Archive for February, 2012
Microsoft and World Tourism Organization to drive innovation in the tourism sector
·Microsoft becomes a strategic partner of UNWTO in terms of technological innovation initiatives in the tourism sector.
·Microsoft will participate in joint efforts to develop emblematic technological projects led by UNWTO.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Microsoft signed today an agreement aimed at bringing the benefits of the most advanced technologies to the tourism sector and driving the industry’s evolution towards the computing paradigm of the future. Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, and Márcio Favilla, Executive Director of UNWTO, have forged this alliance that, in an increasingly demanding and competitive economic context, will promote technological innovation in world tourism and help the Spanish market strengthen the country’s brand as a world leader in the application of innovation to the tourism sector.
With this agreement, Microsoft becomes a strategic partner of UNWTO that will propose, coordinate and spearhead technological innovation initiatives within the community of the Organization’s Member States and Affiliate Members. It will also make new technologies available to the international tourism sector in order to enhance its competitiveness.
Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, pointed out that “the tourism sector has undergone a drastic transformation over the past years and has been evolving towards Tourism 3.0, where users connect to travel websites and interact by sharing their experiences, thus directly influencing the perceptions and decisions of other users and potential travellers. Because of this, it is more and more important for tourism sector enterprises to develop their online businesses by looking to the most advanced technology. In this regard, the adoption of cloud computing is key, as it provides access to a solid web platform that will make it possible to offer more productive, efficient and competitive services.”
According to Márcio Favilla, Executive Director of the World Tourism Organization, “cooperation with Microsoft is both timely, in light of the current economic context, and necessary in view of the technological demands we are subject to. Tourism has a proven track record when it comes to being at the leading edge of innovation and the dissemination of best practices, and our sector closely reflects the positive potential of globalization. Thanks to cooperation with Microsoft we will be able to more rapidly implement training tools and disseminate their content, stimulate the adoption of practical and advanced technological solutions in our sector and continue to promote tourism as a vehicle of sustainable development, in line with the position held by the UN.”
The transformation of the tourism sector: the Tourist 3.
Today’s tourists are geared towards the 3.0 environment; they are connected to the Net and are highly present in social networks. Consequently, it is more important than ever for destinations and tourism enterprises to not only have an Internet presence but also to offer their users a good experience and the necessary tools to interact with the supply side and with other users.
The Microsoft Innovation Center in Tourism Technologies (MICTT) will take part in joint efforts to develop technological projects led by UNWTO. UNWTO members will have preferential access to the services offered by the MICTT, including the development of proofs of concept and pilot projects applying technological innovation to the tourism industry.
By virtue of this agreement, Microsoft will also collaborate with the UNWTO Themis Foundation, which is responsible for implementing the World Tourism Organization’s programme of work in the field of Education and Training, in a training programme on technological innovation and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism sector. These two entities will work together in actions for the dissemination of the use of information technologies, aimed especially at small and medium-sized tourism enterprises. They will also collaborate in the development of volunteer projects related to tourism innovation in emerging countries.
Brussels commemorates 150 years of ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo
‘Les Misérables’ is one of the greatest classics of world literature. The masterpiece by Victor Hugo also remains very popular thanks to the musical version and the many movies.
In March, it is exactly 150 years since ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo was published. Not in Paris as is often assumed, but in Brussels. The first theatrical performance of ‘Les Misérables’, an adaptation of the book by his son Charles, also took place in Brussels
To mark the 150th anniversary of ‘Les Misérables’ there are lots of events on the programme, from the purely literary to the gastronomic.
Cologne sets new tourism record
Best year in history of city’s tourism – 9.7 per cent more visitors, 8.6 per cent more overnight stays – Big increase in German and international vacationers – Attractive congress and conference destination
COLOGNE — Tourism to Cologne continued to increase in 2011, achieving a new record by beating the previous record from 2010. Last year a total of 2.84 million hotel guests came to Cologne and altogether spent 4.97 million overnight stays. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 9.7 per cent in terms of guest arrivals and 8.6 per cent in terms of overnight stays. In comparison, Germany had an overall increase in overnight stays of 4 per cent and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had an increase of 5 per cent.
Elisabeth Thelen, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Cologne Tourist Board, says: “Once again Cologne was able to further consolidate its position as one of the most popular destinations in Germany and to achieve significant growth in the most important source markets. The year’s results demonstrate that Cologne Tourist Board’s strategies are bearing fruit. With a total turnover of 6.8 billion euros, tourism represents a major source of income for Cologne and brought the city’s coffers more than 170 million euros in returns.”
Foreign guests made up 874,443 visits and a marked increase of 11 per cent, continuing to represent an overall share of 34 per cent of visitors to the city. Josef Sommer, Managing Director of Cologne Tourist Board, explains: “Special events such as the Carnival, the Christmas markets or successful large trade fairs such as imm or Anuga FoodTec continue to attract more international visitors and business travellers to Cologne. In 2011, the tourist trade in Cologne developed more dynamically than in any other German city. Our goal for 2012 is to surpass 5 million overnight stays.”
2011 source market results
A look at the visitors’ home countries reveals several interesting facts. The trend of vacationing at home remains strong — with 1.97 million visitors (a rise of 9.1 per cent), Germany is still the most important source market for Cologne. Most of the foreign visitors in 2011 came from Great Britain (109,488 / up by 10.5 per cent) and the United States (81,802 / up by 24.3 per cent). The number of guests arriving from these countries has greatly increased with the more stable economic climate. Cologne also attracted a lot of visitors from its neighbouring countries. The number of visitors from the Netherlands rose by 11.4 per cent to 92,634, while Belgium (59,823) and France (52,129) increased their share of visitors by 11.5 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively. One reason for this is the surging popularity of the high-speed Thalys train connection from Paris and Brussels. The number of guests from Switzerland also rose significantly to 42,625 visitors — an increase of 12.2 per cent.
Cologne also boasted a tremendous increase in visitors from Turkey (up by 34.4 per cent) and Russia (up by 35.7 per cent). The Russian market represents 3.5 per cent of international overnight stays — a considerable share for one country. The statistics for tax-free shopping showed that Russian guests spent 22.6 per cent more than they did the year before. In Russia, as in the Arab Gulf states (9,962 visitors / up by 24.9 per cent), health tourism is a particularly big draw.
The emerging markets of India (5,462 visitors) and China (20,875 visitors) are particularly noteworthy, with a rise of 11.4 per cent and 27.5 per cent respectively. Since 2006, Cologne Tourist Board has been actively promoting the city to the Indian market via the India Pool of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), and many years of active market placement in China are now also having an impact. The tourist office’s efforts in Brazil have also proved to be fruitful, resulting in a rise in visitors of 28.7 per cent. Compared to 2005, when the Confederations Cup took place in Cologne, the number of visitors from Brazil has actually doubled. Cologne Tourist Board visited several Brazilian cities as a part of a GNTB road show in 2011 and was able to expand its contacts there considerably — especially in line with the new town twinning of Cologne and Rio de Janeiro.
Cologne hosted 42,750 events in 2010
In June 2011, results from the “Cologne Conference Barometer”, which was commissioned by the Cologne Convention Bureau (CCB), were presented for the second time. According to the study, in 2010 Cologne hosted 42,750 events attended by 3.3 million participants. In general, Cologne has become increasingly important for event organizers and is one of Germany’s leading conference destinations. This positive trend is confirmed by the nationwide study “Meeting & Event Barometer”, which ranks the Cologne-Düsseldorf region as the third most popular location for events after Berlin/Potsdam and the Rhine-Main region surrounding Frankfurt.Potential for future development can be found in the numerous research institutes, universities and other academic institutions of Cologne, which use events as a common instrument for sharing and exchanging knowledge. That is why CCB intensified its contacts with universities and academic institutions in 2011 and will continue to cultivate these partners in 2012. Together with KölnKongress, CCB aims to attract more academic conferences to the city. One of these is the World Congress of Pathology, which will come to Cologne for the first time in 2016.
In order to compete internationally, CCB works closely together with the convention bureau DÜSSELDORF. The two cities along the Rhine placed successfully in the 2011 state-wide competition Erlebnis.NRW with their project “KÖLNDÜSSELDORF — The Meetropolis”, which was extended in 2011 and will implement a new marketing campaign in time for IMEX 2012, which will focus on international markets.
Another highlight of the Cologne MICE industry in 2011 was the 10th Cologne Congress and Event Day, which was organised by CCB, KölnKongress and the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce and attracted 50 exhibitors and 700 trade visitors.
Outlook for 2012
Focus on “Business Destination Cologne”
After last year’s focus on the theme “City of Water”, Cologne Tourist Board is introducing its 2012 marketing activities under the motto “Business Destination Cologne”. Inspired by the German National Tourist Board’s motto for this year, “Business Destination Germany”, Cologne Tourist Board — under the leadership of the Cologne Convention Bureau — aims to highlight the city’s activities in the business segment. One marketing measure is the Cologne BizzBox, a portfolio combining six different magazines that showcase various facets of Cologne as a business destination. Similar information will also be gathered and showcased on the website www.conventioncologne.de. In addition, shared activities are being planned with the German Convention Bureau, including a joint event for the Austrian meeting industry.
Activities and projects
On the occasion of the 25-year anniversary of the partnership between the cities of Cologne and Beijing, Cologne is celebrating a special China Year in 2012. Featuring a broad programme of events, it represents a forum for exchanging new impulses and fostering future cooperation. One highlight will be the “NRW-China Celebration” from 14th to 16th September 2012, which is being organised by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Cologne. Cologne Tourist Board is highlighting the 2012 China Year in its marketing activities and also supported the City of Cologne in developing the promotional website www.chinajahr-koeln.de.
Since spring 2009, the health pool “Health Cologne” project, which is led by Cologne Tourist Board, has been active in the health tourism sector. Once again the project has been able to attract numerous partners from the clinic, hotel, tourism and high-end retail sectors for 2012. With the help of the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry, these partners will appeal to customers in the markets of Russia, the Arab Gulf states, the USA and the UK. Accordingly, the popular brochure “Health Cologne” will once again be published in Russian, Arabic and English this year and will be distributed at all leading trade fairs and road shows in the source markets.
Activities on the German market will be intensified by developing an even closer cooperation with Deutsche Bahn. One instance of this was a multi-page Cologne special in the Deutsche Bahn customer magazine DB mobil, which was distributed in all trains across Germany at the beginning of the year. More than 20,000 train travellers took part in the accompanying competition to win several trips to Cologne.
In terms of online activities, the website www.koelntourismus.de boasts a steady increase in visitors and page views and will be relaunched in 2012 with optimized design, content and technical features. The online shop “der-koelnshop.de” was relaunched at the end of 2011 and is already experiencing a significant increase in turnover. Within the area of mobile internet activities, the “Köln-Guide” app will soon be released in a bilingual version. And finally, Cologne Tourist Board has been active on web 2.0 platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. As a result, the community of “VisitKoeln” fans and followers has grown steadily since 2010. Further targeted social media campaigns are in the pipeline for 2012.
Kuoni Opens New Store in Canterbury
Kuoni, a leading luxury travel brand, has opened a sumptuous new store in the Whitefriars Shopping Centre in Canterbury, with an unusual ‘meet and greet’ desk. The desk is knitted from 3,250 metres of Merino lambs-wool, other mixed wools and cotton in a variety of eye-catching colours.
Mrs Margit Viola of Augsburg in Germany is the lady who spent weeks lovingly knitting the desk using 34 balls of wool in colours: orange, bright blue, grey, black, brown and white. The completed piece was then flown to the UK and installed, ready to meet Canterbury’s Lord Major and other VIP guests from Canterbury on the 31 January 2012 at the store’s official opening party. Mrs Viola, well known for her knitting prowess, was commissioned by Kuoni to start knitting the desk back in 2011.
The inspiration for the knitted desk came from Julie Day, Facilities Manager at Kuoni, who says: “I wanted to create a dramatic first impression to the store as well as an unusual feature. The knitted desk is a real talking point and people love to touch and feel its texture. There is something about wool that is naturally warm and welcoming; this feel links with what Kuoni wants to convey – the warm welcomes our travellers receive from our staff across the world.”
In addition to the meet and greet desk, the store also boasts a dramatic 16 metre long rug that runs the length of the floor and up a wall to ceiling height in a dramatic mix of terracotta, mustard, olive green and beige colours. Authentic artefacts from different countries such as Bali and Africa make visitors feel a sense of far flung places and exotic travel from the moment they arrive in store.
Kuoni’s Personal Travel Experts are on hand in the Canterbury store to help advise-on and plan the best holiday for you. Customers can find the store at 16 Marlowe Arcade, Whitefriars Shopping Centre, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2TJ or phone on 01227-463-800.
VisitBritain Reinforces Investment in Japan – Brit Agent Training Programme
VisitBritain is reinforcing its increased investment and commitment to the world’s seventh most valuable source market for international tourism by taking a trade delegation to Japan this week, where it will introduce British tourism businesses to key Japanese travel buyers.
Taking place in Tokyo, the Japan Mission will see a series of meetings and seminars looking to secure business from Japan’s quickly recovering outbound travel sector. The delegation includes regional tourist boards, city and tourist attraction organisations, hotel groups, transportation and specialist tour operators.
Earlier this month VisitBritain rolled out a series of advertisements in Tokyo, showcasing the best of British culture, countryside and heritage. The ads form part of a £25m GREAT image campaign, which has included GREAT branded trains running on the JR Yamanote Line and billboards and digital screen commercials at Tokyo Metro Underground.
