HBAA Annual Forum rewards excellence within the Industry

The HBAA Awards took place at the HBAA Annual Forum last night, 8th September.

Presented at host venue, the Holiday Inn Stratford on Avon, the awards are now in their third year and recognise excellence and the promotion of best practice in the hotel booking agency sector. Five awards were presented by HBAA Chairman, Stephen Usher:

Best Demonstration of CSR; awarded to a company’s commitment to sustainability through sound environmental practices and clear demonstration that this is embedded in the culture of the business.

Judge:               Mark Lewis, Caterer & Hotelkeeper

Finalists:           etc.venues, ACC Liverpool, RNLI

Winner:             etc.venues

Mark Lewis, editor, said, “Etc.venues offers a shining example of how businesses can reap personal rewards from investing time and energy into corporate social responsibility. Through its support of the Magic Breakfast, a London-based charity that aims to help under-privileged children achieve their potential at school by providing them with a nutritious breakfast, etc. venues has provided its employees with an added means of drawing personal satisfaction from their working lives. Moreover, its charitable activities have helped engender a greater sense of teamwork and unity. It comes as no surprise, then, that the extent of their fundraising far exceeded their expectations.”

Training & Development Award; demonstration of agents, hotels or venues commitment to the training and development of staff at every level of the organisation.

Judge:               Rochelle Long, Meetings & Incentive Travel

Finalists:           Lime Venue Portfolio, Principal Hayley, Wyboston Lakes

Winner:             Principal Hayley

Rochelle Long, editor, commented, “Principal Hayley’s submission demonstrated a highly structured development programme for all staff, from induction to regular training.

Its case study highlighted not only the personal growth of the 10 participants on its graduate development programme, with eight progressing after the year to more senior roles within the company, but overall benefit to the group in terms of learning and knowledge retention.

The graduate’s training plans contained measurable objectives for each department in which they were placed, while the new Duty manager’s standards manual compiled by the graduates in their development workshops has now been adopted as a group standard.”

Promoting Excellence within the Industry; Awarded to a company delivering excellence to clients by means of a new product or service.

Judge:              Gill Upton, The Business Travel Magazine

Finalists:           Ardencote Manor, Old Course hotel Golf Resort & Spa, De Vere Hotels,

Resorts & Venues

Winner:             De Vere Hotels, Resorts & Venues

Editor, Gill Upton said, “The clear winner is De Vere, for its clarity of strategy and methodology.  The scheme – quiz nights -  gave the hotel company between four and six hours of interaction with its target audience – booking agents – and a phenomenal result that exceeded its goal. A succinctly written award application.”

2010 saw the launch of the Agent of the Year Award which was voted for by corporate clients. Nearly 2000 votes were cast reflecting the growing presence of corporate buyers within the association.

Agent of the year (Small to medium agency with up to 25 employees)

Finalists:           Trinity Conferences, First Choice Conference & Events, Absolute Corporate Events

Winner:             First Choice Conference & Events

Agent of the year (Large agency with over 26 employees)

Finalists:           BSI, Expotel Hotel Reservations Limited, Conference Care

Winner:             Expotel Hotel Reservations Limited

Stephen Usher, Chairman of the HBAA said: “The Awards are highly sought after within the Association as they help demonstrate the professionalism and the drive for raising service levels that we advocate as an organisation.  The quality and number of applications increase year on year with the benchmark clearly set for 2011. My congratulations go to all of the shortlisted organisations and of course to the winners.”

Carlson Marketing and IMEX America create powerful new marketing alliance

Organizers of IMEX America announced today that they have entered into an alliance with one of the largest marketing agencies in the world, Carlson Marketing. On October 10, 2011, a day before IMEX America begins, the relationship, brand loyalty and engagement company, Carlson Marketing, will conduct a dedicated educational event for corporate clients and its own buyers and account executives.  The exclusive Las Vegas event expects to welcome up to 100 guests, each of whom will then attend IMEX America as part of the trade show’s unique hosted buyer program.

Carlson Marketing corporate clients represent some of the world’s biggest Fortune 1000 companies,chiefly in the financial services, travel, telecom, retail, consumer goods and automotive sectors. Those who attend IMEX America will be high level corporate meetings and events buyers with significant US as well as international spending power.

Watch Ray Bloom, Chairman, IMEX on what makes IMEX America unique and the importance of the hosted buyer program

“We know the proven success of IMEX in Frankfurt and look forward to an energizing and productive North American show in 2011. We are excited to be involved in the first IMEX America.  We know that travel engages and motivates, which makes this show an excellent fit for us and our clients,” said Fay Beauchine, president, Engagement & Events, Carlson Marketing.

Ray Bloom, IMEX Group Chairman, explained: “Our agreement with Carlson Marketing sends another strong signal to the worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel industry that we are serious about making sure that IMEX America delivers high level business opportunities for all its exhibitors. Carlson Marketing’s client base of Fortune 1000 companies, plus the company’s unquestioned authority in the market is yet another stamp of approval for the show and demonstrates our ambition to make a big impact from day one.”

The involvement of Carlson Marketing complements several alliances already announced. These include many of the major hotels groups including Intercontinental, Marriott and Starwood along with travel, meeting and incentive companies such as Conference Direct, Experient, HelmsBriscoe, Global Cynergies, HPN, Maritz Travel and Northstar Meetings Group.

Record number of delegates for the first day of the HBAA Annual Forum 2010

The HBAA welcomes its highest ever turnout of delegates at its powwow being held at the Holiday Inn Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Over 325 delegates made up of hoteliers, senior venue and agent managers are at the associations 12th Annual Forum.  The 10% increase in delegate numbers reflects on the growing presence of the HBAA within the hotel booking and meetings industry sector.

The morning’s keynote session by Melvin Gold of Melvin Gold consulting, who provides a specialist service to those in the hotel industry, gave an informative insight into where the economy currently stands for the UK hospitality industry.  Members and partners gave personal insights into how they think their businesses will perform in the next 18 months.  Results showed that 62% of businesses thought they would grow by more than 5% within the next 18 months with only 8% thinking it would stay static.

Melvin emphasised the aggressive rate at which London accommodation is moving compared to the rest of the UK as well as the state of the hotel industry in terms of public sector business and the risks of their expenditure cuts.  He went on to highlight the power of the internet and how it has transformed the industry with hotels putting distressed inventory online to sell.  His comments were enforced by research from Travelclick showing 38% of all hotel bookings now being made online.

Stephen Usher, HBAA Chariman commented, “We are absolutely delighted with the largest ever turnout at our annual conference this year.  This is testament to how we operate as an association and the high profile line up of speakers.”

ACC Liverpool unveils new E.ON Business Centre

Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, officially opened the new E.ON Business Centre at BT Convention Centre, part of ACC Liverpool, yesterday (Tuesday 7^th September) demonstrating the growth of E.ON’s relationship with ACC Liverpool since becoming the venue’s energy provider in 2008.

The venue’s Business Centre has been completely refitted and refurnished and is now equipped with a full range of business facilities as well as a new Netpod comprising 14 energy efficient high speed internet desktops, designed to enhance communications and increase productivity for delegates and clients at conferences and exhibitions.

Dr Paul Golby said, “Buildings currently account for over 40% of the UK’s total carbon emissions so it’s really important that homes and businesses up and down the country become more energy efficient.

“ACC Liverpool is a living example of how things can be done, as well as an exciting showcase for others using the facility. We’re proud to lend our support and name to the facility.”

E.ON has assisted ACC Liverpool in its drive to become one of Europe’s most sustainable venues by helping to reduce carbon emissions.  ACC Liverpool has laid down a ‘greenprint’ for corporate social responsibility amongst its competitors with ground-breaking design and build and a focus on continually improving its CSR standing in the local, national and international community.

Bob Prattey, CEO of ACC Liverpool said, “Communications is a key word for the meetings and events sector, providing real-time event news, facilitating a ceaseless flow of information and ensuring delegates can respond to their business needs. We are excited by the strengthening of our partnership with E.ON and look forward to seeing the E.ON Business Centre in action as a next generation work station.”

HOFBURG Vienna flying high

The HOFBURG Vienna has already hosted some 40 conferences and meetings for 16,000 delegates this year, despite cancellations and rescheduling caused by the volcanic ash cloud. International banquets and exhibitions are showing strong potential, while a surge in inquiries points towards a bright future.

“2010 has been a turbulent year for the event industry due to the volcano eruption in Iceland and the subsequent lockdown of European airspace,” explains HOFBURG Vienna Managing Director Renate Danler. In all, six international conferences and banquet events were rescheduled from April to June and autumn 2010.

The First High Level Meeting of the Africa-EU-Energy Partnership will now take place on 14 and 15 September. Overall, Mrs Danler is very satisfied with the year so far. With around 40 conferences and meetings attracting 16,000 delegates, the conference centre is close to matching last year’s outstanding success. “We expect this segment to generate 35,000 to 40,000 overnight stays for the city’s tourism industry,” she notes. Like the spring, autumn is a particularly busy time.

