Travelbeat Business Travel/MICE News Update: July 23, 2008 [1 Story] England Eventia Welcomes BACD Merger Vote Eventia, the trade body representing organisations that provide business solutions through the use of events, has warmly welcomed the decision by the British Association of Conference Destinations (BACD) to merge with Eventia. The unanimous vote in favour of a merger was taken by BACD members at their Annual General Meeting held on July 16. Eventia has grown rapidly since its formation in 2006 through a merger by two other trade associations: the Incentive Travel and Meetings Association and the Corporate Events Association. It now has over 270 member companies and organisations and, with the advent of 50 BACD destination members from January 1, 2009, membership is set to increase by a further 20%. The addition of British destinations will also strengthen the lobbying remit of Eventia, creating a more cohesive and representative body for the sector and giving Eventia a stronger voice on behalf of the industry. Patrick Collins of Universal CIT, the new Chair of Eventia, said ... “I am really delighted about the BACD decision to merge with Eventia. "I have felt for a long time that our sector is too fragmented, which naturally dilutes the strength and authority that could be lobbying for and supporting our industry. "We see many synergies with BACD and, collectively, we will have better communication, better understanding, better education, and a stronger, better informed voice.” (Eventia) Update: July 21, 2008 [1 Story] Australia Completion Of Major Refurbishments Metro Hotel on Pitt, a boutique 4-Star hotel located in the heart of Sydney's CBD, has completed extensive refurbishments to all its Superior rooms as part of its planned strategy to capture a larger slice of Sydney's corporate and conference business. This follows refurbishment of its King Spa, Executive Deluxe and Standard rooms in 2004, and a further refurbishment of its budget Standard rooms in March 2007. George Bedwani, COO of Metro Hotels said the hotel offers a centrally located, affordable option which is proving increasingly popular with the corporate and MICE market. "The hotel's location means we are conveniently positioned within walking distance for guests attending events at the Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour and other major CBD function centres," he said. "There are also a lot of business travellers who attend conferences in some of the nearby 5-Star hotels, but they or their companies aren't prepared to pay higher accommodation rates for them to stay on-site. We provide a convenient, affordable alternative for them, without compromising on comfort and modern conveniences." Metro Hotel on Pitt offers 115 4-Star guest rooms complete with facilities such as broadband Internet connection, key card access to rooms and lift, cable television and the latest Pay per View movies. The Hotel's facilities include a fully licensed bar and restaurant, Paradiso, offering a range of Modern Australian and European dishes, and a comprehensive wine list with a choice of local and imported wines. Metro Hotels is a division of Metro Hospitality Group, the public face of Transmetro Corporation Limited. (Peattie Public Relations) Update: July 13, 2008 [3 Stories] Belgium Vancouver Named World’s Best Convention Centre The Board of Directors of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) has announced that the winner of the 2008 AIPC Apex Award for World’s Best Convention Centre is the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Canada. The Award presentation was made at this year’s AIPC 50th Anniversary Annual Conference in Singapore. "This year’s Award is of particular significance for two reasons," said AIPC President Edgar Hirt. "First, it covers the period of the past 2-years, since it is now a bi-annual award out of respect for the investment of time it requires from the centre clients whose assessments form the basis for the evaluation. "Secondly, this is the first time in the history of the AIPC Apex Award that it has been won by a previous AIPC Apex Award winner. We therefore want to particularly commend the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre for what is an unprecedented achievement." The AIPC Apex Award recipient is identified through a comprehensive performance and customer satisfaction analysis carried out under the auspices of the Solvay Business School of the University of Brussels. The "blind" evaluation used in the selection process ensures an objective analysis of the data arising from a series of surveys covering such topics as congress facilities, project management, customer relations, catering and technology. The AIPC Board also recognized the two runners-up to this year’s award; the Brisbane Convention Centre and the Cairns Convention Centre, both of Australia. (International Association of Congress Centres) Australia Melbourne Remains #1 With Business Travellers Melbourne has been voted the most popular destination for business travel, according to accommodation website Wotif.com. One in three (33%) business travellers surveyed chose the Victorian capital city above Sydney (27%), Brisbane (10%), Perth (9%) and the Gold Coast (7%) as part of Wotif.com's annual business traveller's