![\"\"](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Untitled-4.jpg\")
According to the ICCA Stati\u0004sti\u0004cs Report for 2017 \u2013 prepared based on the number of meetings held worldwide and the number of attendees at these events and used to rank countries and ci\u0004ties in the MICE industry \u2013 Hungary, with its capital Budapest, s\u0005ll ranks high in the world: It comes in 27th with a total of 159 internati\u0005onal conventi\u0005ons, which is a step forward compared with last year when it ranked 33rd with 129 events. Budapest jumped four spots once again \u2013 from the 16th with 108 congresses to the 12th with 128 congresses.
\nThe changes in the region are mostly showing progress. Last year saw a slight decline, but this year the situati\u0004on changed considerably for the bett\ber. The countries with the most visible posi\u0004tive changes include Macedonia jumping 19 spots, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12, and Montenegro 10. As for the ci\u0004ties, Sarajevo certainly saw the biggest change, dropping as many as 60 spots.
\nCroati\u0005a advanced from the 43rd place and 75 events to the 38th spot and as many as 102 events. Croati\u0004a\u2019s capital Zagreb changed for the bett\ber by 25 spots \u2013 it is now 56th with 44 events, while a year ago it was 81st with 32 meeting events. Dubrovnik saw 31 conven\u0005tions, ending up at 84th, while last year it stood at 134th with 19 meeti\u0004ngs.
\nNext on the regional list is Serbia, which also climbed up by six spots and five events more than last year, and now holds the 42nd place with a total of 71 conventi\u0005ons. Belgrade \u2013 as far as regional ci\u0004ties go \u2013 takes second place, right behind Budapest, with 51 mee\u0005tings. Compared to the previous rankings, the city advanced by nine spots but had only one event less. Novi Sad had nine events one year ago and held the 279th posi\u0004tion, while now it takes 325th with seven internati\u0005onal events.
From last year\u2019s 45th place and 69 conven\u0004tions, Romania moved down to 43rd with 70 conven\u0005ons. Bucharest, the country\u2019s capital, advanced by as many as 16 places on the list, and it now holds the 65th spot with 39 interna\u0005tional events \u2013 seven more in comparison with last year.
\nJust behind Romania is Slovenia, which dropped by one spot and placed 45th with 68 international events. Last year it placed 44th with 73 events. As a des\u0004tina\u0004tion, this year Ljubljana fell by nine places, now ranking 56th with 44 conven\u0005tions, while a year ago it had ten more.
\nBulgaria is ranked 61st with 34 internati\u0005onal events, which means it went up three spots and three conventi\u0004ons compared with last year. When it comes to Sofia, from the 186th place with 14 events in the past year, it now placed 130th with 21 conferences.
\nThirteen conven\u0005tions took place in Montenegro, making it 82nd, which is a jump compared with the sta\u0004tis\u0004tics from last year when it placed 98th with six conventi\u0004ons. Podgorica placed 358th with six internati\u0005onal events, while Budva is at 406th with five meetings.
\nSpot no. 89 with 11 conven\u0005tions belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared with last year\u2019s 77th spot and 13 conven\u0004tions \u2013 a drop 12-spot deep. The city that experienced the biggest decline in the region, Sarajevo, now placed 299th with eight mee\u0005tings, while last year it was 60 spots higher, with only three mee\u0004tings more. Macedonia is now in a much be\btter posi\u0004tion \u2013 it ranked 94th with ten events, compared with last year when it ranked 113th and hosted only five interna\u0004tional events. Skopje ranked 358th with six mee\u0005tings that took place in the city, while last year it was 373rd with five mee\u0004tings.
