BestCities Events Page Now Live
We’ve updated the website’s events calendar for 2023, outlining all the conventions, exhibits and other events that BestCities and our partner destinations will attend. This makes it easier for you to mark your own calendars and prepare for some of the best networking and educational sessions all over the world.
Click here to visit our updated events page.
IMEX Frankfurt
Preparations for IMEX Frankfurt are once again underway, with exciting exhibits, learning opportunities, awards ceremonies and other exciting event highlights being laid out for this much-awaited annual trade show.
Happening from May 23 to 25 at Messe Frankfurt, we’re once again having a hosted buyer group that presents unique networking and learning opportunities for event professionals.
Stay tuned to our announcements for the final details of the programme, including updates about our popular breakfast session, which we’ll host on Wednesday, the 24th of May.
European buyers can sign up here and use our invitation code DX25OX.
International buyers can sign up here and use our invitation code LT38RU.
UST Education Highlights the Power of Association Meetings
UST Education highlighted how association meetings deliver long-lasting change and impact through an episode of their weekly conferences. Facilitating the class were International Congress and Convention Association Regional Director for North America, Ksenija Polla, CMP, and our very own Managing Director, Lesley Williams.
The course showcased past initiatives by our partner cities and other associations that created a lasting impact in the communities they serve, especially when it comes to societal and health issues, government policy changes, and knowledge transfer and exchange within relevant groups.
Concluded on January 25, the course is part of the weekly online series by UST Education with the aim of providing high-quality learnings by expert instructors.
Click here to watch the recording of the webinar.
Updates From Our Partner Cities
Our partner cities continue to follow through on their commitment of creating lasting impact within their communities and the global community through events, conferences, and other initiatives. Here’s a round-up of what our partner cities have been up to:
Tokyo
Tokyo successfully secured the following bids:
Principles for Responsible Investment conference (PRI in Person 2023) is to be held on October 3 – 5, 2023, with 1,100 participants, including 850 from abroad.
An international conference where asset owners, investment managers, policymakers and financial experts from around the world gather to share the latest information and exchange views on responsible investment and ESG investment. This will be the 15th conference of its kind held around the world and the first to be held in Japan.
8th Biennial World Congress of the International Society for Fertility Preservation (ISFP 2024) is to be held on November 15-17, 2024, with 600 participants, including 400 from abroad.
At this biennial international medical conference on the interdisciplinary field of cancer and reproductive medicine, doctors and researchers from around the world gather to discuss and examine the preservation of the ability to conceive (fertility preservation) in adolescents and young adults with cancer prior to cancer treatment. The Congress will be held in Japan for the first time.
17th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia (SIGGRAPH Asia 2024) is to be held on December 3 – 6, 2024, with 10,000 participants, including 2,400 from abroad.
The conference is held in an Asian city annually. SIGGRAPH Asia 2024 will be the fifth assembly in Japan, following Yokohama in 2009, Kobe in 2015, and Tokyo in 2018 and 2021.
Berlin
ITB Berlin Preparations Underway
The world’s leading travel trade show, ITB will once again be held live in Berlin in March 2023, with a new focus on B2B customers and a new show duration: Tuesday, March 7 to Thursday, March 9, 2023. The guest country of ITB 2023 will be Georgia.
In the future, ITB Berlin, short for Internationale Tourismusbörse Berlin (International Tourism Exchange Berlin), will join forces and focus exclusively on its trade visitors, buyers and media, in addition to the exhibiting companies on the customer side.
As before, the internationally renowned ITB Berlin Convention will take place parallel to the trade show and live on the Berlin exhibition grounds – selected sessions will be streamed on itb.com. Digital services related to the live event will also be offered.
ITB in Berlin is the travel industry’s most important event. In 2023, countries, tour operators, carriers, hotels and many other tourism companies will again gather in the exhibition halls at the radio tower to present the latest travel trends.
Click here for more information about the event.
Avant Première Music + Media Market Awarded the Sustainable Meetings Supporter Patch
Sustainability plays an important role in all industries today which is why Berlin is delighted to award the Sustainable Meetings Supporter Patch to Avant Première Music + Media Market along with the venue Hotel Scandic at Potsdamer Platz.
Avant Première Music + Media Market Berlin (https://www.imz.at/avant-premiere/) will take place from 18-22 February 2023 in Berlin. It is the world’s most important international trade fair for cultural TV content and presents the latest film productions for worldwide broadcasting.
As a marketplace, conference and networking event for the music and dance film industry, Avant Première brings together experts and decision makers in broadcasting, streaming and VOD, film production and distribution as well as performing arts.
Dubai
Dubai Business Events (DBE) has doubled its 2021 numbers by winning a total of 232 bids for business events in 2022. This number includes 57 association conferences, the highest that DBE has achieved by far.
With this feat, Dubai will be expecting an additional 135,000 visitors that include business executives, scientists, and other professionals from both the private and public sectors. This 95% growth greatly contributes to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to make Dubai part of the three best tourism and business destinations in the world.
