First free iPhone application for 33 cities in Europe

On Friday 11^th June 2010, European Cities Marketing launched the first iPhone application to serve as a mobile tool for discovering 33 cities spread over 19 different European countries. The tool has been developed by the European City Card group in which 33 cities work together to develop city cards for visitors. After the launch of the website www.europeancitycards.com in 2008, the group came together once again to produce the innovative tool, the “City card app”.

“The City card application created by the ECM City Card project is a perfect example of how important it is for tourism to stay in line with the latest developments in modern technologies. City cards target active people who embrace technological innovations and if we wish to provide quality tourism services, we cannot only react to these influences but we must stay proactive,” says Dieter Hardt-Stremayr, ECM President and Managing Director of Graz Tourist Office.

Citycards

A city card is a card that offers free or reduced-price entrance to museums and attractions in a city in combination with public transport and other advantages for visitors. In recent years city cards have become more and more popular with visitors because of the value they bring to a city trip. Usually a city card comes with a map or a brochure that contains information on all the sights  of the city and on everything it has to offer. With the iPhone application the visitor has a mobile tool to explore the city. The application is available for free at the iPhone store http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/city-cards/id374488671?mt=8&uo=6

and at the website www.europeancitycards.com

33 Cities in One

The cities that the iPhone app allows you to discover and which offer a  city card are:-  Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bruges, Brussels, Copenhagen, Cordoba, Dijon, Dubrovnik, Dublin, Gijon, Goteborg, Innsbruck, Krakow, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Nice, Nurnberg, Olomouc, Oslo, Prague, Reykjavik, San Sebastian, Split, Stockholm, Tallinn, Tarragona, Turku, Turin, Valencia, Vicenza, Zagreb and Zaragoza.

The musical Evita at the Badminton Theatre

Athens earns prize for its promotional film “Breathtaking Athens”

Athens was recognised from among 150 cities for its promotional film “Breathtaking Athens,” taking third prize in the City Tourism category of the international Golden City Gate competition at the ITB 2010 trade show.

The award was presented to the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company (ATEDCo) during the formal ceremony that took place in a packed ITB Cinema on 11 March. Present at the event were representatives from all cities that had stands at the show, as well as those which had entered the international Golden City Gate competition, German tourism officials and journalists from around the world.

“This is a particularly important distinction, especially at this time when our country and Athens are getting a great deal of negative publicity. In addition, it is particularly significant that this award is made during one of the largest tourism trade shows in the world, the ITB, and in Germany, which remains one of the most important markets of origin for visitors to our country,” said Dr Katerina Katsabe, Athens City Council member and ATEDCo president.

The judges committee consisted of recognised personalities from various organisations in tourism and cinema. Each entry was rated on a scale of 50 points according to the script and creativity, as well as the visual, acoustic and emotional impact made by the film.

The promotional film on Athens, “Breathtaking Athens,” depicts Athens in a distinctive and modern way, showing the city as an ideal destination with many options. By presenting the modern metropolis in a creative and artistic light, a different side of Athens is brought out. The film has been posted onwww.breathtakingathens.com/breathtaking-athens-film, as well as on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5UufrTh-dw), and is also being used to present the city at trade shows, conferences and through third-party digital media.

As part of Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis’ strategy to establish Athens as an ideal destination throughout the year, the distinction earned by the “Breathtaking Athens” film created by ATEDCo is indicative of the systematic and targeted effort to promote Athens, placing emphasis on its comparative advantages and using modern means of communications.

The new promotional film on Athens receives dozens of positive comments daily on foreign blogs and is also a candidate for New York’s Clio Awards, Great Britain’s D&AD and the international Cannes Lion.

TurkuCard – An Ace in your Hand!

Turku, Finland’s oldest city, has been a meeting-place for centuries; people have long flocked to Turku to engage in both commerce and fun. And in 2011, Turku will welcome guests as the European Capital of Culture!