\nThe post Hungary Beats the Region as a MICE Destination appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "According to the ICCA Stati\u0004sti\u0004cs Report for 2017 \u2013 prepared based on the number of meetings held worldwide and the number of attendees at these events and used to rank countries and ci\u0004ties in the MICE industry \u2013 Hungary, with its capital Budapest, s\u0005ll ranks high in the world: It comes in 27th with a total of 159 internati\u0005onal conventi\u0005ons, which is a step forward compared with last year when it ranked 33rd with 129 events. Budapest jumped four spots once again \u2013 from the 16th with 108 congresses to the 12th with 128 congresses.\nThe changes in the region are mostly showing progress. Last year saw a slight decline, but this year the situati\u0004on changed considerably for the bett\ber. The countries with the most visible posi\u0004tive changes include Macedonia jumping 19 spots, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12, and Montenegro 10. As for the ci\u0004ties, Sarajevo certainly saw the biggest change, dropping as many as 60 spots.\nCroati\u0005a advanced from the 43rd place and 75 events to the 38th spot and as many as 102 events. Croati\u0004a\u2019s capital Zagreb changed for the bett\ber by 25 spots \u2013 it is now 56th with 44 events, while a year ago it was 81st with 32 meeting events. Dubrovnik saw 31 conven\u0005tions, ending up at 84th, while last year it stood at 134th with 19 meeti\u0004ngs.\nNext on the regional list is Serbia, which also climbed up by six spots and five events more than last year, and now holds the 42nd place with a total of 71 conventi\u0005ons. Belgrade \u2013 as far as regional ci\u0004ties go \u2013 takes second place, right behind Budapest, with 51 mee\u0005tings. Compared to the previous rankings, the city advanced by nine spots but had only one event less. Novi Sad had nine events one year ago and held the 279th posi\u0004tion, while now it takes 325th with seven internati\u0005onal events.\nFrom last year\u2019s 45th place and 69 conven\u0004tions, Romania moved down to 43rd with 70 conven\u0005ons. Bucharest, the country\u2019s capital, advanced by as many as 16 places on the list, and it now holds the 65th spot with 39 interna\u0005tional events \u2013 seven more in comparison with last year.\nJust behind Romania is Slovenia, which dropped by one spot and placed 45th with 68 international events. Last year it placed 44th with 73 events. As a des\u0004tina\u0004tion, this year Ljubljana fell by nine places, now ranking 56th with 44 conven\u0005tions, while a year ago it had ten more.\nBulgaria is ranked 61st with 34 internati\u0005onal events, which means it went up three spots and three conventi\u0004ons compared with last year. When it comes to Sofia, from the 186th place with 14 events in the past year, it now placed 130th with 21 conferences.\nThirteen conven\u0005tions took place in Montenegro, making it 82nd, which is a jump compared with the sta\u0004tis\u0004tics from last year when it placed 98th with six conventi\u0004ons. Podgorica placed 358th with six internati\u0005onal events, while Budva is at 406th with five meetings.\nSpot no. 89 with 11 conven\u0005tions belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared with last year\u2019s 77th spot and 13 conven\u0004tions \u2013 a drop 12-spot deep. The city that experienced the biggest decline in the region, Sarajevo, now placed 299th with eight mee\u0005tings, while last year it was 60 spots higher, with only three mee\u0004tings more. Macedonia is now in a much be\btter posi\u0004tion \u2013 it ranked 94th with ten events, compared with last year when it ranked 113th and hosted only five interna\u0004tional events. Skopje ranked 358th with six mee\u0005tings that took place in the city, while last year it was 373rd with five mee\u0004tings.\nThe post Hungary Beats the Region as a MICE Destination appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2018-08-02T10:48:34+02:00", "date_modified": "2018-08-02T10:48:34+02:00", "author": { "name": "Mirjana Novitovic", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/officebs/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/slika-.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/bigstockphoto_Business_Forecast_4698706.jpg", "tags": [ "business meetings", "congress", "events", "icca statistic", "Hot topics", "NEWS" ] }, { "id": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/knowledge-japan-s-forte/", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/knowledge-japan-s-forte/", "title": "Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte", "content_html": "The national unemployment rate falls below four percent. Children in Japan are encouraged to transfer the skills they acquire to their peers, which helps them to remember 90% of the curriculum. In addition, after each class children thank their teachers for the knowledge
\nthey were passed on. This just might be the reason why as many as 15 Nobel Prizes found their home in Japan.
In Japan, competence is highly regarded, and mutual respect and esteem are part of the culture. All this helped to Japan taking the lead in many fields, including the MICE industry. In light of this, we had the pleasure to discuss this year\u2019s ICCA results, state-of-the-art technology in event planning, and plans for the future with Margaret Mann, Manager at the Japan Convention Bureau in London.
\n![\"Margaret](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Margaret-Mann-Convention-Manager-Japan-Convention-Bureau.jpg\" "\\"Margaret")
Japan is a well-respected globally as a leader in a diverse range of industries and academic fields. Its reputation as a knowledge hub makes it an attractive destination for associations from all fields seeking to expose their membership to new ideas and inspiration from Japan\u2019s pool of knowledge and talent. If you look at the ICCA rankings, you\u2019ll also notice that while Tokyo ranks highest in the ICCA rankings, Japan has three cities in the top 100 and nine cities in the top 200 globally. This illustrates the strength of Japan\u2019s regional cities and showcases the diverse options that Japan can offer associations.
