UNWTO congress to debate the future of snow and mountain tourism

GIBTM Marks a New Record Breaking Year

As GIBTM – the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition, which was held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre this week – draws to a close for another year, exhibitors and buyers alike are universally describing the show as highly successful and the best in its five year history.

GIBTM 2011 has attracted over 2,100 visitors and buyers, which is an 11 per cent increase compared to last year and 20 per cent more exhibiting companies – in actual numbers 275 – from nearly 20 international countries participated in this year’s show. These unaudited figures demonstrate the great success of this year’s show and the interest in the Middle East meetings industry.

GIBTM’s professional education programme saw numbers top over 300, which is nearly double the amount of participants in comparison to 2010 – another record for the event – making it the largest Middle East education gathering of industry professionals.

Summing up the week’s event, Lloyd Kenyon, GIBTM’s Exhibition Manager, said the overall standard of GIBTM 2011 had been very high. “The objective for us has been to drive business and deliver value for all those attending the event. We have seen a great deal of optimism throughout the show and received very positive feedback.”

Dennis Speet, Director of Marketing and Sales of the International Congress and Convention Association said he had found GIBTM 2011 to be very successful. “We decided to attend GIBTM to make new contacts. We have 30 members from the Middle East and many of our international members have been present at GIBTM this year including Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt, Turkey, Korea and Indonesia to name but a few.”

Sian Thomas, the UAE representative of SITE – the only global authority connecting motivational experiences with business results – said “We have been participating at GIBTM since its inception, initially to raise awareness and now to meet interesting people to recruit. The show went well, and the first two days especially were full for us. We met with lots of potential new members.”

Khameis Al Hefaity of Fujairah Tourism, which was exhibiting for the first time at GIBTM, said that they were very happy that they had decided to exhibit this year. “What differentiates Fujairah from other destinations besides the sun, sand and sea is that we also have mountains, several historic sites, bull fights that have become a tradition and the Al Wurayah waterfalls, from where the entire valley can be seen. GIBTM is a great show and we now have many good business leads.”

On behalf of the Government of Sharjah, Tariq Saeed Allay affirmed that this year was especially successful compared to the last years: “We are focusing on marketing Sharjah as a destination full of culture. The show was busy for us and we had interest from a variety of countries – domestic, European and from within the GCC.”

Puripan Bunnag, Director of Meetings and Incentives, from Thailand Tourism said “We are expecting the Middle East to offer many new business opportunities and decided to attend GIBTM to scope out the potential and hopefully enter a market that is new to Thailand.”

Many of the Hosted Buyers in particular were highly enthusiastic of the potential for business within the UAE. Rose Zhang, Deputy Director of CTS Mice Service, for instance, said that the UAE is becoming more and more popular among Chinese people. “It is a relatively new destination for us and GIBTM gives us a chance to enter a new market and work closely with the UAE. There are numerous MICE facilities present, with many more in development, making it an ideal place to plan meetings and exhibitions.”

Ashraf S. Elashri, Managing Director of Adam Travel concurred. “The UAE is very successful. I lived 16 years in the US and have never seen such development in terms of MICE facilities.”

“With record numbers packing into the seminar theatre, and exhibitors and hosted buyers alike reporting record numbers of meetings, it will indeed be a major challenge for next year’s show to be even bigger and better than this year; but rest assured that this will be our aim. We look forward to seeing all our 2011 visitors and exhibitors next time, while hopefully attracting newcomers to make GIBTM 2012 yet another record breaking show,” Kenyon concluded.

For further information on GIBTM log onto www.gibtm.com.

‘TRAVELLERS WELCOME’ AS ABU DHABI ROLLS OUT GLOBAL AD CAMPAIGN’S SECOND PHASE

More than 1.8billion regional and international consumers will be targeted when Phase 2 of Abu Dhabi’s global advertising campaign rolls out across key established and emerging source markets this month.

With Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the campaign driver, aiming to attract two million hotel guests to the emirate in 2011, rising to 2.3million in 2012, the 10-month campaign – a follow-up to the original push in selected=”true”, core demographic media last year – will demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s rich tapestry of cultural offerings, its natural and geographic assets, as well as its ever-expanding leisure attractions portfolio.

With a mandate to prompt a ‘call to action’ among potential travellers, the campaign aims to drive increased guest numbers to the emirate’s 18,844 hotel and hotel apartment rooms, boost sector revenues by increasing average length of stay, diversify the emirate’s non-oil related economic income and create tourism sector employment opportunities.

“This TV, print, radio and online campaign will put Abu Dhabi in front of high-end potential visitors and demonstrate the emirate’s credentials as a luxury destination with market-leading product offerings,” said Claire Micheletti, Marketing Division Director, ADTA.

“The emirate’s projected room supply is estimated to reach some 35,000 rooms by 2015 and, with 16,000 of these currently under construction, it is important to increase demand in advance of these exciting properties coming online.”

The campaign moves beyond the awareness building focus of the launch phase, to a call-to-action posing the question: ‘So You Think You’ve Done It All?’

“The Phase 1 campaign was built around the single minded proposition that Abu Dhabi offers more than initially meets the eye. The creative idea behind the Phase 2 campaign was inspired by the fact that in tourism commercials, we are always seeing other people experiencing and exploring amazing places. With our ads, we would like to motivate viewers by making them feel as though they are truly experiencing Abu Dhabi. We have done this by using a technique that allows us to showcase Abu Dhabi: a first person point of view – encouraging travellers to see and discover Abu Dhabi for themselves,” explained Micheletti.

From April to December, the campaign will run internationally through print, TV, online and outdoor mediums in Europe with emphasis on France, Italy, the UK, Germany and Russia; Asia with emphasis on India, South East Asia, Japan and Korea, as well as Australia and North America. Satellite channels being utilised including National Geographic; Discovery, Sky News, CNN, BBC World News, CNBC, MBC, TV5 Monde, Deutsche Welle and the Travel Channel UK. Print media partners include: The Times, The Telegraph Magazine and The Guardian in the UK; Bild and Der Spiegel in Germany; Le Figaro, Le Monde and Nouvel Observateur in France, Corriere Della Sera and Panorama in Italy and many other global and regional publications.

Print, online and TV advertisements are already underway throughout the GCC with an emphasis on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatarand Kuwait.

“In Phase 2, we are also working closely with media partners such as National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, MBC, Al Arabiya and CNN to deliver quality programming,” added Micheletti..

Pegasus Solutions Names Marcie Hyder CFO and Executive Vice President

Kevin Housh Also Promoted to Vice President and Controller

SCOTTSDALE, DALLAS and LONDON (March 30, 2011) – Pegasus Solutions has named Marcie Hyder chief financial officer and executive vice president. Kevin Housh will take over her responsibilities as vice president and controller.

Hyder has served Pegasus for 10 years, most recently as vice president and controller. With a strong finance background, she has worked with public and private companies, including Builders FirstSource, Brinker International and KPMG. In her new role as CFO and executive vice president, she will be responsible for all finance, corporate accounting and compliance functions.

The appointment was announced by Mike Kistner, chief executive officer of Pegasus Solutions. “We took the time to conduct an extensive executive search for this position. Marcie’s vast financial experience and understanding of our company, our investors, our industry, and our customers makes her the ideal executive to move our company forward,” said Kistner.

At Pegasus, Hyder has helped guide the company with fiscal responsibility through the economic downturn, which has posed a significant challenge for the hospitality industry’s technology providers. She was also instrumental in the company’s debt restructuring in late 2009, which allowed the company to achieve its financial goals in 2010. Prior to Pegasus, Hyder served as the director of financial reporting for Builders FirstSource, Inc. She is a C.P.A. and holds a bachelor of business administration in accounting from Texas A&M University.

Housh joined Pegasus in August 2009 as director of Accounting. During his tenure, he has helped the company structure strategic deals and initiatives to achieve optimal financial benefit. He is a C.P.A. and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Southern Methodist University.

Middle east MiCE industry upbeat about future

GIBTM proves to be an important industry platform

The overall outlook for the Middle East Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is upbeat, despite recent regional political upheaval. This is according to delegates polled at the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) which is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre this week.

At a panel discussion entitled ‘What is happening in the World of Meetings?’ hosted by Sally Greenhill, from The Right Solution, delegates were asked how the current political unrest had affected their business.

41 per cent said there had been some cancellations and fewer enquiries, 19 per cent of those present said they had seen no effects and that they still had an optimistic outlook for 2011. 53 per cent were also forecasting an increase in their meetings and events business for 2011. There was also general consensus that the global economic situation has recovered slowly leading to increased competitiveness in the field.

When asked what key issues would help increase meetings and events business in 2011, 41 per cent thought increased awareness was the key factor, as opposed to 38 per cent that said political stability was more important.

Delegates at this session were encouraged to participate in interactive voting, giving their opinions on a number of different questions posed. 61 per cent of those voting were from the Middle East, 22 per cent were from Europe and seven per cent each from Asia and Australia.

“The ability to poll a wide range of industry experts on such a signficant topic is further evidence of how GIBTM has established itself as a perfect platform to network, exchange ideas and share knowledge,” said Lloyd Kenyon, GIBTM’s Exhibition Manager. “The future development of the MICE industry in the region is very important, GIBTM is the pivot to drive and shape the industry‘s knowledge. ”

Tourism which represents 1.2 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s total GDP and 4.3 per cent of employment in the Emirate serves as an important pillar for Abu Dhabi’s development goals to stand out as a global business tourism destination.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA’s) development goals to deliver new and significant MICE business to Abu Dhabi are in line with the Abu Dhabi government’s 2030 economic vision, stated Gillian Taylor, ADTA Business Tourism Manager.

ADTA has a 10-year plan to have Abu Dhabi ranked in the world’s top 50 meetings destinations, increasing its convention potential 10-fold and its MICE and business tourism income five-fold.

In the wake of Egypt’s recent social unrest, Samy Mahmoud from the Egypt Tourism Authority said at a press conference that a number of measures were now being taken to boost tourism to the country. Over 10% of Egypt’s labour force is employed in the tourism industry and about 14 million people visit Egypt annually. Last year tourism brought in approximately US$13 billion while the country lost over US$1 billion during the nationwide tumult.