The 27th Congress of the German Speaking Professional Association of Arthroscopy (AGA) (9-11 September) will overlap with the International Association for Literature and Art’s Study Days (10-11 September). During this period the former imperial residence will be welcoming around 1,600 delegates.

The AVUS meeting (23-24 September) and the Austrian Dental Conference (30 September-2 October) will each draw 600-800 delegates.

The IACA Conference (2-3 September) and the 3rd Annual Dialogue on Multi-level Protection and Promotion of Fundamental Rights (26 November) will transform the Hofburg into a global political forum.

This year demand for gala evenings and banquet events is strong. “We expect this segment to account for 14-15 percent of revenue, up two or three percentage points on last year,” says Mrs Danler. Traditional events such as Una Notte Sportiva (24 September), Entrepreneur Of The Year (14 October) and the Falstaff Rotwein Gala (7 December) will this year be joined by the inaugural Initiative Nein zu Arm und Krank (No to poverty and disease) matinee (3 October). Christmas parties are also extremely popular, accounting for 15 bookings in total. Other highlights include the numerous trade-only and public fairs such as access 2010, the leading platform for congresses, meetings and incentives (4-5 October), the Wohndesign furniture show (14-17 October), and the Fair for Art and Antiques (6-14 November). Including LUXURY, please (19- 21 November), these events will see around 40,000 visitors converge on the Hofburg. Revenue for the current year is forecasted at almost EUR 10 million, with added value of about EUR 190 million.

Although the overall trend in the event industry is towards short-notice bookings, Mrs Danler is optimistic about the future. “We have taken bookings for ten large scale conferences and meetings in 2011 and are fielding increasing numbers of inquiries,” she points out. The latest acquisitions include a Russian conference for January and the Austrian Ear, Nose and Throat Congress in September 2011. Meanwhile two further medical conferences have been booked for the years after that. In September 2012 the HOFBURG Vienna will host 1,000 delegates of a neurological conference, followed by around 1,400 physicians at an immunology conference in autumn 2015.

FOOTBALL AND FASHION LURE MORE GULF REGION TOURISTS TO THE UK – VISITBRITAIN

The number of tourists coming to the UK from the Gulf Region has jumped, according to a new report from VisitBritain.

Some 494,000 people from the Gulf Region made trips to the UK in 2009, up 9 per cent on the year before.

Tourists from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates say they are particularly attracted to the UK by the opportunity to shop for fashion and luxury goods not available at home – and the chance to watch one of Britain’s increasingly world famous Premier League football clubs.

Gulf tourism makes an important contribution to the UK economy. The average amount that visitors from the region spent in 2009 while in this country was £1,733 per person – more than three times as much as the average tourist who spent just £554.

The region was the source of 1.7 per cent of visitors to the UK in 2009 but they splashed out £856 million, 5.2 per cent of what all foreign tourists spent here.

Key reasons for the surge in Gulf Region visits to Britain include our growing reputation as a safe, well-organised country with polite, approachable people and relatively low levels of theft or fraud. Our temperate climate is seen as particularly desirable for those wishing to escape searing summer temperatures which average 45 degrees Celcius in Saudi Arabia, for example.

The new report comes as the popularity of the UK with Gulf Region investors has climbed. Qatar Holdings, the state-owned investment fund, owns the prestigious Harrods department store.  Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, is currently spending money heavily to transform Manchester City FC into a team that can finally compete with its neighbour Manchester United for the Premiership crown. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company recently bought the ExCeL exhibition centre in London.

Gulf Region visitors currently have limited knowledge of Britain outside London but they find the idea of visiting other parts of the country ‘’very appealing.’’

Although Gulf Region tourists believe London is relatively expensive compared to other European destinations the cost tends to be outweighed by the cachet of being able to say they visited London and experienced Britain’s culture and heritage. Another point in Britain’s favour is that it is easy for Gulf Region tourists to communicate once they get here, since most are familiar with the English language.

When would-be Gulf Region tourists were asked where they would like to visit in the next three years, only Malaysia had a slight edge over Britain as a destination because of its rich scenic beauty. Britain’s closest rivals are, in order of precedence, France, Thailand, Singapore and the USA.

Other factors that made Gulf Region visitors choose Britain included the availability of plenty of activities for the family and the clean environment.

The increase in tourist visits to the UK comes after a sustained push by VisitBritain to sell the UK as a destination to the region. For example, in association with Tourism Ireland, it launched a major business-to-business travel trade event, Destination Britain & Ireland (Debi), in Dubai in May 2010. It was the biggest trade event of its kind in the Asia Pacific, Gulf Region, and Africa region with more than 200 key companies and travel industry specialists attending the three-day event.

Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications, VisitBritain said: ‘’The number of visitors coming to the UK from the Gulf Region has jumped significantly in the past year, partly thanks to a sustained push by VisitBritain to sell the UK as a travel destination. It is very good news that travellers from the region are increasingly attracted to our reputation as a safe, welcoming and friendly country with lots of sights, activities, adventures and entertainment to enjoy.’’

Airline launches double-decker service to Manchester

Emirates’ expanding A380 fleet is generating interest from airports across the world as Manchester becomes the latest city to be served by the superjumbo.

The international airline of the United Arab Emirates is now the world’s largest operator of the A380 with 12 in the fleet.
A further order for 32 A380s, announced during the Berlin Air Show in June, has prompted a flurry of enquiries from airports around the world.

Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman Emirates Airline & Group, who was born in the North West of England and joined the first Manchester A380 flight said: “This is a historic moment for Emirates as we bring our 21st century superjumbo to the North West twenty years after our first flight from the region. Our Manchester service has been an incredible success story, and we’re delighted to be opening the next chapter today.”

Mr Flanagan added: “People are realising that this is the passenger aircraft of the future. As a result of our announcement in Berlin, we have had enquiries from more than 20 airports across the world, asking whether Emirates would fly the A380 to their airports. These aircraft are a dream to travel in and a dream to have at your disposal for expansion. They are extremely popular with our passengers and where we deploy them, they fill up almost immediately – running at over 90 percent load factor.”

Information from Airbus shows that the A380 has now flown to more than 100 airports across the globe, either commercially or for events or test flights.

The start of A380 flights to Manchester from today is the first time the world’s largest airliner has operated a scheduled service to a regional airport. It is also the first time Emirates has brought its First Class cabin to the route.

Manchester Airport’s Managing Director, Andrew Cornish, said: “The start of daily A380 services from Manchester to Dubai is a moment in history for our airport and the wider region. It’s of such significance that we’re expecting thousands of people to visit the airport on September 1st to catch a glimpse of her first flight. We’ve invested around £10m to upgrade the airport’s infrastructure to accommodate the flagship of the Emirates fleet and are very much looking forward to welcoming her for the first time.”

EK017 leaves Dubai daily at 0755hrs and arrives in Manchester at 1225hrs. EK018 departs Manchester at 1410hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0015hrs the next day.

Emirates’ A380 is renowned for its First Class Private Suites, Onboard Shower Spas and Onboard Lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers, offering a wide range of drinks and canapés, as well as space to socialise or simply relax.

Passengers in all classes can lose themselves in the quietness of the aircraft and the award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system. There are more than 1,200 channels of on-demand entertainment, including 200 movies from around the world, 100 TV channels, more than 500 audio channels, 100 video games and news headlines.

Emirates now operates A380s on the following routes: London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto, Bangkok, Seoul, Jeddah and Beijing. Hong Kong will be added to that list from 1st October and on 31st October,  the A380 will make a much-anticipated return to New York.

Emirates is the world’s largest customer for the superjumbo and its total A380 order book is 90 – with 78 aircraft still to come.

Private Islands for Sale

The idea of owning your own island is probably a remote fantasy these days, especially after three years of economic carnage to your bank account, savings, and retirement portfolio. But who hasn’t gazed out at an island from the shore, and wondered what it would be like to own your own kingdom, tethered to civilization only by water or air? Think Robinson Crusoe. Sir Richard Branson, Johnny Depp, and Celine Dion all own their own islands.

Here are 12 islands for sale, ranging in price from just $595,000 to $3.5 million. So what would it be like?

Ram Island

Place: Machias Bay, Maine, 50 miles east of Bar Harbor
Asking Price: $595,000
Acreage: 16
Undeveloped

One tree, a few sheep, a 20 by 20 foot platform for pitching a tent, and a mooring in the cove. The rest is grass, rocks, and 360-degree views of the ocean and bay.

Treasure Island

Where: Lake Manitou in Northern Indiana
Asking Price: $775,000
Acreage: 1.25
Developed

Located halfway between Notre Dame and Purdue universities, this island on a 775-acre natural lake is a state-protected wetland. It features a one-bedroom, two-bath cottage built around 1900, but fully renovated in 1985. There’s electricity and running water, and three sides are all in windows. The property also includes a private pier area on the mainland for getting from the car to the boat.

