MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONVENTIONS & EVENTS · Top 10 Meeting/Incentive Tips & Trends For Hoteliers page 4 CWT Research: Apply Best Practices To Meetings & Events, Save 10-25% page

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July 15, 2010Published by Odyssey Media Group

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MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONVENTIONS & EVENTS

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Echo Arena Liverpool Named Performance Venue of The YearThe Mersey Partnership (TMP) Tourism Awards 2010 saw Echo Arena Liverpool - part of ACC Liverpool - scoop the award for Performance Venue of the Year. Organised by the official tourist board for the Liverpool City Region, the awards recognise the very best in quality and excellence in the city region’s visitor economy.

Tim Banfield, General Manager of the Echo Arena, said, “We are delighted to win this award. The Echo Arena Liverpool has welcomed...

Sydney Unveils New Interiors At Parkside Convention CentreThe Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre has unveiled a sophisticated new interior design in its Parkside Convention Centre, bringing a new vibrancy to Australia’s premier events venue.

Flooded with natural light, the redesign gives Parkside a fresh...

BestCities Global Alliance: The Power of 8In 1999, the CEO’s of the convention bureaus of Boston, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Vancouver (photo) met to officially discuss the formation of a new alliance. A few months later, in February 2000, the world’s first convention bureau alliance was born.

Ten years on, Rick Antonson, one of the Founding Fathers reflects: “When BestCities was launched, it was with the ambition to bring talented convention destinations together to learn from each other...

Reykjavík’s New Concert/Conference HallPétur J. Eiríksson, Chairman of Portus, announced that the official opening and opening concert by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at Harpa, Reykjavík’s new Concert Hall and Conference Centre, would take place on 4 May 2011. The opening concert will be conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

On 14 May 2011, Harpa will stage a grand opening program featuring a diverse range of music events and many of Iceland’s most prominent...

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge LondonPark Plaza Hotels & Resorts is changing the face of the London hotel scene with its new £350 million hotel, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London. Situated at the foot of Westminster Bridge in the heart of the South Bank, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London is ideally located only moments from many of London’s top attractions including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.

Eli Papouchado, Chairman of Park Plaza Hotels, said: “We have unveiled a spectacular new hotel that offers all the hallmarks...

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INSIDELisbon Growing In Popularity As Meetings & Incentives Destination page 3Liverpool Continues To Grow As a Business Destination

Top 10 Meeting/Incentive Tips & Trends For Hoteliers page 4

CWT Research: Apply Best Practices To Meetings & Events, Save 10-25% page 5SEIU Selects StarCite Platform

BestCities Global Alliance: The Power of 8 page 6New Orleans First In Growth Among Top 25 U.S. Markets

SECC & PCMA Partner To Engage U.S. & Canadian Market page 7Change To VAT Rules To Impact MICE Businesses

PCMA & CIC To Co-Locate Events At AIBTM page 8Registration Opens For EIBTM 2010 Hosted Buyers

GIBTM Unveils New Website page 9Hospitality Industry Raising Profile of Central Asia & TurkeyHong Kong ITE & MICE 2010 Attracts New ParticipantsDubai To Host 2011 APCO World Congress

BA’s Willie Walsh Delivers Impactful BTM Keynote page 10OECD Tourism Conference To Be Held In JerusalemKeith Prowse Brings New Ambience To Cartier International Polo

London’s First International Convention Centre Launched page 11Reykjavík’s New Concert/Conference Hall To Open May 2011Echo Arena Liverpool Named Performance Venue of The Year

Sydney Unveils New Interiors At Parkside Convention Centre page 12Roosevelt’s Floating White House Now Hosting Events

UVL Cites Venues That Hold “Claims To Fame” page 13Shambala Private Game Reserve Now Welcoming Guests

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London For Meeting Planners Looking For Change page 14


NEWS

Liverpool Continues To Grow As a Business DestinationInvestment in Liverpool continues unabated as the city continues to add to its portfolio and cement its growing profile as a business destination.

Plans for the creation of two new hotels have been approved which will include a 140 bedroom three star hotel and a 130 bedroom budget brand which will take its design influence from New York’s contemporary Flatiron building. Designed by Liverpool-based architects Falconer Chester Hall and will be built by Northern Ireland-based developer Tara House, the first phase is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2011, and the rest of the development early in 2012.

“The cosmopolitan vibrancy of Liverpool continues to be a key contributor in the appeal of the city for conferences and events. We will continue to capitalise on this in the ongoing promotion of the city for business tourism” comments Carol O’Reilly, Liverpool Convention Bureau. “The continued investment into Liverpool is a clear example of how our diverse cultural product is enticing a new generation of delegates into Liverpool, which will only strengthen the destination in the minds of event organisers.”

Following on from restaurants like Chaophraya and Lunya, which have established themselves as culinary must-eats’ in Liverpool, comes news that two TV chefs are to make their mark on the foodie trail. Jamie Oliver has just opened his first North West eatery in the form of Jamie’s Italian, situated in Liverpool One. While Marco Pierre White will be creating his third North-West venue, as part of the currently under construction £15m Hotel Indigo, which is to open in Spring 2011.

White says: “Liverpool is a fantastic city with an indelible link to international trade and an eclectic flavour of personalities to match. Chapel Street stands testament to everything great about the city, from its glorious past to its bright future, and offers the ideal location for my latest venue.”

The appeal of Liverpool as a destination is further supported by news that passenger numbers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) have continued to grow with a 15% increase for the first three months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. The increase is being attributed to the additional new services being operated by airlines such as KLM, Eastern Airways, easyJet and Ryanair.

Lisbon is emerging as one of Europe’s top MICE destinations, due to its convenient location for both European and North American companies and its modern, architecturally relevant venues. In 2008 and 2009, the city held the 8th position in the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA)’s European ranking, and expects to jump higher in the 2010 ranking.

In particular, business travellers have recognised Lisbon’s value to the MICE market with its modern infrastructures, good value, and proximity to the rest of Europe. In addition to the mild climate, the region has a welcoming population and great food.

Miguel Perestrello, Director, Portuguese National Tourist Office, says, “Portugal, and Lisbon in particular, is blessed with a mild year-round climate, plenty of sunshine, excellent food and wine and some of the finest congress and accommodation facilities anywhere in the world. It has all the right ingredients for a successful conference, meeting or incentive programme.”

Lisbon has been chosen to host many prestigious events in recent years, further supporting the city’s reputation as an international business destination. The MICE industry accounts for 44 percent of tourism income in the capital city.

Recent large-scale business events held in Lisbon this year included the International Road Federation World Road Meeting and Fibre to the Home Council Europe Conference and the, both with 3,000 attendees. In the coming years, Lisbon will host the Annual Convention of Rotary International, with 40,000 attendees, and the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, with 18,000 attendees.

The Atlantic Pavilion is Lisbon’s premier venue, as an exquisite high-tech space in the Park of Nations that can accommodate 16,000 people. The facility also offers an interior press centre and additional Tejo Hall.

