Stuart Wood

Stuart Wood is a news reporter across the Mash Media editorial portfolio. He writes for CMW alongside sister publications Conference News, Exhibition News, Access All Areas and Exhibition World.

Saudi Arabia to host World Combat Games

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been awarded the 2023 edition of the World Combat Games (WCG). The WCG is an international multi-sport event featuring 15 combat sports and martial arts which are members of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). The WCG aims to establish bridges between elite sport and local communities through initiatives encouraging youth participatio...

ICCA publishes reinvented 2020 Statistics Report

ICCA says it has reinvented its annual association meetings Statistics Report, in a way that better reflects the changing needs of the industry. The association says it now provides a more accurate representation of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on association meetings globally, as well as being an enhanced tool for guiding the industry out of the current crisis. The 2020 ICCA Statistics Rep...

CWT launches new client onboarding process

CWT, the travel management platform, has launched a new onboarding programme for clients. Darren Toohey, head of global sales, said: “Global travel management is a complex, multi-faceted service requiring excellence in delivery, effectively meeting the expectations of travellers and clients alike. “Ensuring CWT speeds up the process and smooths out potential road bumps is therefore key when a clie...

IBTM Wired announces details of Knowledge Programme

IBTM Wired, IBTM’s online event taking place from 28 June – 1 July, has released the first details of its Knowledge Programme. There will be more than 30 topical education sessions and four keynote speakers. Each day will focus on a different region of the world, providing a packed schedule of live and on-demand education sessions open to both hosted buyers and visitors. Topics covered will includ...

Ungerboeck and EventBooking to merge

Ungerboeck and EventBooking, two providers of event and venue management tools, have announced they are to merge. Manish Chandak of Ungerboeck will serve as president and CEO, and Steve Mackenzie of EventBooking will serve as executive vice president. The merger has the backing of private equity group Cove Hill Partners. William Blair advised Ungerboeck, and Raymond James advised Cove Hill Partner...

Incentive travel – a force for good

SITE chief marketing officer, Padraic Gilligan, takes a rhyme and makes the reason

Friend or foe: the new fight for online event data

The battle for online success could see event owners sleepwalking into the same quagmire that a decade ago saw online communities consumed by the likes of Facebook and Google. ExpoPlatform’s CTO Mykyta Fastovets explores the idea that some platforms are less friend than foe.   The hasty move to digital platforms over the past year has raised one question above all others – who actually ...

MEA opens its events scholarship for applications

Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) has opened applications for its 2021 Ungerboeck Young Professional Scholarship. The scholarship helps support and nurture future leaders in the Australian events industry, and is sponsored by Ungerboeck Software International. It is now in its 17th year. There are eight scholarships available, representing one for each state and territory across Australia. Eac...

MCEC aiming to eliminate single use plastic by 2025 in new university initiative

The Melbourne Convention Centre (MCEC) is partnering with students from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology on a new sustainable initiative. Together, the venue and the university are aiming to eliminate single-use plastic from MCEC’s events and onsite cafes by 2025. The venue is aiming to give six students real world experience around sustainability as part of the RMIT Activator’s Impact ...

Hawai’i Convention Center hosts largest event since start of pandemic

The Hawai‘i Convention Center welcomed 1,200 participants for the Hawai‘i Prayer Breakfast on 7 May, 2021. The event was the largest in-person gathering at the venue since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The breakfast included state and local leaders, as well as speakers Dr. Tony Evans and Priscilla Shirer. The Center has implemented health and safety measures led by ASM Global’s comprehe...

INVNT appoints new director of business development

Agency INVNT has appointed Peter Clarke as director of business development. Clarke joins from Smyle Creative, where he held the role of client relationships manager for six years, and prior to that, was the head of business development and marketing at Pumphouse Productions. Throughout his 30-year career Clarke has worked with clients including, EE, Diageo, Thomas Cook TUI, and Rolls Royce. Claud...

Helsinki digitises its venues as it allows for virtual fam trips

The city of Helsinki has digitised some of its major event venues, in a new initiative called Virtual Helsinki. Senate Square, The Three Smiths Statue, the island of Lonna and Finlandia Hall can be explored for free in the virtual environment, which only requires a computer, laptop or smartphone. The technology was put together in partnership with VR studio Zoan, but a VR headset is not required. ...