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Events and meetings transform destinations for the better. The tireless Pádraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, offers a thought-provoking report from the recent SITE Executive Summit in Rwanda. The country saw a horrific genocide in 1994, and yet today is “incentive-ready”. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
The team at UFI, the exhibition industry’s global association and an Iceberg partner, used UFI’s Global Congress, and other conversations around the world, to isolate and identify core themes that will be impacting the global sector. Kai Hattendorf, UFI’s CEO and MD, lays out five industry trends to watch out for in 2019. From UFI…
The Global Association Hubs Partnership, founded in Autumn 2015 and an Iceberg partner, brings together four major hubs across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. As it passes its third anniversary, Brussels, Dubai, Singapore and Washington DC are enjoying association growth of 2.5 percent, well above the global average of 0.9 percent. From Boardroom…
The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews jointly produced by our partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. The contributors are all addressing the decentralisation and globalisation of large international associations. This time David Macadam, the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres’ CEO, is in the chair. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…
The 57th ICCA Congress took place last month in Dubai. The four-day industry event was the biggest the International Congress and Convention Association had ever held outside of Europe, with 1,156 attendees from 70 countries. ICCA’s Charity Run ‘N’ Walk, the Farewell Dinner and three sets of awards were among the highlights. From SoolNua blog and news…
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…
The second round of grants from the International Congress and Convention Association and BestCities Global Alliance’s “Incredible Impacts” awards have just been awarded to associations whose meetings create longterm legacies. Jane Cunningham, Director of International Associations at BestCities, breaks down this year’s winning entries and discusses what the judges are looking out for. From BestCities Global Alliance…
As more associations create event departments, some see less value in the work of professional congress organisers. So are associations’ event departments taking over what PCOs or destination management companies bring to the table, and what does that actually mean? Aigars Smiltans, director of MEET RĪGA, explains. From Boardroom…
Now companies have to respond almost immediately to bad publicity, overreaction is the danger. When the positive benefits of an activity aren’t understood, the damage can be even greater. Our incentive specialist looks at headlines the sector has weathered and what they say about the real value of incentive travel. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
The Iceberg is publishing a series of interviews jointly produced by our partners Boardroom and the Global Association Hubs Partnership. The contributors are all addressing the increasing decentralisation and globalisation of large international associations. The series is starting with Magdalena Mook, Executive Director and CEO of ICF, the International Coach Federation. From Global Association Hubs Partnership…
Politician, diplomat and educator Baroness Amos has given the keynote at a Sydney Speaker Series luncheon in London. The event was delivered in partnership between Business Events Sydney and ICC Sydney, and was hosted by the High Commission of Australia. The Iceberg itself was invited to attend, and was even able there to interview BESydney CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith….
Meetings need to become part of the innovation economy, according to the recent ICCA Congress in Dubai, and this “new industrial revolution” needs fresh thinking from suppliers. The discussion included city expert Greg Clark and Vienna’s Christian Mutschlechner, who joked that planners might soon 3D print their own venues. From editor’s blog at Meetings & Incentive Travel…
A new study has found that the business events industry boosts global gross domestic product by $1.5 trillion. Karen Kotowski, CEO of the Events Industry Council, which is behind the Global Economic Significance of Business Events report, discusses its findings with Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX, which was one of the partners in the research. From IMEX…
Mike Cannon, former Executive Director of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, was recently in Sydney to collect an AACB Hall of Fame plaque. During he visit he gave an interview on affordable events, Australia’s new Business Events Bid Fund, regional meetings, future challenges for convention bureaux, and their value to members. From CIM News Magazine…
The recent Incentive Travel Industry Index has detected changes in the sector’s rationale. While the top reasons remain sales, revenue and overall profitability, some “softer” objectives have climbed up the rankings and are impacting event design and desired outcomes. In particular, improving relationships between workers and management now holds second place. From SoolNua’s Pádraic Gilligan at Padraicino…
Technology is transforming the way the world does business. Business events facilitate this as the place where tech startups gain exposure. But should the meetings industry also be preparing the world for the workplace transformation that technology will bring? Perhaps its role is mission critical to our future, says PCMA leader Sherrif Karamat. From PCMA…
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