However about five million dollars is now being spent on advertising, incentives are being offered for charter flights from any destination to Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Luxur, familiarisation trips are being organised for the media and an awareness programme has been laid out for travel trade.

Security was still the biggest concern for visitors, Mahmoud affirmed, and he believed it would take at least 4 months for tourism to recover. Many Egyptian hotels had dropped their rates by more than 50 per cent  but he was hopeful that the market would be one of the first to recover. The MICE industry is still very small in Egypt and more training and education is now necessary to boost numbers in this sector.

Bahrain is another destination investing heavily in its meetings, incentive and exhibition sector. The sector contributed USD 184.6m to the country’s economy last year and is expected to contribute USD 223.6 by next year, despite the economic disruption caused by the unrest. The country’s MICE segment, whilst a substantial contributor to the local industry, has already made significant contribution the country’s GDP and will be a future driver of economic growth for Bahrain.
The Middle East generally is a healthy, competitive environment according to Jerad Bacher, Director of Dubai Convention Bureau.

“One example is the cruise industry which is doing very well, especially in the UAE. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah are attractive ports of call and cruise lines like MCS Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises sail around the region increasing tourism significantly,” he said

Another key discussion topic at GIBTM this year has been the effect that Social Media plays in promoting MICE business, increasing awareness, improving and maintaining a high level of customer service, and communicating directly with target audiences. When the participants at the seminar What is happening in the World of Meetings? were asked which their favourite social media platform was, 41 per cent of them voted for Linked In, while 30 per cent chose Facebook and 11 per cent each mentioning Twitter and YouTube.

“A huge impact on the meetings industry is technological advances. It is important to have a phone application for your business – it may not be appropriate depending on the company, but if it is, you need to join the game. Research shows that there are approximately 400,000 apps out there marketing people’s businesses,” stated Sally Greenhill.

For further information on GIBTM log onto www.gibtm.com.

MIDDLE EAST CEREMONY TO KICK OFF WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS GRAND TOUR 2011

31st March 2011

World Travel Awards is set to kick off their 2011 Grand Tour with the Middle East Gala Ceremony, taking place at Armani Hotel Dubai on 2nd May.

Hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’ by the Wall Street Journal, more than 400 senior industry figures from the region’s leading travel and tourism companies, as well as a host of international media, will be in attendance.

A total of 462 Middle Eastern hotels and travel companies have been nominated for the prestigious event in 2011, with a World Travel Awards trophy becoming an increasingly important accolade for those companies wanting to stand out from competitors.

World Travel Awards is preparing to show the strength of its support for the recovery of the regional tourism sector with its fifth consecutive annual gala in the region.

It is vital to remind travellers the situation in several key markets – including Tunisia and Egypt – has returned to normal, with major tourism sites open to the public, airlines running to schedule and tour operators in source markets selling trips.

According to UNWTO figures, Egypt alone reported 14 million international tourist arrivals in 2010, an increase of 17% on the previous year, while Tunisia saw 7 million arrivals.

Both destinations are expected to grow again in 2011.

Graham E Cooke, President & Founder of World Travel Awards added: “The region has shown remarkable resilience to overcome the challenges of recent times, with an exceptional focus on excellent customer service and facilities that are simply second to none.”

“These are difficult times but tourism remains strong in some countries and it will remain to be important for the region. Our job is as always to highlight the positive impact of tourism and this year’s event will be even more important than ever for obvious reasons,” he added.

Marc Dardenne, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “It is an honour to host the opening of the World Travel Awards 2011 Grand Tour in Armani Hotel Dubai, an iconic development which underscores the remarkable strides the Middle East region has made in the hospitality sector. The iconic property has set new benchmarks in global luxury hospitality, and will offer participants an unparalleled experience.”

The Middle East event kicks off the 2011 Grand Tour, with regional ceremonies following in Jamaica, Turkey, Egypt and Thailand. Winners from the regional events will then go on to battle it out to be crowned the World’s ‘best’ at the Grand Final ceremony at the end of the year.

Voting is already underway, with stakeholders offered until 4th April to register their opinion.

BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2011 – 24-26 May, New York

Anyone in the industry of Blogging, Podcasting, Vlogging, Broadcasting on Internet TV or Radio, Social Media, or New Media Content should attend BlogWorld & New Media Expo!

This is the one conference where you’ll find the most comprehensive and critical knowledge for growing your business with the latest new media technology, methods and tools. BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the first and only industry-wide conference, tradeshow & media event for All New Media.

If you are interested in, or currently blog, podcast or vlog about business, technology, politics, sports, lifestyle & culture, general news items, celebrity gossip, or any other topic – you need to be here to learn how to:

* Create your blog and cover buzzworthy topics
* Make your blog stand out from the competition
* Promote your blog via distribution channels and social media
* Network with other bloggers and influencers
* Expand the audience of your podcast, video blog, web TV or internet radio show
* Produce your best podcasts, web TV, and radio shows
* Supercharge your marketing with tools like Twitter and Facebook
* Generate a diverse, loyal and interactive community around your content and company
* Respond to customer feedback with best online practices
* Measure the reach of your show, blog, and community
* Avoid problems by becoming educated oncritical points for ethical online content

UniversalProcon Announce Profits Of Over £2M

In its final set of results before its merger with WorldEvents, UniversalProcon today announced its results for the financial year ending September 2010 which show Profit Before Tax at a consolidated level, including the US and travel related subsidiary ATW, at £2,156,051. This compares with a corresponding figure of £(168,600) for the year ending September 2009. The previous financial year’s numbers were severely dented by significant write downs relating to property lease costs and a technology related project.

easyJet and VisitBritain invest £18 million to boost UK Tourism

easyJet has formed a partnership with VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourism agency, to jointly market Britain as a tourist destination over the next four years.

RYANAIR SURVEY FINDS MUMS PREFER HOLIDAYS WITHOUT THE KIDS

MOTHER’S DAY SURVEY FINDS JUST 2% OF MUMS TRUST KIDS TO STAY ‘HOME ALONE’

RYANAIR TO INTRODUCE EU261 COMPENSATION LEVY OF €2

Ryanair announced it would introduce a €2 levy per passenger for all bookings made from Monday 4^th April 2011 in order to fund its costs of flight cancellations, delays and its EU261 costs in “force majeure” cases where the airline is not responsible for either the delays or cancellations.

Skyscanner gets new logo designed by 6 year old drawing superstar Jack Henderson

Jack Henderson, the 6 year old son of Ed Henderson, a Skyscanner Web Developer, has given Skyscanner’s logo a new twist with his unique brand of art.

The logo redesign is all part of Jack’s project –JackDrawsAnytyhing.com – which is raising money forThe Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

Jack’s youngest brother, Noah, has been in and out of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children due to respiratory problems, and Jack wanted to do something to help. He hit upon the idea of selling his drawings after a relative bought one for 20p.

With a little help from his web developer dad,JackDrawsAnything.comwas set up. Expecting to raise a few pounds via donations from friends and family they set a £100 target. But soon the site was picking up traction as people started sharing it through Twitter and Facebook. Within 3 days Jack’s project had gone ballistic – appearing in several local and national papers, on STV and on BBC News!

The target was raised to £500, then £1000, and now stands at a whopping £10,000! Not bad for one 6 year old with a pack of coloured pens.

But if you want this talented young lad to draw you a picture, you better get in quick! Like any normal six year old, Jack has school, homework and friends to play with, and with hundreds of emails arriving every day, Jack will soon have to close the doors to new requests for his works of art.

The project has been so successful that there is now talk of an exhibition of Jack’s pictures, and even a book!

Help Jack hit the £10,000 target - donate to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation or request a picture atJackDrawsAnything.com.

British Airways Celebrates 75 Years of Flights to Hong Kong

CRAWLEY, England, March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — British Airways unveiled their new First class seat to the Hong Kong market at an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the airline flying London to Hong Kong.

At the same event the company launched a competition for residents offering a grand prize of a First Class holiday to London ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/holidays-in-london/public/en_gb), during the Royal Wedding Weekend this April.

The lucky winner and their chosen companion will enjoy flights to London (http://www.britishairways.com/travel/holidays-in-london/public/en_gb) and back in First class on British Airways on Wednesday 27 April 2011, just in time to experience all the excitement of the Royal Wedding on Friday 29 April 2011.

“We are delighted to announce this competition to celebrate 75 years of flying between London and Hong Kong. The winner will be lucky enough to experience British Airways’ First class, enjoy springtime in the city staying in one of top hotels in London ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/hotels-in-london/public/en_gb), and possibly catch a glimpse of the Royal Bride – it will undoubtedly be one of Britain’s most exciting weekends this year,” said Kevin McQuillan, British Airways Regional General Manager, East Asia.

The dream trip includes staying in a Grand Junior Suite for 3 nights in Europe’s first “Grand Hotel”. The Langham, London opened in 1865. Located in the heart of the West End, The Langham has one of London’s most enviable addresses commanding a position at the top of the elegant boulevard of Regent Street. The guests will also be able to enjoy Tea Royale in the Palm Court, a celebratory afternoon tea to commemorate the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William to Kate Middleton.

After enjoying a long weekend of dining, shopping and culture, taking in the sights of one of the best cities in the world, the winners will enjoy their flights to Hong Kong ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flights-to-hong-kong/public/en_gb) in First class luxury on Sunday 1 May 2011.

Jamie Cassidy, British Airways Area General Manager, Asia and the Pacific, said: “This milestone anniversary recognises the importance of this route for British Airways. We have worked together with Hong Kong, growing businesses and building relationships since 1936, and we are proud to be connected to such an incredibly energetic city.”

The competition launched on Friday 18 March 2011, and is open for three weeks until Friday 8 April 2011, when it will close at 11:59 p.m.

Jamie Cassidy also unveiled the new First class seat at the event to celebrate the 75th anniversary. He commented: “The new First class cabin will create an exclusive experience based on classic design and understated luxury. It echoes our commitment and confidence in global premium travel.” The airline has just invested GBP100 million in its new First class cabin.

British Airways is pleased to continue the tradition of flying between Hong Kong and London in its 75th anniversary year, and remains committed to providing superior service to leisure, business and luxury customers travelling between Europe and Asia.

