Marriott International has appointed Silvio Rosenberger as market vice president for Maldives, effective January 1, 2026.
He will oversee the company’s portfolio and strategic operations in the Maldives while continuing in his current role as vice president of operations, Asia-Pacific excluding China, based in Singapore.
In his most recent role, Rosenberger has supported multi-market operations and regional performance across Asia-Pacific, strengthening cross-brand execution.
His experience includes leading properties such as JW Marriott Hong Kong, JW Marriott Seoul, The Shanghai Edition, W Shanghai – The Bund and JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square.
Visit Porto & North Tourism Board’s Luís Pedro Martins; and ICCA’s Marta Gomes and Senthil Gopinath
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) concluded its largest-ever gathering of global meetings professionals in continental Europe last week, drawing 1,514 delegates from 81 countries for a four-day programme of knowledge exchange.
The 64th ICCA Congress stood out in particular for its ambitious new multi-venue format, where nine iconic locations across host city Porto in Portugal were utilised to deliver five distinct content tracks.
Visit Porto & North Tourism Board’s Luís Pedro Martins; and ICCA’s Marta Gomes and Senthil Gopinath
While the core of the Congress programme was conducted at the historic Alfândega Congress Centre, event delegates also got a chance to explore unique venues such as the Stock Exchange Palace, Super Bock Arena, and Ferreira Cellars.
Reflecting on Congress outcome, ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath told TTGmice that his team and destination partners Portugal and Porto have succeeded in delivering the “immersive experience” they had set out to achieve.
The unusual Congress design this year as well as the theme, Charting the Course, was spurred by the need for continuous innovation and transformation.
“Everyone in the meetings industry is looking for a transformation opportunity. As a representative of this industry, we must innovate too. The annual ICCA Congress is very much focused on providing ideas for meetings professionals to do just that. This year, through content design, destination selection, and the gathering of thought leadership from across the world, we made sure the topics led us to look into the future and how we could drive our industry forward over the next decade,” Gopinath elaborated.
He was pleased that delegates “really got involved and spoke openly about their pain points to find solutions together”.
Gopinath hopes that ICCA Chapter leaders and members will continue to chart the industry’s course into the future, long after the conclusion of the Congress. In particular, he would like to see meetings professionals endeavour to engage their communities by showcasing the power of the meetings industry.
A prime example of positive community impact is the launch of the Porto & North Forever Pact during the Congress. This collaborative legacy-building framework is designed to create lasting social and environmental value. It was developed in partnership with Montreal-based consultancy #Meet4Impact and Vale Consultores, a local consultant in Porto, and with the support of Turismo de Portugal.
The first outcome from the Forever Pact saw the involvement of the whole city of Porto in the organisation and delivery of the Congress. For instance, during the Welcome Reception at the Stock Exchange Palace, local artists carved traditional Portuguese masks and handcrafted jewellery while costumed performers walked the floor and entertained guests.
“When we showcase to policymakers what we have achieved in Porto – that the impact from business events is not limited to within the meeting room but also in the local community – politicians will be engaged. Politicians are naturally engaged when their people are involved, and this (visibility and awareness of the value of meetings) will resolve funding issues and sustainability contributions by the governments,” he added.
The Congress will move to Panama City, Panama in 2026.
“While this year’s Congress was immersive and all about engaging our members in a practical manner, the programme next year in Panama City will get into more high-level discussions. We will elevate the discussions we had in Porto to the C-level in Panama City, through talks with governments and ministries,” shared Gopinath.
MEdiatama booth at IBEF Expo 2025; photo by Dhini Oktavianti
Indonesia’s PEOs and PCOs are weathering the current period of economic headwinds and government budget efficiencies by doubling down on specialisation and strategic value creation, said industry players at the Indonesia Business Events Forum (IBEF) Expo 2025 held in Jakarta recently.
The approach of Spectindo, for instance, centres on its strong network. The company leverages its direct link with the Indonesian Retail and Shopping Centre Association (HIPPINDO), which funnels potential opportunities directly to them. This alliance is crucial for maintaining flagship events like the Indonesia Retail Summit, and Jakarta International Investment, Trade, Tourism, and SME Expo.
MEdiatama booth at IBEF Expo 2025; photo by Dhini Oktavianti
Tubagus Raldi, sales manager at Spectindo, said: “When there is a potential partnership or collaboration, usually HIPPINDO will come to us first. We facilitate everything from member gatherings to large-scale exposure, ensuring that each activity supports the retail ecosystem.”
