A total of 49 international and regional conventions have been secured for Malaysia by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) with industry partners in 2011. Malaysia’s stellar performance and the strong display of commitment by Ministry of Tourism, various government agencies, Sarawak Convention Bureau, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and other strategic partners in securing business events for the country further reinforce Malaysia’s positioning as Asia’s Business Events Hub.
“With an average of 730 delegates per event, these conventions are expected to attract over 35,750 delegates to Malaysia between 2012-2019 and generate in excess of RM382 million (EUR91 million, USD123 million, AUD123 million) in economic impact for the country,” said Mr Zulkefli Hj Sharif, Chief Executive Officer, MyCEB. One of the most significant successes includes the world’s largest meeting of Chinese finance and insurance professionals, the International Dragon Award Annual Conference 2013 (5,000 delegates), Women Deliver Conference 2013 (4,500 delegates).
Continue Reading...
In a first for the Australian events industry, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre has designed an online traffic management system for its exhibition hall loading docks.
The move is part of the Centre’s ongoing program to boost operational efficiency and recognises the high level of demand put on the Centre’s six exhibition halls, which are the busiest in the country.
The new system enables a central traffic controller to log all truck arrivals online, and advise waiting drivers by SMS when it is their turn to move to the loading dock to offload or collect exhibition material.
Continue Reading...
Cvent announced the Corporate Meetings Summit, a gathering for corporate meeting and travel executives. The three-day event will take place on February 29 – March 2, 2012 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, near Washington, D.C. Steve Singh, CEO of Concur Technologies, Inc., will give the opening keynote for the event, and will be followed by presentations from executives and managers at The Coca-Cola Company, Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, Raytheon Company, and more.
Continue Reading...
ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, has announced a trio of new appointments.
Kerry Quinn has joined as the new operations director at the Kings Dockvenue. She joins from Cardiff Airport where she was airport director.
Quinn said: “Having worked in the aviation sector for 13 years, I have first-hand experience of dealing with venues which are used to handling large volumes of people and where the emphasis is on customer service.
Continue Reading...
.jpg)
Great Hotels of the World is delighted to report a 51% increase in meetings and incentives enquiries for 2011 in comparison with 2010, illustrating immense growth in the MICE travel market.
Great Hotels of the World’s meetings and incentive team help planners find the perfect venues for events, thanks to their diverse portfolio of over 200 unique meeting properties. Director of Sales and Marketing, John Clarke, comments, “We are delighted at the level of increase in enquiries that our MICE desk has reported this past year. Our service level agreement both to our member hotels and our clients has facilitated this growth. The ease of using one point of contact, our one-hour response to enquiries to acknowledge receipt and our 24-hour response policy, providing a detailed proposal to clients within 24 working hours, are all factors which have contributed to our success and growth.”
Continue Reading...
The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre took its waterfront location one step further last week, bringing 60,000 litres of water indoors for the Pacific International Maritime Exposition, Pacific2012. A highlight display at the exhibition was a 6m-diameter tank of water which was used to showcase new technology before its entire contents were recycled for agricultural use.
Monday night’s AIME Welcome Reception, hosted by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and supported by Reed Travel Exhibitions, was held at the opulent Melbourne Pavilion – one of Melbourne’s newest business events venues, located in the inner city suburb of Flemington (also home of the Melbourne Cup). One of the city’s best kept secrets, the Pavilion, is set in a heritage-listed, art deco former factory, complete with huge timber trusses and a massive spanned ceiling. The venue has been refurbished to exude contemporary luxury and style with crystal chandeliers, innovative lighting, modern furnishings and the highest quality fixtures.
The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has announced that in excess of AUD $1 billion worth of economic benefit has been generated for the state of Victoria, as a result of international business events secured by MCVB for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer of MCVB, said reaching the AUD $1 billion mark was a major milestone in the organisation’s history.“A total of 123 business events have been secured for the MCEC, generating an estimated 203,250 delegates, equating to approximately 1,029,900 MCEC delegate days, 778,021 room nights in Melbourne hotels, and a forecasted $567,369,613 in delegate expenditure,” said Ms Bolinger.