Dubai certainly looks like it’s on its way to that goal as TripAdvisor has once again hailed Dubai as the top global destination for the 2nd time during the Travellers’ Choice Awards 2023.
Houston
Houston Spaceport Slated to Become Home to the World’s First Commercial Space Station Builder
Houston Spaceport is an FAA-licensed, urban commercial spaceport offering unprecedented access to a thriving aerospace community. In addition to serving as a launch and landing site for suborbital, reusable launch vehicles, Houston Spaceport offers laboratory office space, including technology incubator space and large-scale hardware production facilities.
The vision is to build a cluster of aerospace companies manufacturing locally and eventually have the spaceport serve as the takeoff point for passenger jets capable of flying at supersonic and hypersonic speeds.
In 2017, Mayor Sylvester Turner commissioned the City’s Office of Sustainability to create Houston’s first Climate Action Plan—a high-level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction strategy for the City of Houston to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. (Updated April 2020)
Houston was named one of the world’s best cities by 2023 World’s Best Cities Report– the highest-ranking Texas city. The study highlighted Houston’s Global culture, economic might and consistent presence on Google searches.
Houston also ranked in the top 50 Places to Visit in the World in 2023 by Travel and Leisure – one of only four US Cities to make the list.
Singapore
Singapore Hosts 14th World Stroke Congress
Singapore hosted the 14th World Stroke Congress, which was held for the first time in South-East Asia, from 26 to 29 October 2022.
Joined by globally renowned physicians and healthcare professionals, the congress welcomed over 4,400 visiting and virtual delegates from over 107 countries for four days of networking, exchange and sharing on the latest science and clinical research, before culminating in a “Stepping out for Stroke” walkathon and city light-up. Over 800 participants gathered for the Stepping Out For Stroke organized by the Singapore National Stroke Association (SNSA) to raise awareness for stroke and funds to support stroke survivors and their caregivers.
9th Milken Institute Asia Summit Brings in Over 1,100 Visitors
The 9th Milken Institute Asia Summit brought together leaders in government, business and academia to tackle critical challenges affecting Asia, and to forge a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Under the theme “The World Transformed”, the summit, held from 28 to 30 September 2022, convened more than 1,100 participants from over 35 countries. Curtis S. Chin, Chair of Milken Institute Asia Center, shares his insights on why Singapore was chosen to host the event, including the upcoming 2023 Milken Institute Asia Summit in a feature article by TTGmice.
More to Look Forward to in 2023
Delegates visiting Singapore will have more to look forward to in 2023 – including the launch of Trifecta by The Ride Side where visitors can surf, skate and ride along Singapore’s main shopping belt Orchard Road; rediscovering themselves at the Wellness Festival 2023; and visiting Bird Paradise, opening its doors in 2023 at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, which houses Singapore’s awarded zoological gardens.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen Takes on the Title of World Capital of Architecture
After much anticipation, Copenhagen took on the title of UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture on 17 January.
Copenhagen is only the second city in the world to hold this triennially awarded title designated to the host city of the UIA World Congress of Architects. The congress, which is expected to attract up to 10,000 delegates, will take place at the Bella Center in Copenhagen from 2 to 6 July. Copenhagen was awarded the congress after presenting an ambitious Nordic bid with the theme ‘Sustainable futures’.
“We are very excited to see Copenhagen take on the title of UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture, which is a nod to the city’s strong architectural legacy and its focus on sustainable solutions and human-centered design,” says Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO at Wonderful Copenhagen, Copenhagen’s official tourism association and continues:
“The title is also the result of Copenhagen hosting the 2023 UIA World Congress of Architects. Being a popular congress destination, Copenhagen won the bid to host the UIA congress by focusing on sustainability and the role of architecture in realizing the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals.”
As the World Capital of Architecture, Copenhagen will host a series of events and exhibitions showcasing the city’s diverse and world-renowned architectural landscape. These events will highlight the work of local architects and urban planners, as well as the contributions of international designers and firms. The city will also serve as a hub for discourse and collaboration, bringing together experts from around the globe to discuss the future of the built environment.
Copenhagen’s architecture is often praised for its human-centric approach and focus on sustainable solutions. This is evident when visiting architectural landmarks such as CopenHill, which is a power plant with a ski slope on its roof and the Bicycle Snake bridge, which is a bike-first urban design. This particular focus on including and engaging its citizens remains a key element in the various World Capital of Architecture activities and exhibitions taking place throughout 2023.
Copenhagen will hold the title of World Capital of Architecture until 2026 when it passes on the baton to Barcelona.
Copenhagen Light Festival Lights Up February
Copenhagen Light Festival will once again light up Copenhagen during most of February.
Kicking off on February 3 with a grand opening at the Royal Danish Playhouse and a big concert at Holmens Church, the festival will run until February 26.