Lisbon is part of Portugal’s larger MICE offering, which includes highly-ranked Porto, Algarve and Madeira. Portugal has long been regarded as a safe and

Lisbon Growing In Popularity As Meetings & Incentives Destination

reliable destination by MICE organisers and the country was ranked 9 in Europe and 15 in the world in 2008 by the European ICCA.

The Portuguese National Tourist Office runs an online database that helps consumers find tour operators with programs to Portugal. Since 2003,

the database has included private and public contacts for familiarisation trips, events and sending news about facilities and products in Portugal.

This year the Tourist Office welcomes MICE organisers in the UK and suppliers in Portugal to register and network using the online database.

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Top 10 Meeting/Incentive Tips & Trends For HoteliersGreat Hotels Organisation, the London-based hotel sales and marketing alliance, has announced its top ten meeting and incentive tips and trends for hoteliers.

1. Budgets Are Growing But Still A Deciding FactorThe meeting and incentive market is slowly becoming more optimistic following a considerable contraction throughout 2009. Budgets are cautiously growing in comparison to last year and are predicted to increase further in 2011; however this is still very much a deciding factor when it comes to booking a venue. Many companies are again realising the importance of face-to-face meetings (corporate clients in particular) and the number of meetings, incentives or events organised through GHO’s MICE desk have increased by 30% YTD in comparison to the same period two years ago, a figure forecasted to rise further in 2011.

2. ROI Is Even More Important Than EverProving return on investment (ROI) is a big challenge that is becoming increasingly important for buyers as companies start to invest again in meetings and incentives. Although budgets are slightly higher this year, they are highly scrutinised by CEOs and buyers need to prove that every penny spent has a recognised return. With this in mind, special offers and packages are becoming more popular as buyers look for value for money and added extras.

3. Shorter Lead TimesShorter lead times are becoming a noticeable trend, often booked only a few months before the event is to take place. The lead times for events booked through GHO’s venue-finding desk increased by 40 days in May 2010 - a difference of over seven weeks in comparison to the same period two years ago. Many companies are wary of booking too far in advance in the event of cancellation or postponement which in some cases is associated with hefty fees whereas some are simply taking advantage of favourable last minute rates and packages.

4. Relationships Are KeyThere has never been a more important time to invest in face-to-face meetings between suppliers and buyers. Buyers with short lead times are more likely to go to suppliers with whom they have a good relationship as they can rely on them for a fast response and the need for flexibility. Suppliers who want to win business should be investing in face-to-face meetings and focusing on creating good working relationships with buyers. Investing in Great Hotels Meeting Forums or Road Shows are both cost-effective ways of developing new relationships.

5. Flexibility And Value For MoneyIn an ever-changing market, buyers are looking for flexibility, added value without extra cost and fast responses to RFPs. Suppliers need to be flexible with a variety of deciding factors such as dates, price, cancellation and deposit procedures and payment options in order to stay ahead of the competition. Responding within 24 hours to a RFP is vital to create a good first impression and suppliers should work with the buyers in partnership to make sure the event can go ahead. Great Hotels Organisation offers “Your Event, Your Choice” - a promotion giving buyers flexibility and choice in order to help them plan a successful event.

6. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)CSR and environmental awareness continue to be hot topics for the meetings and incentives market. Many buyers are specifically seeking hotels that have addressed some elements of sustainability and green programmes as companies aim to reduce the environmental impacts associated with meetings.

7. Spa And Golf Not As ImportantWith bigger but highly scrutinised budgets, buyers are focused on getting the most out of their money and on the bare essentials - with decreased attention on spa and golf facilities. The “no-frills” approach focuses on the basics and team-building activities, if any, are often incorporated into the body of the meeting with little or no time allocated for specifically for networking or incentive activities.

8. More Business, Less PleasureDuring the height of the recession, many businesses cut down on pure incentive trips, focusing their budgets on business meetings. Incentives will be slowly coming back on the menu towards the end of 2010 and throughout 2011, albeit more discreetly than usual. The pre- and post-dinner networking activities traditionally incorporated into meetings are making a steady comeback.

9. Emerging DestinationsPopular destinations for enquiries coming through GHO’s MICE desk throughout the past year include Barcelona, Paris and Berlin. New destinations such as Tallin, Vilnius and Sofia are also growing in popularity as companies seek cost-effective venues in up-and-coming destinations.

10. Social Media Grows In ImportanceThe world of social media is creeping into the meetings and incentive industry. Face-to-face contact is still seen as having the most value, but many buyers are utilising social media tools such as Tripadvisor to seek feedback on venues as well as developing relationships through Facebook with suppliers they’ve already met. Suppliers are also promoting their venues through Facebook and Twitter.

www.ghorg.com


Companies can save on average 10-25% of their Meetings and Events (M&E) spend when they apply best practices to policy and compliance, sourcing, and processes, according to the latest in-depth study from the CWT Travel Management Institute, the research arm of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

The study also estimates that M&E spend represents on average 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of companies’ revenues, depending on the business sector, or 35 percent to 60 percent of the amount they spend separately on transient business travel. Despite the significant expenditure, many companies do not have an M&E strategy or the policies and procedures needed to optimize their spend and best serve their business objectives. The study identifies eight steps companies can take to maximize M&E management.

According to Christophe Renard, vice president corporate marketing and business intelligence for CWT, effective M&E management brings more than cost savings: “Companies with a high-performing meeting and events program do not seek savings at any price. Instead, they look for a real return on their investment. Their decisions are based on business objectives and they tend to involve stakeholders across the organization, including procurement, to ensure they are taking a balanced approach.”

Savings and return on M&E investment come from three main areas. When coupled with full support from senior management and a well-designed change management program, results are enhanced. Companies with an effectively managed M&E program focus on:

Policy and compliance. Creating or improving a companywide M&E policy and enforcing compliance across the organization are essential.

Sourcing. Working with professional sourcing agencies, selecting a limited number of preferred suppliers for accommodations and venues, enforcing the use of these suppliers, defining standard terms and conditions, and using group airfares drive performance.

Optimized processes. The most successful M&E programs benefit from dedicated technology for online registration as well as strategic

SEIU Selects StarCite PlatformStarCite has announced that Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing more than 2.2 million members in the healthcare, property services and public services industries, is implementing StarCite’s enterprise platform and services to deploy a strategic meetings management program.

“We needed a global meetings solution that we could deploy throughout our organization, especially to our local chapters, which would allow us to consolidate spending and improve the entire meeting planning process from start to finish,” said Tim Bone, Director, Union Conventions, Events, Meetings & Travel. “After evaluating several systems, we knew StarCite was the right choice because it is built on a comprehensive procurement model and focused on continually enhancing its platform to offer the most cutting-edge tools available in the marketplace today.”

More than 250 meetings are planned out of SEIU headquarters annually, while hundreds of others are planned by the union’s “super-user” community of political organizers and healthcare networking groups as well as the local chapters. There are 150 SEIU local union affiliates and more than 15 state councils across North America.

StarCite’s online platform will provide visibility into all meeting activity through an online meetings request form and approval routing, a supplier database that allows meeting planners to quickly send and compare RFPs and with its attendee management solution that allows planners to build online registration sites and send electronic invites.

