Conference & Incentive Travel articles from September 2006

Conference & Incentive Travel archives from September 2006

First Off: We are equipped to deal with challenges.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... I had the pleasure of meeting about 100 C&IT readers at our annual Agency Forum (see p17). The interesting thing about these people, who are the core of the industry's collective knowledge, was that they were so eager to learn from their peers...

Agents call for guidance in light of August terror hiatus.(BAA PLC)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Event agents are circumspect about the impact on the industry of August's airline terror alerts, and have highlighted the need for clearer first-hand information and closer client management in the wake of new security restrictions. The...

MIA's members in vote to modernise and widen appeal.(Meetings Industry Association)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has widened its membership to include corporate and association buyers. The decision, voted in at the group's Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 July, will see the MIA categorise membership into...

Skybridge wins HBOS and Barclays pitches.(Euro RSCG Skybridge )
September 27, 2006... Euro RSCG Skybridge has announced two major new account wins after being appointed to handle campaigns for financial giants Barclays International and HBOS. The agency will manage an employee incentive scheme for Barclays later this year....

UK Price Check: Residential training course.(Calendar)
September 27, 2006... Brief: Five-day training session in January 2007 at a centrally located hotel in the UK with good links to travel networks. One bedroom is required for the trainer for four nights during the course. All prices include VAT. Copthorne...

UK Brief: QEII upgrade.
September 27, 2006... The QEII Conference Centre in central London has recently undergone a pounds 570,000 investment to upgrade its facilities. In addition, it is to become a no-smoking venue as of October, preceding next summer's Health Bill, which will ban...

UK Brief: Visit Brighton programme.
September 27, 2006... Visit Brighton has launched an ambassador programme in a bid to attract more associations. Members of the medical, professional and academic communities will be involved in the scheme, which aims to generate an extra pounds 2m in revenue....

UK Brief: BCD Travel department.
September 27, 2006... BCD Travel, a travel management company, has formed a new department dedicated to C&I. Comprising the expertise of World Travel Meetings & Incentives, TQ3 Events and Talking Point, the company will offer logistics to MICE groups....

UK Brief: ISES appointment.
September 27, 2006... Visit London's UK sales manager Zanine Adams has been appointed to the board of the International Special Events Society (ISES). She becomes vice-president of marketing, and will focus on increasing its membership. www.isesuk.org

UK Brief: Eventful show.
September 27, 2006... The Bournemouth International Centre is hosting Eventful on 17-18 October. The CEM Group-organised show is the first on the south coast dedicated to C&I, corporate hospitality and team building. www.eventfulexpo.com

UK Brief: Hill on list.
September 27, 2006... Roche head of conferences and events, Caroline Hill has been added to the speaker list for the C&IT Corporate Forum. Hill will present a practical session entitled, 'How to evaluate events - not why'. www.client.citforum.co.uk

Bluehat research finds demand for office team spirit.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Team-building specialist Bluehat is launching an individual performance measurement tool, which focuses on improving personal weaknesses. The launch follows research that found that 71% of those surveyed thought team spirit and motivation...

BA takes live-events route with PCI Fitch.
September 27, 2006... British Airways has awarded PCI Fitch a three-year contract to handle global marketing and internal events for the airline. The work will include developing face-to-face events for staff and customers, as well as the relaunch of BA's Club...

Land Rover picks Beyond Certainty.
September 27, 2006... Land Rover has appointed agency Beyond Certainty to launch a new Range Rover model for up to 250 dealers at a gala dinner in London. The event will take place at London's Marriott Grosvenor Square on 12 September. It is the first piece of...

Maritz UK division scoops pounds 1m from new account wins.
September 27, 2006... Maritz's UK office has won five pieces of work worth pounds 1m from clients, including BAE Systems, Co-op Insurance and IBM. The recognition programme for BAE Systems aims to encourage staff at its UK submarines arm to generate cost-saving...

Zibrant buys venue-finding skills of Rand.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Event-services agency Zibrant has added venue-finder Rand to its portfolio for an undisclosed sum. The company is the fifth events business to come under the Zibrant brand. Chairman Peter Rand said that he had been seeking a buyer for...