Japan remains an important market for Britain and is one of the world’s largest source markets for tourism expenditure, with an outbound traffic of 16.63 million tourists. Britain ranks as one of the top European destination for Japanese travellers – in 2011, the UK welcomed a 6% increase in arrivals from Japan compared to the previous year. VisitBritain research shows Japanese visitors also come back to Britain more times than to any other European destination, with 26% of visitors having been to Britain more than four times.
Brit Agent Training Programme
As part of the mission, VisitBritain is to launch its highly successful global online training programme BritAgent<http://www.britagent.com/>. The programme, designed to equip Japanese travel agents with a deeper understanding of the UK, will see agents who complete the training awarded BritAgent certification. BritAgent is currently running in more than 20 countries around the world.
Head of the Mission and VisitBritain’s Overseas Network Director, Keith Beecham said: “Our commitment to the Japanese outbound sector is stronger than ever, highlighted by the fact that we are bringing a strong delegation of British tourism businesses to meet with Japanese trade in this special year for Britain. We have increased our marketing investment in Japan and millions of commuters here in Tokyo will have seen our GREAT images that we hope will inspire them to choose Britain for their next holiday.
“The recent Nation Brands Index shows that the Britain is the third most admired nation brand by the Japanese, drawn here by our rich culture and heritage. Japan remains the third largest economy in the world and given the strength of the Yen, Britain remains exceptionally good value for money for Japanese visitors coming to experience all that we have to offer. We look forward to welcoming more visitors over the coming years.”
GLOBAL interest RISES in gibtm’s hosted buyer programme
Three hundred Hosted Buyers with high spending power are expected to attend GIBTM (www.gibtm.com), an indication of high-value business in light of figures, which showed that 44% of Hosted Buyers attending GIBTM 2011 had an annual meetings budget of more than m. An increase in global applications for the GIBTM Hosted Buyer Programme suggests it will be the most successful edition yet.
Marked as a must-attend event in the business calendars of meetings and event organizers from across the globe, the Hosted Buyer Programme is an invaluable element of GIBTM, which is held on March 26-28 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC).
GIBTM 2012 will welcome an increased presence of buyers travelling from destinations such as China, United Kingdom, USA, India and Germany as well as regional Middle East buyers, proving that the Hosted Buyer programme has a truly global dimension. The exhibition will provide a targeted platform for 260 global exhibitors, more than 2,800 industry professionals, an estimated 8,000 pre-scheduled appointments and an un-missable line-up of professional education to include the first ever dedicated business travel sessions delivered by ACTE (the Association of Corporate Travel Executives).
Research has confirmed that 98% of Hosted Buyers who attended GIBTM 2011 left the show feeling satisfied that the Global Meetings and Events Exhibition had met their commercial needs.
“GIBTM from its inception has helped people in the Middle East connect. Whether you are looking for great DMC partners, meeting new Hotel teams or just want to understand a destination better, GIBTM lets you do that all in one concise place,” said Hosted Buyer Kip Horton, President, International Division, HPN Global, USA. “The first time I walked in the show I thought I would be done seeing things in three hours. Invariably I now find that at the end of three days there are still some folks I did not get to connect with because I was so busy.
“As this region gains prominence as a destination for group meetings and incentives, anyone planning on working there needs to be at GIBTM. Whether it’s to renew old partnerships or establish new ones, GIBTM is not to be missed.”
Benefits for Hosted Buyers at GIBTM include complimentary flights and accommodation, transfers and a personal diary of pre–scheduled appointments. In addition to these, buyers will also be invited to exclusive networking events at the brand new Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi and the luxurious Emirates Palace, dedicated Hosted Buyer lounges, the chance to meet a broad range of international exhibitors and dedicated education on a variety of industry-related hot topics and global trends.
Lois Hall, Reed Travel Exhibitions Manager of GIBTM, explained: “The Hosted Buyer programme offers excellent business opportunities through the facilitation of pre-scheduled face-to-face meetings. Buyers are able to plan their time more efficiently and are matched with the exhibitors they want to meet through the system, which translates to even more opportunities to conduct business onsite. We constantly seek ways to bring buyers and sellers together to maximise their return on investment at GIBTM.”
Sara Spencer, Conference Manager at Select Biosciences in the UK, said: “Select Biosciences provides training courses and conferences to the life science marketplace. At the moment we do not hold events in the Middle East, but it is a geographical area that we are very interested in moving into, hence my attendance at GIBTM. I would be interested in meeting venues, suppliers and people that are able to advise on the ease and support that is provided to event organisers.”
In addition to the Hosted Buyer experience at GIBTM, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority will be hosting an ‘Abu Dhabi Day’ on the final day of the exhibition, after the show closes at 1pm, offering overseas buyers the opportunity to tour and explore the capital. Highlights include the grand Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the city of Abu Dhabi and Manarat Al Saadiyat, a multi-purpose visitor centre which hosts the state-of-the-art Saadiyat Island exhibition, ‘The Saadiyat Story’ and the world premiere of Rauschenberg, Ruscha, Serra, Twombly, Warhol and Wool (RSTW) an exhibition of masterpieces from the private collection of one of the art world’s pre-eminent figures Larry Gagosian.
If you are an organiser of an event or conference or someone who influences or makes budgetary decisions for international business travel, meetings, incentive travel, international conventions, product launches or staff training, then you could be eligible to attend the largest gathering of meeting professionals in the Gulf as a Hosted Buyer. Apply today www.gibtm.com/hostedbuyers
UNWTO activities at ITB 2012
UNWTO events at this year’s ITB Travel Trade Show include a high-level session on tourism trends in the Mediterranean, the Silk Road Ministers’ meeting, a session on consumer protection and a meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection, among others (Berlin, Germany, 7-11 March, 2012).
Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting (7 March, 11.00 – 12.30, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)
Ministers of the Silk Road will meet to discuss how they can work together to capitalize on the revival of the Silk Road. This year’s meeting will include a special session on the importance of route development in strengthening the Silk Road product offer and attracting investment. The Ministers’ Meeting will be followed by the VIP Walk ‘Flavours of the Silk Road’ where UNWTO Secretary-General and ITB management will visit 10 countries showcasing the Silk Road’s most celebrated cuisine.
Tour Operators will convene at the Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road – Creating a stronger business environment for growth (8 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Palais West), to discuss how to overcome the challenges and create opportunities for doing business on the Silk Road.
For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@UNWTO.org
High-Level Session on Tourism Trends and Outlook in the Mediterranean (7 March, 14.00 – 15.00, Hall 7.1b, Auditorium London)
Destinations around the Mediterranean, the world’s most visited region, face a number of challenges; economic, political and environmental. This session, moderated by UNWTO media partner CNN, with Ministers of Tourism from the region and private sector representatives, will address questions such as: What trends are affecting the region? What challenges and opportunities face these destinations in the long-term and how can they adapt to changing market conditions? In view of the UNWTO forecast Tourism Towards 2030, what is the outlook for the region over the next two decades?
For more information, please click here or contact comm@unwto.org
First Meeting of the Global National Tourism Organizations (NTO) Think Tank – Creating value through collaboration (7 March, 16.00 – 18.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)
A joint initiative of UNWTO and the European Travel Commission (ETC), the Global NTO Think Tank will provide an opportunity for NTOs from around the world to collaborate on common issues and strategic priorities.
By invitation only. For more information, please contact eterzibasoglu@unwto.org
UNWTO Press Conference – International tourism results and World Tourism Day 2012 (8 March, 12.00 – 14.00, ICC, Hall 4/5)
The UNWTO Secretary-General will present the tourism trends and figures for 2011 and outlook for 2012.
UNWTO will also launch the World Tourism Day 2012 official celebrations with the presence of the Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego Cortés, under the theme: Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development. World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO, David Scowsill, will also be present to highlight the joint efforts of WTTC and UNWTO in advancing a common agenda on visa facilitation as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
For more information, please contact comm@UNWTO.org
Meeting on Crisis Management – Information needs in times of crises for the travel and tourism sector (9 March, 09.30 – 11.00, ICC, Salon 21)
UNWTO and members of the Tourism Emergency Response Network (TERN) will meet to discuss their information needs in times of crises to help minimize the negative perception on consumer’s behaviour, while at the same time ensuring safety and well-being and allowing for a fast recovery.
For more information, please click here or contact rcm@UNWTO.org
UNWTO Session on Consumer Protection – Accommodation related issues (9 March, 11.00 – 13.00, ICC, Hall 7)
In the absence of international regulations governing the rights and responsibilities of tourists/consumers and tour operators, UNWTO set up a working group to draft a legal instrument for their protection. At ITB 2012, UNWTO will host a special session on accommodation related issues, the conclusions of which will feed into the next meeting of the working group.
For more information, please click here or contact cpt@UNWTO.org
27th Meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection (9 March, 14.30 – 17.30, ICC, Hall 7)
The 2012 meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection will focus on “Young Workers in the Tourism Sector: Risks and Opportunities”. The event is jointly organized by UNWTO and the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO–IPEC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The meeting will also feature a reporting session, affording representatives of national tourism administrations, the tourism sector, NGOs and specialized media outlets an opportunity to report on new projects concerning child protection in tourism.
For more information, please click here or contact ethics@UNWTO.org
FIBES CONSOLIDATES ITS COMMERCIAL ACTIONS THROUGH SEVERAL CONFERENCES
THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OF THE XIX IBERO-LATIN AMERICAN COLLEGE OF DERMATOLOGY CONFERENCE, CILAD 2012, VISITED FIBES FACILITIES
The aim of the visit was for the Organizing Committee of the 2012 CILAD Conference to get to know the new FIBES Conference Hall on site
The Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology has chosen Seville and FIBES, Seville’s Exhibition and Conference Hall, as the venue to hold the
XIX Ibero- Latin American College of Dermatology Conference, CILAD 2012, running from the 19th through to the 22nd September 2012.
To that aim, a visit was carried out last February 24th, both to the present facilities and those of FIBES expansion, so as to get first-hand
knowledge of the new spaces which will hold CILAD 2012.
The President of the Organizing Committee and promoter of the event, Dr. Julián Conejo-Mir, and other professionals of the sector have known on
site the superb, versatile possibilities of FIBES new Conference Hall.
This XIX Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology Conference will be one of the first conference events to be held at FIBES new Conference
Hall and it is expected to welcome 4,000 members of the largest Spanish-Portuguese speaking dermatologic society in the world, made up by over
22 countries. This high number of conference delegates will have direct positive effect on the different sectors of the city, such as shopping,
hotels, public transport, taxi, etc.
After the visit, the organizers expressed their admiration to FIBES New Conference Hall, as they praised the many possibilities that
it offers.
Besides, FIBES still goes on with its active work on the field of Corporate Social Responsibility and on Social Issues, by holding significant,
relevant events. An example of this was the International Forum on Cooperativism, held last February 23rd, organized by CEPES Andalucía
(Andalusia’s Business Confederation of Social Economy) to celebrate the International Year of Cooperativism.
Nearly 1,000 attended the event at FIBES, with a wide representation of cooperative business, politics, economy and general society. In
this line, we should point out the participation of first-class speakers who dealt with the present economic and social situation, the prospects
for the future and the general role to be played by Social Economy and, especially, cooperative business to build up a world without unfair
economic and social elements.
This forum has enhanced the cooperative model as an alternative for the economic recovery and as a basement on which to build a new production
scenario, starting from parameters based on sustainability and social justice.
Iceland Invites the World to Dinner Marked by the Launch of Eldhús- Iceland’s little house of food
Iceland is inviting tourists to take part in a 12-day culinary road trip in Eldhús; Iceland‘s little house of food. The journey will start in Reykjavik and continue through black sand beaches and snow-capped glaciers, celebrating Iceland’s finest foods along the way.
Tom Sellers (of Noma fame) will become one of the Head Chefs of Eldhús and will be accompanied by his maître-d, Heimir, and fellow Icelanders in the exclusive venture, which will seat only six diners per evening.
In October 2011, Iceland became the first country in the world to open up its doors to invite tourists in for a unique Icelandic experience. Following a national address from President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, hundreds of Icelanders pledged their individual invites on inspiredbyIceland.com.
A compelling response from tourists saw holidaymakers flock to the island to take part in the boundary pushing experiences. An insight into Icelandic food was a hugely popular offering and the President himself invited tourists over for Icelandic pancakes with him and his wife Dorrit.
Continuing with the popularity of food, Iceland is now planning to make its mark on the globe as an inspirational destination for food loving tourists offering visitors a unique food experience. Eldhús; the little house of food which has been built from scratch, will be travelling across the most remote and extreme areas of Icelandseeking out the best of Icelandic fare.
Designed to encompass traditional Icelandic charm, Eldhús, which is Icelandic for kitchen and literally translates to ‘Fire House’, is complete with a turf roof and will be an intimate 2 x 4.3 meters only seating six diners around one single table each evening. Its very own Icelandic butler, Heimir, will accompany the house on its expedition and will welcome guests each day.
Launching to the public on the 7th March 2012 it is the latest project from Inspired by Iceland and is aimed at food loving tourists-specifically those who are yet to realise how evolved Icelandic gastronomy has become.
Tourists are invited to dine at the exclusive venture via the Inspired by Iceland website (inspiredbyiceland.com) from 2pm today.
The impending food journey has already inspired world-class ex Noma chef, Tom Sellers who will be in Iceland to participate in the launch of Eldhúsand will follow the house’s journey in a bid to take Icelandic inspiration back to his own soon-to-launch restaurant in London.