survey. Wotif.com spokesperson Megan Magill said Melbourne had proved itself to be a consistent favourite amongst business travellers. "This is the third year in a row that Melbourne has taken the top spot, relegating Australia's top-selling destination, Sydney, to second place each year," Magill said. Tropical destinations also proved popular with business travellers, with the Gold Coast and Cairns pipping Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and Canberra to take fifth and sixth spot on the list respectively. London topped the list as travellers' preferred international destinations with 19% of the vote, followed closely by New York (16%), Hong Kong (14%), Paris (13%) and Singapore (12%). Over 80% of respondents said they tried to add a leisure component to the beginning or end of their trip. Wotif.com's Business Travel Survey gained 954 completed responses. 732 of these respondents had travelled for business at least once in 2007. Only responses from these 732 people have been used to calculate these findings. (Wotif.com) Malaysia Countdown To The 6th World Chambers Congress The Minister of International Trade and Industry, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, recently launched the one year countdown to the 6th World Chambers Congress, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, June 3-5, 2009. The ceremony took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the venue for next year's Congress. "This is the first time the World Chambers Congress is to be held in Southeast Asia, with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) as the host chamber. "It is the most important event on the chamber calendar for its business leaders and executives to discuss the pressing issues of globalisation in a casual and informative setting," said Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, President, FMM, who also announced the Congress theme, Leading sustainable growth and change. Organized biennially by ICC's World Chambers Federation, the World Chambers Congress is the only international forum for the global chamber of commerce community. The countdown launch was attended by foreign ambassadors, the FMM Congress steering committee members, sponsors and local chambers. Pictured: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin (middle), Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, with (l-r) Puan Normah Malik, Deputy Director General (Administration), DBKL, Tan Sri Datuk Yong Poh Kon, President, Federation Malaysian of Manufacturers (FMM), and co-chairs of the Congress Steering Committee, Datuk Mustafa Mansur and Dato' Ooi Say Chuan. (TQPR (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd) Update: July 12, 2008 [2 Stories] China ALTM Showered With Accolades Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), the region’s tourism event staged exclusively for the luxury travel industry has been showered with accolades following its success and record attendance this summer in Shanghai. The 3-day event was double the size of the 2007 inaugural edition with over 1,100 of the world’s top sellers and Asia Pacific’s top buyers of luxury travel attending by invitation only at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre from June 17-19. Over 17,000 appointments were held over the 3-days of the event. During the show, ALTM was honoured with the prestigious Five Star Diamond Award by The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. The highly sought-after award recognises commitment to excellence in luxury and service with in-depth evaluations conducted and reviewed by an international board of trustees. ALTM is the first exhibition in history to have been bestowed this tribute. ALTM was preceded by a high profile conference at the Shanghai Centre, attended by all delegates and many luxury brand representatives, where key figures in the luxury travel and brand sectors examined current and future travel trends, with a special focus on China. On the final day of ALTM, the prestigious World Travel Awards held its inaugural Asia-Pacific event in Shanghai, at which ALTM won Asia’s Leading Travel Exhibition. (Grebstad Hicks Communications) Australia Big Brother House Opens For Corporate Events Like it or love to hate it, Big Brother House is the most scrutinized address in Australia and a venue that the majority of Australians either know or want to know. With the last of the 2008 residents about to be evicted, the door of the house is set to open on July 26 for a new type of tenant: event organizers looking to put "wow" into their corporate events and end of year parties. "Having an event at the Big Brother House is like holding a function at Australia's most well known address," said Deborah Holland, Dreamworld's National Sales Manager - Groups & Events. "The only other house in this country that gets as near as much attention is Parliament House; and the chance of holding a private function there is slim. To have this so accessible to Brisbane and the Gold Coast sells itself," she added. Over the past 7-years, the house has been used as a backdrop for household product launches, sales and marketing planning sessions, breakout sessions and social club gatherings. Its 210 sqm floor area has the capacity for 150 guests in addition to the landscaped