Conference & Incentive Travel articles from November 2005

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from November 2005

First Off: It's time for C&I to make a difference.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... As 2005 draws to a close, what will your New Year's resolution be? It's been a tough year. I'm not talking financially - the performance of agencies like BI and Grass Roots (page 7) proves that business-wise, it's been a cracking 12...

Trade bodies act to counter criticism by their members.
November 15, 2005... The sector's trade bodies are upping their game for 2006 following a year of criticism from members. At its EGM on 22 November, ITMA members will vote on the name change to Eventia, marking its merger with the Corporate Event Association -...

Medical events face new code of practice.
November 15, 2005... Pharmaceutical event organisers may have to adhere to increasingly stringent guidelines as of January following a review of the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry's (ABPI) code of practice. It is mooted that new regulations will...

Pre-tax profits up for WEM following client list growth.(World Event Management )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... World Event Management has beaten its pre-tax profits target of pounds 300,000 in its financial year 2004/5. Although the accounts are not filed until mid 2006, managing director Martin Parry said the company has 'significantly improved on...

UK Price Check: One day meeting at an airport hotel.
November 15, 2005... Brief: A one-day conference at a hotel at one of the UK's major air hubs for 75 delegates to be held in February 2006. The meeting room must be laid out theatre-style, with an LCD projector and screen. Radisson SAS Manchester Room hire:...

News brief: Agency Rand awarded a two-year deal.
November 15, 2005... Agency Rand has been awarded a two-year deal to handle all T-Mobile's venue-finding requirements. The mobile network previously used a number of agencies. www.rand-uk.com.

News brief: Eventfixers opens a second UK office.
November 15, 2005... Eventfixers, the corporate entertainment and venue search company, has opened a second UK office in Ulverston, Cumbria, as an addition to its London office. www.eventfixers.com.

News brief: Eastbourne to open a new cultural centre in 2007.
November 15, 2005... Eastbourne is to open a new pounds 8.5m cultural centre in 2007, adding to the resort's existing conference facilities. The centre will be connected to Devonshire Park, Eastbourne's main meetings venue. www.conference.eastbourne.com.

News brief: Elevation Events introduces a luxury skiing package.
November 15, 2005... Elevation Events Group, the event marketing services group, has introduced a luxury 'Premium Brand Corporate' skiing package into its portfolio. elevationevents.co.uk.

News brief: Teleford & Shropshire Conferences wins gold award.
November 15, 2005... Telford & Shropshire Conferences has won gold in the business category at the Heart of England's tourism awards. Coombe Abbey and Mallory Court both gained hotel honours. www.telford-shropshire.com.

News brief: Premium Travel 2006 will be held at Royal Albert Hall.
November 15, 2005... Premium Travel 2006 will be held on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 April at the Royal Albert Hall, following the success of last year's inaugural event. More than 50% of exhibitors have already rebooked. www.premiumtravelshow2006.com.

News brief: Facelift for NEC's piazza area.
November 15, 2005... The NEC's piazza area has undergone an pounds 8m facelift, which constitutes the first phase of a three-year pounds 40m upgrade for the Birmingham centre. www.necgroup.co.uk.

Hackett quits his role at BI to seek fresh challenges.(BI Worldwide )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... BI Worldwide chairman David Hackett is stepping down from the agency that he founded 25 years ago. Having sold the agency in 2001, Hackett remained with BI to complete its 'succession plan'. He now believes his role is complete. 'The team...

BI's live events team rallies to lead upturn.
November 15, 2005... Agency BI Worldwide will confirm a significant improvement in its business performance when its annual financial results are revealed in the spring. As well as investing pounds 1m in new technology and on restructuring the company,...

Skybridge adds to live events team.
November 15, 2005... Euro RSCG Skybridge has strengthened its live events division with the appointment of director of live communications Tim Pennington. The move follows a year that has seen the events division grow by around 20%, according to CEO John...

Bluehat teams up with Gamesman to lift client base.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Team-building specialist Bluehat UK has merged with Gamesman Productions to increase its profile among event organisers. Bluehat managing director Tim Shepley said: 'We have an established corporate client base, including Unilever and Cisco...

Grass Roots breaks annual profits record.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... The Grass Roots Group has announced record profits of pounds 22.8m before tax for its financial year ending June 2005, up 14% on the previous year. In the same period, turnover also increased to pounds 112m. Head of marketing...