Similarly, Amara Group focuses on strengthening its industry-specific subsidiaries, emphasising a consultant-style relationship with clients.
Raymond Zein, operations manager at Mahala Kreasi, highlighted Amara Group’s shift from being a mere space vendor to an embedded partner.
“Instead of simply selling exhibition space, we offer end-to-end support, from booth design and visitor access concepts to effective brand messaging strategies,” Zein stated, underscoring their commitment to maximising client ROI at other major shows.
Meanwhile, diversification is the primary engine for MEdiatama, which is aggressively targeting 30 events in 2026, up from 25 this year. While managing expos like Inacraft (billed as the largest handicraft exhibition in Indonesia), the company has successfully expanded its client bases to include corporate anniversaries and creative production projects. Their client base now includes a strong showing from State-Owned Enterprises and corporate brands, particularly in the banking sector.
Meanwhile, Okta Sejahtera Insani relies on a strong product legacy, continuing its decades-long tradition with the Hospital Expo series. Its general manager, Rika Susanti, confirmed the event’s expansion from Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya to include Bali next year, with aspirations to eventually reach Makassar.
While organisers acknowledged that economic pressures have led some exhibitors to reduce their booth footprints instead of cancelling, the need for face-to-face networking remains consistent. This sentiment was echoed by visitors like Lima Event Indonesia’s Zaky Ramadhan, who used IBEF to secure promising contacts in support sectors like ticketing, contractors, and cargo.
Delegates participating in the Impact and Sustainability Sharing Hub
The ICCA Congress 2025’s Sharing Hubs sessions, unified under the theme Charting the Course, covered five core tracks focused on purposeful exploration and bold innovation across the global events industry – Impact and Sustainability, Future Leadership and Resilience, Purposeful Business Models and Start-ups, Innovation and Technology, and The Creative Edge.
For the Impact and Sustainability track, the conversation has shifted from mere sustainability to regeneration by creating systems that improve both the environment and community well-being. This expanded role leverages business events to drive global equity by empowering under-represented voices and creating policy for vulnerable communities, all while demanding data-driven credibility through transparent reporting on metrics like carbon footprint, food waste, and measurable impact outcomes.
Delegates participating in the Impact and Sustainability Sharing Hub
Meanwhile, discussions during the Future Leadership and Resilience Sharing Hub indicate that in an era of rising member activism and geopolitical ‘noise’, the most critical leadership skill is principled neutrality, and anchoring the organisation in its core mission to serve as a calm, de-escalating force.
Simultaneously, association leaders must shift their value proposition from being mere knowledge providers to competence builders, focusing on actively developing the skills members need to succeed. The events industry’s long-term viability also depends on renewing the social contract with host cities, ensuring that events deliver shared prosperity, while improving the local quality of life.
During the Purposeful Business Models and Start-ups Sharing Hubs, it was found that the most entrepreneurial associations are now transforming events by making purposeful business models a reality. This is done through embedding impact requirements directly into RFPs, which establishes legacy as a contractual deliverable for host cities.
Events are also intentionally convening experts to produce lasting policy frameworks, where this approach proves that purpose is the ultimate competitive advantage, driving profitability and brand differentiation. To achieve this, there is a call to co-create and move beyond transactional bids to genuine engagement and partnership.
As for the Innovation and Technology track, the key consensus among stakeholders is that AI should be treated as a co-pilot, not an autopilot, using it to augment human capability and boost team efficiency rather than replace staff.
Leveraging AI for hyper-personalisation – delivering tailored session recommendations and matchmaking – is also now a core strategy for maximising attendee ROI. The ultimate goal for data usage is to move beyond simple engagement metrics and utilise information to prove impact.
Finally, during The Creative Edge Sharing Hub, it was found that the most authentic events tap into the DNA of a city by integrating its history, culture, and spirit into the delegate experience. Moving beyond the visual, events must be designed for all five senses, utilising soundscapes, scents, and textures to create immersive and memorable multi-sensory narratives.
This requires viewing local talent not as hired entertainment, but as co-creators, turning the event into a canvas for authentic cultural expression. Finally, a key design challenge is to intentionally design for serendipity, creating beautiful and effective spaces where valuable, unplanned connections can naturally occur.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) presented its enhanced Meet Well in Thailand campaign last week at IBTM World 2025.