“We’re thrilled to add SEIU to our client base to help the organization its processes and make its meetings program more efficient,” said Greg Dukat, CEO, StarCite. “Ultimately, having a strategic meetings management program will help the organization bring greater value back to its members.”

www.starcite.com

CWT Research: Apply Best Practices To Meetings & Events, Save 10-25%

meetings management solutions.

As strategic M&E management becomes an increasingly important priority for many companies, CWT recommends an eight-step approach to optimize savings and return on investment:

- Analyze spend and set up the right M&E organization. Capturing and tracking data companywide and across all categories of M&E spend enables companies to effectively estimate their total costs. A centralized organization boosts efficiency.- Design an M&E strategy and policy. A well-defined M&E policy that supports strategic objectives stipulates precise rules, standard contract terms and specific processes for all to follow.- Create an annual M&E budget and events calendar. This enables organizations to make the best use of their resources, including unused meeting space from cancellations, and provides greater visibility for supplier negotiations.- Select and negotiate with suppliers. Working with preferred M&E agencies, logistics partners and technology providers enables companies to leverage outside expertise while reducing costs. Many companies also work with a limited number of preferred hotels and airlines from their business travel program to drive synergies.- Establish a formal planning process. Clearly defined business objectives, a formal approval process, advance planning, well-chosen destinations, and out-sourcing drive consistency and compliance across the organization and help ensure return on investment.- Implement efficient attendee registration. Replacing manual registration processes with technology saves time, enhances coordination and improves data quality for M&E organizers and attendees. Furthermore, strategic meetings management software provides a more complete solution for processes, sourcing and spend management.- Optimize payment and reimbursement. Using a single mode of payment such as a corporate meeting card for supplier costs and a corporate credit card for attendees’ reimbursable expenses enables companies to better manage spend data and drive compliance with the M&E program.- Evaluate M&E performance and policy compliance. Standardized performance indicators that measure satisfaction, savings, supplier


performance and compliance enable companies to check their performance against objectives, identify areas for improvement and ensure continuous progress.

Mr. Renard acknowledged that organizations recovering from the economic crisis are reinvesting in the US$650 billion global M&E market but their priorities have evolved: “Many of CWT’s clients are rethinking their approach to meetings and events and are asking us to help them apply the same strategic principles we use for effective business travel management. As a result, our dedicated meetings and events specialists analyze clients’ spend, assess their programs, help them define and implement a companywide strategy, and manage sourcing, all of which saves them money while supporting their business plans. With more than 800 M&E employees worldwide, CWT also provides a full range of logistical and creative services to help clients make the most of their M&E program.”

Kevin Young, StarCite Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Partner Management, added: “Process automation helps companies save time and money and enjoy greater visibility over their meetings and events. With StarCite’s enterprise platform and services, companies can effectively deploy a strategic meetings management program using online meeting requests and approval routing; a supplier database for easier, more cost-effective sourcing; and attendee management solutions for online registration and electronic updates. From start to finish, there is greater compliance and control as well as enhanced satisfaction for attendees and M&E professionals.”

www.carlsonwagonlit.com

BestCities Global Alliance: The Power of 8In 1999, the CEO’s of the convention bureaus of Boston, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Vancouver met to officially discuss the formation of a new alliance. A few months later, in February 2000, the world’s first convention bureau alliance was born.

Ten years on, Rick Antonson, one of the Founding Fathers reflects: “When BestCities was launched, it was with the ambition to bring talented convention destinations together to learn from each other, and to provide clients continuity, focused help and the highest professional standards as their conferences moved around the world. Today, BestCities is such a solid concept of cooperative sales and shared professional development, that if it didn’t exist, “we’d have to invent it.”

Each partner in the alliance - Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore and Vancouver - is committed to sharing bid intelligence, exchanging business leads and participate in client referrals. Association client events will remain the focus of the alliance’s sales activities with Vancouver and Melbourne each hosting a client workshop this year.

The alliance had successfully renewed its LRQA certification in 2009, one year after being the first convention bureaux alliance in the world to have its own service standards. Ana Maria Viscasillas, the Board Chair of 2010 explained that at BestCities Global Alliance, clients can be assured that every BestCities bureau will deliver the highest level of service.

The BestCities standards -- which are subject to two audits annually, one as an internal audit and the other by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) - address six key areas in service delivery - Destination Expertise, Bid Assistance, Convention Planning, Building Attendance, On-site servicing and Post event Support, and Post event Evaluation. Lars Bernhard Jorgensen (Copenhagen), another Founding Father agreed: “BestCities bureaus care most about their clients’ successes, and will readily go the extra mile to ensure this. That is the BestCities signature - unparalleled dedication and professionalism.” When working with a Bestcities Bureau, international meeting planners can be assured of not only receiving consistently high customer service standards but also that there will be an unsurpassed delegate experience for their attendees.

Ten years after the alliance was formed, each partner firmly believes that BestCities is crucial to the ongoing profile of their respective destination as among a grouping of convention cities that are like minded, and committed to ensuring consistently high standards for convention organisers who operate on the world stage.

New Orleans First In Growth Among Top 25 U.S. MarketsNew Orleans ranked first in growth out of the Top 25 U.S. markets for January - May 2010, ahead of popular destinations such as New York, Boston and Chicago. According to May year-to-date data from Smith Travel Research (STR) the organization that measures and reports on hotel performance nationally and internationally, New Orleans posted a 15 percent increase in RevPar over the same period in 2009. (RevPar is a standard industry measure of hotel occupancy multiplied by average daily rate.)

The STR rankings illustrate the momentum gained as a result of a hard-fought image battle led by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It has taken five years and an unprecedented level of marketing and commitment by our hotels and the entire hospitality community, to build the momentum the city is currently experiencing. Additionally, the Saints’ run to their Super Bowl victory provided much new positive imagery of the city that contributed to a boost to the tourism industry.

Tourism is big business in New Orleans. It is a $5 billion industry, the largest employer and generates one-third of the city’s operating budget. The city has experienced a record-breaking spring festival season, hosted prominent corporate and association meetings and welcomed leisure travelers from around the world.

According to Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans CVB, “Consumers have clearly re-discovered New Orleans as one of the hottest destinations in America. While we are proud of our number one status, we must acquire new resources to aggressively market New Orleans and serve as the most meeting and travel planner friendly city in America.”


SECC & PCMA Partner To Engage U.S. & Canadian MarketsThe Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) has become a partner of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) in a bid to further engage with the meetings and conference industry in the US and Canada.

Building close industry relationships across the Atlantic has been part of the venue’s strategy in attracting US meeting planners to Scotland for a number of years, with this latest move allowing the SECC access to over 6,000 senior professionals. PCMA officially recognised the partnership during its annual Education Conference held in Montreal, where the SECC attracted attention to the venue and to Glasgow as a business tourism destination.

SECC Director of Sales, Ben Goedegebuure, comments; “Overseas markets have always been a key target for us and partnering a renowned organisation like PCMA will help access key buyers in the US and Canada.

