MICEtalk

Rs. 100

International Tourism Trade Fair 18-22 January 2012

Meetings • Incentives • Conferences • Events

Durga Das 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 Durga Das Publications.

Similarly, opinions/views expressed by any party in abstract and/ or in interviews are not necessarily shared/do not necessarily reflect any opinion of Durga Das Publications. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Material appearing in MICEtalk cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication.

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

Summer Festival of El Vendrell, Spain

Publisher

SanJeet

Editorial Director

Rupali Narasimhan

Editor

Deepa Sethi

DELHI: Assistant Editor

Ipshita Sengupta Nag

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 Joel Shalom 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

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 joel@ddppl.com

5

pg 26

pg 22

pg 42

contents

6

pg 46

20

Cover Story A Befitting Finale

8

Facts

26

Destination Spain

34

MICE City Berlin

38

Booked for MICE Hawai’i Convention Centre

44

Expert Talk Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach

pg 52

48

Sample This Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

pg 58

54

Flying Business Philippines Airlines

56

New Technology

58

Domestic MICE Konark

59

People on the Move

60

Corporate Eye Photographs by Corporate Travellers

62

Events

reader’s page Dear Reader, The world has become an exotic, mysterious, waiting-to-be-discovered global village. We travel across its face attending meetings, conventions and marts with barely a moment to spare to discover the fun side of the same business city. In MICEtalk we cover not only cities to visit and venues to use for business but also the entertainment quotient that has become a necessary part of every MICE venue. Hotels share with us some of the exciting events and Gala evenings that have taken place within their premises.

We visit Spain as a country, Hawaii as a state, Berlin as a city, Konark for its beauty and Abu Dhabi for its excitement. As we move around the world, writing stories about different places and people, we have come to realise how different every town and village is with a character and personality of its own, waiting to be discovered.

All of us at MICEtalk would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers Season’s Greetings and a very happy and successful New Year.

Deepa Sethi Editor

7

facts

facts facts

AEG Ogden to operate the new Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

AEG Ogden, one of the world’s leading convention and exhibition management companies has been appointed to operate the new Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) in Muscat.

The Centre includes an elaborate tiered auditorium to seat 3,200 while the exhibition halls will feature 22,000 sqm of column-free exhibition space. Halls 1 and 2 will have a superior fit out, specialised acoustic treatment, advanced lighting and rigging, to act as a multi-purpose space for plenary sessions, concerts, performances, gala events.

The OCEC will open in two phases; the Exhibition Halls in 2014 and the auditorium, banquet halls and meeting rooms will open for events in late 2015.

Eng. Wael bin Ahmed Al Lawati, CEO, Omran said that the centre will generate social economic benefits for the country and will place Oman on the world map by playing host to global and large scale conferences and events.

Geoff Donaghy, Group Director, Convention Centres, AEG Ogden said that they were both proud and honoured to have been entrusted with the responsibility of managing of what will become an iconic venue in the Gulf region. AEG Ogden have been involved in the design and planning of the centre and would now utilise its experience, extensive worldwide network and expertise in preparing the centre for opening and competing for its share of the lucrative business events market.

Donaghy added that OCEC and its surrounding precinct were Omran’s ‘Jewel in the Crown’ and would globally position the country as a highly desirable and capable destination to host some of the world’s most prestigious business events that have not been possible previously. He added that Oman was well positioned to become an important player in the business events industry. According to a recent study at the Gulf ’s premier meetings event, GIBTM, Oman was recognised as an emerging business events destination.

8

facts

India emerges as top source market for MICE in Thailand As per the statistics released by the Department of Strategic Planning, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), India has emerged as the top source market for MICE that supplied 47,448 MICE visitors. China, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia occupied the second, third, fourth and fifth places respectively.

