It’s been a busy year for James Rees, Executive Director of ExCeL London. Following election as ICCA President in November 2018, Rees reveals his approach to the US market, to diversity at both ExCeL and ICCA, and how being in a New Romantic pop band helped him thrive in the events industry. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
This year marks a milestone for SACEOS, the Singapore Association for Conventions Exhibitions Organisers and Suppliers. It is both celebrating its 40th year, and a new President, industry heavyweight Aloysius Arlando, took over the reigns in February. Here he shares his vision for the future and explains why associations must be “future-ready”. From Boardroom…
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Gary has over 30 years’ experience in the convention industry. In 2004 he founded GainingEdge, a global consulting company that offers advisory services in relation to destinations, convention bureaus and convention and exhibition centres. It also provides convention and incentive sales representation services in all of the world’s key markets. The company’s services are end-to-end,…
The Defence Procurement, Research, Technology & Exportability arms fair has been moved from the NEC Birmingham to Farnborough International after a protest campaign against the event. The decision to hold it in Birmingham was only made in November, with DPRTE having originally been scheduled for Cardiff before similar objections from local people. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
This year’s edition of Meetings Africa is set to be the greenest ever, with more event greening in place than ever before. Africa’s foremost industry trade fair has pioneered the practice since 2011. The show takes place at the end of February in the International Convention Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
Olympia London has received planning permission for a £1 billion renovation. The new vision of the 132-year-old exhibition centre is a diverse quarter, with events space, communal areas and leisure facilities. Work will start this year, with the first tenants moving in by 2023, and Olympia will continue to operate during renovation. From Meetings & Incentive Travel…
ExCeL London is reducing waste with a “No Plastic” campaign to outline its commitment to this global issue. The approach will initially focus on the 27 retailers along its central boulevard. “Waste from single-use plastic is a critical issue for our industry,” says Jeremy Rees, CEO of ExCeL London. From Boardroom…
The Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre has been enlarged by 3,800 square metres to accommodate one specific event, the iGaming expo SIGMA. Malta’s online gaming industry has been on a winning streak in the past few years, with the sector now accounting for €1.2 billion, or over 12 percent, of local GDP. From AMI Intellectual Capitals…
Accessibility is a concept buzzing around the business events industry, but what do planners need to know to ensure awareness at congresses? According to new research from Iceberg partners BestCities Global Alliance and GainingEdge, working with Rehabilitation International, universal accessibility is now key to business growth, knowledge sharing and increased competitiveness for destinations. From PCMA…
A new report highlights the need for more work on universal accessibility across the meetings industry. The research project from Iceberg partners BestCities Global Alliance and GainingEdge, working with Rehabilitation International, was unveiled at the 57th ICCA Congress in Dubai, and is also posted in the Iceberg’s Research section. From CIM News Magazine…
Universal Accessibility in Meetings is a research study conducted by GainingEdge, in collaboration with project partners BestCities Global Alliance and Rehabilitation International. The goal of this research project is to promote awareness among meeting organisers and the supplier community on the need to remove barriers in meetings and conventions for delegates with disabilities. The study…
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced the results of Women in the Exhibitions Industry at the 85th UFI Global Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia. The research is a joint project between UFI and its media partner m+a providing insights into the perception of women’s and men’s skills in the workplace, the potential…
A ceremony at ICC Sydney has launched its Reconciliation Action Plan, which will recognise and celebrate during events the cultures and traditions of Australia’s First Nations. These include the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the custodians of the land on which ICC Sydney sits. From CIM News Magazine…
ICC Sydney’s staging for show organisers SWIFT of the huge finance conference Sibos just saw 7,600 business leaders, academics and entrepreneurs take over the venue for four days. Sibos’ trade show included 180 exhibitors, custom-built stands, interactive zones and live activations, while a further 75 private meetings ran alongside official sessions. From CIM News Magazine…
The Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre and China’s Guangdong Tanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center have together signed an exclusive collaborative partnership expected to increase cooperation and foster greater bilateral ties between the two trading nations. The centre-to-centre partnership is thought to be the first between the countries. From CIM News Magazine…
James Rees, Executive Director of ExCeL London, has launched a bid to be President of the International Congress and Convention Association. Rees is one of three candidates to replace Nina Freysen-Pretorius and has now launched a website outlining his campaign. The vote will be announced the ICCA Congress in Dubai this November. From Meetpie.com…
In 2016, the IACC Meeting Room of the Future™ report began providing a pulse on global meeting industry trends. Five research and trends reports later, the initiative has been instrumental in identifying new trends and taking a deeper dive into select changes occurring in the meetings industry. This report takes the research one step further…
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has recorded its best economic performance for a sixth consecutive year. In 2017/18 it brought AU$372 million into the region, an increase of 14 percent on 2016/17. 154 events attracted over 722,000 guests to the centre, which is also discussing expansion with the Queensland state government. From CIM News Magazine…
Several events were cancelled at convention centres expected to be impacted by Hurricane Florence as the storm approached landfall. The National Rifle Association called off the second NRA Carry Guard Expo scheduled at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Other venues that cancelled events include the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina. From TSNN…
Delivering tailored meetings experiences is the top priority for planners in Latin America. That’s according to new research from IACC (formerly the International Association of Conference Centres). The organisation released the first Latin America edition of its “Meeting Room of the Future” white paper in collaboration with IBTM Americas. From Meetings & Conventions…
ADNEC Group have confirmed the appointment of Jeremy Rees as CEO of ExCeL London. Rees has been Acting CEO since November 2017. Very well-respected by the exhibitions sector he’s spent over twenty years working within, Rees joined ExCeL in January 2010 as Sales Director and was appointed Executive Director in 2013. From Meetpie.com…
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