Conference & Incentive Travel articles from February 2008

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from February 2008

First Off: Will the first cut be the deepest?(event management firms)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Hands up who's just had a conversation about the economy, or about clients cutting their budgets for the year? Black Monday and the credit crunch have dominated the media so far this year, so it comes as no surprise that the agencies in this...

Debutant Adding Value takes the plaudits at Eventia Awards.
February 12, 2008... Fledgling agency Adding Value capped a storming year at the 2008 Eventia International Awards, claiming the coveted Platinum Award for its work for telecoms giant Vodafone. The same campaign also garnered Gold Awards in the Best...

Eades departs Banks Sadler after eight months in post.
February 12, 2008... Richard Eades has parted company with Banks Sadler after serving eight months as chief operating officer for the London agency. Eades left on 31 January to head up the business solutions company he founded at the end of last year,...

Oxford looks to US alliance.(Oxford International Ltd. strategic partnership with a US agency)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Oxford International is looking to enhance its overseas offer via a strategic partnership with a US agency. 'It will provide great opportunities for both sides,' said Oxford International managing director John Walker. 'Potentially it...

Tracker Briefs.
February 12, 2008... In C&IT News Tracker this month: Conference Leeds has expanded its coverage to take in 250 venues across Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield and Calderdale, as well as Leeds itself (2.1.08). The Chartered Institute of Public Relations...

Fresh to triple its turnover.(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Fresh is set to almost triple turnover after securing pounds 3.5m-worth of business with Tesco, Abbey, House of Fraser and Npower, plus two contracts for Body Shop at Home. Fresh will organise Tesco's 'Top Tesco People' event; a...

Bainbridge is back to work.(Emma Bainbridge rejoined C.H.E. Group PLC)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Emma Bainbridge has rejoined the industry after a brief break following her departure from BI's Chinese operation, Mint. Hertfordshire-based agency Choice Group has recruited Bainbridge as operations director. She was previously...

Games firm and the Pru appoint Lynton Cooper.(C.C.P.)(Prudential Asia Investment Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Multimedia gaming giant CCP has appointed Lynton Cooper to manage a staff event this April. The Iceland-based company chose the agency as its global partner, tasked with creating an incentive programme for 350 in Marrakech. Commenting on...

Motivcom still 'a strong buy'.(decline in share prices)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Motivcom has bullishly defended its financial performance following a drop in its share price over the past three months. The period saw shares in the agency giant - which owns P&MM, AYMTM and Zibrant - fall from around pounds 1.45 to...

HBI finds rates top challenges.(Home Builders Institute )(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Venue rates and budget constraints top the list of challenges this year for corporate event managers, according to research by venue finder HBI. In its annual Meetings Industry Report, the study found that of the 198 planners polled, 175...

Gala opening.
February 12, 2008... The pounds 164m Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool opened in spectacular fashion on 12 January, the launch doubling as the party marking the start of Liverpool's year-long European Capital of Culture status

DRP forecasts upturn in turnover and profits.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Worcestershire-based agency DRP Group is targeting pre-tax profits of pounds 1m and projecting annual turnover of up to pounds 7m this year, up from pounds 5m in 2007. The bullish projection comes on the back of a record 2007 for the...

MPI unveils event programme.(Conference news)
February 12, 2008... Environmental sustainability, technology and risk assessment are on the agenda at MPI's European Meetings and Events Conference, which takes place in London this spring. The new-look annual event is being held at Excel London from April...

How to ... run a secret meeting.(managing convention centers and secure it)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Location, location, location The venue must be close to major roads and airports, as well as being fully secluded. Get the gear Ensure the venue has secure locks for doors and windows, and that all the facilities needed on-site...

No change out of the recession.(forecast of service industries)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... If I've been asked once in the past month, I've been asked at least 100 times, what's going to happen in the rest of 2008. Will the recession put companies out of business? Will the credit squeeze affect the industry? If I could predict...

Where Next's Mason in Absolute office move.(Absolute Corporate Events appoints Angie Mason )(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Where Next director Angie Mason has joined up with Jill Fleming, account director at Absolute Corporate Events, in a joint take-over of the latter's Nottingham operation. Absolute Corporate Events' Bath office has closed with the loss of...

New MIA chief has AIM focus.(Nick Milne of Incoming Meetings Industry Association)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Incoming Meetings Industry Association (MIA) chairman Nick Milne is to prioritise raising awareness of the AIM venue-accreditation scheme and increasing member engagement when he takes on the role in March. The MIA has committed to having...

Carrier News.
February 12, 2008... BMI Regional has been named the UK's most punctual airline for the first nine months of 2007, according to statistics published by the Civil Aviation Authority - 91% of flights were on time in January-September 2007 and delays averaged six...

Still green as we slide into the red.
February 12, 2008... Climate change may have been the hot topic of 2006 and 2007, but with a downturn looming, it's a safe bet that it will be the economy that forces itself centre stage in 2008. And many of us - and not just hair-shirt, deep-green...

Gulf event will grow by a third.
February 12, 2008... The 2008 Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition is set to be around a third bigger than last year's inaugural show. More than 700 buyers have applied for the 275 hosted places available, said Reed Travel Exhibitions...

World Events starts its global plan in Holland.(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Agency World Events has opened its first European mainland office in Amsterdam as part of its commitment to offering global event solutions. The office will be headed by European development director Andrew Winterburn and staffed by a...

THA shake-up merges offices.(THA Group Inc. appoints Heather Robinson, Kevin Ingram and Tina Joris)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... THA has restructured to bring together its UK and Belgian offices, achieve a greater client focus and improve financial performance. The shake-up sees UK-based Heather Robinson, Kirsty Dean and Brussels-based Tina Joris named as directors...

One to Watch: Roger Gwynn, Director.(Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts)(Brief article)
February 12, 2008... Roger Gwynn, Director of global accounts - meetings and incentives, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts. - Why are we watching him? The Fairmont and Raffles chain is charging ahead with expansion, and Gwynn's...

Appointment at Disneyland Resort Paris.
February 12, 2008... Marie Emmanuelle Llinares has been named the new marketing manager for the business solutions team at Disneyland Resort Paris. She joins from French exhibition organiser Exposium

Appointment at Emirates Palace.
February 12, 2008... Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, has appointed Hans Olbertz as its new general manager. Olbertz has 34 years industry experience and spent the past two years as general manager of the Intercontinental Hotel Seoul

Appointment at The Turkish Culture & Tourism Office.
February 12, 2008... The Turkish Culture & Tourism Office has appointed Irfan Onal as new director for the UK and Ireland. Prior to joining, Onal held the position of deputy general of promotion for the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, based in Ankara

Appointment at Advanced Travel Partner.
February 12, 2008... Advanced Travel Partner has expanded its global sales team with the appointment of a new multinational sales manager. Darren Brown joins from American Express, where he spent 13 years working on multinational sales

Appointment at Visit London.
February 12, 2008... Travelodge CEO Grant Hearn has been appointed to the Visit London board to strengthen the hotel sector's representation

Appointment at P&MM.
February 12, 2008... P&MM has expanded its in-house event communications team with the appointment of Frankie Goulding, formerly a producer at the THA Group

Appointment at Conference Leeds.
February 12, 2008... Conference Leeds has appointed Claire Heap as business tourism officer for the expanded convention bureau, which now represents more than 200 venues across West Yorkshire. Heap rejoins after three years in a similar role for Hull

Agency Survey Introduction 2007: Was it the calm before the storm?
February 12, 2008... C&IT's biggest-ever Agency Survey offers a detailed insight into UK event industry as the credit crunch started to bite. James Thornton looks at the findings. One subject more than any other loomed large over the responses to this year's...

Agency Survey 2008: Procurement, ROI & Salaries - The devil and the detail.
February 12, 2008... A recession may push procurement and ROI further up the agenda. ROI, procurement and fees may be three of the oldest subjects in the industry, but they never fail to spark debate among agency folk. And if the accusation from some critics...

Agency Survey 2008: Education - A fair day's pay?
February 12, 2008... Now staff are crucial to long-term success, they have an upper hand on pay. By Leanne Bell dolore te exeril iurerat at, volor acidunt velisicinit ut iriusci. While the economic picture may change this year, 2007 was largely seen as a...

Graduate quality control.
February 12, 2008... This year's spat about 'crap' colleges has divided respondents into two camps; those who steer clear of graduates and those who actively work with colleges. Education was placed firmly in the spotlight last year, with colleges under fire...

Agency Survey 2008: CSR/destinations - CSR: doing the right thing.
February 12, 2008... Agencies may have embraced CSR, but are clients now lagging behind? Last year was the year when CSR came of age for many agencies, with 76% claiming to have a formalised CSR policy in place, compared to 38% of last year's respondents. Of...

Agency Survey 2008: Analysis - Future issues - Potentially fatal consequences.
February 12, 2008... The Corporate Manslaughter Act is giving cause for concern in 2008 James Thornton reports. This year's top-ten concerns are markedly different to those of 2007. The threat of recession jumps straight into top spot, while the related...

Agency Survey 2008: Future issues - The survival of the biggest.
February 12, 2008... Will the trend for consolidation carry on regardless of the economy? If 2006 was typified by mergers and acquisitions among agencies of all sizes, then last year was when the biggest players really stamped out their territory. MCI...