Turku is a wonderful destination all year round, with activities for every season. This winter, Turku is perhaps at its most beautiful. The city is under a mantle of snow, and the trees shimmer with a frosting of ice. All you need are comfortable, warm clothes; the rest is up to you. Why not rent a pair of skates and try ice skating in one of the skating rinks? And, if you are in luck, you might even be able to take a stroll along a walking path on the frozen surface of the river Aura. You can’t miss enjoying at least some of our many museums, cafés and fabulous restaurants. And after that-how about spending a relaxing day in one of our spas?

To plan your stay, the best source of information for events, happenings and places to go is the address www.turkutouring.com

In the winter, and in all other seasons, the Turku Card is the visitor’s best friend. It offers many substantial benefits, as well as free entry to a lot of sights. For example, the Turku Card offers free entry to most museums as well as free travel on local buses. Also, many restaurants have special perks for bearers of the card, while discounts are available in a range of shops. TurkuCard will provide contactless smartcard technology before the summer season 2010.

Enjoy Turku in winter and all year round!

HOFBURG Vienna posts strong results

Strong performance in 2009 and bright outlook for year ahead

JUBILEE BANK HOLIDAY TO GIVE GETAWAY BOOST

The new Bank Holiday for 2012, announced by Lord Mandelson yesterday to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which will see the May Bank Holiday shifted to 4 June and an extra holiday given on the 5 June, will give the nation an extra opportunity to get away and enjoy the summer, ABTA, the Travel Association said .

Hilton Worldwide Announces January Sale

Book in January and Save on Weekend Rates Worldwide Throughout 2010

AUSTRIAN city breaks and nature holidays in Fitur 2010

AUSTRIA will make the most of its participation in FITUR’s 30th anniversary edition by launching its 2010 Holidays in Austria brochure, crammed with ideas for city and nature breaks and the enormous range of possibilities offered by its more than 22,000 kilometres of ski slopes.

50 travel companies have collaborated with AUSTRIA in the making of this 64-page brochure which sets out the numerous activities that the country offers its visitors: mountain trails, imperial and palatial routes, gastronomical, hotel and cultural tours, all revolving around some of the most modern museums in Europe and the more than 10,000 events this central European country has lined up for 2010.

The cultural activities that AUSTRIA will be presenting in FITUR 2010 will be primarily centred on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Mahler, the composer and conductor. There will be an exhibition in Vienna which will open the doors of the recently restored and inaugurated first-floor salons of the Theatermuseum.

Vienna will also be presenting itself in FITUR as a shopping destination – the city’s elegant commercial streets contain more than 20,000 shops and newboutiques and the Shop&win initiative will be giving away thousands of Euros to shoppers in purchases and trips to the Austrian capital.

The city of Graz will be presenting both its authentic farmers’ markets which are to be found in various parts of the city and its gastronomic delights, amongst which the Styrian Wine Route is particularly attractive. Innsbrück, the capital of the Tyrol, will be presenting its full range of walking tours and cultural activities.

In this edition of FITUR Salzburg will be introducing its new Culinary Route which includes seven gastronomic proposals, scattered throughout a region that will also be promoting its Alpine Wellness programme which combines nature, health and wellbeing.

9th European Conference on Information Warfare and Security

Hosted by strategyinternational.org and the Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece. 1-2 July 2010
Main campus – University of Macedonia

Conference Co-Chairs:
Ioannis Mavridis, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece
Vasilios Katos, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece
Programme Co-Chairs:
Josef Demergis, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece
Marios Efthymiopoulos, Strategy International, Thessaloniki, Greece

The 9th European Conference on Information Warfare and Security is hosted by strategyinternational.org with the support of various IT departments from Greek Universities. The conference is being held at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki.

As in previous years, ECIW will address elements of both theory and practice of all aspects of Information Warfare and Security, and offers an opportunity for academics, practitioners and consultants involved in these areas to come together and exchange ideas. The programme for the event promises an extensive range of peer-reviewed papers, networking opportunities and presentations from leaders in the field.
17 December 2009

Registration:
Early bird registration closes on 22 April 2010. Please read the early bird condition on the registration page.
Special reduced rates for Supervisors and students booking together.
Special reduced rates for group bookings. See registration page for details

The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities

The CEOs of 13 European capital cities met in Berlin on 14^th December 2009 to attend ‘The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities’. Previously held in Dublin in 2007 and last year in Paris, this one-day meeting gathered together the brains behind the European capital city tourism and meetings industry. This time, Burkhard Kieker, CEO, Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH, welcomed colleagues to his city 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall.

