Event Industry Association

Top Event Industry Association for Event Planners

One of the biggest challenges that event planners have to face is keeping up with the speed of change. Technology, upcoming trends, and attendee expectations are constantly and rapidly changing. Event planners need to stay on top of these changes to continue improving their event planning skills and creating unique experiences.

Becoming a member of an event planning association is a great opportunity to advance your business or event management business. However, it’s critical to choose one that’s a good fit for you and your business. 

In this blog, you’ll get a detailed analysis of the industry’s leading event planner associations, that will help you understand which one best fits your professional and career goals!

MPI (Meeting Professionals International)

Meeting Professionals International

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the biggest meeting and event industry association worldwide. MPI, which was founded in 1972, delivers unique and relevant education, networking opportunities, and business exchanges, as well as serving as a leading voice for the industry’s development and advancement. MPI offers a global network of 60,000 meeting and event professionals, with 15,000 actively participating members. It has almost 70 chapters and clubs across the world, with members from more than 70 countries.

PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association)

PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association)

PCMA is the world’s largest group of Business Events Strategists, offering senior education and networking opportunities for the events industry. PCMA creates and interprets market research and expertise, allowing businesses to make more informed decisions even while offering a platform for peer-to-peer interaction. PCMA is headquartered in Chicago and has 17 chapters in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with over 40 nationalities represented among its members.

ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association)

ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association)

ICCA is the world’s largest association for the international meetings industry, with a focus on international association meetings. It provides unrivaled data, education, communication channels, and chances for business development and networking. ICCA has represented the world’s finest destinations and most experienced providers specializing in managing, transporting, and hosting international meetings and events since its founding in 1963, and now has over 1,100 member firms and organizations in approximately 100 countries and territories.

IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events)

IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events)

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) is a global trade association for the exhibitions and events industry, with over 1,300 show organizers, exhibitors, and exhibition supplier firms, as well as over 10,000 individual members in 52 countries. IAEE has a strong focus on advocacy initiatives, including activities with the Exhibitions Mean Business and Meetings Mean Business coalitions, the US Travel Association, and the US Department of Commerce, in addition to the globally recognized Certified in Exhibition Management® (CEM) learning program and designation.

SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence)

SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence)

The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) is the only global organization committed to promoting and enhancing the incentive travel industry. SITE has established a link between incentive travel and business outcomes. It provides professional growth, certification, and business contacts to its members. SITE has expanded to over 2,000 members in 90 countries, with 29 local and regional chapters, in the previous 40 years.

ACCED-I (Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors – International)

ACCED-I (Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors – International)

ACCED-I connects collegiate conference and event professionals to resources, expertise, and other professionals, ensuring that they are up to date on the newest trends and information in this niche market. Over 1,300 campus professionals make up ACCED-I, which designs, markets, coordinates, and plans conferences and special events on college and university campuses throughout the world.

ILEA (The International Live Events Association)

ILEA (The International Live Events Association)

The International Live Events Association (ILEA) is a global network of thousands of creative event professionals whose skills, expertise, and experience are behind some of the world’s most well-known and renowned live events. ILEA provides education and collaborative networking opportunities for creative event professionals seeking deeper relationships with like-minded individuals. ILEA membership assists you in navigating the maze of business management and reaching new heights of creativity.

APA (American Planning Association)

APA (American Planning Association)

The American Planning Association (APA) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the advancement of urban and regional planning as an art and science. By advocating for quality in community planning, encouraging education and citizen empowerment, and providing the resources and assistance needed to manage the challenges of development and change, APA and its members provide leadership.

IAPCO (The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers)

IAPCO (The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers)

International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) is the only international accreditation association for professional conference organizers.  Its objective is to improve service standards among its member organizations and other areas of the meetings business by providing ongoing education, networking, and assistance. IAPCO now represents 138 firms, with over 10,300 professional congress organizers, meeting planners, and managers from 40 countries organizing international and national congresses, conventions, and special events.

IFEA (International Festivals & Events Association)

IFEA (International Festivals & Events Association)

The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) was founded in 1956 as the Festival Managers Association and is now The Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. The major goal of IFEA is to locate and provide access to professional resources and networks in order to inspire and allow people in our sector to achieve their goals, develop community, and sustain accomplishment via a celebration.

SGMP (Society of Government Meeting Professionals)

SGMP (Society of Government Meeting Professionals)

The Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP) is the only national organization in the United States dedicated only to those who organize and conduct government meetings. It was founded in 1981. Nearly 2,000 members in 19 chapters around the country benefit from their membership value of education, resources, and networking. They have an annual National Education Conference and Expo and provide Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) certification to planners and vendors who can demonstrate their knowledge of the laws and procedures of executing high-impact, ethical government meetings.

NACE (National Association for Catering & Events)

NACE (National Association for Catering & Events)

The National Association for Catering and Events (NACE), which was founded 60 years ago, is the go-to resource and network for catering and event professionals across the country. NACE inspires catering and event professionals by delivering industry-leading education, tools, and resources, as well as a lively community to learn from and develop from, with more than 40 chapters around the country and 3500 members and rising.

HCEA (Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association)

HCEA (Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association)

The Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Group (HCEA) is a trade association that represents organizations that have a shared goal of improving the efficacy and quality of healthcare conventions and exhibitions as a learning and marketing tool.

Since 1930, the Healthcare Exhibitors and Suppliers Association (HCEA) has offered a venue for the sharing of mutually beneficial information and ideas among healthcare exhibitors, medical groups, and suppliers.

NCBMP (National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals)

NCBMP (National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals)

The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to African American meeting planners’ training requirements. It was created in 1983.

The company is dedicated to improving the meetings, conferences, exhibits, and conventions that it organizes. Since its inception, NCBMP has had a huge influence on the hotel industry by recognizing the African American convention’s substantial spending power and impact.

CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association)

CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association)

The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) is a growing network of corporate event marketers. CEMA’s objective is to foster professional networking and information sharing, to offer strategic leadership and education, to advocate for event marketing’s value and integration with other marketing disciplines, and to push industry standards. For senior-level event marketing professionals, CEMA provides professional networking, information exchange, thought leadership, and education. With over 500 active members, CEMA is a dynamic community.

To Conclude

For event planners, there are a variety of top event planning associations to choose from. Outlining your goals for joining an event organizer is the key to identifying the perfect one to join.

Are you looking for a great way to network? Then be sure you pick the organization of an event with a strong local presence.

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