2005 This is the year that was.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 15, 2005... JANUARY/FEBRUARY - P&MM sweeps the floor at ITMA Awards with seven prizes - Trade bodies - MIA, MPI, BACD, HBAA and ABPCO - announce collaboration - P&MM acquires Archer Young MARCH/APRIL - Minister for tourism Richard Caborn says UK...

The business is as it was - people are motivated by travel.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Looking back over 30 years in this business, it is easy to assume that there must have been massive changes. Obviously, there have been developments, but the most important was the changing face of leisure travel. In the mid-1970s,...

Location doubts dog London ICC go ahead.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Question marks still linger over the Mayoral Commission's recommendation to build a pounds 300m convention centre in central London, following approval by the London Development Agency. Although support for an ICC is strong, many industry...

Park Plazas set for South Bank.
November 15, 2005... Park Plaza is to take over the management of two new properties on London's South Bank. The 395-room County Hall Park Plaza will open in 2008 opposite County Hall near Waterloo, while the 930-room Westminster Bridge Park Plaza is scheduled...

Webwatch: www.latemeetings.com.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... What is it? Based on the concept of lastminute.com, it's a database of hotel, meeting and heritage venues offering late availability of their facilities, which can can be booked online. Buyers search initially by location, then date, then...

Associations exist to shape the future of our sector - join!(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Why does an industry association exist? In our sector alone there are numerous bodies, all with their own acronym and each setting out to benefit its members. But what are the main benefits? As I see it, there are three key reasons for joining....

Norfolk and Norwich opens for business.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... The Norwich & Norfolk Conference Bureau is officially inaugurated this month. After a four-month soft-launch period in which it signed up around 40 members, the bureau becomes formally active from 22 November. The county-wide body,...

Racecourses up their C&I ante.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Epsom Downs Racecourse officially launched its 'Success Guaranteed' programme last month. Run in conjunction with caterer Sodexho Prestige, the initiative aims to improve on customer service and food quality at all its conferences and...

People & Places: Scotland.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... The Scottish capital witnessed a flurry of C&I business at the start of November as 38 UK event organisers attended the Scotland Means Business workshop. After checking in to the Caledonian Hotel, the delegates enjoyed a light lunch at the...

Terror and disasters force agencies' hands on liability.
November 15, 2005... The ITMA is calling on agencies to rethink their crisis management policies in light of recent terrorist outrages and natural disasters around the world. The second half of 2005 saw hurricanes hit New Orleans, Florida and Mexico, bomb...

Kempinski expansion targets Europe's East.
November 15, 2005... Kempinski Hotels and Resorts is targeting Eastern Europe for expansion as part of its five-year plan to grow from 48 to 100 properties worldwide. The chain currently has properties under development in Lithuania (Vilnius), two in Latvia...

Agents slam UK's decision to reject airfare levy plans.
November 15, 2005... The UK government has rejected the Civil Aviation Authority's proposed pounds 1 airfare levy to protect travellers left stranded in the event of an airline going out of business. The fund would have repatriated travellers not covered by...

World Price Check.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 15, 2005... ONE-DAY MEETING WITH AN OVERNIGHT STAY Brief: A one-day meeting for 75 delegates in February 2006 at a European airport hotel with flights, AV hire and overnight accommodation. Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel Room & AV hire: pounds 778 F&B:...

News brief: New Orleans Metropolitan CVB to hold a live interactive web conference.
November 15, 2005... New Orleans Metropolitan CVB will be holding a live interactive web conference on 16 November. The 90-minute session will focus on the city's future in the meetings industry. www.neworleanscvb.com.

News brief: The Langham Hotel adds to its website.
November 15, 2005... The Langham Hotel in Hong Kong has added a 3D interactive conference planner to its website. Clients can now preview and 'play' with the hotel's meeting spaces. www.langhamhotels.com.

News brief: Leading Hotels of the World releases a list.
November 15, 2005... The Leading Hotels of the World has released the list of hotels qualified as Leading Spas for 2006. Newcomers include Hotel Martinez in Cannes, The Grove in Hertfordshire and Le Meridien Cancun in Mexico. www.lhw.com.

News brief: Maritim publishes a meeting planner for 2006.
November 15, 2005... Maritim Hotels has published a meeting planner for 2006, listing all of its conference facilities across the portfolio. The German chain has 44 properties currently. www.maritim.com.

News brief: Award for the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.
November 15, 2005... The Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre has been named best in class at the Travel Trade Gazette Awards 2005 for the Asia Pacific Region. The award coincides with the announcement that it will be smoke-free from January. www.hkcec.com.

