The International Congress and Convention Association announced today during the Closing Ceremony of the fourth edition of the ICCA Association Meetings Programme, which was held in Durban, South Africa from 18-20 June 2019, that the 2020 edition of the event will be held in the Tirol region of Austria. The destination of Tirol and cities of Innsbruck and Alpbach will act as joint hosts.
A globally-renowned ICCA flagship event, the AMP is designed to bring ICCA Members and Association Executives from all over the world together for open exchange through small-scale networking and interactive knowledge transfer about bidding, designing, organising and promoting international association meetings.
“Green Meeting” in the Heart of Europe
Representatives from Tirol, Innsbruck and Alpbach took the stage during the Closing Session to showcase the highlights of Tirol and invite ICCA Members and international association executives to meet in- and experience their destination in 2020.
The four hosts of the ICCA AMP 2020 are Convention Bureau Tirol, Convention Service Innsbruck, Congress Messe Innsbruck, and Congress Centrum Alpbach. The host team said of their partnership: “We are four hosts working together hand in hand, and we aim to inspire successful synergies in the meetings industry. Our goal is to focus on networking – to bring people together in the picturesque, natural and very energising environment of the mountains.”
Tirol is a region with both traditional and modern flair, influenced by its mountainous scenery, alpine heritage, and urban environments known for being centres of industry. The 2020 host cities, Innsbruck, a high-tech international research and innovation hub in sectors such as life sciences and quantum computing, and Alpbach, a Tyrolean mountain village with an unrivalled reputation for hosting international congresses, will offer AMP delegates the chance to experience the best of Tirol’s opportunities for knowledge transfer and hospitality.
Social responsibility and sustainability will also be a guiding principle behind the event. The 2020 ICCA AMP will be certified as a ‘Green Meeting’, which is an official sustainability certification awarded by the Austrian Ecological Ministry.
2019 ICCA AMP first edition held on the African continent
Next year’s ICCA AMP will follow on from a highly-successful 2019 edition, which took place from 18-20 June in Durban, South Africa and brought together 128 ICCA Members and International Association Executives from over 30 countries across the globe for the first AMP ever held on the African continent. This was the first time ICCA returned with an international meeting since the 43rd ICCA Congress in Cape Town in 2004. Forty-five members of the ICCA African Chapter were also in attendance.
Sonto Mayise, Acting Chief Convention Bureau Officer at Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau, said: “From a multi-ethnic landscape, plethora of dining experiences and diverse cultures to our vibrant nightlife and world-class venues, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal is a destination with much to offer! On behalf of Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau, it has been a pleasure to host ICCA AMP delegates in our city.”
Inspired by Durban’s entrepreneurial spirit, the theme of the ICCA AMP was “Inspiration to go further”. From the education sessions to the networking receptions and across the venue itself, sparks of inspiration permeated every aspect of the programme. Delegates had access to the association meetings expertise of a global faculty, complemented by local inspiration in the form of keynote speeches from some of Durban’s most influential figures.
Driving the knowledge economy in each host destination
Senthil Gopinath, ICCA Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very happy that the Association Meetings Programme is coming to the region of Tirol and destinations of Innsbruck and Alpbach in 2020. ICCA has been organising the AMP in different parts of the world, and I am glad that we are coming to Austria as we bring the event back to Europe.
“We have done in-depth research into how the AMP will build the knowledge economy in each host city, and next year will offer an exciting programme. I invite all ICCA Members to join us for what promises to be a fantastic event.”
The 2020 ICCA AMP will take place from 29 June-1 July 2020. Registration will open later this year. More information will be released closer to the time.
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