In the past year, ICCA has taken a number of actions to create new and greater value for our members, delivering educational webinars and workshops, introducing regional summits and business exchange programmes, and improving lead generation through the ICCA database.
Additionally, our 2021 60th Annual ICCA Congress had the greatest global reach of any to date, with 1,200+ participants from 83 countries. This Congress also welcomed a record 300+ associations, enabling ICCA members to engage with these important allies at a previously unseen level.
At the same time, ICCA outperformed projected losses to end the year in a sustainable financial position while also reducing Congress registration costs by half, giving members free access to all webinars, workshops, and regional events and welcoming unpaid and resigned members in 2020 and 2021 to also participate in these activities free of charge.
I am heartened by the way our global community came together in 2021 and proud of ICCA's leadership in providing insights, supporting members with empathy, and working to re-open the industry. As observed by ICCA President; together we have made the global meetings industry a model of resilience, reconstruction, and reinvention, well positioned for exciting initiatives in 2022:
- Continuing to deliver market intelligence and analytical studies
- ICCASkills Integrated Education to elevate industry standards
- Fostering greater connection through the ICCA Associations Community
- Learning from the work and perspectives of the ICCA Future Leaders Council
- Providing creative leadership and strategies around sustainability
- Creating new divisions to better address member and industry needs
- Advancing diversification and inclusion within our industry
- Leading on advocacy for the meetings industry worldwide
Throughout, we will continue to be guided by the overarching goals of meaningful member engagement and delivering innovative events and opportunities that not only directly support our members but also model creative ways for them to connect with and serve their constituencies.
As you look to the year ahead, I trust that ICCA can continue to provide value in exchange for your membership investment. As shared at the General Assembly, we will continue to offer membership at EUR 3,192 and memberships will automatically renew on 31 December of this year.
If you would like to add a PO number to your invoice, please let us know before 22 November by sending an email to finance@iccaworld.org Please also make any necessary updates to your billing address by 22 November through the online My ICCA portal at iccaworld.org.
As always, I am grateful for the tremendous support from the ICCA community and our members' high confidence and trust in ICCA's work. With knowledge, skills, analysis, collaboration, and advocacy now more essential than ever, I thank you for supporting ICCA's continued leadership in our global community.