TCEB has recently announced a MICE policy and 5-year roadmap projects to ensure that global MICE travellers to Thailand increases by more than 75 per cent from 2012 to 2016, with revenues up by more than 87 per cent by the year 2016. Thailand’s MICE industry is also projected to play an increasingly important role in the country’s overall economy. Currently, the MICE industry represents only 9.13 per cent of the total tourism revenues for 2011, but this share is expected to rise to 18.35 per cent by 2016, with revenues of Baht 130.92 billion.

TCEB have worked very closely with the private sector, tourism and hotel industry, as well as the convention and trade fair industry, to identify the key constraints to the sector’s growth and how they may best target their support for private sector development.

TCEB to engage with the Government and private players to recover from the flood damage before the third quarter of 2012 In order to ensure a strong and speedy recovery from the recent flood damage that have impacted the country’s MICE industry, the Government of Thailand is working closely with the private sector in implementing a cleanup plan and aims to regain its international confidence through Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) market promotion campaign, ‘Believe in Thailand – Thailand: Destination of choices’. These measures are expected to see Thailand back on track before the third quarter of 2012. By that time the number of global business travellers to Thailand is expected to increase by approximately 5 per cent to 7,50,000 visitors, with revenues of Euro 1.43 billion and over 1,02,000 visitors from Europe are estimated to come to Thailand TCEB is working closely with other government agencies in the ‘Team Thailand’ and also with the private sector itself to employ remedial measures which will be implemented in three phases until March 2012. The short-term measures will focus on setting up a one-stop-centre to assist MICE travellers and facilitate provision of daily updates and fact-sheets to the industry and all the stakeholders. In the second phase, TCEB will launch confidence-boosting activities through the ‘Believe in Thailand’ market promotion campaign. It will also invite national leaders to join key events and issue statements personally or through a video message. It has also arranged to inject additional funds to promote MICE events, enhance market promotion and give financial support for events that have not been cancelled or postponed.

As per the long term plans TCEB has proposed a ‘Recovery Plan’ to stimulate both the international and domestic MICE market. This includes a proposal to give 300 per cent tax relief on MICE expenditures, provide regular updates on the progress of the industry’s recovery and cooperation with the Federation of Thai Industries to provide counselling and encourage domestic tourism among those affected by the floods.

Akapol Sorasuchart, President, TCEB divulged the impact of the flood situation on the MICE industry.

Overall, 24 MICE events have been affected, with the revenue losses estimated at Baht 3.32 billion (Euro 79 million) and MICE visitors are down by over 2,50,000.

He however also mentioned that many scheduled events such as, the Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2011 held in Pattaya from October 31-November 6, remained completely unaffected. Also, it was confirmed that the 2012 Rotary International Convention with around 30,000 visitors will be held during May 6-9, 2012.

10

facts

Reed Travel Exhibitions launches World Travel Market Latin America On November 27, 2011, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), the leading provider of events in the global travel and tourism industry announced the launch of World Travel Market Latin America, the first global event for this increasingly important region of travel and tourism.

The first World Travel Market Latin America will take place in SĂŁo Paulo in April 2013. RTE is working with EMBRATUR, Brazilian tourist board over a hosted buyers programme for WTM Latin America.

Richard Mortimore, Managing Director, RTE said that it will be the region’s only global marketplace to conduct business, negotiate deals and sign the contracts which will see it grow into one of the most important regions in the tourism industry.

WTM Latin America will help the state of Rio de Janeiro, well known for its Leisure Tourism, to strengthen its MICE segment.

Congresses, incentives, conventions and corporate meetings, technical visits are segments where the world expertise of RTE will certainly make the difference. Furthermore, WTM Latin America is also backed by states focussing on responsible travel. The state of Mato Grosso do Sul, located in the heart of Brazil, focusses on environment friendly, small tours to its natural resources of swamps, lowlands and rivers.

The experience of RTE will put together selected exhibitors and buyers that work within this concept and will add to the actions that are deemed as productive alternatives, focussed on environment preservation and sustainability.

