Here are some exciting BestCities initiatives, key business events, and other things to look forward to in our partner cities this September.
IMEX America
BestCities Breakfast Session
If you are attending IMEX America, you are invited to join us for the BestCities Breakfast Session in Las Vegas to network, meet your peers and the BestCities partner destinations and come away with practical insights on how to grow your organisation's social reach.
During an interactive discussion with guest speaker Florent (Flo) Thévenin, Founder & CEO of Digital Networking for Thought-Leaders (DN4TL), find out how today's savvy leaders and organisations use social networking, social listening and social selling to outcompete their peers. Key takeaways include:
- Position your Organisation as a Thought Leader by influencing your industry, leading the conversation and becoming the go-to resource for your current and future members.
- Leverage the Power of Social Networking by using the two-way nature of social networks to find, engage and attract your future members, funders and partner.
- Unleash the Power of your Ambassadors by giving your team members the tools to connect with your professional community, tell your story and humanise your brand.
- Practical Take-Aways: All participants will be given an action plan to get them started and have the opportunity for 1:1 meetings with our guest speaker Flo to get practical advice and tips.
Places for the session are limited, so click here to register today to secure your spot!
BestCities Hosted Buyer Group
Registration to IMEX America’s Hosted Buyer Program is closing on September 9, so those who are qualified are encouraged to sign up before then to receive VIP perks and potentially gain a year’s worth of business in just three days. Sign up today to claim one of the final spots in our hosted buyer group:
Are you a US-based buyer? Sign up here.
International buyers can sign up here.
ICCA Ranking Report Released
The MICE industry has steadily regained its footing after feeling the impact of the global pandemic, and the ICCA’s Destination Performance Index (DPI) shows which countries have been most efficient in adapting to the times.
It’s a huge accomplishment that 8 of our partner cities are included in the top 50, showing how passionate we are about lifting the industry by setting the right standards despite the challenging circumstances. These partner cities are:
#4 Singapore
#6 Madrid
#9 Berlin
#14 Copenhagen
#21 Dubai
#32 Dublin
#44 Melbourne
#48 Tokyo
“The show must go on,” as they say. This is the perfect example of how our partner cities took that mindset to heart and took impactful action.
Click here to access the Public Abstract.
Updates from Our Partner Cities
Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect in our partner cities this September and the coming months.
Cape Town
The 8th Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) is set to happen in Cape Town from November 2 to 4 this year at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. It was a unanimous decision, knowing that Cape Town is not only one of the top fintech ecosystem hubs in Africa, but also one of the best conference venues in the region.
Meanwhile, the 31st International Cartographic Conference and the International Cartographic Association’s 19th General Assembly is slated to happen from August 14 to 18, 2023.
Cape Town also continues to impress as the International Special Tooling and Machining Association (ISTMA) chose the city as the venue for the 16th World Conference and General Assembly happening in September 2023.
Amidst all the interest in Cape Town as a prime conference venue, Wesgro has unveiled their latest US Tourism Campaign called Neverending Tourists. The campaign puts American tourists who visited Cape Town and decided never to leave in the spotlight.
Dublin
Fáilte Ireland has awarded The Little Museum of Dublin a grant of more than €1 million to develop a universally accessible museum in Dublin City Centre. The expanded museum will feature new elements, including a cinema, education centre and library, and a new lift to allow universal accessibility to all public areas. Once completed, the new developments are expected to increase the capacity of The Little Museum of Dublin by 45%, and attract 215,000 visitors by Year 10 of re-opening, adding another unique attraction to the city’s tourism offering and expanding the evening offering of the area.
Dublin Airport’s €320m new north runway is now operating. The new runway is a vital element of Irish national infrastructure and will boost business and tourism in all 32 counties for many years to come. Ireland has one of the world's most open economies, which is based on exports, tourism and foreign direct investment and these key sectors will all benefit from the additional capacity at Dublin Airport.
Meet the team from the CCD, one of Europe's most environmentally friendly venues, at this year’s IMEX America from the 11 to 13 of October. For every appointment made with them, they will plant a tree on your behalf, which is equivalent to 22kg worth of Co2!
