MICEtalk

Rs. 100

A DDP Publication 56 Pages

India meets Canada in Goa

Green Venues MICE experience in South Korea Are you

Travel Insured?

Volume III

Issue 7

July 2012

DDP Publications Private Limited New Delhi: 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi 110001, India Tel: +91-11-23731971, 23710793, 23716318, Fax: +91-11-23351503 E-mail: micetalk@ddppl.com Mumbai: 504 Marine Chambers, 43 New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020 Tel: +91-22-22070129, 22070130 Fax: +91-22-22070131 E-mail: mumbai@ddppl.com UAE: P.O. Box: 9348, Sharjah, UAE Tel: +971-6-5573508, Fax: +971-6-5573509 E-mail: uae@ddppl.com All information in MICEtalk is derived from sources, which we consider reliable. Information is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The contents of this publication contain views of authors and are not the views of DDP Publications.

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Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission would face legal action.

Focus Canada – India 2012 Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa Publisher

SanJeet

Editorial Director

Rupali Narasimhan

Editor

Deepa Sethi

DELHI: Associate Editor

Ipshita Sengupta Nag

Editorial enquiries and enquiries concerning the reproduction of articles should be emailed to ipshita@ddppl.com, advertising and circulation enquiries should be e-mailed to gunjan@ddppl.com

Desk Editor

Neelam Singh

Sub Editor

Divya Goyal

The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning unsolicited material nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged in transit. Any material submitted to MICEtalk will not be returned.

The publisher reserves the rights to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisements Code as well as the Advertisements Code of South Asia. The publisher will not be liable for any damage or loss caused by the late publication, error or failure or advertisement or editorial to appear.

Design

Alpana Khare Neeraj Aggarwal Neeraj Nath

Advertising

Gunjan Sabikhi Prem Sagar

Production Manager

Anil Kharbanda

MICEtalk is printed, published and owned by SanJeet, 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi -110001 and is printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt. Ltd. B-62/14, Phase-II, Naraina Industrial Area, New Delhi - 110 028

Circulation Manager

Ashok Rana

MUMBAI: Advertising

Harshal Ashar

MICEtalk July 2012

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contents

36

14 Cover Story

Green Convention Venues

8 Facts 22 MICE Country South Korea

28 MICE City

Brno, Czech Republic

34 MICE venue

Borneo Convention Centre Sarawak, Malaysia

12 39

38 MICE Hotel

Holiday Inn Cochin

40 Success Story

Focus Canada-India 2012

44 Special Venue

QBA Bar and Restaurant

46 Solutions

Are you Travel Insured?

48 Technology

29

Guest Column by Darren Edwards Invisage Creative Services

50 People on the Move 52 Checklist 54 Events

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41

reader’s

page Dear Reader, The tourism sector that has not been affected by the slow-down, according to all industry spokespeople, is the MICE industry… it continues to expand – the only change that has come around is that hotel stays have reduced, instead of three days business trips last only two. In addition, mid-size hotels are burgeoning because of their popularity and monetary value; and amidst all this steps in the responsibility of saving our environment…

Green is the colour of our times! Hotels, convention centres, airlines, even restaurants and pubs around the world are working on the most innovative methods to outdo each other in offsetting their carbon footprints and saving the environment. Read all about how MICE event venues in Canada, Ireland, Australia and Malaysia work towards a clean world and help their clients take care of environment issues.

We went around the world for MICE this time to get you information on the cities of Brno in the Czech Republic, Sarawak in Malaysia, Kochi in India and some fascinating places in South Korea.

In addition we have the regular columns - news and facts about the global MICE industry. A check-list (on green events), an exclusive column by our expert, on technology used by today’s Gen-Y for their events, and solutions from corporates and agents on how to overcome problematic situations that can develop during an otherwise perfect event.

Write to micetalk.com about what else you would like us to explore and read about in the next few issues of MICEtalk and let us be your guide for your events to come…

Stay with us!

Deepa Sethi Editor

to the editor...

It is an excellent tool for corporate companies to focus on new destinations that are best suited for MICE. We have had a year long advertising campaign in MICEtalk and a feature on Jordan and are happy with the response from the readers. It has been a phenomenal experience!

Ashish Sharma PR & Marketing Consultant (India) Jordan Tourism Board

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facts

facts

Reed Exhibitions changes BoothPricing Model

In a dramatic shift away from expo-industry booth-pricing norms, Reed Exhibitions will now sell booths based on location, attributes and timing instead of square-footage. Nancy Walsh, Reed EVP, described this as a pricing initiative that allows customers to select space based on what they most value.

Fiona Jeffrey Chairman WTM honoured

The Chairman of World Travel Market Fiona Jeffery has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year’s Honours list of Queen Elizabeth II. Jeffery’s award is for her services to the travel and tourism industry during her 26 years at the World Travel Mart. She became a part of the marketing department of Reed Exhibitions in 1986.

She joined the marketing department of Reed Exhibitions in 1986 and became Group Marketing Manager in 1988, before being promoted to Marketing Director in 1991. In 1992, Jeffery helped launch Arabian Travel Market before becoming WTM Exhibition Director and then assumed the same role for British Travel Trade Fair in 1996.

In 2000, she was appointed WTM Managing Director before assuming her current role of WTM Chairman in 2008.

Spain to host 16th Meetings and Incentive Travel Mart

The 16th edition of MITM Euromed, Meetings and Incentive Travel Market will take place this year, from Oct 3-5 at the Granada Exhibition and Conference Centre in Spain.

The 4th edition of CULTOURFAIR will take place simultaneously with MITM. The GSAR Marketing is inviting MICE buyers from Europe and tour operators and travel agents from all over the world to attend both fairs. Both events are sponsored by the Granada Tourism Authority and Granada Exhibition and Conference Centre.

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MICEtalk July 2012

According to Walsh, people are willing to pay more for the things they truly value. Some will want to be at the center of the hall, whereas others will want to be near the food-and-beverage stations. Some will want to book early and save and some will want to go for a blowout position through sheer size.

Singapore Asia’s top MICE city: ICCA

According to the latest global ranking by the ICCA, Singapore has maintained its position as Asia’s Top Convention City for the 10th year in the running.

This city has witnessed a robust performance in the MICE industry, which saw a 46 per cent yearon-year growth in the number of conventions, conferences and tradeshows in 2011.

According to Neeta Lachmandas, Assistant Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the success can be attributed to several factors, which include a vibrant eco-system that nurtures business events, the dynamic growth in Asia, and most importantly, the dedication of Singapore’s MICE industry partners.

facts

Melbourne to host World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development in 2014 Melbourne has won the right to host 2000 delegates from around the world at the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development in 2014. This important event for Victoria will attract 2000 delegates and inject an estimated AUD 7.6 million into the state’s economy.

The Ministry of Tourism, Melbourne, Australia, sees this as a great opportunity to showcase the extensive development work of social welfare policy and service delivery undertaken in Victoria. The Conference would be jointly hosted by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). The conference will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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facts

Qatar Airways joins ICCA

facts

Adelaide Convention Centre to continue marketing with Suntec International

Singapore-based Suntec International has renewed its sales and marketing agreement with Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC). Under the contract, Suntec will spearhead efforts to attract more meetings and events from Asia for Adelaide.