People and Places: Octagon Challenge.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Eight vessels each representing hotel giants including Intercontinental, Starwood and Fairmont, lined the docks of Southampton for last month's 14th Octagon Challenge, with crews comprised of 80 senior managers from across the C&I sector...

McDonald's opts for London board event.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... McDonald's will host two major strategic events in London this autumn. The fast food giant is due to hold its global board meeting in the capital. The event, held every 18 months, has previously taken place in France and China and...

Focus group to tackle ROI issue.
September 27, 2006... An industry focus group is being formed to improve the sector's ability to measure ROI. Made up of a mix of agencies, associations, corporate clients and market research specialists, it will mark a major step in the pursuit of widespread...

Webwatch: www.marstonvenues.com.(Marston Hotels Ltd.)(Interview)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... WHAT'S THE NEWS? Marston Hotels has launched a real-time conference and event-booking website. By logging on to www.marstonvenues.com, you can now check availability and make bookings with the click of a mouse. WHICH PROPERTIES ARE...

Agencies adapting to client needs are the fittest of the fit.
September 27, 2006... This summer I attended the first conference organised by Eventia. It was a great event and what really stood out to me was how the subject of professional event management had risen dramatically in importance for all the agency heads taking...

Agents report client fears on Middle East.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Leading UK agencies have taken the Middle East off the pitch list, with several citing a perception problem among clients. Responding to a survey at C&IT's Agency Forum last month, Key buyers including Penguins and World Event Management...

Leela and Kempinski seal deal.(Leela Hotels Group)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Leela Palaces & Resorts has announced plans to open five new hotels as an extension of its partnership with Kempinksi Hotels. The pounds 142m deal gives Kempinski an improved foothold in India, while Leela will benefit from new sales...

Pushing Frontiers: Nova Scotia.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Dangling off Canada's east coast between the US border and Newfoundland, Nova Scotia's appeal is far greater than its relatively modest size would suggest. The peninsula is renowned for its natural beauty - a seemingly unending variety of...

The latest panic in the skies is nothing to be worried about.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... The events of 10 August were terrible for the thousands who sat waiting at airports, but not as bad as it could have been had the plot not been detected. If this level of threat continues we may well face a world of air travel with nothing...

Australia to offer UK groups green option.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Tourism Australia is set to become the first NTO to implement a series of environmental incentives for the UK market. The seven-day five-night programmes, termed Enviroevents, will combine an incentive itinerary with hands-on conservation...

Macau targets UK twin-centre work.(Gary Grimmer appointed )(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... The Macau Government Tourist Office has recruited Gary Grimmer to help develop business tourism. The former Portuguese enclave is marketed by Representation Plus in the UK and Grimmer's appointment will coincide with a dedicated campaign...

Montreux bows to musical heritage to attract revenue.(Montreux Convention)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... The Montreux Convention Centre has woven its music credentials into its brand identity, in a bid to attract more international events to the city. The 18,000m2 venue is to be renamed the Montreux Music & Convention Centre and its logo will...

Japan rejigs London convention bureau.
September 27, 2006... The Japan Convention Bureau in London has undergone a summer facelift, with the NTO's appointment of a new executive director, deputy director and convention manager. 'We needed a fresh start to attract more conventions and congresses,'...

World Price Check: Two-day residential meeting.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Brief: Two day meeting in Monte Carlo for 40 delegates classroom-style in March with three syndicates of ten on each day, dinner and accommodation for 40 on both nights. Le Meridien Beach Plaza Bed and board ...

Appointment: Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre.
September 27, 2006... Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre in Australia has appointed Karen Teong as its new director of sales - corporate. She has previously worked in the hotel trade in Singapore.

Appointment: London Marriott Hotel Twickenham.
September 27, 2006... London Marriott Hotel Twickenham, which adjoins the stadium and opens next summer, has appointed Steve Nunan as its pre-opening director of sales and marketing. He has been part of Marriott's global sales organisation for eight years.

Appointment: Hong Kong Tourism Board in London.
September 27, 2006... Hong Kong Tourism Board in London has a new-look MICE team. Helen Chan is promoted to manager, conventions, exhibitions and corporate events. Sophie Stoneham and Sarah Mathews have also joined as marketing executives, focusing on corporate...

