The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) has published the third edition of its Global Manifesto, reinforcing the case for business events to be treated by governments as strategic economic and social assets rather than mere tourism drivers.
First launched in 2020 for post-pandemic recovery and updated in 2023, this latest edition marks a transition toward long-term advocacy.
Drawing on data from the Events Industry Council’s 2026 Global Economic Significance Study, the manifesto outlines 15 distinct ways business events create strategic advantages for destinations, from talent development to sustainability.
A major addition to this edition is the integration of legacy narratives from The Iceberg, JMIC’s impact storytelling platform. While traditional metrics highlight the financial scale of the sector, these case studies illustrate the long-term, less visible legacies left behind in host communities. Together, the resources provide policymakers with both the data and the narratives needed to frame business events as strategic policy tools.
The manifesto also outlines 10 practical steps for delivering this message locally, reflecting JMIC’s stance that a single global narrative must be adapted by national and regional stakeholders to effectively influence public authorities.
