Legacy

The New South Wales Government has unveiled its Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, setting an ambitious target of AU$91 billion in annual visitor expenditure and the creation of 150,000 additional jobs by 2035. At the heart of this vision is a clear recognition of the role international business events play in driving both economic and knowledge growth. Business Events Sydney (BESydney) is already delivering on this agenda. In 2025 alone, the city will host 66 international events, attracting more than 46,000 delegates who will generate over 174,000 delegate days. This activity is expected to inject approximately AU$213 million into the state’s economy. […]

Berlin, through visitBerlin’s Sustainable Meetings Berlin, is raising the bar for sustainable event hosting with a clear vision: to become one of the world’s most environmentally and socially responsible destinations for meetings, congresses, and conferences.  The initiative’s core objective is to equip event planners and service providers with tools, frameworks, and a certified partner network so that sustainability becomes embedded in every component of event design and delivery.  Berlin has created a certification programme based on a rigorous catalogue of criteria co-developed with industry stakeholders. The criteria draw on international frameworks like GRI, ISO, EMAS, and the German Sustainability Code. […]

In today’s remote-first world, associations are no longer just conveners of conferences—they are builders of temporary cities. Each convention, congress, or summit functions like a pop-up metropolis: it requires infrastructure (signage, transport, Wi-Fi), culture (inclusion, wellness, tone), governance (safety, security, ethics), and sustainability. To deliver true value, associations must adopt the Mayor Mindset—seeing themselves not as event managers, but as civic leaders of their niche. David Adler, Editor, Gathering Point; Founder of BizBash and Washington Dossier, I explore the art of connection, creativity, and collaboration. Author of Harnessing Serendipity. Events today are far more than scheduled sessions; they are ecosystems […]