Continue Reading...
The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has announced the establishment of a new positioning campaign at this year’s Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME).Melbourne IQ: The Intelligent Choice for Conferences is aimed at the international associations market and is designed to promote Melbourne’s impressive expertise and track record in a diverse range of academic, scientific and professional endeavours.
Continue Reading...
The spectacular setting of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, with the verdant limestone mountains that have helped make this region famous, coupled with the local islands easily accessible from the shore, and the resort’s own private beach, make this an idyllic venue for meetings and incentives groups.The resort has a number of meeting rooms, the largest of which is the Ao Nang Suite Main Auditorium, which can handle 200 guests theatre-style, and 185 for a reception.The Royal Villa offers an exotic VIP location, with spectacular sunsets, for private dinners and cocktails. The beach itself is also an attractive venue for receptions and coffee breaks.
Continue Reading...
Being efficient and productive is not always easy, and meetings, conferences, and business travel all need effective plans. As one of world's leading business hotels, Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai offers new meeting packages in 2012 that deliver value to demanding meeting planners, and accommodate specific guest preferences and budgets.An afternoon meeting can go longer than planned. Meet and Dine is a package that offers to finish off an extended afternoon meeting with dinner at any of the Hotel's four restaurants – Si Ji Xuan, Steak House, Shintaro or Café Studio. Includes two hours of free flow soft drinks at CNY 690.00 per person plus 15 percent service charge, ideal for group meetings from 15 to 150 persons.
How to enhance Caribbean human resources through partnerships and innovation will be the key subject of discussion when tourism human resources professionals from across the Caribbean gather in Barbados from 23 to 25 May for a major conference.
Continue Reading...
ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, has launched a ‘Keep Calm Think ACC Liverpool’ campaign aimed at the corporate events industry.Whilst excitement builds in London ahead of this summer’s Olympic games, the waterfront venue is encouraging corporate and agent market sectors, who may have been squeezed out of the capital due to lack of availability, accommodation and accessibility difficulties, to consider organising their event north of the Watford Gap
Continue Reading...
BBC Worldwide Showcase will open its doors to more than 640 international TV buyers and top acting talent at its new home in Liverpool from 26 – 29 February.Sir Tom Stoppard, Hugh Bonneville, Emilia Fox, Ruth Jones, Jessica Hynes and Michael Palin are just some of the names that will walk the red carpet at BBC Worldwide Showcase. They will be joined by cast from high profile shows such as Inside Men, Sherlock, Fades, Inspector Lynley, Bedlam, DCI Banks and presenters Steve Backshall and Jimmy Docherty amongst many others.
Continue Reading...
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is taking an imitative to produce specially-trained professionals for the MICE industry.
Continue Reading...
The next edition of SICUR, the International Security Exhibition, which will be held from 28 February to 2 March at the MADRID EXHIBITION CENTRE, will include an International Conference on Technology Transfer in Security, organised by fundación madri+d as part of the activities associated with its participation in the largest European technology transfer network, Enterprise Europe Network.
Continue Reading...
FCm Travel Solutions is celebrating a stellar performance in the World Travel Awards' program after being named the World's Leading Travel Management Company.
Continue Reading...
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company announced the launch of the ICC (International Convention Centre) Abu Dhabi.The ICC at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), which rebrands its Abu Dhabi Hall, is expected to boost the UAE capital’s positioning as a destination for large-scale international conventions and association events.
Continue Reading...
Delegates who attended a major tourism convention in Belfast enjoyed a post-convention familiarisation visit to Londonderry, taking part in a guided walk along the city walls as well as a tour of the Tower Museum. The delegates had attended the annual convention of UKinbound, an association of leading UK inbound tour operators who put in place the arrangements for holidaymakers to GB and the island of Ireland from all over the world. This was the first time that the convention has taken place in Northern Ireland.
Continue Reading...
