Australasia
Tasmania hosts global seed industry experts’ international conference
The Australian island of Lutruwita/Tasmania recently welcomed 150 international delegates to the International Herbage Seed Group (IHSG) Conference in Launceston. From 16-19 November the event, delivered in partnership with the Tasmanian Seed Industry Group (TSIG), brought together leading researchers, growers and industry representatives to explore emerging and alternative seed crops, sustainable...
Turkey to host COP31 climate meeting next year as Australia reluctantly drops bid
Antalya in Turkey will host next year’s COP31 summit, with Australia’s Adelaide bid finally backing down, although Pacific nations will get the right to hold preparatory events. Turkey has been persistent in pursuit of COP31 having stood aside in 2021 and allowed the UK to hold the meeting in Glasgow. COP meetings host destinations are meant to be decided by consensus with no voting mechanism in p...
IAPCO and Business Events Australia to partner on sustainability initiatives
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) has announced, at IBTM World in Barcelona, a new strategic partnership with Business Events Australia (BEA), launching joint initiatives designed to accelerate sustainable practices across the global meetings and events industry. The partnership supports the implementation of IAPCO’s Sustainability Strategy and introduces tw...
Crowne Plaza opens convention centre in Fiji with eyes on ‘booming’ MICE business
The Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa has opened a new multi-million-dollar convention centre and event precinct designed to capture a slice of the booming demand for MICE travel in the South Pacific. The new venue offers 16,576sqm of flexible event space including one of Fiji’s largest pillarless ballrooms (up to 1,400 guests). The Event Centre 1, 2 & 3 offers three identical spaces...
Top coaching conference selects Wellington for 2027
New Zealand has secured the ICCE Global Coach Conference for Wellington in 2027, an event expected to deliver NZ$1.8m (US1.02m) in economic benefit to the city. Organised by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), the global conference celebrates coaching as a force for good, with education themes including inclusion and equity, wellbeing and ethics in coaching, digital futures,...
GainingEdge releases third edition of its global Intellectual Capital report
Leading global tourism and business events industry consulting firm, GainingEdge, has published the third edition of its ‘Leveraging Intellectual Capital Global Report’, a comprehensive analysis of how destinations engage their local scientists, academics, professionals, and innovators who serve on the governing bodies of international associations, to attract international meetings and strengthen...
ICCA shares its vision in Porto for transformative future of business events
The recently concluded ICCA Annual Congress in Porto, drew over 1,500 industry leaders to reimagine international meetings through sustainability, innovation, and human-centred design. The Porto Congress – spread across many venues in the city – hosted four transformative days that challenged delegates to think beyond immediate concerns and embrace long-term, meaningful impact. The programme span...
AIME reveals keynote speakers for 2026 ‘Knowledge Monday’
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced three keynote speakers for its 2026 Knowledge Monday programme, to take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Australia, on 9 February 2026. This year’s Knowledge Monday theme, ‘Expertise Matters!’, will celebrate the credibility, clarity and strategic influence of professionals across the business events...
PCO Profile: Kenes Group’s 60 years of empowering knowledge
In an industry defined by constant evolution, very few organisations can claim six decades of continuous innovation, global impact, and resilience. Kenes Group, a global Professional Congress Organisation (PCO) and Association Management (AMC), is one of them. Founded in 1965, Kenes Group has grown from a pioneering start-up into a global player with 360 professionals across 15 offices worldwide. ...
IBTM World 2025 expands global exhibitor line-up with record African presence
IBTM World 2025 will host its most internationally diverse edition yet, featuring a record number of new and returning exhibitors when it returns to Fira de Barcelona from 18-20 November. New destinations on the show floor include West Hollywood, the Cayman Islands, Fiera Milano, Sarajevo and Sofia. Astana will return after several years away, joined by VisitScotland and Buenos Aires. Abercrombie ...
The Iceberg to become a UK Charitable Trust
The Iceberg, the platform and metaphor for business and professional events advocacy, presented by the Joint Meetings Industry Council, is to be transferred from founder James Latham’s The Fred Production Company Ltd to The Iceberg Trust, a non-profit UK-based Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) from January 2026. The Iceberg was founded in 2017 with the support of global industry associati...
Cairns as a living laboratory: Integrating local research into conference programs
Located in Tropical North Queensland, Australia between two world-heritage listed ecosystems, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest, Cairns Convention Centre (Centre) sits at the heart of a region renowned for its biodiversity, innovation, and global research relevance. Its strategic position connects it to key industries including tropical science, health, tourism, agriculture and...