ICCA
A year in review
THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS AND CONVENTION ASSOCIATION ( ICCA ) CEO SENTHIL GOPINATH REVIEWS A BIG YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE ASSOCIATION
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CCA is looking back on the outgoing year with pride . As the last months have demonstrated , our community is resilient , flexible and ready to take on the challenges .
Our ICCA community is growing and we are continuing to uphold our mission to provide exceptional resources to our members , including educational programmes , networking and events around the world . ICCA events were attended by more than 3,000 people last year , which highlights the reach and influence of our association .
We added 80 new members to our ranks and look forward to welcoming many more into the ICCA family in 2025 . Our community includes more than 1,100 members from over 100 countries .
ICCA Business Intelligence continues to grow and serve as an invaluable resource for members . More than 698 new meeting profiles were added , along with 240 RfPs and 305 new association accounts . We recently upgraded BI to include specific sections for governmental and sports meetings .
In October , we held the largest-ever ICCA Congress in Abu Dhabi , with 1,500 delegates , including students , and it demonstrated ICCA ’ s commitment to including the next generation of meetings and events professionals and providing a roadmap towards growing their careers in the space .
We also launched ICCAUni , our initiative aimed at bridging the gap between the academic world and business events . This global network offers a platform for students to begin their career journeys in international business events . Between Masterclasses and ICCASkills certification courses , which have attracted hundreds of
Above : Senthil Gopinath
Left : ICCAUni joins Masterclasses and ICCASkills as resources for professionals looking to improve their skills
participants , ICCA ’ s educational profile continues to grow .
Creating a community that crosses the globe ICCA constantly seeks to enhance the profile of international business events as vehicles for positive change . Over a busy year , we met with policymakers to discuss how international meetings and events can benefit local communities .
In May , ICCA joined with UN Tourism to solidify a shared commitment to elevating the global economic relevance of business events . This agreement recognises ICCA as a UN Tourism partner for business events across all UN Tourism platforms and initiatives . ICCA also represented the business events sector at the UN Tourism Executive Council meeting in Cartagena , Colombia , where the 63rd ICCA Congress was presented as a model for global events .
We opened new offices in China and Central America , and secured agreements to hold ICCASkills certification courses in Beijing and Luxembourg . We partnered with organisations in Asia , the Middle East and Europe to advance our objectives in the advocacy space and we joined with IAPCO to advocate for the value of business events and provide mutual support via our respective networks .
In North America , we partnered with the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance , the unified industry advocacy voice Stateside . We convened on Capitol Hill for Legislative Action Day , an event focused on helping travellers gain entry more easily to the United States to attend meetings , trade shows and conferences .
ICCA looks forward to 2025 with a sense of anticipation . Our calendar of events is already filling up with exciting programmes and courses that continue to set the standard in the industry , including the 64th ICCA Congress , taking place 9-12 November in Porto , Portugal . n
ISSUE 134 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 9