“I am exceedingly intrigued by Icelandic cooking. The people of Iceland are passionate about food but we don’t hear about it all that much outside of Iceland itself. They’re a creative country and by being creative with food we are beginning to see interesting food trends emerge. Traditional delicacies are clearly still important to their food culture but Icelandic food has taken a modern turn. They have access to some of the freshest ingredients in the world and the cooking is simply outstanding.Iceland should be proud of this and show the world what they can actually do,” says Tom.
The Icelandic community will also be encouraged to open their kitchens to tourists for a wealth of culinary experiences as part of the Inspired By Iceland invitation program.
“In Fall 2011 we opened up our doors to tourists and shared unique experiences which you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Now with Eldhús and also our own kitchens, we have the wonderful opportunity to do this again and share the delights of our evolving food culture,” says Inga HlínPálsdóttir, Director, Marketing& Visit Iceland at Promote Iceland.
Art&Tourism starts off dialogue between tourism and culture
Paolo Verri, project Manager for Art&Tourism describes what is new about this fair, which is a unique event in the calendar of world fairs, bringing worlds of art and travel together for the first time.
Art&Tourism is organised by TTG Italia, one of the most reputable key palyers in Italy for the business tourism sector
“This new fair brings culture and tourism together for the first time. Although the value of these two sectors together accounts for 10% of Italian GDP, not enough discussion is devoted to them. Culture always generates very interesting contents, but the ten most important museums in Italy are responsible for approx 85% of the income. This means there is enormous scope to develop many niche products and boost the numbers of national and international tourists, there is still great potential for growth.
The interesting thing is to think of the location itself as a place to visit on a tour. The buyers can see all the main offers being produced by museums at the international level. The family visitor might, for example, discover that you can experience a museum by letting your kids play with contemporary art and science”.
To learn more about Art & Tourism click here
CSR in tourism: a long-term topic at ITB Berlin
Forward-looking projects and new ideas on corporate social responsibility in tourism – ITB CSR Day with hot topics – human rights in tourism and sustainability certificates – new: practical information from Responsible Tourism Clinics
Berlin, 28 February 2012 – CSR in tourism is becoming an increasingly important issue. Nowhere is this more accurately reflected than at ITB Berlin. All areas of corporate and social responsibility are hot topics at the world’s leading travel trade show. More issues are now being covered than ever before. They include accessible tourism, human rights, seals of approval, geoparks, rainforests and over-exploitation of resources.Corporate social responsibility has been top of the agenda at the ITB Berlin Convention for many years. The Destination Days (7 to 9 March 2012), MICE Day (7 March 2012) and Mobility Day (9 March 2012) will all be addressing aspects of climate change and sustainable tourism. In a noteworthy keynote speech Felix Finkbeiner will talk about the future of transport, for example. In front of an audience the 14 year-old initiator of the “Plant for the Planet Children Initiative“ will set out the next generation’s expectations. For many years the ITB CSR Day has been driving discussion forward. On 8 March 2012 there will be lectures and panel discussions attended by tour operators, technical colleges, the hotel industry and non-profit organisations who will be debating sustainability certificates and accessible tourism. Among the main events will be a panel discussion entitled “Human rights in Tourism“ with members of the German Tourism Association (DRV), Tourism Watch and Studiosus.
New exhibitors and a big programme of events in Hall 4.1
CSR is the main theme of the ECO & Adventure Hall (4.1), where lectures and events on sustainable and socially responsible tourism await participants on each of the three days of the show reserved for trade visitors. At an event moderated by Mary Amiri, a well known travel journalist and TV personality, international tourism experts will be holding discussions at the seventh pow-wow for trade visitors. The main topic on day one will be rainforests, accompanied by an outstanding photo exhibition. The images are from the eponymous documentary called “Pearls of the Rainforest – a Peace Park in the Centre of America “, which was filmed on Lake Nicaragua in Rio San Juan, in the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve on the Caribbean coast. Day two will feature workshops and lectures on geotourism, geoparks, geo-travellers and geo-destinations, and on day three experts will highlight the benefits, challenges and trends involved in responsible tourism.
Following their successful launch at ITB Asia the Responsible Tourism Clinics are due to take place at ITB Berlin for the first time. In Hall 4.1, at the stand of The Blue Yonder, a partner of ITB, experts will be offering practical tips and responding to questions on how to put sustainable tourism measures into practice. Visitors can find out about the development of innovative products from India and South Africa.
ITB Berlin stands for CSR
This year ITB Berlin is again supporting reconstruction in Haiti, the charity fund Aidshilfe Berlin and the Child Protection Code. Last year ITB Berlin was the world’s first trade fair to sign the code of conduct pledging to protect children against sexual exploitation in tourism. What is more, ITB Berlin offers all visitors to the show and exhibitors an opportunity to improve their carbon footprint through compensation payments. Together with Deutsche Bahn ITB Berlin recommends climate-friendly travel packages to the show, available at www.itb-berlin.de/en/
By compensating all business flights through Atmosfair ITB Berlin supports a project in the Indian province of Karnataka, an emergent tourism region: small biogas plants run on local cow dung are replacing firewood and paraffin. This significantly helps improve women’s and children’s health and reduces the currently high volume of logging.
ITB also lets exhibitors and visitors support this project. At the Atmosfair counter at the south entrance they can calculate and compensate their carbon footprint.
All events to do with CSR at ITB Berlin 2012 are presented in a programme which is available at every information counter on the exhibition grounds. A flyer can also be downloaded at http://www.itb-berlin.de/en/
Cheltenham Racecourse asserts itself as a South West business destination
Cheltenham Racecourse is raising its profile with Gloucestershire based businesses, hosting a series of networking events in partnership with The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo Women in Business Awards 2012.
The racecourse hopes the series of networking events will help assert itself as a leading South West events destination through showcasing the range of conference and events facilities at the venue. Located only one mile from Cheltenham town centre, the venue offers a multitude of event spaces including The Centaur, a 2,250 seated auditorium with state-of-the-art lighting and sound capabilities, as well as 300 acres available for outside events.
Cheltenham Racecourse has hosted two networking events this year in conjunction with the Women in Business Awards, the final event will take place on Thursday 8th March before the Awards ceremony in the venue’s Centaur Suite on Thursday 29th March. The annual awards ceremony shines the spotlight on women at the heart of the county’s business community, sponsored by Coutts & Co, the Awards consist of eight categories including Woman of the Year, Women in the Workplace and Rising Star of the Year.
Emma Samways, head of events Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset, said “We are very pleased Cheltenham Racecourse is sponsoring The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo Women in Business Awards which are now in their third year. The networking events are a great way to help promote the Awards and they have been really well received by women in business from the Gloucestershire area, guests have been treated to Bloody Mary shots, desserts from across the globes and tasty Spanish tapas.”
Susie Bradshaw, conference and events manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “We are relishing the opportunity to host local business women at our venue, creating networking opportunities whilst also revealing the catering and event spaces we have to offer to our key target audience. The events have been highly successful and we are very honoured to be working with the Women in Business Awards, which highlight the hard work and determination of the talented women who help drive Gloucestershire’s economy.”
EASL selects Congrex as key partner to the most important conference in Hepatology
After an intense bidding process which began in March 2011, the Governing Board of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) announced their decision to appoint Congrex Switzerland as its official Professional Conference Organiser as of 2014.
“We strongly believe in Congrex’s capacity to deliver an outstanding service,” commented Prof. Mark Thursz, Secretary General of EASL, “and also in their personal approach and dedication to create a strong partnership”. With more than 8,000 clinicians, scientists and other delegates, the International Liver CongressTM is the most important conference in the field of Hepatology in Europe.
For Congrex, the partnership with EASL is a strong indication of its commitment to strategically support associations. Congrex brings to the table ‘more-than-30-years’ experience and in-depth knowledge of organising major medical conferences which sets it apart as a key strategic partner.
“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to manage the ILC 2014″, announced Congrex Switzerland’s Regional Managing Director Alain Pittet. “We look forward to delivering on our promises, to EASL, to be an imaginative and caring association partner that understands the longer term strategic visions of EASL now and into the future.”
ABPCOs 25th anniversary conference most successful ever
ABPCOs 25th anniversary annual conference which took place last month in London at The Barbican Centre has been hailed the Association’s most successful ever, recording the largest attendance to date in its silver anniversary year.
Attendance figures for the event were up considerably on previous years, with over 170 attending the gala dinner held in the Crypt at St Pauls cathedral, which played host to ABPCOs first ever awards ceremony.
The conference gave PCOs and other industry professionals the opportunity to network and share experiences with fellow delegates from other areas of the industry. Delegate feedback highlighted the inspiring and motivational keynote speakers, the networking opportunities and the interactive workshops. Comments indicated that there was a genuine buzz at the conference, particularly on Twitter where many delegates were tweeting what was happening throughout the day using the conference hashtag #abpcoconf12.
The first day of the ABPCO conference commenced with an incredibly inspiring keynote speaker Dr. Graeme Codrington, who delivered a powerful and thought provoking presentation on the future and what major changes lie ahead. Day two focused on hot topics, finishing with a panel debate in a plenary session. Key issues discussed included subvention, wi-fi in the context of ABPCO’s Conference Cloud campaign and hybrid events.
Delegate feedback indicated a high level of satisfaction with many commenting on the excellent buzz and networking opportunities created.
ABPCO member and delegate Rose Padmore from Opening Doors and Venues said: What another great conference delivered by ABPCO. A real feeling of belonging to an industry that is growing in strength and subsequently providing the motivation and encouragement to attack the future with more confidence!
ABPCO Chair Michael Foreman said: We were delighted with the turnout at ABPCOs 25th anniversary conference this year; it was a tremendous success. Our delegates have all been tweeting and linking in with each other post-conference, extending their networks beyond the event itself, and the general feeling was that ABPCOs conferences just get better and better!
We have grown significantly as an Association over the last two years and plan to continue to support our members and champion key industry issues moving forward in 2012.
For more information on ABPCO, visit <http://www.ABPCO.org> www.ABPCO.org.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Albaugh to Speak at JP Morgan Conference on March 14
Boeing (NYSE: BA) Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh will speak at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation and Defense Conference in New York on Wednesday, March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. ET.
Visit http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/financial/ or http://jpmorgan.metameetings.com/webcasts/aviation12/directlink?ticker=BA to access a link to the live broadcast of the conference. Individuals should check the website prior to the session to ensure their computers can access the audio stream.
Gourmet Stars Awards crowns Abu Dhabi’s hospitality elite
Hakkasan, the modern Chinese fine dining restaurant at Emirates Palace, scooped the prestigious ‘Restaurant of the Year’ gong at the 2012 Gourmet Stars Awards – the closing event of Gourmet Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s annual culinary festival.
Having established a credible worldwide brand courtesy of affiliated restaurants in London’s Hanway Place, London Mayfair, Miami, Mumbai, Dubai and New York, Hakkasan – owned by Abu Dhabi-based property investment company, Tasameem – did not have everything its own way as its Head Chef Lee Kok Hua narrowly lost out to Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi counterpart, Chef Patrick Bischoff, in the coveted ‘Executive Chef of the Year’ race.
In all, 11 Gourmet Stars Awards were presented, with Hakkasan’s success sealing three category wins for restaurants or individuals connected to Emirates Palace; Chef Josef Teuschler took home the much-sought-after ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’ award, while the UAE’s Chef Ali Ebdowa of Emirati fine dining restaurant, Mezlai, added a ‘Regional Cuisine Chef of the Year’ crown to the ‘Special Honorary Award’ he picked up last year.
Following in the footsteps of Chef Ebdowa, Emirati pioneer Chef Khuloud Atiq won this year’s ‘Special Honorary Award’ for her work as a consultant with Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC).
In addition to Chef Bischoff’s ‘Executive Chef of the Year’ win, Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Group also celebrated Geoffrey Boon, from Teatro, Park Rotana claiming the prize for ‘Restaurant Manager of the Year’.
The iconic Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi also claimed two awards: Rika Yusmita won ‘Restaurant Host of the Year’ for her role at Kazu, while the mouth-watering fare at Atayeb restaurant saw it earn ‘Regional Cuisine Restaurant of the Year.’
Elsewhere, Chef Amrish Sood won ‘Restaurant Chef of the Year’– the maestro’s ongoing work at Ushna, Souk, Qaryat Al Beri, ensuring he became the first person in Gourmet Stars Awards history to claim back-to-back category wins.
In other awards, Hilton Abu Dhabi’s Gajendra Sharma won ‘Food & Beverage Manager of the Year’, while Mariam Elacel, of Cedar Lounge, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, won ‘Regional Cuisine Manager of the Year’.
1 in 10 delegates goes free for meetings held in the first half of 2012
The 1 in 10 offer from Hilton hotels in Austria allows you to get more for your budget. There is no longer a reason to leave a valuable team member behind – and every reason to book today.
Benefit from this great promotion and make additional savings based on the number of participants.
This special promotion is available for new requests for meetings or events from January to June 2012.
Hotels participating:
- Hilton Vienna
- Hilton Vienna Danube
- Hilton Vienna Plaza
- Hilton Innsbruck
This special offer is bookable until 31 March 2012.
Offer limited to a maximum of twenty (20) meeting fee waivers and twenty (20) free room nights per meeting.
ALL SET FOR UNIQUE MUAY THAI (THAI BOXING) FESTIVAL IN MARCH 2012
More than 300 Muay Thai boxers will be in Thailand between 17-23 March 2012 for the 8th Thai boxing tournament and festival, one of the most unique events on the global sporting arena.
As in past years, the week-long event will bring together competitors as well as hundreds of Thai boxing enthusiasts from 30 countries including the U.K., Canada, Russia, South Korea, France, Ukraine, and South Africa.
Officially known as the World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony and Miracle Muay Thai Festival, the event is being organised by TAT at the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
Co-organisers of the event are the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Administrative Organization, Association Institute of Thai Martial Arts, Kru Muay Thai Association, and the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand.
Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport as well an intrinsic part of its history, heritage and culture. Its ancient origins can be traced back to Muay Boran or “ancient boxing”, a form of unarmed combat used by Siamese soldiers in conjunction with ancient weapons called Krabee Krabong.
The festival’s main venue, the province of Ayutthaya, is the home of its legendary hero, Nai Khanom Tom, who according to popular narratives, gained his freedom from the former Burmese rulers by emerging victorious over a number of Burmese fighters with a combination of his fighting skills as well as the unique opening ritual that precedes all bouts.
TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, “There can be no better place than Thailand for such an event. The Festival aims to promote Thai martial arts as a legacy that reflects the wisdom of the ancestors and hails its role in safeguarding the independence of the country from generation to generation.”
In 2011, the World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony and Miracle Muay Thai Festival also won PATA Gold Awards 2011 in the culture category.
This year, the highlights and activities include a Muay Thai exhibition, performance and tournament as well as educational sessions for visitors with special interests. There will be associated activities; such as, live demonstration of the making of Thai handicraft and Thai cuisine.
According to the programme, the Wai Khru Muay Thai Ceremony will be held on 17 March 2012 at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Stadium and the Miracle Muay Thai Festival will be held at the Ayutthaya Tourism Centre from 17-28 March 2012.
The other activities; such as, World Championship – Amateur, Amateur Muay Thai World Championships, Pro-Am Muay Thai World Championships and Muay Thai training camps will be held during 16-23 March 2012 at the Suphachalasai Stadium in Bangkok.
For further information, please contact, activities promotion division, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel: 02-2505500 ext 3490 to 3494, or TAT call center 1672, or log in tohttp://www.muaythaifestival.com/.
Holiday Lettings™ February Travel Bulletin: Early 2012 Booking Trends Driven by Jubilee Planning and Sunshine Escapism
LONDON, February 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –
- More than 200,000 booking enquiries for holiday cottages, villas and apartments in busiest January ever
- 56,000 properties now listed in 119 countries worldwide
- Consumers desperate for winter sun escapes as demand for last minute Canaries accommodation rises 14% and Indonesia demand soars 440% year on year
- Jubilee week is the most enquired about seven night period with England appealing most
- Easter weekend breaks in Prague lead the city break charge while Albufeira leads the popularity stakes for Easter and Jubilee weekend sunshine escapes
- Short haul sun and renowned ski resorts appeal most for February half term
- A Miami Beach property tops the list of most enquired about in first six weeks of 2012
- Seeb, Oman tops destinations where demand most outstrips supply of accommodation
- Seven night breaks dominate enquiries, with the exception of Turkey where 14 night breaks in July are currently most popular
Demand for holiday villas, cottages and chalets on holidaylettings.co.uk grew by almost 30 per cent in January 2012 year on year. Consumer choice in this arena also continues to grow with more than 56,000 options now available in 8,304 destinations worldwide.
Well known destinations draw the volume of enquiries from those seeking reliable climate in the case of winter sun breaks in the Canaries. Reliable skiing conditions also take priority as Chamonix and Grand Massif appear fifth and sixth in the list of most enquired about destinations for February half term holidays.
The most commonly enquired about holiday start date in January was 2 June 2012, compared to 6 August 2011 in January last year. The opportunity to take three days off from work and secure a nine day break are sure to be driving this, thanks to the additional Jubilee Bank Holiday.
Under-the-radar destinations like Seeb in Oman, Cala’n Bosch in Menorca and Figueretas in Ibiza are attracting holidaymakers but are yet to benefit from second home investors to help boost the accommodation offering.
Within the UK, city breaks rest alongside traditional seaside haunts as favourites for February half term. London, Bath, York and Edinburgh mingle with Brighton, Newquay, Bournemouth and St Ives creating a decided split between holidays with more of an educational edge and those hoping for fresh air and relaxation by the sea.
Olympic Air appoints AVIAREPS in France
Leading General Sales Agent and Greek airline further intensify their cooperation
AVIAREPS, the multinational aviation and tourism management expert, has been entrusted with the representation of Olympic Air in France. As a result of the yet successful cooperation of both companies, the appointment is extended to this further territory. AVIAREPS will provide the Greek carrier with a professional sales force as well as a reservations department from its Paris office. The local representation aims at strengthening Olympic Air’s market position in France and facilitating the approach to the travel trade industry and end-consumers alike.
From its base in the Greek capital, Olympic Air offers seamless onward connections to a total of 32 domestic destinations in Greece. Among them are major cities and tourist spots such as Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Rhodes and the Aegean islands.
Olympic Air currently operates a total of approximately 150 flights per day, amounting to a network of 40 destinations (8 of them being international and 32 domestic). Through its main operation base at Athens International Airport, and its secondary hubs in Thessaloniki and Rhodes, the carrier also links to beyond destinations such as Cairo/Istanbul/Larnaca/Tel Aviv. Partner codes hare agreements with Aegean Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Delta Airlines, and Etihad complete the flight network of Olympic Air, which includes also long haul services, with its partners to New York, Johannesburg, Sydney and Melbourne.
Olympic Air (OA) is one of Europe’s younger airlines, born from the acquisition of the formerly state-owned flag carrier of Greece, ‘Olympic Airlines’, by the Marfin Investment Group in April 2009.
Former CEO of Sarawak Convention Bureau Conferred Sarawak State Award Former CEO of Sarawak Convention Bureau Conferred Sarawak State Award
KUCHING, 24 February: Mrs Jill Henry, former Chief Executive Officer of the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) was conferred the Darjah Gemilang Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak – Johan Bintang Kenyalang (Honorary) [JBK (H)] at a special investiture ceremony held at the Miri Marriot Resort & Spa, on 3 February 2012. The award was presented by the Acting Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Head of State) of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Asfia Awang Nasser, and is only given to foreigners who have rendered exceptional and meritorious service or deeds to the State of Sarawak, the government and the people.
“”It is a tremendous honour to be receiving this prestigious award from the State and to be recognised for my work in Sarawak. I see this award as one that primarily recognises the achievements of the Bureau team rather than me as an individual and commend all my bureau and industry colleagues for their hard work and dedication in successfully launching Sarawak in the international meetings industry,” commented Mrs Henry.
Dato’ Sri Dr. Muhd. Leo Michael Toyad Abdullah commented, “Jill deserves this recognition as she has made an immense contribution to the State by successfully positioning Sarawak as a competitive MICE destination, and placed Kuching on the world map in ICCA’s Asia Pacific City Ranking for the first time ever.”
“Furthermore, she has assisted to make changes to the State’s procedures to benefit the local “Business Tourism” industry- establishing a solid base for clients to access government support and industry assistance. As Chairman, I wish to congratulate her on behalf of the SCB family,” he adds.
Under Mrs Henry’s direction, SCB has secured over 180 conferences to the State, bringing in approximately RM 202 million in direct delegate expenditure, and won acclaim for their destination marketing prowess and has been recognised as worldwide best practice winning 9 international awards for its destination videos and campaigns.
The Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak (Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak) is the subsequent order group in the state’s Group of Orders after the Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak (Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak). Among the 6 ranks of this order is the Johan Bintang Kenyalang (Companion of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak), which is limited to 150 recipients at one time.
Loyalty Partner Solutions (LPS) is New Miles & More Programme Operator
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is migrating its Miles & More programme to a new technological platform. The existing platform is replaced by an IT system developed by Munich-based Loyalty Partner Solutions (LPS). This change is the result of increasing Miles & More member numbers, more complex business processes and tougher demands with regard to campaign management, all of which require a flexible and scalable software architecture. Under the ten-year agreement, LPS will be responsible for operating and further developing the Miles & More system.
“Miles & More is one of the world’s largest and most complex frequent flyer programmes and IT projects. With the new platform and our general contractor LPS, we are setting another important milestone in the history of the programme. We are laying the foundations for a more customer-friendly system that will enable us to react faster to future technological changes,” says Günter Friedrich, Vice President Development IT Sales Systems, Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
“We are delighted to be migrating the Miles & More programme to a new technological platform,” says Christian Hess, Managing Director of Loyalty Partner Solutions. “In developing a state-of-the-art and highly flexible solution for Lufthansa, we were able to draw on, among other things, our many years of experience as an IT service provider for Europe’s biggest bonus programme Payback.”
The new system is based on the “Loyalty Management Suite” (LMS) standard solution from Loyalty Partner Solutions. This flexible software platform for setting up and operating customer loyalty programmes covers the entire chain of customer loyalty activities – from managing accounts and redemption processes to conducting advertising campaigns. It also supports interfaces to all common CRM and data warehouse systems and therefore brings together all available programme information within the company.
The solution – known as “Samba” (Special Advanced Miles & More Business Architecture) – is a central system of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. It keeps the cost of operating the classical functions of a customer loyalty programme low, while at the same time offering greater flexibility when it comes to the design of the Miles & More programme and conducting campaigns. For example, Lufthansa can now integrate new programme partners into the system more easily. Miles & More employees can also use Samba to themselves configure promotion rules stored in the system for ensuring the correct implementation of collection and redemption processes.
Partner country Egypt at ITB Berlin
Grand opening ceremony on 6 March 2012 – numerous cultural events with typical national attractions at the world’s largest travel trade show – interactive communication via Facebook and Twitter
Berlin, 24 February 2012 – In March 2012 Egypt, the partner country of ITB Berlin, will have a wide-ranging programme of events to offer the international trade visitors and the general public attending the world’s largest travel trade show. During the show, which takes place from 7 to 11 March 2012, visitors to Hall 23a will be able to find out more about Egypt’s culture and history as well as tourism to this country. Among those performing at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, 6 March 2012 in the International Congress Center ICC Berlin will be members of the Cairo Opera House. At the ITB Berlin Convention, the international travel industry’s leading think tank, discussion will focus on the Arab Spring and its impact on tourism.
Hisham Zaazou, Senior Assistant Minister of Tourism: “As the partner country of ITB Berlin 2012 Egypt is highly enthusiastic and committed. This is a milestone for our tourism industry and signals continuity for our strongest branch of industry in these times of political change.“
The question as to what the future holds for the tourism industry in the Arab countries will be debated at the ITB Berlin Convention. On 7 March 2012 from 4.15 to 5.30 p.m. the topic for discussion will be “The Arab rebellion: an Arab Spring or tourism ice age?“. Experts on the Arab region including Prof. Dr. Volker Perthes, Humboldt-Universität Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin, director of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik and Dietmar Gunz, CEO FTI Group, will put forward scenarios and provide orientation.
Egypt has been at ITB Berlin ever since the show’s launch in 1966. In 2012 it will occupy close to 2,000 square metres of floor space in Hall 23, making it one of the largest exhibitors at the show. Visitors to the hall can experience the diversity of Egypt’s holiday regions, including the Nile Delta, Red Sea, desert landscapes, oases and the Mediterranean coast. At a bazaar they can also purchase the country’s handicrafts, sample regional specialities, or enjoy a musical foretaste of Egypt with atmospheric live music and folk presentations. Badawy, one of the country’s best known chefs, will be cooking dishes at the Brandenburg Restaurant in Hall 24.
A colourful Egyptian carnival procession will be taking place in the various halls on every day of the fair. An impressive performance of traditional Tanoura dancing, which involves an artistic display of dancers’ skirts, awaits visitors to Hall 4.1. Samaa, a group of Islamic and Coptic singers, blends different religious beliefs with its sounds, expressing peace among faiths and Egypt’s uniformity as a nation. On 9 March, at 3.30 p.m., book lovers can draw inspiration from the ITB Book Awards which will take place in the hall hosting Egypt’s displays. Travel calendars, travel guides and travelogues covering the country’s entire range of attractions will whet the public’s enthusiasm for Egypt. On 11 March 2012 at the closing ceremony of ITB Berlin, Egypt will put on an artistic performance with The Festival of the Delphic Games.
The ankh project is yet another of the numerous trade fair and marketing measures which this year’s partner country has launched. This ancient symbol signifying eternal life forms part of the “We are Egypt“ logo and represents Egypt’s visual signature as the partner country of ITB Berlin 2012. Visitors to Berlin will be able to see twenty different ankh sculptures by Egyptian artists throughout the city. From 7 February to 4 March 2012 various promotional activities involving this year’s partner country await customers visiting the store of the outdoor equipment supplier Globetrotter in Berlin-Steglitz. Competitions with prizes, videos, music and information on Egypt as well as a lecture by the travel agency DIAMIR Erlebnisreisen will bring Egypt’s magic to the German capital.
Social networking sites offer numerous opportunities for those interested in finding out more about Egypt at the show or at home. Here, they can contact Egyptian internet users, chat live with people in Egypt, or exchange views via Facebook or Twitter, for example. Additional information on Egypt is available from www.egypt.travel or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AegyptenFans.
Opening ceremony of ITB Berlin with leading figures from politics and tourism
A celebrity line-up will be present at the world’s leading travel trade show: on 6 March 2012, on the eve of the fair, Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Dr. Philipp Rösler will open this year’s ITB Berlin. ITB Berlin and Egypt, this year’s partner country, will extend an invitation to attend the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. in Room 1 of the ICC Berlin.
Raimund Hosch, CEO Messe Berlin GmbH, will welcome around 4,500 international industry representatives before handing over to other celebrity guests at the opening event. Among those due to speak are Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Klaus Laepple, President of the German Tourism Industry (BTW). H.E. Mounir Fahkri Abdel Nour, the Egyptian Minister for Tourism, will speak on behalf of Egypt, the partner country of ITB.