Retailer Asda left its legacy in Liverpool following its annual staff meeting by donating food to hundreds of homeless people across Merseyside.A total of 1150 delegates gathered at ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, for its annual management meeting to hear business updates, network with colleagues and learn about new products and ranges for the forthcoming year.The waterfront venue introduced Asda to the Liverpool branch of the YMCA to arrange the donation at the end of the two day conference, which saw a gathering of the company’s leadership team, store managers and head office staff.
ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, has announced the return of the Museums Association for its annual conference and exhibition, set to be the biggest of its kind in Europe.The event will head to Liverpool for the second time on November 11-12 2013, bringing along 500 delegates. The last time the Association held its conference at the venue was in October 2008.
Continue Reading...
The newly opened BCEC on Grey Street, the five level, $140 million expansion of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) , has changed the national landscape for meetings and events and is already making an impact on the global business events market, the highest yielding tourism sector in Australia. Boutique in concept, dramatic in architecture and already successfully attracting an increased share of international and national conference events, BCEC on Grey Street is the latest showpiece of convention infrastructure in Australia.
Continue Reading...
Buyers from several countries are queuing up for registrations to the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2012 to be held during June 6-8, 2012, at Exhibition Central Hall 5-6, Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition Centre.As of January 25, 2012, a total of 212 buyers from 41 countries have registered for TTM Plus 2012; the top five countries are India (53), United Kingdom (25), Australia (13), Russia (16), and the USA (12).TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, "We are very happy to get such a good response so early. It clearly shows the strength and popularity of Thailand as a tourism destination and sends a continued vote of confidence to us in this ongoing recovery process from the various crises that have affected us in recent months."
Continue Reading...
The Vienna Convention Bureau supports sustainable action and environmentally friendly conference tourism. As a licensee of the Austrian EcoLogo, it is now authorized not only to assist conferences in matters relating to environmental impact, but also to certify them as "Green Meetings".The ecological footprint left by a congress has long been an important issue for congress organizers and congress destinations world-wide. For a long time now, the Vienna Tourist Board's Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB) has advocated sustainability and responsible treatment of the environment. Now Nikolaus Berlakovich, Austria's Minister for the Environment, has awarded the VCB the Austrian Green Meetings EcoLogo. This means that the bureau is now licensed to certify as Green Meetings conferences whose organizers take climate protection, regional value-added and social compatibility into account.
Continue Reading...
The InterContinental Vienna is offering special additional services for all meeting planners until the end of the year: Customers who book an event at the InterContinental Vienna will receive free Internet access for all participants for the entire duration of their stay. In addition, you will enjoy an Insider Break featuring typical regional specialities instead of a regular coffee break.This offer, which has now been extended due to its tremendous success, is valid for all events that are booked and held by the end of 2012. It requires a minimum stay of one night starting at ten guest rooms and the booking of an accompanying meeting room with a day-delegate-package.
Continue Reading...
The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has officially appointed a total of 17 Kesatrias (meaning ‘Knight' or ‘Warrior') to help develop the business tourism industry, one of Malaysia's key economic growth sector as identified by the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) roadmap. The programme, known as ‘Kesatria 1Malaysia' is modeled on the best of similar programmes operating internationally whereby leaders of key industry sectors who have previously hosted large scale international events, voluntarily assist in identifying and encouraging other potential local hosts to bid for and stage international conventions. The programme launch was officiated by YB Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Minister of Tourism at JW Mariott Hotel and witnessed by the likes of stakeholders, industry captains, field experts, partners and the media.
Continue Reading...
BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull acted as moderator during the plenary sessions of a major tourism convention which took place recently in the Europa Hotel, Belfast. Over 200 delegates from around the UK travelled to Belfast to attend the annual convention of UKinbound, an association of leading UK inbound tour operators who put in place the arrangements for holidaymakers to GB and the island of Ireland from all over the world. This is the first time that the convention has taken place in Northern Ireland.
Continue Reading...
Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) has further developed its worldwide service for meetings, groups and events in light of the market’s changing landscape. The approach directly responds to corporate demands and simplifies the company’s services in order to increase clients’ control of expenditure.The strategy breaks down HRG’s already successful Events and Meetings Management offering into three distinct elements of service: Meetings, Groups and Events. This makes it easier for clients to understand the lines of separation between services and helps them focus on the most manageable aspects of meetings on both the global and local level.