The ACC is currently undergoing a US$350 million redevelopment programme. The first stage of the redevelopment, due for completion in 2014, will see an additional 4,300 sqm of convention, function and meeting space as well as a new ballroom. The second stage, which is expected to complete by 2017, will include a 3,500-seat plenary space.

Sarawak to host ICCA Asia Pacific educational seminar

The ICCA Asia Pacific Educational Seminar (APES), in conjunction with the annual ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Client/Supplier Business Workshop, will take place from July 4-6, 2012, at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).

The event, hosted by Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) and ICCA, with supporting partners Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) and AOS Convention & Events (AOSCE), is expected to showcase speakers who are key opinion leaders from international associations around the world and key ICCA members to share best practices, current trends and provide a platform to exchange ideas, in line with the theme, “Carving a Niche in the Meetings Industry�.

Entry to the workshop is open to all industry partners. Free seats are available on a first-comefirst-serve basis and for members of ICCA, of which exceeding numbers of free seats will be charged RM 120 per participant.

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MICEtalk July 2012

Qatar Airways has become a member of ICCA. This will benefit the airline in promoting its business in Qatar and also as a global carrier flying MICE traffic to destinations around the world.

The award-winning airline currently operates to over 100 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America, flying a modern fleet of more than 100 aircraft. MICE operators choosing to fly with the airline will now have a wider choice of destinations to choose from and will also be able to benefit from the greater flexibility and increased frequency on offer.

The airline is capitalising on the burgeoning hospitality sector in the State of Qatar, encouraging event organisers and related MICE companies to bring their business to the Gulf state to enjoy a Five-Star experience.

ACTE seeks new Executive Director

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) is looking for a new executive director following the resignation of Ron DiLeo, who leaves on 01 December 2012.

A search committee for the position has been created which is being co-chaired by ACTE Board member Leigh Bochicchio and former ACTE president Ron Wagner. Information about the position posting and selection process will be available on the ACTE website. Over the next several months, ACTE will finalise its decision and share an announcement with ACTE members and the public.

Vienna the most popular MICE city for the 7th year in succession

Vienna tops the ICCA rankings for 2011, as the number one destination worldwide, for congresses. The Austrian capital staged 181 events in 2011, putting it at the top of the worldwide league of congress cities. This is the seventh year in a succession that Vienna has stolen the show from its other famous counterparts like Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Singapore, Madrid, London, Amsterdam, Istanbul and Beijing.

facts

Le Meridien debuts in Algeria

AIBTM heads for Chicago in 2013

Reed Exhibition’s The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition (AIBTM), launched last year in Baltimore, will head out of town next year to start a rotation between Chicago and Orlando. Choose Chicago, the Windy City’s convention and visitors bureau, will host AIBTM on June 11-13, 2013 and in 2014, the event that pairs suppliers with hosted buyers, will move to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center on June 10-12.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced the opening of the first Le Meridien hotel in Algeria with the opening of Le Meridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre. Owned by Sonatrach, the

facts

Air France & KLM plan in-flight Wi-Fi and mobile texting

hotel is part of a mixed-use development, which includes an adjacent conference and exhibition centre, an esplanade and an oceanfront promenade. Located on Algeria’s north-western Mediterranean coast, Le Meridien Oran sits on a cliff offering breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Le Meridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre houses the largest meeting facility in North Africa with nearly 30,000 sq. ft of flexible meeting and event space, including two ballrooms, a pre-function area and 23 meeting rooms. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the convention centre houses an auditorium with 3,000 seating capacity.

For further information and to book, visit www.lemeridien.com/oran .

London’s Olympic preparedness

With London Olympics just around the corner, the city is ready to welcome more visitors with some of its unique offers. Google, for instance, has now added the London underground to all its maps to cater to the Olympics preparedness.

The city is also offering a free travel card as part of each Olympics Event ticket sold and has opened an entirely new high speed underground line, the Javelin, to ensure that people reach the Olympics Village in 15 minutes flat from their respective underground stations. Visitors will also have Wi-Fi access on London underground stations.

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MICEtalk July 2012

Air France and KLM are to trial in-flight Wi-Fi and mobile phone data services, in partnership with Panasonic Avionics, with the intention of eventually extending the service across their long-haul fleets. It will enable passengers to access Wi-Fi internet services, as well as send and receive text messages and emails via mobile phone. This trial service will be conducted in 2013 on two B777-300 aircraft; one operated by each airline and will be available to all classes of passengers. A feedback will then be taken from passengers regarding this service.

Rotary International Convention 2014 relocated to Sydney Olympic Park

The Rotary International has confirmed that its 2014 Rotary International Convention event will remain in Australia’s global city, but will re-locate from Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC) to Sydney Olympic Park. Sydney had to resubmit an extensive proposal (although it won the event in 2006) showcasing Sydney Olympic Park as the host venue, due to the closure of SCEC for the Sydney International Convention and Exhibition Precinct (SICEEP) development.

The 2014 Rotary International Convention will be held in June and is expected to attract up to 18,000 delegates and deliver an economic impact of $60.5 million to the state. It is a strong demonstration that Sydney is well and truly open for business – even during the SICEEP development period.

cover story

Green Venues The Corporate Choice Divya Goyal

MICE venues across the world today have become more aware about their responsibility towards the environment. An increasing number of them are adopting sustainable practices to offer a more eco-friendly event experience. As the host of thousands of visitors every year, each of these venues is consciously trying to minimise the impact of these congregations on the environment.

Many of these efforts have been lauded internationally and the reason why these venues are drawing attention from the more environment-conscious groups. MICEtalk decided to check out some of these venues for their ‘green fingers’…

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre Since 2008, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) has been adjusting staff behaviour and operational practices in line with standards required by EarthCheck. Further, as a way of helping clients lower the carbon footprint of their event or simply become more aware of green industry practices, GCCEC has put together a comprehensive step-by-step guide, namely the ‘Green Events Guide’.

Eco-friendly Practices • 86 Fan Coil Units are used for cooling which utilise Variable Speed Devices to draw minimum power • Located within walking distance from more than 2,000 accommodation rooms, thus ending the need for delegates to travel by car to and from their conference • GCCEC has put together a comprehensive step-bystep guide to help clients lower the carbon footprints generated by their event • 100 per cent recycled paper is used in all printers and faxes and ink cartridges are recycled • External and stair tread LED lights have cut electricity consumption from approximately 18W to 3W per unit • Taps in the Centre are fitted with flow restriction devices and water sensors are installed in all bathrooms (containing automated sensor lights) resulting in reduction of water consumption from approximately 30 litres to six litres per minute • The Centre has a herb garden at the back-of-the house to flavour its cuisine and menus with 85 per cent locally grown and organic ingredients • Unopened food packages are donated to local charity organisations • GCCEC works with local suppliers to change the way goods are being packaged and delivered. Most suppliers use cardboard boxes that are recycled on site

Green Certification • Accredited silver by EarthCheck

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MICEtalk July 2012

Lighting at MCEC • 18-metre tall glass façade fronting the Yarra River fills the foyer and pre-function spaces with natural light • Lighting operates on occupancy sensors, local switching and day light sensors; dimming of light depending on natural light.

