Conference & Incentive Travel articles from May 2005

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from May 2005

UK planners fail to see value of live events as part of CRM.(customer relationship marketing )
May 12, 2005... Events agency First Protocol has published the first research document on customer relationship marketing (CRM) in the business-to-business sector focusing specifically on the events industry. The paper reveals that UK event planners are...

Skybridge expands board in CEO shuffle.(Appointment: Euro RSCG Skybridge)
May 12, 2005... John Hackney, former chairman of the Interpublic Group of Companies - a network of global advertising, marketing and communication companies - has been appointed chief executive of marketing agency Euro RSCG Skybridge. Previous incumbent,...

AJM beats yearly revenue record in first two months.(AJM Venue Finders Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Venue-finding agency AJM has enjoyed record revenues for the first two months of the year, with turnover for 2005 already exceeding that of 2004. The company, which is now three years-old, made pounds 55,000 in January and February 2005 -...

UK Price Check: Team incentive event.(Westin Turnberry)(Celtic Manor)(Grove)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Brief: A three-day incentive event (with two-night stay) and a gala dinner on the second night in June for 50 UK delegates. The prices include accommodation, room hire, F&B on both days, the gala dinner and dinner on the second night and VAT....

News brief: Appointment at Kings Waterfront Arena and Conference Centre.(Bob Prattey)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... [BR] The Kings Waterfront Arena and Conference Centre in Liverpool has appointed former Birmingham NEC boss, Bob Prattey, as chief executive. It is due to open in 2008. www.liverpool.gov.uk.

News brief: Event Organisers Network now operational.(www.eventorganisersnetwork.com)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The Event Organisers Network, a new members-only online forum for organisers to discuss industry issues and source information is now operational. www.eventorganisersnetwork.com.

News brief: Meet England produces guide.
May 12, 2005... Meet England has produced a new 46-page guide, Unique Venues of England, covering unusual venues and meeting facilities in nine regions of England. www.meetengland.com.

News brief: Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre to host expo.(Visit Scotland Expo 2008)
May 12, 2005... Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will host the Visit Scotland Expo in 2008. It hosted the event in 2004 and 2005. www.aecc.co.uk.

News brief: ITMA launches register.(www.itma-online.org)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... ITMA has launched a register of qualified freelancers (CIT, March). The service will be free to member event organisers. www.itma-online.org.

News brief: Reed Travel Exhibitions launches show.
May 12, 2005... Reed Travel Exhibitions has launched City Break 2006, a show focusing on European cities. It will take place in Helsinki in June next year. www.reedtravel.exhibitions.com.

News brief: Easyjet begins three new routes.(Easyjet Airline PLC)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Easyjet has begun three new routes out of Bristol International Airport. Inverness, Murcia and Pisa will be linked directly to the city from 7 July. www.easyjet.com.

News brief: Etc Venues appoints Tanya Dhew.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Etc Venues has appointed Tanya Dhew as group head of sales. She joins from Ramada Jarvis Hotels, where she was business development manager. www.etcvenues.co.uk.

First Off: Time to set realistic career aspirations.(Meetings Professional International )(Brief Article)(Column)
May 12, 2005... When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a pop star. While that may sound implausible, it's not an unusual ambition (despite a complete absence of talent). However, if I'd have said I wanted to be a meetings planner, well that would have been...

Department store director takes up Visit London helm.(Appointed James Bidwell)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The marketing director of Selfridges has been appointed chief executive of Visit London. James Bidwell, who has been on the Visit London board since October 2003, will take up the post officially in early June. He hopes to oversee a...

Agency appointed to win London business.(Conference Care )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Visit London has appointed venue-finder Conference Care as exclusive partner to deal with smaller conference enquiries in a one-year deal. The move came as enquiries for conferences of fewer than 100 delegates more than doubled in the past...

CMPi's Blue quits Confex for events role at Advanstar.(International Confex)(Jessica Blue joined Advanstar Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... International Confex event director Jessica Blue has left CMPi to join Advanstar Communications. Blue becomes events director for the company's European events portfolio, organising events for the licensing, pharmaceutical and science...

Archer Young board recruits P&MM staff.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Archer Young has added two members to its board, both appointed directly from sister agency P&MM. The Hertfordshire-based agency was taken over by P&MM in a pounds 682,000 deal earlier this year (CIT, March), but it is continuing to...