A ‘Heads’ up on Liverpool’s latest win

Liverpool secures 2014 European Conference on Head & Neck Oncology

Liverpool has enhanced its position as one of Europe’s most sought after conference cities by securing the 6^th European Conference on Head & Neck Oncology (ECHNO) in 2014.

Running from 23^rd – 25^th April at BT Convention Centre, part of ACC Liverpool, the conference will combine two meetings between the European Head & Neck Society (EHNS) and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncology (BAHNO) offering specialist courses and expert lecturers from the world of oncology. The event is expected to attract around 800 delegates to the city with a projected economic benefit of £1.1 million.

Carol O’Reilly, Liverpool Convention Bureau Manager comments; “Liverpool’s knowledge economy is one of our greatest assets and this is achieving cut through in the association sector, which is one of the key reasons as to why we are winning these kinds of events. With so many experts coming to visit and experience Liverpool, this can only be a good thing. Moreover, it will lead to further establishing the city as a base of expert knowledge, which event organisers looking for expertise in medical or scientific fields can tap into for future events.”

James Brown, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, Aintree University Hospital, comments;

“I am delighted that this joint meeting of the European Head and Neck Society and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncology will be coming to Liverpool in 2014.  I look forward to inviting colleagues with an interest in Head and Neck Oncology to come and be part of a memorable event. There is much expertise in Liverpool and this conference will leave a strong legacy for future collaboration and research in this specialised field.”

Jacquie Rogers, General Manager of the host venue added; “BT Convention Centre Liverpool is increasingly becoming recognised as a centre of excellence for global medical symposium. We are looking forward to welcoming ECHNO’s European delegates to the city and in particular to our venue.  The team’s unsurpassed experience with international delegates coupled with progressive technology is helping to drive new and repeat business from across the four corners of the globe.”

GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE FIRST SITE EMEA FORUM

The FCB thanks all its members and partners for their valuable support to the organization of the Site EMEA Forum, held from March 17th to March 19th at the Grand Hotel Baglioni.

The Forum gathered in the Tuscan capital more than 150 Site members: a great success for the Site Italian Chapter.

Miek Egberts Cmp Cmm, President of Site Italy said: “It was an extraordinary event that all the SITE talian members were honored to host. I would like to thank the many sponsors for their support, especially the main sponsor Firenze Convention Bureau”.

Special guests of the event were the SITE Global President Mary MacGregor and the famous British journalist Jonathan Margolis. The Florence Convention Bureau has also collaborated in the organization of the Saturday morning educational project, involving experts of BTO Educational andFondazione Sistema Toscana, mostly coming from the IULM and Bocconi University of Milan.

SITE is an international association active since 1973 in the study of the psychological processes behind incentive trips.
More details on www.siteemeaforumflorence.com.

The world television market comes to Florence with the Rai Screening 2011

Florence is confirmed as the venue for major international events. After last year, the city has been chosen one more time to host the 2011 RAI Screenings.

From March 30th to April 4th, the Tuscan capital will host over 200 world experts of the television market, with buyers and broadcasters of private and public televisions, as well as home video distributors, from about 70 countries to watch movies, drama, documentary, format and archival material of the Rai Trade catalog. This event will be hosted in the beautiful rooms of Palazzo Vecchio, which had already hosted the Screening in 2010.

VisitBritain to Host TripAdvisor Content

LONDON, March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — A new partnership agreement now allows VisitBritain.com users to benefit from user-generated content provided by TripAdvisor(R), the world’s largest travel website.

In the new partnership, TripAdvisor content relating to key British tourist destinations is available on VisitBritain.com- a family of 30 websites in 21 different languages. Users of the website can now see the top ten attractions and restaurants for popular British cities and holiday destinations, as decided by millions of TripAdvisor travellers.

This announcement follows successful TripAdvisor partnerships with other official tourism bodies in London, Scotland, Germany, Austria and more, further highlighting the importance and trust of user-generated content and its growing presence in the travel industry.

Justin Reid, Head of Digital and Social Media at VisitBritain, comments: “As Britain’s national tourism agency, we aim to attract visitors from all over the world and help those visitors have the best possible holiday.

“By partnering with TripAdvisor, not only are we making it easier for travellers to find the best of Britain but we are providing them with a platform to see what other customers recommend.”

Pollyanna Vincent, Partnerships Manager UK for TripAdvisor, comments: “We are delighted to partner with VisitBritain and look forward to our trusted content helping travellers experience the best that the UK has to offer.”

Thailand Rolls out Red Carpet to Welcome Largest “Mega-event” of the Year

TCEB Extends Its Support to Herbalife Asia-Pacific Extravaganza 2011

Bangkok – The success of the ‘Believe in Thailand’ campaign secured by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau or TCEB has paved the way for Thailand’s preparations to host Thailand’s largest Mega-event of 2011. TCEB has provided its support to ‘Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2011 – Bangkok ‘ assorted by Herbalife International (Thailand) Ltd from 6-8 May and will extend a warm welcome to more than 25,000 Herbalife executives and independent distributors from 13 countries across the Asia Pacific region.

Mr. Akapol Sorasuchart, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, revealed that “This year Thailand is honored to host ‘Herbalife Asia-Pacific Extravaganza 2011 – Bangkok’, which last year was held in Korea. This reflects the international community’s strong and continuing confidence in Thailand, to which TCEB contributed through its ‘Believe in Thailand’ campaign, communicating the key message: “Thailand inspires your business success.’

“This Asia Pacific regional meeting: ‘Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2011 – Bangkok’ will be held on 6-8 May 2011 at BITEC Convention and Exhibition Centre, attracting Herbalife executives and independent distributors from throughout the Asia Pacific, including Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The event aims to strengthen the Herbalife business across the region.

“This year’s ‘Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2011’ event is considered a MICE ‘Mega Event’ and will be Thailand’s largest MICE event of 2011″, Mr Akapol added. “The event is expected to attract over 25,000 Herbalife International executives and independent distributors from across the Asia-Pacific region, generating more than US$50 million (1,560 million baht) in anticipated revenues for Thailand. Total projected MICE industry revenues for 2011 are expected to reach US$1.86 billion (57,600 million baht) with up to 720,000 MICE travelers MICE visiting Thailand this year. Therefore we regard the success of this event as an important landmark for Thailand, demonstrating our country’s unique potential and capabilities to host major international business events.”

Mr. William Michael Rahman, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Herbalife International Limited said: “Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2011- Bangkok’ is a key training seminar for Herbalife worldwide, giving our distributors an unique opportunity to receive training in business and marketing strategies. If is also a forum for exchanging success stories and a chance to meet personally with senior Herbalife executives and contribute to building an overall business model to work and succeed together.

“This is the fifth time that the Herbalife group has chosen Thailand to host this flagship annual event, signaling the country’s importance as a strong and growing market for Herbalife, and underscoring Thailand’s readiness and potential in terms of dedicated convention and exhibition centres, world-class infrastructure and facilities, and of course, Thailand’s unique culture, hospitality and world-renowned cuisine. All of these factors, as well as Thailand’s diverse tourism opportunities, contribute to the selection of Thailand as a destination for our events, and to the large numbers of delegates we see in our events held here.

“This year we expect more than 25,000 Herbalife Independent Distributors from 13 countries in Asia Pacific to join this important meeting, to participate in activities aimed at inspiring independent Herbalife distributors and strengthening their business. Throughout the event’s 3-day duration, meetings for members from supervisor to advanced levels will be held to share the experiences of Herbalife leaders (‘Herbalife Idols’) in building successful Herbalife businesses, including a Herbalife-style day, and ending with a gala dinner party. We see this also as a reward to all Herbalife distributors for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year” Mr. Rahman said.

IMEX, ICCA and Fast Future Launch Convention 2020 Student Case Study Competition

IMEX, ICCA and Fast Future Research are pleased to announce the launch of the Convention 2020 Student Global Case Study Competition. Details can be found at www.convention-2020.com

The goal of the competition is to identify examples from around the world of how business events, meeting venues and meeting destinations are innovating to prepare for the future.

The competition is open to full and part-time students over the age of 18 studying at an academic institution anywhere in the world. The two winning submissions will receive the following:

. Free economy travel from anywhere in the world to take part in IMEX – the worldwide exhibition for meetings, events and incentive travel which is held in Frankfurt Germany from 24 – 26 May
. Two nights’ accommodation
. Participation in the IMEX-MPI Future Leaders Forum 25 – 26 May
. The opportunity to present a short summary of their case study during a Convention 2020 session at IMEX in Frankfurt

All submissions received that are of an acceptable quality will be published as part of the Convention 2020 project.

No other prizes or payments will be offered to those who submit case studies.

The case studies must be presented in English, should be a maximum of 1,000 words in length and must be received by midnight GMT 22 April 2011. The winning entries will be announced by Monday 9 May 2011.

The case studies should address one of the following:

Examples of Event Innovation – E.g. case examples of innovation in event design, participant engagement, marketing, business and financial models, use of technology or social media or other  types of innovation in the design and delivery of events.

Examples of Venue Innovation – E.g. case examples of how venues are innovating in terms of their strategies for the future, the design of their facilities, flexibility in using their space, research, financing and revenue models, use of technology and social media, marketing, service delivery and partnerships.

Examples of Destination Innovation – E.g. case examples of how destinations are innovating in terms of strategies for the future, marketing, event support, measurement of economic impact, use of technology and social media, support for their local meetings industry, partnership working and research.

The case study should provide a clear and concise description of the following:

. A 50 word summary of the innovation and the actual or expected benefits
. A short description of the event, venue or destination – including – where relevant – the history, size, target audience, key challenges and future objectives
. A more detailed description of the innovation – the reasons for making the changes, the objectives and what they did or are doing
. The actual or expected results and benefits – including – where possible and relevant – customer perceptions of the innovation
. Images and diagrams where appropriate
. Reference sources used.

Entries will be judged on the extent of innovation, the actual or likely benefits and the clarity of presentation of the overall case study.

The front page of the submission must include only the following information: The title of the case study, the entrant’s name, date of birth, address, email, telephone numbers, course, academic institution and contact details of the course tutor. Submission of your entry will be taken as an automatic confirmation of approval for the case study to be published as part of the Convention 2020 study. Submissions that do not include the above information or that are received after midnight GMT 22 April 2011 will automatically be rejected.