Enhancing Ventilation • Radiant slab heating and cooling is deployed • Carpets, paints, adhesives and sealants are low in Volatile Organic Compounds to enhance indoor air quality

Sustainability Measures • Only 56 Australian Eucalyptus trees from a sustainable source were used to cover 8,500 sq mts of timber veneer panelling in the plenary, foyer and grand banquet room • Solar heated water in public amenities • MCEC has the first privately-owned black-water recycling plant, treating waste water, rain water and storm water to Grade-A quality for use in toilets, cooling towers and irrigation of surrounding landscapes Event planners at MCEC can assist with planning a green event; helping tick off important environmental aspects such as waste and water, paper and printing, energy, travel and ensuring decreased food miles with produce and wine sourced locally from across Victoria.

Green Certification • ‘6-Star Green Star’ environmental rating from the Green Building Council of Australia • Accredited silver by EarthCheck

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre To inculcate environment-friendly practices, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) encourages delegates to participate in coastal regeneration programmes along Victoria’s Surf Coast. Melbourne has also devised a plethora of innovative methods for planning low-carbonimpact events. One such is Melbourne Convention Visitors Bureau’s complimentary Carbon Calculator, which calculates the carbon emissions of events held in Melbourne and provides advice on offsetting carbon emissions.

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cover story

Icy Chill • An ice-making machine is used to save energy, where ice is used via air conditioning unit to cool the building during peak hours • Escalators in the Centre have been programmed to run only when pedestrians step onto the escalator thresholds • Changes have been introduced to reduce electricity consumption by 7 per cent

Frugal Water Use • Sensor taps have been installed in all public toilets to minimise wastage of water •M ore than 50 per cent of the waste generated by the Centre is recycled

Waste Management • A six-acre ‘living roof ’ which comprises thousands of indigenous plants, recovers rainwater for irrigation • Waste water is discharged into municipal systems and no protected areas are affected by water discharge or runoff • Waste product is either recycled or disposed off through certified waste contractors or accredited service providers • Hazardous waste is safely disposed off at legitimate sites •O il is recycled •F ood waste is treated, processed/grinded into small particles through a food disposal unit which is then disposed off into the sewer system

Green Certification • ISO 22000 • I SO 9001 • ISO 140001

International Convention Centre Durban The hi-tech design of International Convention Centre Durban (ICC) incorporates green elements and complies with the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, National Water Act 36 of 1998 and National Health Act of 63 of 1977. It offers conferencing solutions with limited environmental impacts and those which reduce the negative impact of their activities on nature.

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s (KLCC) ‘green’ journey began in July 2005, when it decided to benchmark its environmental performance against the UNWTO’s recognised sustainable travel and tourism Green Globe 21 Company Standards (GG21). The convention centre strives towards arranging for the best eco-friendly practices in Malaysia.

Eco-friendly Practices • 3R Campaign – Reduce wastage, Re-use and Recycle, where possible • Colour-coded bins at the Centre facilitate the separation of batteries, plastic, glass, metal and paper for disposal • Design and production of backdrops and props is such that they can be re-used with minimal alteration and remnants of timber and pipes from exhibitions are brought back to the in-house workshop to be used again

Energy Conservation • Floor to ceiling glass windows make the most of natural light in all the pre-function areas • Lighting system extinguishes lights in function rooms and exhibition halls, except those required for emergency management purposes, when not required • Energy-saving light-emitting diodes (LED) are used throughout the venue • A specially designed Variable Speed Drive (VSD) or inverter system regulates the escalators and air conditioners so they automatically stop or slow down when not in use or a drop in the temperature is detected • Battery-operated forklifts and burden vehicles (buggies) are used within the premises to reduce fuel consumption

Biodegradable and Eco-friendly Products • The Centre is also progressively moving towards 100 per cent biodegradable cleaning chemicals • Environment-friendly norms are followed even for corporate gifts • Pencils instead of pens are provided for all meetings and conferences • Locally sourced sustainable produces are used in the menu; this has cut down on air flown imports • Clients are encouraged to use water stations instead of individual bottles to reduce water usage per guest

Carbon Offsets • The Centre supports Forest Research Institute of Malaysia’s (FRIM) Conservation Culture Programme and through this and their support of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s (MyCEB) ‘Let’s Meet & Green’ programme, the Centre has sponsored planting of 290 trees to date • It also encourages clients to participate in the MyCEB ‘Let’s Meet & Green’ programme whereby international delegates attending business tourism events in Malaysia can contribute a minimum of USD10, as part of their event registration, towards FRIM’s tree-planting programme.

Green Certification • ISO 9001, 22000, 14001:2004 • OHSAS 18001 • EarthCheck (Bronze) certifications • AIPC-certified convention facility

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cover story

Vancouver Convention Centre The Vancouver Convention Centre has a strong commitment to economic, environmental and social responsibility.

Eco-friendly Practices • A sophisticated drainage and water recovery system, which has successfully reduced potable water use by 72.6 per cent • 83 per cent of construction waste has been diverted from landfill • The recycling programme recycles an average of 1,80,000 kg of material annually, nearly half of the total volume of waste generated • Purchases ‘green power’ electricity generated from low-impact renewable sources • A restored marine habitat has been built into the foundation of the building • A seawater heating and cooling system that takes advantage of the adjacent seawater to produce cooling for the building during warmer months and heating in cooler months • Local British Columbia wood products have been used throughout the building

F&B services at Vancouver Convention Centre • It makes use of fresh and local ingredients without additives • Avoids prepackaged canned goods • Utilises cutlery, china, glass and cloth napkins and serve nearly all condiments in bulk or reusable containers.

• ‘Happy Earth’ menus offer certified organic food options • It encourages the purveyors to deliver their goods in reusable containers and works with suppliers with a strong commitment to the environment

Green Certification • The West building of the convention centre has received LEED platinum rating • ‘Go Green’ certificates from the Building Owners and Managers Association for best environmental practices

Guidelines for the exhibitors, delegates and visitors: Waste Minimisation • Ensure that goods and supplies leftover from the event are shipped back at the conclusion of the event for re-use • Ensure that all items that are recyclable are recycled • Reduce waste and trash by ensuring that supplies and materials are re-usable and are ordered in appropriate quantities.

US Green Building Council Certification, LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health.

(Website: www.usgbc.org/LEED/) 18

MICEtalk July 2012

Food & Beverage Service • Serve water in cambros and glasses or compostable cups instead of disposable single use bottles •P rovide accurate numbers of guests for F&B service in order to reduce the risk of over-production • Ask the catering manager about options for local, seasonal menu items, and use their ORGANIC bins for food waste

cover story

Convention Centre Dublin Since its inception, the carbon neutral constructed convention centre, Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) has been committed to implementing an environmental policy, including information and guidance for event organisers on how to run a green event at the venue, as well as its online carbon calculator to help visitors to offset their carbon footprint.