gardens and a huge outdoor games arena. Most functions are held from 7:00pm and 11:00pm. (Dreamworld Public Relations) Update: July 07, 2008 [3 Stories] England IMEX Survey: Future-focused And Positive Results from the annual IMEX Post Show Survey of buyers and trade visitors show an optimistic and positive meetings industry outlook despite economic uncertainty in some parts of the world. A significant number of respondents testify to sustained demand, especially in the BRICS markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China) where globalisation is building momentum, while UK, German and US buyers report "business as usual." The results echo the findings of the IMEX Quarterly Barometer (April 2008) which showed the meetings and incentive travel sector was 'still confident' in the face of economic fluctuations and that many predicted at least modest growth over the next 12-months. The IMEX Post Show Survey posed two main questions to a total of 515 respondents representing corporate buyers, agencies, association leaders, suppliers and other relevant industry professionals from 46 countries. In answer to "How do you think the current economic climate will affect the corporate/association meetings sector," comments ranged from "It will stay the same - very steady business," and "The sector will grow further and become more important in the future" from Austrian and German respondents to "Not much difference - businesses will still have to meet in order to get things done" and "Have not seen any impact just yet," from several U.S. participants. The second question related to whether respondents still believe that challenging economic times benefit the incentive travel market because motivational programmes are essential for achieving corporate performance targets. Responses varied between those who uphold the theory but admit it doesn't always happen in practice, and a significant proportion who anticipate only positives arising from the shifting economic climate. (Regent Exhibitions Ltd) England New Rep For Dresden Convention Bureau Following a recent meeting at the Westin Bellevue Hotel Dresden, the Dresden Convention Bureau has announced the appointment of a UK based representation company. Watterston Associates Limited, based in Twyford, Berkshire, will represent the DCB's interests in the UK conference market to assist in securing more international congresses and events for Dresden. The meeting was attended by Mrs Yvonne Coulin, President/CEO of the Dresden Tourist Promotion Board, Mrs Helga Al Obiesi, Congress Marketing - Dresden Convention Bureau/Dresden Tourist Promotion Board, Dr Michael Hupe, Chairman - Dresden Convention Bureau and Mr Daniel Werner, Representative - Dresden Convention Bureau as well as Julie Watterston, Director - Watterston Associates and Mary Lewsey, Office Manager - Watterston Associates. Watterston Associates will be undertaking promotional, PR and sales orientated marketing activities on behalf of the DCB as well as providing in-depth research services to identify meeting planners that have the potential to take their conferences and events to Dresden. Mrs Yvonne Coulin said ... "With the appointment of Watterston Associates, we aim to broaden the UK's knowledge of Dresden as a conference destination and are looking forward to securing more international association and corporate meetings as a result of this collaboration." (Watterston Associates) Australia Conference Facilities Expanded The Cairns Colonial Club Resort’s award-winning conference and catering facilities have expanded with the introduction of an exclusive dining room and kitchen. Designed to fulfil growing demand for private meeting and event space, the Director of Sales & Marketing, Mr Paolo Gambino of Cairns Colonial Club Resort, said its new dining room is both ambient and practical and will greatly benefit its corporate market. Formerly the resort’s signature restaurant, Jardine’s, this upstairs dining area located within the purpose-built conference centre, has been seamlessly incorporated into existing event space. “From now on, clients have the added option of hosting their event in this wonderfully private dining room and can take full advantage of the former restaurant’s upgraded kitchen facilities and award-winning cuisine,” said Mr Gambino. (Pip Miller PR) Update: July 06, 2008 [1 Story] Spain On Target For Congress & Convention Market With its opening scheduled for October 2008, the Eurostars Madrid Tower is already positioning itself as one of the best options for the staging of congresses and conventions in the Spanish capital. In fact, the Eurostars Hotels establishment has already received several requests for holding events from Spanish companies and from others in the major MICE sector markets. The Eurostars Madrid Tower completes the Spanish capital’s ample trade fair and congress offer. The hotel occupies one of the spectacular buildings in the Cuatro Torres (Four Towers) Business Area, the new business estate situated on the Castellana avenue. Within this same complex, the City of Madrid International Conventions Centre will be built, becoming the largest congress facility in Spain and one of the largest in Europe. The hotel will provide a space of over 2,500 m2 for meetings and receptions, amongst