All questions and case study submissions should be sent to c2020cases@fastfuture.com

The Congress Dances at the Hofburg

Strong spring line-up boosts local economy

The HOFBURG Vienna will welcome six large-scale conferences this May – together they will generate about 8,000 overnight stays in the city. The spring highlights include a number of high-calibre political meetings such as the informal gathering of the Economic and Financial Committee. A congress of the World Economic Forum and the CTBTO Science and Technology Conference are also on the schedule.

“In May alone we will be welcoming six larger-scale conferences with up to 1,000 delegates each, which will generate a combined total of more than 8,000 bednights for Vienna,” said HOFBURG Vienna Managing Director Renate Danler. In April it will be time for the Oberlaa Special seminar (6 April, 800 delegates) and the 5th Interdisciplinary Mama Discourse (8 April, 100 doctors). In addition to returning events such as the International Vienna Motor Symposium (5-6 May, 950 experts), the Hofburg will this year make a vital contribution to the local economy by attracting several new conferences to the Austrian capital. The HOFBURG Vienna will set the stage for the Austrian Day for Quality Journalism (5 May, 250 media representatives), the International Congress on Prevention of Congenital Diseases (12-14 May, 400 physicians) and the European Society for Animal Cell Technology Congress (ESACT; 15-18 May, 800 biologists). Held on 24 May, the Earthtalks will zero in on aspects of sustainability and environmental protection.

Renate Danler is particularly proud of the spread of leading political conferences and meetings that attract more than 1,200 international delegates. The Austrian Finance Ministry recently confirmed its intention to host an informal meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) for 150 delegates at the Hofburg. The Committee will be preparing the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the European Union in May. Another high-level political gathering is scheduled for June when members of the World Economic Forum meet with Austrian ministers. Also in June, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) will be inviting 500 delegates to a science and technology conference. Another high level meeting will be the Vienna Energy Conference (21-23 June) held by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Heavenly Interiors Made in Hamburg

HAMBURG, Germany, March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Anyone wishing to be kept up-to-date on the most recent trends in flight comfort should not miss out on the Aircraft Interiors Expo, taking place from 5 to 7 April in Hamburg. The world’s largest trade fair for aircraft cabins is a showcase for tomorrow’s materials, products and technologies. One of the highlights will be the Crystal Cabin Award which is granted to award innovative products and ideas. An international jury has assessed a total of 52 submissions, and the 21 most promising submissions have been nominated for the final viewing.

Among the hopefuls for one of the seven esteemed trophies are renowned companies such as Airbus, Boeing, Recaro and Contour. But also smaller companies are competing to obtain a trophy, which has become an international quality seal and marketing tool within the industry. The student submissions in particular have been outstanding for their creativity. Submissions included a cabin with panoramic ceiling windows and lightweight seats made of high-tech gel. “The products and concepts nominated are of the highest standards and demonstrate that comfort, cost efficiency and climate protection do not exclude one another,” says Walter Birkhan, President of the Crystal Cabin Award Association and the Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region Association.

Hamburg – the European Green Capital 2011 – is internationally renowned for its competence in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. In collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises, Airbus is developing state-of-the-art cabin equipment, while Lufthansa Technik is the expert in catering for VIP requirements. Cabins are also a focus of the newly established Hamburg Centre of Aviation Training (HCAT), an inter-campus cooperative project in which the industry, universities and trade schools network to secure needs-based training of specialist personnel – a programme that is unique in Europe. The excellent networking of all stakeholders and the innovative power of the industry network are the reasons why the Federal Government awarded the Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region as one of Germany’s Leading-Edge Clusters.

Participate in the Industry’s Top-rated Educational Experience

The 2011 Global Education Conference in New York City, 10-12 April will feature top-level education on each day, including keynote presentations addressing macro-level issues impacting business and society, and education sessions offering seek and find opportunities that put you in the driver’s seat, engaging directly with thought leaders and subject matter experts.

	The Games We Play: Using Games to Influence Consumer Behavior Jesse Schell Chief Executive Officer / Creative Director Schell Games
	Business & Management Lessons from SUPERFREAKONOMICS Stephen J. Dubner Author Freakonomics, Superfreakonomics
	What’s New, What’s Coming, and How It Will Change Everything David Pogue Personal Technology Columnist The New York Times

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2011 Earnings Release Date

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced today that it will release the Company’s first quarter financial results prior to market open on Thursday, April 28, 2011, followed by a conference call at 10:30am EDT. The conference call will include a brief discussion of the quarter followed by questions and answers. The call will be moderated by Jason Koval, Vice President, Investor Relations.

Participants may listen to the simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the company website http://www.starwoodhotels.com and choosing Investor Relations within the Corporate Information section of the website at 10:30am EDT or by calling 706-758-8744 fifteen minutes prior to the call. In addition, a replay has been arranged, which will air from Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 1:30pm EDT through Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 12:00 midnight. The replay will be available on the Company’s website or by dialling 706-645-9291 (Pass code 23166357).

CWT Announces Strong Performance in 2010

AMSTERDAM, March, 2011 — Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), a global leader specialized in helping customers better manage their business travel, announced that its 2010 sales volume at USD $24.3 billion grew by 13.5 percent compared to 2009. In addition, the number of transactions managed by CWT increased by 11.9% year over year. These key performance indicators demonstrate that global business travel is on the rise and that CWT continues to respond effectively thanks to the expertise of its people and its leading-edge technology.

Asia Pacific leading the way
CWT had growth in each region. Asia Pacific led with transactions up 27.7% year over year. Latin America grew by 18.4%, while North America saw a 12.7% increase. EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) experienced a 6.6% increase, reflecting slower economic growth in that region.

Retaining clients’ business and new sales
CWT was successful in retaining 96% of its clients’ business and winning US$1.8 billion in annualized new sales, excluding renewals.

“Our growth in 2010 was driven by our success in retaining our clients, winning new business and of course, a more favorable economic environment. These excellent results were particularly significant in 2010 as there were many travel disruptions including heavy snow falls in Europe and the U.S. and the Iceland volcano eruption,” said Douglas Anderson, President and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. “2011 will certainly bring more challenges but our global teams are well positioned to continue to serve our clients effectively.”

2010 Business Highlights
CWT built upon the successes of its products, services, and teams in 2010. Here are a few of them:

• The CWT Energy Services business became global. This highly specialized team serves the unique and complex needs of companies operating in the oil and gas services, maritime and drilling exploration, and alternative energies industries.
• CWT enhanced its CWT Telepresence service offering to ensure seamless integration into clients’ managed travel programs. The solution includes strategy development, change management and decision support, booking and fulfillment, and reporting and optimization. CWT continues to make public telepresence rooms available to clients through an agreement with Tata Communications.
• The CWT Travel Management Institute conducted in-depth research into Meetings & Events (M&E) spend, finding companies can save 10-25 percent by applying best practices to policy and compliance, sourcing and processes.
• CWT extended some of its products and services to SMS and Smartphone platforms through agreements with conTgo and WorldMate.
• In North America CWT offers clients CWT Traveler Assistant. The end-to-end solution for booking and managing travel and related business services is being implemented with a number of CWT clients and CWT products.

Expectations for 2011
In 2011, travel buyers will focus on containing travel spend as prices are likely to increase across the main travel areas. In addition, fuel prices, supplier leverage and capacity, additional consolidation, as well as continuing economic challenges will make for tougher negotiations on all sides.

Travel buyers will need to ensure their travel programs are operating effectively and efficiently in all areas. According to CWT’s annual Travel Management Priorities survey top concerns for 2011 include improving traveler compliance, optimizing online adoption, and driving air and ground transportation savings.

In 2011, CWT will continue innovating with advanced technology for travelers, such as mobile applications and increasingly sophisticated tools for travel managers.

“In the travel industry, you learn to expect the unexpected. As we work through the challenges and opportunities of 2011, our focus remains on delivering the best travel service to our customers around the world,” continued Mr. Anderson. “Our commitment to excellence and meeting the needs of our clients, thanks to the in-depth industry knowledge of our people, our world class products and technology and our passion for customer excellence, is a deep-rooted conviction we all share.”

ACC Liverpool to host Global Entrepreneurship Congress in 2012

ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre Liverpool is to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress which brings together thought leaders, economists and entrepreneurs from over 100 countries.

The event takes place in March 2012 and will see delegates from across the world congregate at the iconic waterside convention centre and at various fringe events across the city. Liverpool follows in the footsteps of previous hosts Kansas City, Dubai and Shanghai and will be the first European city to host the symposium.

The event will be run by US-based Kauffman Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working to understand and advance entrepreneurship, education and training efforts.

The bid for the congress was lead by Liverpool Vision, the city’s economic development company and saw Liverpool beat off stiff competition from UAE, Chile and Denmark who were all shortlisted.

Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, said: “The power of the message put forward by Liverpool Vision about Liverpool’s interest—and the many expansions of entrepreneurship that were pointed out in the application that characterised modern Liverpool as a city truly committed to entrepreneurship—were very decisive.”

Bob Prattey, Chief Executive, ACC Liverpool said: “The fact that our destination partners are proactively bidding for events and congresses of this nature is a real vote of confidence for partnership working in the city. We are delighted that Liverpool Vision’s bid for the congress was successful and we look forward to welcoming the delegates in 2012”.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, who led the bid team, said: “The significance of this for Liverpool cannot be underestimated and the effects of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress selection committee choosing our city will ripple for many years to come.  We want to create the conditions in which innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive and that has never been more important than now”.

British Airways Creates Transatlantic Shuttle Service

CRAWLEY, England, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia have announced they will deliver more benefits to customers as schedules are coordinated across the North Atlantic and more destinations are launched in summer 2011.

From March 27, American Airlines and British Airways will effectively create a transatlantic shuttle service between the top US-UK routes by aligning the timing on their schedules.

The biggest change is on the Heathrow – New York route. Previously, five of the 11 daily flights to New York ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flights-to-new-york/public/en_gb) left Heathrow at almost exactly the same time, leaving gaps of up to three hours between services.

Now flights will depart every hour, on the hour between 1pm and 8pm from Heathrow. There will also only be an hour and a half between morning departures at the most.

Chicago flights inbound to London previously had four flights departing the Windy City at similar times around 5pm and 8pm. Now the flights will be evenly spaced, departing at around 5pm, 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. The 9am and 9.45pm slots will remain as they were.