The participants were able to learn more about the strategy of Air Berlin with Matthias von Randow, the Director of Air Berlin and also to compare the statistics of several European cities thanks to the presentation ‘European City Tourism: Trends and Prospects’ by Olivier Ponti (a representative of ECM Research & Statistics Working Group). Olivier Ponti also explained that, according to the interpretation of the findings of the ongoing crisis monitoring of ECM cities, we could expect a rise of 2% for 2010 after a more-than-difficult 2009.

The ensuing discussion during which CEOs related the economic situations of their respective cities and gave approximations of the increase and decrease of activities in 2009 was, of course, the crucial part of the meeting and even continued throughout the dinner at Bode-Museum. The necessity of exchange between the CEOs and of sharing experience was evident and proved that there was a very real need for this meeting. At the request of participants, the discussion will be extended and developed even further at the CEO meeting in 2010.

Dieter Hardt-Stremayr comments: “The year 2009 has been a roller coaster ride and we have all been trying to manage the situation despite the loops. Even now the ride has not finished – we are still sitting in the train and nobody knows when it will stop, where we will arrive and in what condition. The only thing we can do is our best. For ECM, this means constantly changing, developing and restructuring our activities so that they follow the rhythm of our members’ needs.”

The European Meeting of Chief Executives of Capital Cities

What will ECM offer to the CEOs and their cities in 2010 in terms of strategy and activities?

2009 was a challenging year for most of the destinations in Europe. In order to meet this challenge, European Cities Marketing adopted a policy of not only keeping in line with developments in the tourism and meetings industry, but also of pursuing its goals more steadfastly and providing relevant support for ECM member cities: reinforcing the possibilities of sharing knowledge and expertise, stressing the educational aspect of the association and focusing on the development of new activities.

As a result, in 2009, ECM was able to innovate in a number of ways. A new format of seminars was introduced comprising break-out sessions with specific case studies and discussions in smaller groups of participants. The ‘Meet Europe’ event took place in Washington D.C. for the first time in its history and a brand new business workshop called ‘The Mercado’ was put in place for ECM members and their clients.  In addition, a ‘Special Impact Crisis Review’ of the ‘ECM European Cities’ Visitors Report’ was published and the traditional ECM Summer School was organised in an environmentally-friendly way, with the topic of organising green events incorporated into its educational content. In June 2009 a new ECM Intranet was introduced to members as a platform for sharing their best practice remotely.

Given the successes of 2009, in 2010 ECM will continue to pursue its strategy and to run its newly introduced activities. During the first six months of 2010, member cities will have the opportunity to meet in Turku for the ECM Spring Meeting (24^th – 27^th February) and in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for the ECM Annual Conference and General Assembly (9^th – 12^th June). ‘Meet Europe’ will again take place in Washington D.C. – on 27^th January 2010 – and ‘The Mercado’ workshop will be hosted by the city of Biarritz on 25^th and 26^th March 2010. A little later in the year, the 24^th ECM Summer School will retain this year’s green approach, this time in Tampere, Finland, from 28^th August to 1^st September 2010.

CHRISTMAS IN ATHENS 2009

LAUNCH OF ZAPPEION & NATIONAL GARDENS

www.christmasinathens.gr

Zappeion and the National Gardens open their gates and welcome people of all ages on Friday, December 18, 2009, as they are transformed within the framework of City of Athens Christmas Events.

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis will launch festivities at the Zappeion, at 10:30, on Friday, December 18.

Between December 18 and January 6, the Zappeion will be transformed and flooded with digital music, theatre and the fun of the Carousel, conveying the Christmas message through performances and musical chords.

In the Spectacle Dome, alternative fairytale-telling troupes will present musical performances focused on Christmas tales from around the world, on a 360-degree central stage, at the centre of the Dome.