The event is targetted at the booming Brazilian and Latin American travel and tourism industry. Latin America would have attracted 33,127,000 tourists (including those travelling between countries and into the region) in 2011 with this number rising by 5.2 per cent a year to 55,191,000 in 2021, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Second annual EMITE to be held in the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London on November 1-4, 2012 On December 2, Europe Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange (EMITE), held in partnership with Site and part of the Global Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange, announced that the dates of the second annual EMITE are November 1-4, 2012 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London. It will continue to deliver a unique one-to-one appointment-based event.

It will bring together pre-qualified, high-volume hosted European buyers with travel suppliers from around the world to meet in private, productive appointments over 2 days in individual appointment suites.

EMITE 2011 received a positive feedback from the participants and the suppliers. The event delivers a compelling selling proposition for suppliers and provides a powerful value opportunity for selected buyers as they can meet qualified suppliers in a way that smartly utilises their time out of the office.

11

facts

EIBTM 2011 delivered three days of powerful business After three days of delivering powerful business opportunities and connections that broke all its previous records EIBTM 2011 concluded on December 1.

With 64,950 hosted buyer pre-scheduled appointments, pre-show expectations were way more than expected, leading the way to substantial business being conducted on the exhibition floor.

“Globally, this industry is responsible for 1.7 million jobs and $106 billion of GDP. Our role is to provide a platform and an environment for the sector to meet and conduct business. Ultimately we believe we have achieved that and more and delivered value and profitable results for our customers,” commented Graeme Barnett, EIBTM Event Director.

Over 15,300 meetings industry professionals attended EIBTM over the three days including a total visitor and buyer attendance of 9,262 (last year’s audited numbers were 8,395), 10.3 per cent up on 2010, of which 3,904 were hosted buyers (last year’s audited numbers were 3,963 ) delivering a 9 per cent increase on hosted buyer attendance from 2010.

“Barcelona certainly delivered the show we were really hoping for this year and we couldn’t have had a better weather to lift the spirits for this industry. Despite the global economic turmoil, the quality and professionalism of those determined to do business and drive the industry forward, is testament to why this year’s event has been such a success,” said Barnett.

Mobile applications are increasingly finding a place in the promotion of a destination and its venues. The Serbian Convention Bureau (SCB) recently introduced Serbia Meeting Planner’s Guide which would help the meeting planners to decide the potential venues. Its easy-to-use interface and browsing solution make things easy for the user. At the ICCA congress in Leipzig, Serbia was acknowledged as a leader in applying the latest in information technology for destination promotion.

Serbia destination mobile applications have been integrated in the SCB Facebook page and together with the mobile website, it represents a step forward in digital destination marketing.

According to the statistics released by ICCA recently, Serbia is the fastest growing meeting destination in Europe with the city of Belgrade at the forefront of MICE activities.

The city ranks 28th among the Top 200 destinations MICE destinations in Europe and in 2010 hosted 33 international congresses. The marketing efforts of the SCB have resulted in the destination hosting 46 international events in 2010 from 11 events three years ago.

12

Picture for the purpose of representation only

Mobile applications to promote business tourism in Serbia

facts

Prague Convention Bureau takes new initiatives at EIBTM 2011 Prague Convention Bureau (PCB) together with the Prague Tourist Board organised a press conference for the international media, where it introduced groundbreaking step of Prague marketing campaign for promoting itself as a MICE destination. For the first time the city of Prague will run a marketing campaign which will focus on attracting association, corporate and government events.

A marketing campaign for approximately Euro 3,45,000 is planned for next year that will include campaigns in print media, fam trips and press trips based on the key selling points of Prague, combining comfortable, accessible and outstanding congressional infrastructure at a reasonable cost.