News brief: AIME set to break the 850 exhibitors mark.
November 15, 2005... AIME, the AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo, looks set to break the 850 exhibitors mark for the first time. The show will be held in Melbourne in June. www.aime.com.au.

News brief: Congrex Group confirms acquisition of shares.
November 15, 2005... The Congrex Group, a Stockholm-based conference and exhibition management company, has confirmed the acquisition of all the shares in UK firm Concorde Services. www.congrex.com.

Vancouver stakes claim on UK after venue cash boost.(Vancouver Convention Centre )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Vancouver Convention Centre is to benefit from a Cdollars 640m (pounds 308m) cash boost that will see it triple in size by summer 2008 with the existing infrastructure refurbished. When complete, the centre will have a capacity of 5,000...

Mexico unbowed by hurricane setbacks.
November 15, 2005... The force of Hurricane Wilma will not dent Mexico's successful year as international arrivals are already substantially up compared with last year, according to the Mexico Tourism Board. Approximately 15 million international visitors were...

Imex predicts association meeting growth.
November 15, 2005... Improved cost control and enhanced marketing capabilities will boost the number of meetings held by associations. In the second annual Imex survey, 69% of international association executives questioned said they expected the number of...

People and Places: Austria.(Auatria National Tourist Office)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Around 1,500 buyers from all around the world descended on Vienna for two nights in October for the second Auatria National Tourist Office's Access trade show. The event, established last year to showcase Austria's C&I potential to...

News brief: The Singapore Tourism Board launches new initiatives.
November 15, 2005... The Singapore Tourism Board has launched new initiatives to enable transit passengers to see more of the island. Shuttle services and day passes will now allow groups to make more of the experience. www.visitsingapore.com.

News brief: Disneyland Resort Paris introduces themed evenings.
November 15, 2005... Disneyland Resort Paris has introduced a number of themed evenings for corporate groups. These include murder-mystery parties and retro TV nights, complete with cult theme-tuned discos. www.drpbusiness.com.

News brief: Airbus A380 completes its first international test flight.
November 15, 2005... The Airbus A380 super-jumbo last month successfully completed its first international test flight, landing in Frankfurt. www.airbus.com.

News brief: Appointment at Gulf Air.
November 15, 2005... Gulf Air has appointed Tracey Randell as its new UK sales and marketing manager. With previous experience at Qantas and Viacom, she will be responsible for all sales and marketing activities for Gulf Air in the UK. www.gulfairco.com.

News brief: London Stansted is base to two airlines.
November 15, 2005... London Stansted is base to two new airlines offering business-class only flights to New York. They are Eos, whose planes seat 48 passengers and Maxjet, which can carry 102. www.eosairlines.com/www.maxjet.com.

News brief: Interactive Delegate Communications launches a system.
November 15, 2005... Interactive Delegate Communications, a Dubai-based company, has launched a system allowing small companies to organise meetings online. It claims the programme, Rhea, is the first of its kind. www.interactive-delegate.com.

News brief: Easyjet launches two new routes from Gatwick.
November 15, 2005... Easyjet has launched two new routes from London Gatwick. The airline now flies daily to Murcia in Spain and twice-daily to Berlin Schoenefeld. www.easyjet.com.

Sounding Off: Clients should not regard fact-finding missions as jollies.(Hotels building works )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... I can't count the amount of times that friends, family or colleagues go green with envy when I tell them which country I last visited. The consensus is that what I deem to be hard work, they see as little more than a jolly. This same...

In person: Ian Taylor, Commercial director, Marketing Birmingham.
November 15, 2005... Ian Taylor's first fortnight as commercial director of Marketing Birmingham gave him a proper deep-end dunking into the realities of the city. The ICC was hosting a four-day international conference for 12,500 delegates, while across town,...

Analysis: Buying into procurement's ways.
November 15, 2005... It seems difficult to believe but, if the trend continues, the C&I sector could increasingly find itself working with procurement officers who really understand the business, as Kerry Baggott reports. Last month, the Chartered Institute of...

Special Report: Catering - Food for thought.
November 15, 2005... Caterers are having to cook for more discerning palates and ensure that delegates remain alert. While the growth in popularity of celebrity chefs has undoubtedly dragged British cooking out of the doldrums, it has also heralded a period of...

Campaign: Corporate Social Responsibility - C&IT Campaign for Change.
November 15, 2005... As major companies start to place corporate social responsibility firmly on their agenda, Yasmin Razak takes a look at why the C&I industry should get in on the act. Most event planners on hearing the words 'environmentally friendly'...