Appointment: Visit London.
September 27, 2006... Visit London has recruited Sue Bertram as head of association sales, in an effort to convert more association event bids for the capital. She was formerly interim manager, sales and convention services.

Appointment: Pegasus.
September 27, 2006... Pegasus, the Racecourse Holdings Trust's newly established C&I division, has appointed Tara Gillam as sales manager, while Jo Watts takes over as marketing manager.

Appointment: The Barbican.
September 27, 2006... The Barbican has hired Helen Winstanley to strengthen its corporate sales department. Her new role as business development manager follows a background working for Millennium & Copthorne and Park Plaza hotel groups.

France appoints New York staffer to head up London.(Anne-Laure Trolio appoints )
September 27, 2006... Rachel Sobel's replacement as head of C&I at the Maison de la France UK convention bureau will join the London team in October. Anne-Laure Trolio arrives from the tourist board's New York office. 'Replacing Rachel is something very...

Latvia tourism wins presidential backing.
September 27, 2006... Latvia is pushing its MICE appeal by combining the state visits of the country's President with a workshop with convention bureau Inspiration Riga. At a forum at London's Royal Garden Hotel in July, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga paid...

Singapore launches pounds 57m MICE campaign.
September 27, 2006... Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is committing pounds 57m to finance a five-year development plan to boost the city-state as a centre for conferences and events. Be in Singapore is an umbrella incentive scheme that aims to entice...

People and Places: Paris.(Accor UK)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Paris was the destination for 114 delegates taking part in a two-day 'Da Vinci Code Experience' in August, hosted by Accor UK with sponsors Eurostar and Maison de la France, and partners Allied Europe Paris, the Paris Convention Bureau, and...

Overseas Brief: Jin Jiang International Hotels.
September 27, 2006... Jin Jiang International Hotels, China's largest hotel chain has launched a website as the first phase of its new online strategy. The site features more than 70 hotels and has online booking capability. www.jinjianghotels.com

Overseas Brief: Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts.
September 27, 2006... Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts has been appointed preferred hotel partner in the Netherlands by Dutch healthcare and chemicals company Akzo Nobel. The contract sees Golden Tulip provide accommodation in eight cities, as well as special...

Overseas Brief: Classic Representation boost.
September 27, 2006... Classic Representation has boosted promotion for its portfolio of boutique hotels, safari lodges and island retreats in Africa and the Indian Ocean. A new website provides agents with information on its 26 properties....

Overseas Brief: Prowse appointed.
September 27, 2006... Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre and Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau have reappointed Leatherhead-based PR agency, Prowse and Company to help boost business tourism to the State of Victoria over the next 12 months....

Overseas Brief: American Express Monitor.
September 27, 2006... American Express's 2006 Hospitality Monitor has found that Europe's hotels and restaurants are confident that profits will stay the same or improve over the next 12 months. Some 50% of hotels expect profits to improve. americanexpress.com

Overseas Brief: C&I increase.
September 27, 2006... Perth Convention Bureau has just announced a 4% increase in C&I business in 2005/6 to pounds 29m. The bureau attracted 38,540 delegates over 174,800 room nights to Western Australia last year. www.pcb.com.au

Sounding Off: People do not go to conferences to be a captive audience.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... The constant challenge for everyone in business, particularly consultants, is keeping up to speed with sector trends and issues and, ideally, conferences provide an opportunity to hear, see and question the relevant people. Conferences,...

In Person: Patrick Collins - Chief executive, Universal CIT.
September 27, 2006... Planning a transatlantic incentive for a group of 120 isn't much sweat for most planners, but when all the delegates are fellow event organisers, you can allow for a few jitters. So as Universal CIT, the agency that boasts a client list...

C&IT Agency Forum: Agents mix business with pleasure.
September 27, 2006... C&IT hosted agencies for two-days of seminars and the best London hospitality. Last month saw more than 60 of the industry's movers and shakers descend on London's Riverbank Park Plaza for the C&IT 2006 Agency Forum. Aware that its...

Diary of a Start-up: Come and try us out if you think you're hard enough.
September 27, 2006... I don't remember the plot for the film Field of Dreams - I'm not sure if I've ever actually watched it to the end, but the strapline from the film is more memorable and long stuck in my head: 'Build it and they will come'. I call what we...