At EIBTM, PCB launched a new marketing tool, ‘Meeting Planners´ Guide 2012’ official congress catalogue of Prague, which was published in collaboration with the PCB and C.O.T media publishing house. The catalogue is designed as an overview of significant congressional venues from the modern conference centres with upto-date technologies to the historical jewels in the city centre, related first-class services and Prague’s hotels and other amenities. This catalogue will be a great tool for meeting organisers who consider Prague for their next event in both hard and electronic versions, which everybody can download at the PCB website.

During the fair, PCB together with the Czech Convention Bureau organised a cocktail reception for buyers entitled ‘Applause for the Czech Republic’, a DJ, two beatbox and electric boogie performances that transformed the meeting planners into electro buggers. Part of the party was a traditional raffle with many fantastic prizes to win, such as a weekend stay in a 5-star hotel in Prague, dinner for two and tickets to the state opera, etc.

Green initiatives pays off for the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre For the fourth year running, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC) have won in the ‘Best Green Initiative’ category at the National Exhibition and Events Association of Australasia’s annual awards. The award recognises the ongoing emphasis that the venue places on its environmental practices as well as its role as an industry leader on sustainability issues.

Extremely proud of the achievement, Ton van Amerongen, Chief Executive, SCEC said that this is the reflection of the passion and enthusiasm of the centre’s team. The centre is focussed on creating a more sustainable events industry and will always be looking for new ways to improve their environmental performance.

SCEC’s submission for the National Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia awards highlights its continued improvements in its environmental measures, overseen by its own Ecowise team, as well as works this year to create a long-term strategic plan for the venue which identifies new waste management targets for the period 2011 to 2015.

In the past year, the centre’s green initiatives have earned it a number of industry awards. It has also been recognised as a ‘Green Globe (Silver) Benchmarked Convention Centre’, a ‘Bronze Partner of the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Programme’ and has received the ‘Earthcheck Silver Certification’ among others.

14

facts

The Convention Centre Dublin accredited

by ISO for its customer friendly practices The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) has secured accreditation in the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) 9001 - Quality Management System and ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System. In order to retain its ISO certification, CCD will be audited on a regular basis.

The accreditation was awarded by Certification Europe, which is governed by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB). Besides its innovative thinking, CCD was recognised and commended for its commitment to customer satisfaction and its customer-based approach.

CCD prides itself on being the world’s first carbon neutral convention centre and is committed to long-term sustainability. Its environmental credentials have helped the centre to secure a number of green events with like-minded organisations, such as Globe Forum, Repak and Plan Expo Green.

Since the construction phase, CCD has been extremely focussed on creating and operating a sustainable and efficient business. Its ISO accreditation solidifies the commitment to the long-term strategy and they are delighted to have achieved the certification after 14 months of commencing operations.

15

facts

Karnataka government approves an international conference centre; expected to be operational by June 2012 Karnataka government has approved `250 crore for an international convention centre in collaboration with Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), near the Bengaluru Airport, which is expected to be operational by June 2012.

The centre will be built on 35 acre of land and would have a seating capacity of over 5,000 people, 20 small conference halls accommodating between 50 and 200 people and a 20,000 sqm exhibition space.

After realising that Hyderabad attracts a lot of international conferences and exhibitions due to the Hydrabad International Centre there and that the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gujarat is also ready to offer state-of-the-art facilities, the State Cabinet felt that Karnataka should not miss its chance.

New education programme announced for AIME 2012 Organisers of the Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) have released the 2012 Education Programme schedule and speakers, which for the first time has been developed in collaboration with the major industry association partners, in an effort to make the content even more relevant and useful to the attendees.

Apart from its existing partners, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) and International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), this year, AIME has worked with its new association partners, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), the Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCO) and the International Special Events Society (ISES).

The new partnerships with their key associations are expected to inject new knowledge and insights into the programme.

Having these associations on-board will help ensure that AIME stays fresh and in-line with the current market trends.

Attendees will benefit from the refreshed education programme as the issues that will be addressed are the ones they would likely face during their careers.