Charlie’s Island

Where: Near Marathon, in the Florida Keys
Asking Price: $995,000
Acreage: 0.32
Undeveloped

The turquoise-colored roofs you see in the picture are open-air sitting areas with decks, chairs, and a campfire cooking area. But the island also comes with a 38-foot houseboat, not pictured here, that sleeps 4-5 people. Great reefs nearby for snorkeling. All the seafood you can eat.

Snug Harbour Island

Where: On Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Asking Price: $1,057,000
Acreage: 3
Developed

A two-hour drive from Toronto, this island features a two-bedroom, two-bath cottage with a glassed-in porch overlooking the water, a separate guest cabin with bathroom, hot tub built into the rock outcropping, and a boathouse with deep water mooring. Running water, electric, a septic field. And it has wireless Internet access. So you could get away from it all, but still check your e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

Krokholmen Island

Where: North Atlantic, near Bodø, Norway
Asking Price: $1,292,000 (1 million euros)
Acreage: 74 acres
Developed

Offshore retreat? Heck, this is an offshore town. The property features nine buildings including a restaurant, pub, conference center, marina, boathouses, and a hot tub. Price also includes several boats, an all-terrain vehicle for getting around the island, fishing and hunting gear, and a clay-pigeon set-up for shooting. The Gulf Stream keeps the climate here mild, despite its location in northern Norway.

Watch Island

Place: St. Lawrence Seaway, near Clayton, NY
Asking Price: $1,950,000
Acreage: 1.3
Developed

There are more than 1,400 islands in the Thousand Island region of upstate New York. But few of them come with a 6,500-square-foot mansion — ten bedrooms, four bathrooms, plus a boat house and dock. About an hour-and-a-half drive from either Syracuse or Montreal.

Little Hog Cay

Place: Near Abacos, Northern Bahamas
Asking Price: $1,950,000
Acreage: 25
Partially developed

Notice the lagoon that separates the west side of the island from the east. On the west side sits a studio home and a guest cabana with an electric generator. The east side is undeveloped. Marina and airstrip are a 15-minute boat ride away, on the main island of Abacos.

Horse Island

Place: Long Island Sound, in Guilford, Conn.
Asking Price: $2,500,000
Acreage: 0.75
Developed

Less than 2.5 hours from Manhattan, and at low tide, a short walk to the shore. The cottage has electric, city water, a septic field, and four bedrooms. The property also comes with two Boston Whalers, a Sunfish, a windsurfing vessel, and a kayak.

5 Cove Island

Place: Howe Sound, British Columbia, between Whistler and Vancouver
Asking Price: $2,950,000
Acreage: 5
Developed

A 30-minute boat ride from the city of Vancouver, this island is up for sale to developers, with an approved subdvision plan.

Summer Hill Island

Place: Lake Glenville, western North Carolina
Asking Price: $3,450,000
Acreage: 4.6
Developed

Located on a 1,500-acre lake in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, this island has a four-bedroom, four-bathroom house hidden by the forest canopy. It features a gourmet kitchen, antique pine floors, and covered decks that lead to a private dock. Asheville is an hour away. Atlanta is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive away.

Hotels rethink approach to leisure business in response to corporate cost-cutting

Leisure guests will become increasingly important for hotels in the post-recession years, according to a high-level think tank in London this week.

World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, invited a dozen hotel suppliers and operators from its Meridian Club, which has 24,000 of the travel and tourism industry’s most senior buyers, to the event. The guests – all of whom were at least regional director level – represented all aspects and geographies of the hotel sector.  It took place in the Directors’ Lounge at the Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal Football Club.

In a wide-ranging discussion, which took place under Chatham House rules, one recurring observation was that hotels were looking more closely at leisure business in response to sea changes in the corporate travel environment.

Travel budgets for blue-chips and SMEs were slashed during the global slowdown, and the concern for hoteliers is that even if the world economy picks up, budgets will remain tight. A luxury hotelier said that many companies were now mandating that its travellers could not stay in five-star hotels, while a tour operator with a global reach said that his business was now using video conferencing as a matter of course and that this had now become “learned behaviour”.

A mid-market operator said that some of its properties in France were no longer taking bookings from the MICE sector because of the strong demand from US-based leisure travellers, while another mid-market operator said that it is benefitting from business travellers downgrading.

Responsibility for travel budget is increasingly the responsibility of the procurement department, which appears to be leading to tougher negotiations. “Corporations now want wi-fi access as part of the deal, and they are looking for free transfers, free phone calls and discounts on food and beverage which clearly affects our margins” one hotelier said. “It is possible that leisure travellers might now be more profitable than corporate guests.”

However, leisure guests are also demanding better value for money. A UK-based short break specialist said that customers were still willing to pay a good price for a break, but they wanted more for their money.

Other panellists pointed out that luxury hotels are now expected to offer all-inclusive rates to tour operators, as bigger spending leisure clients are starting to  see the appeal of all-inclusive breaks.

Themes such as emerging markets, foreign exchange rates and distribution were also covered in the ninety-minute minute.

“The idea behind the think tanks is to give senior executives the chance to talk openly with one another about their sector,” said Mark Jacobsen, Marketing Manager, Meridian Club. “We will take on board what was said and use it to make sure Word Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is able to service the needs of all players in the challenging and dynamic hotel sector.”

American buyers see positive trends in face-to-face meetings

Meetings Industry Snapshot: Planners Express ‘Cautious Optimism’ IMEX Frankfurt exit poll reveals American buyers see positive trends in face-to-face meetings

A little over half (54%) of meetings industry specialists in the U.S. and Canada have expressed ‘cautious optimism’ about the return of meetings and incentives market, according to a recent poll taken by the IMEX Group following its Frankfurt trade show. A further nine percent said that they are ‘very optimistic.’

The poll was conducted among 200 North American buyers and suppliers in June 2010, following the conclusion of IMEX in Frankfurt, which took place May 25-27, 2010.

The poll results are good news for the U.K. based IMEX Group, which will launch its first annual IMEX America exhibition, October 11-13, 2011, in Las Vegas, at the Sands Expo at the Venetian/Palazzo Hotel.

Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group comments, “We recently declared an increase in the hosted buyer program for IMEX America – we now expect in excess of 2000 buyers – because our partners and intermediaries have a renewed confidence in future growth. This represents an increase of more than 30 percent on our initial launch figure. Our survey findings are also in line with other recent global and US industry reports which suggests that this new found confidence is not just about mood but about real business volumes.”

The poll also revealed that Canadian planners are even more optimistic. While one in five (21%) U.S. planners doubt the meetings market is in recovery, Canadian buyers are generally convinced that already it is ‘business as usual,’ suggesting that the sector has rebounded faster because their economy and financial systems were hit less severely. As one planner explained, “Our financial system was never really in too much trouble. No banks closed, and there were few or no foreclosure increases. Business demands changed slightly but did not necessarily decline.” Another shared the opinion, “In Canada we are quickly moving out of the economic downturn…our GDP is up 6.1% already. Fortunately, perception may no longer be an issue.”

In contrast, U.S. respondents acknowledge the possibility of continuing business volatility and that recovery may only be slow. However, their confidence is underpinned by a sense that there is pent up demand for travel. Said one organizer, “We are starting to experience a resurgence in incentive programs from our customers. Qualification levels are stronger and forecasts for 2011 are stronger than 2010.” Another commented, “We are seeing an increase in the number of programs for 2010 over 2009, so that is a positive. There are encouraging small gains as well as the better reception we are receiving to our offers.”

Survey participants confirm also that their meetings and incentives tend to be short-notice, travel less far, remain value-conscious, and are simpler and more ROI-focused than those held prior to the downturn. Some argue that the formula of ‘more for less’ – frugality and less frivolity – could prove to be the new reality for many years ahead.

IBC 2010: By The Industry For The Industry

Each September, the leading brands, finest minds and wisest investors come to IBC – the premier annual conference and exhibition for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and media content worldwide.

Each year, over 1,300 companies from around the world exhibit at IBC. They choose IBC because of its 45,000 plus visitors, its track record of innovation with developing and driving new exhibitor opportunities such as this year’s debut Connected World, the 1000 plus journalists that visit the show every year, its carefully tailored networking opportunities, and its location in Amsterdam, at the heart of the European market. That’s why IBC has become one of the most effective places to launch new products, raise corporate profiles, generate concrete sales leads and develop distribution channels in the industry.

45,000 people visit IBC every year, making it easily one of the most important dates on the calendar for the global electronic media industry. They chose IBC because of the 1,300+ exhibitorspacking its thirteen halls; because of innovative areas such as The Connected World, The New Technology Campus, and The IBC Big Screenwhich showcase technology at the cutting edge; and because of the conference, which has set the recent standard for thought-leadership in the industry and is the place to best understand the opportunities available in an evolving world.

The IBC Conference is the premier location worldwide for debate and analysis of the current state of the industry, and detailed discussion about the future paths it may take. Rigorously peer-reviewed, the conference sees leading thinkers and decision makers from around the world descend on Amsterdam to experience its leading combination of keynote sessions, panel discussions and detailed master classes. Covering both the technology, including the latest on stereoscopic 3D, IPTV and content creation, and its business implications, the IBC Conference is the destination for all those who want to understand the present and learn about the future.