Efficient Green Centre

Energy Conservation

• High efficiency heating and chilled-water systems recover 70 per • Meeting spaces are fitted with motion sensors, which cent of the energy from exhaust air, for reuse in the building automatically turn off lights when the room is empty • At CCD, electrical energy is generated from 100 per cent • Exterior lights use energy-saving LED bulbs and CCD plans to renewable resources replace all bulbs in larger meeting spaces with LED • It has established a target of recycling 85 percent of the building • Automatic sleep-mode activation for all PCs and equipment in waste the office • Features a sustainable thermal ice-storage system that has • Building design makes use of natural light in all foyer spaces and reduced the cooling cost of the building by an estimated 17 per small meeting rooms cent

Food Management • Food is sourced locally • Food and beverage packaging is recycled by the kitchen staff • CCD serves fair trade tea and coffee (Fair trade implies tea/coffee produced by ‘fair’ means, i.e., farmers work under fair conditions and get fair wages for their work and, in addition, farmers are encouraged to use their profits to attain organic certification) • 100 per cent recycled napkins and wooden stir sticks

Location

• A 10-minute walk from the city centre and is easily accessible by train, tram and bus services • With plenty of hotels, restaurants and entertainment within walking distance, delegates will automatically reduce their carbon emissions

Certification • ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and BS7499 from Certification Europe

Founded in 1987, EarthCheck is the world-leading environmental management system, used by over 1,000 organisations in more than 65 countries. This global programme recognises the commitment of hotels and conference centres to operate at the world’s highest environmental standard. (Website: http://www.earthcheck.org/)

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MICEtalk July 2012

MICE country

MICE experience in

South Korea South Korea has declared 2012 as the Korea Convention Year with the aim to establish itself as a prominent MICE destination in the world. The country is a perfect amalgamation of the traditional and contemporary and encompasses a gamut of experiences. The country has built a strong MICE infrastructure in recent years and is today confidently opening its door to discerning MICE travellers.

visa info VISA generally takes 3-4 working days. It is advised to apply for a visa at least 10-15 days in advance of the actual travel. The Korea Embassy has outsourced the visa application to VFS and their office in Nehru Place, New Delhi.

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MICEtalk July 2012

MICE country

S

outh Korea encompasses a wide range of facilities for business congregations; convention complexes for large contemporary or traditional events, Korean-themed venues for small meetings. South Korea, one of the global leaders in technology, is equipped with highly reliable, advanced IT infrastructure; this includes state-of-the-art videoconference systems and high-speed wireless internet access, with other technology support, that ensures an event runs smoothly.

Unexplored destination

Indians are now looking for new and unexplored destinations and Korea fully fits the bill; the country offers its visitors a multitude of experiences to choose from, be it its traditional culture, theme parks, world heritage sites, journey on the bullet train, etc. Korea has two of the largest indoor theme parks in the world which are Lotte World and Everland.

The Maritime city of Busan is fast catching up with Seoul to become one of the more popular MICE

Seoul has more than 16 convention facilities having a capacity of more than 1,000 people along with 155 professional convention organisers. destinations. The main credit for this goes to the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BEXCO, which has 92,761 square metres of space with seven floors and one underground level. This includes a singlestorey, pillar-free exhibition hall, which is the size of three soccer fields put together, a multi-function hall, conference rooms and open air exhibition venues.

The BEXCO can accommodate 7,800 delegates in its 37 conference rooms. Those looking for an

Facing Page and Below: Delegates participate in team building activities Bottom: Convensia Convention Centre

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MICE country

accessibility • Korean Air operates from Mumbai three days a week • Asiana Airlines operates from New Delhi three days a week • Air India flies four times a week via Hong Kong

unconventional setting for their programmes can head to the Nurimaru APEC House, which is located on the coast of the Dongbaek Island. BEXCO also has a strong support system in terms of accommodation for its guests. Haeundae Centurn Hotel, the Seacloud hotel and the Hanwha resort are some of the hotels that groups travelling to Korea usually choose. Each of these is located at a short distance from the BEXCO. The Jeju Island is another major region, that lures visitors because of its MICE facilities and scenic beauty. It is a volcanic Island and one of the “seven wonders of nature” of the world and is also called Hawaii of Korea. The main convention facility here is ICC Jeju, which is a seven storey structure in the Jungmun Tourist Complex of Jeju Island. While

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MICEtalk July 2012

The main regions which support business travellers with convention venues, accommodation and opportunities for post-event activities are Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon and Jeju. business may be your priority for visiting this island, you cannot stay unmoved by the breathtaking beauty of your surroundings. Away from the chaos and noise of modern cities, the tranquil of Jeju helps to relax the most overworked mind.

COEX, Seoul COEX is a leading convention and exhibition centre in Seoul and is well-known for its facilities.

It is part of a complex that includes business, shopping, and entertainment options as well as world-class convention and exhibition spaces which enables one-stop service under one roof.

It has a total of 51 meeting rooms that can be divided into 89 smaller ones. The largest hall can hold up to 7,000 people.

Cheonggyecheon is a popular place for recreation for business tourists coming to downtown Seoul

MICE country

assistance for MICE • Korea tourism maps will be provided to all groups of 10 members or more • The scope of support can be expanded for incentive tours/business conferences that are attended by VIPs including CEOs and senior government officials

Right: A scenic snowclad Ski Resort in South Korea

Standard Qualification Criteria • 10-19 participants: souvenirs provided.

• 50-99 participants: support upto W10,000 per person provided. (souvenirs, tour programms, airport welcome) • 100-999 participants: support upto W15,000 per person provided. (souvenirs, tour programms, airport welcome, performances) • 1000 and more participants: support upto W15,000 per person provided. (souvenirs, tour programms, airport welcome, performances, welcome speech) - Minimum requirement for financial support: no less than 10 people, duration of stay must be for two nights or longer.

- Additional support can be arranged for a larger group with 1,000 or more people through consultations.

- A welcome speech delivered by the KTO President or the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

South Korea Meeting Venues

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Region

Convention Facility

Seoul

COEX, KINTEX

Busan

BEXCO, Nurimaru APEC House, Busan Lotte Hotel, Paradise Hotel

Daegu

EXCO, Hotel Inter-Burgo, Hotel Novotel Daegu City Centre

Incheon

Songdo Convensia, Paradise Hotel Incheon, Incheon Royal Hotel, E6 Park Hotel

Gwangju

Kimdaejung Convention Center, Ramada Plaza Gwangju

Daejeon

The Daejeon Convention Center, Hotel Riviera Yuseong, Yousung Hotel, Hotel Spapia, Best Western Legend Hotel

Jeju

Jeju convention centre

MICEtalk July 2012

Food Options

A primary concern with Indian tourists visiting this part of the world is food. South Korea has 80 Indian Restaurants. They serve vegetarian food as well. Special needs for big groups can always be catered. Indian food can be easily made available for the group in Seoul.

Business travellers to South Korea can enjoy a number of sports and leisure activities, including water sports, paragliding, horse riding, skiing, golf and hiking. There is a special South Korean touch in everything; whether it is the theme parks, spas, night entertain ments and casinos, not to mention enjoy the uniqueness of a traditional Korean Folk Village.

Is it a surprise that the country is claiming a place amongst the topmost MICE destinations in the world?

The Korea MICE Bureau supports and encourages MICE activities in the country. The Korea Tourism Organisation takes care of all the requirements of groups travelling from India. It encourages groups to send their final travel plans at least a month in advance to avail of complete support from KTO.

accommodation in Seoul Most of the convention halls are connected with the hotels nearby and the hotels have sufficient room capacity. For example, COEX Intercontinental Seoul has 652 guest rooms and its largest meeting room has the seating capacity of 1,300 guests. Grand Hilton, Seoul, has 396 guest rooms and 2,214 is the seating capacity of its largest meeting room.

Exploring

Czech city Brno for MICE Ipshita Sengupta Nag

connectivity There are various airlines flying from India to Prague, or to Vienna. The journey from the Prague International Ruzyne Airport to Brno is two and a half hours by coach and the time taken from the Vienna Airport to Brno is one and a half hours. Brno’s international airport, Brno Turany Airport, connects to 20 international destinations.

The new departure hall that opened in 2006 is capable of handling 1,000 passengers per hour.

