The way people interact with destinations has changed. And that creates compelling new engagement opportunities for events and convention bureaus, according to a new IMEX white paper.
The study, Place Leadership and the Business Events Sector — published in July 2026 and authored by Professor Greg Clark, CBE FAcSS, and Borane Gille, head of city innovation and investment at The Business of Cities — explores how destinations can find success by adopting an integrated “place leadership” approach, based on the connection between business events and economic development, innovation, talent attraction and community well-being.
“While many of us have long understood the value of business events, we haven’t always had a shared conceptual language to explain that value clearly beyond our own industry,” said Natasha Richards, director of impact and industry relations at IMEX Group. “This white paper helps to change that.”
This approach, indeed, is a significant step beyond more typical forms of measuring events, such as delegate spending, room nights, attendance and venue utilization. According to the report, this expanded perspective empowers destinations and event planners to more effectively coordinate leadership among entities that can include government, business, universities, cultural institutions, community organizations and other stakeholders.
Drawing on insights and case studies from 27 cities and countries worldwide, the report explains how the business event sector can optimize its ability to create lasting local value and shape the future competitiveness of destinations. This shift in thinking can also affect how planners approach the issues of destination selection, partnerships and programming.
New Cycle, New Opportunities
To lay out the reasoning behind place leadership, the white paper points to a “new cycle” that is affecting cities, regions and nations. These new realities are influenced by a variety of factors, including the rise of hybrid and remote work, digitized consumption, online learning, mobile capital and decoupled lifestyles.
As choice, mobility and competition have increased, so too has the presence of new, less traditional players — including digital nomads, hybrid workers, seasonal climate migrants, modular learners and globally mobile families.
Destinations that succeed in this evolving environment, according to the white paper, will be those that move from siloed promotion to integrated place leadership, based on three key propositions:
• A “whole-of-place” strategy that integrates tourism, talent, investment, innovation and residence.
• Coordinated efforts across sectors to solve complex civic challenges and take advantage of new mobility opportunities.
• The enabling of place leadership by aligning key players to accelerate sectoral roadmaps and embed knowledge, talent and investment in local communities.
These three case studies demonstrate the concept of place leadership in action.
Singapore
Singapore exemplifies the benefits of a “whole-of-government” alignment around strategic clusters, with the Singapore Tourism Board partnering with the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore and Urban Redevelopment Authority. In addition, the destination is expanding its footprint as a global business events leader with plans for a downtown MICE hub at Straits View near Marina Bay, while the Singapore MICE Sustainability Roadmap integrates environmental goals into future growth. Singapore also takes a “whole-of-calendar” approach that maximizes return on Singapore’s events infrastructure investment.
Olympia
Located in West London, England, Olympia embodies the concept of place leadership at the venue and district level. Its $1.8 billion transformation includes the debut of a new International Convention Centre while also integrating Olympia’s historic exhibition halls, executive meeting and reception spaces, two hotels, restaurants, bars, entertainment and public areas. Olympia’s multifaceted features allow delegates to meet, stay, dine and socialize in a single location, thereby increasing opportunities for networking and engagement. For planners, Olympia demonstrates how thoughtful venue development can foster a broader sense of place, making the event experience part of a diverse, multidimensional setting rather than an isolated convention space.
Canada
Destination Canada’s Business Events Legacy & Impact Study provides an insightful blueprint for the impact of business events. The three-year initiative examined 15 conferences in nine Canadian destinations, assessing outcomes across eight interconnected areas that included intellectual, social and policy issues. The study found that lasting impact is more likely when three foundations are in place: intentional design, strategic collaboration and sustained stewardship. Impacts often emerge 12 to 36 months after an event, the report noted, making sustained stewardship especially important. In addition, the study found that impact often develops as a chain reaction, and that individual learning can lead to organizational innovation, stronger networks, sector and policy advancement and, over time, destination-level legacy.