“Scotland has strong ties with both countries when it comes to ancestral and leisure tourism and we hope to build on these and attract more business visitors to the country in general and the city of Glasgow in particular. Together with the PCMA team we are working on a number of joint marketing initiatives over the coming months and can’t wait to work more closely with our colleagues across the Atlantic.”

Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA said; “PCMA is happy to have officially formalised its relationship with SECC. SECC has been extremely supportive of the development of PCMA global education initiatives.

“This partnership with SECC is sure to help with PCMA’s continued global reach and we’re delighted to be working with them in a more structured and collaborative way. We feel this relationship will benefit PCMA members and our industry and we look forward to even more opportunities moving forward.”

Change To VAT Rules To Impact MICE BusinessesThe EU VAT system is constantly changing, presenting a major headache for all businesses - but particularly those that trade cross-border. 2010 saw the introduction of the first of a series of fundamental changes to the EU VAT rules that will be brought into effect over the course of the next 5 years. While the 2010 changes impacted almost all businesses, to a greater or lesser extent, the next change that will come into force in January 2011 will specifically affect businesses that organise conferences, meetings and events.

Paul Quigley, Director of International VAT Consulting at Meridian Global Services, warns that further changes to the EU VAT rules are on the way: “All businesses that operate in this sector need to be aware of the changes and to start assessing what impact they will have, if any. If a business does not properly understand its VAT obligations, the risk is that it will get things wrong - and the consequences of that can be severe. With many governments under increasing pressure to reduce their ballooning deficits, national tax authorities are turning the spotlight on compliance and introducing stricter and harsher penalties for non-compliance. But it is not just the risk of penalties that businesses face - very often, failure to do things properly can lead to VAT that would otherwise have been refundable becoming a cost. And that can mean the difference between staying afloat or going under for some businesses in the current climate, particularly those that operate on tight margins.”

But it is not all bad news, some businesses may benefit from the change ahead. The current VAT rules mean that businesses which organise events are often required to register for VAT in the country in which the event takes place. With effect from 1 January 2011, this may no longer be the case and those businesses may therefore be entitled to de-register for VAT in some countries. What this means for any VAT that those businesses continue to incur on local purchases and expenses in those countries is that a different procedure must then be used in order to obtain a refund. That procedure itself has also changed with effect from 1 January 2010, therefore this is just another example of why businesses need to make sure that they are up-to-date with the latest rules in order to avoid any VAT incurred becoming a cost.

In fact, all businesses that buy in such services (including from other group companies) also need to be aware of the changes. Quigley explains: “If one of your suppliers gets things wrong and, for example, charges you VAT where no VAT should have been charged, that can leave you exposed to penalties and interest if you inadvertently seek to deduct that VAT or to otherwise obtain a refund in error. Also, as the purchaser of such services, you may find that you suddenly have new reporting obligations as a result of these changes, and again, failure to comply with those new obligations can leave you open to penalties”.

Although VAT was always intended to be a simple tax, the trend towards globalisation and the increasing use of the internet have meant that the rules have struggled to keep up with the very different ways of doing business that have emerged since the rules were first put in place. As a result, they have needed to be adapted - and this is where the complexity has crept in.

The EU VAT rules are not necessarily difficult, but they are complex. Having a clear understanding of the rules as they apply to your particular business is vital, as ignorance of the law is unfortunately not considered to be a reasonable excuse when things go wrong.

www.meridianglobalservices.com

MPI-WEC 2010: World Education CongressVancouver, British Columbia, Canada

July 24-27, 2010


NBTA/Houston 2010Internation Convention & Exposition

August 8-10, 2010

With one year to go until AIBTM opens its doors to the US and international meetings industry, two US organizations - Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Convention Industry Council (CIC) - have confirmed the co-location of two major events at the show in Baltimore June 21 - 23, 2011.

AIBTM, together with America Meetings Week, is set to be the most important event in the US meetings event calendar in 2011, attracting around 3,000 meeting planners as well 300 industry exhibiting companies.

Announced at PCMA’s Education Conference in Montreal, Deborah Sexton, PCMA President and CEO confirmed that PCMA, representing more than 6,100 meeting industry leaders from 16 chapters in the United States and Canada, will be holding their bi annual education conference at AIBTM.The conference will provide industry professionals with the opportunity to learn new strategies, discover innovative solutions, share best practices, hear inspiring speakers and attend networking sessions.

Commenting on the co-location, Deborah Sexton, said: “We already work very closely with Reed Travel Exhibitions’ international portfolio of shows on their educational programmes, so this link up is a natural and welcome fit. Additionally, June 2011 provides the ideal timing for the Association and its members, as does the location in Baltimore. Our members will not only benefit from our conference but from doing business with leading US and international suppliers at AIBTM. It is a win win situation.”

AIBTM and America Meetings Week is also set to host CIC’s 2011 Hall of Leaders Gala held in conjunction with the PCMA conference. The Gala evening attracts a Who’s Who of the meetings and convention industry and honours the industry’s outstanding leaders and innovators.

Nominations are submitted either by CIC member organizations or the general industry community. A selection committee appointed by the CIC chooses the inductees.

Meetings and Events Portfolio said: “The decisions by both PCMA and CIC to co-locate their bi annual conference

EVENTSPCMA & CIC To Co-Locate Events At AIBTM

Registration Opens For EIBTM 2010 Hosted BuyersFollowing the success of last year’s EIBTM Hosted Buyer Programme, which saw record numbers of attendance and numbers of pre scheduled appointments, EIBTM have released details of its 2010 Programme. Registration is now open for those wishing to apply for Hosted Buyer status; EIBTM takes place from 30 November - 2 December at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.

Increased numbers of Hosted Buyers from all the key European markets, as well as countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, USA and Canada, are expected with total attendance likely to top 3,800 of the industry’s leading decision makers.

This optimism in the industry is reflected by an increase in Hosted Buyer Groups, coming from Europe, Africa, Australasia, the Americas and Asia. Groups are already 7% up on this time last year.

EIBTM leads the way in independently auditing its Hosted Buyer and Trade Visitor numbers, providing a quantifiable means for exhibitors’ to evaluate their return on investment and return on objectives. Benefits for Hosted Buyers at EIBTM 2010 include complimentary flights and accommodation, transfers, a personal diary of pre-scheduled appointments, networking functions, dedicated lounges and account handlers.

The strength and quality of the EIBTM Hosted Buyer programme has also led to Spanish and other European destinations hosting Post Event Tours. These include Bilbao, Costa Daurada, Costa del Sol/Malaga, Florence/Tuscany, Madrid, Valencia, Huelva and Rotterdam.

Graeme Barnett, Exhibition Director for EIBTM comments: “Last year we celebrated the event’s 21st anniversary and set records in terms of numbers of Hosted Buyers attending and number of pre-scheduled appointments. Our Hosted Buyer Programme stands as the ‘gold standard’ for the meetings industry.

“However, it is not just about quantity it is about the event experience. We have to ensure that we are providing them with ROI and that is something we have successfully been doing for over 21 years.”

www.eibtm.com

and Gala evening is a testament to the importance both organizations place on AIBTM and America Meetings Week.