Case Study: Land Rover tests in Monaco.
November 15, 2005... Where better than Monaco for dealers to experience the new Range Rover, asks Anna Bowden. Fast cars and Monaco's glamour were always going to make a success of Land Rover's latest drive programme, a series of 73 two-day events running...

Channel islands: Jersey - Off-shore investment.
November 15, 2005... Funding is flowing to maximise the C&I potential of the UK's French quarter. Over the past few years Jersey has undergone a transformation. A younger population has taken over; restaurants, which hitherto paid homage only to France, serve...

South coast revival: Bournemouth.(Bournemouth International Centre)
November 15, 2005... The refurbished and extended Bournemouth International Centre is spearheading the town's business tourism drive. Dave Saunders talks to the centre's head of conferences, entertainment and events. Following 25 years working for local...

Unusual Venues: 10 of the best - Venues with a twist.
November 15, 2005... The UK has a wealth of venues with a historic or curiosity value that can either host meetings or add interest to incentives. Stephanie Siegle uncovers ten venues to get delegates talking. BALLYWALTER PARK, COUNTY DOWN Contact: Brian...

Behind the headlines: Belfast.
November 15, 2005... Northern Ireland's capital is putting the past behind it and looking to a future of top-end hotels, thriving conference business and a growing roster of incentive options, as Ginny McGrath discovers. On the same September night that the...

South Africa: Big game player.
November 15, 2005... Having won over the UK's leisure market, South Africa is starting to highlight its special appeal to the C&I sector. Jane Dunford reports. During the decade since full democracy was introduced, great changes have swept across South Africa...

South Africa: Lodge Showcase - Back to nature in comfort and style.
November 15, 2005... South Africa's bush lodges are starting to rival top hotels for facilities and luxury. Jane Dunford reports. SABI SABI, www.sabisabi.com The 25-suite Bush Lodge in Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve next to the Kruger National Park has...

South Africa: Restaurant Showcase - Wining and dining around Cape Town.
November 15, 2005... The mountains around Cape Town are home to award-winning wines and restaurants. Ben Lerwill reports. TOKARA, www.tokararestaurant.co.za The recently opened Tokara restaurant is one for the voyeurs - nothing more than a glass wall...

South East Asia: Singapore anniversary - 40 reasons to visit.
November 15, 2005... To help celebrate Singapore's 40th birthday, Teresa Machan cites 40 compelling reasons to visit the Lion City this year. 10 INCENTIVE IDEAS - Food is a key draw, so whet delegates' taste buds at one of Singapore's renowned culinary...

South East Asia: Malaysia - New kid on the block.
November 15, 2005... The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is already making its mark on the Malaysian capital following its June opening. Stephanie Siegle speaks to Jenny Salsbury, director of marketing and sales. Jenny Salsbury, director of marketing and...

Dubai: Rewriting the records.
November 15, 2005... Love it or loathe it, you have to admire Dubai and its plans to build the biggest, best and boldest venues the world has ever seen. Kerry Baggott reports. The only limit is the imagination - that's just one of the inscriptions scrolled...

Dubai: Hotel Update - Emirate's hot properties in demand.
November 15, 2005... The hotel sector is playing catch-up to deliver quantity as well as quality. Kerry Baggott reports. While Dubai attracted 5.5 million visitors last year, it plans to be able to handle 15 million tourists a year by 2010. With hotel space...

Dubai: Case Study - Numico creates the stuff of legend.
November 15, 2005... The baby food firm's award-winning meeting had a few hitches en route, as Kerry Baggott reports. Numico, the specialist baby food and clinical nutrition company, sees itself as a forward-thinking and dynamic company, which is why Dubai,...

Paris: Box of delights.(Canon World Expo )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... The wave of contemporary boutique-style properties is adding greater choice to Paris's venue repertoire and keeping buyers keen. Yasmin Razak reports. Were Paris a box of chocolates, she would offer an assortment of centres with...

Paris: Contemporary venues - Dedicated followers of fashion.(Murano Urban Resort)
November 15, 2005... A rash of openings is strengthening Paris's claim to be a venue trendsetter. When the Murano Urban Resort first opened up in the haute-Marais for a cooler-than-thou clientele, Paris hit the pages of lifestyle magazines the world over, with...

