INDUSTRY OVERVIEW AND COMPONENTS
Call it the Meetings Industry, Business Events or any of the many other terms applied to the unique collection of activities that comprise our sector – it still adds up to one of the most powerful forces in the world today, supporting and advancing economic, academic, social and professional development and facilitating the kinds of interactions that are increasingly necessary to facilitate and encourage global understanding and exchange!
Here is an industry overview that will help you make sense of it all – along with a listing of some of the many organizations that make up the complex web of interconnected functions that make it all work in today’s highly demanding and competitive operating environment.
ASSOCIATIONS
| NAME OF ASSOCIATION | GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION | SERVICE | COMPONENTS | |
| AACB | Association of Australian Convention Bureaux | Regional Australia | ||
| AACVB | Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaux | Regional Asia | suppliers | Destinations / CVB / Tourist offices |
| AAXO | Association of African Exhibition Organisers | Regional Africa | ||
| ABPCO | Association of British Professional Conference Organisers | Regional Europe | ||
| AC Forum | Associations & Conference Forum | Regional Europe | ||
| ACCCLATAM | Asociación De Centros De Convenciones Del Caribe Y Latinoamérica | Regional South America | suppliers | venues |
| ACCED-I | Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International | Regional North America | ||
| ACI Europe | Airports Council International Europe | Regional Europe | ||
| ACTE | Association of Corporate Travel Executives | Global | ||
| ADMEI | Association of Destination Management Executives International | Global | ||
| AEFI | Associazione Esposizioni e Fiere Italiane | Regional Europe | ||
| AEO | Association of Event Organisers | Regional Europe | ||
| AEV | Association of Event Venues | Regional Europe | ||
| AFE | Asociación de Ferias Españolas | Regional Europe | ||
| AFECA | Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations | Regional Asia | ||
| AFIDA | Asociación Internacional de Ferias de América | Regional South America | ||
| AIFEC | Asociacion Colombiana de la Industria de Ferias, Congresos, convenciones y Actividades Afines | Regional South America | ||
| AIPC | Intl Assn of Convention Centres | Global | suppliers | venues |
| AIVFC | Association Internationale des Villes Francophones de Congrès | Gobal | ||
| AMEREF | Asociacion Mexicana de Recintos Feriales | Regional South America | ||
| AMPROFEC | Asociación Mexicana de Profesionales de Ferias, Exposiciones y Convenciones | Regional South America | ||
| AOCA | Asociacion Argentina de Organizadores y Proveedores de Exposiciones, Congresos, Eventos y de Buros de Convenciones | Regional South America | ||
| APCE | Spanish Association of Conference Centres | Regional Europe | ||
| ASAE | American Society of Association Executives | Global | clients/buyers | clients/buyers;
visitors/attendees; organisers |
| ASPERAPI/IECA | Indonesian Exhibition Convention Association | Regional Asia | ||
| AUDOCA | Asociacion Uruguaya de Organizadores de Congresos, Ferias, Exposiciones y Afines | Regional South America | ||
| AUIEC | Arab Union of International Exhibitions and Conferences | Regional Middle East | ||
| AUMA | Association of the German Trade Fair Industry | Regional Europe | ||
| BEA | Business Events Australia | Regional Australia | ||
| BECA | Business Events Council of Australia | Regional Australia | ||
| CAEM | Canadian Association of Exposition Management | Regional North America | ||
| CCPIT | China Council for Promotion of International Trade | Regional Asia | ||
| CEMA | Corporate Event Marketing Association | Regional North America | ||
| Centrex | Central East European Exhibition Organisers’ Club | Regional Europe | ||
| COCAL | Latin American Confederation of PCO and Related Companies | Regional South America | suppliers, professional assns | destinations / CVB / Tourist offices;
associations |
| DI | Destinations International | Global | ||
| ECM | European Cities Marketing | Regional Europe | suppliers | destinations / CVB / Tourist offices |
| EDEN | European Destination of Excellence | Regional Europe | ||
| EEAA | Exhibition and Event Association of Australia | Regional Australia | ||
| EEIA | European Exhibition Industry Alliance | Regional Europe | ||
| EFAPCO | European Federation of the Associations of Professional Congress Organisers | Regional Europe | ||
| EMECA | European Major Exhibition Centres Association | Regional Europe | suppliers, organisers | venues; exhibition organisers |
| EFPIA | European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations | Regional Europe | ||
| ESAE | European Society of Association Executives | Regional Europe | ||
