Meet the faces behind ICCA's famous First Time Attendee programme! ICCA places huge importance on giving First Time Attendees (FTAs) 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 newbies as they join the ICCA Family.



Meet Marco Oelschlegel



Since 2017, I have been working as Deputy Director Convention of the Berlin Convention Office, the German capital city’s official convention bureau.



I started my career as a conference producer for c-level seminars and conferences with Management Circle and supported the Tourism & Economics department of the Peruvian Embassy in Berlin then.



In 2005, I joined visitBerlin as a project manager. I have concentrated on international markets such as the UK, France and Spain and have started our network with Berlin based scientists.



What has always fascinated me about our industry is its openess, willingness to cooperation, its international outreach and diversity of friendly people I meet everywhere – so looking forward to meeting you in Houston, too!!



Thank you to Marco, for being an FTA mentor! Are you interested in helping our First Time Attendees 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