which an outstanding feature is the 1,760m2 hall without columns, a multi-functional area ideal for organizing events of all kinds. The ample meeting room offer is completed with exclusive restaurant services, permitting menus to be customized to meet the requirements of each event. Of the 474 guestrooms that will be available, the 25 junior suites measuring some 60m2 are noteworthy, as is the 80m2 executive suite and the presidential suite with a surface area of over 100m2. The Eurostars Madrid Tower occupies 31-floors of the impressive SyV Tower, 235 metres high, a spectacular job by architects Enrique Álvarez Sala and Carlos Rubio Carvajal. (Hotusa Group Communications Department) Update: July 04, 2008 [1 Story] Fiji Incentive Trend Trumps Conferences The potential for meetings and conference business has undoubtedly inspired the development of many new international hotel and events facilities in recent years, however new figures for 2008 reveal that incentive holidays have been the flavour of the first 6-months with enquiries and bookings on the rise for the Fiji Islands. Director of Conferences and Incentives for the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Natalie Brumniach said Fiji is now attracting more incentives than conferences from the Australian market. “The Australian market has been spurred on by the fact that our dollar is so strong at the moment, and the corporate market is certainly taking advantage of the fact,” said Ms Brumniach. “People in Australia and the Asia Pacific are definitely looking beyond. Short haul overseas destinations like Fiji are proving immensely popular and are an ideal stopover point, particularly for those dipping their toe in the international incentive and conference arena for the very first time.” Regional Manager for Accor Hotels and Resorts in Fiji, Paul Archer, said strong demand from both the corporate and leisure markets has made it possible for the Accor network to expand its profile in a short space of time with four hotels - Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Novotel Nadi (previously Mocambo), Mercure Hotel Nadi and most recently the Tradewinds Hotel & Conference Centre. “Fiji’s domestic business has been strong enough to warrant the addition of a dedicated Sales Manager for Accor Hotels within the Fiji Islands and servicing the local MICE market," Mr Archer said. (Accor Asia Pacific) Update: July 03, 2008 [3 Stories] Malaysia Convention Centre Achieves BrandLaureate Proving the successful combination of Malaysian talent and an international edge, the 3-year-old Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has acquired another feather in its cap with its recent coup of The BrandLaureate Awards 2007-2008 for brand excellence in Product Branding - Convention Centre. The BrandLaureate Awards, also known as the Grammy Awards for Branding, recognises the best brands from Malaysia and the Asia Pacific, covers various industries and categories; from multinationals to government-linked and public-listed companies. Organised by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation, winners are determined based on a stringent 300-point judging criteria which covers brand strategy, brand culture, brand communication, brand equity and performance. On the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre's win and its efforts in creating a Malaysian brand of international standing, Peter Brokenshire, General Manager of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, said the Centre's achievement is a true Malaysian success story. (TQPR (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd) England ACC Liverpool To Host 2010 AIPC Conference Representatives of the world’s leading convention centres are heading for ACC Liverpool after it has won a bid to host the 2010 AIPC conference. The event, which is attended by CEOs and senior managers from the world’s most prestigious venues, is regarded as a major coup for ACC Liverpool, home of the BT Convention Centre, coming so soon after the venue’s January opening. The AIPC - the International Association of Congress Centres - represents 160 members in more than 53 countries across the world and has held its conference in cities including Quebec, Edinburgh, Montpellier, Graz and Singapore, where this year’s event is currently happening. The announcement was made by Jacquie Rogers, General Manager of the BT Convention Centre. "ACC Liverpool has been open for just a few months and we have strived to make the facility world-class in every way. "It is a real vote of confidence that after such a short time we’re able to make an announcement of this magnitude." ACC Liverpool, the £164-million development on the King’s Waterfront, opened in January 2008. As well as the state-of-the-art BT Convention Centre, it also comprises the 10,600-seat Echo Arena. The BT Convention Centre features a 1,350-seat auditorium, 18 breakout rooms and 7,000sqm of exhibition space. ACC Liverpool’s partners are Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Vision, national regeneration agency English Partnerships, the European Objective One programme and the North West Regional Development Agency. (Paver Smith & Co) Australia Record Month For SC&EC Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre has reported its