As the pandemic wears on, respondents to the latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard have become more clear-eyed about its economic repercussions, but are still uncertain how best to plan for events in 2021. The new survey compares results from one month earlier and two previous bi-weekly surveys. Planners and suppliers have had another month under their…
Since 2018 GainingEdge has led two major projects for MeetDenmark on meeting legacies. The purpose has been to identify how Danish destinations can create significant added value for visiting congresses while also increasing the value for Danish society beyond the traditional economic benefits. Now MeetDenmark has released the second study completed in 2020 which explores the processes, mechanisms and…
Academic events such as congresses, conferences, symposia and meetings are part and parcel of most academic careers. Endless hours are spent for both attendees and chairs on travelling, logistics, socialising and many other activities not directly related to core tasks such as teaching, research and knowledge dissemination. Despite the entrenched nature, and the general wave…
Unprecedented times mean unique collaborations. The Joint Meetings Industry Council has held a global webinar, delivered by The Iceberg and presented across four regional satellite events by four trade shows (AIME, IBTM, IMEX and Meetings Africa). JMIC was crowdsourcing ideas for an advocacy manifesto. From Conference & Meetings World…
A “groundbreaking” Phd study into the academic benefits of attending and hosting meetings has now been published by the convention bureau Wonderful Copenhagen. The thesis by Thomas Trøst Hansen, 148 pages long, has identified specific benefits academics can reap by hosting or attending academic events. From Association Meetings International…
The webinar that The Iceberg just produced on JMIC’s Manifesto for Economic Recovery Using Business Events contained a section on the document promoting the use of business events as a means of addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Fiona Pelham, the CEO of Iceberg partner Positive Impact Events, picks up that baton. COVID-19 has changed the…
During COVID-19 the meetings industry has pivoted to serve the community. Venues have become field hospitals, logistics networks have shipped personal protective equipment, and surplus food has also been donated. A new social contract is being written, explains Geneviève Leclerc, CEO of Iceberg partner #MEET4IMPACT. From European Cities Marketing…
The death of George Floyd, and of many others before him, prompted black meeting professionals in the US to share thoughts on their own experiences, the protests and the need for diversity in the industry. Those speaking out include Elliott Ferguson (pictured), President and CEO of Destination DC. From Northstar Meetings Group…
As so much of the business events world pivots to virtual meetings in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, what does that mean for the skill in presentation demanded of those who are speaking? Roy Sheppard is a conference MC, a facilitator, an interviewer and an online course creator, who first worked with the team…
During 2018 MeetDenmark, with consultancy and Iceberg partner GainingEdge, began a major project on legacy. The study involved desk research on fifty international associations and fifty destinations as well as interviews with twenty from each of the two groups. Some of the findings on the current global landscape were published last year in the MeetDenmark…
A few things stood out in the latest COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard survey in which 515 business event professionals and 240 suppliers shared how they are envisioning and planning for the future. As the pandemic wears on and no clear plan for reopening the economy materializes, the business events community seems to be bracing for a…
As events begin to open in Asia and Europe, and regulations in Germany make the distinction between mass gatherings and business events, we see a glimpse of a post-COVID-19 future for our industry. Naturally attendees are concerned about health and safety and want assurances that the right measures are taken to maintain personal safety. Freeman’s…
SITE Foundation has produced three long form studies commissioned from data compiled from the Incentive Travel Industry Index (ITII), its joint annual research project with partners Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) and Financial and Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP). The report is accompanied by a podcast Launch of ITII Report on Incentive Travel – A DMC Analysis with…
Three of the meetings industry’s biggest associations have pooled expertise to produce a guide about making event environments safe to re-open. “Good Practice Guidance: Addressing COVID-19 Requirements for Re-Opening Business Events” is co-written by Iceberg partners AIPC, ICCA and UFI. From Association Meetings International…
Estonia has laid out tentative plans to reopen its meetings sector with a social media campaign showcasing “safe-hosting practices” that allow for indoor meetings of up to 500 delegates. This coincides with the easing of restrictions in the region, where early measures resulted in a relatively low spread of COVID-19. From Association Meetings International…
With coronavirus leading to major trade fair casualties in the German capital, politicians are calling for a new plan for Messe Berlin, including the injection of €80 million of public money into the venue. International travel show ITB at the venue was a notable early victim of the crisis. From Exhibition World…
In April the event agency Freeman joined up with eighty other industry leaders to form Go LIVE Together as a response to COVID-19’s impact on live events. One month on Freeman CEO Bob Priest-Heck discusses the importance of advocacy, the status of government funding, and hopes for the future of the industry. From BizBash…
Aberdeen Convention and Events Bureau’s Graeme Mackay, Senior Business Development Executive, sees collaboration as the best way to navigate the current pandemic. The Scottish seaport is part of the Energy Cities Alliance (along with Abu Dhabi, Calgary, Lausanne and Stavanger), an example of just such collaboration in action. From Boardroom…
The legacies of business events should start early on in life. July 2019 saw a new era begin for Malaysia’s youngest children on the back of the 2nd Sarawak Conference on Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Organised by Fu Yuan Kindergarten, the three-day meeting brought together more than 800 people from over 20 countries. From Boardroom…
The best we can do during the COVID-19 crisis is to continue to learn from each other as we try to plan ahead in an uncertain and rapidly shifting world. Here are the results of the second PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) Convene biweekly check-in, conducted during the first week in May, to determine how…
BVEP (the Business Visits & Events Partnership) has published The UK Events Report, an in-depth look at the £70 billion industry providing jobs for 700,000 people and how it will deliver the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, launched last year. The UK Events Report, which was compiled prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, illustrates the impact the UK…
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