\n1. Knowledge: Japan\u2019s academic and industry reputation is a huge advantage for associations. Japan is home to high concentrations of academic and research institutions with
\nadvanced R&D capabilities that can support events with respected speakers, inspirational
\ntours of local industry, and high level knowledge exchange.
\n2. Culture: Japan\u2019s unique culture contributes to its attractiveness as a destination for association meetings. Experiences a different culture is still a key reason why people travel to attend conferences. Attending a conference in Japan is a rare opportunity to experience things that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; from unique performances at gala
\ndinners to interactive sessions during coffee breaks, Japanese culture can be incorporated
\nthroughout a meeting program to attract higher delegate levels.
\n3. Infrastructure: Japan has 12 global MICE cities which have been recognized by the government as having the infrastructure and connectivity to host international meetings and events. Meeting planners have a diverse portfolio of purpose-built convention centers and high quality hotels to choose from. With five international hubs and many other regional international airports, access from around the world is convenient by long-haul standards, and the high-speed shinkansen (bullet train) system connects all major cities making domestic travel easy.
\n4. Experience & Expertise: Japan was one of the first Asian countries to establish a convention bureau. The Japan National Tourism Organization works in coordination with the local experts of our municipal convention bureaus to help support meeting planners to maximize the value Japan as a destination can add to their events. Each of our twelve global MICE cities have a professional convention bureau who work closely with our highly experienced DMCs and PCOs.
![\"Kiyomizudera](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Kiyomizudera-Temple-Autumn-in-Kyoto-credit-JNTO.jpg\" "\\"Kiyomizudera")
I don\u2019t think technology will ever replace face-to-face meetings, but I think the most successful technology will enhance engagement before, during and after meetings. This might be through wearable technology, like the human body communication devises launched
\nby Panasonic at least year\u2019s CEATEC, or perhaps through AI or interactive apps. Japanese tech companies are always coming up with creative solutions that the industry needs can develop into practical applications.
In addition to the software that is developed to encourage the smooth organization of events, many Japanese venues are using modern technology to encourage sustainable meetings. For example, venues like the PACIFICO Yokohama have pioneered technology partnerships with local universities to improve sustainability. Japan also develops many of the top technology trade fairs and conferences in the world, which helps encourage the adoption of new technology.
\n![\"Makuhari](\"https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Makuhari-Messe-credit-JNTO.jpg\" "\\"Makuhari")
Japan welcomed a record 24 million visitors in 2016 and we aim to increase that to 40 million by 2020, the year Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The meetings industry plays a key role in this goal. Cities throughout the country are continuing to invest in the meeting industry, with new venues, transportation infrastructure and applicable technology. Further increasing the wealth of options for meeting planners throughout Japan, new convention centers and venues are currently in the works for Yokohama, Nara, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and subtropical Okinawa.
\nAfter successfully working with the government to implement fast-track immigration lanes for conference delegates, improve tax exemption programs for visitors and relax visa requirements, the Japan National Tourism Organization is also working closely with our cities to open up important cultural properties for use as unique venues to showcase Japan for meeting delegates.
\nThe post Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.