In the Music Dome, children will be entertained and, at the same time, learn about music and musical instruments by playing kinetic and rhythmic games. Digital music games, songs, innovative, modern and digital instruments will introduce children to the magic of music. Children will have a unique experience as, within a short space of time, they will learn to recognize instruments, experiment with them, touch them, listen to the various sounds they make and, with the help of music teachers, create a chorus of musical instruments, percussion and wind instruments (from December 18, 2009, to January 6, 2010, 10:00 to 21:00 daily).

The National Gardens, a beloved Christmas venue, once again opens its embrace and welcomes Athens’ young citizens and takes them on a Christmas discovery tour. Cheeky hobgoblins guide the children to the little houses in Earth’s Christmas Forest to show them how the holidays are celebrated throughout the world. In a uniquely-illuminated Garden, the children take a tour of knowledge and entertainment, decorate the trees with ornaments they create, play music, transform into elves, send their wishes throughout the world, learn about the environment and enjoy performances, fairytales and Santa Claus’ stories!

“Forest of Hope” theatre performance programme.

Daily:

10.30-11.00

11.30-12.00

12.30-13.00

13.30-14.00

14.30-15.00

15.30-16.00

16.30-17.00

(From December 18, 2009 to January 6, 2010, 10:00 – 17:00)

4 days left to book your festive break

Light up the Season from €79

There’s still time to book a festive break. Visit a Christmas market, celebrate with family and friends, treat yourself to a little relaxation… whatever you wish for can be yours, but time is now running out.

Book by 18th December and enjoy fantastic prices at over 150 hotels across the UK and Europe for breaks between 18th December and 10th January*. A warm welcome awaits you from The Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands.

Wishes can come true… but you need to hurry!

Book now at hilton.com/festive

Prices are per room, per night and include breakfast. *Terms & Conditions apply.

Christmas getaway in Athens

Christmas and New Year’s Day is maybe the best period for someone to visit Athens: bright streets and buildings, luxurious display windows and glamorous parties create a unique celebrating atmosphere, you wouldn’t want to miss! The ideal place to be: Hilton Athens!

Choose one of the fabulous, spacious rooms with Acropolis view and feel the exceptional pampering and hospitality of the Hilton Athens. The bars and restaurants of the hotel, the Byzantine, the Galaxy Bar, the Aethrion Lounge and Milos, become the meeting point of all Athenians. On Christmas and New Year’s Day, the Byzantine restaurant, besides the rich festive buffet, has organized a kids’ entertainment program with clowns for its little friends.
On Boxing Day, the Galaxy Bar fans will be impressed by the ice sculptures and Belvedere vodka at the Ice Party. On New Year’s Eve, enjoy a Gala Dinner at the Byzantine with gourmet dishes and live music and welcome New Year at the Galaxy Bar with a breathtaking view of Acropolis and fireworks in the Athenian sky. DJs Vassilis Tsilichristos and Alexandros Christopoulos will host once more the popular Red Night Party, that brings together all the celebrities of the city. The first day of 2010 has an appointment with you at the Byzantine restaurant, enjoying the legendary “New Year’s Hangover Breakfast”.

Don’t forget to add a few hours of relaxation to your schedule at the Hiltonia Spa. Choose “Warm Christmas” for complete relaxation and “Christmas Beauty” to look stunning during the celebrations.
If you don’t want to miss all these unique moments at the Hilton Athens, benefit from the “festive stay” packages and experience these celebrations with style and luxury. Just like a VIP! For more information call 2107281350 or visit www.hiltonathens.gr.

BestCiites Global Alliance Revs up its Global Presence

Exciting initiatives undertaken during 2009 and plans for 2010 and beyond formed the basis of discussion at the recent BestCities Board meeting in Florence, Italy. Future plans included :

· the provision of additional resources at Head Office to assist with business development services and management support

· a new robust and interactive website

· plans to further engage the international association market; and

· exploratory discussions for enhanced working relationships with other key associations.