“The Week gives the industry an opportunity not only to shout about the value of meetings to the US economy but for buyers and planners to develop their businesses and gain industry knowledge that will impact directly on their corporate and personal development.”

Amy Calvert, Vice President of Convention Sales and Services at Visit Baltimore added: “We are thrilled

that AIBTM and Reed are offering this dynamic opportunity for the meetings industry to gain strategic insights from the top notch education during America’s Meetings Week.”

AIBTM’s Hosted Buyer Program offers a highly effective way for buyers, meeting planners and decision makers to meet exhibitors through an online pre scheduled appointment system. This guarantees that buyers meet exhibitors that they are particularly interested in doing business with.

www.aibtm.com


Hong Kong ITE & MICE 2010 Attracts New ParticipantsAmid uncertainties in the world economy, the 24th edition of ITE and the 5th edition of ITE MICE had a successful turnout. There was a record number of newly participating countries and regions. Also new was a Geo-park theme pavilion on eco-tourism, and several new official pavilions by tourism authorities, mostly from Europe and the Middle East.

Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Government, sent a Message to welcome all participants of ITE & MICE 2010! Officiating the opening this year were Mrs. Rita Lau, JP, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR, and Mr. MAN Hongwei, Director General of China National Tourism Administration. Also present were Secretary of State, H.E. So Mara of the Ministry of Tourism Cambodia, and other senior tourism officials and industry leaders from the region.

The number of trade and corporate buyers and visitors of ITE & MICE this year, including those from local, mainland China and overseas, rose 2% to 11464. Significantly, pre-registrations for all Corporate Travel seminars this year rose by some 35% to around 1200, while the training seminar by the Asia Cruise Association was 50% over-subscribed and pre-registration was suspended.

Public visitors this year increased by 7% to 68900. Queue started appearing before the Travel Expo opened each day, and they apparently stayed longer resulting in crowded exhibition halls. Findings of previous surveys indicate some 70% of all public visitors preferred traveling in FIT.

ITE & MICE is also known for its highly international profile of exhibitors. This year, the total number of exhibitors of the Expo increased 2.5% to 625. They came from 46 countries and regions, with 16 of them from Asia, 13 from Europe, 5 from the Middle East, and the rest from Africa, Americas, Oceanic, and the Pacific.

New pavilion participants came from Croatia, Guam, Israel, Jordan, Poland, Slovakia, UK, the cities of Prague and Ho Chi Minh; Armenia, Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico and Mongolia had only individual exhibitors.

With nearly 90 stands, the China (mainland) pavilion was again the largest, to be followed by Japan, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong and South Korea. Their continuous expansion has been a major factor for rapid growth of ITE & MICE in recent year, and in fact, five of them keep expanding this year and the largest one involving doubling space required. In all, there were 35 official pavilions this year, including several provincial and municipal tourism authorities which exhibited independently, and those with themes such as MICE, Wellness and Medical Tourism, and the Geo-park.

ITE & MICE is organized by TKS Exhibition Services Ltd, and supported by China National Tourism Administration, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, and the Macau Government Tourists Office. It was held this year from June 10 to 13 at halls 1A to 1E of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, with the first two days open only to trade and corporate visitors, and the last two to the public.

The next ITE & MICE will be held from June 9 to 12, 2011 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center.

www.itehk.com

GIBTM Unveils New WebsiteGIBTM, The Gulf Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition, has unveiled a new website that offers viewers enhanced features.

Designed in line with the EIBTM and AIBTM websites, the new website is easy to navigate and full of exhibition and industry information ready to download.

Commenting on the new website, GIBTM’s Marketing Manager Sarah Kitley says: “The new look highlights GIBTM’s continued commitment to the meetings industry and is an important step in making all event, and trend related information available to our increased stakeholder base. The new website is easy to navigate and we are sure everyone will appreciate its look and user-friendly features.

GIBTM 2011 will take place from 28 - 30 March at the ADNEC in Abu Dhabi.

www.gibtm.com

Hospitality Industry Raising Profile of Central Asia & TurkeyThe organisers of CATHIC (Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference) and EMITT (East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel) have signed an agreement to work alongside each other to strengthen the links between the hotel investment industry and the travel and tourism sector.

Both events take place in Istanbul and will offer a smooth transition from one to the other, so delegates are able to take advantage of the benefits of each event:

- CATHIC will take place from 7 - 9 February 2011 at the InterContinental Istanbul- EMITT will take place from 10 - 13 February 2011 at the TUYAP Exhibition Centre.

“We are delighted to be working with EMITT to shine an international spotlight on this exciting part of the world,” said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events. CATHIC and EMITT will support each other’s events bringing close and beneficial links between the two related sectors.

EMITT is in its 15th successful year of providing a meeting point for regional travel and tourism. CATHIC has been launched to meet the demands of a

need for an annual gathering of the hotel investment community in the area. It will bring an array of industry leaders from around the world to the conference, who will share their knowledge and experience on the latest trends and best practice in a series of high-powered panels, with smaller in-depth breakout sessions on

specific topics.

Dubai To Host 2011 APCO World CongressAPCO International, the world’s largest organization dedicated to public safety communications, has announced that


Dubai will be the venue for their world conference in June 2011.

Offering an unrivalled location equally accessible from east, west, north and south, Dubai is one of the world’s premier meeting venues. The destination offers the ideal combination of airline access, urban transportation, logistics, convention facilities, hotel selection and leisure activities blended with an exotic touch of Arabian culture and year-round sunshine.

APCO, which is the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, have been around since 1935 - far longer than any other public safety communications association. More than 15,000 members rely on APCO for their professional needs - from examining standards and issues to providing education, products and services. Their governing documents, executive leaders and senior members are a testament to the public safety community’s dedication and expertise.

“The DCB is pleased to be welcome APCO to Dubai for the first time. We are honored that Dubai was selected for this outstanding congress.” Says Jerad Bachar, Director of the Dubai Convention Bureau.

The APCO world congress will take place at the InterContinental and Crowne Plaza, Dubai Festival City.

Keith Prowse Brings New Ambience To Cartier International PoloKeith Prowse is drawing on the influences of time and space for 2010’s Cartier International Polo. The upscale corporate hospitality facilities will be refreshed and rebranded, with the breathtaking bamboo structure of the central VIP marquee bound to grab attention.

Cartier International Polo, taking place on Sunday 25th July at the Guards Polo Club, is recognised as being the pinnacle in the social season and draws the crowds from A-list celebrities to FTSE-100 figureheads. Keith Prowse’s offering will bring together world class food, attentive service levels and subtle design from the table centres and interiors to the laid back savannah styling of the alfresco spaces.

The Smith’s Lawn Enclosure will be home to Cartier International Polo’s two top hospitality options from the iconic event’s exclusive hospitality supplier; the Chukkas Restaurant and Chukkas Private Suites, both magnets to clients entertaining VIP guests and including reserved North/South Grandstand seats perfectly placed to view the action unfold on polo’s most famous field.

Guests at the Chukkas Restaurant will be greeted with a canapé and champagne reception, before a seasonal three-course summer lunch is served. Large corporate groups and parties numbering over 24 will be hosted in the Chukkas Private Suites, which include a private bar and dedicated hospitality team.

