Conference & Incentive Travel articles from February 2009

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from February 2009

A Cold wind, but events have a role.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... At C&IT's first Strategic Events Conference at The Barbican last month, redundancies and the precarious financial state of some agencies were the keenly discussed subjects of the day. A glimpse of C&IT's news pages this month points to...

Olive 360 chief Jones moves on.
February 2, 2009... Olive 360 chief executive Sarah Jones has left the agency following the completion of the earn-out period that followed parent company BSI's acquisition of the business in March 2007. 'Having set the company up 11 years ago and created...

MIA loss lower than expected.
February 2, 2009... The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has said it is on target for a return to profit for the year 2008/09 following investment in its Accredited in Meetings (AIM) venue standards scheme in 2007/08, which led to losses. MIA's latest...

Pickled Egg to run Samsung Notebooks' 2009 campaign.
February 2, 2009... Samsung Notebooks has appointed Pickled Egg to run its 2009 distributor and reseller incentive campaign. The agency won the year-long contract following a nine-way pitch. The programme includes monthly incentive trips to UK and overseas...

Nandra leaves Club Asia Radio.(Mandeep Nandra )(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Events manager Mandeep Nandra is to leave Club Asia Radio next month as it looks to put more focus on direct sales rather than events to drive income. 'The way the market is, Club Asia is looking to drive revenue through sales,' she...

Economic downturn prompts agencies to cut events teams.(THA Group)
February 2, 2009... THA Group, Motivaction and BI have cut their events teams in a bid to safeguard themselves against the recession. The downturn has forced THA Group to make 28 redundancies in the UK and Belgium. Chief executive Darren Gilbert said...

Eventia defends rise in NTO membership fees.
February 2, 2009... Trade association Eventia has moved to defend itself following the recent price hikes for NTO members. The price of NTO membership has leapt this year from pounds 470 to pounds 1,000 and representatives of several organisations contacted...

McMenemy folds events arm.(McMenemy Hill Group )(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Agency McMenemy Hill Group has closed McMenemy Hill Live Communications events company, blaming the economic downturn. Co-founder Chris Hill said its parent company, the McMenemy Hill Group, was continuing business as usual. 'Most...

Zinc boss hit by redundancy.
February 2, 2009... Zinc Management has confirmed that managing director Rob Roffey has been made redundant. The move was made on 2 January and Roffey is completing his notice period at the agency. He confirmed the redundancy to C&IT but would not add...

It's time to come clean about CSR.
February 2, 2009... I very much enjoyed chairing C&IT's strategic conference on CSR. It was terrific to hear so much frank discussion on this very important subject. While it was impressive to hear what has already been achieved, it was also clear how far we...

Grass Roots Eventcom takes live offer to Middle East.
February 2, 2009... Grass Roots Eventcom, the newly rebranded Maritz operation owned by Grass Roots Group - is setting its sights on the Middle East as it looks to grow the company's events business overseas. Grass Roots Group set up its Dubai office in...

COI awards Acclaim its first Cabinet post with Grove event.
February 2, 2009... The Central Office of Information (COI) has revealed details of the first major event for Cabinet - the scheme launched late last year by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport designed to 'develop the creative economy'. The first...

Skybridge adds to events team.(SkyBridge L.P. to appoint Lori Stahl as head of events )(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Skybridge has bolstered its events team, with the appointment of Lori Stahl as head of events among three new joiners. Stahl previously worked for agencies in the US and has ten years of industry experience. Managing director Paul...

Bip Solutions appoints Hotelzon.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Public sector service provider Bip Solutions has appointed Hotelzon UK as its hotel and business travel partner. The year-long contract will see the online booking company work with Bip's public and private-sector clients. ...

Farnborough International appoints Zibrant.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Aviation specialist Farnborough International has appointed Zibrant as its official accommodation agent. The agency's remit will comprise finding accommodation for the Farnborough International Airshow in 2010, Bahrain International 2010,...

Eventuoso business wins help downturn.
February 2, 2009... Ipswich events agency Eventuoso claims recent business wins from London clients are helping it buck the downturn. 'Our location allows us to be competitive on prices,' said Eventuoso account manager Jane Barker. Recent wins include brands...

Expotel reappointed by All England Club.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Booking agency Expotel has been reappointed by the All England Club to handle accommodation and travel for players, officials and press during the Wimbledon Championships. 'This is a world renowned, prestigious event and Expotel is proud to...

C&IT Strategic Events Conference: MCI demands CSR priority.(Conference news)
February 2, 2009... CSR and sustainable events are gaining importance but client event planners still lag behind suppliers, according to MCI group sustainability director Guy Bigwood. 'Unfortunately, some of the associations and corporates haven't kept up...

PWC outlines CSR venue plan.
February 2, 2009... Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC) head of UK hotels and venues procurement Samantha van Leeuwen has outlined the professional services firm's CSR expectations of venues. Van Leeuwen said PWC actively sought out venues that demonstrated a...

Planners must justify spend, says COI chief.(Simon Hughes)(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Corporate event planners need to take the lead in justifying spending as the recession hits live marketing, according to the COI director of live events Simon Hughes. Speaking at the opening session of the C&IT Strategic Events...

Aviva's stance on procurement.
February 2, 2009... Corporate planners need to illustrate a long-term, strategic approach to the value their events bring if they are to turn procurement practices to their advantage, according to Aviva head of corporate events Andrew Latta. Latta said...

Nestle unveils perfect pitch.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Understanding a client's corporate strategy is the secret to the perfect CSR-focused pitch, says Nestle Professional marketing director Martin Lines. 'Giving the perfect pitch for a CSR-focused brief relies on understanding why CSR is...

Meeting of minds.
February 2, 2009... C&IT's Strategic Events Conference attracted 140 industry leaders at London's Barbican. The day was split into two streams - a 'Corporate Lock In' for client-side event planners, chaired by COI director of live events Simon Hughes and an...

State of the Industry: Testing days for the industry.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... Budget cuts, public scrutiny, procurement battles and demonstrating the role of events in the overall marketing mix are some of the key challenges that planners are looking to overcome in C&IT's first State of the Industry report. More...

State of the Industry: Introduction - Facing up to the cuts.
February 2, 2009... C&IT's largest-ever survey comes at a torrid time for the industry, as James Thornton reports. Redundancies corporate and agency side; budgets on hold or cut; public cynicism over corporate events at an all-time high - the challenges...

State of the Industry: Trends - An industry adapting to external events.
February 2, 2009... Shortening lead times and cancellations, the heightened influence of return on investment, eventconsolidation and the weakening pound all exerted influence in 2008, as Leanne Bell reports. The economic downturn has had an unprecedented...

State of the Industry: Trends - Salaries buck market gloom.
February 2, 2009... As client budgets plummeted in late 2008, average agency salaries were up. In a year that ended in widespread economic gloom and redundancies at the likes of Motivaction, THA, Zinc and BI, agency salaries still showed marginal growth....

State of the industry profiles.
February 2, 2009... Line up The award winner Location: Chiswick Staff: 15 Clients: Volvo, Indesit, Inchcape, SSP Group, Old Mutual, Compass Group Why we are watching: Line Up further cemented its position as a major player in the industry...

State of the industry corporate survey: Which route for corporates?(Industry overview)
February 2, 2009... C&IT asks 50 senior client planners if budgets will determine events. If the headline news for 2008 was that corporates ran a healthy number of projects, then this year represents a step into the unknown - budgets are under threat and...

Playing for home advantage.
February 2, 2009... Will venues get a boost this year as groups choose to stay in the UK, asks James Thornton. JACQUI ROGERS. GENERAL MANAGER, ACC LIVERPOOL 'Even though we are relatively new, we have seen the effects of recession in some areas....