At the opening ceremony in the ICC Berlin the partner country of ITB will be highlighting Egypt’s past with historic exhibits ranging from ancient times to the present day. Afterwards, traditional and contemporary dancing will offer a foretaste of the evening’s celebrations. Taking as its slogan “The Colours of Egypt“ this 15-minute opening performance will display a variety of folk dancing styles. A ballet piece by the Cairo Opera House entitled “Malgré Tout“ tells the story of Egypt’s rebirth after the trials of revolution. At the end of the event the guests will all be invited to dance with the artists on stage before Egypt invites them to savour its regional specialities and culinary delights.
World’s most romantic places to propose this leap year
London, England, 24 February 2012
It’s a leap year, when, according to tradition, women can get down on bended knee and ask their dithering partner to take their hand in marriage.
With 29 February 2012 fast approaching, World Travel Awards (WTA) has selected the ten most romantic spots on earth for the fairer sex to pop the question:
1. Taj Mahal, India
2. Lewa Downs, Kenya
3. Antarctica
4. Rialto Bridge, Venice
5. Iguazu Falls, Argentina
6. Roseberry Topping, Yorkshire
7. Sahara Desert, Morocco
8. The Pitons, St Lucia
9. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
10. Snowshill, Cotswolds, UK
Manon Han, Executive Vice President, WTA, says: “Proposing to your loved one is always going to a nerve-wracking moment, especially with the added pressure of being a lady. But choosing a fitting location can go a long way in swaying the outcome favourably.”
“We have chosen destinations that range from the fail-safe classics to some off-beat surprises. For the traditionalists, the Taj Mahal or the Sahara should bag your man. Meanwhile the Kate and Prince William effect has led to Lewa Downs making it into our hotlist. If he’s an adrenaline junky, you could always try popping the question underwater at the Great Barrier Reef,” she adds.
The leap year also coincides with the submission deadline for WTA’s 2012 Grand Tour, a global search for the best travel organisations in the world.
Travel organisations that aspire to be the best in their sector are invited to apply for WTA’s 2012 programme by 29 February 2012. Entry forms can completed online or downloaded from www.worldtravelawards.com/nominate.
WTA, the “Oscars of the travel industry”, is recognised globally as the highest accolade in travel and tourism, and serves to raise the service standards throughout the tourism industry.
The complete list of nominations will be announced in time for ITB Berlin in March. Voting will then open and be carried out by an audience of 217,000 travel agents and tourism professionals from 162 countries, including visitors to WTA’s website.
WTA’s 2012 Grand Tour will include regional legs in Dubai (UAE), Turks & Caicos, Nairobi (Kenya), The Algarve (Portugal) and Seoul (South Korea). The winners of these regional heats will progress to the Grand Final, which will take place at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India in December.
The complete guide to ITB Berlin on your mobile
Berlin, 23 February 2012 – With the free ITB Mobile Guide app visitors to ITB Berlin are always well informed. This year’s trade fair guide has numerous new features, including “What’s on“, an overview of current events, plus an A to Z of ITB, which lists everything visitors need to know about the world’s largest travel trade show (7 to 11 March 2012). Besides a map of the grounds, information includes the programme of the ITB Berlin Convention, a list of events along with press conferences, presentations, receptions, and a function for looking up exhibitors. For the first time the Android and iPhone versions showing the grounds are linked to a comprehensive map of the halls.As always there is a list of all the exhibitors with links to the Virtual Market Place and a wealth of information for visitors to Berlin. After the fair closes the ITB Mobile Guide provides users with information on the quickest way to the city centre and tips on Berlin nightlife. Also included are restaurants, bars and information on tourist attractions.
The ITB Mobile Guide – provided by GIATA & TOURIAS – is available for downloading free of charge from the App Store and Android Market. This clever pocket-sized trade fair companion can be easily downloaded fromwww.itb-berlin.de/mobil, can be run using a mobile or smartphone browser from itb-berlin.mobi, or can be requested via SMS by sending the keyword “ITB” to +49-177-1781424 (individual SMS/download charges apply).
The ITB Mobile Guide was developed by leading tourism content providers TOURIAS & GIATA. Both companies offer comprehensive solutions for mobiles and smartphones for hotels, tour operators and travel portals. With the GIATA TOURIAS Travel Guide travel agencies and tour operators are able to offer their customers a free smartphone travel guide to over a hundred of the most popular travel destinations. “Apps have become indispensable to the tourism industry “, says Christoph Schotter, managing director of Tourias Mobile GmbH. “They create entirely new prospects for marketing and winning over new customers.“
Just 100 days to go until the opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport
The final construction work is in full swing / BER trial runs reach the halfway mark / Relocation from Schönefeld and Tegel to BER starts in April / Public weekend three weeks before opening
Since the groundbreaking ceremony on 5 September 2006, 1,997 days of construction have passed on Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and in precisely 100 days from tomorrow (Friday), the time will have come for the new Capital Airport to go into operation. With the opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the existing airport system will be replaced and all air traffic will be concentrated in the new location to the south-east of Berlin. Tegel and Schönefeld will close in the evening of 2 June and on the morning of 3 June, the new airport with the IATA code BER will go into operation.
Until the opening in 100 days, the final construction work, trial runs and tenant fit-outs will all be ongoing. So what has been achieved so far? And what’s left to do? A brief overview 100 days before the opening:
Construction progress
In the 1,997 days since construction work began, the new Capital Airport has been built to the south of what is currently Schönefeld Airport. Aircraft operation areas and operational buildings have been completed, as well as the underground systems, train station and rail link, and power stations. About 5,000 builders are currently carrying out the final construction work on the building site of Berlin Brandenburg Airport. In the remaining 100 days, interior work must be carried out on the terminal, rental space developed and appurtenant areas including green spaces created. Building site facilities will be dismantled, final cleaning will be carried out and the building will be furnished.
Trial runs
The trial runs for Berlin Brandenburg Airport have reached the halfway mark: the BER trial runs started in November 2011. Ground handling, security, airline and airport staff have put the airport through its paces over the course of 17 days in so-called basic trial runs, testing systems, warming up baggage carousels and getting acquainted with their new workplaces.
10,000 airport testers from Berlin and Brandenburg have been playing the role of passengers in trial runs since February. All airport procedures – from check-in through security checks to boarding – are being tested during 30-day integrated trials. By mid May, Berlin Brandenburg Airport will have been put through its paces in a further 24 days of trial runs. Besides the usual standard procedures, emergency situations will be simulated, and intentional errors and incidents integrated: e.g. some test passengers will have to try and get through security with liquids and scissors in their hand luggage. Other testers will be tasked with demanding the return of their checked-in suitcase or asking to change seats. The idea is to simulate normal airport operations as closely as possible.
Two become one – relocating from TXL and SXF to BER
Tegel and Schönefeld Airport will start relocating to the new location in April: a relocation control centre will then be set up. In the weeks leading up to the opening of the airport, the relocation of around 190 airport users must be coordinated – 4,000 rooms and offices at BER must be arranged, and 150 shopping units filled with goods. The first batch of equipment and installations will be transported from the existing airports to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. The main logistics challenge lies in consolidating the operations of the existing airports at BER in just a few hours during the night of 2–3 June. The majority of vehicles and apron equipment (e.g. firefighting vehicles, tow tractors and other special vehicles) must be transported overnight to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Around 600 lorry trips will be made in just one night. The autobahn from Tegel to BER will be closed in one direction for several hours.
Retail and gastronomy at BER
When the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport goes into operation, 150 shops, restaurants and service facilities will be offered across 20,000 m2. Besides well-known international brands, BER will primarily present high-class regional concepts from the retail, gastronomy and service sector. Work is already under way on developing rental space in close cooperation with the airport. All establishments will be inspected and approved by the authorities in time for the opening. The intense moving-in and relocation phase will begin for tenants immediately after the cleaning process on 21 May. All shops and restaurants must be stocked, operational procedures tested and staff trained on site. The airport will assist its tenants in this respect, too: around 1,500 sales staff will be trained in service standards and helped to settle in to their new workplace in time for the opening on 3 June.
Road and rail connections at BER
All transport connections to and from Berlin Brandenburg Airport have been completed. BER is easily accessible by road and rail and has its own motorway exit on the A113, which is conveniently connected to the A100 autobahn and the A10 outer motorway ring. Berlin Brandenburg Airport can easily be reached from the Berlin metropolitan area, the surrounding area of Brandenburg and the catchment area in Poland.
BER is also well connected to the public transport network: with a six-track train station directly below the terminal. The Airport Express and regional railway also offer various direct connections to destinations in Berlin and Brandenburg. Trains run every 15 minutes from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. S-Bahn trains run every 10 minutes on both Berlin‘s eastbound and southbound ring. Additional bus services supplement the local public transport options available. As well as the regional transport network, Berlin Brandenburg Airport is well connected to towns and cities further afield, both in Germany and abroad: e.g. direct connections are available to Cracow, Münster, Hamburg and Amsterdam Schiphol.
Expanding the route network
The opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport will see airlines considerably expand their flight offerings: airberlin has been offering a new long-haul flight to Abu Dhabi since January. As of May, the airline will also be offering a non-stop flight to Los Angeles. When airberlin joins the airline alliance oneworld in March, its flight offerings will be further expanded over the long term. Lufthansa has announced 30 new destinations from BER and will expand its Berlin fleet from nine to 15 aircrafts. Other airlines such as Condor, Air France and easyJet will increase the frequencies of existing flights and offer numerous new destinations as of the summer flight schedule.
General public weekend and BER opening
On 12 and 13 May, just three weeks before the opening, all Berliners and Brandenburgers are cordially invited to get to know the new Capital Airport. The public festival “Around the terminal” will be the last opportunity to wander around the new terminal. Visitors can expect a child- and family-friendly festival on the apron, helicopter flights, music, entertainment and useful information on the new airport. On 24 May, BER Airport will be officially opened by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and Brandenburg’s Minister President Matthias Platzeck.
EIBTM AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS JURY PRIZE AWARD FROM OPC SPAIN
EIBTM, the global Meetings & Events exhibition held in Barcelona (www.eibtm.com), is delighted to announce their recent ‘Special Mention of the Jury’ award, which was presented at the National Congress of OPC Spain, which took place in Geneva.
The award was presented as a mark of recognition for EIBTM’s commendable work in spreading tourism throughout Spain. Graeme Barnett, Reed Travel Exhibitions Event Director, EIBTM commented: “It’s such a great compliment to have been presented this award. We are delighted that EIBTM is being recognised for its work in tourism across Spain.
As the worlds leading event for the meetings and events industry we are proud to consistently invite thousands of people to the show in Barcelona where they can drive business, network and learn more about the meetings and events industry through our comprehensive education programmes ”.
The Spanish Federation of Professional Conference Organisers, founded in 1992, strives to promote the professional interests of members and communicate the quality of services provided by companies and professionals. Through partnerships, currently, there are 105 companies and 201 OPC federated partner companies making OPC Spain the most representative business organization of congress tourism in Spain.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Federation of Associations of Professional Congress Organisers Company, Acension Duran Ucar, President, OPC Espanya commented on the award: “ EIBTM has played a significant role on the development of the Meetings industry in Spain and we are delighted to honour the efforts of Reed Travel Exhibitions in continuing to deliver such a high performing event that benefits our members”.
The National Congress of OPC Spain was attended by over 350 trade professionals from all over the country. The aim of these awards is to acknowledge those agencies, companies or individuals who have gone out of their way to support and promote the growth of the Spanish meetings and event industry.
EIBTM 2012 takes place 27th – 29th November, Barcelona.
UNWTO activities at ITB 2012
UNWTO events at this year’s ITB Travel Trade Show include a high-level session on tourism trends in the Mediterranean, the Silk Road Ministers’ meeting, a session on consumer protection and a meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection, among others (Berlin, Germany, 7-11 March, 2012).
Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting (7 March, 11.00 – 12.30, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)
Ministers of the Silk Road will meet to discuss how they can work together to capitalize on the revival of the Silk Road. This year’s meeting will include a special session on the importance of route development in strengthening the Silk Road product offer and attracting investment. The Ministers’ Meeting will be followed by the VIP Walk ‘Flavours of the Silk Road’ where UNWTO Secretary-General and ITB management will visit 10 countries showcasing the Silk Road’s most celebrated cuisine.
Tour Operators will convene at the Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road – Creating a stronger business environment for growth (8 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Palais West), to discuss how to overcome the challenges and create opportunities for doing business on the Silk Road.
For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@UNWTO.org
High-Level Session on Tourism Trends and Outlook in the Mediterranean (7 March, 14.00 – 15.00, Hall 7.1b, Auditorium London)
Destinations around the Mediterranean, the world’s most visited region, face a number of challenges; economic, political and environmental. This session, moderated by UNWTO media partner CNN, with Ministers of Tourism from the region and private sector representatives, will address questions such as: What trends are affecting the region? What challenges and opportunities face these destinations in the long-term and how can they adapt to changing market conditions? In view of the UNWTO forecast Tourism Towards 2030, what is the outlook for the region over the next two decades?
For more information, please click here or contact comm@unwto.org
First Meeting of the Global National Tourism Organizations (NTO) Think Tank – Creating value through collaboration (7 March, 16.00 – 18.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)
A joint initiative of UNWTO and the European Travel Commission (ETC), the Global NTO Think Tank will provide an opportunity for NTOs from around the world to collaborate on common issues and strategic priorities.
By invitation only. For more information, please contact eterzibasoglu@unwto.org
UNWTO Press Conference – International tourism results and World Tourism Day 2012 (8 March, 12.00 – 14.00, ICC, Hall 4/5)
The UNWTO Secretary-General will present the tourism trends and figures for 2011 and outlook for 2012.