busiest ever month for national association meetings - an achievement which reflects the venue’s continued popularity amongst local meeting organisers. Centre Chief Executive Ton van Amerongen said the venue hosted twelve major Australian association meetings during May this year, the highest number ever held in one month, earning a record level of revenue. The meetings ranged from a Master Builders event for 150 guests through to the 1,500-delegate ANZCA - Annual Scientific Meeting. In all, almost 8,000 delegates attended the twelve meetings held during the month. Mr van Amerongen said the record reflected the enduring appeal of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre as a meetings venue. “Everyone loves holding a meeting in Sydney, and we continue to get great feedback on the experience the Centre delivers,” he said. “Organisers appreciate not only our professionalism and expertise, but also the way the Centre embraces its Sydney setting and gives an edge to their meetings.” He said the final 6-months of 2008 will be busy with the Centre hosting a range of large meetings including the 3,500-delegate XII International Congress of Transplantation Society in August, a 1,000-delegate World Youth Day event in July and the 1,500-delegate Conference of the Western Pacific Association of Critical Care Medicine in October. (MG Media Communications) Update: July 02, 2008 [4 Stories] France Paris To Host Cardiology Congress Experts from all over the world will gather for the European Society of Cardiology Congress in August 2011 at the convention centre in Paris Nord Villepinte, to share their knowledge, hear the latest in new treatments and stay abreast withdevelopments in treatment, medical devices and imaging. This appointment is particularly valued by Professor Michel Komajda from the Pitié Salpetrière Hospital in Paris, who as President-elect of the ESC, will preside over the society in 2011. Professor Komajda said ...“Although the location is idyllic and should undoubtedly be a great hit with our delegates, what remains paramount is that cardiologists convene from all over the world to exchange experiences. "The globalisation of scientific and medical research is a positive evolution. An international forum like the ESC Congress allows cardiologists to learn about the latest developments which they can then apply back in their home countries to the benefit of their patients.” The ESC Congress 2011 will bring over 600 hours of science and education delivered by 3,000 world renowned speakers, with nearly 10,000 abstracts submitted and an exhibition of 25,000sqm, making it the prime meeting platform for the profession. The European Society of Cardiology expects around 30,000 participants to gather in Paris in 2011. Last year’s congress held in Vienna registered more than 23 thousand delegates, over 5,600 industry representatives, 564 journalists who attended 14 press conferences and over 700 spouses and accompanying persons. (European Society of Cardiology) Australia Warrnambool Conference Facility Opens Next Month Warrnambool’s newest luxury resort - Mantra Deep Blue - is set to open its brand new state-of-the-art conference facility on August 1, 2008 - heralding the arrival of the Great Ocean Road’s largest conference and events venue. Regarded as the only international standard resort on the western gateway to Victoria’s famous Shipwreck Coast - Mantra Deep Blue - combines the best of both worlds: opulence and eco-friendliness, and is ideally located on the peninsula between Lady Bay and Stingray Bay on Warrnambool’s majestic coastline. The soon to be opened conference and events facility at Mantra Deep Blue will offer two spacious function rooms capable of seating up to 250 people in banquet-style and 400 people cocktail-style - when both function rooms combined. The facility also boasts an executive boardroom which can comfortably accommodate up to 20 people as well as state of the art audio visual options and a wide range of theming options. (Tyrrell Publicity And Promotions) Australia Darwin Celebrates Opening Of Convention Amidst a week-long celebration of spectacular laser light shows, dancing jet skis, and inspirational fireworks, the Darwin Convention Centre officially opened its doors to the world. Over 17,000 Territorians headed to the Darwin Waterfront to view Australia’s newest convention centre and experience why Darwin is becoming the one of the most popular meeting destinations in Australia. Northern Territory Chief Minister, Mr Paul Henderson, said the convention centre was a tribute to the people who believe in Darwin’s strong vibrant future and the commitment of all Territorians to make Darwin a great place to live and work. “The opening of the new jewel in the Territory’s crown marks a new era in Darwin’s economy, and it’s already delivering beyond expectations.” The celebrations culminated with a gala dinner featuring local talents the Kenbi dancers, Gurumul Yunupingu and Fiona O’Loughlin, and sensational performances by Laserman and one of the great voices of Australian music, Vanessa Amorosi. Darwin has captured the attention of global conference organisers with 38 confirmed conventions estimated to attract 20,000 delegates to Darwin through to 2011. The Centre will put Darwin City firmly on