Case study: Peugeot drives confidence.
February 2, 2009... After a tough year, the car giant had to strike an upbeat but realistic tone. The brief: Peugeot holds a conference for UK-based dealer group heads, dealer principals and employees at the ICC Birmingham every December. The event provides a...

Case study: Microsoft event extends into the virtual realm.
February 2, 2009... Web designers and developers from across the UK converged on the Brighton Centre for Microsoft's Remix event, supplemented by online social networking. The Brief: This was Microsoft UK's second Remix event, tailoring web developer and...

Property bulletin: Christy Wyatt checks out the openings from Boston to Bangalore.
February 2, 2009... The Langham Boston The Langham, Boston opened the Bond restaurant and lounge last month. It offers 78 covers in the main area and ten seats at the bar, plus a mezzanine lounge. There is also a VIP area with private seating for up to...

Pushing frontiers: Time for ... Bucharest.
February 2, 2009... Regular flights and a new business park will put Romania on the C&I map. INCENTIVES For those wanting to revel in history and culture, head to the Arch of Triumph, which stands at 85 feet high, offering spectacular views of the...

Agency focus: The rescheduled weekend.
February 2, 2009... This month's brief is for an incentive weekend for 80 delegates. It was originally planned to be in mainland Europe, but the strong euro means a more financially prudent option is required. To sidestep the strong euro, we recommend an...

What makes me click.
February 2, 2009... Lindsay Whitmore, managing director, Mango Event, Management I founded Mango Event Management in 2000 and headed teams of sponsor hospitality programmes for clients including Coca-Cola, H-P and UBS. I sold the company last year to...

Agency focus: 10 minutes with ... Smyle.(Rick Stainton )(Interview)
February 2, 2009... Events director Rick Stainton talks Leanne Bell through last year's successes and future plans. Location: Hertfordshire Staff: 17 full-time - How's business? Turnover increased from pounds 2.5m in 2007 to pounds 3.5m in...

In Person: Jacqui Davies, Zurich.(Occupation overview)(Viewpoint essay)
February 2, 2009... Leanne Bell meets the financial giant's events head with an eye on procurement and Mulberry. Zurich's events chief, Jacqui Davies, has never worked agency-side but her ten-strong events team essentially operates as a self-funding agency...

Sounding off: Investing in our future.(industry forecasts of events industry)(Viewpoint essay)
February 2, 2009... Catherine Feeney, Hospitality Event Management programme leader, Manchester Metropolitan University It's an old question, but how can we ensure our young people acquire the chance to develop for their futures in the various sectors of...

Management training centre: On course to benefit.
February 2, 2009... As budgets are put under scrutiny, management training centres feel they are in a position to steal a march on hotels. Until recently, management training centres tended to be seen as the dour and less attractive alternative to a hotel...

City & Docklands: Eastside story.(Interview)
February 2, 2009... Janine Kelso speaks to London Eastside's Rob Ellwood about the area's appeal and Olympic future. Originally from South Africa, Rob Ellwood has lived in the UK for ten years and is currently studying for a marketing qualification. He...

City & Docklands: 72 hours in ... East London.
February 2, 2009... This three day trip to London Eastside combines cruises, cuisine and a cookery challenge. DAY 1 09.00: Arrive at London City Airport and then transfer to the stylish Andaz in Liverpool Street. Nathalie Versailles, from Deutsche Bank's...

Cardiff: Delivering for St David's.(Occupation overview)(Diary entry)
February 2, 2009... David Atkinson meets the senior sales manager at Cardiff Bay's landmark luxury property. Cardiff-born Adele Tibbott is senior sales manager at the St David's Hotel & Spa with responsibility for organising events. She moved back to...

Cardiff: Best of the rest.
February 2, 2009... A round-up of new developments in the Welsh capital's hotel scene. THE VALE HOTEL, GOLF & SPA RESORT The property has unveiled a pounds 1m dedicated conference centre, the Castle Suite. The room can accommodate up to 700 delegates...

The North East: The Geordie heartland.
February 2, 2009... It's a great time to witness the North East's cultural renaissance, writes Victoria Furness. THE INCENTIVE Much like its diverse landscape - from Northumberland's vast beaches to its rugged, hilly interior - the North East of England...

Berlin: 20 good reasons to visit Berlin.
February 2, 2009... 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of Cold War symbol the Berlin Wall. Clive Walker selects 20 stand-out venues and incentives. 5 LUXURY BOLTHOLES ELLINGTON HOTEL Historic facades and modern interior elegance makes...

Madrid: 10 of the best hotels in Madrid.
February 2, 2009... Christy Wyatt selects properties in the Spanish capital that offer top-notch facilities for C&I groups. EUROSTARS MADRID TOWER This stylish five-star property opened on the main Castellana Avenue last month. Ideal for C&I groups, it...

Stockholm: The event planner's guide to ... Sweden's city archipelago.
February 2, 2009... Excellent incentive options, modern infrastructure and easy access make Stockholm a popular choice with UK companies. Anna Maria Espsater reports on the city's appeal. Despite a long-standing history - the oldest part, Gamla Stan, or Old...

The Baltics: The capital trio.
February 2, 2009... Clive Walker explores the big group, cultural and incentive potential of Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. RIGA FOR LARGE GROUPS Blending Paris' sophistication with Berlin's sense of the spectacular, Riga, the chic capital of Latvia, is the...

Mntenegro: New on the block.
February 2, 2009... Hotel openings and a convention bureau could put this new and ambitious country firmly on the C&I map. Susie Harwood reports. Despite being a new country - it only declared independence from Serbia in June 2006 - Montenegro has a rich...

Montenegro showcase: Luxury and boutique options.
February 2, 2009... Old world charm is being backed by properties that have already attracted Audi and Siemens. HOTEL SPLENDID CONFERENCE & SPA RESORT Audi, Porsche and Siemens are among the corporate clients to have used the conference facilities at...

Croatia: Land of choice.(Interview)
February 2, 2009... Diversity and value for money contribute to Croatia's incentive attributes. Meri Matesic is director of the Croatian National Tourist Office, based in London. Her responsibilities include championing the destination's infrastructure for...

Croatia: Adriatic incentive array.
February 2, 2009... Croatia's rich history, stunning coastline and gastronomic appeal make it an ideal backdrop for C&I trips. From Dubrovnik to Zagreb, we pick the best destinations to suit group needs. Zagreb for large groups The Croatian capital...

Case Studies: Croatia case study - The Oval Group in Dubrovnik.
February 2, 2009... The insurance broker chose the walled city to bring together and motivate its top achievers. The brief: The insurance broker wanted to motivate its top achievers with a short-haul destination that would really impress the group, while...

Croatia showcase: Boutique retreats and boltholes.
February 2, 2009... From historic sites to contemporary designs, Croatia's small but swish offer is enviable. THE PUCIC PALACE, DUBROVNIK Offering just 19 rooms but located deep in the heart of Dubrovnik's Old Town, The Pucic Palace is ideal for small,...

Madeira: The tropic of Portugal.
February 2, 2009... Madeira is hoping its unique activities and scenery will grow its C&I share. The Portuguese island of Madeira has been a popular stopping-off point with the British since the 16th century. And although the UK is one of the largest...

Madeira: 72 hours in ... Madeira.
February 2, 2009... A three-day trip taking in the mountains, beaches and nightlife of the island archipelago. DAY 1 09.00: The group begins with breakfast at the five-star Hotel CS Madeira Atlantic Resort & Sea Spa (right). With 277 rooms, this hotel...

Asia: From city to coast.
February 2, 2009... Ben Lerwill outlines how Asia's abundance of city and coastal destinations can be combined to offer C&I groups an entertaining and relaxing twin-centre schedule. SINGAPORE AND BALI DAY 1: Land at Changi International Airport and...