Two of the three flights to Miami ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flights-to-miami/public/en_gb) from London clashed around 10am, and these have now been split to leave at 10am and 11am. The 1.30pm has moved to 1.35pm.

The joint business will also now give customers the chance to fly direct between New York (JFK) and Budapest starting from April 5, and between Chicago and Helsinki, both seven times a week on American Airlines from May 1.

British Airways will launch daily flights to San Diego from June 1, marking the airline’s return to the route after eight years. It offers a great variety of hotels in San Diego ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/hotels-in-san-diego/public/en_gb) suitable for all ranges of budgets and tastes. Customers can save by booking a flight and hotel package for their San Diego holidays ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/holidays-in-san-diego/public/en_gb) at the same time on ba.com plus benefit from a 24 hour in-resort support and expertly chosen hotels which adhere to stringent health and safety criteria.

The British carrier will also increase its services from Gatwick to Cancun from two to three a week from March 27 offering even more choice to customers wishing to take their holidays in Cancun. ( http://www.britishairways.com/travel/holidays-in-cancun/public/en_gb)

Iberia is starting the only direct flight between Spain and California; flying between Madrid and Los Angeles three times a week from March 28, with an additional flight between July and September. Iberia will also launch new flights between Barcelona and Miami three times a week from March 29.

Seoul Tourism Organization Hosts Successful First Action Forum for the Future Convention Cities Initiative

Meetings Industry Leaders impressed with Seoul’s achievements, quality of facilities and world class hospitality standards

March 29^th, 2011

Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) today announced that the First Action Forum of the Future Convention Cities Initiative (FCCI) held in Seoul from March 20^th – 22^nd had achieved its goals of bringing all of the FCCI members together for the first time, agreeing on a program of strategic research, exchanging knowledge around key priorities for member cities and sharing expertise with leaders in national and local government and the Korean meetings industry.

FCCI is a global strategic research and knowledge exchange partnership of the convention bureaus of seven leading cities in the global conventions industry ? Abu Dhabi, Durban KwaZulu Natal, London, San Francisco, Seoul, Sydney and Toronto. FCCI is co-ordinated by Fast Future Research ? authors of the Convention 2020 study on the future of the meetings industry.

The event included meetings and functions with Mr. Choung, Byoung-gug, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hon. Oh Se-Hoon, Mayor of Seoul, Dr. Kyung-won Chung, Deputy Vice-Mayor of Seoul and Mr. Charm Lee, CEO of Korea Tourism Organization. The participants also delivered seminars for the leaders of the Korean meetings industry and conducted private FCCI working sessions. Rohit Talwar – the Executive Director of FCCI and CEO of Fast Future – said “I congratulate STO on putting together an exceptional event which met all of our objectives, demonstrated the talent and capabilities of the Korean meetings industry, highlighted the range and quality of meetings facilities in Seoul and showcased Korea’s world class hospitality standards.”

Samuel Koo, President and CEO of Seoul Tourism Organization said “We were delighted when our partners in FCCI accepted our invitation to come and dedicate two full days to work together on the FCCI agenda and share their knowledge and experience with leaders in national and local government and in the meetings industry. We knew a lot could be achieved but the outcomes and the strength of our partners’ positive reactions surpassed everyone’s expectations.”

Koo went on to say “I think we made tremendous progress in sharing practical insights, and initiating a research agenda for studies that will provide genuine competitive advantage to FCCI members and benefit the meetings industry as a whole.  For STO the learning experience was also tremendous, we gathered research insights, practical experience and ideas that would have taken years to accumulate and which will help guide and accelerate our development.”

Gillian M. Taylor – Business Tourism Manager – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority said “In Abu Dhabi we pride ourselves in the speed with which we have developed our meetings but we are truly amazed at just how much Seoul has achieved in the few short years since it entered into the global conventions industry.”

James Seymour ? CEO – Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau said “As a very new convention bureau, we are keen to learn from everyone. What we learnt about how Seoul goes out of its way to make you feel welcome has really inspired me.”

Tracy Halliwell ? Director of Business Tourism – Visit London said “What struck me most was the attention to detail in every aspect of the event and the meticulous planning that ensured we made full use of every minute of the time we spent in Seoul.”

Tom Kiely - Vice President, Tourism Development – San Francisco Travel Association said “I always look at cities from a convention delegate’s perspective. I was really impressed by the quality, authenticity and efficiency of the welcome we received from arrival at the airport onwards ? we could learn a lot from how Seoul does this.”

Lyn Lewis-Smith ? Chief Operating Officer – Business Events Sydney said “I was amazed by the size and seniority of the audience who attended our seminars with the Korean MICE Association and by the level of interest the participants showed in what we had to share.”

Tara Gordon – Vice President, Meeting & Convention Sales ? Tourism Toronto said “I came with high expectations of Seoul and these were genuinely exceeded. Seoul’s emergence as a leading business events and meetings destination can be attributed to the tremendous synergy amongst the Seoul MICE community and the commitment to innovation within our industry.”

Rohit Talwar said “The Forum has really helped accelerate the FCCI research program and highlighted how much we can achieve by working together in a focused and intensive manner.”

Highly Successful Start to GIBTM 2011

The first day of GIBTM 2011 – the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition, which is being held in Abu Dhabi this week – was a tremendous success, according to visitors, hosted buyers and exhibitors alike.

Visitor numbers were substantially up on last year’s show and attendees at the Education Sessions, which for the first time were located on the exhibition floor itself, packed in to hear the launch of the Middle East Meetings Industry Research report, presented by Sally Greenhill of The Right Solutions and Rob Nicholas of meetme, followed by a presentation by Rebecca Saunders of Positive Impact on Implementing Sustainability Initiatives and a session with Roger Helms, CEO of  the HelmsBriscoe meetings management company.

“We are very happy that the first day was so successful, we received positive feedback from exhibitors and buyers as well as from visitors. Interest especially in the education programme was overwhelming.  This shows the thirst for knowledge and education about the MICE industry in the region. Delivering the best professional education is key to the event’s success, our programme this year aims to provide attendees with leading industry insight which will help them pioneer within their industry field, says Lloyd Kenyon, GIBTM’s Exhibition Manager.

Stephen Kwak, Assistant Manager of the Seoul Convention Bureau said the show was busier than he had expected. “I had 20 appointments today and my colleague had 15 – in total I am expecting between 50 – 60 buyers over the three days of the event.”

Mohammed Saif Al Riyami, from Oman’s Ministry of Tourism concurred. “We were busy answering enquires as everyone wanted more information about Oman. We had 30 appointments today and have some 65 appointments already scheduled over the three-day event. We answered a number of questions about travelling to Oman and what the culture is like. We told them that Oman is a country with many destinations – rich in culture, heritage, and natural beauty – and it is a country noted for its hospitality; we always greet guests with a warm traditional welcome!”

Aline Ghanem representing Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism also had a very successful first day. “Twenty three meetings took place and we ended up with some confirmed business deals. Certainly there was a lot of potential business to be had. The main question we were being asked was what Lebanese food was like. We are optimistic about the next two days and hope they will be as productive as Day 1.”

Nancy Power from BSL Middle East, a leading international sponsorship, events and logistics agency, said they had received a lot of questions and interest from Saudi Arabia and from Russia, while commenting on the participation, Omer Kaddouri, COO for Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, said, “We are very pleased with Abu Dhabi hosting an important exhibition such as GIBTM, which will hugely assist in developing the MICE tourism. We have always been very active with the promotion of our MICE properties all over the Middle East through our local and International sales offices and our participation at GIBTM has assisted us in further developing this sector and in the showcasing our products and offerings.”

GIBTM 2011 runs until Wednesday 30th March and is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Registration onsite is free of charge for businesses professionals.

Lenny Kravitz, Michael Franti, Colbie Caillat among Headliners Confirmed for 2011 “Live in the Vineyard,” Music Festival Presented by Aloft Hotels

Will Also StarMatthew Morrison, Plain White Ts, Parachute, Jason Reeves, Marc Broussard, Default, Matt Nathanson, Mat Kearney April 9, 10 and 11th in Napa Valley

Lenny Kravitz, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Colbie Caillat and Matt Nathanson will top the A-list roster headlining the next edition of “Live in the Vineyard,” the exclusive Napa Valley live music showcase presented by Aloft Hotels. Matthew Morrison and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals will also be among the artists performing intimate, acoustic sets in vineyards throughout Napa.
Aloft is the sizzling “style-at-a-steal” brand from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) that’s rocked the hotel industry since launching in 2008. With nearly 50 properties now open worldwide, the brand has enjoyed the fastest ramp-up in hospitality-industry history. Designed to appeal to the savvy, next generation traveler, Aloft brings urban-influenced, modern, open, and vibrant design at an affordable price point.

“Live in the Vineyard 7″ will take place the weekend of April 9 at Napa’s stunningly restored art-deco Uptown Theatre. The all-star talent lineup will also include Plain White Ts, Parachute, Jason Reeves, Default, Marc Broussard and Hanson. Artists playing smaller sets throughout the weekend include up and comers Matt Hires, Mat Kearney and Dan Goldin.

Now in its third year, “Live in the Vineyard” (www.liveinthevineyard.com) is the brainchild of music-industry veterans Bobbii Hach-Jacobs and Claire Parr. These private, once-in-a-lifetime acoustic pop / rock music concerts unfold amidst the lush scenery of boutique wineries in California’s Napa Valley every April and November. Superstar and emerging artist performances are paired with intimate wine tastings and food pairings to give winners a truly unique experience.

Tickets for the “Live in the Vineyard” events are only available through special radio station promotions (featured on www.liveinthevineyard.com) and exclusive Aloft Hotels promotions, including ongoing Facebook giveaways at www.facebook.com\alofthotels.

“Music matters to our guests, and it’s exciting for Aloft to be their partner in exploring, discovering, and enjoying artists,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Along with our ‘Live in the Vineyard’ partnership, we’ve had great success showcasing artists in our hotels, and guests keep telling us how much they appreciate the live-music experience and the social scene at our w xyz bars.”