the global map as a top destination for meetings and conferences. “We are delighted with the results to date and look forward to securing more business for the future,” said the Centre’s General Manager, Ms Malu Barrios. (Darwin Convention Centre) Bahrain Gulf Air Flies Higher With Bahrain Expo Authority Gulf Air and Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) have announced that Gulf Air will be the official carrier for all events organised by BECA in Bahrain and abroad. Speaking after the signing of the agreement, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Bjorn Naf said that the airline and BECA have entered into a strategic alliance aimed at boosting the Kingdom's position as a leading destination for corporate meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions. "As the only national carrier of the Kingdom, we are constantly looking at ways to promote Bahrain to the world and bring the world to the kingdom," said Mr Naf. "Our alliance with BECA will surely have significant and positive impact on this initiative." Ms Stanford-Kristiansen, BECA's Acting Chief Executive Officer, said that she was delighted with the partnership with Gulf Air. “Bahrain has already established itself as a leading financial centre in the Middle East and a major destination for conferences and exhibitions. "This strategic alliance is an effective mechanism for Bahrain to gain access to more markets as BECA and Gulf Air are dedicated to the highest standards in all areas of our operations.” Pictured: Ms Stanford-Kristiansen and Mr Naf with BECA and Gulf Air staff at the signing ceremony held at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre. (Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority) Update: June 30, 2008 [2 Stories] Australia SCVB Boosts Its Overseas Team The Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) has expanded its business development teams in London and Hong Kong as it mounts an intensified push into key international markets. Sue Wilkes (top picture) has been appointed Director of Business Development, UK and Europe, and will work in conjunction with the SCVB's London-based representative Axis Sales and Marketing. Sue is the first full-time Europe representative employed solely by the SCVB and will be responsible for building new relationships with international associations and developing new business in one of the bureau's most important markets. Sue has extensive experience in the Australian events and tourism sectors and was previously Manager NSW/ACT for ICMS Pty Ltd, based in Sydney. She is a past Director of Sales and Operations for Global Events and Conferences and Event Manager for the Harvey Events Group, and has held training consultancy and resort manager roles in Queensland. Bondie Fung (pictured) has been appointed Business Development Executive, Asia, based in the SCVB's Hong Kong office. Bondie will support the bureau's Business Development Manager, Asia, Sinead Yeo, in mounting increased sales missions in China and other rapidly growing Asian markets. Bondie spent 7-years in the travel industry before becoming Commercial Services Manager of ICI Group where she was responsible for organising corporate conferences and exhibitions for the company's Hong Kong and China offices. More recently Bondie has worked in the Hong Kong offices of Tourism Victoria and the Singapore Tourism Board. (MG Media Communications) Australia A Record For Recycling - And Visitor Numbers Sydney’s Good Food & Wine Show broke new records not only for visitors, but also for waste management, with Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre recycling more than 80% of waste produced during the 3-days. With UK chef Gordon Ramsay as the headline act, this year’s show, on June 20-22, attracted more than 50,000 visitors - almost double that of 2007 - and recorded the highest resource recovery rate of any exhibition held at the Centre. As part of its ongoing campaign to reduce the environmental impact of exhibitions, the Centre partnered with event organiser Diversified Exhibitions Australia to educate visitors and the 300-plus exhibitors about the show’s aim of reducing, recycling and reusing waste generated by the event. Exhibitors and visitors were provided with detailed information on how waste from the event, such as untreated timber, steel/aluminium, cooking oil and cardboard, would be sorted, processed and recovered after the show at the UR-3R Facility in Sydney’s Eastern Creek. Visitors were encouraged to reduce and recycle waste by using the Centre’s three-bin recycling and waste stations positioned throughout the exhibition halls, and the on-site wine bottle crushing systems supplied by BottleCycler. Meanwhile, waste was monitored throughout the event by a dedicated team of Centre staff dressed in easily recognisable green-coloured shirts that read “Working Towards Zero Waste” – a slogan created specifically for the show. Centre Operations Support Manager Rohit Maini said he was delighted with the outcome of the recycling initiatives adopted at the show, which resulted in the diversion from landfill of more than 15 tonnes of cardboard, 3.5 tonnes of glass (18,000 bottles), 11 tonnes of general waste, 2 tonnes of untreated timber, and 34 tonnes of recyclable food waste. (MG Media