Continue Reading...
ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre) has achieved the prestigious ISO 9001:2008 certification further endorsing its status as a leading exhibition, conference and event venue in the Middle East region.HE Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADNEC, received the ISO certificate from representatives of BSI, the audit certification agency. Members of the ADNEC Board of Directors and senior management were also present.“The certification points to the excellent service standards of ADNEC and is in line with efforts to ensure the venue remains best-in-class,” said Sheikh Sultan.
Continue Reading...
Leap Year comes just once every four years, and to honour its presence on February 29, 2012, the catering department at Four Seasons Hotel Denver has developed a special offer that is worth taking the leap. The Leap Year Meetings Package is available for meetings held in February, March and April, and those who reserve their meeting by Leap Day of February 29, 2012 will be entered to win a grand prize, which will be drawn on March 1, 2012.The winner of the grand prize will be able to invite five friends to enjoy a three-course dinner for six in EDGE Restaurant’s coveted Chef’s Table private dining room, complete with sommelier’s choice of wine pairings, and will also enjoy a one night stay at the Hotel in an Executive Suite. Plus, all tax and gratuity is included in the prize package, and roundtrip transportation for the dinner guests also is included.
Continue Reading...
The Madrid based international tourism and travel marketing and communication company, GSAR Marketing, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. GSAR Marketing was founded in 1982 as a spin off of Convenco Incentive Solutions, Spain’s first incentive travel house and events agency, in business since 1974. With accounts such as: American Airlines, Braniff, Frontier Airlines, Copa, TACA, Othon Hoteis, Pacific Hotels, Saddlebrook Resort and more, the company has arranged and produced workshops, road shows, seminars and fam tours in 67 cities of 50 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Americas.
Continue Reading...
A prominent local businessman and chairman of the State’s peak convention marketing organisation says any further delays in the development of the Perth waterfront will cost Western Australia millions of dollars in lost delegate expenditure.Ian Laurance AM – a former State Minister for Tourism who is chairman of the Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) - said that the last thing WA needed was further consultation and “possibly more years of inaction” in the wake recent opposition to the Government’s proposed foreshore plans.“After 12 plans and 20 years of discussion we don’t need more consultation and more delays,” he said. “Let’s just get on with it.” Saying that a report prepared for the State Government showing that Perth needs 300 new hotel rooms a year for 10 years to cater for future demand, Mr Laurance warned: “Failure to build new hotels will cost the WA economy substantially in lost delegate dollars.”Compared with other bureau around Australia, the PCB “punches above its weight” in attracting high yielding business events to Western Australia, he said.
Continue Reading...
The South Korean capital is gearing up to welcome 55 heads of state and international organizations next month for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. The event will be held at Seoul’s top convention center Coex, which has also served as host for the 2010 G-20 Seoul Summit. Similar to the positive response following the G-20 Seoul Summit, the successful conclusion of the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit is expected to showcase the city’s meetings infrastructure to the world and bolster the city’s reputation as the world’s number five convention destination.Seoul’s meetings industry was put to the test during the 2010 G-20 Summit, as over 20,000 summit-related visitors flew into Seoul that week for summit-related business. Also, security considerations for each head of state required significant last-minute changes for hotels and meeting planners. The city passed the test with flying colors, and has since added more top hotels such as the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel and the Conrad Seoul. This puts it in a strong position for the influx of visitors expected for the Nuclear Security Summit, which is expected to exceed the figures for the G-20 Seoul Summit.
Continue Reading...
John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts announced Robert Henley’s new appointment as general manager of the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in the heart of downtown Springfield, Mo. The 26-year hospitality veteran will be responsible for overseeing operation of the upscale hotel and connecting convention centre, as well as the Springfield Expo Center, combined representing approximately 150,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. Henley will report to John Pasley, one of five regional vice presidents of operations overseeing John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ national award-winning portfolio of 78 hotels in 24 states, including 5.4 million gross square feet of meeting and convention space. Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is the largest private, independent owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels in the United States.