People and Places: Marriott Golf Day.(Marriott International Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Marriott last month held a corporate golf day for its most valued C&I customers. The 40 guests, all members of the chain's loyalty scheme, were invited to Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire for a day-long get together. The aims of the day were...

Cotswold Centre wins tourist gong.(Business Tourism Award )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Cotswold Conference Centre scooped the inaugural Business Tourism Award at last month's Enjoy England Excellence Awards, held at the British Museum. The training and meetings venue, near Broadway in Worcestershire, won because of its...

CEA and ITMA agree alliance brand name.(Corporate Events Association)(Incentive Travel and Meetings Association )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The boards of the Incentive Travel and Meetings Association (ITMA) and the Corporate Events Association (CEA) have set up a joint venture, Eventia. The move provides the two organisations with an umbrella brand under which they will be...

Trailfinders tests the C&I water.(Conference and Incentive )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Trailfinders, the high-street travel agent primarily associated with tailor- made itineraries for independent travellers, is moving into the C&I market. 'We introduced a group travel department about 12 years ago, but have mainly worked...

Webwatch: Carnival Corporation.(www.conference-incentive.com)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Web www.conference-incentive.com What's the story? Carnival Corporation last month launched a website dedicated solely to the C&I market. The consortium, billed as the world's largest fleet, resulted from the merger of Carnival...

A clear briefing at the outset will pay dividends later on.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... This has been said before and would hardly be worth repeating were it not for the fact that there are still clients out there who don't take the trouble to brief agencies properly. For that matter, it is still not unknown for agencies to...

Deloitte names streamlined venue-finder agency roster.(Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Professional services firm Deloitte has appointed IBR, Hotel Brokers and MVM to be its official venue-finding agencies for off-site meetings and conferences. The contracts run for three years. The move follows a drive towards consolidation...

First London Mice meeting hits spot with its members.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... New south-central London business tourism partnership, London Mice, held its first networking session last month, with 80 members attending. The meeting was hailed a success by London Mice manager Robin Russell-Pavier following positive...

BMW commissions Initial training centre.(BMW Group Academy UK)(Initial Style Conferences)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... BMW has commissioned a pounds 17m purpose-built training centre from Initial Style Conferences (ISC). Work commenced last month on BMW Group Academy UK, which will be located in Wokefield Park near Reading and is due to open in mid-2006....

Keele Conference Park enrolls staff on customer NVQ.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Keele Conference Park has enrolled 50 employees on an NVQ in customer care, tying in with its 2005 initiative to develop customer service standards. 'The NVQ training programme is a long-term investment in our staff,' said marketing...

Education: Future leaders forum.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... What is it? The Future Leaders Forum launched in April 2003 to encourage ambitious students to gain a foothold in the C&I industry. Imex conceived the forum as part of its New Vision initiative, but the recent partnership with MPI reflects a...

International: German convention centre marketing alliance pays off.('Seven Centers - Great Places for Great Conventions' )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The joint marketing strategy between Germany's leading convention centres is paying dividends, according to figures published at Imex last month. The congress centres in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart and Frankfurt...

International: Shangri-La cements its presence in India.(Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts)(Adarsh Group)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has joined forces with Indian property developer The Adarsh Group to launch an aggressive growth plan for the southern state of Karnataka. The Hong Kong-based luxury hotel group has signed management contracts...

International: Intercontinental offers discounts across Euro zone.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts is offering UK meetings planners a 33% discount on its published 24-hour residential meeting rates across all of its European properties in Euro-zone countries. Bookings, which must include a minimum of ten...

International: World Price Check - Team incentive event.
May 12, 2005... Brief: A three-day incentive event (with 2 overnight stays) and a gala dinner on the second night in June for 50 delegates. The prices include accommodation, room hire, F&B for lunch on both days, the gala dinner and dinner on the second night...

International brief: Intercontinental Hotels Middle East & Africa to hold roadshow.
May 12, 2005... Intercontinental Hotels Middle East & Africa is holding its first UK and Ireland roadshow on 23-26 May. Sales and marketing representatives from across the region will be present. www.icihotels.com.

International brief: Starwood Hotels & Resorts introduces free service.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Starwood Hotels & Resorts has introduced a free service for organisers, called Starmeeting Concierge. Concierges act as a point of contact and welcome and explain facilities to delegates. www.starwoodhotels.com.

