ICCA Senior Manager Knowledge and Legacy Sharon Ashton recently had the pleasure of participating in the ICCASkills CICE + CICS classes in Luxembourg — a truly transformational experience filled with new connections, insightful discussions, and an excellent social programme. She shares her reflections on a successful course with enthusiastic participants and expert instructors, all in beautiful Luxembourg City.

Lina Ostapchuk, Association Business Events Manager at the Luxembourg Convention Bureau, welcomeed attendees, who took part in an interactive and inspirational introduction to Luxembourg. Skilled instructors Juan Jose Garcia, Patrick Delaney, Ivo Franschitz and Mark Spivey shared expert knowledge with dynamic sessions that encouraged collaborative problem-solving and an exchange of innovative ideas. Participants developed actionable solutions to real-world business challenges. 

They deep-dived into:

  • Positioning and branding strategies and tactics for destinations
  • Explored the different types of client and business models and the impact on their messaging and approach
  • Learned about personalisation strategies with many case study examples shared
  • Honed their client and people management skills
  • Crafted competitive destination analysis sets
  • Fine tuned their skills to create persuasive and competitive proposals that stand out in any bidding process
  • Looked to the future of RFPs and upcoming bidding trends

All of this was achieved through a perfect blend of real-world examples and expert insights from skilled instructors Juan Jose Garcia and Patrick, and practical activities and exercises as a group. The CICS learners did the same in their class under the tutelage of Ivo Franschitz and Mark Spivey.

The sharing and learning from each other was amazing! Attendees are leaving having formed strong bonds with each other, and have now joined the ICCASkills alumni community with an enlarged circle of international contacts.

And the best part?

We get to do it all again in September with another group of curious business events professionals eager to exchange, learn and equip themselves with new insights to enable them to create competitive advantage, business opportunities and more successful outcomes for international association meetings!

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from more top leaders in the industry:

  • Eduardo Chaillo
  • Milos Milovanovic
  • Valentini Amarantidou
  • Ivo J. Franschitz

Places are limited, sign up for either of these upcoming Luxembourg classes without delay.

September 23 – 25 2025: CICS + CICE

Embark upon a journey that will transform you, challenge your perspectives and grow your network!

See you soon in Luxembourg!