Ted Walker, Keith Prowse’s Head of Marketing said: “This theme for this year’s Cartier International Polo is daring and different, but in keeping with the glamour of Guards that characterises the event. We are well versed in entertaining the VIP crowd that comes to Cartier International Polo each year, and can guarantee every guest the same unparalleled standard of service.”

BA’s Willie Walsh Delivers Impactful BTM KeynoteLast month’s Business Travel Market (BTM) was host to one of the captains of the aviation and business travel industry with a powerful speech delivered by BA’s ceo Willie Walsh. Addressing a crowd of 350 exhibitors, visitors, buyers and suppliers at the event held at ExCeL, Walsh outlined his new ‘confidence and optimism’ in the industry.

Thanking the delegation for their support and loyalty to the company, he spoke of the many issues and challenges the industry collectively faces. Mr. Walsh outlined his commitment to long haul and short haul travel and was adamant that transatlantic business remains robust. He mentioned that had it not been for the downturn, BA would have already expanded its network further in the USA and potential further routes to long haul destinations from London City Airport with Boston, Washington and Chicago mooted as possibilities.

Commenting on the Middle East carriers, Walsh praised Emirates as ‘a

rational commercial carrier’ but agreed with a comment made at last week’s IATA conference that ‘three hubs in such a small area may be reduced to two in the future.’ Whilst they were a ‘bit of competition for BA’ Mr Walsh said that the absence of the third runway at LHR provided increasing opportunities for the Middle East to position itself even more strongly as a world wide hub.

When probed whether he would be lobbying the third runway issue, Walsh said he was not going to ‘waste time and energy pursuing this bid’ but would ‘look at current access opportunities’.

On the hot topic of further strikes and Unite, Walsh said there was a ‘gulf between the views of Unite and those of the large majority of cabin crew’. He was adamant that if there was to be further industrial action, they would build on the success of recent weeks and aim to fly 100% of their long haul operation.

Walsh was emphatic that they ‘had to get the industry back on an even keel’ and ‘whilst it will be a long hard road, it is achievable’.

Future plans for BA include the International Airline Consolidated Group (IACG) and Walsh also outlined plans to re-introduce apprenticeships at BA and his continued commitment to the current graduate training scheme to ensure investment in the airline’s talent pipeline.

Business Travel Market’s event director Paul Robin said “British Airways has been instrumental along with our other founding partners in helping to shape our event this year, and it was a fantastic opportunity for all attending BTM to hear from one of the most experienced leaders in the industry. Mr Walsh spoke with passion and we are delighted we could offer this opportunity for our delegation”.

www.businesstravelmarket.co.uk

OECD Tourism Conference To Be Held In JerusalemThe OECD Tourism Committee has announced it will hold its 86th annual conference in Jerusalem for the first time ever, October 20-22.

The OECD (Organization for Co-operative Development) Tourism Conference will include 50 tourism ministers from Israel and around the world, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Mr. Shimon Peres, World Tourism Organization Secretary-

General Taleb Rifai, as well as heads of the international tourism industry.

The conference will focus on ways to promote green tourism, including plans to establish an international green tourism product, identifying green business opportunities and discussing the ecological effects on tourism.


VENUES

Reykjavík’s New Concert/Conference Hall To Open May 2011Pétur J. Eiríksson, Chairman of Portus, announced that the official opening and opening concert by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at Harpa, Reykjavík’s new Concert Hall and Conference Centre, would take place on 4 May 2011. The opening concert will be conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

On 14 May 2011, Harpa will stage a grand opening program featuring a diverse range of music events and many of Iceland’s most prominent musicians. This program will be broadcast live on Icelandic National television. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects with acoustics by Artec Consultants Inc and a façade by Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with the architects, Harpa is to become home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera, and thus a major addition to the Icelandic and European cultural scene. It will also serve as a tourism and business hub, providing flexible facilities for programs and international events.

The façade was designed by Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects. With acoustics conceived by Artec Consultants Inc, one of the most reputable experts in the field, and equipped with the most technologically advanced sound, staging and presentation systems also designed by Artec, the 28,000 square- -meter (301,000 square- -feet) complex will be a striking landmark in the redevelopment of the historic harbour and waterfront area, and a symbol of the country’s renewed dynamism. Henning Larsen Architects also consulted with Batteríið Architects to conceive the building. The main contractor is ÍAV. “It is with great anticipation that we have seen the building and its magnificent façade emerge on the skyline,” remarked Eiríksson. “Now that it is nearing completion, we can feel the energy it will bring to the city and how it will strengthen Reykjavík as one of the most attractive capitals in Europe.”

Harpa is expected to become a hub in the city’s vibrant music scene and to attract an audience of culture, architecture, and art enthusiasts as well as major international business and trade events. Based on a cooperative model, it will allow for a mix of large conventions, receptions, concerts, exhibitions and public programs that can all happen simultaneously. It will also be home to restaurants with direct views across the harbour.

June marked the start of a new era in business tourism for London. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, officially launched the Capital’s first International Convention Centre at ExCeL London with ADNEC Chairman, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.

The new £165 million facility encompasses London’s largest banqueting space ICC Capital Hall, the 5,000 tiered seater, ICC Auditorium, and a conference suite, ICC Capital Suite, comprising 17 individual meeting rooms for 50 to 2,500 delegates. In addition, ExCeL London with the ICC and extra facilities will support 38,000 jobs and generate £1.6 billion worth of economic benefit to the Capital in 2011.

Speaking at the launch, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “For 20 years London has been voted by business leaders as the top European city for business. It is in a class of its own as a world city with a highly skilled workforce, favourable timezone and unrivalled access to global markets. Business tourism is vital to the London economy and the opening today of the ICC is a brilliant addition to our business offering. Alongside the Olympic Park it will boost the overall regeneration of the East End and help ensure the capital remains an open, diverse and competitive city.”

CEO ExCeL London Kevin Murphy commented; “Until now, London was not able to compete for large international conventions. With our ICC and the cohesive support and working group with the City and the convention bureau, Visit London, we now have a compelling offer and a world class facility to compete for the £100 billion business we know is out there and wants to come to London. Since the announcement of London’s first ICC, we have confirmed business in excess of £300 million of economic benefit to London, beating leading cities such as Barcelona, Paris and Vienna. This is proof that we have built the right facility and that the pan London working group and support from the Mayor’s Office, is meeting the market’s needs.” Murphy further added: “None of this would have been possible without the shared vision and investment of our owners, ADNEC, the Abu Dhabi

London’s First International Convention Centre Launched

National Exhibitions Company. They are committed to the long-term future of this business and London as a leading business destination. On 8th June, we announced a further investment of £50m by ADNEC to build the UK’s first Starwood ALOFT hotel. This will be a four star, 252 bedroom business hotel linked to the ICC London. Our vision doesn’t just stop there. We have created a key cornerstone in the Thames regeneration project and have strong ambition with key London partners and our owners to continue the regeneration of the Royal Docks.”