Along with the semi-annual festivals, Aloft hotels serve as venues for “Live in the Vineyard” artists who rock it up close and personal with hotel guests and local tastemakers through a series of live acoustic sets at Aloft properties across the country throughout the year. Artists like Five For Fighting, Plain White T’s, Brooke White, Ryan Star, Emerson Hart of Tonic and Green River Ordinance performed “Live at Aloft” events throughout 2010. Check out www.alofthotels.com/wxyzbar for updates on confirmed shows at Aloft hotels.

“Live in the Vineyard 7″ is just the latest pop-culture partnership from Aloft. At the glittery recent opening of its Aloft Harlem property, R & B star Keri Hilson wowed an A-list audience. And Aloft recently became the first hotel brand to “break” a new recording artist. Through its much-talked-about “Project: Aloft Star” talent competition, Aloft invited Facebook users to vote on their favorite artist-submitted videos. The winner, California singer-songwriter Adrian Bourgeois, and runner up New Orleans native Jake Smith, are now on a national tour of Aloft hotels.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION MARKET VISITS FIBES AND ITS NEW CONFERENCE CENTRE ON A FAMILIARISATION TRIP

Seville Conference and Exhibition Centre, FIBES, in a joint action with Seville Congress & Convention Bureau, SCCB, on March 23^rd – 25^th 2011, organised a Familiarisation Trip aimed at a group of PCOs and a number of international scope European Societies in charge of managing large congresses and meetings. It is in fact one of the many commercial actions carried out in order to attract big events – this time of the congress sector – to be held at the new Conference Centre. One of the key elements of the trip was the visit to FIBES facilities and their new expansion.

FIBES facilities, as they look like nowadays, were visited on March 24^th, i.e. all the rooms, exhibition pavilions and restaurants. Furthermore, the group enjoyed a word-spreading video full of information about how operational and versatile FIBES expansion will be.

After that, guests could visit the three new buildings included in the expansion, whose works have just finished, and they could get to know one of the outstanding elements, the new auditorium, which will hold up to 3,557 persons. The new building also has large, well-lit areas and it features multiuse rooms and zones, the originality of the project being a highlight with the ramp, indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, which make of it one of the best buildings to host all kind of great events in the country.

The group of the International Association Market agents showed their admiration when they knew about the facility and premise expansion and they praised the high number of new possibilities that the new building has brought about to host conferences and congresses of their sector. Nevertheless, they also pointed out the excellent, versatile facilities offered by FIBES at present as they also provide a wide range of possibilities for future meetings and conferences.

IMEX America Continues Forging High Level, Value-Add Partnerships – CIC to be Exclusive Sponsor of Show’s LearningCurve Zone and Offer Onsite CMP Education

In its latest move to build strong partnerships that further enhance IMEX America’s strong business and education value, organizers have announced a partnership agreement with CIC, The Convention Industry Council. IMEX America is the new worldwide exhibition for the incentive travel, meetings and events industry debuting October 11-13, 2011 in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo and Venetian/Palazzo.

At the heart of this new partnership is CIC’s role as the exclusive sponsor of the IMEX America LearningCurve Zone. The LearningCurve Zone will showcase a wide choice of education and training for the meetings industry, recognizing the importance of raising standards and developing personal and professional skills. The LearningCurve Zone will be sited on the show floor to allow quick and easy participation by all attendees. Short drop-in workshops will run throughout the show for both buyers and exhibitors – connecting attendees and experts in an effort to drive business forward.

CIC’s members represent more than 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. CIC offers many tools and programs designed to support the industry and meet its challenges; facilitate the exchange of information and ideas; and educate the public on the industry’s profound economic impact.

“CIC is pleased to be sponsoring the LearningCurve Zone at IMEX America,” stated Karen Kotowski, Chief Executive Officer of CIC. “Continuing professional education is a key component of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program requirements, and I am confident that IMEX America will prove to be another outstanding source for meeting professional education.”

Ray Bloom, Chairman of IMEX Group added: “With their dedication to raising the bar for professionalism and education in the meetings industry, CIC is a natural to sponsor the LearningCurve Zone. We’re working closely with them at IMEX in Frankfurt in May and look forward to bringing their same energy and value-add tools and insights to the attendees and exhibitors at IMEX America in October.”

In addition to serving as the exclusive sponsor of the LearningCurve Zone, CIC also plans to hold CMP one-on-one application assistance on-site for interested attendees, plus work with IMEX America to promote the newly released Economic Impact Study, FaceTime It Matters Campaign and APEX Green standards. Educational sessions at IMEX America will also be awarded CMP certification or re-certification hours by the CIC team.

By partnering with CIC, IMEX America is now allied to organizations and associations with a total reach of more than 100,000 individual meetings industry professionals around the world. The show’s strategic partner and premier educational provider is Meeting Professionals International (MPI) with more than 23,000 global members. It also has key partnerships with all the leading meetings industry trade associations including the USTA (US Travel Association), IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events), DMAI (Destination Marketing Association International), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, ACTE Global (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) plus ADME (Association of Destination Management Executives), AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres), ECM (European Cities Marketing), JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council) and ICCA (International Congress & Convention Association).

Supporting tourism projects of female entrepreneurs in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania

World Tourism Organization and Banesto Foundation collaborate on sustainable tourism projects for poverty elimination in Africa

The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, and the President of the Banesto Foundation, Antonio Basagoiti, today presented the cooperation agreement signed by the two organizations, at UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Banesto Foundation have presented a cooperation agreement aimed at identifying, providing technical support to and financing tourism business projects in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania. Although activities will be carried out initially in these three countries, the agreement may be extended to others in Africa and to Latin America in the future.

The agreement, presented by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and Banesto Foundation President, Antonio Basagoiti, sets the basis for the identification, evaluation, and technical and financial support of projects undertaken preferably by women, associations or cooperatives— with special emphasis on the leadership role of women — and communities in the tourism sector. Project selection will be carried out jointly taking into consideration, among other aspects, economic viability, potential impact on the local economy, the promotion and employment of women, solidarity aspects and environmental sustainability.

The allocation of funds as well as guidance and technical assistance, is to be carried out through UNWTO collaborating organizations in the beneficiary countries. Funding will be provided in the form of subsidies or micro credits with the support of local organizations.

Resources will come from the Banesto Foundation or from third-party contributions, as a result of agreements with collaborating organizations, from fund raising activities, or from individual contributions made online through the Banesto Foundation’s web initiative, “Sustainable and Responsible Tourism”. All projects will become part of the sustainable and responsible tourism network promoted by the Banesto Foundation in Africa and Latin America.

At the presentation held today, Taleb Rifai and Antonio Basagoiti both highlighted tourism’s potential as an engine for the economic and social development of least developed countries and underlined the importance of access to financing and technical assistance for small enterprises in the tourism sector, as well as the special significance and importance of women in tourism, a growing sector in Africa and Latin America.

Fly to Jönköping in Sweden with Skyways in just 70 minutes

New airline and new route from Berlin-Tegel

Yesterday marks the start of a new connection from Berlin to Sweden as the 2011 summer flight schedule begins: the airline Skyways is operating a daily flight from Berlin-Tegel to Jönköping.

From now on, the German capital is directly connected to the thriving economic centre in the heart of Sweden. Jönköping is situated by the southern end of Lake Vättern and is a key location for the commercial vehicles industry. The new route will offer business travellers a fast connection to the region of Småland and enable tourists to travel on from Jönköping to numerous other destinations in Scandinavia, too.

Skyways will depart from Berlin-Tegel daily at 2.45 p.m. and arrive in Jönköping 70 minutes later. Flights from Jönköping will depart at 11.05 a.m. A 48-seater Embraer ERJ 145 will be operated on the route.

Skyways currently serves seven international destinations and offers direct flights to a further 13 destinations in Sweden.

Skyways flights can be booked online at http://www.skyways.se or at a travel agency.

ABU DHABI AIRPORTS COMPANY OPENS CHECK-IN FACILITY AT ADNEC

WOMEN RALLY STARS READY TO TAKE ON ABU DHABI DESERT

While the likes of Leonid Novitskiy from Russia, Spaniard Marc Coma and Stéphane Peterhansel from France are set to take the headlines at this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, four women are looking to make their mark as they take on some of the world’s toughest and most spectacular terrain, spearheaded by solo contestants Brittany Erasmus and Carmelia Liparoti Baggiani.

ABU DHABI TOURISM AUTHORITY IN THREE-YEAR MPI FOUNDATION ACCORD

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has entered into an associate partnership agreement with the MPI Foundation (MPIF) – the organisation dedicated to investing in people and programmes aligned with Meetings Professionals International (MPI) – which will see the association undertake pioneering research of the emirate’s meetings industry training needs.

Under the three-year deal, MPIF will conduct a ‘Needs Analysis Survey’ on Abu Dhabi’s expanding meetings industry to determine the most essential training requirements; training gaps that need to be addressed and a future strategy to benefit all the destination’s meetings industry stakeholders.

The accord was announced at the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings exhibition (GIBTM), which began a three-day run at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre yesterday and where ADTA has mounted a pavilion with 45 of its key stakeholders.

“The analysis results will be packaged by MPI into a stellar training module aimed at delivering destination and industry ‘stars’ of the future. MPI will then roll out the module on our behalf in Abu Dhabi by the end of the year,” explained Dayne Lim, ADTA’s Product Development Director.

“The meetings industry is vital to any sustainable tourism strategy delivering, as it does, a number of financial and socio-economic below-the-line benefits, including in-market and in-business product development, knowledge-transfer and often leading to inward investment. We are looking to foster a vibrant and professional local meetings community through the provision of innovative training for the high performance, meeting professional.”

ADTA says the accord will also reinforce and strengthen the destination’s awareness across MPI’s varied business platforms.

“It gives us access to MPI’s vast global membership resources which will assist us in attracting new meeting planners to the destination, in catalysing new business events and to mine for vital meetings leads,” added Lim.

“Through this research, Abu Dhabi planners and suppliers will have access to innovative training at a core level with demonstrable application into the higher levels of training and planning, leading to increasing global success,” said Didier Scaillet, Corporate Development Officer, MPI.

Initial research and interviews from among meeting professionals and suppliers will focus heavily on the Europe, Middle East andAfrica region and international organisations. “In this way, regional concerns and local customs that impact the nature of the training as well as the implementation of initiatives will be kept as a central element in the development of the training module,” added Scaillet.