| ESCA | Exhibition Services and Contractors Association | Regional North America | ||
| ESPA | Event Service Professionnals Associations | Regional North America | ||
| ETC | European Travel Commission | Regional Europe | ||
| ETOA | European Tour Operators Association | Regional Europe | ||
| EUROMIC | Association of DMC companies | Global | ||
| Eventtia | Event Management Technology | Regional Europe | ||
| EVVC | Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren | Regional Europe | suppliers | venues |
| Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa | Regional Africa | |||
| FEBELUX | Association for the Live Communication Industry | Regional Europe | ||
| Federcongressi | Federcongressi&eventi | Regional Europe | ||
| FEST | Foundation for European Sustainable Tourism | Regional Europe | ||
| FICP | Financial and Insurance Conference Professionals | Regional North America | ||
| HCEA | Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association | Regional North America | ||
| HOTREC | Hospitality Europe | Regional Europe | ||
| HSMAI | Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International | Global | ||
| IACC | International Association of Conference centers | Global | ||
| IAEE | International Association of Exhibitions and Events | Regional North America, South America, Africa, Asia | suppliers, organisers | venues; exhibition organisers |
| IAPCO | International Association of Professional Congress Organizers | Global | suppliers, clients/buyers | Organiser pro: PCO |
| IAVM | International Association of Venue Management | Global | ||
| ICCA | International Congress and Convention Association | Global | clients/buyers, organisers, suppliers | venues; destinations; organiser pro;
organiser end user; associations; specialty suppliers; hotels/accommodation; travel/transportation |
| IEIA | Indian Exhibition Industry Association | Regional Asia | ||
| IELA | International Exhibition Logistics Association | Global | ||
| IFES | International Federation of Exhibition and Event Suppliers | Global | ||
| IGCAT | International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism | Global | ||
| ILEA | International Live Events Association | Global | ||
| IPCAA | International Pharmaceutical Congress Advisory Association | Global | ||
| IFPMA | International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations | Global | ||
| JCMA | Japan Convention Management Association | Regional Asia | ||
| KMA | Korea MICE Association | Regional Asia | ||
| MACEOS | Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers | Regional Asia | ||
| MEA | Meetings & Events Australia | Regional Australia | ||
| MIA | Meetings Industry Association | Regional Europe | ||
| MPI | Meeting Professionals International | Global | clients/buyers, organisers, suppliers | venues; destinations; organiser pro;
organiser end user; associations; specialty suppliers; hotels/accommodation; travel/transportation |
| PATA | Pacific Asia Travel Association | Regional Asia, Regional Australia | ||
| PCEI | Polska Izba Przemysłu Targowego | Regional Europe | ||
| PCMA | Professional Convention Management Association | Global | clients/buyers, organisers, suppliers | venues; destinations; organiser pro;
organiser end user; associations; specialty suppliers; hotels/accommodation |
| PCOA | Professional Conference Organisers Association | Regional Australia | ||
| RUEF | Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs | Regional Europe | ||
| SAACI | South African Association for the Conference Industry | Regional Africa | ||
| SACEOS | The Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers | Regional Asia | clients/buyers, organisers, suppliers | venues; destinations; organiser pro;
organiser end user; associations; specialty suppliers; hotels/accommodation; travel/transportation |
| SISO | Society of Independent Show Organisers | Global | clients/buyers, organisers, suppliers | organiser pro; organiser end user;
exhibition organiser; |
| SITE | Society for Incentive Travel Excellence | Global | clients/buyers; suppliers | organiser pro; incentives |
| TEA | Thai Exhibition Association | Regional Asia | ||
| UBRAFE | Uniao Brasileira dos Promotores de Feiras | Regional South America | ||
| UFI | Global Association of the Exhibition Industry | Global | suppliers, organisers | venues; exhibition organisers |
| UIA | Union of International Associations | Global | clients/buyers | organiser end user: assns |
| UNICEO | United Networks of the International Corporate Events Organizers | Global | ||
| Unimev | Union Française des Métiers de l’Evénement | Regional Europe | ||
| UNWTO | World Tourism Organisation | Global | ||
| UST | US Travel Association | Regional North America | ||
| VMA | Venue Management Association | Regional Asia, Regional Australia | ||
| WTCA | World Trade Centres Association | Global | ||
| WTTC | World Travel and Tourism Council | Global |