Sector: Business Events
How Global Events Are Shaping Classrooms in New South Wales
When international conferences take place in Sydney, their influence extends well beyond industry networking and economic return. Through a strategic partnership between BESydney and the NSW Department of Education, business events are being translated into real-world impact, inspiring students, equipping teachers, and preparing communities for the jobs of tomorrow. From Boardroom…
Without Congresses, No Nobel Prizes
Atti Soenarso argues that behind every breakthrough in physiology or medicine, chemistry or physics, literature and peace, lies not just genius but conversation, debate and collaboration, often in the corridors of meeting venues: Every December, the Nobel Prize award ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway, remind the world that brilliance rarely blooms in solitude…
Press Release Case Study: Joint ICOE and OEE Ocean Energy Conference comes to The Hague in 2026
This press release from The Hague & Partners is included under “Case Studies” because it is an excellent example of how to communicate the “below the waterline” impacts of international meetings (as opposed to focusing on direct delegate and organiser expenditure), and how these impacts align with a destination’s intellectual capital strengths and economic development…
The Fragile Glow: Questioning the Boundless Optimism Around the Future of Business Events
Soolnua co-founder and events industry commentator Padraic Gilligan sounds a warning note on the optimism pervading many recent industry surveys and reports, especially regarding the underlying health of the US economy: At this stage, most of the usual trend and forecast reports for the business events industry have landed. Reading through them, you can’t help…
The Problem with “Mega-COPs”: Can a 50,000 Person Conference Still Tackle Climate Change?
Dr Hayley Walker of IÉSEG presents an analytical argument with challenging perspective on the effectiveness of “mega-events”, especially those originally designed as government-to-government negotiation platforms, but which have attracted the involvement of big business and different communities of interest. As an industry, shouldn’t we be advocating more strongly for “impactful & effective meetings” not “bigger…
Aligning Your Event Hosting Strategy With Your Place Brand Ambitions
This excellent benchmarking project by City Nation Place offers a wealth of strategic yet practical advice on this critical issue, with perspectives from destination representatives and owners/organisers of a wide range of international events. Download the report to learn more and to understand how you can leverage events to deliver against your place brand ambitions.
MEETING NEWS
Northstar Meeting Group’s flagship business events newsletter, with the option to sign up to lots of specialist feeds, including region-specific news, and the latest news of interest to association meeting professionals. Providing meeting planners and suppliers with comprehensive information and original content in the form of articles, magazines, podcasts, and videos.
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Thoughts & Observations on Business Events
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.
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The Power – and Peril – of Recognition
David Adler critiques the self-promoting, excessive-growth industry that Business Events industry awards have morphed into, praises those who have stood up to say “count me out”, and highlights the attributes and achievements we should be recognising if we wish to promote our sector in a way that resonates with the outside world. From GatheringPoint.news…
Towards a Better Strategic Understanding and Utilisation of Convention & Exhibition Centre Data
Mark O. Schloesser, Senior Venue Consultant, Gaining Edge, calls for a more holistic approach to data management within major event venues. Reliable data across all key disciplines is essential for success, but depends on having a culture of accuracy, transparency and accountability – how many venues can honestly claim to have this throughout their organisations?
Event Cancellations Mount as Government Shutdown Continues
Business events across the U.S. are facing mounting cancellations and disruptions due to the ongoing federal shutdown that began on October 1. Government-linked conferences are hit hardest, with major gatherings being scaled back or scrapped entirely, forcing planners to re-evaluate travel, location and engagement strategies amid uncertainty. From Skift Meetings…
New Report Published into 2026 Global Meeting and Events Trends
BCD Meetings & Events has released its What’s Trending 2026 guide. The report sets out what will shape meetings and events next year, with global findings and regional detail to help planners adjust programmes, budgets and formats in practical ways. The guide finds that meetings are now treated as strategic spend. From CMW…
The Role and Value of Impact Assessments in Music and Cultural Ecosystems
There are plenty of thought-provoking insights and useful lessons for Business Events professionals from the parallel universe of music, culture and the creative economy, in this White Paper style report produced by specialist agency Sound Diplomacy.
Sydney Chosen as APAC Circular Hotspot in 2026
International meetings have become the critical platform for increasing implementation and broadening understanding of the societal importance and key concepts behind Circular Economies and related business practices. As with any complex process, the fastest way to learn and generate new ideas is face-to-face, bringing together technical experts, policymakers and business leaders. From From CMW…
Patient Inclusion Takes Centre Stage at ICCA’s Future of Healthcare Meetings 2025
This excellent overview of the conference discussions and presentations by Boardroom’s Vicky Koffa highlights key concerns and opportunities facing organisers of medical meetings, and points the way towards the sector’s future evolution, where patients may have just as much of a voice as researchers and practitioners, and impact and outcomes are the most important metrics.
The Silent Summit That’s Redefining Power: Inside YPO’s Deal-First Gathering in Los Angeles
David Adler deconstructs the unique outcome-oriented elements that Young Presidents Organisation has incorporated in their Global Business Summit, with invaluable lessons for any organisers focused on how to maximise the deal-making and relationship-building elements of their own events. Read the GatheringPoint.News article here
The Antwerp Innovation Journey: Where the Blue Economy Comes to Life
Understand how and why Antwerp is building its events strategy around future-industries, sustainable solutions and economic development priorities, leveraging academic excellence, start-up innovation, and industrial scaling-up know-how to attract the most relevant international events. An excellent model for other cities wishing to fully exploit their intellectual capital and business sector advantages, from Antwerp Convention Bureau…
Incredible Impacts Programme Illustrates the Importance of Designing Intentional Outcomes
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 plan for positive outcomes and long-term legacy.
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