News
GLOBAL SNAPSHOT
EUROPE
Fáilte Ireland names first female CEO Caroline Bocquel will become chief executive of Fáilte Ireland in November. She will be the first woman to hold the top role at Ireland’ s national tourism development authority. Bocquel was most recently chief executive of BIM, where she led Ireland’ s seafood industry through post-Brexit challenges. The appointment comes as Ireland’ s tourism sector generates € 10bn annually and supports more than 225,000 jobs.
WORLD
Steen Jakobsen appointed new CEO of GainingEdge Global business events industry consultancy, GainingEdge announced Steen Jakobsen as its new CEO from 1 September, 2025. He served as director of the Copenhagen Convention Bureau for 14 years, followed by 10 years as vice-president of Dubai Business Events. GainingEdge executive chairman, Gary Grimmer, said:“ Steen brings enormous business and communications acumen and a strong strategic vision in areas like destination development, sales and marketing, product innovation and event management.”
ASIA
ITE HCMC 2025 focuses on sustainable tourism The 19th edition of the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City( ITE HCMC 2025), which organisers say is the largest international travel trade event in Vietnam and the Mekong sub-region, put sustainable tourism front and centre, 4 – 6 September, 2025, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center( SECC). Organisers of the expo aimed to bring together tourism businesses from Vietnam and around the world to showcase diverse products, promote strategic partnerships, and exchange innovative ideas to advance sustainable tourism development in the region.
AUSTRALASIA
Auckland to host second annual AIPC and ABEA ANZ Academy Following the success of the inaugural AIPC and ABEA ANZ Academy in 2025, The International Association of Convention Centres( AIPC), in partnership with the Australian Business Events Association( ABEA), have announced the second edition of this tailor made leadership programme for convention centre and venue professionals will be held in Auckland, New Zealand, 16 – 20 February 2026. The 2026 Academy will be hosted at the soon to be opened New Zealand International Convention Centre( NZICC).
6 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 138