Set to roll out throughout 2026, the campaign is a collaboration between government and private sectors. It has secured participation from over 130 providers, including 40 five-star hotels, four wellness establishments, and four major shopping malls. It covers 14 city destinations, including five established MICE Cities. Incentives offered include up to 20 per cent off wellness programmes and 40 to 80 per cent discounts on shopping.
TCEB’s media briefing at IBTM 2025
Initially launched at AIME 2025, the enhanced offering now includes a wide range of deals spanning wellness, accommodation, shopping, dining, and low-carbon activities.
TCEB president Supawan Teerarat stated the campaign is designed to maximise return on investment and return on experience by leveraging diverse stakeholder expertise.
She added that the initiative strengthens Thailand’s business events ecosystem and aligns with a series of flagship international events scheduled for 2026 in cities across the country, providing more destination options and added value for planners.
From left: MCI Group’s Ajay Bhojwani; IAPCO’s Sissi Lignou and Martin Boyle; and Joint Meetings Industry Council’s Alexander Alles, at IAPCO’s press conference during IBTM World 2025
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and Business Events Australia (BEA) formalised a new strategic partnership at IBTM World, immediately launching joint initiatives to accelerate sustainable practices across the global meetings and events industry.
The partnership directly supports the implementation of IAPCO’s Sustainability Strategy and introduces two new initiatives.
From left: MCI Group’s Ajay Bhojwani; IAPCO’s Sissi Lignou and Martin Boyle; and Joint Meetings Industry Council’s Alexander Alles, at IAPCO’s press conference during IBTM World 2025
A new IAPCO Sustainability Award powered by Business Events Australia will honour IAPCO member companies demonstrating leadership and innovation in sustainable event management.
A new IAPCO Sustainability Toolkit will also be developed. This digital resource, to be released in March 2026, is designed to equip PCOs with practical tools and insights for measurable environmental and social impact.
Ajay Bhojwani, IAPCO Sustainability Committee chair and managing director at MCI Middle East, stated the partnership represents a shared commitment to driving change and providing practical tools.
Recent IAPCO research found that while 71 per cent of members have a clear sustainability strategy and 58 per cent have a designated sustainability role, the industry faces key challenges, including the increased cost of implementation and a lack of subsidy programmes.
The collaboration will also include a comprehensive programme of branding, education, and engagement opportunities.
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) has achieved EarthCheck Master Recertification, verifying its sustained commitment to environmental and social performance.
The Master Certification is the highest recognition offered by the EarthCheck programme. It validates over 15 years of continuous benchmarking and improvement in sustainable operations and responsible event delivery.
GCCEC’s outdoor event space
This accomplishment marks the Centre’s seventeenth year of sustained benchmarking within the EarthCheck system.
In the certification process, GCCEC demonstrated exemplary results against key EarthCheck performance benchmarks, confirming its status as a regional leader in both waste recycling and community contributions.
Nick Jeffrey, general Manager of GCCEC, noted: “ … Achieving EarthCheck Master status for another year reflects the shared effort of our entire team, who make sustainability a part of how we do business.”
“Phase two of our Five-Year Sustainability Strategy is now under way, focusing on practical initiatives that reduce waste, improve efficiency and create lasting benefits for our people, partners and community.”
Amelia Roziman, CEO of Business Events Sarawak, has been appointed as a Trustee of The Iceberg, a global authority promoting the legacy impact of business events. She is the first Asian and only Malaysian on the Board.
The appointment strengthens Asia’s representation in legacy-driven events. It follows Roziman receiving The Iceberg Excellence Award on October 2, 2025.
Amelia Roziman
Since 2006, Roziman has been a major figure in Malaysian business events, leading Sarawak to 29 destination marketing awards and earning 10 professional honours. In 2023, she was the first Asian woman inducted into the Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders.
She joins a distinguished Board of Trustees to guide The Iceberg’s governance and strategy, including Caroline MacKenzie, James Latham, Martin Sirk, Sarah Fleming, Ben Hainsworth, Geneviève Leclerc, Oscar Cerezales, and Gregg Talley.
The 10th IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo saw some 2,494 delegates from 50 countries across five days
The 10th IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo was the largest ever water sector event in New Zealand. Bringing record-breaking delegate numbers to Ōtautahi Christchurch, it combined the International Water Association’s Asia Pacific Group (IWA-ASPIRE) regional biennial conference with a national event, the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo.