Sue Stuart, Board Chair of the Alliance and Chief Executive of Edinburgh Convention Bureau Ltd said, “It is now some nine years since the Alliance was formed and I am pleased to say that all partners remain strong in the belief that co-operative working brings many benefits. By sharing industry expertise , research and sales leads as well as capitalising on the exceptional reputation of our partners – Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore and Vancouver – we have succeeded in gaining valuable market advantage over other competitor destinations. One of the Alliance’s most significant introductions in the last couple of years was LRQA certification – and I am delighted to cofirm that Bestcities is on track to successfully achieve our annual renewal of LRQA for 2009.

Stuart went on to describe the Alliance’s much heralded quality assurance scheme : “In its infancy the Alliance developed a self assessed CVB quality service process to evaluate and benchmark each partner’s client service standards This self assessment process evolved into a desire for our services to be audited by an independent third party and in turn led to the development of an Alliance-wide Quality Management System.

In 2008, the Alliance received certification verifying that its QMS has been approved by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). This is the first world-wide certification programme for convention bureau organisations. Certification is dependent on all eight partners successfully achieving accreditation. To retain certification each partner in the Alliance continues on an annual basis, to undergo one internal audit and one external (LRQA) audit. The accreditation process allows BestCities to maintain its Best Practices, Best Meetings promise to each of its clients.”

“We are also pleased to announce, continued Stuart “that Jane Cunningham, Managing Director of Medley International Ltd, will be joining the Alliance Head Office on 14 December 2009. Jane will provide business development services and support and will work closely with the Alliance’s Management Committee and Sales Group to identify and expand business leads and bidding opportunities.”

Cunningham, has an exceptional background in the association and business events industry having worked for the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Visit London (CVB) and Congrex UK (PCO)..

“I love working in the association market, and finding best solutions for association meeting planners. I am already familiar with the BestCities destinations and I think the Alliance is a huge asset to the international association conference market,” said Cunningham.

Stuart added: “Jane worked for five years with the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and was during that time responsible for association sales. Her experience and relationship with international associations will therefore be extremely beneficial to the Alliance’s business development efforts”.

“We are also delighted to welcome Selina Chow, a former employee of Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau who has joined the Head Office team and who will provide additional administrative support.

”The last 6 months has been a dynamic period for the Alliance and has seen us very much focus on the business needs of our partners as well as responding to the needs of our clients. I have no doubt that the year ahead will continue to be both challenging and exciting and that under Ana Maria’s guidance the BestCities Alliance will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Sue Stuart will hand over the Board Chair position to Ana Maria Viscasillas, President and CEO of Puerto Rico Convention Bureau in January 2010. Ana Maria’s 2010 BestCities team will include Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo (Cape Town Convention Bureau) as Management Committee Chair, and Anne Dissing (Wonderful Copenhagen) who will be Sales Group Chair.

Brighton booming as a result of CSR resurgence

“CSR is making its way back onto the agenda,” announces Darren Johnson, Convention Bureau Sales Manager, VisitBrighton.

VisitBrighton, the tourism body for Brighton & Hove has seen a noticeable increase in CSR based enquiries coming to the city, due largely to the early signs of improvement in the economic climate.

Explaining the reasons behind why organisers are turning to Brighton & Hove, Johnson comments: “Although it is undoubtedly still a tough trading time, organisers are increasingly acknowledging once again the importance of operating in an environmentally friendly way.

With Brighton & Hove renowned for its green credentials and expertise in delivering value-led events that result in a positive social impact on delegates with minimal impact on the environment, it is easy to see why the destination is ahead of the curve.

Voted green capital of Britain, Brighton & Hove is a city passionate about the environment and has a host of businesses which provide solutions such as environmentally friendly bike hire when traveling to and from a conference.

“As one of the first victims of the recession it is encouraging to see CSR making a welcome return,” concludes Johnson.

THE VIEW on Ice Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel introduces the first rooftop ice skating experience in Athens

Athens, Greece – 30h of November – Rooftop ice skating in seasonal winter decoration

The Athens Winter Season top attraction “THE VIEW on Ice” by Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel will be welcoming you as of the December 4th 2009. Warm up with seasonal drinks and food in the winter scenery with the Acropolis and Athens at your feet.