Oracle OpenWorld 2010. It all starts here.

Oracle OpenWorld is the world’s largest and most important conference for Oracle technologists, business users, and partners. This annual gathering is the best place to meet live and in person with experts, enthusiasts, business leaders, and innovators from every industry around the globe to network, learn, and celebrate your role in the technology that runs your business.

With more than 1,800 sessions, 400 partner exhibits, almost 400 Oracle demos, keynotes from the world’s technology leaders, hands-on labs, several special networking events, and more, Oracle OpenWorld San Francisco is best to find relevant, useful information about how to use technology to drive your business forward.

Oracle is transforming the industry with a complete technology stack, from applications to disk, engineered to work together. And Oracle OpenWorld is your chance not only to hear Oracle’s strategy and roadmap from the experts who are engineering the products but to gain firsthand experience with the hardware and software built to optimize your business from end to end.

Five days of education. Insights and connections that will transform your career—and your business.

DELHI HOSTS TOURISM’S NIGHT OF THE YEAR

World Travel Awards Asia and Australasia Ceremony is coming to The Claridges, Surajkund, Delhi, NCR in October for what is expected to be the most keenly fought competition ever.

The event, the most important night of the year for Asia and Australasia’s tourism industry, will demonstrate just why the region is experiencing unprecedented uplift, regardless of the challenging global economic environment.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder and President of World Travel Awards, described as the ‘Oscars’ of the global industry, said the event is a brilliant barometer of the region’s phenomenal success.

“International tourism is slowly gaining momentum after extremely difficult times last year”, he said. “What is remarkable though is that according to the latest official figures, Asia and the Pacific is leading the world.

“The region was up an incredible 10% in the first two months of the year, an indication of the industry’s resourcefulness, drive and determination to succeed.

“World Travel Awards was established 17 years ago to drive up standards of customer service and overall performance and this year’s winners will be an excellent business model for others to follow.

The hotel is an ideal venue for such an event, combining both a business and luxury resort in one.”

He added: “We look forward to working with the team at The Claridges, Surajkund, Delhi, NCR for what I know will be a decisive evening for the industry.”

Says Mr Peter J. Leitgeb, President & CEO, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts, “It is our privilege to be chosen as the venue for the first ever World Travel Awards to be held in India. We are truly honoured to host the prestigious World Travel Awards at The Claridges, Surajkund, Delhi, NCR.

“Today, India is on everyone’s radar. It is reiterated by the number of visitors the hotels are seeing in this part of the world. Such volume is practically unheard of anywhere else. In keeping with the buoyant economy The Claridges Hotels & Resorts too has seen significant growth in occupancy and revenue over the years. Choosing New Delhi as the destination for World Travel Award Asia and Australasia further reinforces India as ‘the’ destination which no one can today overlook”.

Viewed as the ultimate achievement for any Asian or Australasian company, more than 80 travel brands are competing to be the best.

Online voting is now underway and nominees are campaigning hard with agents and industry executives to win support. Log on to www.worldtravelawards and click on the VOTE button to participate.

Winners of the regional ceremony will then go on to compete in World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final in London on Sunday 7 November, immediately before World Travel Market.

They will be up against some of the finest travel operators in the world, consistently demonstrating excellence in every aspect of their business.

In addition to the honour, prestige and global exposure of winning one of the awards, covering every sector of travel and tourism, World Travel Award winners enjoy considerable commercial benefits too.

Consumers, seeking peace of mind, are increasingly using the winners list as a reliable resource when choosing a holiday.

TOP ENVIRONMENTALIST TO OPEN WTM WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM DAY

Tony Juniper, one of the world’s best known ecologists and forthright campaigner is opening this year’s WTM World Responsible Tourism Day on Wednesday 10 November at ExCeL, London.

Juniper is the former director of Friends of the Earth UK, campaigning and rallying public opinion and vice chair of the 70-strong network of national organisations of Friends of the Earth International.

Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of World Travel Market said that Tony Juniper would bring a different perspective to WTM World Responsible Tourism Day.

“He is frank and honest about how we need to use the planet to ensure travel and tourism has a tomorrow”, she said.

“Over the past 25 years, Tony has campaigned for a more sustainable society at local, national and international levels. WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is beginning to earn a reputation as straight talking and honest, stripping away the propaganda and the hype.

“In opening WTM World Responsible Tourism Day 2010, Tony Juniper will bring fresh ideas, extensive knowledge and boundless enthusiasm to the cause of responsible tourism.”

A major contributor to many of Friends of the Earth’s most important worldwide achievements, he is also a prolific writer.

Co-Writer of Prince’s Book

Juniper is currently helping HRH Prince of Wales to write a book called ‘Harmony’ about how man has become dangerously disconnected from nature.

As humanity faces the multiple challenges of climate change, ecological destruction, economic instability and continuing human poverty, ‘Harmony’ encourages the world to restore the lost balance between Man and Nature and to follow a more philosophical path which reconnects humankind with ancient wisdom and intuition.

He also writes for two leading UK newspapers – Sunday Times and The Guardian and is editor-in-chief of National Geographic’s ‘Green’ Magazine.

He advises several international companies on their sustainability strategies and frequently speaks and lectures on environmental and sustainability questions throughout the word.

He is an advisory panel member with the UK’s Science Museum, the National Trust and the British Council and a board member of Climate for Ideas, an environmental research organisation.

A former professional ornithologist, Juniper spearheaded a programme with Birdlife International to prevent the extinction of critically endangered parrots.

He wrote the companion volume to the BBC series ‘Saving Planet Earth’ (2007), ‘How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take To Change A Planet? (2007) and ‘Spix’s Macaw:The Race To Save The World’s Rarest Bird ‘(2002).

• The WTM World Responsible Tourism Day opening ceremony will be held at 10.30 am on Wednesday 10 November at Platinum Suite 4, ExCeL London.

Love is in the air – in the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is a very romantic place and many young men have proposed to their girlfriends in this beautiful, serene setting. From what we hear, the ladies all say YES!

But it’s not only proposals that take place in the Blue Lagoon; many couples have chosen the lagoon as a location for their wedding ceremony. Be it at LAVA restaurant, in the lagoon itself or on top of the building enjoying the magnificent view, all the wedding ceremonies have been wonderful.

Other romantic endeavors have also taken place in the Blue Lagoon. Let’s not forget the Rose ceremony in the latest series of ABC’s The Bachelorette and Ali’s group date in the lagoon. Also, Flexijourney.com recently published a blog post where it mentions the Blue Lagoon as one of Europe’s most romantic getaways.

Show your romantic side and treat your special someone to experience the Blue Lagoon and its wonders.

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY AT THE HOME OF THE CHAMPIONS!

For the very best in hospitality, look no further than Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge – with world-class players on the pitch and an unrivalled service and facilities off.

A matchday at Chelsea Football Club is one to be savoured and with a matchday package, everything from arrival to departure is effortless and stress free. Your day at Stamford Bridge begins well before the kick off and doesn’t have to end until you’re ready to leave.

There are four matchday package categories for you to choose from for each matchday.  Click here to check thelatest availability and matchday package prices

Face to Face Meetings empower our World

It was entirely appropriate that India’s Silicon Valley should be the location of the ICPB’s (India Convention Promotion Bureau) Conventions India Conclave – 2010. Taking place at The LaLit Ashok, Bangalore, India, from August 27-28, the Conclave attracted over 250 delegates representing both international and national buyers as well as ICPB members, and was inaugurated by Mr. G. Janardhana Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka.

This inaugural session was followed by a seminal and conceptual Keynote Presentation by Mr. Philippe Fournier, President, IAPCO, on “Conferences in the Knowledge Economy:  Face to Face Meetings are changing and empowering our World”.   It was a great honour for Mr. Shyam Nagpal, Hony. Secretary ICPB and India’s first Alumni of IAPCO, to introduce Philippe Fournier, informing the audience of IAPCO’s position as the most pioneering and prominent Association in the world of PCOs, with over 100 members from 37 countries.

Philippe Fournier began the presentation with the strategic statement:  “We are a global world, which means global meetings!  Meetings have been a solution over the centuries and today’s globalisation can only enhance the need to meet, not, as a perceived advantage of social communication, detract.  When people meet, things happen, things change, things improve and economy rises.  Face to face meetings power the economy.  We are now in a knowledge-based economy. Without learning from experience, without face-to-face interaction, without networking in real time with our peers, individuals, institutions, disciplines, we lose the ability to increase that essential knowledge.  Without knowledge, our financial economy cannot improve.

“But do not be mistaken. Social Communication is an essential asset to the new type of meetings that are developing today. On-line activities can feed the meeting before, during and after the event, fuelling the ever-increasing knowledge economy. The new meeting formats are live, they are virtual, they are hybrid! Hybrid events are a mix of devices, applications, digital media and websites. Utilising SMS, social media, pod/webcasts, micro blogs, YouTube, smart phones – and today is just the beginning.  It is high-tech.   And the knowledge economy uses high-tech as a weapon, a tool that helps to develop meetings by maximising face to face interactions.