Paris: Hotel showcase - Les grandes dames.(George V's)(Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel)
November 15, 2005... Paris is home to some unashamedly classic properties from palaces to spas, so take your pick. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GEORGES V. Planners are spoiled for choice with George V's array of opulent meeting rooms. Hold a wine tasting in The...

Malta: Rock of ages.
November 15, 2005... Malta is combining its medieval past with modernity to make it one of the most appealing C&I resorts in the Med. Ben Lerwill reports. For a country no bigger than the Isle of Wight, Malta has an oversized appeal. The island has a history...

Spain: The people's choice.
November 15, 2005... Its capital Madrid may not have won its Olympic bid, but Spain is still enhancing its tourism infrastructure and introducing options to the C&I market to maintain its popularity. One of the defining images of London's Olympic win was the...

Show Preview: Welcome to EIBTM.(Reed Travel Exhibitions)
November 15, 2005... One year one from taking up his post as EIBTM show director, C&IT catches up with Paul Kennedy to ask about developments for this year. Paul Kennedy MBE is group exhibition director of Reed Travel Exhibitions' Meetings and Incentives...

Show Preview: What's new for 2005.(Global meetings and incentive exhibitions)
November 15, 2005... With the first ever global CEO conference, focused seminars and a determination to work with the sector all year round, the EIBTM team is doing much to restore confidence. Anna Bowden reports. Following criticism from both exhibitors and...

Seminar programme.(Global Meetings and Incentive Exhibition)
November 15, 2005... New for 2005, EIBTM has strengthened its educational offer to include sessions that reflect the up-to-the-minute face of C&I. CORPORATE PROGRAMME Wednesday 30 November - 1pm-2.45pm Twin track session one: The strategic role of the...

Venue Focus: Pudong Shangri-La in Shanhai.(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Shangri-La has completed its pounds 80m expansion of the five-star Pudong Shangri-La in Shanghai making it the chain's largest property to date. It now offers a 36-floor glass tower with 375 additional rooms, bringing the total to 981. Meeting...

Venue Focus: Lake House Hotel.
November 15, 2005... Lake House Hotel, a boutique exclusive-use conference and meetings venue, was officially opened in the Lake District last month. Overlooking Lake Windermere, the property has 12 bedrooms, fully-equipped meeting space for groups of up to 20 and...

Venue Focus: Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong.
November 15, 2005... Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong is now fully open. The 399-room property, which is part of the island's vast International Financial Centre, offers nine separate meeting spaces, including two large ballrooms. A spa with 18 treatment rooms adds to...

Venue Focus: Rocco Forte takes on the Brown's Hotel mantle.
November 15, 2005... Brown's Hotel officially reopens in December. Now under the management of Rocco Forte, the long-renowned property in London's Mayfair dates back to 1837, when four adjacent townhouses were converted into a hotel by a wealthy valet in the...

Venue Focus: Hesperia adds five-star Barcelona landmark.(Hesperia Tower Hotel and Convention Centre )(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Hesperia Tower Hotel & Convention Centre will open for business in Barcelona in mid-January. Located only six minutes from the airport in the city's new financial district, the five-star hotel will be one of the tallest buildings in the...

Venue Focus.
November 15, 2005... The Monte-Carlo Bay & Resort opened last month on the Larvotto peninsula. The Societe des Bains de Mer hotel offers 337 rooms and suites spread over 11 floors. The property also boasts a spa and casino. Tel: +377 92 16 6213 Jesmond...

Diary: Don't miss.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 15, 2005... EIBTM: 29 November - 1 December The show heads back to Spain for its second year in Barcelona. www.eibtm.com ILTM: 5-8 December The annual luxury travel show returns to Cannes. www.iltm.net Monte Carlo Travel Market: 13-15...

Diary: Organiser's diet given showtime runaround.
November 15, 2005... Event management, an occupation that to many people seems little more than a conveyor belt of gala dinners and afternoon teas, might outwardly seem to have little to do with keeping fit. Olive 360 deg shattered this illusion last month by...

Diary: A tall tale about beds.(hotel beds)(Brief Article)
November 15, 2005... Improved hotel beds are all the rage. It's quite a job to find somewhere that isn't extolling the virtues of its new duck-down pillows or best-ever Egyptian cotton coverings. Few properties go as far as making bespoke beds for one-off visitors...

Diary: The headlines 10 years ago.
November 15, 2005... Belfast announces it will target the conference market with the pounds 29m Waterfront Hall, due to open in 18 months. An ambassador says that the ceasefire has created 'commercial advantages for Northern Ireland'. - Crown Business...