The Book of Kells, one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, will remain available for public viewing during a major renovation of its traditional home, Trinity College’s Old Library. The precious 9th-century book will be transferred temporarily to another landmark building, the college’s Printing House. The €90m restoration of the Old Library, a globally renowned cultural landmark, is due to start in September, and plans are moving along very well.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen continues to be a venue for gastronomic experiences as local restaurant Geranium is named the best restaurant in the world. Another Copenhagen restaurant, noma, was given the title last year. Restaurant Jordnær, a first-timer on the list, has made it to #38 while Alchemist, which was ranked #58 in 2021, is now at #18.
Copenhagen Cooking, the much-anticipated annual food festival, also launched on August 19 and concluded this year’s run on August 28. Featuring the best of the best in Nordic cuisine, the open-source festival remains one of the biggest food festivals throughout Northern Europe.
The city is also getting ready to welcome the over 10,000 delegates expected to attend the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition from September 11 to 15. The event focuses on how the water sector has been working towards its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Copenhagen does seem to be the perfect fit as it continues to be one of the most climate-resilient cities in the world.
The expected influx of visitors in the region comes at a perfect time as Scandic Hotels opens two new locations in the Danish capital. Scandic Spectrum gives amazing views of the city’s waterfront and has 632 rooms, making it the biggest Scandic hotel to date. On the other hand, Scandic Nørreport is located right next to the Nørreport station, making it the most strategic in terms of location.
Singapore
Visit Singapore takes a look back at the Asia Tech x Singapore that happened on May 31 to June 3 earlier this year through a wrap-up video featuring some of the event’s highlights. This was the largest tech event Singapore has had so far ever since it reopened its borders, with over 16,600 attendees both online and in-person. Click here to watch the wrap-up video.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board was awarded Best Destination Campaign in the recent micebook V Awards for their campaign #SingapoReimagine Global Conversations. This thought leadership series initiated B2B discussions to reshape the future of tourism.
Finally, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is slated to return on September 30. Aside from the thrilling races, the event also promises global performers, including Marshmello, Westlife, Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, and more.
Berlin
Berlin is looking forward to the upcoming convention fall. Event locations are well-booked and exciting conferences and trade fairs will take place in the upcoming weeks.
Ready, steady, SHOW! After the virtual IFA 2021, the next world's leading trade fair for consumer and home electronics will take place in Berlin from September 2 to 6, attracting a wide audience to the halls at Messe Berlin. IFA Berlin presents the latest products and innovations and is the main meeting place for key retailers, buyers, and experts from the industry and the media. The diverse program includes conferences and trade forums, award ceremonies, live cooking and talk shows, and IFA-tainment in the IFA Summer Garden.
Initiated by the City of Berlin and organized by visitBerlin, Q-Berlin 2022 will take place under the motto “The New Unknown - Navigating Zeitenwende” on September 15 and 16. The metropolitan conference will be thematically driven by current geopolitical developments in Europe and the world. International thought leaders, politicians and experts from a wide range of disciplines will develop new perspectives and discuss different topics such as:
Transformation & Resilience – on crises as change agents
Global Cohesion & Solidarity – on food, shelter & economies
Democracies in danger – on free speech, propaganda & fake news.
The venue is the ICC Berlin, the former iconic convention centre, and a virtual 3D space. Interested in joining? More information, a detailed program and information about speakers at: https://q.berlin/
The opening of the last major department at the Humboldt Forum will take place on September 17, 2022. The exhibitions of the collections of the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art of the National Museums in Berlin can then be experienced in their entirety, with around 20,000 exhibits on 16,000 square meters. The Humboldt Forum will celebrate the opening of the East Wing with a 24-hour program of concerts, discussions, performances and club night. After this special opening format, EVERYTHING IS OPEN at the Humboldt Forum, Germany’s currently biggest cultural project.
Tokyo
This summer, Tokyo was excited to welcome many in-person delegates from around the world to several conferences. Amid the many academic sessions and networking opportunities, there was also a Japanese cultural program complimentary of TCVB where delegates could experience the Japanese traditional arts during their stay.