Cathedral of St. Peter, Brno

MICE city

The city of Prague generally walks away with the crème de la crème of MICE activities in the Czech Republic. Brno, which is the second largest city in the country, is slowly catching up with its more famous counterpart, by hosting a number of trade fairs and congresses.

There are many reasons to choose Brno for your next business trip; the venues, the magnificent sights, and not to mention the famous wine of the South Moravian region.

Grand Prix at the Masaryk Circuit

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hat is not known to many is that Brno can boast of an 80-year-old tradition of trade fairs and expositions and has the largest exhibition centre in Central Europe. One of the biggest international events hosted by the city is the Grand Prix that takes place at the Masaryk Circuit every year.

visa info To enter the Czech Republic, you need to have a valid Schengen visa, which can be obtained at the Consular office of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in India.

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MICE city

One of the largest convention facilities in Brno is the Trade Fair Brno Exhibition Centre. The complex consists of 15 pavilions, with a total area of 100, 000 sqm and can host up to 10,000 people in conference seating arrangement. Every year the venue hosts about 50 trade fairs or events with over 1 million visitors.

convention bureau support

Wannieck Gallery, Brno

Splendid Brno city view

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Destination guides, support in selecting the right place for holding an event, site inspections and tours, post-conference programmes, incentive programmes and itineraries planning; are the general services the Moravia Convention Bureau (MCB) offers to all MICE organisers. They can also provide organisers contacts of individual services providers and assist in acquiring complex offers from service providers and local PCO and DMC, including budgets. The MCB can assist with the publicity of the event, information desk for the participants of the event, where they can receive additional information on the travel and tourism offers.

In the vicinity of Brno there are four important gems on UNESCO list in the Czech Republic, cities like Olomouc, Kromeriz, Telc and Trebic, each of them has a unique character and beauty.

MICE city

connectivity There are several options to use a high-speed railway corridor and travel to Brno by one of the EuroCity or InterCity trains, from the nearby capitals.

indian food Brno has several vegetarian restaurants that include Indian restaurants as well.

Post-event Acitivites

event venues VENUE

CAPACITY

UNIQUE FEATURES

Spilberk Castle Brno City Museum

700

Originally a fortress for political prisoners, the castle today houses permanent exhibitions and venues for events

Besedni House Brno

433

The cultural centre with a neorenaissance hall is a great option for gala events

Wannieck Gallery Brno

650

This modern art gallery can be a perfect choice for presentations and seminars

Valtice Chateau

700

This magnificent baroque chateau can host spectacular gala dinners

300

This monumental castle, which played an important role in Napoleon’s military career, offers several venues for private events and this includes its beautiful lawns

Chateau Slavkov Austerlitz in Slavkov u Brna

Brno has more than 50 hotels in all categories. There is a 5-star hotel with 21 rooms, 17 4-star hotels with capacity around 1,700 rooms and around 30 3-star hotels with capacity around 1, 500 rooms.

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• Try your hands on AK 47 gun shooting in the city famous for producing rifles since 1918, in Zbrojovka Brno. Adrenaline and Car & Moto lovers can test their driving skills on the biggest racing Brno circuit in Central Europe.

• In the caves of Moravian Karst, you can admire the deepest abyss of Central Europe. Moravian Karst is one of the most beautiful areas in the Czech Republic and comprises a vast maze of caves. Four of them are open to the public and they host concerts, gala dinners and meetings. The most popular part is the cruise on the underground stream with a possibility to be at the bottom of the Macocha Abyss.

• Visit the vineyards to discover the secret and history of wine making and enjoy local folklore and music which are an inherent part of the region’s vine growing culture.

• Boat trips on Brno Dam which is popular for water sports and annually the International Fireworks Show – Ignis Brunensis - take place on the dam.

• Operas, ballets, musicals, symphonic music and modern music in dancing clubs are also on offer in Brno.

• Tee off at any of the three modern golf courses near Brno.

There are many reasons to choose the Czech city of Brno for your MICE experiences. This picturesque corner of the world provides a near perfect package of fun and facilities for meetings and conferences, and is making a determined effort to catch up with its more famous counterparts across the world.

Meeting at the

Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Sarawak Ipshita Sengupta Nag

T

he Borneo Convention Centre generally acquaints clients with a panel of suppliers they usually work with. But the clients can exercise their own choice subject to accreditation or approval from BCCK. The Audio-visual supplies are in-house and so is the venue’s food and beverage facility. Menus can be customised for any ethnic group.

The venue works in liaison with hotels in the vicinity and generally recommends hotels depending on needs of the group. All hotels in Kuching are less than 30 minutes away from the centre.

The meeting rooms and the great hall is pillar less, and hence is amenable to any kind of theme evenings or dinner. The venue has produced numerous theme dinners and few among them are: • The dinner in the Jungle • Under the Sea

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• The Night of the Pharaoh • Dinning in Kuching (with stalls and road sign, mini city) In case, groups are looking for mementos they can take away from this beautiful destination, the same can be arranged, upon prior discussion with the venue. A list of potential suppliers can also be provided upon request.

Groups coming to Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching, for their MICE activities want to explore its

getting to the venue

Shuttle services between hotels and BCCK and sightseeing trips can be arranged. The Day Delegate Package can be customised to include one round trip, with or without coach, to and from the official hotels.

MICE venue

The Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching, seems like an extension of its picturesque location, which is the lush beauty of the tropical rainforest of Sarawak. As you step into its spacious interiors, you are greeted with a venue that is equipped to meet the requirements of the most challenging MICE activities. MICEtalk highlights all that the venue stands for.

The Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching, Sarawak works closely with Sarawak Convention Bureau for any special needs of the groups coming here.

Clients can avail of the ‘Day Delegate Package’ which includes two tea breaks, one lunch, and one plenary meeting room, with basic audio-visual package that comes with two microphones together with technical support and complimentary use of Wi-Fi. Added to this, a Secretariat room equipped with one desktop with internet connection, free flow of coffee, tea and mineral water are also provided. On special request, the VIP Lounge with butler service can be availed.

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MICE venue

During the PATA Annual Meeting back in April 2010, the venue had customised a menu for a group of Indian delegates, where their dietary requirement excluded all animal products as well as vegetables in the allium family (which have the characteristic aroma of onion and garlic). For the same event, a special hospitality desk was arranged to welcome all delegates and a special Immigration Desk was also set-up for delegates.

The venue demarcates spaces in different sizes for its visitors. As a new centre which only opened in March 2010, the venue is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for all kinds of conference needs.

If required, BCCK’s Audio Visual Department can arrange for some specific technologies such as portable simultaneous interpretation systems, BARCO projection system, LED display panels, holographic projection systems, etc., for events.

beautiful vicinity. Most conference organisers appoint a ground handler to arrange the pre- and post-tour arrangements such as tours to Mulu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Semenggoh Nature Reserve where delegates have the opportunity to view semi-wild orangutans in their natural habitat.

A minimum of three months prior notice is required to inform the relative departments for any special support such as outriders, immigration desk, hospitality desk at the airport, etc., and this can

coming soon With effect from early 2013, delegates attending conferences at BCCK will have to take a water taxi from the city centre along the Sarawak River direct to BCCK.

accommodation Hotel Name

Room Capacity

Star Rating

Pullman Kuching

389

5

Hilton Kuching

315

5

Riverside Majestic

241

5

Grand Margarita

288

4

4 Points by Sheraton

435

4

There are also a few 3-star rated hotels and boutique hotels within the city centre.

