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 Elisabeth Bugge

Elisabeth has worked in the industry for 17 years, starting her career at the ICCA Head Office in the Membership Department. Greatful for meeting the entire meetingsindustry through ICCA, and inspired by the many extraordinary people, she moved to Norway and started working for Norway Convention Bureau. Here she was leading projects for the partners of Norway Convention Bureau and profiling Norway to the international MICE industry. For the past 2 years Norway Convention Bureau has been part of the National Tourist Board, where she is responsible for developing Norway as a destination for international conventions. And to contribute to that Norway increases the amount of international association congresses.

«I am always looking forward to the ICCA Congress! Attending 14 ICCA congresses I must say that after every congress I come home with new inspiration, motivation and ideas. It is also a great arena to catch up with collegues from all of the world – discussing issues which we all seem to struggle with. And ICCA members are only a phonecall away when coming home.»

The mentor programme is a perfect way to connect and get to know people in the industry from all over the world. You are ‘forced’ to make contact and you will thank ICCA for it afterwards!

Thank you to Elisabeth, 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