From 7-11 June, the 36th International Congress and Exhibition on Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (CARS 2022) was held at Toranomon Hills Mori Tower with great success. The Congress was held in a hybrid format and attracted a total of 730 participants, out of which 521 delegates attended the in-person event, including 75 overseas participants from various countries and regions. President Dr. Yoshihiro Muragaki commented, "We were delighted to welcome many more overseas delegates than expected to the in-person event, making for a memorable and lively congress with indispensable face-to-face networking opportunities."
The 75th IIW Annual Assembly and International Conference (IIW 2022) was hosted at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba Hotel from 17-22 July. The Conference was a resounding success and attracted approximately 580 delegates to the in-person event, including about 270 participants from overseas. The online event was attended by 270 for a total of 850 participants.
Delegates from welding-related industries worldwide were warmly welcomed to Tokyo to exchange ideas, network with colleagues, and visit the exhibition booths of sponsors while enjoying the lively experience of an international in-person meeting for the first time in 3 years.
The 43rd IAEE (International Association for Energy Economics) International Conference was held at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies from 31 July to 4 August under the theme of “Mapping the Energy Future – Voyage in Uncharted Territories”. This Conference was also held in a hybrid format and attracted a total of 650 delegates, including 400 in-person attendees, 240 of which were from overseas.
The Conference Organizing Committee Chair, Ms. Yukari Niwa Yamashita commented, " As the Conference was delayed one year, all delegates were very excited to finally meet. We were relieved the Conference was such a resounding success with high in-person attendance.
I believe networking is hugely important as in-person discussions are much more inspiring so we hope we can welcome even more in-person delegates in the future. Hybrid events just aren’t the same. I sincerely wish this is our last hybrid conference, and the entire IAEE community can one day gather in Tokyo, enjoy this great city and engage in dynamic in-person discussions that define our Conference and drive our research.”
For more updates from Tokyo, please click here.
Melbourne
MCB recently won a very short lead incentive group which will see 197 delegates travel to Melbourne this August to Melbourne and Phillip Island over four nights. It’s expected this incentive group will deliver $731,374 to the Victorian visitor economy.
MCB interviewed Nicole Walker, the Managing Director and CEO of Arinexon the topic of sustainable business events as part of a series of educational videos designed to promote Melbourne as a leading business events.
MCB’s Regional Director, Southeast Asia and India was in Indonesia this month - the first time since March 2020, visiting agents and co-hosting a corporate client dinner with Oakwood Premier Melbourne.
MCB’s CMI team have had a busy time at Events Uncovered, an annual showcase for event planners held each in year in Sydney.
Trav Talk India have published an interview with Julia Swanson that explores how India has now become one of the largest sources of leads out of the Asian-Pacific market. The full article can be read here.
MCB attended the Club Melbourne Ambassadors awards this week, where we celebrated Club Melbourne Ambassadors who have gone above and beyond to help secure and deliver impactful conferences for Melbourne. MCB has worked closely with Club Melbourne Ambassadors to secure 156 business events for Melbourne bringing more than 177.4K delegates and contributing $1.02 billion to the Victorian economy since the commencement of the Club Melbourne Ambassador Program in 2005.
Guadalajara
Guadalajara has won the bid and is set to host the 2nd Regional Endocrinology Practice by the International Society of Endocrinology (ISE), which will happen from July 13 to 15, 2023.
The Conventions and Visitors Bureau of Guadalajara has also confirmed its participation as a guest destination in next year’s IBTM Americas, the details of which will be announced soon...
Dubai
The MENA Attractions and Destinations Forum 2022 will be happening in Dubai on September 28 and 29. The annual event aims to explore opportunities for growth within the MENA region’s tourism sector, this time with the added focus on maintaining safe and sustainable practices, especially after the global pandemic.
Dubai also celebrates a successful first half of 2022 after cementing its position as one of the leading destinations for global business events. So far, it has closed deals and is slated to host 99 conferences, congresses and other major events happening over the next few years.
Vancouver
Tickets to National Geographic’s Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience are now on sale. Happening in major cities from October 27 to January 8, the Vancouver leg will be opening its doors on November 4, 2022. An exhibit celebrating the 100th year since the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, it features nine galleries and features a VR tour of the tomb.
To give visitors an even more immersive experience, the Gulf Island Seaplanes has also added daily tours from Vancouver Harbor. They are also in the process of adding scenic flights that focus on the region’s culture in the next few months.
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