“THE VIEW on Ice” is located next to the Athens Ledra Marriott hotel with an ice skating rink of more than 200 sqm on top of the Star City Cinema complex. Now you can combine the traditional Christmas movie with ice skating and the winter experience on the rooftop, or just come to have winter fun.

Visit “THE VIEW on Ice” with friends and family for a fun time on the ice and enjoy ice skating alongside the backdrop of the Acropolis, promising a unique Athens ice skating experience.

December 2009 to end of February 2010
Daily: 11:00 – 23:30
Free entrance
Easy access by public transportation
Paid car parking facilities available at Star City

Your Athens winter isn’t complete without a spin on the ice beneath the stars on the Star City rooftop.
You can also organize your corporate or private party with “THE VIEW on Ice” by contacting our Events department on 210 930 0284.

IT’S HAPPENING IN LIVERPOOL

Culture, heritage, world-class venues, music, sport and shopping – yes, it’s all happening in the vibrant and cosmopolitan conference destination of Liverpool City Region, Europe’s cultural capital.

Liverpool is probably most famous for its music and sporting heritage, but in recent years the focus has widened with the City Region being put on the international map for culture and conferencing.

An exciting and energetic destination to host a conference or event, Liverpool is in an excellent location geographically for key decision makers to meet and conduct business.

Find out what Liverpool has to offer by meeting the Liverpool Convention Bureau team at EIBTM, exhibiting as part of the Visit Britain stand (G120) with the theme of Innovation, Science and Discovery.

Liverpool was awarded the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2004, and the destination continues to prove extremely popular for both business tourism and leisure. Not only does the destination offer some of the best venues in the country, but it boasts unrivalled heritage and culture to keep delegates entertained once the working day is over.

The City Region continues to build on the success of European Capital of Culture 2008 with new attractions, hotels and headline events.

Liverpool has more museums and galleries than any other UK City Region outside London.

Readers of travel bible, Condé Nast Traveller, have voted Liverpool as their third favourite city destination in the UK for the second year running, behind only capital cities London and Edinburgh – a huge accolade for the city to retain its ranking.

Sarah Miller, Editor of Condé Nast Traveller, said: “Liverpool is one of my favourite cities in the North West so it was with delight to see that, after its sensational year as European Capital of Culture, our readers have been impressed by its architecture, awarding it even higher marks than London, propelling it into third place ahead of other world-class cities such as Bath.”

This popularity is also evident in the business tourism market. Liverpool is now ranked as 86th top conference destination in the world by ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) – an impressive jump of 44 places and places the city in the Top 100 conference destinations for the first time. This is excellent progress for a city which opened its flagship conference venue less than two years ago in the form of Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool (ACC Liverpool), home to the BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena.

ICCA only includes large, international, regular events in its criteria so this further proves Liverpool’s growing popularity for business tourism. This now places Liverpool in joint place with the likes of Adelaide, Brisbane, Marseille, Orlando, Riga and San Francisco – and ahead of New York City and Aukland and Venice. As well as being placed in the world’s Top 100, it also means that Liverpool has broken into Europe’s Top 50 and is now in the UK’s top five as a conference destination.

With access to an impressive portfolio of world-class venues and stunning locations, Liverpool Convention Bureau can help with every step of planning an event or conference, from venue finding and familiarisation visits, to online registration and accommodation booking. And for something a little different, a tailor-made social programme will prove popular.

Another strand to the team is Liverpool Corporate & Incentives, bringing the City Region’s business and tourism sectors together through bespoke programmes and experiences. Launched in April 2008, the focus is on the three key areas of sport, music and education, specialising in bespoke event creation to create an itinerary tailored specifically to the needs of delegates, including accommodation, restaurants, special events, venues, transport and corporate hospitality.

Liverpool City Region has a vast range of venues to host events and groups of all sizes. The city’s showpiece development is the £164million award-winning waterfront Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool (ACC Liverpool), which is situated adjacent to Albert Dock, a former 19th Century dock now converted to one of Britain’s top heritage attractions and is the UK’s largest group of Grade I listed buildings

Following an exceptional first year in 2008, it continues to grow in popularity and the list of events it has already hosted speaks for itself. High-profile concerts and conferences have included the prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards and BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Awards.