Association Market: Creativity will deliver results.(Brief article)
February 2, 2009... In these times of economic pressures, attracting large-scale audiences and winning equally large sponsorship budgets demands more creativity than ever before. The association market may seem to be more stable than others in the events...

Association Market: Delegate focus - Ask the audience.
February 2, 2009... Kunal Dutta identifies ten ways to attract delegates during the economic downturn. If the past six months are anything to go by, 2009 is set to be a much tougher year for business travel and conference attendance. Many companies are...

Association Market: Top five destinations - ICCA's leading city slickers.
February 2, 2009... The rankings for 2007 saw the total number of events grow by 800 on 2006, while the top city is an old favourite. Kunal Dutta reports. ICCA's annual rankings provide an insight into two things - the strength of the association business in...

Association Market: In person - Helen Anderson, ATCM.
February 2, 2009... Kunal Dutta meets the Association of Town Centre Management's events supremo. Only hours after finishing her A-Levels, Helen Anderson landed her first job in events. All plans for university were put on hold as she spent the next few...

Association Market: Event timeline - Friendly Societies pick Jersey.(Chronology)
February 2, 2009... Clive Walker reviews the schedule involved in organising the 2008 Association of Friendly Societies annual conference, held in Jersey. October 2006 The Association of Friendly Societies (AFS) begins organising its October 2008 conference...

Association Market: Event timeline - Health congress picks KL.(International Society for Infectious Diseases)
February 2, 2009... Many parties pulled together to ensure that the 13th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) 2008 in Kuala Lumpur was a success, as Clive Walker reports. December 2004 The International Society for Infectious Diseases is...

Association Market: Venues - Global gathering points.(convention centers and their websites)
February 2, 2009... Clive Walker rounds up the latest and forthcoming openings from around the world. New On The Block - Dena'ina Civic and Convention Centre Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, has expanded its convention capacity by 300 per cent...

C&IT CSR Report: From small acorns to mighty oaks.
February 2, 2009... When C&IT first launched its Campaign for Change back in November 2005 to raise awareness about CSR in the events industry, the initial aim was to rally readers to think about the core aspects of sustainability when planning events. It...

C&IT CSR Report: Hints & Tips - Sustainability - from standards to savings.
February 2, 2009... As sustainability takes centre stage in the events industry, experts offer guidance on how to make events BS8901-compliant, while Logistik offers tips on how to cut costs and still keep events green. UNDERSTANDING THE STANDARD -...

C&IT CSR Report: Hints & Tips - London's Olympic effort.
February 2, 2009... London 2012 head of sustainability David Stubbs offers his top-ten tips to event planners. As the countdown to London 2012 gathers pace, event planners wanting to get involved and host events around the Games need to ensure that...

C&IT CSR Report: Analysis - How green is your venue?
February 2, 2009... A year after BS8901's launch, Christy Wyatt sees how the UK's greenest venues measure up. SHEEPDROVE ECO CONFERENCE CENTRE, BERKSHIRE Meeting spaces: Five event spaces ranging from the beanbag-filled Rook's Nest to the Oak Room, the...

C&IT CSR Report: Sustainability in action - Google lays down roots in Swaziland.(corporate social responsibility)
February 2, 2009... The search engine giant wanted to build on its water initiative by visiting its beneficiary village and planting an ongoing legacy. Susie Harwood reports. It started with a conference... After inviting One Water to exhibit at its...

C&IT CSR Report: Sustainability in action - MS Society attains BS8901.
February 2, 2009... The charity put access and sustainability at the heart of its AGM, as Stuart Derrick reports. Sustainability partners The MS Society is the largest charity in the UK, supporting 85,000 people with the neurological condition....

C&IT CSR Report: Corporate Profile - Lloyds TSB on sustainability.(Company overview)
February 2, 2009... The bank's head of sustainable development, Paul Turner, talks green to James Thornton. - Tell us about your role I've been carrying out this role full time since June 2007. Prior to that, I was managing director of our...