Copenhagen Light Festival will present over 35 installations. The installations will primarily be set up along the harbour in the city, but also in the areas Bavnehøj, Refshaleøen and Ørestaden.
There will also be a wide range of activities throughout the city.
Cape Town
Cape Town is all set to host Formula E 2023 on February 25, the first Formula E event to be held in the Sub-Saharan African region. This is also the 1st major open-wheel race hosted in South Africa since Formula 1 was held in Kyalami in 1993.
As the first ever street racing meet for fully-electric cars, Formula E aims to give the latest innovations in electric vehicles a global platform through exciting motorsport events.
Cape Town and the Western Cape Expecting Over R393 Million
Wesgro’s Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau won 27 bids for business events in 2022, contributing an additional R393 million to the economy between 2022 and 2024. This greatly boosts the local sector’s economy, helping them recover from the pandemic more efficiently.
These bids include conferences and events covering aviation, engineering, medical, manufacturing, tech, and other industries.
Dublin
Dublin Bids for European Green Capital 2023 Award
Dublin has been shortlisted as one of 16 cities accepted to bid for the European Green Capital 2023 Award. Each application is assessed based on 12 key factors that show which cities have the best strategies to promote environmental sustainability.
Other cities included in the shortlist include Belgrade, Krakow, Zagreb, and Tallinn, among others.
‘Doors into Docklands’ Launched
‘Doors into Docklands’ has been launched as part of Dublin Discovery Trails, the first in a series of mobile apps that aim to highlight Docklands as an area ripe for tourism. Funding for the project was made through Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns Investment Scheme.
This initiative mixes the highlights of history and augmented reality, giving visitors a unique but highly-engaging way of experiencing the heritage and culture unique to the Docklands.
Dublin City Council awards €550,000 to Artists and Arts Organisations
Dublin City Council continues its Art Grants and Bursaries Scheme 2022 by awarding €550,000 to 72 artists and arts organizations. This initiative aims to help fund art-related festivals, projects and events in and around Dublin.
Ray Yeates, Dublin City Council Arts Officer, says that he knows how important it is for the local council to recognize the efforts and contributions of the local artists to the growth and well-being of the community. Through this grant, they hope to stimulate the public’s interest, appreciation and knowledge in the arts.
Derry Girls and Bad Sisters Stars Front New Ad to Bring More Tourists to Ireland
Tourism Ireland has brought in Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell from Derry Girls and Sharon Horgan from Bad Sisters to front a new advertisement that promotes Ireland as a prime tourist destination.
The ad shows the stars walking around the Irish countryside while talking about how great the people and the culture are. The campaign is set to be launched on St Patrick’s Day and will initially be promoted around the US, the UK, France, and Germany. It will then be rolled out to nine other markets in the following months.
Guadalajara
Guadalajara was again featured in Boardroom Magazine in an article highlighting the city’s potential in the tech field and how business events help bring this bright future into fruition.
Jalisco, the state where this radiant city is located, has long been seen as Mexico’s local version of Silicon Valley. By strengthening the education sector, the region ensures that local talent especially within the tech field is kept within the country. This and other initiatives are part of the Tech Hub Act, which aims to position the region as a tech hub.
To further promote the region’s potential, the events industry has been attracting relevant conferences into Guadalajara.
Meanwhile, the New York Times has included Guadalajara in its list of 52 best places to travel in 2023. Cities that made it on the list are said to have that perfect balance between adventure, culture, food and natural resources, all of which Guadalajara have in abundance.
Vancouver
Tennis Canada announced that the World Cup of Women’s Tennis, the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge, will return to Vancouver, BC in 2023. The Qualifiers tie between Canada and Belgium will be held at the Pacific Coliseum on April 14 and 15 with a 2023 Finals berth on the line.
“We are excited to be hosting the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers tie in Vancouver for a second year in a row,” commented Mayor Ken Sim of the City of Vancouver. “Our sport hosting experience has shown the world that Vancouver is a world-class destination with the most welcoming atmosphere for all. We look forward to cheering on Team Canada in April and inspiring the next generation of tennis stars to reach for their dreams.”
Madrid
Madrid has brought the global tourism industry together in the renowned International Tourism Fair, FITUR 2023, which happened on January 18 to 22 at the Westin Palace Hotel. This, as well as a string of other initiatives, has brought in a significant boost in Spain’s tourism industry, leaving an overall positive demeanor in the industry for the entire year.
Madrid Convention Bureau’s Director, David Perez, also attended the attended PCMA Convening Leaders held in Columbus to explore potential partnerships.
Melbourne
AIME, the leading trade event for the meetings and event industry in the Asia Pacific region, is celebrating its 30th anniversary from 13 – 15 February at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
In celebration of AIME’s 30th-anniversary milestone, this year’s Melbourne Victoria Stand boasts a brand-new design built across two-stories where you’ll meet the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) and its industry partners to discover the very best of what Melbourne has to offer to make your next event one to remember.
Take a look at the Uncover Melbourne program from AIME 2022: