Conference & Incentive Travel articles from April 2008

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from April 2008

Power and freedom in the balance.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... In a shaky economic climate, freelancers often profit, with agencies turning to them during tough times rather than increasing head count. But as the credit crunch bites, is it rich pickings, and are agencies hiring them strategically?...

Dairy Crest appointment caps off a positive month for Smyle.
April 18, 2008... Chilled foods giant Dairy Crest has appointed Smyle to run its senior managers conference in June. It caps a successful month for the agency, which was also added to the three-strong preferred supplier roster by luxury Hertfordshire...

Butterfield considers options after leaving Skybridge post.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Skybridge managing partner (operations, events) Leigh Butterfield has left after ten years with the London agency as she seeks out 'a new challenge'. Butterfield told C&IT she was taking time to consider her options. 'I've not decided my...

Eventia selects C&IT as partner.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Eventia has named C&IT as media partner, along with sister title Event, for its annual conference in July. The Summer Eventia is scheduled for 6-8 July at The Lowry Hotel, Manchester, and will start with a networking event on a private...

Tracker Briefs.
April 18, 2008... In C&IT News Tracker this month: UK hotel occupancy levels are forecast to stagnate this year as corporate budgets tighten, according to Pricewaterhousecoopers (27.2.08). This year's Imex show is set to be the greenest yet, says...

Pickled Egg set for new look.
April 18, 2008... Agency Pickled Egg Events is undergoing a rebrand as it looks to focus its business on performance improvement and incentive-related events. The agency, which counts Samsung, Netgear and Lexmark among its client base, has appointed...

BSI offers help with BS8901.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... The British Standards Institution (BSI) plans to release guidance on BS8901 later this year in a bid to encourage take-up of the sustainable events framework. BSI head of marketing development (sustainability and risk) Anne Hayes said...

AOK handed incentive contract by Generics.
April 18, 2008... Pharmaceutical company Generics (UK) has appointed AOK Events to run its incentive and corporate hospitality programme, in a month that has also seen the agency appointed preferred supplier to law firm Taylor Wessing, an existing client. ...

Concerns over BT tendering.
April 18, 2008... Eventia is 'disappointed' with BT's event agency roster tendering process, which agencies have criticised. Several agencies have voiced frustration to C&IT, citing poor communication and that a reported 130 have been invited to tender....

Job insight for event students.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Trade body MPI has teamed up with agency Real Recruitment to provide practice job interviews for University of Westminster event students. Some 20 MA students took part in the first set of interviews on 26 March. 'The interview...

Airport arrival.
April 18, 2008... The pounds 4.3bn Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 opened last month after more than five years of construction work. The adjoining Sofitel London Heathrow - Terminal 5 will offer 41 meeting rooms when it opens this summer

Positive as it comes to the crunch.(Personal account)(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Downward cycles currently dominate the financial headlines. The global economy looks fragile and the wider media seem eager to publicise recessionary gloom. Of course, this isn't surprising, because bad always sells better than good news. ...

Western & Oriental in joint marketing blitz.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... The Western & Oriental Group (W&O) has centralised its marketing operation and announced plans for a new business offensive as it seeks to drive C&I trade across the company. W&O has acquired Lynton Cooper, Travel Management Team and...

M&S picks Lodestar for event.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Marks & Spencer has appointed Lodestar Events to manage a staff-engagement event in London following a competitive pitch. Lodestar managing director Phil Watton said the two-day event for 120 M&S store operations staff from across the UK...

How to... motivate the motivators.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Clear goals - Communicate clearly and regularly so staff understand how important their role is in achieving goals. Recognition - Recognise and reinforce behaviours that lead to successful results. Honest praise is priceless. ...

GRG's Burrage retires after 22 years with firm.(Grass Roots Group's Rik Burrage retires)(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Grass Roots Group (GRG) managing director Rik Burrage has retired after 22 years with the business. He is replaced by Andy Lister, formerly board director at GRG, who joined the agency in 2001. Burrage, 61, will retain a place on the board as...

Glasgows joins agency roster.
April 18, 2008... Glasgows is one of five agencies awarded a place on national urban regeneration agency English Partnerships' event management roster, worth an estimated pounds 250,000 a year. The four-year contract was secured by Glasgows after a...