UNWTO will also launch the World Tourism Day 2012 official celebrations with the presence of the Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borego Cortés, under the theme: Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development. World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO, David Scowsill, will also be present to highlight the joint efforts of WTTC and UNWTO in advancing a common agenda on visa facilitation as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
For more information, please contact comm@UNWTO.org
Meeting on Crisis Management – Information needs in times of crises for the travel and tourism sector (9 March, 09.30 – 11.00, ICC, Salon 21)
UNWTO and members of the Tourism Emergency Response Network (TERN) will meet to discuss their information needs in times of crises to help minimize the negative perception on consumer’s behaviour, while at the same time ensuring safety and well-being and allowing for a fast recovery.
For more information, please click here or contact rcm@UNWTO.org
UNWTO Session on Consumer Protection – Accommodation related issues (9 March, 11.00 – 13.00, ICC, Hall 7)
In the absence of international regulations governing the rights and responsibilities of tourists/consumers and tour operators, UNWTO set up a working group to draft a legal instrument for their protection. At ITB 2012, UNWTO will host a special session on accommodation related issues, the conclusions of which will feed into the next meeting of the working group.
For more information, please click here or contact cpt@UNWTO.org
27th Meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection (9 March, 14.30 – 17.30, ICC, Hall 7)
The 2012 meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection will focus on “Young Workers in the Tourism Sector: Risks and Opportunities”. The event is jointly organized by UNWTO and the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO–IPEC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The meeting will also feature a reporting session, affording representatives of national tourism administrations, the tourism sector, NGOs and specialized media outlets an opportunity to report on new projects concerning child protection in tourism.
For more information, please click here or contact ethics@UNWTO.org
Skyscanner Reveals new Look
SINGAPORE, February 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –
Leading travel search site Skyscanner today unveils a dramatic new redesign, rolling out the new look simultaneously across all platforms and markets in 29 languages.
“The launch date was only decided back in November and we have been flat out with the re-design since then,” said Marketing Director Frank Skivington.
He explained the drive behind the new look and feel for the site; “We are very focused on design at Skyscanner, but probably with more emphasis on making the product as good as it can be – giving travellers a comprehensive one stop search site for flights, hotels and car hire and bringing clever new features and brilliant functionality to our users as fast as possible.
“The constant evolution and expansion of the site also means we are dealing with a moving target when it comes to design. And of course we also have the challenge of localising the brand for our many international sites, from Russian to Korean, so it has been an interesting project, to say the least!”
The new design has been developed with the aim of concentrating on the Skyscanner ethos of delivering a brilliant core offering, while keeping the interface simple, beautiful, fast and functional. One of the objectives for the project was to reflect best practices in design for usability as well as look good, so customer testing and feedback sessions were built in to the redesign process.
Skyscanner fans will be pleased to find all of Skyscanner’s very clever search tools are still on the site. Customers can still see at a glance which days are cheapest to travel across a whole month, and search for ‘everywhere’ to see which destinations have the best flight deals on offer.
“We’ve tried to make all these very popular elements easier to find and use, as well as paving the way for some very exciting new features and search options that will be launched later in the year,” said Skivington.
HRG signs ONE Nordic as new client
Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), the award-winning international corporate services company, has won a contract with ONE Nordic to manage the company’s business travel following a competitive tender. Based in Malmö, ONE Nordic is Scandinavia’s leading turnkey supplier in energy technology and contracting and employs approximately 1,500 people.
“In the current economic climate, organisations are looking for partners who can help successfully manage the complexities of business travel, whilst delivering full transparency of spend to ensure budgets are allocated strategically,” said Christer Nordlund, Managing Director, HRG Nordics. “Our suite of proprietary tools is proven to deliver significant tangible benefits by driving down cost whilst increasing security, management information and process facilities.”
ONE Nordic will benefit from HRG’s tailored suite of reporting tools, including HRG Online, the bespoke online booking solution that simplifies travel and reduces costs. In conjunction with HRG Online, the company will also use HRG’s consolidated reporting functionality to run a range of customised reports that provide complete transparency of travel activity and spend. ONE Nordic will then be able to collect and use the data to increase their negotiating power with suppliers.
Rolph Hey, ONE Nordic’s Head of Purchasing, said: “Throughout the tender process, HRG stood out as being both highly professional and knowledgeable in terms of how to deliver the transparency and efficiency gains we were looking for. We were particularly impressed by HRG’s booking tool, which we believe is currently the best on offer. As a company with multiple divisions, a regular flow of communication and proper implementation is essential; knowing that HRG has the experience and technology to support this is very reassuring.”
Regions into the MICE Italian scenary: tourism councelors meet the regional Delegation of Federcongressi & Eventi
On 23 February 2012 the big event “Regions into the Italian MICE background” will be hold at Palazzo degli Affari
Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority Join ASAE as Strategic Partner
WASHINGTON — Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) has joined ASAE’s group of Alliance Partners in the Strategic Partner category. This program provides the industry partner community with opportunities to align itself with ASAE and the association industry through customized marketing platforms.
“We are excited to have RSCVA as a Strategic partner,” said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham IV, CAE. “Reno is quickly becoming a popular destination for association meetings and events, and this new partnership gives Reno a great opportunity to raise awareness with the association professionals who are looking for a great place to host their next event.”
“All of us at Reno Tahoe USA are delighted to be joining ASAE as a Strategic Partner in 2012,” according to Christopher Baum, president and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. “The Reno/Sparks/North Lake Tahoe region is one of America’s best kept destination secrets, and we look forward to working closely with the ASAE team to help make sure that Reno Tahoe USA starts getting its due as a truly affordable area with incredible natural beauty, top quality convention facilities, world class meeting hotels and almost unlimited activities and attractions.”
Rise in International Travel Necessitates Tighter Border Control, Observes Frost & Sullivan
- Mandatory Implementation of e-Passports for ICAO Member Countries by 2015 to Boost Adoption of e-Gate Systems
Travel documents are for terrorists just as important as weapons, according to the key finding from the 9/11 Commission Report. This is the reason border control systems based on biometric applications have become the solution of choice in identifying potential threats. There is also considerable emphasis on the identification of immigrants using e-Passports and e-Visas to channel biometric data to destination countries to reduce illegal immigration.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.aerospace.frost.com), Global Border Control Market Assessment, estimates that the market will earn revenues of $8.74 billion by 2019, comparing to $1.97 billion in 2010. As the growing mobility of people necessitates the use of e-Passports, e-Visas, e-Gates and infrastructure to support the systems, the border control market is expected to earn a double digit CAGR of 17.6 per cent from 2011 to 2019.
The universal penetration of e-Passport, e-Visas and e-Gate systems is in response to the efforts of biometrics associations, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, governments and border control application vendors to develop international standards for the adoption of biometric technologies.
“The mandatory implementation of e-Passports for ICAO member countries by 2015 and rising passenger throughput will trigger wider adoption of e-Gate systems,” says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Dominik Kimla. “The e-Gate system adoption will partially be an outcome of the successful implementation of e-Passports and e-Visas and it is vital for managing passenger flows more efficiently at border check points.”
Although the e-Passport segment is likely to remain the largest in the total border control market, the e-Gate segment will be the fastest growing between 2011 and 2019. While the e-Gate segment’s total share is anticipated to increase from 14.2 per cent in 2010 to 37.7 per cent in 2019, e-Passport’s is expected to decrease from 69.2 per cent to 51.6 per cent during the same period.
With international arrivals expected to reach nearly 1.6 billion by 2020, end users are appreciative of the need for border control. However, the complexity and cost of border control systems implementation and privacy concerns could deter several users from deploying this solution.
The negative association of fingerprint identification with criminal investigations have slowed down the adoption of this form of identification. Further, they have indicated a reluctance to adopt the technology due to privacy and civil liberties concerns regarding data storage, the vulnerability of the data to theft and abuse and the implications of false positives and false negatives.
It is essential for the market participants to not only identify and assuage privacy concerns in the public and private sectors but they should also present attractive return on investment.
“Suppliers must demonstrate how their border control solution can reduce operator costs in the long term,” notes Kimla. “This is an important factor since in the current post downturn environment; operators are looking for ways to maintain a high standard of security at low costs.”
VOK DAMS and E-Plus score on the field together
The event specialists of VOK DAMS – one of the leading agencies for Events and Live-Marketing – set up for the E-Plus Partnershop Congress 2012 the 1.FC BASE.
The E-Plus Partnershop Congress was held for the seventh consecutive time. Approximately 500 E-Plus Partnershop owners of the BASE brand travelled from the entire Germany to this one-day event in the VELTINS-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
The E-Plus Group 2010/2011 played in “the first league of the mobile market”, after having one of the most successful business years thanks to the BASE brand. This year’s Partnershop Congress aimed at communicating the main objective of the Partnershop owners: with their top performance they have managed to win over not only clients but also real fans.
In this analogy to football, the Partnershop owners grouped as a team of the 1. FC BASE and the E-Plus Management to Club-Management, so they could support their team as best as possible, in accordance with the corporate strategy with innovative tariffs and progressive, future strategies. The motto developed for the event “You’ll never walk alone” underlined this idea and permeated all aspects of the event as the main theme.
Approximately 500 E-Plus Partnershop owners were invited to the team of the 1. FC BASE in advance, through a specially developed online tool. They were requested to register online for the event, to follow the event’s news items and generate relevant themes. The result of this interactive subscriber management tool was a high level of involvement and identification with the 1. FC BASE prior to the event. In addition to the registration, this tool offered the participants the possibility to list themselves and qualify for the “player of the day” title. The participants played a quiz in three online qualification phases with the topics of BASE, mobile market and football in order to enter the semi-finals and finals on the day of the event. The four finalists played then on site for the prize of tickets for the 2012 European championship in Poland and Ukraine.
But – like in football – one thing especially counts at the end: What happens on the field! The “debut game of the 1. FC BASE” took place in the VELTINS Arena in Gelsenkirchen
As befits an organization with international stature, the participants expected during the event everything their football-heart desired. Upon arrival at the “Fan-BASE”, similar to a club’s museum, the E-Plus Partnershop owners discovered the history and the great moments of the 1. FC BASE. Football, team spirit and passion were there – felt and touched. Uniformly integrated in space, the guests experienced the stands of the E-Plus hardware partners. The theme “football fans” functioned as the unifying element. Additional football activities enriched the exhibition and cleverly facilitated the stimulation of conversation: A Wii – soccer station and the XXL – soccer or football on Playstation were only some elements of the “Fan-BASE”.
Afterwards the participants arrived in the VIP cabin, in which – in front of the impressive scene of the arena – the formulated in advance themes of the participants were discussed. The guests as well, got to hear a speech of Hermann Scherer on the topic “opportunity intelligence”. The executives of E-Plus agreed with the partners further for 2012. Lou Richter and Mirja Boes led the event. Films livened up the event with the “You’ll never walk alone” message playing continuously: Spontaneous fan-interviews and statements with clients, impressive games, emotional fan moments, legendary goals and situations.
After the official part, a surprise awaited the guests in the Players’ Lounge – the former Fan-BASE: With light-effects and transformed decoration, the familiar space appeared totally different, like a modern Players’ Lounge. Oblique lights and an illuminated bar brought forth other features than before in the exhibition. The highlight of the evening was the appearance of the Atzen sponsored by MTV mobile.
Altogether, VOK DAMS created for the E-Plus Partnershop Congress a consistent football world where passion and emotion played an essential role. The feeling of the event was experienced even before its beginning and remained beyond the event in the follow-up communication later on. The strict application of the “You’ll never walk alone” theme intensified the “we” feeling and stimulated involvement and integration from the participants.
IHG to create 3,000 jobs in the UK and launch its hospitality training academy in London
Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, welcomes the creation of new jobs in Britain and attends the launch of the IHG Academy in Newham- IHG Academy to develop talented people through hospitality training, providing the opportunity to work for a global hotel company with world renowned hotel brands
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies with brands such as Holiday Inn,todayannounced it is creating nearly 3,000¹ new jobs across its 275 UK hotels over the next three years, including over 1,100² new jobs this year. IHG also announced the launch of its newest hospitality training Academy in London.The announcement was welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who attended the launch of the IHG Academy programme at the soon to open Holiday Inn London Stratford City. The new hotel is one of four IHG hotels in the area that will be creating new jobs, for which students of the IHG Academy programme can apply.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said,”It’s fantastic to see IHG growing its UK business and creating 3,000 new jobs. The British service sector is world-beating, and will soon welcome millions of guests to enjoy London 2012. But reaching this gold standard needs investment in people. IHG are leading the way in their sector through a tailored academy programme. It’s an added investment that means young people can learn the skills for the industry in a local college, and then start their career in a local hotel. This shows real investment in our future workforce, is a huge boost for jobs across the country, but crucially will see local people benefit from training and work.”
Holiday Inn, part of the IHG family of brands, is the official hotel provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As part of its Olympic legacy, IHG has launched a new hospitality training academy in partnership with Newham College in one of the Games’ host boroughs.
With two new hotels to be built in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, successful students will be prize candidates for some of the 140 new jobs being created in the local area as the new hotels open.
IHG’s Chief Executive Richard Solomons joined Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and students at the soon to open Holiday Inn London Stratford City to launch the new Academy programme.
Richard Solomons, IHG’s Chief Executive said, “Hospitality is a great business to be in and working in hotels offers people exciting career paths for the future. We’re pleased to be working with our hotel owners to create jobs and training opportunities in the UK at this time. The IHG Academy programmeallows us to join with local education bodies in the UK and around the world to provide real-life skills and enhance employment prospects for local people. IHG benefits by having access to talent from the neighbourhoods near our hotels.”
