ASIS&T’s first annual meeting in Asia combines information research with city leadership, AI-related learning and multilingual access. It offers association executives a case study in making internationalisation visible in programme design. Bangkok, Thailand — The Association for Information Science and Technology will hold its 89th Annual Meeting on 6–10 November 2026 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Bangkok. The association describes it as its first annual meeting in Asia, making the location a significant test of how international ambition translates into member experience. Its theme, Crossing Boundaries, connects information research with dialogue and well-being. For association leaders, the […]

IHPBA’s Singapore congress combines specialist education with a defined liver cancer equity agenda. For association leaders, its significance lies in how scientific authority can be organised into action after delegates leave. Singapore — The 17th World Congress of the International Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Association, taking place on 28–31 October 2026 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, offers an unusually concrete proposition for association leaders: use a specialist congress to organise a continuing response to unequal access to care. Congress President Shridhar Iyer also leads its legacy project. The initiative addresses disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, outcomes across Asia-Pacific and […]

Bangkok’s combined plastic surgery and craniofacial congress brings several professional communities into one programme. Its wider value depends on whether shared sessions become sustained cooperation across the patient care pathway. Bangkok, Thailand — The 2026 Asian Pacific Plastic Surgery & Craniofacial Congress will take place on 28–30 October at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao, Bangkok. It brings the 14th Asian Pacific Craniofacial Association congress into a wider gathering of regional and Thai professional organisations, making collaboration part of its operating structure. For association leaders, the meeting is a useful case in managing a shared platform. Combining events can bring […]

IASP’s World Congress on Pain combines research, clinical learning and a new collaborative hackathon. Its management lesson is how to connect innovation and member engagement with evidence of lasting public benefit. Bangkok, Thailand — The International Association for the Study of Pain’s World Congress will run from 26–30 October 2026 at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre. Its published programme places established scientific formats alongside practical workshops and a new experiment in collaborative problem-solving, creating several ways for members to contribute. For association management leaders, the central issue is how those activities connect. A large congress can offer an impressive […]

The Asia Impact Assessment Conference brings regional expertise to Japan’s Shimane Prefecture. Its strategic value lies in connecting environmental assessment research with the institutions and decisions that shape development. Matsue, Japan — The 18th Asia Impact Assessment Conference is being held on 24–26 October 2026 in Matsue, Japan, with conference sessions at Kunibiki Messe, the Shimane Prefectural Convention Center. Its relevance to association management lies in how a specialist regional gathering can connect professional evidence with public decision-making. Hosted by the Japan Society for Impact Assessment, the meeting forms part of an exchange supported by academic societies in Japan, South […]

Learning and discussion at Smart Monday ahead of IMEX America 2026. Image source: IMEX’s press release. Singapore’s contribution to IMEX America’s inclusion discussions offers association leaders a practical example of bringing underrepresented stakeholders into the programme and giving informal engagement more room. IMEX America, Las Vegas, USA — Singapore’s approach to inclusive congress design came into focus during Smart Monday at IMEX America, with an example linking stakeholder participation directly to conference content. Carrie Kwik, Executive Director, Conventions, Meetings and Incentive Travel at Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, described how an International Farmers Network Forum brought small-scale farmers into the […]

The Canadian Circular Economy Summit 2025 features in Business Events Montréal’s ImpactAIQ case studies. Image source: Tourisme Montréal. An AI platform introduced around IMEX America offers associations a way to connect congress ambitions with evidence of change, raising practical questions about how impact is planned, measured and communicated. IMEX America, Las Vegas, USA — A new event impact platform being introduced at IMEX America is addressing a question familiar to association boards: what does a congress achieve after delegates leave? ImpactAIQ, co-led by #MEET4IMPACT and Gevme, is designed to help event and destination leaders plan intended outcomes and assemble evidence […]

Launched at IMEX America, the Events Industry Council’s Pathways initiative connects career discovery, skills development, professional credentials and mentorship, offering associations and employers a framework for building a sustainable workforce. IMEX America, Las Vegas, USA — The Events Industry Council (EIC) has launched Pathways, a workforce initiative designed to help people enter, develop and sustain careers in the global business events industry. Announced at IMEX America in Las Vegas on 13 October, the initiative brings programmes, resources and partnerships into a connected strategy spanning four career stages: Discover, Develop, Advance and Lead. Its significance extends beyond recruitment. Pathways positions workforce […]

The 2026 Incentive Travel Index reports higher spending per participant alongside widespread disruption from geopolitical instability, providing fresh context for destination bureaux and the meetings ecosystem. IMEX America, Las Vegas, USA — Incentive travel spending is increasing even as geopolitical instability complicates destination decisions, according to the 2026 Incentive Travel Index presented during IMEX America week. The study draws on 2,017 professionals across 83 countries. SITE’s published summary reports spending per person increasing by 7.8% to $5,500, while 60.5% of respondents say geopolitical instability is already disrupting the destinations they use. Produced by SITE Foundation and the Incentive Research Foundation […]

A renewed agreement supports a larger exhibition portfolio in Singapore, creating potential points of engagement for associations in mobility, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and environmental services. SINGAPORE — The Singapore Tourism Board and Messe Berlin have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the organiser’s presence in Singapore and Asia Pacific, extending a partnership that began with ITB Asia in 2008. Announced on 25 September, the agreement covers business development, digitalisation and sustainability, talent and manpower development, and experience development. It supports Singapore’s Tourism 2040 ambition to triple receipts from meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. Messe Berlin’s existing Singapore portfolio comprises ITB […]

New international research suggests global instability is no longer an occasional disruption for meeting organisers but an increasingly important factor in destination selection and event planning. SWITZERLAND — Nearly three-quarters of organisations surveyed by IAPCO say global conflicts are affecting their ability to plan or host international meetings, highlighting the growing influence of geopolitical risk on the association events sector. The 2026 Global Socio-Political Impact Survey, led by IAPCO with AIPC, AMC Institute, IFES, ICCA and PCMA, collected responses from 130 organisations. Some 73.84% reported that global conflicts had affected their ability to plan or host international meetings, compared with […]

Association clients increasingly expect their PCOs to deliver more than flawless logistics. IAPCO’s latest industry publication points to a role that encompasses strategy, community, impact, and risk. SWITZERLAND – The Professional Congress Organiser has traditionally been the partner associations turn to when a congress needs to work — registration, accommodation, venues, suppliers, budgets, speakers and countless other operational details. That job description is expanding. The latest edition of The PCO, published by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), focuses on what it calls “The Evolving Role of the PCO: Meeting Tomorrow’s Client Needs.” IAPCO observes that clients increasingly […]