“Conferences in our knowledge based economy have a key role to play.”

The Conclave was attended by high ranking dignitaries from the Government of India, State Governments and business tourism industry, represented by Mr. G. Janardhana Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka, Mr. S. V. Ranganath, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, Mr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Chairman, ICPB, Mr. Viswanatha Reddy, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Vipul Mittra, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat, along with the Office Bearers of ICPB, Mr. Rajeev Kohli, Vice Chairman, ICPB, Mr. Shyam Nagpal, Hony. Secretary, ICPB, and Mr. Chander Mansharamani, Hony. Treasurer, ICPB.

The tourist flow from Russia to Czech Republic increased by 14%

ATOR Analytical Service made a presentation based on the data of Czech Statistics Office and TOURMARKET.INFO monitoring system of the price of competitors.

As a result of the first six months of the year, Russian market took the 2nd place (6.6%) in general rating of arrivals of foreigners to Czech Republic, ceding to Germany (22%) and taking the lead over Poland (6.1%), the UK (5.9%) and Italy (5.7%). The tourist flow from Russia increased by 14% during the first six months of 2010 and amounted to 184 thousand people. The number of the nights of the Russians increased by 13.2%. As for the number of the nights during the first six months of the year, the Russian market also takes the 2nd place with the indicator of 12% after the Germans (26%).

The average duration of stay of the Russians in the hotels amounted to 5.2 nights during the first six months of the year. More than 84% of the Russians stayed in the hotels of Prague and Karlovy Vary.

The analysis of the demand for the tours to Czech Republic based on statistics of TourMarket.Info

Czech Republic took the 13th place in number of the visitors of TopHotels.ru website with the share of 1.4%. The number of the visitors interested in Czech Republic increased by 40% during the period from January to July 2010 in comparison with the same period of last year (157 thousand in 2010 and 110 thousand in 2009).

Czech Republic took the 15th place (with the share of 0.8%) in number of the requests in TourIndex system during the period from January to July 2010. The number of processing requests increased by 60% during the first seven months of 2010 in comparison with the same period of last year (40 thousand in 2010 and 25 thousand in 2009).

The most popular tour operators in TourIndex system

The first place takes LantaTour Voyage with the share of 14%. Then goes AvroraIntur (10.6%), TravelLand (9.7%), Neva (9.4%), Capital Tour (8.5%), Russian Express (8.1%), NTK Intourist (5.7%), Intravel-Stoleshniki (5.3%), BSI Group (4.4.%) and Sunrise tour (4.1%).

According to ATOR survey, Russian tour operators note, that the demand for the tours to Czech Republic has increased this year. source: www.atorus.ru

Graffiti at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre

The Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre has ventured into something completely different from normal fair and congress activities: a team of ten graffiti artists has created a 160m-long painting on the exterior wall of the centre’s largest hall. In all, the painting includes nine works of art. Helsinki celebrates the Night of the Arts at the end of August each year. This project was one of 2010′s events.

The graffiti will remain in place for the coming year, until the completion of the new Hall 7 and the demolition of the present eastern wall in due course. The artwork, representing different styles, is on display for the perusal of all visitors to the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre.

The opportunity for this legal wall of graffiti arose when, during the expansion of the Centre, a roofed corridor was created between the construction site and the eastern side of the largest hall. Visitors walk through this corridor on a regular basis.

Since carefully executed graffiti art is an integral part of urban culture, it is ideal for the setting of the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre. Characteristically, graffiti remains in place for a certain period only, sometimes for a very short while. These paintings will remain on the wall for the coming year, i.e. until the completion of the new 15,000m2 multi-purpose hall in August 2011. Then, the new hall will be merged with the existing premises.

In sum, the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre was praised for its unbiased attitude by the artists and general public alike: ‘This is awesome, well done!’

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN TO NAME QUEEN ELIZABETH

Cunard Line is pleased to confirm that Her Majesty The Queen will name the company’s new Queen Elizabeth, the third Cunard ship to bear the name, at a ceremony to take place in Southampton on Monday 11 October 2010.

The naming will be a milestone in British maritime history and will be a major event of worldwide interest.

Peter Shanks, Cunard President and Managing Director, comments:

“The naming of a Cunard Queen is a very special occasion and this will be an historic event in the true sense of the word. The Queen launched Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967 and named our current flagship, Queen Mary 2, in 2004. We are both honoured and proud that Her Majesty will name our new liner Queen Elizabeth.”

Her Majesty was also present at the age of 12 at the launch of the first Queen Elizabeth on 27 September 1938 when she accompanied her mother, Queen Elizabeth, to Clydebank for the launch.

The Naming Ceremony will take place in Southampton on Monday 11 October and the ship will set sail on her maiden voyage the following day.

4th International Solar Cities World Congress

A very special event will take place in September 2010 in the Chinese City of Dezhou.

Dezhou already is China Solar City and will host the 4th International Solar Cities Initiative Congress from September16-19 2010. Before and after the congress touristic and technical tours will be organised and there will be free facilities for international working groups if they want to combine their meetings with participation in the Congress.

After some visits to Dezhou the International Solar Cities Initiative’s President expressed his feeling that Dezhou even deserves the title “World Solar City”.

Rhodes: La Marquise Resort Complex

Even in business, some things only happen thanks to people who realize their dreams. The greatest achievements are based on inspiration, reflecting the great desires of their creators. At “La Marquise”, owners are realizing their dream of creating an exceptional hotel complex. Here, leisure meets this utmost sense of style and luxury, evident in even the minutest details and the application of state-of-the-art technology.

Hotel Plan

The owners’ personal experiences and the unique design and atmosphere of “La Marquise” have blended to create a place of absolute luxury, comfort and tranquility, escaping from the ordinary, in heavenly surroundings that are destined to steal your heart from the very first moment.

Environment

Hotel’s beach is awarded with the Blue Flag eco-label, which represents the cleanness of the beach & sea and their great maintenance. At total of 31 Blue Flags for the island of Rhodes, 26 of them belong to the Municipality of Kallithea.

Unfolding sweet dreams…

With the most attentive service and prompt attention to every detail, the 386 rooms and Suites offers harmonious atmosphere, absolute privacy, tranquility, giving you the opportunity to enjoy dream holidays.

Each room type incorporates the latest modern enhancements such as HOTstream Interactive Flat TV’s, High Speed Wireless Internet Access and Control panel with “Do not disturb” , “In House “, “Room alarm”,” Door open” and “Please make-up my room” buttons.

All room types feature:

Welcome / farewell gifts, daily maid service, turn down service, , Balcony/Terrace, Bath/WC or Bath/Shower/WC, Bathrobes & slippers, Magnifying mirror, Luxury toiletries, Hair dryer, Direct dial telephone, A/C, heating, Mini bar (extra charge), Coffee/Tea making facilities (replenished daily), Electronic Safe.

La Marquise hotel features also 10 exceptionally well adapted rooms for clients with reduced mobility, allocated on the main building, near to all hotel services. With wide doorways and five rooms with wheel-in showers, they have quite superb facilities for ensuring a pleasant, untroubled stay.
Wheelchair accessibility is also excellent all around the hotel and pool areas.

A fine dining experience…

Da Vinci Restaurant

Located on the main building, our main dining room serves Greek, Mediterranean and International specialities. Decorated with thematic paintings, surrounded by waters and waterfalls with mosaic tiles, enlightened with LED lights, Da Vinci main Restaurant offers fine indoor as well as outdoor breakfast and dining experience.

Meal arrangements
Menu based on Mediterranean cuisine & international dishes
Special dinner menus
Wine selection
Attire: Smart Casual (long trousers for men during evening meal)
Smoking (outdoors only)
Half Board: lunch or dinner
Vegetarian Menu
Gluten free menu upon request
Special diet menu upon request

For our small guests
Children’s menu
High chairs.

L’étoile Sea Food Restaurant

You should not leave La Marquise without a visit to our sea food restaurant, L’étoile. Our Chef Executive ensures an unfailing, elegant and excellent dining experience, together with an impeccable service in a romantic and luxurious setting on the top floor of the main building.
Start operating later this year.

In Room Dining

For those who prefer to spend the day in their room, La Marquise hotel offers an extensive menu of excellent dishes, snacks and drinks, catering all your special requests.

An island with a famed Medieval Town

La Marquise complex is located in the outskirts of the city of Rhodes; a city with a 2400-year history and a famed Medieval Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Monument). Situated at the spectacular area of Kallithea, as testified by its name in Greek (Kalli-thea = Beautiful view), it offers a breathtaking view.

The “Ammoudes” of Faliraki, just 10 km from the city and the port and 15 km from the airport, offer guests the feeling that they are at a central, yet most peaceful spot on the island. The hotel is a contemporary “Marquise”; graceful and hospitable, it is, indeed, the pride of the area.