The deal also gives ADTA significant brand exposure at numerous MPI education events worldwide including its research and ‘smart meeting’s programme.

“Being the advocate of a never-before-seen training programme will show the meeting professional community that ADTA is dedicated to both breaking new ground in its training programmes and understands the direction of the global meeting and events community,” added Lim.

The Figure Skating Championship won’t cause the inrush of the tourists to Moscow

The World Figure Skating Championship won’t cause the inrush of the tourists to Moscow. Such information was announced by the tour operators specializing in inbound tourism.

Moscow will host the World Figure Skating Championship from April 25 till May 1, 2011. The competition supposed to take place in Japan, but after the earthquake it was planned to change the place of the Championship.

Sergey Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow gave orders to provide extra funds for organization of the event. According to the estimates of the Deputy Mayor Aleksandr Gorbenko, about 5 thousand tourists, 1.5 thousand official representatives of the delegations and 700 journalists will visit the Championship.

The forecasts of the tour operators are less optimistic. “The figure skating is not a mass type of sport. Only relatives and friends of the participants will visit the competition. Notmorethan1000 people. We can’t call such number a real “influx”, said Aleksandr Maklyarovskiy, KMP Group.

According to the experts, there won’t be any problems with the accommodation during the Championship. According to Leonid Isakovitch, General Director of Academservice, the period from the end of April till the beginning of May is traditionally a low season in Moscow hotels, the occupancy during these dates doesn’t usually exceeds 10%. In general, it’s possible to accommodate 100-120 thousand people in Moscow hotels and if it’s necessary there is also accommodation in Moscow region’s health resorts.

It’s interesting to note that the experts don’t deny the possibility of the rise in price of the accommodation in Moscow. At any rate, the hotels won’t offer seasonal discount of 10-20%. atorus.ru

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), June 6-10

Crisis and Risk in Meetings, any possible Management?

Risk Management was just one of the in-depth topics covered by IAPCO at the recent IAPCO National Seminar held in Macau (China) last week. Whilst predominantly a national seminar, the popularity of this, the third in the series in Macau, meant that participants from other Pacific/Asian countries made the trip to take part. Philippe Fournier, IAPCO President, Jan Tonkin, Vice Chair of the IAPCO Training Academy, and Sarah Storie-Pugh, IAPCO Administrator, formed the high powered faculty, presenting both basic and advanced topics during the three days.  Hosted by the Macau Government Tourism Organisation, the highly successful seminar was organised at The Venetian, one of the regions leading event hotels.

With the March (3/11) crisis in Japan occurring during the final planning stages, incorporating a session on Crisis and Risk Management was particularly apt and, whilst not in any way related to the terrible occurrences to the country of our colleagues and friends, it was evident that the recent horrors were not far from anyone’s minds.

Another key session new to the curriculum included Negotiating Skills, expertly led by Jan Tonkin of The Conference Company, New Zealand, guiding the participants through the minefield of winning negotiation.

Philippe Fournier, of MCI France, included Funding and Financial Management in his in-depth briefing on current matters of successful fiscal administration.   “The Seminar was a great success” added Philippe in his presidential capacity “but at this time our thoughts are also with our colleagues in Japan who, along with all their countrymen and women, are having to manage their crisis everyday”.

Said IAPCO member, Congress Corporation, “Congress Corporation would like to express our gratitude for all of the encouraging messages conveying your warm support, which we have received since the earthquake and tsunami of March 11^th.  We and all of our colleagues in the MICE industry in Japan are keeping our spirits high and look forward to continuing to welcome a wide variety of conferences and events to Japan.”

GIBTM Continued Growth Forecast for MENA Meetings Industry

The fifth Meetings Industry Research Report (in association with meetme) was launched (Monday 28 March) at GIBTM, The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition.

Presented by Sally Greenhill from The Right Solution and Rob Nicholas of meetme, the results of the research into the Middle Eastern MICE market suggests that although respondents to the survey voiced concerns with the political stability of some destinations, they remained optimistic. The study also revealed that key meetings destinations in the region are likely to enjoy continued growth in the volume of meetings, exhibitions and events for some years to come.

Many of the region’s leading hotels now have block bookings and healthy targets for group quotas. ‘Affordable luxury’ is the positioning of most destinations in the Gulf region and right now it is more affordable and the infrastructure is more developed than ever before. 2011 is seen by many as a watershed year, when the changes and maturity of the meetings industry seen since the financial crisis are expected to realise a more sustainable and positive future.

The research was undertaken during January and February 2011, with responses taken from over 600 international and regional buyers and suppliers.

Report at-a-glance summary

Buyers

· During 2010 buyer respondents organised an average of 6.2 events in the MENA region, with 47% having organised up to 5 events each, and 13.6 events elsewhere in the world.
· 46% had organised more events in the last twelve months
· 71% of buyers predict an increase in the number of events they hold in the year ahead and a further 25% said the number of events will stay the same
· The UAE still dominates the region as the country of choice for meetings and events, with Dubai still the most popular emirate
· For 2012 and beyond Doha and Muscat could prove a serious challenge to Dubai and Abu Dhabi due to their new international and inter-regional air routes and convention centres
· The UAE was rated highest in the region for overall satisfaction, with Abu Dhabi rated the top of the emirates within the country; however the region only came in at fifth place when compared with other regions around the world
· The mean number of delegates attending events in the last twelve months was 208 – almost the same as 207 last year, yet up from 154 in 2009
· 32% said they had experienced more delegates at their events in the last twelve months
· The region has a shorter mean duration than Europe at 3.37 days
· The mean budget for events per respondent dropped to $1.89 million compared to $2.3 million last year with $300,000 allocated to events in the region compared to $495,000 last year
· Cost and quality of accommodation remain the top priorities for 2011, with security coming in at third place.

Suppliers

· 71% think the value of their business will increase, although the percentage thinking the volume of events will increase has not changed
· 86% of suppliers will be developing new business from the region in 2011/12, with on average 14% of their marketing budget allocated to activities in the region
· 41% of suppliers indicated that they thought budgets would increase in the year ahead. This conflicts with the thoughts of buyers who said they would like more for their money!
· Suppliers’ belief that the MENA region offers them more growth potential for future business than anywhere else in the world has not waivered despite current challenges
· The UAE has historically been seen as expensive and the message of ‘affordable luxury’ may still not be totally appropriate to some clients
· According to suppliers the key to increasing their business includes political stability and security, greater awareness of what the region has to offer through increased marketing, economic growth an improved financial climate, increased air routes and access and an easier visa process

View the full report online at www.gibtm.com

TripAdvisor Reveals Largest Analysis of UK World Heritage Sites Ever Conducted

- Blenheim Palace and Edinburgh Old and New Towns Top ‘Best Condition’ and ‘Most Recommended’ Lists Respectively

LONDON, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, today reveals the UK results from the biggest analysis ever conducted of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Blenheim Palace topped the ‘Best Condition’ category, while Old and New Towns of Edinburgh took first place on the ‘Most Recommended’ list.

Via its user reviews, TripAdvisor, in partnership with UNESCO, has collected over 34,000* responses from travellers who have visited the UK’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

“The UK has 28 World Heritage sites to be proud of,” commented Emma O’Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “Those in the ‘Best Condition’ and ‘Most Recommended’ categories should be particularly pleased as these recognitions reflect the positive experiences and opinions of thousands of travellers.”

London and Scotland featured prominently in the results. Four London sites – Kew Gardens, Tower of London, Westminster Palace and Maritime Greenwich – appeared across the ‘Best Condition’ and ‘Most recommended’ lists, while Scotland’s Heart of Neolithic Orkney, New Lanark and Old and New Towns of Edinburgh also appeared in these categories.

Interestingly, Stonehenge, one of the UK’s most internationally famous attractions, and one of the seven medieval wonders of the world, featured only on the ‘In Need of Most Attention’ list and failed to appear on the ‘Most Recommended’ list.

Best Condition Sites

According to TripAdvisor travellers, these are the UK’s UNESCO World Heritage sites in best condition:

1. Blenheim Palace – Oxfordshire

2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – London

3. Heart of Neolithic Orkney – Scotland

4. Durham Castle and Cathedral – Durham

5. City of Bath – Somerset

6. Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast – Northern Ireland

7. New Lanark – Scotland

8. Tower of London – London

9. Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Cathedral – London

10. Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey – Yorkshire

Most Recommended Sites

These are the UK World Heritage sites travellers most recommend:

1. Old and New Towns of Edinburgh – Scotland

2. Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Cathedral – London

3. Tower of London – London

4. City of Bath – Somerset

5. Maritime Greenwich – London

6. Durham Castle and Cathedral – Durham

7. Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s – Kent

8. Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City

9. Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

10. Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd – Wales

Sites most in need of attention

These UK World Heritage sites are those most in need of attention, according to TripAdvisor travellers:

1. Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

2. Hadrian’s Wall (Frontiers of the Roman Empire WHS)- Wallsend-on-Tyne to Bowness-on-Solvay, England

3. Dorset and East Devon Coast

4. Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s – Kent

5. Old and New Towns of Edinburgh – Scotland

6. Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City

7. Saltaire – Yorkshire

8. Ironbridge Gorge – Shropshire

9. Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd – Wales

10. Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites – Wiltshire

The two year partnership between TripAdvisor, and UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre launched in October 2009 to raise awareness of and gain travellers’ support to preserve natural and cultural sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Within the partnership, TripAdvisor is also donating up to $1.5 million (USD) of support to the World Heritage Centre to help monitor the conservation of the world’s most important cultural and historic sites. TripAdvisor shares the feedback to the World Heritage Centre so that it may better engage UNESCO member states in matters of site conservation.

Snow and Mountain Tourism: Challenges, the Future and Solutions

Register today!

Experts from all over the world will gather together in the heart of the French Alps, in Grenoble, to take part in the 7th World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism at the end of April. Here are some of the topics to be discussed at the different sessions and debates:

Crisis and recovery: Correlation and impact on mountain tourism and winter sports

It appears that the recovery of the tourism economy, just like the crisis of the tourism market in 2009, is not moving in parallel with the developments in the winter sports tourism market.

What factors have an impact on this market?

> Speaker: Laurent Vanat, Swiss consultant specializing in the environment of winter sports resorts worldwide.

