Written by Alistair Turner, Managing Director of Eight PR & Marketing, with input from Megan Henshall of Google XI, the IBTM World Trends Report 2027 argues that human cognition, meaningful relationships and the ability to rethink established narratives will become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence reshapes the business events industry. From HQ Magazine…
A premier leadership and professional development program tailored to the region, this four-day immersive program will be hosted at the ICC Sydney. It will equip industry professionals with the tools, knowledge, and connections needed to advance excellence in convention centre operations through expert-led sessions, practical exercises, and meaningful peer exchange.
Organizers know how many people registered and how many booths sold. What they often miss is the story behind those numbers, and most of it plays out long before the doors open. This report draws on a September 2026 survey of 3,459 attendees and exhibitors to show what that story looks like.
AI is reshaping event management, with around 40% of tasks now suitable for AI support or automation. Administrative, data and reporting work are most affected, while relationships, strategy and onsite decision-making remain human-led. This report explores how responsibilities are evolving and reveals practical lessons from one events team’s experience implementing AI. From Cvent & MPI…
In Boardroom, Christoph Tessmar shares how the Barcelona Convention Bureau has built dedicated community legacy projects around six congresses, testing how far its Legacy Playbook can stretch across entirely different fields of science. The initiative explores how congresses can create meaningful, lasting benefits for local communities, extending their impact far beyond the event itself.
The Iceberg has proudly tracked the World Parkinson Coalition’s accessibility initiatives over the years, from Glasgow to Barcelona. Continuing this ongoing story, Barbara Palmer, PCMA, explores how the Parkinson Ready program trains hospitality staff to better support delegates, ensuring host cities are left better prepared for welcoming and supporting people with Parkinson’s.
Now in its 16th year, the annual Amex GBT Global Meetings and Events Forecast identifies the trends shaping meetings in the year ahead. Discover how meeting professionals are creating more memorable experiences, using AI and human expertise to drive personalization, building greater resilience, and managing rising costs without losing sight of impact.
An industry built on the power of human relationships is confronting machine-produced site recommendations. What if AI gets the answer wrong? A meeting destination used to have a fairly good idea of what a planner was considering. Now, AI is replacing that first website visit or email to a salesperson. From Skift Meetings…
Zambia makes the connection between its planned healthcare infrastructure investment and opportunities to develop conference facilities, attract international visitors and establish a wider medical and tourism destination — demonstrating how major healthcare projects can also create opportunities for meetings, business events and destination development. From Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Government of Zambia…
The Iceberg Curator Martin Sirk is interviewed by Jan Orsic and Gorazd Cad on a range of industry issues, from AI as enabler vs barrier, to why we persist in organising and attending sub-par meetings that fail to extract and utilise even a fraction of the intellectual capital they’ve spent so much effort gathering together.
What happens when an association’s impact continues long after we have stopped watching? Ksenija Polla explores how Women Deliver conferences have helped spark political commitments, mobilise communities and advance the rights and health of women and girls, and considers why the true impact of a meeting often unfolds months or years later.
In this episode of The Meeting Room podcast, host James Lancaster talks with Tamar Beck, CEO of events marketing agency Gleanin, about one of the most pressing privacy and risk-related issues facing our sector, exploring what can be done to ensure attendees feel safe and secure in the age of covert surveillance.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has designated six additional locations as MICE Cities, expanding its network for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions to 16 destinations. The new destinations are Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, Rayong, Hua Hin–Cha-am, Krabi and Nakhon Si Thammarat, extending the programme across northern, northeastern, eastern and southern Thailand. From M&C/ASIA…
Plenty of food for thought can be found in this report, which summarises the conclusions of the Futures Workshop facilitated by Conference Futurist Graham Norris at The Meetings Show London 2026. It explores the forces shaping the future of events and considers how technology, human connection and changing expectations may influence the industry.
Fáilte Ireland’s Ciara Gallagher explains why focusing on ambassadors, legacy, sustainability and societal impact makes good business sense from a tourism-metrics perspective as well as in terms of inward investment, positive healthcare outcomes, scientific progress and identifying concrete solutions to important societal challenges. From Conference & Meetings World…
Some of the meetings industry’s most prominent leaders are making a public appeal to their Canadian counterparts: We still want your business. Leaders from major industry associations have signed an open letter assuring Canadian members and partners that, despite political tensions, their commitment to working with Canada remains strong. From Skift Meetings…
At RAI Amsterdam square meters are only the starting point. This trade show and convention powerhouse is tapping into what matters to the city, the economic and scientific sectors it serves, and particularly the people of Amsterdam and The Netherlands. CEO Maurits van der Sluis explains his venue’s integrated approach. From Headquarters Magazine…
Executive Director Dorian Kronenwerth outlines JMIC’s priorities for the years ahead, and argues that the future of business events depends on speaking with one voice. He sets out how JMIC plans to turn stronger advocacy, sustainability and collaboration into practical tools that help the global events industry demonstrate its value. From Headquarters Magazine…
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