Exploring

Excursions around the island fill guests with countless beautiful images, emotions and enjoyable experiences. These are the inheritance they will leave with, and share with their friends upon returning back home, when they narrate all they enjoyed. A rich selection of organized excursions as well as various cultural events can be found either in the Tourist Guide programs or by our Guest relations Executive.

The Island of Rhodes is ideal for family getaways! There is so much to explore and see together with your family that you will end up having a very busy holiday schedule. These outings, for children and parents, are sure to leave you with unforgettable memories.

http://www.lamarquise.gr

25th EU PVSEC / WCPEC-5 – Conference: the World’s Largest Specialist PV Solar Conference (6-10 September 2010)

The Conference will take place from 6th to 10th September 2010 at the Feria Valencia in Spain. The 25th EU PVSEC will be the most important international Conference in the field of Photovoltaics and will be at the same time the 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion.

The 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion will unite the three most important scientific and strategic conferences for the global PV solar sector: the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, the 36th US IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference and the 20th Asia/Pacific PV Science and Engineering Conference.

Meet the experts of the PV solar branch in Valencia to discuss new trends and developments in science and industry. Valencia will provide an excellent platform for dialogue and information exchange across the World.

This 25th EU PVSEC will be a truly global event which uniquely combines scientific and technological issues from the perspective of research and development, industry, utilities, politics, architecture and end-users.

The five-day Conference Programme will be accompanied by exciting side events as Fora, Workshops and Technical Tours on present-day PV issues. This international event will be completed by an attractive social programme to meet your colleagues from all around the globe.

“WOMAN AS MUSE, 1900-1950″

The Herakleidon Museum from September 3rd until November 21st 2010 will present the exhibition with the title: “Woman as Muse, 1900-1950″. The exhibition will showcase about ninety (90) works on paper – watercolors, prints and drawings of the first fifty years of the 20th century, by European artists (including Greeks). The works come from the Museum’s collection, the Greek National Gallery, the Alpha Bank Collection, as well as from the private collections of Mr. George Economou and Mr. Charalambos Leontiadis.

From the Herakleidon Museum’s collection works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Aristide Maillol, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Landacre, Dame Laura Knight, Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen and Childe Hassam.

From the Greek National Gallery collection works by Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Gustav Klimt, Pablo Picasso, Egon Schiele, Jules Pascin, Yiannis Moralis, George Varlamos, George Economidis, Markos Zavitzianos, Emmanuel Zeppos, Dimitrios Galanis, Alexandros Korogiannakis, Dimitris Giannoukakis, Angelos Theodoropoulos, Costas Grammatopoulos and Yannis Kefallinos.

From the Alpha Bank collection works by Spyros Vassiliou, Dimitrios Galanis, Angelos Theodoropoulos, Dimitris Giannoukakis, George Economidis, Costas Grammatopoulos and Markos Zavitzianos.

From the George Economou collection works by Franz von Stuck, Alfons Walde, Lev Tchistovsky, Anton Peschka, Otto Muller, Otto Rudolf Schatz, Arthur Brusenbauch, Max Beckmann, Jeanne Mammen, Bela Kadar, Jean Metzinger and Erich Metzoldt.

The Charalambos Leontiadis collection participates with the work “La Parisienne” by Dimitrios Galanis.

The female form has been an inspiration to artists of all ages and ethnic groups, dating back to antiquity. The exhibition “Woman as Muse, 1900-1950” will showcase works on paper by world renowned artists of modernism, depicting their varied interpretations of the female form and reflecting the prevailing artistic movements of their time. Woman is portrayed as mother, muse, lover, friend or confidante. She is alternately nurturing, beguiling, assertive or conspiratorial.

CIBTM RESEARCH PREDICTS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH FOR CHINA MEETINGS INDUSTRY Sector benefiting from China becoming world’s second largest economy

The China Incentives, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition’s – CIBTM – Fourth China and Asia Meetings Industry Report 2010, presented today (Tuesday 31 August) has provided valuable insights into the developing meetings industry across China and Asia. At a time when China has taken the world’s second largest economy slot, the bespoke report predicts significant growth potential, with increased numbers of events using a wider range of destinations.

Key results from the research:

Buyers research

• 396 respondents, 67% based in China, 60% corporate, 7% associations/’not for profit’ and 33% third parties
• Increase in volume of events organised in China to mean of 5.6 events per buyer from 3.7 last year, events overall up to 4.8 per buyer from 4.0
• Numbers of attendees for events in China are up to 200 from 135 last year
• Mean duration for events in China up to 5.5 days, compared to 4.4 days last year
• Lead times have shortened to 5.2 months, compared to 6.8 months last year
• Growth in volume of events predicted to continue with 64.3% of buyers expecting to organise more events in China in next twelve months
• Mean annual budgets for organisers based in China is RMB 2,318,900 (up 34%); for international organisers is US$1,802,601 (down from US$2,425,000). Average 42.5% spent on events in China
• International air routes and the visa process have become more important issues for buyers while security and safety are now far less of a concern
• Satisfaction levels with most recently used destinations are high with a mean of 3.8 (out of 5), for the majority this relates to Beijing
• The economic climate and pressure to reduce costs remain a key concern for the next twelve months, despite the increase in budgets anticipated
• Buyers remain optimistic with 74% predicting an increase in the volume of events they organise and 51% predicting an increase in budgets for individual events
• 75% of buyers think World Expo will have an impact increasing business tourism in China.

Suppliers research

• 223 respondents, 78% based in China
• 87% of respondents said key clients were based in China
• For 64% over 50% of their business is taking place in China, with clients predominantly corporate (57%) and from a wide range of industry sectors, in particular pharmaceutical/medical
• Corporates remain the sector suppliers are trying to attract business from in future although there is more focus on ‘not for profit organisations’ this year
• Suppliers view capacity and quality of meeting facilities as important (more so than the buyers) and the overall appeal of destinations. Only 5% of supplier respondents were from airlines, which may explain their low ranking of international air routes as an important factor, a very different view to the buyers
• 75% of suppliers agreed with buyers that the volume of events will increase in future and 58% are increasing their promotional budgets
• 65% believe that China and Asia offer most growth opportunities for the future, with 51% focusing on the Yangtze River Delta.

Sally Greenhill, Managing Director of The Right Solution Limited, who compiled and independently analysed the report commented: “We have had a very positive response to the survey with 396 buyer respondents contributing this year, the largest number since the survey began four years ago.

“There is no doubt that this is a particularly exciting time for all those involved in the meetings industry in China.

“China, in light of their growing economy, is now becoming a compelling destination for meetings and incentives, offering a broad and wide range of experiences; not surprising bearing in mind the country has one of the oldest cultures. All indicators point to continued growth from both within China and outbound.”

Jeffrey Xu, CIBTM’s Exhibition Manger concluded: “Our bespoke research continues to play a vital role in gathering data which does not exist elsewhere, helping those within the meetings industry in China to develop and grow their businesses.”

The 4th CIBTM China and Asia Meetings Industry Research Report 2010 can be found at www.cibtm.com.

Superbreak Report Surge in Demand for Rail Theatre Break Packages

YORK, England, August 31, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Superbreak, the theatre break specialist, has reported a sharp increase in the number of rail inclusive theatre breaks being booked, on the run up to the busiest theatre season of the year.

The Yorkshire based tour operator has secured a number of budget and top price theatre tickets for a host of musicals and performances in London’s West End as the autumn season approaches. What sets Superbreak apart from its competition is the ability for customers to tailor-make their breaks by adding a return rail journey from most UK mainline stations, including Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds, into London. As with all theatre break packages, customers have a choice of over 250 hotels spanning the capital city, including many in and around Theatreland itself.

Popular theatre shows for autumn 2010 so far include ‘Wicked’ and ‘Dirty Dancing’, with ‘The Lion King’ proving a hot favourite for families during the October half term break. The relationship with rail providers allows Superbreak the ability to offer one night theatre breaks ( http://www.superbreak.com/theatre-breaks.htm) to see ‘Oliver!’, standard return rail travel with East Coast Rail and overnight accommodation at the 3-star Royal National Hotel from just GBP129pp.

Superbreak (http://www.superbreak.com/) has a long standing reputation for selling rail inclusive breaks. Last year, over 200,000 passengers booked a London theatre break with the tour operator and chose to add a rail journey to their booking. The ability to custom-make a theatre break to include a hotel stay, theatre tickets and return rail travel, allows customers both the choice and flexibility no matter what the budget.

Will Dunnett, Director of Marketing at Superbreak, commented: “Rail inclusive breaks (http://www.superbreak.com/promo/rail.htm) continue to be a mainstay of the Superbreak programme and are proving to be a big hit with customers heading to the capital on a theatre break. The ability to select your hotel, length of stay, theatre tickets and rail travel allows us to offer our customers the very best in value and choice.”

TURKEY’S RIVIERA TO HOST EUROPE’S INDUSTRY ‘NIGHT OF THE YEAR’

The Rixos Premium Belek, Antalya on the Turkish Riviera has been chosen to host Europe’s most important travel and tourism awards. The continent’s leading travel companies, operators and destinations are battling it out to be crowned the best of them all.