Carrier news.
April 18, 2008... Montenegro Airlines plans to run scheduled flights from the UK to Montenegro from June. The route will fly twice weekly from Gatwick into Tivat. Continental Airlines, Boeing and GE Aviation plan to conduct a biofuels demonstration flight...

Tiring effect of all these good causes.
April 18, 2008... Does anybody else out there experience the occasional twinge of charity fatigue? Are your bank statements littered with contributions toward various causes? And do you ruefully dig deep for street donations, charity dinners, fun-runs and...

Garbett joins Action Impact.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Former Jack Morton Worldwide joint managing director Jeremy Garbett has been recruited by agency Action Impact to head its Dubai office. Garbett becomes the agency's managing director, having left Jack Morton Worldwide last summer to...

Hilton heads city-wide accommodation plan.
April 18, 2008... Hilton Hotels Corporation is seeking to join forces with other accommodation providers in London on a city-wide contracting proposal to drive more business to the capital. The move is designed to help offer a solution to availability...

Ovation in US DMC link-up.(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... Ireland's Ovation Global DMC and North American-headquartered DMC Network have announced a global partnership, offering DMC delivery in 60 locations across the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. The two claim the deal has produced...

One to watch: Zanine Adams - UK sales and event solutions manager, Visit London.(International Special Events Society)(Conference news)(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... WHY ARE WE WATCHING HER? Formerly UK sales manager for Visit London, Adams' extended role reflects what Visit London calls its 'new focus on providing complete event solutions for clients wishing to place meetings, conferences, events,...

Appointment at Motivcom.
April 18, 2008... Motivcom has appointed Sue Farr as a non-executive director to its board. Currently executive director of Chime Communications and a trustee of the Historic Royal Palaces, Farr has previously held roles at Vauxhall Motors and the BBC

Appointment at Agency Indeprod.
April 18, 2008... Agency Indeprod has built up its new business team with the appointment of Simon Calderbank as new business manager and Ross Horne as new business executive. Calderbank was most recently client services director with Escape Design, while...

Appointment at Kerzner.
April 18, 2008... Following the expansion of the One & Only and Atlantis brands, Kerzner has made two new appointments. Brad Simmons becomes account manager, group and incentive sales (UK), and Margherita Rodia group and incentives sales coordinator

Appointment at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.
April 18, 2008... Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has announced a senior management restructure. David Guile, former deputy chief executive has been appointed chief executive, while group finance director Gordon Fraser takes on the role of deputy chief executive

Appointment at Andaz Liverpool.
April 18, 2008... Andaz Liverpool has appointed Arnaud de Saint-Exupery as general manager. De Saint-Exupery joins from the Park Hyatt Paris - Vendome, where he was hotel manager

Appointment at Confex Group.
April 18, 2008... Confex Group has expanded its sales team. Caroline Bleasdale joins as sales manager. She will be responsible for all of the sales activity for the Event UK show, formerly the National Venue Show

Analysis: Don't look back in anger.
April 18, 2008... In April 2006, C&IT followed the exploits of Simon Ashley as he left a leading agency and launched his own start-up. Two years on, he offers C&IT readers ten tips to avoid failing. Two years ago on 1 April 2006, I started Side-A,...

Analysis: Bread and jam or the breadline?(James Thornton )(Interview)
April 18, 2008... Is the economic situation a threat or an opportunity to freelancers? James Thornton asks a corporate, an agency head, a freelancer and a recruitment specialist. THE FREELANCER - Helen Millward, freelance - Have you worked both on a...

Case Study: Music promoters take centre stage at ILMC.
April 18, 2008... Organising an event that has been running for 20 years, and whose audience has 'seen it all before', needs careful planning and a creative touch, as James Thornton discovers. THE BRIEF - The International Live Music Conference (ILMC) is...

Case Study: MAN test-drives new range.(Company overview)(Case study)
April 18, 2008... Delegates put the company's latest models through their paces James Thornton reports. THE BRIEF - When the German-owned truck company wanted to launch its TGX and TGS models to the UK market, it felt it essential that buyers, staff and...