\n", "content_text": "Japan. Land of the Rising Sun. With a population of around 130 million people, the country boasts a literacy rate at near 100%. Trains run at speeds of up to 300 km/h, cell phones are used as credit cards (osaifu-keitai), and many restaurants have robots serving their patrons.\nThe national unemployment rate falls below four percent. Children in Japan are encouraged to transfer the skills they acquire to their peers, which helps them to remember 90% of the curriculum. In addition, after each class children thank their teachers for the knowledge\nthey were passed on. This just might be the reason why as many as 15 Nobel Prizes found their home in Japan.\nIn Japan, competence is highly regarded, and mutual respect and esteem are part of the culture. All this helped to Japan taking the lead in many fields, including the MICE industry. In light of this, we had the pleasure to discuss this year\u2019s ICCA results, state-of-the-art technology in event planning, and plans for the future with Margaret Mann, Manager at the Japan Convention Bureau in London.\nMargaret Mann, Convention Manager, Japan Convention Bureau\nThis year\u2019s ICCA statistic report shows that Japan and Tokyo are very high ranked. Could You please comment those results?\nJapan is a well-respected globally as a leader in a diverse range of industries and academic fields. Its reputation as a knowledge hub makes it an attractive destination for associations from all fields seeking to expose their membership to new ideas and inspiration from Japan\u2019s pool of knowledge and talent. If you look at the ICCA rankings, you\u2019ll also notice that while Tokyo ranks highest in the ICCA rankings, Japan has three cities in the top 100 and nine cities in the top 200 globally. This illustrates the strength of Japan\u2019s regional cities and showcases the diverse options that Japan can offer associations.\nWhat do you consider as a four main advantages of Japan as a destination for achieving such a result?\n\n1. Knowledge: Japan\u2019s academic and industry reputation is a huge advantage for associations. Japan is home to high concentrations of academic and research institutions with\nadvanced R&D capabilities that can support events with respected speakers, inspirational\ntours of local industry, and high level knowledge exchange.\n2. Culture: Japan\u2019s unique culture contributes to its attractiveness as a destination for association meetings. Experiences a different culture is still a key reason why people travel to attend conferences. Attending a conference in Japan is a rare opportunity to experience things that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; from unique performances at gala\ndinners to interactive sessions during coffee breaks, Japanese culture can be incorporated\nthroughout a meeting program to attract higher delegate levels.\n3. Infrastructure: Japan has 12 global MICE cities which have been recognized by the government as having the infrastructure and connectivity to host international meetings and events. Meeting planners have a diverse portfolio of purpose-built convention centers and high quality hotels to choose from. With five international hubs and many other regional international airports, access from around the world is convenient by long-haul standards, and the high-speed shinkansen (bullet train) system connects all major cities making domestic travel easy.\n4. Experience & Expertise: Japan was one of the first Asian countries to establish a convention bureau. The Japan National Tourism Organization works in coordination with the local experts of our municipal convention bureaus to help support meeting planners to maximize the value Japan as a destination can add to their events. Each of our twelve global MICE cities have a professional convention bureau who work closely with our highly experienced DMCs and PCOs.\n\nKiyomizudera Temple Autumn in Kyoto, credit JNTO\nIn your opinion, what is the next big technology trend in event industry?\nI don\u2019t think technology will ever replace face-to-face meetings, but I think the most successful technology will enhance engagement before, during and after meetings. This might be through wearable technology, like the human body communication devises launched\nby Panasonic at least year\u2019s CEATEC, or perhaps through AI or interactive apps. Japanese tech companies are always coming up with creative solutions that the industry needs can develop into practical applications.\nSince Japan is the country known for its Hi-Tech approach, can you share with us what are the most common use of modern technologies at events in Japan?\nIn addition to the software that is developed to encourage the smooth organization of events, many Japanese venues are using modern technology to encourage sustainable meetings. For example, venues like the PACIFICO Yokohama have pioneered technology partnerships with local universities to improve sustainability. Japan also develops many of the top technology trade fairs and conferences in the world, which helps encourage the adoption of new technology.\nMakuhari Messe, credit JNTO\nCould You tell us about the future plans?\nJapan welcomed a record 24 million visitors in 2016 and we aim to increase that to 40 million by 2020, the year Tokyo will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The meetings industry plays a key role in this goal. Cities throughout the country are continuing to invest in the meeting industry, with new venues, transportation infrastructure and applicable technology. Further increasing the wealth of options for meeting planners throughout Japan, new convention centers and venues are currently in the works for Yokohama, Nara, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and subtropical Okinawa.\nAfter successfully working with the government to implement fast-track immigration lanes for conference delegates, improve tax exemption programs for visitors and relax visa requirements, the Japan National Tourism Organization is also working closely with our cities to open up important cultural properties for use as unique venues to showcase Japan for meeting delegates.\nThe post Knowledge \u2013 Japan\u2019s Forte appeared first on SEE Business travel & meetings magazine.", "date_published": "2017-12-04T12:19:46+01:00", "date_modified": "2017-12-04T12:19:46+01:00", "author": { "name": "Milica Novak", "url": "https://www.seebtm.com/en/author/milicanovak/", "avatar": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Milica-Novak.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.seebtm.com/wp-content/uploads/Sensoji-Temple-in-Tokyo-credit-JNTO.jpg", "tags": [ "congress organisation", "convention bureau", "culture", "icca statistic", "infrastructure", "japan", "knowledge", "new technologies", "tokyo", "Interviews" ] } ] }