The IHG Academy programme in Newham was developed in partnership with Newham College and will provide talented local people with hospitality training and practical work experience at a hotel from the IHG family of brands. Students take a six-month tailored course that combines the best of the Hospitality Skills Diploma NVQ with four weeks practical work experience in a hotel. Students qualify with a Hospitality Level 2 Diploma and will have the opportunity to apply for jobs at entry level with IHG.
IHG currently employs over 15,000 people in the UK; approximately 24 per cent of employees are between the ages of 18 and 24 years.
The launch of the IHG Academy programme in Newham is part of a global initiative to invest in the recruitment and training of hotel employees to ensure guests at IHG hotels experience consistent, high levels of customer service, no matter where they are in the world. IHG is committed to creating real job opportunities in the communities around its 4,480 hotels worldwide.
There are 42 IHG Academy programmesworldwide and 5,500 students were involved in the hospitality training globally last year.
Vincent C van Wulfen becomes Honorary Member IAPCO
IAPCO announces one of its truly valued past members is added to its roll of honour.
Vincent C van Wulfen, past president of IAPCO 1995-1998 has been awarded honorary membership in recognition of his many years of dedication and as an important change agent. Vincent commenced in the industry as international Marketing Manager of the Netherlands Convention Bureau when it was a start-up in 1980. Naturally he got some of his first training at Wolfsberg IAPCO Annual Seminar in 1981.
In 1988 Vincent became a PCO. Vincent took over HOC in The Hague and attended his first IAPCO GA in 1988. IAPCO immediately identified his talent and invited him to join the Council in 1990 when he became Treasurer. Under Vincent’s able management the funds of IAPCO were organised efficiently and with vision to ensure the viability of the association building reserves to a healthy level. He assumed the Presidency in 1995 then took up the Treasury responsibility again in 1998 until he retired from IAPCO in 2010.
Vincent was an agent of change; he dared to bring the association into the 21st Century, making radical changes to the way the association functioned and improvements in the Wolfsberg program that lifted the quality to higher and more relevant levels. He was a key proponent for developing the association, conducting many Appraisal Visits for new members and has worked behind the scenes diligently for almost 20 years with a strong commitment to quality and growth.
Tineke, Vincent’s wife is also recognised as a terrific support for Vincent as this had a positive flow on effect to IAPCO. Tineke attended each General Assembly and many Council meetings and accepted that Vincent spent many evenings at home on IAPCO Council business over the years. IAPCO wishes to thank Tineke, and also express how proud the Association is to count upon its eighth Honorary Member for all his achievements.
ITB Berlin Convention: Younger generation on the platform
14-year old Felix Finkbeiner to give keynote speech on the future of mobility – Well-known German PUMA manager Jochen Zeitz presents future sustainability scenarios – ITB Berlin Convention from 7 to 9 March 2012 free for trade visitors
Berlin, 22 February 2012 – Children’s power: this year’s ITB Berlin Convention welcomes a special speaker to the platform in the person of 14-year old Felix Finkbeiner. He was responsible for launching the children’s initiative Plant for the Planet and from 10.50 to 11.15 p.m. on 9 March 2012 he will be delivering the keynote speech in Hall 7.1a on the subject of “The Future of Mobility”. From 7 to 9 March 2012 the leading tourism convention will address the main issues confronting global tourism and will be presenting some solutions and examples of best practice to meet current and future challenges. Two prominent speakers, Felix Finkbeiner and Jochen Zeitz, have been invited to discuss the subject of sustainability at this year’s ITB Berlin Convention.
In a paper to be given on the ITB Mobility Day Felix Finkbeiner will examine how the teenage generation assesses the present mobility system and current efforts to achieve sustainability. The 14-year old has been attracting worldwide attention since 2007 with the initiative Plant for the Planet. At that time, as a nine-year old, he learned during the course of his homework about the Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Wangari Maathai, who has planted some 30 million trees over a 30-year period. The Plant for the Planet initiative, which is now active in 193 countries, was inspired by this idea. Children obtain information about sustainability from other children, and learn how every individual can contribute to climate protection by planting trees.
The sort of future sustainability scenarios that are conceivable will be explained by Jochen Zeitz, Executive Chairman PUMA and Chief Sustainability Officer PPR, who was responsible for setting up the Zeitz Foundation. One of the best-known entrepreneurs in Germany, Jochen Zeitz is devoting his efforts to the sustainable management of the eco-system. In his paper, to be delivered on the ITB CSR Day, he investigates the question of how to balance social, ecological and economic sustainability for the benefit of all stakeholders. In his perspective, to be presented from 5 to 5.30 p.m. on 8 March 2012 in Hall 7.1.a, he will offer some visionary insights and useful suggestions for business strategies and sustainability concepts. The “4Cs” – conservation, community, culture, commerce – is a new kind of concept being presented by the Zeitz Foundation as a basic approach that can also be applied by the tourism industry as a means of achieving sustainable growth.
Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is included in the price of the ITB Berlin trade visitor ticket.
UK BUSINESSES TARGET SURGING £6.5 BILLION INDIAN TOURISM MARKET
A record number of British tourism businesses(1) are to join VisitBritain in India this week, looking to tap into one of the world’s fastest growing source markets and reap the benefits of the national tourism agency’s £25 million advertising campaign which kicked off in the country earlier this month.
Representatives from tourism, retail and sporting industries will participate in India Mission 2012, encouraged by the emergence of the country as a major player in terms of tourism visits to Britain over the last couple of years, with record highs for both spend and visits being witnessed. Around 250 key Indian buyers are expected to meet with the UK trade delegation at various briefing sessions to be held in New Delhi and Mumbai.
With inbound arrivals from India expected to increase significantly over the remainder of the decade, VisitBritain hopes it will be able to use key events in 2012 to entice a greater number of Indians to choose Britain for their next holiday. While Indians undertook nearly 10 million outbound visits in 2010, Britain received only 371,000 visitors from the country, making the UK the 11th most visited destination by Indian residents(2). Competitors such as France are currently receiving 20% more visitors from India than the UK, so it is vital that VisitBritain increases its activities to motivate Indian travellers to favour Britain instead.
VisitBritain research suggests that the number of annual visits to Britain from this BRIC nation has the potential to almost double by 2020, which could result in nearly 800,000 visits a year. A typical visit to Britain from India generates £980 with visitors tending to stay for longer periods of time due to a dominance of visits to friends and relatives already living in the UK.
As part of VisitBritain’s £25 million GREAT image campaign, Mumbai and Delhi will be submerged in GREAT branding, with huge bill-board posters being seen by over 16 million people. VisitBritain’s 60 second TV advert will be exclusively shown just before Indian movie goers sit down to watch their latest Bollywood blockbusters across 120 cinemas. There will also be 200 taxis with GREAT branding driving around the two major cities in India picking up thousands of commuters each day. As well as the image side of the campaign VisitBritain is working hard with partners on tactical marketing, bringing in the likes of British Airways who offer great deals to turn aspirational travel into visits right now.
Head of the mission and VisitBritain’s Strategy and Communication Director, Patricia Yates said:
“Trade missions such as this are essential for building the foundations for sustained growth of the UK’s inbound tourism economy. Britain accounted for only 3% of all outbound trips from India in 2010, yet while this still generated nearly £363 million for the UK economy, there is clearly scope for us to do more in order to attract a greater share of a market worth £6.5 billion a year.
“We know the Indian market has enormous potential for us, but if we are to achieve our 2020 projections of 80% growth we must be able to capitalise on the strong interest that already exists and do everything we can to encourage a greater number of visitors. To do that, we must be able to take advantage of the positive perceptions that the Indian population has of Britain, particularly those relating to our culture and heritage and sport which we are exploiting by taking Historic Royal Palaces, Marylebone Cricket Club and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum on this mission.
“Our £25 million GREAT image campaign underway in Delhi and Mumbai will help reinforce these aspects and hopefully inspire Indians to turn their desire to visit us into a reality.”
The Scramble Begins, As The World’s Biggest Egg Hunt Takes London By Storm
Over 200 giant eggs have been hidden in secret locations throughout central London (Tuesday 21st February) as part of ‘The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt’, a magical event challenging the public to take on the world’s biggest Easter egg hunt, whilst raising vital funds for charity.
The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt is set to smash Guinness World Records for the Most participants in an Easter egg hunt and the world’s Most expensive non-jewelled chocolate egg sold at auction, as designed by William Curley. The two Guinness World Records attempts are part of “World Record London”, which will see the most exciting capital in the world attempt over 20 Guinness World Records to make London a multi record-breaking city.
To celebrate the magical year as host city of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London & Partners’ campaign will highlight unique and one off events available to Londoners and everyone visiting the capital between now and July 2012.
Members of the public are racing to find the giant eggs, which have been exclusively designed, embellished and decorated by some of the world’s leading artists, architects, jewellers and designers including Mulberry, Sir Ridley Scott, Zandra Rhodes, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Quinn, Bruce Oldfield, the Chapman Brothers, Theo Fennell, William Curley, Candy and Candy, Zaha Hadid, Bompas and Parr and Polly Morgan.
A highlight of The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt, is the chance to win the world’s most extraordinary prize, the Diamond Jubilee Egg, a fabulous creation valued at over £100,000. Crafted from 500 grams of 18 carat rose gold, the design is based on Fabergé’s much loved Matelasse jewellery collection. It features 60 gemstones – one for each year of Her Majesty’s reign – set in a quilted rose gold surface and comprising of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires.
Gordon Innes, ceo London & Partners, said: “This cracking event is just one of the many that London will be host to over the next few months. There is an egg-cellent array of activities for all ages and budgets across the capital and with events like this London is the best place in the world to visit, study or do business in during this magical year.”
To enter to win the Diamond Jubilee egg prize, and raise money for the charities at the same time, hunters need to locate the unique SMS keyword displayed on each of the eggs and text the keyword to a dedicated text number, 80001 (1). For each keyword participants text in, they will be entered into the prize draw. The more eggs they find, the more chances to win and the winning entry will be drawn at random.
The hand-crafted eggs, which are destined to become highly collectible works of art, are available to bid for online and at auction, with proceeds going to Action for Children and Elephant Family. The jewel in the crown of the auction will be an exclusively designed, stunning 127ct emerald and gold egg pendant ‘Le Collier Plume d’Or’ created by Fabergé.
The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt is seeking to raise up to £2 million for leading children’s charity, Action for Children, and Elephant Family, the UK’s biggest funder for the endangered Asian elephant.
Action for Children’s Chief Executive, Dame Clare Tickell, said: “The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt is an enchanting event, which will capture the hearts, imagination and interest of everyone taking part. It’s particularly heartening to know that money will be raised thanks to an event which will be hugely enjoyable for the thousands of children and families who will be taking part.”
Elephant Family Founder, Mark Shand, said: “The firing gun has sounded! Let the hunt begin – here’s to an Olympic effort to win that Diamond Jubilee Egg!”
Sarah Fabergé, great granddaughter Peter Carl Fabergé said: “Today sees the streets of central London host the world’s most prestigious Easter egg hunt and our Diamond Jubilee design will be the winner’s prize. We are thrilled to be involved in what promises to be a fun-filled, public event celebrating creativity across so many artistic disciplines and most importantly, raising funds for two exceptionally deserving charities. I would personally like to congratulate all the artists involved.”
One of a kind convention and exhibition centre launched at AIME
A one of a kind convention centre, currently under construction at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane, has been officially launched to the industry during the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo in Melbourne today.
RNA Chief Executive Jonathan Tunny was joined by Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau Director Annabel Sullivan to unveil Brisbane’s newest convention centre, which is projected toattract more than 220 events and 30,000 visitors annually.
“The RNA is proud to announce the world-class $59 million Royal International Convention Centre (RICC) will open in March 2013 and bookings are being taken now,” he said.
“It is the only convention and exhibition centre currently under construction in Australia with work set to be completed by December.
“The RICC is part of stage one of our exciting $2.9 billion 15 year RNA Showgrounds Regeneration Project, which will transform the site into a vibrant year-round destination offering a unique lifestyle and cultural hub.”
Mr Tunny said the historic regeneration of the RNA Showgrounds – a famous Queensland social heritage and cultural landmark – will cement its place as a leading national and international events precinct.
“It represents Australia’s largest Brownfield development, is the most significant urban renewal project in Brisbane since South Bank and includes 340,000m2 of new residential, commercial and retail precinct development,” he said.
Mr Tunny said the 22,000m2 multi-level centre is set to hold international, national and local business events, which in 2010-2011 pumped a total of $212 million* into the Brisbane economy.
“Situated in one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, the new RICC is ideally located just 1.6 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD and 15 minutes from international and domestic airports,” he said.
“It will sit pride of place on the 22 hectare RNA Showgrounds site, which is Brisbane’s biggest indoor/outdoor events venue attracting a million visitors a year.”
Mr Tunny said the RICC offered Australian first features including a custom-built operable ceiling grid system which can cut exhibition set-up time by up to a day.
“It is the only centre nationally to feature this state-of-the-art rigging system which will result in less labour, less time and less set-up costs,” he said.
“The 30, 9m2 frames are each capable of a 700kg load, are fitted with power and network ports and able to be lowered by remote control.”
Mr Tunny said the RICC is positioned to stage domestic and international, business and social events and will be supported by a professional team of in-house event planners, an operations team and experienced catering staff.
“Our catering facilities will be world-class and feature 12 of the latest designed self-cooking centres, capable of serving 2,600 plates in 40 minutes,” he said.
