Germany reports attendance figures back up to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. This is a useful report for those interested in communicating the enormous scale of the meetings sector in individual countries. 377 million attendees participated in approximately 2 million events in a single year! From Skift Meetings…
The second edition of the VisitBritain Business Events Association Conference, held at the ICC Wales 11-13th February, revealed the extent to which the sector has adopted the new impact & sustainability narrative – and tools – for effective congress bidding by the organisation’s key partners and stakeholders. This video of the event titled ‘Bid for…
The 7-times winner of the 8 GDS-Index Awards for Leadership, the city of Gothenburg in Sweden, share this long-awaited series from The Iceberg into the DMOs 3-part framework which provides a systematic approach to realising impact from business & professional events; The Gothenburg Way to Legacy… In this 4-part mini-series, we begin with an introduction…
HIV Glasgow, the HIV Drug Therapy Conference held in the medical hub city, has become the curator of data, the summary of knowledge from other international conferences focussed on the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS. But the legacy is truly unique… The 2025 edition revealed the circularity of a non-profit event dedicated to…
By Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, German Convention Bureau: How Business Events Can Adapt to Megatrends and Unlock Future Business Potential Business events remain vital arenas for innovation and strategic dialogue. Yet, in a rapidly changing world shaped by technological, societal and environmental shifts, these platforms are undergoing transformation themselves. In its most recent research phase,…
Whilst there are unique Brexit-related challenges facing the UK and European Union with regard to cross-border events delivery and collaboration, the issues raised are relevant for all regions of the world. Business Events are collaborative, internationally-minded, complex and fast-moving: the more work visa restrictions apply to our sector, the more we will be held back…
Whilst there are unique Brexit-related challenges facing the UK and European Union with regard to cross-border events delivery and collaboration, the issues raised are relevant for all regions of the world. Business Events are collaborative, internationally-minded, complex and fast-moving: the more work visa restrictions apply to our sector, the more we will be held back…
Produced by the German Convention Bureau (GCB), with data collected from nearly 5,000 venues and 3,000 event organisers, the “Meeting & Event Barometer Germany 2024/2025” provides in-depth analysis of the German congress and event market: an excellent model for other countries wishing to produce annual “state of the market” reports.
From Boardroom: Copenhagen has recently earned the EarthCheck Sustainable Destination Certification, a distinction held by only a select number of locations globally. This internationally recognised third-party accreditation further validates the Danish capital’s long-standing commitment to climate action, particularly within the tourism and meetings sector. The certification is the result of a close partnership between Wonderful…
From Global Destination Sustainability Movement, by Guy Bigwood: I am just back from participating at Prolight + Sound – one of the world’s most important entertainment tech shows all about audiovisuals (AV), sounds, lighting, and more. Organised by and at Messe Frankfurt, Mira Wölfel, the Director of Prolight + Sound, kindly invited me to deliver…
From City Destinations Alliance: Held from April 9 to 11, 2025, in the heart of Hungary’s vibrant capital, the City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) International Conference & General Assembly brought together over 250 tourism leaders, destination experts and changemakers from across Europe to explore how cities can drive business transformation through the visitor economy. Under the…
From AMI: The UK’s ambition to become a world-leading destination for international business events has been dealt a significant setback following a 41 per cent cut in funding to VisitBritain from the government’s GREAT programme. The announcement, made on 1 April, will see VisitBritain’s ‘GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland’ destination promotion programme budget cut from…
From Flanders Convention Bureau: The world of international association conferences has changed dramatically in recent years. From face-to-face to virtual during the pandemic, and now a growing shift towards hybrid formats – where do we go from here? Flanders Convention Bureau conducted research and published a paper which explores: The challenges and opportunities of hybrid…
This ESAE seminar report illustrates the importance of building long-term strategic relationships between destinations and international associations, and co-creating impact and legacy programmes from an early stage. Beyond their immediate objectives, conferences and congresses are increasingly expected to leave a trace, be that a new practice introduced, regulation debated, partnership launched, or community engaged…
In this video double-bill, AC Forum – the gold standard of associations in Europe – convened its annual Congress at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in January with impact and sustainability front and centre of the agenda. In partnership with the venue, Glasgow Convention Bureau, the entire Board of Directors, and local universities, the organisation…
Whether your events journey has just begun or you’re a seasoned industry professional committed to growth there is a safe place for you at Convening EMEA to unlock new potential. We’ve designed Convening EMEA to connect people who share a common purpose to unlock tomorrow’s potential today. As our world evolves, and we are challenged…
True to form, the BestCities Global Alliance continued to use its annual Forum to pursue association impact by gathering members of its association community for shared learning. The methodology for developing greater impact strategies came in the form of the 2nd edition of the ICCA Association Impact Masterclass following its inauguration by Founding Funders and…
IMEX CEO and Iceberg Trustee, Carina Bauer, sets the scene for what will be a barometer of market sentiment in light of geopolitics. Filmed at AIME 2025 in Melbourne, much water has passed under the Yarra River bridge since. Nevertheless, Bauer reflects the ability of the sector to maintain its positivity. The theme of the…
Well, if you’ve travelled through a record-breaking extratropical cyclone to get to the BestCities global craic in Dublin, hosted by Convention Bureau chief Sam Johnston, why wouldn’t you?! The 2025 edition of the BestCities Global Forum in the Irish capital did indeed feature both pubs and the greatest of craics, amid which the Director at…
Jointly organised by City Destinations Alliance, the European Travel Commission, & Modul University Vienna, the workshop is aimed at city, regional, national, and international tourism organisations, as well as universities and companies from the hospitality and tourism industry. It is directed toward managers, academics, as well as consultants and representatives of governments and international organisations…
Between the 8-11th July last year, 1,100 of the world’s leading developmental neuroscientists convened at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, Scotland, for the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS) to exchange research, education, and stories, but also to propagate future research and understanding of a child’s early learning from years 0-3. Immersive…
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