Analysis: What CSR means to us.
September 27, 2006... As CSR rises to the fore, and to link in with the launch of C&IT's guide on the subject, we ask what the sector can do to become more socially responsible. The issue of corporate and social responsibility is rising up the business agenda...

Salary survey.
September 27, 2006... While it has not been a bumper year for salary hikes, C&I workers are comforting themselves with secondary factors, such as satisfying client briefs. Stuart Derrick crunches the numbers. This year's C&IT salary survey, produced with sister...

Case Study: GE Healthcare in Peru.
September 27, 2006... The medical giant's annual incentive is an adventurous affair, so Peru was ideal. Brief: GE Healthcare is part of US behemoth General Electric with a pounds 9bn turnover and more than 43,000 staff worldwide. Each year, the presidents of...

Show Preview: National Venue Show.
September 27, 2006... Birmingham's NEC hosts the sixth National Venue Show, which this year will be offering added-value features to its growing number of visitors, as Phil Heard reports. The National Venue Show has in its six-year existence become a stalwart...

Wales: Themed Incentives - Variety from top to bottom.
September 27, 2006... From fine dining in Llandudno to frolicking in the Atlantic swell off its southern tip, Wales has much to offer groups of all types and sizes. LLANDUDNO FOR LUXURY The holiday town on Conwy Bay may not be the first place that springs...

Edinburgh: Incentives heritage.
September 27, 2006... Edinburgh's history, beauty and culture ensure that it offers boundless incentive options above and below ground. From flights in seaplanes, shaking a leg at ceilidhs, to world-class golf or ubiquitous whisky tastings, Edinburgh's list of...

Edinburgh: Unusual Venues - Unique venues across the capital.
September 27, 2006... From drinks on Concorde to dinner on the Queen's yacht, Edinburgh has it all. DUNDAS CASTLE - Web: www.dundascastle.co.uk This five-star exclusive-use venue is set in a 10,000-acre estate, just 20 minutes from the city centre - making...

Edinburgh: After Dark - Out on the town, when night falls.
September 27, 2006... Don't be fooled by the Georgian architecture, Edinburgh can shake its stuff. Edinburgh can compete with the best of them when it comes to night-time entertainment. During the long summer evenings, much of the city moves outside (with the...

Academic Venues: 6 Of the Best UK seats of learning.
September 27, 2006... Sharon Greaves selects six venues offering high-quality meetings facilities all through the year. Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge Contact: Laura Oliver, 01223 332418 Web: www.caiusconference.com Number of meeting rooms: 7...

UK Activities: Action planners.
September 27, 2006... From taking to the air with Red Arrows pilots to freefalling on terra firma, the UK has much to offer. Call of the Wild Contact: Kevin Gould, 01639 700388 Web: www.corporate-training-events.co.uk The training centre is located in...

The Balearics: Natural selection.
September 27, 2006... A warm climate and burgeoning infrastructure give the Balearics real C&I appeal. Spain has attracted more British holidaymakers than anywhere else on Earth for years. Logic, therefore, dictates that the country has much to offer, and the...

The Balearics: Case Study - Dodge Caliber forges Ibiza trail.
September 27, 2006... Launching a new automotive brand to 2,100 initially reluctant dealers set Chrysler Group and agency THA many challenges, but Ibiza's infrastructure and beauty made for a natural fit, as Ben Lerwill reports. The brief: Chrysler Group needed...

The Balearics: Ibiza - White Island lowdown.
September 27, 2006... There's more to Ibiza than hedonism. Ben Lerwill investigates. Getting there: British Airways currently operates 13 direct flights a week to the White Island from Gatwick. Also flying out of London are Thomson, Easyjet and Air Berlin, which...

The Balearics: Mallorca - The complete package.
September 27, 2006... The biggest island may be best for C&I, as Ben Lerwill reports. Getting there: Mallorca has just one airport, but as the number-one choice of holidaying Brits, it's not short on activity - indeed some commentators claim Palma as the world's...

Switzerland: Sensory inspiration.
September 27, 2006... While its scenic splendour is appealing, Switzerland needs to get buyers to look beyond Geneva and Zurich for business and the Alps for skiing. As he stands opposite the Giessbach Falls watching emerald green glacial water drop over 500...