World Travel Awards, described by the International Herald Tribune as the ‘Oscars’ of the travel industry, holds the Europe Gala Ceremony on 1 October, sponsored by Turkey’s flag carrier, Turkish Airlines.

Nominated companies are now going all out to persuade agents, suppliers and other industry professionals to support them. Voting ends on 10 September.

“Austerity measures are beginning to bite which means that the World Travel Awards European Gala Ceremony is even more hotly contended than ever”, said Graham E Cooke, Founder and President.

“There is a great deal at stake here for all the nominees and winning one of the awards will help give them a much needed competitive edge.”

World Travel Awards, now in its 17th year, is universally recognised as a major champion of excellent customer service, encouraging and inspiring products and services to improve business performance and innovation.

Categories include everything from airlines, hotels, and spas to cruise lines, car rental and golf resorts. There are European overall categories as well as categories for more than 50 countries.

“We are delighted to be hosting the World Travel Awards European Gala Ceremony in its 17th year, “said Basak Erel, senior vice president brand management, Rixos Hotels.

“Our team of professionals at the Rixos Premium Belek will be very happy to provide the distinguished group of guests, from the world of tourism’s leading organisations, with our exceptional service and make this event a glorious one.”

As major sponsors of the industry’s keynote event, Erel added that the occasion was not only critical to the development of the European industry but also momentous for Turkey which has been chosen to host the evening. He also stated that the Rixos Premium Belek, awarded the title of ‘Turkey’s Leading Hotel’ in 2008 and both ‘Turkey’s Leading Hotel’ and ‘Turkey’s Leading Beach Resort’ in 2009, is proud to host such a magnificent event for the most prestigious awards in the tourism and travel industry.

One of the most competitive categories is always Europe’s Leading Airline and in contention this year are Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavia Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal and Turkish Airlines.

Dr. Temel Kotil, the CEO of Turkish Airlines, sponsor of the event, said “Our goal is to make sure that passengers flying to Turkey will experience the high quality of service and the overall excellence of Turkish Airlines on our planes. We open the door for new privileges in the sky for the utmost comfort of our passengers.

“Turkish Airlines is continuing to work to make the journey of each tourist more enjoyable and more convenient. As Turkish Airlines expands its market share in the world airline industry each year, it is also attracting potential passengers into the market with the unusual products and marketing strategies it has developed, offering them the possibility of safer, cheaper, more comfortable transportation.”

There’s also a hard fought campaign to see who will carry off the much coveted title of Europe’s Leading Hotel.

This year’s nominations list reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the very best hotels that Europe has to offer, a parade of top class luxury and supreme service. They are: Aquapura Douro Valley, Portugal; Castel Monastero, Italy; Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Turkey; Donbass Palace Hotel, Ukraine; Dubrovnik Palace Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa, Croatia; Grand Hotel Lienz, Austria; Hotel Le Bristol and Hotel Ritz, both in Paris, France; Lešić Dimitri Palace, Croatia; The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, Ireland; and the White Pod, Switzerland.

Up for Europe’s Leading Hotel Brand award are: Barcelo Hotels & Resorts; Hilton Hotels; Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts; Kempinski Hotels & Resorts; Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts; Malmaison Hotels; Marriott Hotels Resorts & Suites; Radisson Hotels & Resorts; and Rixos Hotels.

A total of 17 European destinations are in the running for Europe’s Leading Destination, where only Italy has two cities in with a chance: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; Berlin, Germany; Crete, Greece; Dublin, Ireland; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Istanbul, Turkey; Lisbon, Portugal; London, England; Pafos, Cyprus; Paris, France; Prague, Czech Republic; Rome, Italy; Tallinn, Estonia; Venice, Italy; Vienna, Austria and Vilnius, Lithuania.

Interest in European golf holidays continues with the latest total economic value estimated at €48.3 billion in revenue. The spotlight, therefore, on nominees for Europe’s Leading Golf Resorts will be keenly watched.

Nominees are: Bovey Castle, England; Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa; Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo Golf Resort, Portugal; Evian Royal Resort, France; Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland; Fairplay Golf Hotel & Spa, Spain; Grand Hotel Quellenhof, Switzerland; Hotel Quinta do Lago, Portugal; La Manga Club, Spain; Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spas, St. Andrews, Scotland; Palazzo Arzaga Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, Italy; Sport & SPA Resort A-ROSA Scharmuetzelsee, Germany; The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland and the K Club, Ireland.

Consumers use the list of winners as a reliable guide and means of reassurance when choosing their holiday. Companies and destinations that finish up on the winners podium, receive extensive commercial benefits and global profile.

For a full list of nominees for The World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony log on to http://www.worldtravelawards.com

Winners will be in the final of World Travel Awards in London on Sunday 7 November, immediately prior to World Travel Market.

SITE YOUNG LEADERS ACADEMY

The Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) and Seville’sCongress and Convention Bureau(SCCB) host the Academy for Young SITE Leaders, October 2010. The city of Seville will be hosting theYoung SITE Leaders Academy between1-3 October 2010. The event isorganised by SITE SPAIN with thesupport of Seville’s Congress andConvention Bureau (SCCB). Themeeting will bring togetherprofessionals working in theinternational corporate world whoorganise meetings, conventions,congresses and incentive travel. It will be a unique opportunity to discoverSeville’s potential as a destination forthese types of events. The NH Central Convenciones Hotel will be the main venue hosting the Young SITE Leaders Academy. It will bringtogether over sixty SITE associate members with professionals from Seville’s Congress and Convention Bureau. SITE SPAIN is a professional business association with to date over sixty members from all over the country. Itincludes managing and marketing directors from Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Travel Agencies, Hotels, Carrier and Transportation companies, Convention Bureaus and private sector companies specialising in incentive travel. SITE is recognised as offering an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world and to exchange special business needs.

Russia became a leader in tourist market of Thailand

According to ATOR Analytical Service this season Russia has taken the 3rd place for the tourist flow to Thailand among the European countries. Such conclusion is based on the statistics of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of Thailand and also according to the data of TourIndex system, AllSpo.ru and TopHotels.ru.

20 thousand Russians visited Thailand in July 2010 and that was for 54% more than during the same period of last year. The increase of tourist flow for the first 7 months of 2010 amounted to 80%: 325 thousand people against 164 thousand during the same period of 2009. Russia is the only country, which showed such dynamics of Thailand tourism market.

It’s paradoxical, but according to the experts, the main reason of the growing popularity of Thailand in Russian market is political instability in the country, which led to the decline in prices for the holidays in and a great number of special offers appeared.

The analysis of the statistics of TopHotels.ru confirms the same tendency. The number of the visitors of the website who were interested in the hotels of Thailand during the period from January to July increased by 85% in comparison with the same period of last year.

This data also correlates with TourIndex statistics, showing the requests of travel agents. The number of requests from January to July 2010 increased by 56% in comparison with the same period of 2009.

According to the analysis of TourIndex system the most popular tour operators became TEZ TOUR – 4.5%, Capital Tour – 4.4%. CoralTravel– 4.3%. The TOP10 list of the operators also includes Biblio globus, Natalie Tours, Pegas Touristik, NTK Intourist, Yuzhny Krest, Lanta Tour Voyage, Sunmar and Paks.

Popular travel destinations are very unprofitable for the insurance companies

Egypt and Turkey became the leaders in number of insured events. Such conclusions can be made by ROSNO statistics of the first six months of 2010.

According to ROSNO Insurance Company, Egypt (5052 cases), Turkey (3378 cases) and Thailand (455 cases) became the leaders in number if insured events. In addition, Spain and India were included into the “black list” of the insurers. “Our statistics shows the leading positions of the most popular destinations: Turkey, Bulgaria and Egypt. The second place takes European countries: Croatia, Spain, Italy and France”, agreed Elena Skuratova, Renaissance Insurance Company.

At the same time, according to ROSNO press service, there is a tendency now, that the tourists buy insurance policies by themselves. “In July and at the beginning of August due to the abnormal heat and smog, the number of individuals increased”, said Svetlana Shvab, ROSNO.

It’s interesting to note, that a certain disloyalty of the most popular travel destinations due to the bad safety situation leads to the fact that some of the insurance companies try to limit their work with such countries. “We work with very selective approach. The probability of the loss is rather high, as Turkey and Egypt are not reliable in safety questions” said Boris Ivontyev, VSK Insurance. source: www.atorus.ru

FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER EIBTM’S SEARCH FOR NEW TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS

Closing date for EIBTM WorldWide Technology Watch is Friday 3 September

For any company yet to enter EIBTM’s WorldWide Technology Watch – open to any company who has developed new technology solutions for the meetings, events, incentive travel, conferences and exhibition industries – the closing date is next Friday, 3 September.

Entries will be judged on three criteria – innovation and uniqueness, potential impact on the industry, and completeness of the product or service.

Graeme Barnett, EIBTM’s Exhibition Director comments: “The importance of this Award should not be underestimated, so I urge those companies who have been considering, or yet to enter, to do so now. It is still not too late to apply.”