“The ovens enable us to produce fresh food on a daily basis for large numbers and feature a computerised system to track and monitor the quality of food being served.”
Mr Tunny said the RNA Showgrounds has a long and close relationship with the Queensland community and this new centre has been specifically designed to cater for Brisbane’s significant growth.
“The RICC will become home to leading events on a year-round basis including banquets, conferences, exhibitions and seminars,” he said.
Across two levels, the centre will house:
- 4,500m2 of exhibition space which fronts 1,800m2 of flexible open space known as Ekka Plaza
- Three flexible halls totalling 3,210m2 plus 1,500m2 of foyer space
- Seven meeting rooms of flexible combination totalling 630m2 plus two board rooms
- A 1,200m2 commercial kitchen
- Approximately 140 car parks
Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau Director, Annabel Sullivan said Brisbane’s status as a leading destination for national and international business events is strengthened by the planned RNA Showgrounds Regeneration Project, of which the Royal International Convention Centre is a key part.
“Attracting business events to Brisbane Australia’s new world city has a positive effect on the bottom line of the local economy and creates lasting legacies for local businesses and individuals whom benefit from knowledge enrichment and skills transfer for years to come,” she added.
(*Source: Brisbane Marketing – Economic Value of Brisbane’s Events Industry)
Kyoto chosen to close UNESCO 40th anniversary celebrations
Kyoto has been chosen as the venue to close the 40th anniversary celebrations of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (WHC). The announcement has been welcomed by the Kyoto Convention Bureau.
The three day event, which will be held in November, will incorporate a variety of activities and workshops, as well as studies that will be presented on the future direction of the convention. As James Kent, international marketing manager at the Kyoto Convention Bureau points out: “The mission of the WHC is perfectly reflected in Kyoto’s events and tourism offering. The city, which was capital of Japan from 794–1868, combines modern facilities with history and culture, including 17 UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, many of which can be used as venues for events.”
James continues: “We are delighted UNESCO has chosen Kyoto to host the closing event of its anniversary celebrations. Kyoto is widely recognised as a centre for culture and heritage in Japan. It has a substantial number of historic buildings as well as the largest concentration of designated cultural properties in the country making it an ideal location for such a momentous occasion. We look forward to welcoming UNESCO and celebrating this special anniversary with them.”
AIME 2012 award winners announced at Nightcap Networking
22 February 2012: The award winners for the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) 2012 were announced last night at a jazzy event, Nightcap Networking, held at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and hosted by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and the Atlantic Group.
The awards, presented by Sally de Swart, recognised excellence in stand design and presentation, as well as acknowledging one individual who has contributed to the success of the meetings and incentives industry.
This year, Leigh Harry, Chief Executive of Tourism Victoria, was recognised as an international leader in the field of business events receiving the Outstanding Contribution Award.
Mr Harry has previously held the position of International President of both the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) and International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) from 2006-2010. In his previous role he was instrumental in the planning process of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) as its Chief Executive.
Three stand awards were also presented for Best Stand 36m² and Under, Best Stand Over 36m² and Best New Exhibitor Stand.
The stands are judged on a list of criteria including originality and creative input by industry specialists Linda Gaunt of Meetings & Events Australia (MEA), Joyce DiMascio of Exhibition & Event Association Australasia (EEAA) and Noor Ahmad Hamid from the International Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA).
The Best Stand 36m² and Under was awarded to Dockside Group for recreating the stylish, outside venue space on the show floor.
Tourism Fiji took out the Best Stand Over 36m² award, recognised for its bright and eye-catching structure which beautifully captured the spirit of Fiji.
American Express Meetings & Events won the award for Best New Exhibitor Stand, with its fresh and functional approach to the space.
AIME also recognised exhibitors who have gone the extra mile to make their stand environmentally friendly. This year the award for Best Environmentally Sustainable Stand was presented to Accor Asia Pacific for their efforts in creating a stand with limited impact on the environment. The materials on the stand are 100% reusable and its flooring system has a lifespan of 10 years or more, with a certified structural base from Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA). This award was judged by Reed Exhibitions Operations Director, Robert McIndoe.
Nightcap Networking, where the awards were presented, is a new event that has been introduced for the 20th anniversary show, providing an additional networking opportunity for exhibitors and buyers. The supper catering by Atlantic Group was a highlight, with various appetising stations including cheese table and dessert stand as well as coffee and tea by T2 and other creative canapes.
For more information about AIME 2012, visit www.aime.com.au
WTM. Means Business: WTM 2011 Leads to More Than £1.6m in Industry deals
World Travel Market 2011, the leading global event for the travel industry, will generate a massive £1,653 million in travel and tourism industry deals – an impressive 16% increase on WTM 2010.
Independent research of World Travel Market’s exhibitors shows WTM 2011 will generate £1,653,729,318 million of deals, either through contracts signed at the event or from negotiations with Meridian Club members which will lead to deals before WTM 2012.
WTM 2010 generated £1,425 million in business deals, either on the exhibition floor or in the 12 months that followed, which was a 25% increase on WTM 2009’s £1,139 million.
The increase in business generated by WTM 2011 can, in part, be accredited to the overhauled Speed Networking session – which allowed exhibitors and buyers even more time to negotiate and conclude deals.
Speed Networking took place as a one hour-long session before the exhibition opened on the first day of WTM 2011 (Monday 7 November). Previously, Speed Networking was in five 45 minute sessions – based around the regions of the exhibition – throughout the first day.
The change increased the amount of time at the event for exhibitors and Meridian Club members could conclude negotiations on the exhibition floor in-turn helping to increase the amount of business generated because of the event
An extra business opportunity was also introduced on the final day of WTM in the shape of the WTM Networking Breakfast, giving exhibitors and Meridian Club members a further event to meet up and discuss business deals.
Furthermore, an impressive 94% of exhibitors are ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ to exhibit at WTM 2012, which takes between Monday 5 – Thursday 8 November.
While, 96% exhibitors feel it is ‘very important’ or ‘important’ to exhibit at WTM and 96% of exhibitors were ‘completely satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ about their most recent time at WTM.
Reed Travel Exhibitions Director World Travel Market Simon Press said: “World Travel Market 2011 has seen, and will lead to, a phenomenal amount of travel and tourism industry business being agreed.
“The expanded Speed Networking programme played an important role in the success of WTM 2011 for both exhibitors and Meridian Club members, offering both stakeholders increased opportunities to meet new contacts, sign contracts and conclude deals.”
“The amount of business conducted and the findings from the exhibitor research shows WTM is delivering on its commitment to facilitate business in the travel and tourism industry.”
Press continued: “I am delighted that the amount of business conducted at World Travel Market continues to increase, firmly positioning WTM as a must-attend exhibition for national and regional tourist boards, global brands and technology companies.
“The amount of business conducted at WTM clearly demonstrated WTM. Means Business.”
20th anniversary and still going from strength to strength
21 February 2012: The organisers of the 20th anniversary Asia-Pacific Meetings & Incentives Expo (AIME), which opens today at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), are expecting a successful two-day event with preliminary figures looking positive.
With more than 500 Hosted Buyers set to attend AIME 2012, organisers are expecting at least a 15% increase compared to 2011 and 51% of these buyers will be new to AIME in 2012.
Sally de Swart, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) Director for AIME, said that this is a good result for the show and great news for exhibitors who regularly attend AIME.
“We have a number of exhibitors who return to AIME year after year and it is important for them to establish new contacts and renew their ongoing relationships. The overall numbers are strong and we are pleased that we have brought so many new Hosted Buyers to AIME 2012,” Ms de Swart said.
Figures released yesterday are positive with 3736 pre-registered visitors set to attend AIME 2012 which will be an increase on last year’s figures.
Ms de Swart said that while the numbers are impressive it is too early to tell what the final results will be and reminded exhibitors to make sure they reach out to visitors and make the most of all opportunities to establish new contacts at AIME.
“These figures are preliminary, but we are expecting a good turnout of quality visitors. AIME is a busy time for all exhibitors but I would recommend remaining open and aware of visitors on the show floor because a valuable contact may drop by your stand at anytime,” she said.
“This year we have added the Exhibitor Networking Drinks to the Tuesday afternoon program and this is another good opportunity for exhibitors to mix with buyers and visitors in a more relaxed atmosphere.”
779 exhibitors are booked to attend AIME 2012 and the show floor will be larger, taking up 5,778 m². There are 206 new exhibitors this year including big brand names such as Marriott Hotels and American Express Meetings and Events.
Sally de Swart said that she is looking forward to a successful event and expects the show floor to be buzzing throughout the two-day show.
AIME, which is owned by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and run by RTE, will take place on the 21 and 22 February 2012 at the MCEC.
For more information about visiting AIME 2012, visit www.aime.com.au
5th World Conference on Women and Sport calls for more women in leadership roles
Participants in the 5th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport called on sports leaders to take a more proactive role in advancing the cause of women in and through sport as the event came to a close in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday.
The three-day conference, whose theme was “Together Stronger: the Future of Sport,” ended with over 800 delegates from 135 countries unanimously approving “The Los Angeles Declaration”, a series of recommendations aimed at promoting gender equality in sport and using sport as a tool to improve the lives of women around the world.
The declaration focused on two main themes:
- The need to bring more women into management and leadership roles
- The need to increase collaboration and partnerships, especially with UN organisations, to promote gender equality.
IOC President Jacques Rogge assured the conference delegates that the Olympic Movement would act on the recommendations.
“I can pledge and I can promise that we will do what is needed”, he said in his closing remarks.
The conference declaration acknowledged that the Olympic Movement’s steady progress towards gender equality on the field of play had not been matched in sports leadership positions. It called for more resources to support women in sports leadership roles and urged sports organisations to follow the IOC’s lead by adopting policies to advance gender equality.
On the issue of collaboration, conference delegates urged the IOC to build on its work with the United Nations by establishing closer partnerships with UN Women and the UN Committee on the Status of Women. UN Women was established in 2010 to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
“The potential for sport to contribute to the social, economic and political empowerment of women and girls is clear and has been recognised by governments, the United Nations system, civil society, the sports movement and others. Now is the time to act on this recognition and bring the benefits of sport to women and girls”, Lakshmi Puri, the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, told the conference delegates.
Organised jointly by the IOC, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, the event covered a range of subjects associated with the efforts to strengthen women’s representation both on the sports field and in leadership positions. The record number of delegates at this year’s conference included well-known figures from the world of sport, as well as representatives of civil society, government and academia.
Other high-profile speakers at the conference included IOC Women and Sport Commission Chairperson Anita DeFrantz; Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Sebastian Coe; HE Marjon V. Kamara, Chair of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women; and Geena Davis, Academy Award-winning actress and founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
The 2012 Women and Sport Awards were presented on the opening day of the conference, with India’s Manisha Malhotra winning the World Trophy for her commitment to helping disadvantaged girls progress through sport. The five continental winners were Peninnah Aligawesa Kabenge (Africa), the Bradesco Sports and Education Progamme and Centre (Americas), Zaiton Othman (Asia), Aikaterini Nafplioti-Panagopoulos (Europe), and Roseline Blake (Oceania).
Held every four years, the aim of the World Conference on Women and Sport is to assess the progress made in advancing the cause of gender equality within the Olympic Movement and to define future priority actions to improve and increase the involvement of girls and women in this framework.
MSC CRUISES OPENS UP NEW DESTINATIONS IN GUADELOUPE AND MARTINIQUE
MSC Cruisesis delighted to announce the introduction of the French Antilles as a new destination for the 2012-2013 winter season. Complemented by an extensive array of fascinating shore excursions, this is an unmissable opportunity for guests to experience this idyllic region at first hand.
The inaugural voyage begins on 30 November 2012 when MSC Liricadeparts from Genoa, Italy for a 16-day/15-night cruise, arriving at her new homeport in Martinique just over two weeks later.
MSC Lirica’s course will take her from the Mediterranean through the Atlantic and on to the Caribbean, with scheduled stops in Marseilles, Barcelona, Funchal and, after five full days at sea, Bridgetown in Barbados. Scheduled stops then follow in Saint George in Grenada, Basseterre in Saint Kitts & Nevis and Castries in Saint Lucia, with MSC Lirica arriving in Fort-de-France in Martinique on 15 December 2012.
From 15 December 2012 through to 16 February 2013, MSC Liricahas a full schedule of ten 7-day/8-night cruises, departing every Saturday from Fort-de-France, Martinique, and every Sunday from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.
During these Caribbean experiences, guests will discover not only the breathtaking beauty but also the rich history of the islands, with scheduled stops in St John’s in Antigua & Barbuda; Road Town on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; Santo Domingo and La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Philipsburg in St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.
The French Antilles will bid farewell to MSC Liricaon 23 February 2013, when she starts her 16-day/15-night return cruise from Fort-de-France to Genoa. Scheduled stops are Pointe-à-Pitre, Castries, Funchal, Malaga, Barcelona and Marseille.
Excursions meanwhile will range from gentle tours around botanical gardens and plantations through to canopy zip lines high above the rainforest. Those with a thirst for knowledge may prefer a visit to the fishing village where Christopher Columbus landed in 1502 or a Chocolate Tour to the Caribbean’s largest organic cocoa processing plants.
The luxurious 59,000-ton MSC Liricahas capacity for a total of 2069 guests in 780 cabins. The ship boasts numerous swimming pools, a running track, a mini golf course, boutiques, a casino, a state-of-the-art gym, a luxury spa and the 713-seat Broadway theatre. Guests can enjoy the finest Mediterranean and international cuisine in four different restaurants, soak up the atmosphere in the Lord Nelson Pub, enjoy the chilled out musical offering in The Beverly Hills bar or dance the night away in the Blue Club Disco.
