Associations Commons is a global knowledge and visibility platform created to support international professional and trade associations in their mission to connect people, industries, and communities through meaningful and legacy-driven events.
Co-founded by 49travelmice.com and Karen & Karen, Associations Commons was born out of a shared observation: while associations play a critical role in economic development, industry advancement, skills building, and community engagement, their contributions – especially through business events – are often under-recognised and under-documented.
Why Associations Commons Exists
Association-led meetings, congresses, and initiatives generate impact far beyond their immediate membership. They:
Create tangible economic value for destinations and local communities
Act as platforms for knowledge exchange, standard-setting, and workforce development
Serve as bridges between industry, government, academia and society
Deliver long-term social, governance and sustainability outcomes – often described as legacy impact
Yet many of these impacts remain invisible, fragmented or confined to short leadership cycles.
Associations Commons exists to make this value visible.
What We Do
Associations Commons curates and shares verifiable case studies of association-led business events—particularly across Asia—that demonstrate measurable outcomes across:
Community and social impact
Economic contribution to destinations
Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices embedded in real operations
Rather than telling associations what they should do, we focus on showcasing what associations are already doing well, enabling peer-to-peer learning through practical examples.
Our Approach
Case-based, not prescriptive: Our role is to document, compare and share
Industry-agnostic and neutral: Content spans sectors, regions and association types
Evidence-driven: All cases are based on publicly verifiable information, curated by industry professionals and international students we mentor to understand and appreciate the long-term legacy of association-led work
Legacy-focused: We look beyond single events or leadership terms to long-term relevance and impact
Our Purpose
Associations Commons aims to:
Help associations articulate their relevance and value in an increasingly ESG-driven environment
Support destinations, venues and governments in understanding the broader benefits of hosting association events
Encourage continuity, relevance and long-term thinking within the association community
Ultimately, Associations Commons is about strengthening the association ecosystem by recognising associations as key enablers of sustainable development, industry progress and community benefit – not just event organisers.