During its first 12 months, ACC Liverpool welcomed 730,000 visitors through its doors and generated an estimated economic impact of £200million. Figures include 71,000 delegates across 200 conferences and exhibitions in the BT Convention Centre, and 665,000 visitors to the Echo Arena which hosted 100 big name concerts.

ACC Liverpool has developed a reputation for major government and political events having staged UK Cabinet meetings and the Liberal Democrats’ Spring Conference 2009. In September 2011, it will host the Labour Party Annual Conference, a key four-day event using both the BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena.

Conference buyers and event organisers looking for unique venues will be spoilt for choice in Liverpool. The city’s most prestigious cultural venues include St George’s Hall, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool’s Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals, Liverpool Town Hall, Mersey Ferries, Sefton Park’s Victorian Palm House, Knowsley Hall, situated within a 2,500-acre estate and is Britain’s only 5-star Gold rated stately home – and not forgetting The Cavern Club, home to the city’s most famous sons, The Beatles.

The City Region’s top sporting venues are also an ideal choice to stage an event, including the city’s two Premier League football clubs Liverpool and Everton, and Aintree Racecourse, home to the world-famous Grand National.

A new infrastructure of hotels is making a major contribution to the conference offer by adding value with the wide variety of accommodation available, including stylish guest houses, big-name brand hotels, serviced apartments, boutiques hotels and country houses.

Recent additions include Jurys Inn, Staybridge Suites, Beatles-themed Hard Days Night and Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa, which complement the established industry names of Radisson Blu, Malmaison, Thistle, Crowne Plaza, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn.

The range of accommodation was further boosted in November 2009 with the opening of Hilton Liverpool and Novotel Liverpool Centre, both opening in the city for the very first time and situated within the 42-acre £1billion Liverpool ONE retail and leisure complex. Hilton Liverpool features 215 bedrooms, including a Presidential Suite, eight meetings rooms, board room, ballroom, and views towards the Liverpool waterfront. Novotel Liverpool Centre is a 4-star New Generation Novotel with 209 bedrooms, leisure facilities and a choice of nine meetings rooms.

The city’s original boutique Hope Street Hotel has recently undergone a £4.5million expansion project, which includes a striking glass and limestone frontage, a further 41 bedrooms including two duplex penthouses, and two rooftop function rooms with panoramic views across the city and beyond.

Once a conference has taken place and the hard work is over, there is plenty for delegates to enjoy at their leisure across the Liverpool City Region area. From a fantastic variety of places to dine and the famous Liverpool nightlife, it’s the perfect place to relax.

Two headline events for 2010 will also be highlights on the culture calendar, Picasso at Tate Liverpool and the Liverpool Biennial 2010.

Following on from the success of the Gustav Klimt showcase in 2008, Tate Liverpool presents Picasso: Peace and Freedom from 21 May to 30 August, 2010. This is a unique opportunity to see this major exhibition of the work of one of the most prolific artists of the 20th Century, bringing together over 150 works by Pablo Picasso from across the world. Following the show in Liverpool, the exhibition will then travel to the Albertina in Vienna.

The sixth Liverpool Biennial International Festival of Contemporary Art takes place across Liverpool city centre between 18 September and 28 November, 2010. It is the largest and one of the most exciting contemporary visual arts events in the UK, and with 975,000 visits in 2008 it was one of the best attended in the world. The 2010 international show celebrates a decade of commissioning new art through curatorial collaboration. Many artworks are exhibited in non-gallery sites, adding to the uniqueness of the event.

Liverpool City Region is easily accessible whether you’re travelling by plane, rail or road, and offers excellent transport links to make easy and economical to navigate the city centre and neighbouring areas.