International brief: Rocco Forte Hotels launches 'Speak to Hotel'.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Rocco Forte Hotels has launched 'Speak to Hotel', which enables website visitors to speak to an operator cost-free by entering their telephone number. The relevant department then calls them back immediately. www.roccofortehotels.com.

International brief: Kenya Airways' Heathrow service responds to demand.(flight from Maputo in Mozambique)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Kenya Airways' Heathrow service to Nairobi will fly onwards to Maputo in Mozambique twice weekly from August, in response to demand. www.kenya-airways.com.

International brief: Rezidor SAS announces profits.(Rezidor SAS Hospitality)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Rezidor SAS has announced profits of EUR4.2m (pounds 2.9m) for 2004, despite being in the throes of the largest expansion in its history. The chain plans to open 55 hotels this year, including Park Inn hotels in Russia and Azerbaijan....

International brief: ICC Bonn to add convention centre.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The ICC Bonn is to add a 3,500m2 convention centre this year and will also commence work on a five-star 200-room hotel, which is due to be completed in 2008. www.ikbb.de.

International brief: Sofitel to manage luxury venue.(Zam Zam Sofitel Grand Suit)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Sofitel will manage the Middle East's largest luxury venue when the 1,240-suite Zam Zam Sofitel Grand Suites opens in September 2006 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. www.accor.com.

International: South Africa's head of C&I quits his post.(Rick Taylor resigned from South African Tourism)(Conference and Incentive)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... South African Tourism head Rick Taylor has resigned from his post and will leave the organisation this month. Taylor joined the national convention bureau from the Cape Town Convention Bureau in June 2004, when he stated that his immediate...

International: Stockholm drive aims to attract UK corporate buyers.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Stockholm has launched a marketing drive to attract more UK corporate groups. The Swedish capital, ranked fourth in the ICCA rankings, is now turning its attention to attracting corporate meetings and events. It plans to have a greater...

International: Jamaica invites UK buyers to join fam trip.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The Jamaica Tourist Board is bolstering its marketing campaign targeting the UK C&I industry as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. Initiatives include invitations to Jamex (Jamaica Meetings Expo), making it the first time that UK...

International: People and Places - Brazil.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Rio de Janeiro played host to the Destination Brazil Showcase event last month from 8-10 April. Embratur, Brazil's tourist authority, arranged post-event tours to discover the South American destination, while Hunt & Palmer Marketing Services...

International brief: Appointment at Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel Paris.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel Paris has appointed Gregory Preslier as director of in-house sales at the hotel. He will support a team of 15 responding to enquiries for events of up to 600 delegates. Tel: +33 1 40 07 35 61.

International brief: Swissotel Hotels & Resorts offers meetings programmes.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Swissotel Hotels & Resorts is offering tailor-made meetings programmes and a dedicated meetings specialist at all properties in an initiative called Swiss Meeting Advantage. www.swissotel.com/meetings_events/meetings.asp.

International brief: Raffles International signs new management contracts.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Raffles International has signed two new management contracts. It will now manage the new 240-room luxury Raffles Dubai in Wafi City and the 179-room Beijing Hotel, which will be rebranded the Raffles Beijing Hotel in 2006....

International brief: Laure Mouton wins award.(Joint Meetings Industry Council Unity Award)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Laure Mouton of the Palais de Congres de Paris won the 2005 Joint Meetings Industry Council Unity Award, presented at Imex by president Barbara Maple. www.aipc.org.

International brief: Langham appoints Alison Styles.(appointments)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Langham Hotels International has appointed Alison Styles as director of global sales. www.langhamhotels.com.

International brief: Arp-Hansen Hotel Group builds new hotel.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Copenhagen's Arp-Hansen Hotel Group is building the three-star Copenhagen Island, located on a newly created island on the waterfront. The property will offer 326 rooms when it opens next year. www.arp-hansen.com.

International brief: Choice Hotels adds to portfolio.
May 12, 2005... Choice Hotels has added the three-star, 54-room Comfort Hotel Chalet Swiss Interlaken to its portfolio. www.choicehotelseurope.com.

International: DMCs could at least ring in the changes with a courtesy call.(Destination management company )(Brief Article)(Column)
May 12, 2005... I am getting frustrated by how often I find, far down the event-planning road, that my DMC has switched my main contact. If this happens once in the life of a programme, it's a nuisance. Twice is irritating and bordering on the...