Switzerland Incentives: Swiss incentive options by region.
September 27, 2006... Kunal Dutta suggests one-day itineraries at three of Switzerland's most picturesque cities ST GALLEN 09.00: After landing at Zurich, follow signs to the train. There is a frequent service to St Gallen, and the journey takes less than...

Greece: After the party.
September 27, 2006... In the aftermath of its successful Olympic Games, Kunal Dutta worries that changes to the tourism administration might put the city's C&I status at risk. With its history and mythology, 10,000-plus miles of coastline, 3,000 idyllic islands...

Russia: Splendour and intrigue.
September 27, 2006... UK groups are falling for the contrast between the imperial glories of St Petersburg's palaces and museums and Moscow's hectic nightlife and Soviet-era icons, as Jane Dunford reports. Russia may have long turned its back on the Soviet era,...

Egypt: Desert in bloom.
September 27, 2006... Despite the C&I market's concerns, the number of visitors to Egypt grew by 35 per cent last year. With an enviable range of incentives and quality hotels, James Ottery is far from surprised. On paper, Egypt has it all: history, intrigue,...

Middle East: 5 Of The Best Luxury developments.(Company overview)
September 27, 2006... Yasmin Razak selects five initiatives that will further enhance Arabia's top-end reputation PARK HYATT, DUBAI - Web: www.dubai.park.hyatt.com This stylish property by the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club blends contemporary decor with...

The Caribbean: West Indies' game plan.
September 27, 2006... James Ottery talks to tourism chief Julia Hendry to discover the Caribbean's plans to attract more C&I business to the region. Julia Hendry has been the UK and European marketing director of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) since...

The Caribbean: Round-up - The view from the islands.
September 27, 2006... James Ottery runs through the latest developments on the region's major C&I destinations. JAMAICA Taking it easy might be the order of the day, but Jamaica - as ever - has plenty to report. In July, Virgin launched two new services...

Thailand: Business as usual.
September 27, 2006... With its dependence on tourism,Thailand was quick to bounce back from the tsunami in 2004 and the MICE market has been keen to maintain its support, as Paul Oswell reports. The tsunami in December 2004 had tragic consequences for many parts...

Venue Focus.(new hotels )
September 27, 2006... Golden Tulip has opened its sixth property in Morocco, a five-star hotel on the Atlantic Coast 12 miles from Casablanca. The 30-room property includes 700m2 of meeting space, five restaurants and 12 suites. TEL: +31 33 25 44 80 0 ...

Diary: Don't Miss..
September 27, 2006... MICE Moscow: 19-21 September; All you need to know about C&I in Russia. www.micemoscow.com National Venue Show: 19-21 September; Venues from the length and breadth of the UK take to their stands at Birmingham's NEC....

Diary: Hungary under fire for not keeping the faith.
September 27, 2006... Diary's eye was caught by an Observer story about a row between the Hungarian Tourist Board and the conservative, not to say deeply catholic, burghers of the spa region of Lake Balaton. An online ad campaign designed to attract a younger...

Diary: Dubai festival's no joke.
September 27, 2006... Dubai's futuristic and ambitious projects possess a vision that makes Bladerunner look as if it had honed its cutting edge with soup. Yet, among the real snow enclosed pistes and towering malls, areas of real primitivism remain. Take the...

Diary: The Headlines 10 years ago.(Seabourn Cruise Lines's Larry Pimental on accepting group bookings)(Thistle Hotels Ltd.)(Star Cruises adds new international destination)(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... - Incentive groups walk the plank after cruise line Seabourn refuses to accept group bookings,except on an exclusive basis. President Larry Pimental says the move is to 'refine the exclusivity of the Seabourn on-board experience'. 'Our strength...

Diary: A luxury two-night Edinburgh break.(Brief article)
September 27, 2006... Scotland has many new and exciting facilities to host your C&I events. With an array of cutting-edge conference facilities, unconventional venues and plenty on offer when the working day is over, isn't it time you tried it for yourself?...

Diary: Crabs to the slaughter.
September 27, 2006... Any crustaceans knocking about London's East End last month were advised to keep a low profile, lest they became victims of what has become known as the Great Singapore Tourism Board Seafood Massacre. Officially, the event was the Tiger Beer...