ICC London ExCeL has taken two years to build with the volume of concrete used for the venue enough to fill 10 Olympic sized swimming pools, while two 747 jumbo jets could be parked

in each hall, such is the scale of the new facility. Together with the existing ExCeL London, the new ICC is also the only single building in the UK to span between two rail stations.Picture caption (left to right): Kevin Murphy, CEO ExCeL London, with Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, meeting H.E Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, at the launch of ICC London ExCeL, the capital’s first International Convention Centre.

Echo Arena Liverpool Named Performance Venue of The YearThe Mersey Partnership (TMP) Tourism Awards 2010 saw Echo Arena Liverpool - part of ACC Liverpool - scoop the


award for Performance Venue of the Year. Organised by the official tourist board for the Liverpool City Region, the awards recognise the very best in quality and excellence in the city region’s visitor economy.

Tim Banfield, General Manager of the Echo Arena, said, “We are delighted to win this award. The Echo Arena Liverpool has welcomed some of the country’s most talented comedians and musicians, with the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Russell Howard and John Bishop all performing recently.

“We’ve staged a number of high profile events including the hugely successful Mamma Mia, Walking with Dinosaurs and the Davis Cup, and there will be many more to come in the future, such as the next MOBO awards ceremony.

“We will continue to work hard to ensure that all visitors to the venue enjoy their time with us. We want to make sure that every night at the Echo Arena Liverpool is one to remember - from the general experience of the atmosphere to the quality of the venue’s facilities.”

Sydney Unveils New Interiors At Parkside Convention CentreThe Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre has unveiled a sophisticated new interior design in its Parkside Convention Centre, bringing a new vibrancy to Australia’s premier events venue.

Flooded with natural light, the redesign gives Parkside a fresh and elegant look that echoes the colours and qualities of the adjacent Bayside Convention Centre while taking full advantage of the venue’s harbour views. The changes also bring the Centre’s acclaimed art collection to greater prominence, including a dramatic harbour scene by Australian artist Brett Whiteley which now forms the centrepiece to Parkside’s open spaces.

Centre Chief Executive Ton van Amerongen said the new look was a natural elevation for the Sydney venue. “The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre has always been more than just a static venue: it links its events with the life and energy of Sydney itself,” Mr van Amerongen said. “These changes further enhance that quality, drawing on the vivid light, the water views and the surrounding life of Darling Harbour.”

Created by architects Cox Richardson, the new look features white travertine

Roosevelt’s Floating White House Now Hosting EventsTo better serve the facility needs of those planning events, meetings and VIP gatherings in the San Francisco Bay Area, Red and White Fleet and the USS Potomac have joined forces to provide the most prestigious option in terms of service and style - a private cruise aboard .

“The USS Potomac is a unique and important historic American artifact, as well as a fascinating educational museum,” stated Michael Roosevelt, grandson of FDR and Chairman of the USS Potomac Association. “This cruising partnership will create additional opportunities for people to experience this magnificently restored ship, while enjoying a day on the water as my grandfather did - relaxing and having a good time.”

With over 118 years of sailing San Francisco Bay, the Red and White Fleet is a natural fit in working together with the USS Potomac, a National Historic Landmark which served the President from 1936 until 1945. As San Francisco’s oldest sightseeing provider and one of the city’s top-ten visited cultural attractions, the Red and White Fleet has become an institution itself, serving visitors from around the world on its multilingual cruises of San Francisco Bay annually. “Red and White Fleet is pleased to partner with the USS Potomac due to its historic significance, and is proud to offer the vessel as the Bay’s most historic, upscale venue for private events,” stated Thomas Escher, CEO of Red and White Fleet. “We are beginning immediately to book cruises on the USS Potomac.”

No stranger to famous guests, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the USS Potomac has entertained Elvis Presley, Danny Thomas, the United Kingdom’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Crown Princess Martha of Norway, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden, along with many other international and governmental dignitaries.

Designed to accommodate VIP occasions, guests are now able to arrange events of their own for up to 120 guests on the USS Potomac. Red and White will guide clients through the process of planning private cruises while providing several catering and entertainment options, as well as the luxury of sailing the beautiful San Francisco Bay.

The relationship between Red and White Fleet and USS Potomac grew out of the mutual desire to bring this historic experience to more guests. Under this new partnership, the USS Potomac will benefit from Red and White Fleet’s extensive brand recognition and marketing efforts. The Red and White Fleet will secure and manage private event contracts as well as service groups during the planning process. Private events aboard the USS Potomac will depart from Pier 43 ½ in the heart of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, in addition to other Bay Area locations.

Catering for private events aboard the USS Potomac will be provided exclusively by three outstanding Bay Area caterers: Kincaid’s Bay House, Miraglia Catering and Events and Barbara Llewellyn Catering.

Adding to the cruising experience, the USS Potomac will provide educational docents from their museum on-board each private cruise to offer tours and the ship’s history. The USS Potomac is berthed at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA where it provides daily on-site tours, history cruises and maintains a small FDR and USS Potomac Museum.

floors, deep blue carpets and colour-backed glass wall panels. It enhances the Parkside Foyer with its vast wall of glass overlooking Cockle Bay, as well as the Parkside Ballroom, the largest pillarless ballroom in Sydney.

The redesign puts a new focus on Parkside’s broad concourse, now a

home for Whiteley’s 6.1m by 2.4m Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W, one of more than 20 major works by prominent Australian artists in the Centre’s collection.

Other additions include integrated projection screens and digital display systems, providing greater opportunities


for event organisers’ branding and signage. The enhancements form part of a wider plan that will later introduce fully-operable walls within the Parkside Centre to create more flexible conference rooms and increased exhibition space.

To be completed later this year, the additional changes will allow conferences to be held within a single area or level, creating a more intimate feel and better flow between plenary sessions, breakout sessions and exhibitions.

UVL Cites Venues That Hold “Claims To Fame”A Unique Venues of London (UVL) member survey has highlighted the number of ‘claims to fame’ UVL venues have, with architectural award wins, famous architects and movie blockbusters all associated with the iconic landmarks.

The survey, run to coincide with the London Festival of Architecture, highlighted famous designers and architects associated with UVL venues. The most renowned being Inigo Jones’s work on Banqueting House, Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and Natural Maritime Museum and Sir Christopher Wren’s on St Paul’s Cathedral and Kensington Palace.

Also disclosed was the large number of architectural awards garnered by UVL venues, including the ‘Structural Steel Design Award 1989’ and ‘Design Week Award 1990’ won by the Imperial War Museum, the ‘Independent/Comedia Award for Urban Innovation 2000’ and ‘Civic Trust Award 2000’ won by BFI IMAX and ‘The London Public Space Award 2008’ won by the Southbank Centre.

The survey revealed hundreds of blockbusters filmed at the iconic venues. Films include ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Da Vinci Code’ at Middle Temple, ‘Bridget Jones Diary’ at Tate Modern, ‘The Boat that Rocked’ at the Southbank Centre, ‘Spice World’ at the Royal Albert Hall, ‘Harry Potter’ at ZSL London Zoo, ‘The Lost World’ at the Natural History Museum and ‘RockNRolla’ at Laban.

