Sigurjóna Sverrisdóttir has taken over as Managing Director of Meet in Reykjavík. She follows Thorsteinn Orn Gudmundsson, who piloted the Icelandic capital’s new convention bureau from its founding in 2012. Last year Iceland welcomed about 135,000 international meetings delegates, and some years of solid business growth. From Meetings International…
The choice of Kuala Lumpur for last year’s World Library and Information Congress proved to be a winner for both the delegates and destination. Over 3,500 participants from more than 120 countries met in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with support from convention bureau MyCEB and also 300 congress volunteers. From Association Meetings International…
The Iceberg is now identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies that lie hidden beneath the surface in a new podcast “Below the Waterline”. In the second of a series featuring significant meetings industry players, Iceberg founder James Latham catches up with the IMEX Group’s formidable CEO, Carina Bauer. IMEX…
Victoria is one of Canada’s most picturesque destinations for conferences. The oldest city in the Pacific Northwest is also a leader in ocean science, so a great spot to host conferences in the field. On the doorstep of the Pacific Ocean, Victoria boasts over a hundred sector-related organisations. Photo: Brandon Godfrey. From Meetings International…
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has just supported the hosting of the International Dragon Award Annual Congress at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. About 7,500 delegates are expected to have generated revenue of 640 million Baht ($20.7 million) during the four-day event, the largest-ever Chinese convention to be held in Thailand. From Meetings International…
Ahead of the World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, held in Glasgow, First Citizen Eva Bolander posed for Project Ability artists. The initiative showcases people living with disability, and the event was part of the wider “People Make Glasgow Healthier” campaign. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
The 12th European Pain Federation Congress in 2021 is to be hosted by The Convention Centre Dublin. The meeting will bring together 3,000 clinicians and researchers, and will generate over £3.7 million for the local economy. The bid from the Irish Pain Society was supported by both the Dublin Convention Bureau and Fáilte Ireland. From Association Meetings International…
Event industry professionals across the globe are being asked for their comments and commitments on how the sector can support UN Sustainable Development Goals. Survey responses will be analysed by Iceberg partner Positive Impact, and those completed before 1st September 2019 will form an “acceleration action” shared with the UN. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
At Meetings Africa 2017, South Africa launched a bidding fund to target international association meetings. Now at the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry congress, Deputy Minister of Tourism Fish Mahlalela has discussed its 2018-19 submissions. These total 108 event bids, with an economic impact of around R2.5 billion. From the Event…
The Iceberg prefers “familiarisation trips”. The rest of the sector uses the shorter “FAM trips”, usually with the capital letters. But why shout? For the second time, and now with accompanying video, one of our more particular partners pleads for industry excursions to remain lower case. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
A historic and musical icon, Liverpool has seen substantial regeneration in recent years, reinventing itself as a life sciences knowledge hub, with further expertise in creative digital technology, maritime and logistics. It also boasts a world-class event campus and other venues hosting major national and international meetings. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Recognising the role associations play in advancing both social and economic value through their meetings, the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, in partnership with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, is investing in building up the professional capacities of the local association community. It’s an acknowledgment of hosting partners’ contribution to successful events. From Boardroom…
Glasgow Convention Bureau has reported an almost £1 million boost to the city’s economy after hosting the recent 27th International Input-Output Association Conference. The IIOA meeting was in the UK for the first time and attracted a record number of delegates from nearly fifty countries. Sustainability was critical in its staging. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Iceberg partner BestCities Global Alliance is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to evaluate the socio-economic impacts created by business events. Project learnings will be shared across BestCities’ networks within and outside the industry. Recommendations will be provided on how meetings legacy activities can be encouraged, developed, implemented and measured. From BestCities Global Alliance…
UK events budgets have defied the trend of total marketing budgets during the second quarter of 2019, showing solid growth and extending the climb of recent quarters. So says the Q2 2019 IPA Bellwether Report. The rise in events spend contrasts with flatlining marketing overall amid growing political and economic uncertainty. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Iceberg partner European Cities Marketing, in collaboration with TCI Research, has used analysis of over a million social media postings to study the reputation of destinations across Europe. The City Sentiment Index Report reveals the theme of MICE scoring highest intensity in London, and highest positivity in Oslo (pictured). From European Cities Marketing…
Brisbane is the latest city to join up with Iceberg partner the Global Destination Sustainability Index, becoming GDS-Index’s 50th signing. The Queensland capital is now part of a global sustainability movement, benchmarking the sustainability of both destinations and their events, and promoting adoption of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals. From HQ…
London has been named the top meetings destination in Europe for the fifth consecutive year. Cvent, the events and hospitality technology provider, has released its annual rankings. Eastern European cities are gaining momentum, with Prague moving back into the top ten. Istanbul has broken into the top twenty-five. From Association Meetings International…
A major Asia-Oceania medical event is returning to Australia after forty years away. The five day Asia Oceania Otorhinolaryngological Head and Neck Surgery Congress will take place at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in 2023. Brisbane and Queensland figure prominently in the sector, with a cancer vaccine being developed by Professor Ian Frazer. From Meeting International…
With members in 49 countries, EURAM was founded to advance the academic discipline of management across Europe. Last year it held its conference at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik. Around 2,000 papers were reviewed in advance, and over 1,700 delegates took part. The legacy was a stronger society. Photo: Háskóli Islands. From Association Meetings International…
The Iceberg has always been dedicated to identifying and celebrating the greater mass of hard-to-see business events legacies lying hidden under the all-too-visible tip of travel and hospitality spending. So now it’s time to examine what lies beneath in a bracing new way. It’s time to take a deep breath and plunge “Below the Waterline”. In…
Powered by 
