ICCA and AMC Institute (AMCI) are strengthening their collaboration through AMCI leadership’s participation in the 65th ICCA Congress, taking place in Panama City, Panama, from 8-11 November 2026.
Ahead of the Congress, AMCI’s Board of Directors will convene in Panama City for its fall board meeting before joining the ICCA Congress community for the official Opening Ceremony on Sunday. Many Board members will remain throughout the Congress, participating in knowledge exchange, panel discussions and networking alongside more than 1,000 business events professionals and representatives of an expected 100+ international associations.
The collaboration reflects the spirit of this year’s Congress theme, #CrossWorlds, which explores the connections that span sectors, geographies and professional communities, and how these connections can strengthen the global meetings industry.
AMCI represents more than 180 member firms across 16 countries, collectively managing more than 3,300 associations and serving 3.3 million individual members worldwide. This collective equates to over $1.9 billion in association revenue. Bringing AMCI’s leadership into the ICCA Congress environment creates a valuable connection between the association management company community and the destinations, venues and other partners that work to attract and deliver international association meetings.
Dr. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, said:
“CrossWorlds is about exactly this kind of connection; bringing communities together who don’t always share a room, but absolutely share a mission. Having AMCI’s leadership join us in Panama is a powerful signal of how closely our industries are intertwined. Association management companies steward the day-to-day success of thousands of associations worldwide. When their leadership sits at the same table as our members, everyone gains a sharper, more complete picture of what it takes to deliver world-class international meetings.”
Tina Wehmeir, CEO of AMCI, said:
“For AMCI, participating in ICCA Congress puts our leadership directly into the international meetings ecosystem that our member firms and the associations they serve engage with every day. Our members work closely with associations that make decisions about where and how their global meetings take place. Being alongside the destinations, venues and partners shaping that ecosystem creates a valuable opportunity for insight-sharing, collaboration and stronger relationships across the industry.”
Gloria De León, Minister of Tourism, Panama, said:
“Panama has always been a natural meeting point, connecting oceans, cultures, people and ideas. Welcoming AMC Institute’s leadership to Panama City alongside the ICCA Congress reflects exactly who we are as a country: a global hub where connections happen and opportunities are created. When leading international communities choose Panama to meet, exchange ideas and build the future together, they strengthen not only their industries, but also our position as a world-class destination for meetings and conventions. Panama is ready to welcome the world and to bring the world together.”
The collaboration reflects a shared recognition that association management companies and ICCA’s destination, venue, meeting management and solutions members bring complementary perspectives to the international association meetings ecosystem. AMCs provide deep insight into the priorities, challenges and operational needs of the associations they represent, while ICCA’s global community brings together the destinations, venues and suppliers working to deliver international meetings.
During the Congress, AMCI’s leadership and members will have opportunities to connect with association executives, destination leaders and business events professionals from more than 80 countries, while contributing their perspectives on the trends and pressures shaping how associations manage their international meetings and engage global partners.
The 65th ICCA Congress is being hosted in Panama City and is supported byPROMTUR Panama, highlighting the destination’s commitment to bringing global association leaders and the wider business events community together.