Travelling to the City Region by air is easier than ever before with the launch of new international and domestic routes to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Air routes into Liverpool John Lennon Airport were expanded in March 2009 with a direct link to KLM’s main international hub in Schiphol, Amsterdam. The service connects Liverpool to more than 100 destinations on KLM’s own intercontinental network and over 650 worldwide destinations across KLM’s Skyteam partner networks. Three daily flights between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Schiphol Airport are opening up Liverpool to a whole new audience of travellers thanks to this increased global connectivity.

Just four months later in July 2009, UK regional airline Eastern Airways introduced its first scheduled flights from Liverpool JLA to Aberdeen and Southampton. The independent carrier operates three flights each weekday, making travelling from both ends of the country easy and convenient for both business and leisure travellers.

To find out more about the Liverpool City Region log onto:

www.VisitLiverpool.com/conferences

www.IncentivesLiverpool.com

www.VisitLiverpool.com

ZürichBREAK – Stay Three Nights, Pay For Two

Zürich Tourism’s ZürichBREAK offers you one night free of charge for every third night of your stay. With the ZürichBREAK special offer, you can benefit from a 33% discount on accommodation in selected hotels. This could be a three-day weekend trip, or a six-day holiday break. Suitable accommodation is available for every taste.

The following hotels offer ZürichBREAK – stay for three nights, pay for two:

Zürich City and Airport:

5 Stars Superior
Alden Hotel Splügenschloss

5 Stars
Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Airport

4 Stars Superior
Hotel Ascot
Hotel Glockenhof
Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Regensdorf
Steigenberger Bellerive au Lac
Swissôtel Zürich

4 Stars
Hotel Ambassador
Best Western Trend Hotel
Hotel Central Plaza
Hotel Crowne Plaza
Hotel Dolder Waldhaus
Hotel Opera
Hotel St. Gotthard
NH Zurich Airport

3 Stars Superior
Hotel Seefeld

3 Stars
Comfort Inn Royal
Hotel Atlantis Guesthouse
Hotel Du Théâtre
Hotel Europe
X-TRA

2 Stars
Hotel Ibis Adliswil

Non classified
stattHotel

Youth Hostel
Zürich Youth Hostel

www.zuerich.com

London nominated for Best UK Youth Destination at the British Youth Travel Awards 2009

London has been shortlisted as Best UK Youth Destination at the British Youth Travel Awards 2009. The nomination has been received alongside a number of Visit London partners, who are also recognised for their excellence across a range of categories and industry sectors.

The annual awards, organised by the British Education Travel Association (BETA), invite members of the travel industry to vote for outstanding organisations engaged in youth, student and educational travel, celebrating both company achievements and individual successes.

Sally Chatterjee, Interim CEO Visit London, commented on the nomination:
‘London’s nomination for Best UK Youth Destination recognises the capital’s world-class visitor offer. Our superb visitor facilities, world-class attractions, fantastic diversity and value for money combine to make the capital an attractive destination for young travellers, and illustrate why London remains the most visited international city in the World.’

A number of Visit London partners are represented in the shortlist, including Generator Hostels, nominated for Best Product, and SANDEMANs NEW London Tours, acknowledged for their sustainable practices, picking up a nomination for the Green Tourism Award.

Two partners – London Bridge Experience & London Tombs and umi Hotels – have been pitted against each other to take home the award for Most Innovative Marketing, while representatives from Generator Hotels and umi Hotels have been acknowledged in the Most Promising Young Marketer category, which recognises the efforts of individuals within an organisation.

Members of the travel trade are invited to vote online for their favourite nominees in each category by visiting the BETA website: http://www.betauk.com/index.php?id=4254

Voting closes on Friday 20th November, with the winners to be announced at the BETA end of year event on Thursday 3rd December 2009.

10 years Estrel Convention Center

More than 12,800 events, over 4.5 million guests and an almost unparalleled range of events: the Estrel Convention Centre, Europe’s largest Convention, Entertainment & Hotel Complex celebrated its 10th anniversary in September.

The Convention Centre is one of the three pillars “Meetings, Accommodation and Entertainment” of the Estrel Berlin. It is the perfect complement to the Estrel Hotel that opened its doors in 1994 and the Show Theater Estrel Festival Centre that was added in 1997.