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BCCK has a gross floor area of 36,500 sqm, divided into few sections, including a concourse, a hall, 14 meeting rooms, and a restaurant. The Great Hall can be subdivided into four selfcontained meeting areas. be achieved by working closely with the Sarawak Convention Bureau. With the setup of MICE One Stop Shop from the Ministry of Tourism Sarawak, all Government related issues such as visa, exhibition clearance, protocol, special Ministry support or invitation can be arranged.

The venue, in short, makes every possible effort to organise meetings and conventions in a planned manner, without any foreseeable hiccups. This makes it one of the most important venues in Asia today, despite its relative newness.

BCCK is ISO 22000 accredited and in that regard no outside Food and Beverage is permitted.

meeting capacity Room

Capacity

Theatre

Classroom

700

450

Hollow square

Cluster

U-Shape

Banquet

400

235

400

Great Hall Hall A

140

Hall B

700

400

140

350

210

350

Hall C

500

380

100

250

145

250

Hall D

500

360

100

300

170

300

Hall A+B+C+D

4000

1700

480

1400

500

2000

Room 1

40

16

20

20

80

Meeting Room 20

Room 2

80

30

30

40

30

50

Room 3

60

30

30

40

30

50

Room 4

60

30

30

40

30

50

Room 5

50

30

30

40

30

50

Room 6

90

40

50

50

30

60

Room 7

40

16

20

20

20

20

Room 8

60

30

30

30

30

50

Room 9

80

30

30

30

30

50

Room 10

60

30

30

30

30

50

Room 11

60

30

30

30

30

50

Room 12

200

120

50

120

50

120

Room 13

200

120

80

180

80

120

Room 14

400

200

150

200

120

200

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Holiday Inn Cochin

MICE Portfolio Located in one of the most picturesque states of India, Holiday Inn Cochin is an ideal stopover for those wanting to experience the bustle of a city life but with the quietude to surrender to the demands of stressful business decisions. Situated approximately 40 minutes from the Cochin International airport, and on the National Highway, it is an efficient combination of service and facilities, something that quite impressed MICEtalk.

meeting facilities Holiday Inn Cochin has three meeting rooms - Nila, Pamba and Kallayi which can accommodate 15 to 60 people. Periyar is the banquet hall that can be used as one large banquet area or can be divided into three halls to organise various types of meetings and gatherings. It can accommodate up to 200 people. Apart from these, there is also a large pre-function area with an attached terrace for events. The pool side at the hotel can be used as an outdoor space for events and can accommodate 40-50 people and is a popular choice for dinner parties.

accommodation Holiday Inn, Cochin, has 212 spacious and lavishly furnished rooms in four categories – Superior, Deluxe, Executive and Presidential, and this includes 199 rooms and 13 suites. The Work Smart Space in the rooms is facilitated with high-speed wireless internet connectivity.

There is no upper limit to the number of rooms that can be booked by a corporate group. It is subject to the availability of rooms.

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The hotel does not have an in-house event management team, but one can be arranged as per the request of guests. Guests can also bring in their own suppliers for their events or activities relating to the event. The tariff for a theme event depends on the requirements of the theme and also the number of guests.

MICE hotel

Meeting rooms and banquet spaces are fully equipped with modern stateof-the-art facilities like Polycom for Video-conferencing. Drop down screen and projectors are also available.

Secretarial services can be arranged upon request. The Business Center in the hotel has high-speed wireless internet facility.

Apart from a modern health club and gym facilities, the guests can rejuvenate at the Jacuzzi, Steam and Sauna which is complimentary to all guests.

Holiday Inn Cochin houses five specialty Food and Beverage outlets.

Masala - the all day dining restaurant offers authentic cuisine ranging from international flavours to traditional Kerala food.

Deli KC - the 24 hour coffee shop at Holiday Inn Cochin is a versatile cafĂŠ with eclectic desserts, a coffee and tea bar with a high tea menu Stadia - the sports theme bar for cocktails, fine wines and appetising nibbles.

Roma - the Italian bistro serves authentic Italian food Oasis - the open air bar

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successful story

Education session at the Park Hyatt, Goa

B2B sessions at the Park Hyatt, Goa

India meets Canada in Goa

Organising an event comes with its own challenges, pushing the organiser to pull all strings and to pool all resources. MICEtalk here showcases all that went into organising Focus Canada-India in Goa, an event that was organised by representatives of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) that saw a substantial number of Canadian Sellers meet with hosted buyers – outbound travel agents from India.

Tina Singh, Assistant Vice President, CTC, provides the details.

The Event

Focus Canada-India (earlier called Showcase Canada) is an annual business-to-business (B2B) exchange event that provides an opportunity for networking and relationship building between Canadian travel industry partners and the key travel agents from India.

This, thereby, facilitates a unique professional platform for building relationships and sharing market intelligence.

Dates

March 13 - 15, 2012 at Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa

Participants

Delegates mingle at the Palms at the Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa

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Forty nine leading sellers from Canada and 54 outbound travel agents from India took part in the event. The buyers were primarily from New Delhi, Mumbai and smaller markets like Bengaluru, Pune,

successful story

The Challenges Last minute change of venue meant reworking the budget The venue decided earlier for Focus Canada-India was The Fairmont, Jaipur, the first Fairmont property in India, which is a major international hospitality brand. 3-4 months before the event, Fairmont had rescheduled its inauguration date to ensure that the project met the highest standards of Fairmont service and style. On the other hand, dates for the Focus Canada-India event had been fixed which included Hotel reservations, evening dinners and extra activities planned. The change meant a look out for another venue, with a few short months in between. After days of hard work of finding an apt venue, the CTC decided to choose Goa, where Focus CanadaIndia 2011 was successfully held.

F inding a balance of convention space, accommodation and dealing with high tariffs Choosing a venue to meet the requirement of enough rooms and the requisite space for the B2B meeting sessions, which meant 50 seller booths, was a major challenge. CTC wanted a venue with the highest standards of service, quality and hospitality. Looking for all this under one roof at such short notice also made the costs an important challenge to

surmount. After an extensive recce by the CTC team in India, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa was chosen as the venue.

Accommodating all under one roof Another challenge that popped up was that Park Hyatt was not willing to block 140 rooms together for one convention over four nights. After much persuasion by the CTC, they eventually agreed to give this slot of rooms for Focus Canada-India.

An event management company was hired for the branding and décor for the B2B meetings. The meeting space was not enough to accommodate the B2B meetings in one hall. This made Tina and Derek visit Goa where they met with the local event management company to have the Convention Hall measured and ensured that 50 tables would fit along with chairs on both sides to facilitate the meetings. After a lot of discussions and various options, they finally managed and it all “fitted” well!

The Palms, a beach side restaurant at the Park Hyatt was finalised for the first evening. But the hotel did not want to block it for its other guests. The CTC held a meeting with the General Manager of the Hotel to sort this and this too was not easy! However, they finally agreed.

Ahmedabad, Punjab, Kolkata and Lucknow. Six representatives from media houses were also present for interviews.

Agenda

• E ducative Sessions: Speakers addressed Sellers and Buyers • B 2B Meetings: Canadian Sellers and Indian Buyers meet • F un-filled evenings: A lot of fun for all!

Requirements

A hotel with 140 rooms and a convention space that could accommodate 50 Seller booths for interactions.