International: THA leads in Belgian market after merger.(Nikitra )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... THA Europe, the European arm of Leicester-based THA Group, has merged with Brussels motivation agency Nikitra to create THA-Nikitra, the largest independent C&I agency in Belgium. THA Europe general manager Tina Joris becomes general...

International: Imex records its best show yet.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... A record number of hosted buyers, exhibitors and visitors made last month's Imex in Frankfurt the most successful to date. The three-day show saw a total of 7,000 visitors (an increase of 13% over 2004), 3,000 exhibitors from 140 countries...

International: Pushing Frontiers - Senegal.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... One of this year's Imex Wildcards, the Republic of Senegal, in the westernmost part of Africa, is blessed with 450 miles of beaches skirted by rainforests. French influences blend with the country's African identity and in the capital city...

International: MPI to set definitive career paths for C&I professionals.(Meeting Professionals International)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has announced plans to launch the industry's first guide to career progression. Entitled 'Career Pathways', the programme will define core competencies for meetings professionals and create...

International: New president at UK Chapter helm.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Roche Products head of conferences and events Caroline Hill will become president of the MPI European Council as of 1 July. She succeeds Eric Rozenberg, who has held the post for the past year. Meanwhile, in the UK, Businessmeetings.com...

International: Attendance levels at Monaco event break MPI record.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... MPI has smashed its European attendance figures following the 2005 Professional Education Conference - Europe last month. Around 515 delegates from 30 countries attended the event, reflecting the association's growing network of European...

International: Davos wins bid to welcome 2006's education event.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Davos, in Switzerland, has been chosen as the host for MPI's 2006 Professional Education Conference - Europe. Taking place on 26-28 March next year, the Swiss resort beat off bids from London and Prague. 'The choice of venue for the...

International: MPI UK Seminars - London Venue Expo.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... London Venue Expo 29-30 June, Excel, London What is it? A showcase of more than 200 London's venues - from exhibition and conference centres to private dining rooms and meeting facilities. Seminar programme The two-day seminar...

Opinion: Sounding Off - Johnny Nash must have written his hit for the C&I industry.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... When I think of our industry, I cannot help but hum the Johnny Nash hit There are More Questions Than Answers. And it seems I'm not the only one. It's obviously been on the minds of the ITMA and CEA recently; hence their decision to form an...

In person: Robert Cook, Chief executive - Malmaison, Hotel du Vin.(Interview)
May 12, 2005... The Malmaison office in London is a cosy affair, with deep carpets, a purple colour scheme and high-brow magazines scattered across expensive tables. CEO Robert Cook is sitting with a coffee on a leather sofa big enough for six, and seems very...

Analysis: Head to head - the education issue.(event management universities)
May 12, 2005... Over the past few years, a growing number of universities have started to offer degree courses in event management. But does the industry think the qualification is worth the paper it's written on? RICHARD BEGGS, MD OF MOVING VENUES...

Analysis: A woman's place?(meetings industry)
May 12, 2005... Why do fewer women than men make it into leadership roles in the meetings industry? Kerry Baggott looks at the factors that are still holding women back. It's 30 years since the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts came into effect,...

Case Study: Fit club.(David Lloyd Leisure PLC)
May 12, 2005... David Lloyd Leisure chose The Brewery for its sports-themed staff conference. David Lloyd Leisure is well known for many things, most of them healthy, so holding its annual staff conference in the proverbial brewery, albeit an...

Case Study: Neff in space-age launch.(Concept Centre )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Neff chose the futuristic Concept Centre as the ideal venue to showcase its new product range and thank its clients. Ben Lerwill reports. When kitchen company Neff needed a venue to reflect the new range of products it was launching, the...

Airlines Survey: Heads in the clouds.
May 12, 2005... Why can't an incentive trip start the moment the delegates meet at the airport? Anna Bowden speaks to agents to see if airlines could do more to halt the deterioration in relations between carriers and C&I organisers. Four years on from 11...

London Docklands and The City: Capital port of call.
May 12, 2005... Much of London's future development is focused on the regenerated Docklands. Ben Lerwill discovers why the area is still making waves. When newer, bulkier cargo ships were introduced to London in the 1960s, the network of docks to the east...

London Docklands and The City: Eating and drinking after dark.(Traditional curry house)
May 12, 2005... From Japanese haute cuisine to a traditional curry house, Ben Lerwill sheds light on the best dining options. LOUNGELOVER - www.loungelover.co.uk Whitby Street's Loungelover opened in May 2004 and already lays serious claim to being...

