The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has opened its call for submissions for the ICCA Best Marketing Award (BMA) 2026 program.

The award, which is open to destinations, associations, venues, and industry organizations that are ICCA members, celebrates “transformative marketing campaigns that demonstrate true imagination, measurable impact, and strategic excellence.”

ICCA CEO Dr. Senthil Gopinath emphasized the BMA program’s role in driving excellence across the sector: “Marketing today is about storytelling, strategy, data, and delivering meaningful impact. The Best Marketing Award celebrates those who dare to imagine differently and deliver results that strengthen our global community.”

Brim Hildardóttir Hoydal of Visit Faroe Islands, winner of the 2025 Best Marketing Award for its campaign “Closed for Maintenance — Open for Voluntourism,” said: “It feels like a giant hug from this community. It feels like a recognition of this campaign and our work that we are so proud of. And this is also for the Faroese people, this is also recognition of all their work, so it’s also a big shout out to them.”

A platform for global recognition and industry leadership

The call for submissions is open until August 28, 2026. This year’s theme — “Imagination and Impact: Where Creativity Meets Strategy” — highlights the vital connection between bold ideas and real-world results at a time when associations face increasing pressure to diversify revenue, ensure relevance, and build financial resilience. Entries are judged not just on creativity, but on their ability to demonstrate strategic insight, evidence-based outcomes, and added value to the association community.

This year’s finalists will present their campaigns live at the 2026 ICCA Congress, taking place November 8-11, 2026 in Panama City.

Benefits of participating in the Best Marketing Award program include:

• Global exposure to more than 1,000 industry leaders at the ICCA Congress
• Benchmarking and feedback from an expert jury and peers
• Showcase of strategic value to association partners and stakeholders
• Inspiration and knowledge-sharing with the entire ICCA community

More information can be found HERE. The ICCA BMA is supported by Northstar