The Schedule

No activity was scheduled on the day Sellers and Buyers arrived. Everyone met at The Palms, a beautiful venue by the beach. The scenic view from The Palms and the food served was much appreciated by all. Everyone retired early….

On Day 1, the educative sessions began. The speakers included Stewart G Beck, High Commissioner of Canada in India; Greg Klassen, Senior Vice President, Marketing Strategy and Communications, CTC; Derek Galpin, Managing Director, CTC, India & China along with Sidney Frank, Minister and Immigration Program Manager. The morning session was allotted for Sellers while the Buyers were addressed postlunch. The media interviews kept taking place alongside. Other speakers here were Guldeep Singh Sahani, President OTOAI, Karan Anand, Cox and Kings and Narendra Swatch, speaker from Nielson, the leaders in market research.

B2B sessions were scheduled on Day 2 and 3, where Sellers and Buyers interacted. Appointments had been pre-fixed online and finalised much before the event through a special software handled and designed by “3-Way Street Corp”, from Ottawa. These two days were only about business and more business. Sellers made their booths look attractive with displays and decorations pertaining to what they sold. They

Revelry at ‘A Reverie’, Goa

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successful story

also had attractive giveaways for each Buyer who came to meet them.

A lot of productive meetings made Buyers and Sellers go back happy…..

Post-event Evenings

Tina Singh Assistant Vice President CTC

Everyone walked to the venue bare feet on the sand…. a ten minute walk along the beach. It was a Bollywood night with lively music and an energetic DJ. The sea food was the highlight of the evening. The CTC organised the décor and branding at the restaurant through another local event management company who they discovered on their recce trip in February.

The evening continued till late. To end it all, there was a dance competition where four lucky couples won tickets to Canada.

Special hosted dinners were planned every evening after work. Here the challenge was to find venues other than the Hotel where 130 people could assemble and mingle easily. Tina and Derek travelled to a number of such venues that would be ideal for get-togethers Verdict… Absolute Success in the evenings and finally decided on two: A Reverie The event was a mighty success, as participants were and Zeebop. happy with business yields. It was an event that was After the first evening at The Palms, the second actually pulled together in 22 days…The CTC was evening was at ‘A Reverie’, a fine dining restaurant happy with another successful event under its hat. which was more than an hour away from the Park Tina Singh, describes it very aptly, “It had to be Hyatt. It was a beautiful venue and the dinner was done, so it was done…..” accompanied by live music. The evening was hosted

by Tourism British Columbia and Travel Alberta with an attractive prize of a couple ticket to Canada.

There was nothing special scheduled on the third evening in order to let Buyers and Sellers interact with each other more informally for the exchange of business information. While some decided to create major business opportunities during this time, others joined the party on the beach which was hosted by some provinces while others still went out on their own to discover Goa. The fourth evening dinner A scintillating finalé to Focus Canda was hosted by Tourism Quebec India 2012 at Zeebop, Goa and Ontario Tourism at Zeebop.

Siobhan Chretien Regional Managing Director Emerging Markets, Americas/Asias, CTC

The MICE segment offers great potential for Canada. Our dedicated team for promoting MICE has ensured that the said segment is growing significantly and will continue to witness stronger demand in times to come from all major source markets. On the promotion front, our trade events have been very well received by travel fraternity in India.

The Showcase Canada event in 2011 and Focus Canada event in 2012 have been a great success.

special venue

forthcoming events 1. ‘The Laugh Riots Night’ with the best of Indian stand-up comedy on July 1 2. ‘Elvis Presley is back’ on July 20 and 21!

QBA’s Solution to Corporate Events Divya Goyal

Here is your option for a scintillating corporate dinner… in the chic ambience of New Delhi’s QBA bar and restaurant.

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auded for its appeasing ambience, QBA can organise various theme-based events such as Valentines, New Year and Christmas evenings, food festivals, dedicated night on a musical legend and etc. “So, if it is a Halloween Night, then we may add extra props such as pumpkins to create the right ambience,” says Rachit Kapoor, Media & Marketing Manager, QBA. “The most challenging part of organising any themed event

Rachit Kapoor Media & Marketing Manager QBA

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MICEtalk July 2012

catering packages QBA’s standard packages, in terms of F&B include: • IMFL/Foreign liquor, Cocktails and mocktails • 3 appetisers each (Veg. & Non-Veg) • 5 main courses (3 Veg & 2 Non-Veg) • 2 desserts • Salads, bread & rice NOTE: The price of the package would differ with respect to the space and the day you are booking. The packages can be customised.

Located in New Delhi’s upmarket Connaught Place, QBA bar and restaurant can organise both indoor and outdoor events (private/corporate) and can accommodate a maximum of 400 people. is its implementation–how practical it is!” he adds. At times, clients work on the theme at their own expense, while QBA can assist them with getting the materials, if they so request. QBA’s in-house team ensures a smooth execution of a corporate night. It is recommended that corporates book for the event in advance.

Recently organised event

Giving details on a corporate event QBA recently organised, Kapoor talks about the welcome party for China Airlines by Sky Team. “There were more than 200 people present for this event. We, at QBA, organised chopsticks in a box as a souvenir for the group, the interior was decorated with red lanterns according to the Chinese tradition, while QBA’s stewards/hostesses all wore traditional Chinese shirts,” he narrates.

Maintaining Privacy

QBA ensures that your privacy is maintained during the event. “Generally, the section booked for the event is restricted for other guests,” informs Kapoor. “We do offer the whole QBA as well as the lounge (for minimum 120 people), Island (for 15-20 people), the Orient (for 50-80 people) and PDR (for 15-20 people),” he further elaborates.

solutions

Naveen Rizvi Vice President India and Business Head TUI

Generally, the group travel insurance does not cover accidents which occur during adventure sport activities. If any of the group members meet with an accident, our tour managers will immediately take the lead and isolate the injured from rest of the group to avoid creating panic among the group.

First-aid will be given to the person immediately. In case the accident is a major one, the injured will be taken to the hospital with the help of the local DMC or our overseas office. Apart from this, his claims at the hospital will be settled from the emergency funds available with the tour manager. Also, the situation will be intimated to the client coordinator of the group. A Business Class ticket will be arranged for the victim either through a request to the local country airline or a necessary paid upgrade by our office itself.

On reaching back to the country, we will see whether the cost is adjustable. In case, if it is beyond our budget, we will submit the invoice along with all the hospital bills and supporting documents and will collect the payments from them on mutual understanding.

Are you Travel Insured?

At times, your insurance does not cover injuries that require special handling.

Our experts tell us how to best handle such a situation when the travel insurance of a delegate does not cover an injury incurred during the trip you have organised?

As a company policy, we insure all travelling delegates with a comprehensive overseas medi-claim policy to cover any eventualities including life threatening pre-existing medical conditions. In an extreme case, if our travel insurance does not cover an injury incurred during the trip we have organised, our first priority will be to give immediate medical attention and get the injury treated at our cost.

We will ensure the delegate is fit to continue the tour or make an arrangement to get him back to India.