Off-piste skiing and heli-skiing: How to include and deal with this type of clientele. Making a product unique and positioning it in a competitive market.

While the question of whether to ban off-piste skiing regularly arises in France, certain resorts like Revelstoke in Canada are making it the sole focus of their communication.

> Speaker: John Devitt, CEO of Revelstoke Tourism and of the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce. (Revelstoke is a young Canadian resort created in 2007).

The example of Korea and its Las Vegas-style ski culture

The city of Pyeongchang in South Korea is vying with Annecy and Munich to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in a contest between diametrically opposed winter-sport cultures and approaches. Skiing arrived in Korea in the 1980s and some of its resorts are veritable amusement parks that are open 24 hours a day. How do Koreans view winter sports?

> Speaker: In Jun Park, Managing Director of Yongpyong Resort, South Korea.

Is China truly the El Dorado of winter sports?

While forecasts were counting on 10 million ski-days in 2010, China’s skiers now number 5 million. What views do the Chinese have of winter sports? Mountain China Resort is developing “four-season” ski resorts.

> Speaker: Mr. Patrick Cao Yue, Vice-President of Mountain China Resorts.

Tourism 2.0: Creating virtual communities of mountain lovers

The Internet has revolutionized communication by virtually bringing together persons linked by the same interests and providing everyone with access to countless contacts. Tourism information systems are poised to turn their clients into content producers, notably through videos. There has therefore been a progression from the B2B model to B2C, and now to C2C models.  Another underlying trend: with technology use giving rise to debates or even controversies, are we headed towards growing reliance on “customer profiling”?

> Speaker: Tiziana Turino, Marketing Manager of MonteRosaSki, Champoluc-Ayas, Italy

Mountain destinations exploring new modes of communication to captivate tourists and set themselves apart

This winter, France Montagnes broke away from traditional communication and created a stir with its flash mob in Paris, which has capitals the world over clamouring for it. France Montagnes provides a sneak peek at its new communication strategy to create attraction.

> Speaker: Jean-Marc Silva, Director, France Montagnes, the portal for French mountain vacations, Francin, France.

Registration and complete programme: http://snowmountain.unwto.org/en/node/26790#

Former TUI Boss Heads Industry-leading Panel At WTM Vision Conference – Milan

Travel and tourism industry stalwart Dermot Blastland heads an industry-leading panel debate on the outbound Italian travel industry at WTM Vision Conference – Milan on April 14.

The former TUI UK & Ireland Managing Director, who has run businesses in Europe and Canada, is joined on the panel by;

• · Daniel John Winteler, World President, Alpitour
• · Luca Patene, President, American Express
• · Gianni Onorato, Managing Director, Costa Crociere, and
• · Marco Sansavini, Distribution Manager, Alitalia

The panel session is the culmination of the inaugural WTM Vision Conference – Milan, which offers high-calibre speakers, content and research to give analysis, statistical assessment and interpretations to the industry’s senior leaders.

The half-day conference, which takes place at the Palazzo Mezzanotte ­­­- the Italian stock exchange, will be moderated by the well–respected Italian journalist Lorenzo Ottolenghi. Ottolenghi is Assistant President for state-owned public sector broadcaster RAI.

The first session sees leading global research company Euromonitor International give delegates a detailed insight into the travel and tourism industry by unveiling its report The Travel Industry Global Overview.

The report will be given FREE to all delegates.

Furthermore, e-tourism specialist Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, will give a masterclass on how the travel and tourism industry can best utilise social media entitled The Impact of Web 2.0 on the Travel and Tourism Industry.

Buhalis is Established Chair in Tourism and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR). He is also Director of the John Kent Institute in Tourism at the School of Tourism, Bournemouth University and Professorial Observer at the Bournemouth University Senate.

World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “I am delighted with the line up of speakers for the first WTM Vision Conference – Milan. Euromonitor International’s research will start the event with the latest facts on the figures on the industry. This will set the tone for arguably the hottest topic in the sector, social media, before the industry-leading panel session reviews the Italian market in detail.”

The WTM Vision Conference- Milan, which is organised in association with TTG Italia, will be in English and simultaneously translated into Italian.

The WTM Vison Conference – Milan on April 14, which costs only 138 Euros including VAT, is the first of three WTM Vision Conferences taking place this year, with Dubai taking place on May 3 and London on May 25.

For further information visit www.wtmlondon.com/vision

TAT HOSTS VISIT BY INTERNATIONAL FILM DIRECTORS TO HIGHLIGHT THAILAND’S ADVANTAGES AS A FILMING DESTINATION

Bangkok, March 27, 2011 — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is continuing to promote the country as Asia’s leading shooting location as well as maintaining the momentum of filmmaking activities by inviting 23 foreign film industry leaders to visit Thailand. They will explore potential filming locations and facilities in the country’s central, northern and southern regions. TAT wants to ensure the film directors are familiar with the variety of landscapes Thailand offers and the comprehensive support infrastructure available for movie production.

Film directors from China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Sweden, the United States and Vietnam will spend the week of 27 March 27 to 3 April 2011 travelling from northern to southern Thailand. They will observe the country’s culture and lifestyles along with natural attractions; such as, mountains, beaches and islands. The film directors will also visit support infrastructure including lab facilities, recording studios and other service providers. A highlight of their trip will be a meeting with leading Thai film directors.

According to statistics from the Thailand Film Office, in 2010, the number of foreign film productions in Thailand grew by 16% while the value of these productions grew by 108%. A total of 578 foreign film crews shooting feature films, television series, documentaries, advertisements and music videos were on location in Thailand, generating revenue of about US$ 62 million (approx. 1.87 billion Thai Baht).

“While we reach millions of potential visitors through our regular marketing campaigns, films are a great way to highlight Thailand’s natural beauty and attractions. They can generate great interest in Thailand, with lasting memories related to these films. This strengthens the Thailand brand and encourages people to make their first visit, or come back again,” said TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni.

Among the hundreds of crews that filmed in the country last year, Thailand welcomed teams for Hollywood productions of “Mission Impossible” and “The Scorpion King 3.” In addition, to its natural attractions and varied landscapes, Thailand has the advantage of a solid infrastructure for both pre- and post-production including skilled people for audio visual effects, advanced equipment and qualified workers, as well as tremendous value for money. Domestic film and digital production in Thailand are also expanding under the government’s drive to develop a creative economy.

The Thai government has increased its support for the film sector. In November 2010, the Thai Cabinet agreed to waive fees for shooting permits on government-owned properties including national parks supervised by the Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department; along with properties under the Royal Forestry Department, Royal Irrigation Department, Fine Arts Department, Treasury Department, State Railway of Thailand, and Suvarnabhumi International Airport. This fee waiver will remain in effect until the end of December 2011, except for national parks, for which the fee waiver policy will expire on 1 December, 2011.

In 2011, TAT expects to maintain 9% growth in income from foreign tourists, with the number of international arrivals expected to reach 16.5 million by the end of this year. With Thailand’s strong domestic and international appeal as a filming destination, the country should remain at the forefront in this region.

AIRBUS AND TAROM LAUNCH EUROPE’S FIRST BIO-FUEL ‘VALUE-CHAIN’

Project aims to commercialise bio-fuel made from Camelina

Airbus and TAROM Romanian Air Transport together with a consortium of key stakeholders have established one of Europe’s first project aiming to establish a sustainable bio-kerosene jet-fuel processing and production capability. The Romanian based project aims to provide a bio-fuel made from the camelina plant, as a renewable, sustainable substitute to fossil based jet fuel. The project is being overseen by a Romanian based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) and Airbus is acting as the catalyst in getting the Romanian value chain for a local bio-jet fuel solution up and running.

Once feasibility studies on agricultural, technological and aeronautical development and sustainability assessment are complete, the project will also assess the existing refining facilities in order to identify the Romanian production capability. Camelina is the chosen feedstock because of its energy potential, its rotational crop qualities, its green house gas reduction potential and its low water requirements. Camelina is also indigenous to Romania, and can be readily farmed and harvested by family farmers. It has a high quality animal feed by-product.

“This is the first European based value chain project bringing together farmers, oil-refiners and an airline to spearhead the commercialisation of sustainable bio-fuel production,” said Paul Nash, Airbus Head of New Energies. The Romanian Camelina Value Chain will help us further verify the sustainability and economic viability of producing bio-kerosene.”

Airbus will support the fuel approval processes, and lead in assessing the effect on the aircraft systems and engines. The consortium will work together with the Bucharest University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine’s Centre of Biotechnology (BIOTEHGEN) on the sustainable agricultural phase of the project regarding the camelina plantations, harvesting and oil production.

TAROM is leading the consortium which includes Honeywell’s UOP, CCE (Camelina Company España), and Airbus. Honeywell’s UOP is applying its aviation bio-fuel refining technology, CCE is contributing its knowledge on camelina agronomy, including technologies on camelina growth, agricultural monitoring networks and plant science. Airbus is providing technical and project management expertise and is sponsoring the sustainability assessment and life cycle analysis studies.

International veterinary science conference comes to Brighton

VisitBrighton has secured the sixth annual EPIZONE (the Network of Excellence for Epizootic Disease Diagnosis and Control) meeting. Due to be held at the Brighton Dome, an expected 250 delegates will attend the 12-14 June 2012 conference.

Hosted in the UK for the first time, Brighton was chosen because of its close proximity to mainland Europe and its transport hubs, array of amenities and venues and track record in delivering first class events for organisers and delegates alike. Previously staged in the Netherlands, Poland and Italy, the event is expected to bring £237,000 of economic benefit to the wider Brighton and Hove area.

Darren Johnson, VisitBrighton’s convention bureau sales manager remarks: “Brighton is firmly establishing itself as a world class conference destination. Winning this is a great achievement for Brighton and a testament to how attractive, accessible and competitive to international conference organisers Brighton is. Securing events like this bring real measurable benefits for the area through visitor spending and we are delighted that we have won yet another international conference.”

EPIZONE is an EU funded research project which started in 2006 and is supported by the EU’s Sixth Research Framework Programme with a total EU contribution of €14million for the period of five years. There are currently almost 400 researchers involved in EPIZONE, coming from 12 countries: across Europe, China and Turkey. They are all scientists or their work is related to veterinary science.