Venue focus: Property bulletin - Leanne Bell checks out the latest news from Cannes to Chandigarh.(Hilton London Kensington has launched its executive lounge)(Brief article)
April 18, 2008... HILTON LONDON KENSINGTON London Hilton London Kensington has launched its executive lounge and unveiled 100 new executive bedrooms and suites as part of a multi-million pound refurbishment at the West London property. The executive...

Pushing frontiers: Time for... Kentucky.
April 18, 2008... This year's Ryder Cup host has an array of other options to tempt groups. INCENTIVES Aside from the obvious choices of the Kentucky Derby and this year's Ryder Cup, the state has a wide variety of incentives on offer. Whiskey fans...

Agency focus: The C&IT Challenge.
April 18, 2008... This month's challenge is to organise a two-day team-building event with a CSR angle to reflect a retail client's stringent CSR policy for 25 new staff from its latest high street outlet. I'd suggest a combination of Bluehat's CSR...

5 Minutes with... Meeting Makers.
April 18, 2008... Location: Glasgow and Salisbury Staff: 20 What's the lowdown? February saw Glasgow agency Meeting Makers acquire Salisbury based SAS Event Management as the association specialist looks to expand its operations in the UK and...

In Person: Trish Saunders, HMV.
April 18, 2008... - The retailer's event head on travel, organised chaos and Amy Winehouse. As head of events for entertainment giant HMV, Trish Saunders' role covers everything from conferences to store launches and celebrity appearances. During her...

Sounding off: Too much tendering can be detrimental.
April 18, 2008... I have lost count of the number of times that a client has gushed their gratitude to me at the end of a project, rapidly followed by the words: 'will you tender again next year?' And, of course, it makes sense. When you have a...

Show Guide: 10 good reasons to attend - Imex.(List)
April 18, 2008... 1. GLOBAL COVERAGE Demand for exhibition space has been higher than ever this year, with first-timers jostling for space with 60 exhibitors that have opted to increase their presence. Of these, the Asia-Pacific region has been...

Gala Dinner Venues: Dressed to impress.
April 18, 2008... Victoria Furness cites four prestigious venues to have hosted corporates in the past year. House of Commons Client: Guardian Wealth Management Group size: 100 Date: 4 January 2008 Ahead of the evening's festivities, the...

Purpose-built venues: 5 of the best - Purpose-built venues.(Conference notes)
April 18, 2008... Mike Fletcher picks five out-of-the- ordinary custom-built alternatives. 1. MERCEDES-BENZ WORLD, SURREY Since opening in October 2006, Mercedes-Benz World has attracted more than 6,000 corporate visitors to its conferencing...

Liverpool: Behind the scenes at the BT Convention Centre.
April 18, 2008... Jacquie Rogers, general manager of the BT Convention Centre, the business end of Liverpool's ACC complex, tells David Atkinson what a typical day entails in the run up to opening. Jacquie Rogers relocated from Brighton to Liverpool in May...

Liverpool: The year in culture.(Calendar)
April 18, 2008... As European Capital of Culture for 2008, Liverpool is hosting concerts and exhibitions that make ideal link-ups for events. With 350 formal events, 70 per cent of which are free, the Capital of Culture schedule draws not only on art but...

Birmingham Second Sight.
April 18, 2008... Beyond the NEC, unusual venues make the second city worth another look. What UK city boasts more canals than Venice, fountains to rival Rome and (neo-)classical venues to match Athens? Oxford, Manchester or London probably spring to...

Birmingham Case Study: Punch Taverns' video stars.
April 18, 2008... Around 1,000 delegates attended a plenary session before creating music videos in teams. THE BRIEF - Punch Taverns has a reputation for wowing staff with its annual conference and gala dinner and 2007 was planned to be no exception. RT...

France: Regional resume.(Ben McKee)(Interview)
April 18, 2008... France's country-wide refining of its infrastructure keeps it front of mind. PARIS The constant investment and innovation in France's C&I offering is nowhere more evident than in the capital, which continues to be a firm favourite...

France Case Study: CIT Bank's Provencal reward.
April 18, 2008... The bank needed an accessible venue to entertain its top European clients in style. THE BRIEF - CIT Bank wanted to reward its top European clients and network in an informal environment. 'We wanted to develop a corporate hospitality...

France itinerary: A day in Bordeaux.(Diary entry)
April 18, 2008... Cultural locations and wine-tasting make the region a sophisticated destination. 09.00: Tuck into fine French pastries for breakfast after a peaceful night's sleep at the plush, four-star Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux, which offers 150...

