PANAMA CITY, Panama — The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is putting networking, start-up innovation and academic research at the centre of its 65th ICCA Congress, taking place from 8 to 11 November 2026 in Panama City.

Held under the theme “CrossWorlds,” the Congress is expected to bring together more than 1,000 delegates from over 80 countries, including representatives from more than 100 international associations.

A notable feature of this year’s programme is the amount of time being dedicated to networking and connection. ICCA says 60 percent of the Congress programme will focus on opportunities for delegates to connect, alongside its education and business programme.

The 2026 Congress is also introducing new ways of bringing start-ups and academic research into the industry’s annual global gathering.

Announced on 5 August, the ICCA Congress Start-Up Programme is being developed in collaboration with IEEE Entrepreneurship and Ciudad del Saber. Rather than placing selected start-ups solely within a conventional exhibition environment, the programme will connect them with international meetings industry decision-makers through a live workshop and curated networking opportunities.

The initiative is seeking solutions across areas including sustainability and the circular economy, AI and digitalisation, governance, risk and compliance, and talent development.

ICCA is also bringing academic research more directly into the Congress through an ICCAUni Special Research Stream, themed “Emerging Perspectives: Rethinking Value, Legacy, and Knowledge in Convention Tourism and Events.”

The initiative is intended to connect researchers with industry practitioners and provide a platform for research addressing issues facing the international meetings and events sector. Accepted research abstracts are expected to be published in the Journal of Convention and Event Tourism.

ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath has positioned the Panama Congress as an opportunity for the global business events community to chart a forward-looking course for the industry from one of Latin America’s strategically located meeting points.

The combination of greater networking time, curated start-up engagement and a dedicated research stream reflects ICCA’s effort to broaden the role of its annual Congress beyond traditional conference education.

For association leaders attending Panama, the 2026 programme will provide an early test of whether bringing industry connections, emerging solutions and academic research closer together can generate collaborations that continue beyond the four-day Congress.

More Information

Organiser: International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
Event: 65th ICCA Congress 2026
Theme: CrossWorlds
Date: 8 – 11 November 2026, Sunday – Wednesday
Venue: Panama City, Panama
Website: https://www.iccaworld.org/event/65th-icca-annual-congress-2026/590/.