Continue Reading...
The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) announced that it will hold its 2013 annual conference in Londonderry. Tourism Ireland, the organisation responsible for promoting Northern Ireland overseas as a leading business and holiday destination, will sponsor the conference and has warmly welcomed the announcement.
Continue Reading...
.jpg)
London & Partners the official convention bureau for the UK’s capital strengthened its on-going strategic relationship with the global meetings and event professionals association Site with the announcement that London & Partners Head of Business Development for Europe Barbara Jamison will become Site GB Chapter President in February this year. Site, the global association represents the motivational events and business sector has been running for over 36 years and has over 2,200 members in 87 countries with 36 local and regional chapters. As well as Jamison’s position at Site, London & Partners have also launched Motivation Month which will take place in February and will see a number of free events, activities and knowledge sharing taking place in the capital. The Motivation Month campaign also supports the overall UK wide ‘Britain for Events’ annual messaging, which was designed to promote Britain as a world class destination for all types of events, which is supported by the UK Government.
Continue Reading...
.jpg)
airberlin is developing a specialised product for the MICE segment and thereby extending the service it offers to business travellers attending conferences and conventions. From now on, Thomas Krainz (29) will take on the newly-created position of Senior Sales Manager MICE and will be responsible for the implementation and co-ordination of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Congresses, Events) at airberlin.
Continue Reading...
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) announced that it will host the 4th International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) 2012. Set to attract over 750 international experts and world-leading companies in ocean energy, this three-day conference will focus on marine renewable energy and will include presentations from global industry and academic experts in this new marine industry. Scheduled from 17th to 19th of October 2012, the conference will also feature a trade exhibition, which will include demonstrations from top industrial players of the latest technologies in harnessing renewable energy from the sea.“It is a pleasure to bring this bi-annual conference to Dublin and, with its River Liffey dockside location, The CCD is a great choice for this important event,” said Eoin Sweeney, Head of the Ocean Energy Development Unit, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Chair of ICOE 2012. “Ocean energy will play a significant role in electricity generation and job creation, and the continued growth of this industry will provide positive economic benefits for Ireland and the rest of the planet.”
Continue Reading...
Delegates will gather June 10-13 in Halifax where so many Canadians set sail to serve in the First and Second world wars. The 44th dominion convention will have the theme, Building Bridges To The Future.“We are expecting something in the neighbourhood of 1,500 delegates and guests,” said Local Arrangements Committee Chairman Dave Blanchard.As in 2000 when the dominion convention was last held in Halifax, business will take place in the World Trade and Convention Centre and the Halifax Metro Centre. The main business session will begin at 8:30 a.m., Monday, June 11, on the floor of the Metro Centre, 1800 Argyle Street.
Continue Reading...
euromic, the oldest international consortium of companies specializing in MICE travel has admitted three new members into its invitation-only association: Colours of Malta, Portugal Travel Team and Paloma Tours of Romania. The destination management companies were officially inducted at euromic’s 2012 Annual General Meeting, which was held in early January in Aqaba, Jordan.“We are thrilled to welcome Colours of Malta, Portugal Travel Team and Paloma Tours as euromic members,” says Mr. Giancarlo Carrera, President of euromic. “It is a privilege to have these experienced and imaginative companies as a part of our organization.”"euromic is the most reputable association of DMCs in the world. Being invited to join this association is an honor and a privilege and our team is extremely proud of now belonging to this exceptional group," says Eduarda Neves, Managing Director of Portugal Travel Team. "We are extremely proud to be members of euromic and we look forward to networking with professionals," echoes Davide Cachia of Colours of Malta.
Continue Reading...
The newly opened BCEC on Grey Street, the five level, $140 million expansion of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) , has changed the national landscape for meetings and events and is already making an impact on the global business events market, the highest yielding tourism sector in Australia. Boutique in concept, dramatic in architecture and already successfully attracting an increased share of international and national conference events, BCEC on Grey Street is the latest showpiece of convention infrastructure in Australia.
Continue Reading...