The result? Five transformative days of innovation, knowledge sharing, and commitment to advancing solutions in water management in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
The co-located event allowed 2,494 delegates from 50 countries to choose between 13 different education streams across two venues, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Christchurch Town Hall, just minutes’ walk apart.
September 29 – October 3, 2025
2,494 delegates from 50 countries
13 streams and 200+ technical presentations
273 expo stands
6 site visits
Empowering tomorrow Themed ‘Empowering Tomorrow – Smart Water Solutions for Resilient Communities’, the gathering brought together international water and sanitation professionals, scientists and experts for technical sessions, workshops, and plenaries on smart solutions for a sustainable water future. The sold-out expo hall showcased the latest technologies driving the water sector forward.
The event programme highlighted areas where New Zealand has special expertise to share – indigenous knowledge and approaches, nature-based solutions, and environmental sustainability.
IWA vice president Mohmad Asari Bin Daud noted “the solutions to our greatest water challenges are found when people come together across disciplines, cultures, and geographies.”
Centring indigenous voices
The event featured Māori cultural experiences and content to acknowledge the importance of co-creating solutions with the indigenous community
The content was curated with a focus on indigenous and nature-based solutions to ensure the long-term health of water, emphasising the potential for innovation and intersection between Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and Western engineering and environmental science.
Ka ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora ngā tāngata – If the water is healthy, the land is healthy, the people are healthy.
The event opened with a traditional mihi whakatau Māori welcome ceremony from local tribal group Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Special workshop sessions focused on indigenous communities, water governance and guardianship.
Guests at the IWA-ASPIRE Cultural Gala Dinner enjoyed a modern spin on a traditional Hāngī (pit oven) meal, before Ngāi Tūāhuriri led a joyful poi (Māori dance) workshop.
Experiential learning
Part of the event programme included site visits across the Canterbury region
The event concluded with six site visits offering rich, immersive learning experiences across the Canterbury region led by local environmental services researchers and experts from NIWA, ECAN (Environment Canterbury), Christchurch City Council, and Central Plains Water Ltd (CPWL).
These included:
an Ōtākaro Avon River walk focusing on urban river restoration,
a tour of nature-based stormwater solutions,
a visit to Wairewa Marae to look at marae-led wastewater innovation,
and inspecting large-scale irrigation infrastructure across the Canterbury plains.
Fostering success
Marion Savill, conference co-chair and chair of IWA NZ, acknowledged the efforts of Tourism New Zealand Business Events, Water New Zealand and professional conference organiser Avenues Event Management in fostering a successful combination of the national and regional events.
“With almost 2,500 people, it was particularly well-attended and one of the most successful IWA-ASPIRE events to date.
“The conference attracted many world-recognised water experts from across the globe, particularly the Asia-Pacific region, allowing New Zealand water experts to share knowledge with some of the best in the world.”
The proximity of the two venues, accommodation, restaurants, the gardens, and the river in Christchurch had added to an enjoyable learning experience, she said, adding: “Everyone loved the locations, the relaxed New Zealand way, and the content. I kept hearing ‘this is a fabulous conference’.”
Tasmania recently hosted 150 international delegates for the International Herbage Seed Group (IHSG) Conference, held in Launceston from November 16-19.
Delivered in partnership with the Tasmanian Seed Industry Group (TSIG), the event convened leading researchers, growers, and industry representatives. Key focus areas included emerging and alternative seed crops, sustainable production, and agronomic innovation.
The conference was held in Launceston (pictured)
The daily programme blended meetings with field trips, offering delegates farm tours and a cultural visit to Brickendon Estate.
This marked the first time the IHSG Conference, previously staged in countries including Denmark, China, France, and Argentina, was held in Australia since 2003.
Tasmania was selected as the host following a period of significant growth in the state’s seed industry, which has expanded more than fourfold over the last decade. This growth includes an 80 per cent increase in production area, attributed to the state’s favourable climate, land suitability, irrigation access, and relative freedom from many pests and diseases.
The conference received support from the Tasmanian Government’s Business Events Attraction Fund, administered by Business Events Tasmania.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
In his most recent role, Rosenberger has supported multi-market operations and regional performance across Asia-Pacific, strengthening cross-brand execution.
