It has been a productive year for ICCA’s Asia Pacific Chapter, as it chalks up several first-ever achievements that are aligned with its commitment to driving transformative change and business innovation.
Its efforts are shaped by its broader perspective on the value of meetings, where sustainability, social responsibility, and legacy are as crucial as economic gains.
This year, the Australian Business Events Association and ICCA signed a MoU that commits both to amplifying association core values and strengthening the three pillars of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Legacy and Sustainability; and Talent Development and Retention through white papers, access to programmes and information sharing, and the creation of key opportunities for emerging leaders.
Another achievement is the Association Impact Masterclass, designed to elevate the power, impact, and effectiveness of association partnerships. The inaugural class, supported by BESarawak as a Seed Fund Contributor, took place from April 25-27, 2024 in Kuching, Sarawak. The next edition will be in Dublin, Ireland in 2025.
Further commitment to capacity-building is seen in the roll out of ICCASkills certification programmes in the region. The first face-to-face Certified International Convention Specialist (CICS) programme in the region was conducted at the China National Convention Center, Phase II (CNCCII), Beijing in April. This will be followed by a second CICS programme from December 9-11.
In addition, the first in-person Certified International Convention Executive (CICE) course was conducted at Ta Pae Christchurch Convention Center in September. Learners had the opportunity to explore other New Zealand business events destinations and facilities, such as Wellington. The Macao Fair and Trade Association also led a CICS programme at Wynn Palace in September.
The year 2024 will most of all go down in ICCA history for the establishment of the ICCA China representative office in Beijing, pointed out Waikin Wong, regional director Asia Pacific.
ICCA was invited by both the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism to open a strategic office in the Chinese capital city to work together on driving a multidisciplinary, synergistic approach to facilitating international business opportunities, boosting local economies and societal impact, and integrating China with the global business events industry.
ICCA is the first global meetings industry association to successfully open an office in Beijing.
Along with this development, ICCA signed a milestone agreement with the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security-Beijing Government and Beijing North Star Co, the owner of CNCC II, to collaborate on capacity building.
The trio will develop a Certified International Business Events Professional programme based on successful ICCASkills certifications. The programme will join ICCA’s roster of educational initiatives and content will be offered in English and Mandarin. Certified participants will have an advantage when working in China, as the certification is recognised by the Beijing government.
Other capacity-building programmes also took place with the support of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Exposition and at members’ events in various Asian cities.
Wong said: “We want to facilitate lifelong learning and develop opportunities for our members, so as to build a future-ready meeting industry.”
“We are also investing in nurturing future talents,” she added, pointing to the Asia Pacific Business Events Youth Challenge in August.
The competition is designed for students and young business events professionals under the age of 30, offering participants an opportunity to showcase their creative ideas. The 2024 edition was hosted by the Daejeon Metropolitan City, with ICCA and the Korea MICE Association stepping in as co-hosts.
Other notable achievements for the chapter this year include the BE Wellness initiative by ICCA and Marina Bay Sands Singapore to better understand the impact of wellness on business events and professionals through research; the debut of the ICCA Global Venues Experts Forum in Beijing this December, aimed at C-suite leadership from the venues sector; and the continuation of the Bangkok Protocol on Sustainable Gastronomy, a legacy initiative from the 62nd ICCA Congress in Bangkok in 2023 that is backed by primary partner, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau.
