An intellectual city needs a dedicated convention bureau

Roberto Payer

Limiting travel movements and striving for a car-free city are understandable goals. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. For example, an incoming business group requires suitable logistics with as few disruptions as possible, but many levels of government don’t seem to be aware of this. The Netherlands doesn’t have a Minister of Tourism, and there’s nobody […]

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Column AIPC: Inspired by David Byrne

Despite the age difference, my co-writer Dawn Lauder and I both love David Byrne and his capacity to transform something we know so well into something completely new and inspiring. For those who do not know David: he used to be the singer of Talking Heads and we recommend watching his 2020 theatre show ‘American […]

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What organisers can learn from hotel managers

A conference organiser and a hotel manager have much in common. Both have quite meticulous attention to detail. In this urge for perfection, there is a high level of quality awareness and a certain degree of uncertainty. That’s part of the job. Even so, there are also significant differences between the two positions, which ensure […]

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Industry Advocacy: Lessons From the Front Line

Kai Hattendorf, President, Joint Meetings Industry Council

The past year has generated a lot of industry advocacy activity around the world as different sectors, regions and individual destinations have continued in their efforts to address a wide range of industry-related issues, from managing initial restrictions to surviving increasingly stringent health measures, and from accessing funding support programs to promoting business events as […]

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How centres can help support event delivery in a crisis

Today, all eyes are focused on the trajectory of events and impacts associated with the COVID-19 outbreak and the devastating effects it has had on events worldwide. Centres have been impacted as much as – or in some cases, even more than – anyone else in the event creation and delivery chain, But as we […]

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Are you 100 percent digital?

Steffen Kalverboer - directeur Creator Meeting Support

Can you still remember or imagine a world not being digital? I know it’s a matter of age, but I can remember the introduction of the fax, email, internet and mobile phones that all revolutionized the way we interact, work and meet with each other. Nowadays in the meeting industry almost everything seems to be […]

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Are trade shows and conferences becoming a waste of time?

Delegates sleeping at a conference

Are trade shows and conferences becoming a waste of time? There are over 1.8 million conferences, incentive events and other meetings in the US alone, according to the Events Industry Council. They are a great way to introduce new employees to an industry and they offer those established in the industry a stage for their […]

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