Meet the faces behind ICCA's famous First Time Attendee programme! ICCA places huge importance on giving First Time Attendees (New-Bees) at the ICCA Congress a very warm welcome. Each year, just before the ICCA Congress begins, new attendees are invited to join a specialised session that aims to prepare them for success. Jam-packed full of helpful advice that is delivered from member to member, the programme has been delivered to over 3,000 delegates since it initially began and is designed with care to help them network, do business, learn, and maximise the benefits of attending their first ICCA Congress.



At the centre of the entire programme are the people we couldn’t do it without: our mentors, an amazing group of ICCA members and #ICCAFriends who are Congress veterans and want to help support and steer our New-Bees as they join the ICCA Family.



Gea van Beek



Hi everybody! My name is Gea van Beek, 33, based in Amsterdam and I am the Global Meetings Coordinator at SkyTeam Airline Alliance. Before my time at SkyTeam, I worked as a customer service agent handling complaints for Air France, KLM and Delta Air Lines. 



I started my amazing journey in the event industry only 2.5 years ago, but time flew by! I can definitely say that I found where my heart is. The combination of the event industry and the aviation side is an amazing but challenging combination, and I still learn everyday.



During COVID I was a mentee myself for the ECM Mentor Program where I learned all the skills I need to perform at my best in my position so I feel confident sharing my new knowledge with other people. 



This is only my 3rd ICCA congress, second one face-to-face but I cannot wait to meet all of you and have meaningful and inspiring conversations. This will be my first time as a mentor, needless to say I am excited! I am eager to share my knowledge of the event industry, especially the aviation side with the new-bees this year. 



Thank you to Gea, for being a mentor to our New-Bees! Are you interested in helping our New-Bees to settle in? Please email Ksenija.p@iccaworld.org to find out how you can become a mentor.



Let’s get social by using the following hashtags: #ICCANewBee #ICCAMentorBee #LetsGetBuzzing #ICCA2021