Ashwin Narayanan COO, Travel Tours Group

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MICEtalk July 2012

Vicky Soin Asst. Vice President Outbound (MICE) Abercrombie & Kent India Pvt Limited

In an emergency situation, medical attention to the delegate is first and foremost. We need to have an approval for all the financial and logistic expense process from the corporate enabling us to complete all formalities for the delegate. Most of the time, it is taken care of by the corporate, like a blanket approval, which enables us to take practical steps to make the delegate comfortable and transfer him back to his country as soon as possible.

technology

Y n e Gand Emerging s e i g o l o n Tech

ies rd compan ber the reco ho would em em R y.

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Wh e with av te h ac it cial -f w o en T ft -t r o o ce fa ow ok a highly so Services in Australia. With more s do not. H ch other via Facebo that this represents nesses si u b generation is ea y, y et h it it ci our so , the real ating w than 20 years’ experience and e future of behaviour’ communic ‘unsociable and is a symbol of th as ge more an ch ex knowledge in the meetings e access to this ul exchange e s will hav n ar io d meaningf sh at an ly er n en p ge and events industry, Darren . ster, will o ot, future fa us to n n r to io o p in u p and events it o we like ents. It is evelop an ev d r d u continues to drive creativity in o an their d ss Whether ke an l proce them ta nesses n, they wil in our busi r stand by and watch ge an informatio ch events and the way they are run. o ve d will dri al change elsewhere. opinion an is and embrace soci Contact: info@invisage.net ticipation th ar p d t an en st ev er already. and und en’t done so , knowledge technology ey will do, if they hav Which th

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E Darren

dwards

people on the move

Paramjit Bawa

joins Destination New South Wales He has been appointed as the Inaugural Manager of Destination NSW’s new India office in Mumbai. He will manage the development of Indian inbound tourism to NSW. His most recent role was as Regional Manager of VisitBritain’s Indian and Middle Eastern operations.

Katie Verbano

joins the National Conference Center, Leesburg

Markus Diefenbach

The National Conference Center announced the appointment of Katie E. Verbano as the Sales Manager. In her current role, she will be specialising in pharmaceutical, healthcare and life sciences corporate segments along with maintaining the existing client accounts and negotiate new contracts for organisations in Fairfax and Arlington, VA.

CWT meetings & events appointed

Floyd Widener as the organisation’s global senior vice president

Widener will be responsible for strategic and operational leadership for meetings and events business across all regions and will report to Cathy Voss, Executive Vice President of Carlson Wagonlit Travel Global Program Solutions and Meetings & Events.

art Eric Braosetrikcaht

joins Ma Bureau as n io t n e v n Co ember a Board M ector

ging Dir aart, Mana Eric Broek osition stricht Exp (MECC) of the Maa on Centre ti n ve n o C and of the the board has joined n Bureau o ti n t Conve Maastrich a broad ekaart has (MCB). Bro ition and ib in the exh e c n e ri e exp ustry. events ind

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joins as International Marketing Manager Business Tourism at VisitDenmark Operating out of VisitDenmark’s offices in Copenhagen and Hamburg, Markus Diefenbach is now the International Marketing Manager for Business Tourism for VisitDenmark. He will be incharge of the development and execution of the national tourism organisation’s strategic marketing and communication platform for international business tourism. He will also be responsible for the management of all activities related to promoting and creating a preference for staging international meetings, conferences and congresses to Denmark.

Worldhotels Strengthens Asia-Pacific

Team with New Appointments Worldhotels has strengthened its AsiaPacific team with the announcement of Joseph Nader as Director, Hotel Development, Asia Pacific, and Jeanny Mak as Director of Sales, Hong Kong and South China. Nader will be responsible for developing and further expanding Worldhotels’ full licence portfolio of hotels.

checklist

Green MICE! Responsible MICE! While planning, consider the following • Estimate the total carbon footprint and plan to offset the carbon emissions produced at the event. Include these details in the costing for the benefit of the client • In order to avoid wastage of supplies and resources, plan the event precisely. Keep up-to-date information as to the number of delegates attending the event, duration of the event and according to these variables choose the size of venue and number of rooms required, etc.

While selecting the venue • Give preference to venues with a sound environmental policy. Choose venues that have environmental accreditation, for e.g., Green Globe accreditation or LEED certification • Opt for venues which are located within walking distance of maximum accommodation options • Consider venues that can be accessed by public transport • Ensure the venue has good waste reduction procedures and uses biodegradable supplies, has natural lighting in the meeting/conference areas, and offers technology that does not consume too much energy • Arrange for mass transportation and car pooling option before and during the event

Recycling

All about printed material • Use new media and electronic technology to reduce the use of paper • Offer electronic registration and market electronically via website and email • Use recycled paper (post consumer waste) and print on both sides using vegetable inks • Offer all relevant information, presentations, papers and web links via electronic media • Encourage delegates to bring their own stationary to avoid creating individual kits • Consider using SMS to provide seating and registration details

MICEtalk does not accept any liability or responsibility for the information or any errors or omissions set out in this listing.

This is designed to act as a guide for general reference only.

checklist

The deteriorating status of environment has come to the notice of conference centres and convention bureaus, which has given birth to a number of eco-friendly MICE facilities. Corporates prefer to choose event organisers who can arrange eco-friendly corporate events. MICEtalk suggests measures that can be deployed to conduct successful green business events.

Catering and F&B options • Aim to reduce food miles by using local rather than imported food and beverage supplies • Plan menus using in-season, fresh, local, organic food • Include food that does not require warming up before consumption • Include a larger number of vegetarian options and advise delegates of these options • To avoid wastage of food, request the delegates to sign up for meals in advance as per their schedule • Allow attendees to pre-select a meal size, offering smaller meal options • Avoid unnecessary packaging and plastic bags • Ask caterers to provide reusable crockery and cutlery • Where possible, use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, condiments and sauces

Waste reduction and recycling • Reduce wastage of food and other supplies by noting the exact number of delegates • Make use of recycled and biodegradable materials • In all communications with exhibitors and contractors request that waste and packaging be reduced

MICEtalk July 2012

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Event

events events Venue

Date

India International Travel Mart

Chennai Trade & Convention Centre

Chennai, India

July 20-22, 2012

India International Travel Mart

Palace Grounds

Bangalore, India

July 27-29, 2012

IT&CM India

India Expo Centre & Mart

Delhi NCR, India

August 21-23, 2012

China Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition

China National Convention Centre

Beijing, China

Sep 12-14, 2012

Travel Mart Latin America

Hotel Las Americas Convention Centre

Cartagena, Columbia Sep 12-14, 2012

International French Travel Market

Porte de Versailles

Paris, France

Sep 18-21, 2012

Global Business Travel Association – Europe Conference 2012

Budapest Congress and World Trade Centre

Budapest, Hungary

Sep 19-21, 2012

IMEX America

Sands Expo Convention Centre

Las Vegas, USA

Oct 9-11, 2012

ACTE Global Education Conference

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

Rome

Oct 14-16, 2012

The Business Travel Conference

Novotel London West

London, UK

Oct 21-23, 2012

51st ICCA Congress

Puerto Rico Convention Center Pedro San Juan, RossellĂł Rico

World Travel Mart

ExCeL London

Conventa- South East European Exhibition Ljubljana Exhibition Convention Centre for Meetings, Events & Incentive Travel

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Puerto

Oct 20-24, 2012

London, UK

Nov 5-8, 2012

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Jan 16-17, 2013

Postal Registration No.:DL(ND)/6150/2011-12-13 WPP No.:U(C)-305/2011-13 for Posting on 29th-30th of Advance Month at New Delhi P.S.O. Date of Publication:22/06/2012, RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144