Industry

The 22nd Connect Route Development Forum took place from 17 to 19 February 2026 at the Lublin Conference Centre. More than 800 participants from nearly 60 countries attended the event, which focused on aviation development and tourism cooperation.

49 European city destination leaders met in Barcelona on the 9th and 10th of February for the 19th CityDNA CEO Meeting. Discussions centred on reputation, community trust and long term competitiveness in Europe’s visitor economy.

Sydney will host the 2030 Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress. Around 5,500 delegates are expected to attend the medical meeting.

The Impact Network was launched by MeetEngland at Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield on 12 February 2026. Representatives from 15 cities, 19 ambassadors and five industry colleagues attended the launch event.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) will convene senior meetings and events professionals for the 37th European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC). The conference will take place from the 21st to the 24th of February 2026 at SLS Barcelona.

The early bird deadline for submissions to the Heavent Awards 2026 ends on the 20th of January. Standard entries will be accepted until 13 February 2026.

The Incentive Research Foundation has released its Industry Outlook for 2026 focusing on merchandise, gift cards, and event gifting. The report identifies continued optimism alongside budget pressure in North America and Europe.

RemaCongress 2026 will be held from 27 to 29 January 2026 at Ptak Warsaw Expo in Warsaw. The conference accompanies the International Advertising and Printing Fair RemaDays.

Fast Forward 15 has opened applications for the second edition of FF15 presents University Challenge. The programme invites university students to plan and deliver live charity events with industry support.

The IRF European Thought Leader Summit will take place from 9–11 February 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The event brings together industry leaders to discuss new IRF research and key developments in the European incentive market.

Associations Forum has released the findings of its 2025 Association Events Survey, based on responses from 154 associations. The results highlight trends in event planning, attendance growth and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in association events.

RCP London Events hosted the Mayor of London’s second Clean Air and Health Summit, convening senior leaders from government, health and environmental sectors.

The first IBTM Ignite programme at IBTM World in Barcelona brought together promising early-stage companies from the events industry for three days of networking, pitching, and investor engagement. The programme featured startups from sectors including event technology, sustainability, and AI-powered solutions.

Consulting firm GainingEdge has released the third edition of its Leveraging Intellectual Capital Global Report, providing updated insights into how destinations worldwide engage local experts, academics, and innovators to attract international meetings and strengthen their global competitiveness.