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Advocacy

IAPCO is the global voice of the PCO sector of the meetings and events industry. IAPCO today represents over 180 PCO registered or accredited professional congress organisations (PCOs) offices in over 45 countries. Through delivering our mission to raise the professionalism of the meetings industry globally, we also drive the promotion of the industry and its role in driving economic and social growth and development.

 

#UnlockingAdvocacy in the APAC region

From the Pacific Rim to the centre of our global network, APAC leaders are redefining what’s possible in business events. IAPCO is proud to showcase these voices—celebrating the innovation, resilience and forward-thinking spirit that characterise our community across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The videos below highlight APAC’s role in #UnlockingExcellence and reaffirm IAPCO’s commitment to nurturing talent and opportunity on a truly global stage.

Press play to see how the APAC perspective is shaping the future of meetings worldwide.

 

 

 

#UnlockingAdvocacy in the LATAM region

Advocating for our industry in LATAM regionAlejandro Ramirez Tabche, CEO of BTC and former IAPCO Council Member, understands the nuances and challenges that PCOs face when advocating to sponsors and exhibitors about the importance and unique opportunities of supporting client events. Although the LATAM region has specific challenges, there are still huge opportunities, and when compared to other regions, valuable lessons can be learned through in-person meetings at events like the IAPCO AM&GA. Hear what Alejandro has to say in favour of Mexico and Latin America.

To view all our #UnlockingExcellence Videos, visit our YouTube channel.  

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Advocacy plays a major role in helping IAPCO achieve our mission.  Leveraging our partnerships with other industry assocations and sharing the economic and socil impact our members deliver through their client events with our destination partners helps us to connect with policy-makers and influencers.  It is important that governments, industry associations and other stakeholders raise awareness of the value of business events to advocate for important policies that support the business events industry.

 

Unlocking Excellence with IAPCO accredited PCOs

IAPCO members represent the pinnacle of knowledge and expertise, continually refined through education and forward-thinking innovation.

IAPCO Professional Congress Organisers (PCOs) undergo rigorous accreditation, ensuring they meet the highest standards of timeliness, efficiency, creativity, financial responsibility, and management.

At the heart of IAPCO is a relentless pursuit of improvement, learning, and collaboration. It unites a global community of like-minded professionals who are driven to surpass expectations, create meaningful impact, and leave a lasting legacy – for their teams, clients, partners, communities, and the global meetings industry.

Their dedication to perfecting the art of event and congress management ensures the delivery of events that not only meet but exceed industry standards, setting new benchmarks in the field.

Learn more about Unlocking:Excellence

 

Annual Member Survey

The IAPCO Company Report and Annual Survey is a mandatory report that our IAPCO Members are obligated to complete as part of their annual membership renewal process. It is designed to provide IAPCO with an overview of changes to our members’ organisations regarding their own company size, staffing and administration changes over the year.
The responses also, importantly, provide insight into the sentiment, foresight and trends of members, their clients and suppliers all of which are analysed by IAPCO to ensure that the Association’s products and services meet the future needs of IAPCO Members, their teams and the professional and business events industry as a whole.  The data also provides IAPCO and our industry with a clear understanding of the economic value that our events can bring to destinations.

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Every year, IAPCO, along with numerous meetings industry associations advocate for the value our industry brings to local and international economies.  During Global Meetings Industry Day* on 3rd April 2025, IAPCO shared our 2024 statistics of our Annual Member Survey, based on annual return data provided by IAPCO members.

Our Annual Member Survey compiles data from the IAPCO membership to gain valuable insight into our community over the previous year and get an outlook for the coming years. This data enables IAPCO to understand its members’ impact on our industry through their performance and focus on future activities.

IAPCO and its members continue to report growth year-on-year with the latest 2024 figures now available. Our annual reporting figures, based on data collected from all IAPCO members around the globe, show an increase in majority of areas including number of events delivered, number of meeting professionals employed and, importantly, the Economic Impact of the events delivered throughout the year.

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*Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) is an international day of advocacy showcasing the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities.

The industry will come together on 3rd April, 2025 to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day and showcase why #MeetingsMatter to attendees, organizations, communities, businesses and our economy.

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How you can help

There are several ways you can contribute to the work we do:

  • Are you an IAPCO member?  Get in touch with our HQ Team and become a member of our advocacy committee.

  • Are you a Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) or Destination Management Organisation (DMO)?  We encourage you to use the IAPCO Annual Report statistics as a measure of economic impact of our industry when you are speaking with your stakeholders and policy-makers. 

  • Are you a PCO, yet not a member of IAPCO?  Lobby your national association to become part of our StrategicTask Force of National Associations and share your own statistics with IAPCO.

  • Attend IAPCO events and workshops to learn more about advocacy and how you can get involved.

  • Share IAPCO’s advocacy materials with your colleagues and networks.

  • Contact your elected officials and let them know about the importance of business events to your community.

  • Are you a content provider or media outlet with a mission to raise address important factors impacting on economies and social well-being?  Consider collaborating with IAPCO so that, together, we can share timely and relevant knowledge together. 

Media Partners 

Boardroom >

Boardroom >

Congresos >

Congresos >

Eventos Latinoamericanos >

Eventos Latinoamericanos >

HQ >

HQ >

LM Latinamerica Meetings Magazine >

LM Latinamerica Meetings Magazine >

 

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IAPCO Members - SAVE THE DATE

IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly Athens 2026 

The Odyssey Reinvented – A Very Human Journey Toward the Meetings of Tomorrow

📅 25–28 February 2026

We invite you to embark on a transformative journey with a vision – a modern Odyssey where innovation meets human connection.

🌐 Discover more at iapco2026.com