Case Study: Unilever meets in the home of ice cream.(Unilever Ice Cream)(Case study)
February 12, 2008... The consumer products giant needed an accessible destination and a spacious venue for its global ice cream brands to convene and share marketing strategies. The brief: Marketers and brand managers from the global arms of Unilever's ice...

Venue focus: Property bulletin.(hotels and motels providing convention services)
February 12, 2008... Susie Harwood reviews developments from Thorpe Park to Thailand. RADISSON EDWARDIAN, LEICESTER SQUARE London A new four-star deluxe hotel right in the heart of London's West End, this stylish property has 60 rooms, a welcoming...

Pushing Frontiers: Time for... Arizona.
February 12, 2008... From helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon to the gourmet delights of Superbowl 2008 host, Phoenix, the south-west state offers a varied and packed itinerary. INCENTIVES Arizona is ideal for exploring the great outdoors, and top of...

Agency Focus: The C&IT Challenge.(Robinson College conference centre )
February 12, 2008... The brief is to find a central venue for a group with a large number of physically impaired delegates. It should be inspiring and offer good access and facilities with well trained staff. For this brief there are two venues that provide...

5 minutes with... Crystal Clear Conferences.(Conference news)
February 12, 2008... Location: Maidenhead, Berkshire Staff: Four What's the lowdown? After 15 years experience in the hotel industry, seven years agency-side as international venue search executive for BCD M&I, and then client-side as venue specialist...

In Person: Natalie Gasson, Welcome FS.
February 12, 2008... James Thornton meets the finance group's event manager with a rock and roll past. The realisation that events was the career path for her came to Welcome Financial Services event manager Natalie Gasson while working in the box office at...

Sounding off: Why we have nothing to fear from recession.
February 12, 2008... While the financial world is unsure of the economic climate and companies may reduce marketing spend, this need not be all bad for the events industry, or the economy as a whole. In recent times, increased corporate profits mean we have...

Management: Training centres - The best places to learn Frankfurt.
February 12, 2008... Buyers tell Nicola Harrison what they look for in training venues and name their favourites. Susan Stevens, head of human resources, Toshiba Training can be intensive, so good recreational facilities really help It's nice for staff...

Andaz Liverpool Street.
February 12, 2008... Andaz Liverpool Street is Hyatt Hotels & Resorts' sleek reinterpretation of the Great Eastern Hotel. Susie Harwood meets its head of events. Sarah Walker is head of events at Andaz Liverpool Street, the former East End icon, the Great...

City & docklands: Top tables.(Directory)
February 12, 2008... Traditional East End grub, such pie, mash and eels has been superceded by an army of haute cuisine options. Name: The Narrow Contact: 020 7592 7950 Web: www.gordonramsay.com/thenarrow WHAT'S COOKING: The menu features classic...

Cardiff: Courting corporates.(Interview)
February 12, 2008... David Atkinson discovers how Cardiff is rebranding itself as a dynamic European capital. Dutch-born Jacqueline van de Stadt, head of campaigns at Cardiff & Co, graduated from the Hogeschool in Holland in 1995 with a degree in...

The North East: 10 good reasons to visit - Newcastle Gateshead.
February 12, 2008... In the ten years since the Angel of North was erected, Newcastle Gateshead has been transformed into a C&I destination of distinction David Atkinson outlines why. 1. ACCESSIBILITY Newcastle Gateshead is compact and well connected....

Luxembourg: The event planner's guide to ... Luxembourg.(City overview)
February 12, 2008... With European institutions and good transport, this is a well connected duchy. Luxembourg - the world's sole grand duchy - may be geographically minute, but its C&I potential is surprisingly big. Covering just 1,000 square miles - about...

Athens: 10 of the best places to stay in Athens.
February 12, 2008... Catherine Quinn selects ten quality hotels of note for groups of all kinds in the Olympic city. 1. HILTON ATHENS HOTEL In 2004, the Athens Hilton was the official hotel of the Olympic Games With a ballroom capable of holding 2,000...

Madrid: 10 good reasons to visit Madrid.
February 12, 2008... With its enviable nightlife, standalone meeting spaces, hotels and incentives menu, Ben Lerwill finds much to recommend the Spanish capital. 1. HOTEL PUERTA AMERICA Tired of humdrum hotels? When the pounds 52m Hotel Puerta America...

Florida: The Sunshine State.
February 12, 2008... Florida's theme parks, beach idylls and hip cities offer real choice. MIAMI FOR NIGHTLIFE Arguably the state of Florida's most vibrant city, Miami is ideal for incentive groups of all tastes, but particularly young dynamic groups...