From PCMA…
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director of The Middle East, Arabian Travel Market and IBTM Arabia, reveals seven destinations set to become prominent in the meetings and events industry. Her list comprises the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council states, other neighbours Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Rwanda. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The launch of business events by industry can make a significant contribution to the growth strategies of cities and states. In 2015 Aloysius Arlando, Chief Executive of SingEx Holdings, co-created the Singapore Fintech Festival as Asia’s hub for the intersection of its finance and tech sectors. The legacies of this event launch with partners including…
Once famous for ship and train making, Scotland is now building rockets and satellites. Sutherland, the first spaceport in mainland Europe, will soon see its first launches. VisitScotland recently held INNOVATESPACE at the University of St Andrews, right after Data Space 2019 was held at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy has organised the world’s fifth conference in the field to further its aim of taking a leading global role. KSGE established the International Digestive Endoscopy Network and its event to overcome the limitations of national academic meetings. Photo: Galenus Medical. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
The latest Meetings Market Survey from the Professional Convention Management Association has revealed a growth in meeting attendance with a further rise expected next year. Considered to be a barometer for the industry, the survey found attendance for 2018 up five percent. It had risen by 3.6 percent in 2017. From Association Meetings International…
The City of London – the capital’s historic financial district – could be set for a Brexit boost, with more than three quarters of City venues expecting an increase in revenue over the next 12 months, according to a new survey. 70 percent of respondents were optimistic about the coming year. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Leeds has been chosen to host the international XborderAsia Exhibition 2019 thanks to the city’s “rapidly growing” financial and technology sectors. The bi-annual meeting will welcome around 500 international delegates to the Royal Armouries International in September. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The UK Events Industry Board has launched a survey to help assess the value of EU grants, infrastructure funding and service-related projects that have benefited the business events industry. The EIB is urging destinations to complete a survey identifying EU funding for projects like ICC Birmingham in 1989. Photo: Roy Hughes. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The International Convention Centre of Barcelona broke its previous high turnover record whilst welcoming more than 500,000 visitors in 2018. The CCIB, managed by GL Events, announced turnover of €37.2 million last year, an increase of 11.5 percent over 2017 and of 3.1 percent on the 2007 record. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Michael Hirst has been appointed chair of the Events Industry Board by UK tourism minister Michael Ellis MP following the resignation of Nick de Bois last year. Hirst has served as deputy chair since the body’s 2016 creation. He is also chair of BVEP (the Business Visits and Events Partnership). From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The Marketing Cheshire “Brilliant Science” campaign has helped it to secure for 2020 the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security. Around 120 delegates are expected to attend the event at the University of Chester, a strong base for teaching and research in cyber security. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, has spoken about the show’s focus on diversity, it being key to the future of the events industry. “That’s why it forms a core part of our offering at IMEX in Frankfurt this year”, she said. IMEX includes an opening session called “She Means Business”. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The publishers of a planned report into the size and value of Britain’s events sector have made a call for contributions from the industry. The study from the Business Visits and Events Partnership, due out this Autumn, will be used to profile the sector to politicians, the media and wider business community. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance, the network of international convention bureaux, has launched a range of financial products to woo international association meeting clients. The alliance will now offer discounted secure payment, foreign currency protection, and also VAT reclaim services. From Association Meetings International…
The UK meetings industry turned out in force for a glittering night at the 2019 M&IT Awards, and The Iceberg partner’s record-breaking event has been hailed as the best ever. Glasgow Convention Bureau picked up the Best UK Convention Bureau gong for the 13th year in a row (pictured). From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
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