Communications) Update: June 29, 2008 [1 Story] Australia Participation In Shanghai World Expo 2010 Australia will this week sign the official Contract of Participation for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The Shanghai World Expo will take place between May 1 and October 31, 2010. More than 170 countries and 30 international organisations are expected to take part and it is estimated that the Expo will attract more than 70-million visitors. This important step formalises Australia's commitment to what will be the biggest World Expo in history and follows the Government's commitment of $61-million in this year's Federal Budget. The Commonwealth will also seek a further $22-million in funding from corporate sponsorships and partnerships with the States and Territories. The Trade Minister, Simon Crean, visited the site of the Shanghai World Expo during his trip to China in April 2008, including meeting with China's Commissioner General for the Expo, Ambassador Hua Junduo. "For Australian companies, the Expo represents a wealth of opportunities. There will be opportunities for companies to participate in trade missions, business networking events and sectoral promotions, to become corporate sponsors and to take part in the project's procurement process," said Mr Crean. The centrepiece of Australia's presence will be a high-impact, high-capacity pavilion, which will engage, educate and entertain an expected seven million visitors over the 184 days of the expo. (Government of Australia) Update: June 26, 2008 [1 Story] The Netherlands Cycle-Europe Touches Base At ICCA HQ On Monday, June 23 Jon Bradshaw and Marco Barcella touched first base at ICCA Head Office in Amsterdam, as part of their Cycle-Europe project. ICCA supported their initiative by providing its Head Office to host a reception. On June 19, 2008 Jon and Marco left London on their quest to raise GBP 20,000 (EUR 28,000) for European stroke charities with a goal of cycling 3,000 miles (4,800 km) in 91-days through 9 European countries. With a Match the Miles fundraising initiative, supporters are challenged to race Jon and Marco around Europe by matching the 3,000 miles they will complete with donations; GBP 5 sponsors 1 mile. To make a donation to help younger stroke victims throughout Europe, go to www.cycle-europe2008.com and press the red donate button at the top of the page. For more information on Cycle Europe visit: www.cycle-europe2008.com. (International Congress & Convention Association) Update: June 25, 2008 [2 Stories] Australia New Business Development Manager Central Apartments & Hotels has appointed Heidi Merchant to the role of Business Development Manager to support the new business growth of its conferencing venue offerings in Brisbane. With more than 14-years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Heidi’s capabilities span across the conference, accommodation and gaming sectors, including managing sales budgets, investigating new business opportunities and effectively maintaining client relationships. Prior to her role with Central, Heidi held the positions of Conference Sales Executive and Accommodation Sales Agent for Brisbane’s Royal on the Park Hotel. Heidi has also held supervising positions at Club Crocodile Airlie Beach and Long Island Resorts. She holds a Diploma of Hospitality Management and a Certificate in Executive Sales Training. (prgallery) Australia New Era Of Conference And Event Facilities Melbourne's newest and largest multi purpose accommodation and events facility - Rydges Bell City - is set to open in Melbourne's inner northern suburb of Preston on September 1, 2008 heralding the arrival of one of Melbourne's largest inner suburban conference facilities. Out of Bell City will emerge a new state-of-the-art conference facility the Bell City Event Centre with 21 different function rooms and event spaces, including a ballroom able to cater for up to 450 delegates, and spread across 2.75 hectares of the new $240 million dollar landmark Bell City development. Bell City is an important addition to Melbourne's meetings infrastructure, catering for the small to medium Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions market with all conference rooms and facilities officially opening on September 1. Located centrally between the Melbourne CBD and the Tullamarine International Airport - the new Bell City precinct will be the most exciting development to open in Melbourne's Northern suburbs, especially for the corporate market. The centre is well placed to meet a range of budgets and needs - offering a resort environment with the convenience of a city location capable of catering for up to 450 guests in the new Bell City Ballroom facility. In addition to the Ballroom - Bell City boasts a unique permanent marquee area which extends over 700sqm. A central garden courtyard area is also available for all occasions, including; afternoon teas, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, cocktail functions, weddings and pre-dinner drinks. Bell City offers 383 new 4.5-Star self contained hotel rooms in the East Tower and 444 3-Star economy rooms in the West Tower and is capable of carrying a total guest and resident population of 1500 at any one time. (Tyrrell Publicity And Promotions) Back to Front Page