Venice: Landmark quality.
April 18, 2008... The arrival of large quality conference hotels is raising city standards. Upmarket, alluring and seductive - it's no wonder that M&S chose Venice as the backdrop for a recent advertising campaign. With memorable speedboat transfers,...

Barcelona: An Insider's View.(Interview)(Interview)
April 17, 2008... Susie Harwood talks to EIBTM's Paul Kennedy about getting the best out of the Catalan capital. Barcelona's popularity with UK C&I buyers is showing no signs of abating, with the city ranked the second most popular overseas destination in...

Barcelona Case Study: Microsoft's learning hubs.
April 17, 2008... Barcelona was an ideal foil for the IT giant's dual education event for 10,000. THE BRIEF - Tech Ed, Microsoft's key Europe, Middle East and Asia education event, is an annual fixture of two halves. The back-to-back events comprise the...

Barcelona Showcase: Choice from top to bottom.(Description and travel of Barcelona, spain)
April 17, 2008... From enormous wine cellars to a Norman Foster tower, Barcelona has a huge venue array. COLLSEROLA TOWER Designed by Norman Foster, this tower is set 550 metres above sea level on the Tibadabo hill and provides a unique setting for...

Norway: Tranquility base.(The Norway Convention Bureau)
April 17, 2008... Norway combines a stunning wilderness with quality infrastructure Ben Lerwill reports. If the key to an effective itinerary lies in a laid-back approach, then Norway's unrushed attitude is worth a look. While some European destinations...

Norway: Budget Comparison - Oslo for all pockets.
April 17, 2008... There's something to suit every budget in Oslo, from fine dining to fjord cruises. Budget Pounds How to get there: Norwegian runs low-cost services to the country from London, Birmingham and Glasgow, while Ryanair provides further...

Porto: Douro delight.
April 17, 2008... Increased air access and a growing hotel portfolio are helping Porto and the Douro pick up more UK business. Susie Harwood reports. Despite enjoying World Heritage status, a host of unique venues and being the home of Port wine, it is...

The Canaries: 10 of the best luxury hotels on The Canaries.
April 17, 2008... 1. ABAMA, TENERIFE This deluxe five-star complex was brought under the luxury Ritz Carlton banner last year and is popular with the C&I market. Recent UK clients include Axa Insurance, which held an event there in January, and Sony...

The Baltics: States of grace.
April 17, 2008... The Baltic states are building on leisure-market success with a C&I focus. Less than 20 years since breaking free from the shackles of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have fast-tracked their way on to...

The Baltics: First among equals.
April 17, 2008... The lowdown on the infrastructure of the Baltic states' capitals Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius. RIGA SLEEP TIGHT - Staking a strong claim as Riga's best accommodation option, the Grand Palace (above) combines five-star luxury with...

Malaysia: Urban jungle.
April 17, 2008... With a state- of-the-art convention centre in the rainforest, the new Sarawak Convention Bureau has big plans, as Paul Oswell learns. Jill Henry is the chief executive of the Sarawak Convention Bureau based in the state's capital Kuching....

Venue update.(The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching )
April 17, 2008... The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching is just one of many future developments across the country. The announcement of the new convention centre has sparked a flurry of development in and around Kuching, and to complement its opening in...

Australia: From coast to coast down under.(Description and travel of Australia)
April 17, 2008... The sheer diversity of Australia's offer across its regions, beaches and cities means there is appeal for groups of all kinds, as Paul Oswell reports. SYDNEY & MELBOURNE FOR NIGHTLIFE For young incentive groups looking to party till...

Diary: People, parties, pics.
April 17, 2008... Got any interesting pictures that will let our Diary writer's imagination run wild? Any crazy company initiatives? Any moments you'd care to share? Send your pictures and stories to Conference & Incentive Travel, 174 Hammersmith Road, London...

Diary: Said & done.
April 17, 2008... - 'oh your watch is a bit bling. is that a marc jacobsen?' 'er, no. guess.' 'cartier?' 'no, guess. it's made by guess.' - Visit Denmark's Jonathan Cohen checks out Eurostar leading lady Katie Bristow's jewellery - We're a bit...