Kristyna O'Connell
Imperial Hotel to expand with landmark opening in Kyoto
The Imperial Hotel is marking its 135th anniversary with a major milestone: the launch of its first new property in three decades, scheduled to open in Spring 2026 in Kyoto, Japan. The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, the brand’s flagship, opened in 1890 and today, the hotel boasts 909 rooms and suites. In 2025, Imperial Hotel, Tokyo was awarded the VERIFIED™ Responsible Hospitality certification by Forbes ...
Corporate events set to generate over £30m for Blackpool by 2028
UK CVB Meet Blackpool has revealed that corporate events have already generated over £3.2m (US$4.3m) in economic benefit for the local area in 2025, exceeding its annual target of £2.2m for the financial year ending March 2026 seven months ahead of schedule. Just five months into the financial year, Blackpool has already achieved a 12% year-on-year increase on the £2.89m in revenue generated from ...
Spring Hotels strengthens its MICE presence in Tenerife
Spring Hotels has strengthened its MICE presence in Tenerife following its acquision of three Mare Nostrum Resort properties in July 2025, adding more than 1,000 guest rooms and a dedicated MICE centre at the Pirámide de Arona with capacity for up to 1,600 delegates. The group, already known for hosting congresses, conferences, and cultural events in Tenerife, has reaffirmed its status as the isla...
Global conference comes to Cambridge for 9th World Congress
Cambridge, UK hosted the ninth World Congress on Family Law & Children’s Rights from 27 – 30 July 2025. Over four days, the city welcomed 300 delegates from around the world to engage in critical discussions on advancing the rights of children, youth, women, and vulnerable families. The Congress is held every four years and has previously taken place in globally recognised cities including San...
ICC Wales and The Business of Events launch UK research to help shape a more inclusive industry
ICC Wales in partnership with The Business of Events have joined forces to gather detailed insight from venues and organisers nationwide to build a clearer picture of current challenges, practices, and ambitions. The extensive UK-wide research project into accessibility and inclusion across the business events sector has been launched to increase awareness and drive meaningful change, with the sup...
UNESCO reveals 2025 World Heritage site additions
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has unveiled the latest additions to its prestigious World Heritage List for 2025. With more than 1,200 sites already recognised across the globe, the list celebrates places of outstanding cultural, historical, and natural significance. According to the BBC, the decision to add the latest sites to the list was made by th...
MeetEngland leads annual European trade mission
MeetEngland, the business events brand of VisitEngland, alongside leading English convention bureaus, hosted its annual European trade mission in Geneva, Paris and Brussels on 1-4 July 2025. The MeetEngland team were joined by representatives from London Convention Bureau, Manchester Convention Bureau, Meet Bristol & Bath, Conference Leeds and Experience Oxfordshire Venues. Across the three da...
Antwerp welcomes The Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference 2025
Belgium’s Antwerp is set to host the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Annual Conference 2025 from 8–11 July, with over 1,000 in-person delegates expected to attend. Renowned for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the biosciences, the SEB Annual Conference is a cornerstone of the global scientific calendar. The conference will bring together scientists from diverse biological di...
Events Apprenticeships expand to include security with first graduates to be celebrated at Excel London
On Monday 14 July 2025, the first cohort of apprentices will graduate at a ceremony hosted at Excel London, marking a key milestone for a new industry-led training initiative. The programme, developed through a cross-sector collaboration between The Event & Exhibition Partnership, Stambridge Group, Excel London, The Ops Nest, TSP Learn and Events Apprentices is reshaping how talent is trained ...
BWH Hotels 200+ properties join beam
BWH Hotels, one of the UK’s most recognisable hospitality brands, has officially rejoined beam, the trade association for the business events, accommodation and meetings sector, bringing more than 200 properties into the membership community. The move marks a significant step in BWH Hotels’ continued strategy to redefine its brand and elevate its presence in the business events and meetings...
Denmark tops 2025 list for women to work and live
The best country for women to work and live in 2025 is Denmark, with a life score of 83, reflecting smaller gaps in employment and high gender equality. The country offers the longest maternity leave in the ranking, with 18 months, and has a high gender equality index of 0.78. Denmark also has the smallest gender gap in managerial positions, with 27.9%. In second place is Finland, with a life scor...
Prague becomes sole owner of the Prague Congress Centre
The Prague Congress Centre, formerly known as the Palace of Culture, has officially gained sole ownership of the venue after an exchange with the state. The Czech venue, located in Prague 4 next to Vyšehrad metro station boasts 70 halls and lounges, with a total capacity of nearly 10,000, including the main Congress Hall seating up to 2,764 delegates. In return for full ownership of the Prague Con...