The winner will receive a free stand to exhibit at the Technology Village @ EIBTM 2010; present their winning product at the show and gain acknowledgement and widespread publicity in EIBTM 2010 WWTW promotional material both before and during the event.

The judges comprise a high profile panel from the industry including Chair – Corbin Ball who is supported by Martin Sirk, CEO, ICCA; Bruce MacMillan, President/CEO, Meeting Professionals International; Paul Hussey, Business Development Manager, BSI Meetings and Events; Ruud Janssen, Managing Director, TNOC; Samuel J Smith, Managing Director of Interactive Meeting Technology, LLC and Lynn Wong, Co-Founder and Director of Grupo eventoplus.

For more information on how to enter and to listen to the judges podcast about the benefits of entering, please visit www.eibtm.com/wwtw.

Athletes take centre stage at Closing Ceremony!

Singapore 2010 may have come to a close tonight in the Marina Bay, but the 3600 athletes were right at the heart of the party.

With an audience of 27,000 looking on, the athletes gathered on the floating stage to dance under the firework-lit sky as the Youth Olympic Flame burned for its final moments.

It was emotional moment in the Ceremony when Singapore passed on the Olympic Flag to Nanjing the host city of the next summer edition of the Youth Olympic Games in 2014.

DJ’s, dancers and giant flying blue globes had the crowd on their feet and for a moment it seemed like the whole of Singapore was glowing.  And as for the athletes…the flame may be out but the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games will stay with them forever.

Sporting Excellence

In the run up to 2012, many organisers are looking to add a timely sporting message to their events. As a destination with an outstanding sporting heritage, Liverpool City Region offers an unrivalled range of sports venues and activities to suit events of all sizes.

There are two of the Premiership’s biggest football teams within the city, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, both recognised by fans from across the globe. Liverpool also lies at the heart of England’s Golf Coast, home to three Royal Links courses – Liverpool, Birkdale and Lytham & St Annes – plus numerous other naturally beautiful courses. Fans of horse racing can enjoy the world famous John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree Racecourse and a full calendar of race days at Haydock Park.

For more information on corporate and incentive packages, including match tickets, accommodation and tee times, visit www.incentivesliverpool.com

Photographer to the Stars to Exhibit in Canary Wharf

Photographic portraits of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen, Stereophonics, Duffy and many others are on display at Canary Wharf from 14 September.

The Talking Pictures exhibition is captured by celebrity photographer Cambridge Jones, described as Britain’s answer to Annie Leibovitz. The portraits include audio recordings of the eminent performers, designers and writers describing the inspiration for their success.

“I shoot celebrities as people rather than people as celebrities,” says Jones.

“I like my portraits to be honest without any veneer. I want a visual connection between the viewer and the subject, often jumping out of the frame. I am pleased when they walk out of a session an hour or so later and comment that they don’t feel they have been photographed. It’s almost incidental that the encounter involved a camera,” he says.

The audio accompanying each portrait is surprisingly revealing, including Michael Sheen admitting his inspiration is not a fellow actor but a controversial and often stinging critic, Kenneth Tynan. The incongruous inspiration for Damian Lewis, dashing star of Band of Brothers, is the traditional Gilbert and Sullivan.

The subjects of Talking Pictures span several generations. The elegant young designer Emma Griffiths, who looks stunning in her monochrome outfit, says that her idol was Alexander McQueen. She adds, “ironically I worked for him later on and it was a little bit surreal.”

Photographer Cambridge Jones and each of the Talking Pictures subjects share a passion for Wales. Talking Pictures is produced in association with The Welsh Assembly Government and with support from Canary Wharf Group plc.

The free exhibition is located in the lobby of the iconic One Canada Square, Britain’s tallest building, in the centre of the famous Canary Wharf business and shopping district.
FREE ENTRY

14 September – 1 October

Lobby, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf
Transport: DLR or Jubilee line tube to Canary Wharf

Crete (41.4%), Rhodes (19.1%), Chalkidiki (13.2%) the popular destinations. Greek market up 50%. Pegas Touristik (5%), Capital Tour (4.8%), TEZ TOUR (4.6%) the popular tour operators.

According to the statistics of Consulate General of Greece in Moscow, the number of issued visas for the Russians increased by more than 50% during the period from January to July 2010 in comparison with the same period of last year. Meanwhile, the number of visas issued in June 2010 increased by almost 64% in comparison with June 2009 and increased by more than 56% in July in comparison with the same period of 2009.

Greece as a tourist destination was one of the most successful ones this season: the demand considerably increased, the duration of the trips increased as well.

The most popular tour operators among the users of TourIndex system

The leader in number of requests in TourIndex during the period from February to July 2010 became Pegas Touristik with the indicator of 5%. Then went Capital Tour (4.8%), TEZ TOUR (4.6%), Mouzenidis Tour (4%), Lanta-tour Voyage (3.8%), ICS Travel Group (3.8%), Natalie Tours (3.5%), Russian Express (3.4%) and Panteon (3.4%). Megapolus tours closed TOP 10 with the share of 3.3%.

11^th place took Biblio Globus (2.9%). The company has just started to work with Greece this year. Then went IntAer (2.7%), Intravel Stoleshniki (2.6%), Solvex (2.6%) and Inna tour (2.5%). The last places of TOP 20 in number of requests in TourIndex took Vilar Tours (2.2%), Troika (2.2%), Neva (1.8%) and Puteshestvui Group of Companies (1.7%). It’s important to note, that more than 64% of all the requests in Tour Index amounted to the mentioned above 20 operators.

Tours to Greece are the most popular in length of stay

According to TourIndex statistics, the most popular tours to Greece during the period from February to July 2010 became 2 week trips (18.1% requests). 15.9% of the users preferred the tours for 10 nights, 13% – 11 nights, 12% – 1 week trips.

Types of the hotels which are popular among the users of TourIndex system

The hotels offering All Inclusive (37.6%) were on demand during the period from February to July 2010. 18.3% of all the requests were for the hotels with HB. 15% of the agents requested the hotels with Ultra All Inclusive . 14% took the hotels offering All Inclusive Plus (AI+). The hotels with FB (5%) closed the TOP 5 of the rating.

According to TourIndex statistics, the results of the period from February to July 2010 showed that the hotels of 4* category were the most popular (42.5%). Thenwent5*(34.5%) and3*hotels(15.2%).

The most popular places among TourIndex users

The most popular Greek destinations among the users of TourIndex system during the period from February to July 2010 became Crete island (41.4%), Rhodes island (19.1%), Chalkidhiki (13.2%), Corfu island (10.6%) and Kos island (5.8%). source: atorus.ru

Co-op MD Mike Greenacre leads stellar line up of speakers at the UNWTO’s Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market

Co-operative Travel Group Managing Director Mike Greenacre will lead a stellar line up of private sector speakers at the annual World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry.

This year’s summit is poised to be the largest-ever with more than 150 ministers and senior aides attending. For the first time, the Summit will conclude with a Statement of Intent outlining the future direction of the travel and tourism industry.  Greenacre’s, and the other private sector leaders’, thoughts and opinions will play a key role in shaping the Statement of Intent.

The 2010 Ministers’ Summit takes place on Tuesday 9^th November and is entitled – Shaping a Stronger Travel and Tourism Industry – Governance and business models for the future – will agree the plan and direction for the industry over the next 12 months.

The well respected Greenacre will share his thoughts during the Summit’s main panel debate on the three key issues challenging the sector, these include:

• Mainstreaming Tourism in the Political and Economic Agendas
• Creating a Competitive Framework for Tourism Development
• Climate Change and the Green Economy

Greenacre follows in the footsteps of other senior Industry leaders including Thomas Cook’s Peter Long and Thomas Cook Group Chief Executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa, who took part in last year’s debate.

Greenacre will share his experiences and best practices on future business models and public policies.

World Travel and Tourism Council President Jean-Claude Baumgarten is also taking part in this key panel debate. Other private sector leaders taking part include Australian travel industry body TTF Managing Director Christopher Brown.

“The Ministers’ Summit is a great vehicle for the public and private travel sector leaders to meet together and debate some of the key issues facing the industry. I am honoured to be a part of the Summit and look forward to sharing my thoughts, opinions and experiences to help shape the industry and move things forward” explains Greenacre.

World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said: “I am delighted Mike will be taking part in this year UNWTO Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market.

“Mike is one of the most well respected leaders in the industry and his input will be invaluable in shaping the direction of the world’s tourism ministers for the next 12 months.”

The fourth annual UNWTO Ministers’ Summit will be held at ExCeL – London, followed by an official Press Conference presenting the main conclusions and outcomes of the Summit.

Also for the first time this year, World Travel Market, supported by the UNWTO, will host the WTM Ministerial Evening at the prestigious St.Paul’s Cathedral, London. The exclusive evening will host Tourism Ministers and Senior Aides from around the world.

For more information on the World Travel Market’s Ministerial Programme 2010 please visit www.wtmlondon.com/ministers