The Home Counties: 10 of the Best Venues - One hour from London.(Audley End House and Gardens)(Brocket Hall)(Hartwell House)
May 12, 2005... Why not avoid the capital's congestion yet keep its facilities close to hand, asks Sharon Greaves. From a ski-slope in Bedfordshire to a stately home in Kent, venues within striking distance of the M25 are in prime position to attract...

Film Locations: Blockbuster themes.(Film tourism)
May 12, 2005... Film tourism has become big business and its influence is beginning to infiltrate the C&I sector. Ben Lerwill finds out why film locations are becoming star attractions. Creating a bit of theatre around an event is one of the cornerstones...

Film Locations: Stars of the silver screen.
May 12, 2005... Ben Lerwill suggests six locations that have become synonymous with the movies made there. Lost In Translation Most of Sofia Coppola's Oscar-winning picture was filmed in Tokyo's towering Park Hyatt. The film, in which Scarlett...

20 of the Best: European Luxury Venues.(Hotels and motels)
May 12, 2005... Amanda Statham sources venues for groups who insist on nothing less than five-star treatment. CITY SLICKERS HILTON ARC DE TRIOMPHE, PARIS Contact Olinda Morais, +33 158 36 67 00 Website www.hilton.co.uk Number of meeting spaces 8...

Monaco: An appetite for business.(Tourism promotion)
May 12, 2005... As the principality expands its hotel portfolio, it is redressing the balance in favour of business travellers. Ginny McGrath reports. The death of Prince Rainier III last month not only focused attention on the colourful life of the...

Monaco: Monaco packages by budget.(Hotels and motels)
May 12, 2005... Ginny McGrath suggests how planners with tight purse strings or money to burn can spend it. BUDGET How to get there: Easyjet from London Luton, Gatwick or Stansted (and Bristol, Liverpool or Newcastle) to Nice, then a coach transfer....

Denmark: The unfolding story.(Conference and incentive destinations,)
May 12, 2005... Copenhagen is merely the introductory chapter in Denmark's expanding compendium of C&I destinations, venues and activities, as Yasmin Razak discovers. Two hundred years on from the birth of its most famous storyteller, Denmark is gearing...

Austria: Call of the mountains.(meeting destinations )
May 12, 2005... With Vienna well established as a C&I stronghold, Austrian officials are now turning their attention to the country's less well known Alpine regions. Stephanie Siegle investigates. Vienna certainly deserves its reputation as one of the...

Austria: Austria's Alpine potential.(meeting facilities )
May 12, 2005... CIT takes a closer look at six destinations offering a mix of meeting facilities and Tyrolean charm. ALPBACH This attractive alpine village (above) is perhaps a surprising location for a state-of-the-art conference centre. Built into...

Venue Focus.(Carlton Tower Ltd)(Hyatt Corp.)(Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs)
May 12, 2005... Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs, formerly known as Gene Autry's Melody Ranch, has reopened under its new banner following refurbishment. The 144-room estate is two hours from Los Angeles and boasts two restaurants, a spa, tennis courts, indoor...

Diary: Don't miss ..(Calendar: Conference and incentive industry)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 12, 2005... Premium Travel 2005: 16-17 May. Luxury travel buyers and prestigious brands come together at the Albert Hall. www.premiumtravel2005.com - BACD AGM and Spring Convention: 8-10 June. The association's 2005 get-together takes place at the...

Diary: Irregular movement to blame for Hussey limp.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Paula Radcliffe swept to victory in last month's London Marathon unaided by male pace-setters. Scant consolation to Olive 360's Paul Hussey, who, according to wild and unfounded reports, may never walk again as a result of following in the...

Diary: Best to remain neutral.
May 12, 2005... The classless society is doing upper-class twits and hoary-handed sons of the soil no favours at all. According to research by consultancy the Aziz Corporation, almost half of the UK business leaders surveyed found that plummy tones were now a...

Diary: The headlines 10 years ago.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... London Tourist Board and business consortium London First launch an ambassador programme to increase business visitors to the capital. London First CEO Stephen O'Brien says 'they are our most important customers'. - 24 per cent of...

Diary: Snap happy.
May 12, 2005... It's good to know that in these days of heightened airport security there's always some nutter keen to enliven the tedium for drowsy security staff. Take Tim Williams, 'Dean of Gator Wrestling' at Gatorland, Orlando. He's currently on the...