Lisa Hatswell, Chairman of UVL and Sales and Corporate Events Manager at The Merlin Entertainments London Eye, comments: “The survey further highlights UVL’s diverse offerings with each venue providing a taste of the city’s history, heritage, landscape and culture. All eyes are on London ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, but in fact, the survey shows

how our vibrant city has been in the spotlight for over a millennium, with

venues dating from 606AD to 2003”.

INCENTIVESShambala Private Game Reserve Now Welcoming GuestsSituated in the picturesque and breathtaking Waterberg Mountains, Shambala Game Reserve, a game reserve which until recently has been a magnificent private estate, is now available for guests who seek the most luxurious accommodations and an extraordinary ecological wildlife experience.

There is nothing else like it in South Africa.

Shambala, situated in a wildlife sanctuary of 30,000 acres in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, is home to a rich diversity of magnificent wildlife and it is almost guaranteed that a visitor here will see the Big Five.

In addition to game drives in this malaria-free area, guests take walking safaris and elephant-back safaris. They discover the wonderful world of astronomy, enjoy a spa treatment, relax by the bonfire, and savor gourmet picnics in the bush. Any of these activities can be enjoyed at the guests’ leisure.

Everything at Shambala is done to preserve a well-balanced ecosystem. They participate in an intensive breeding project for rare and valuable species such as the cheetah and black rhino. The 74 acre Douw Steyn Dam was constructed in 2001 following ecological and geological principles to improve the river flow conditions. It features a wall with multiple arches to create the effect of a waterfall in a natural valley. Its construction offered employment opportunities for the local communities, an initiative that Shambala still practices.

Shambala is the vision of Douw Steyn, whose genius created the acclaimed Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas and Spa in Johannesburg. The same design principles are used here.

Zulu Camp, built in traditional Zulu style, recently finished completion and is set to open in June. It holds seven honeycomb-shaped chalets constructed of traditional materials that blend with the landscape, and is designed to be a private and exclusive venue. Each chalet is decorated in chic Afro-French provincial style with its own bedroom, en-suite bath with a shower, outside shower and private patio. One of the seven chalets is a Presidential Suite that offers more spacious accommodations. A campfire is lit every evening in the open lapa area and guests can dine overlooking the shore of the river.

Douw Steyn also created The Nelson Mandela Centre for Reconciliation at Shambala, a six-bedroom facility providing Nelson Mandela with a tranquil setting in which to meet with world leaders and facilitate his considerable efforts toward reconciliation. The Centre is his private residence.

Dinners at Shambala are lingered over and savored. Guests discuss with the chef their preferences for dinner, consisting of as few as two courses or as many as eight. The cuisine is considered African Fusion, and there is a cellar offering a wide selection of the finest classic vintages from renowned wines estates from South Africa and across the world. Full or Continental breakfasts are relished in the French country kitchen of the Steyn House.

Spa treatments are available at the Shambala Spa by an on-site therapist. They include facials, massages, manicures and pedicures, all using Elemis or Africology products.

Upon arrival at Shambala, guests are greeted with their own welcome basket that includes a Shambala fleece, Shambala hat, journal to document adventures while at the reserve and additional personal care items.

Shambala does not allow children under the age of 16.

www.shambalagamereserve.com

www.odysseymediagroup.com

HOTELS & RESORTS

page 14

Andrew Swindells, General Manager of Park Plaza Westminster Bridge

London, said: “We are the answer for meeting planners who are looking

for change. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is bringing a completely

fresh new product to the London marketplace that enables planners to consider options that have never

existed before. Our convenient location, 1,200 square metre

pillar-free ballroom and no fewer than 31 additional meeting rooms

provide a high level of flexibility for conferences. In addition, we provide free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour access business centre and an outstanding Executive

Lounge service that makes doing business here easy for our guests.”

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London For Meeting Planners Looking For Change

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London - www.parkplaza.com/london200 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7UT, United Kingdom

Reservations: +44 (0)844-415-6780 Europe Toll-free: 800-169-6128 Meetings: +44 (0)844-415-6792 Telephone: +44 (0)844-415-6790 Fax: +44 (0)844-415-6791

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts is changing the face of the London hotel scene with its new £350 million hotel, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London. Situated at the foot of Westminster Bridge in the heart of the South Bank, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London is ideally located only moments from many of London’s top attractions including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.

Eli Papouchado, Chairman of Park Plaza Hotels, said: “We have unveiled a spectacular new hotel that offers all the hallmarks of the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand – contemporary design, modern facilities and warm, engaging service – with an unrivalled location, stunning views and a host of unique touches designed to create an exceptional guest experience.”

Accommodation: Both business and leisure guests will appreciate the contemporary guest rooms and choice of 54 suites and penthouses. Spacious Superior Rooms measure an average of 27 square metres while Studio Rooms, which provide a separate sitting room ideal for families, average approximately 36 square metres. Guest room features include 37-inch LCD

flat-screen televisions, bedside lighting controls with dimmers, a workstation with international electrical outlets and a mini-bar with separate refrigerator. Sleek bathrooms provide separate bathtubs and glass-enclosed showers, vessel sinks, under-counter night lights and makeup mirrors.

Dining: The hotel’s dining offerings include Brasserie Joël, which has been crafted under the direction of the hotel’s renowned chef Joel Antunes. Best known in the UK for his work in 1990s creating London’s Michelin-starred Les Saveurs, Antunes has returned to London following a decade abroad. Also on offer is Ichi Sushi & Sashimi Bar and for cocktails and live entertainment, the stylish Primo Bar. Guests also are able to enjoy the ultimate Italian coffee bar experience, espressamente illy.

Amenities: A host of guest amenities include two executive lounges, a 24-hour business centre and a private suite check-in area. A luxurious spa with eight treatment rooms and fitness facilities including a 15-metre swimming pool is scheduled to open in Summer 2010. Location: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London is located at the foot of

From the lobby/reception level of the hotel you can see London’s iconic Houses of Parliament and Big Ben just across Westminster Bridge

Westminster Bridge, only steps from the city’s most iconic attractions. Four minutes away, along the South Bank of the River Thames, guests will find unique attractions and a thriving arts community. The most visited attraction in London, the London Eye, is at the heart of the action. Also minutes away are the London Sea Life Aquarium, South Bank Centre and the National Theatre. A stroll across Westminster Bridge is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Walk a few minutes further and find Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Covent Garden. Nearby transportation links include both London Overground and Underground lines at Waterloo and Westminster stations.

Meetings & Events: The flexible design and sheer size of the hotel’s modern meeting space has attracted meeting planners seeking a new option for conferences. The pillar-free Westminster Ballroom accommodates as many as 1,400 theatre-style and more than 1,000 for dinner. An additional 31 meeting rooms provide an array of options ranging from small board meetings to receptions for 1,200 guests.

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is the third Park Plaza hotel located on London’s South Bank. The adjacent Park Plaza County Hall opened in 2008 and nearby Park Plaza Riverbank opened in 2005. Also in London are the Park Plaza Victoria and the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes hotel on Baker Street.

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