The education programme will begin with the annual Business Events Forum that will examine the outlook for the business events sector focussing on the Asia Pacific region.

With commentary from a business futurist and economist and with observations from the field, this session will provide an insight into the meeting industry’s suppliers’ and clients’ responses to today’s business climate, highlighting pockets of strength and growth, along with the signs of market weakness in destinations and sectors.

One of the most popular components of the education programme is the Saxton Ultimate Event Experience, which will showcase entertainment for business events including illusion, motivational speaking, dance and music.

16

New Business Class on Turkish Airlines, an Epitome of Royalty Turkish Airlines, Europe’s fastest growing airline company and the winner of Skytrax award for being the ‘Best Airline in Europe’, presents a host of high quality services in its New Business Class.

Seat The new Business Class cabin is laid out in a 2-3-2 configuration and offers fully reclinable 75 inch flat beds for sleeping space. A seat pitch of 61 inches is provided to ensure a passenger’s comfort and mobility. Main Control unit, located in the centre console at the front end of the armrest, provides full control of the bed. Generous and ample legroom allows passengers that extra bit of stretch in the long haul flights. The seat acts like a personal masseuse and relaxes the muscles.

Each Business Class seat comes with a PC power receptacle that supplies energy for the laptops and similar electrical devices. Entertainment system with live TV and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The newly installed in-flight entertainment system on the aircraft gives the fliers an enthralling experience. Equipped with personal touch-screen monitors and planet digital system provide passengers a plethora of movies and music options in more than 7 languages. Passengers can even select a programme of

their choice with the remote control device attached to their seats.

The Planet digital system offers close to 350 films and television series, dramas, documentaries, sports, travel, food, fashion and technology programmes and cartoons. Also available are 600 CD albums across generes such as, Pop&Rock, Jazz&Blues, New Age, Rock and Turkish Folk music to name a few.

Individual and multiple player game channels, children’s channel and an audio book channel are also accessible on the flights. The news channel offers passengers world news.

Turkish Airlines is the first carrier to offer live, inflight television on trans-Atlantic flight.

High speed internet access and Wi-Fi connectivity enables the passengers to use their mobile devices such as, notebook, iPad, tablets, etc. Passengers can also send and receive text messages and e-mails through this in-flight connectivity.

Flying Chef Turkish Airlines boasts the world’s largest fleet of flying chefs on their new Business Class. The catering service by Do&Co, the on-board catering subsidiary of Turkish Airlines prepares fresh and mouth watering cuisines from all over the world. So everything served is fresh and not out of the freezer.

CIP Lounge Welcome aboard to Turkish Airlines’ exclusive waiting lounge. Business Class travellers can take advantage of the CIP Lounge at the Istanbul International Airport which is designed to give them a pleasant time before the next flight.

With features such as, catering service, music room, internet & TV facility, children’s area, reading room, prayer room, etc, this lounge is an ideal spot for transit passengers.

Enjoy a wide range of beverages and snacks at the CIP lounge.

Passengers are constantly updated and informed about their flight timings and other details which allow uninhibited relaxations. Passengers can even send a fax and connect to the internet via WLAN, all free of charge. What’s more, if required, passengers can freshen up and make use of the shower facility, so don’t forget to ask for your personal bath kit at the reception of the lounge.

18

A Befitting Finale

Ipshita Sengupta Nag

20

cover story

Hotels have taken up the onus of hosting theme evenings during a MICE event. They have the space and the facilities to match the expectations of corporate travellers. Each hotel is ‘thinking innovative’ to give its guests the experience of a lifetime. MICEtalk did a short recce to find out more about this niche service that hotels have become synonymous with and how they are daring to be different, creating the right ambience for memorable evenings.

21

cover story

The Awadhi Menu At Suryagarh, Jaisalmer • Shahi Badaam Shorba, tomato shorba • Aloo aur pudine ka Salad • Tarbooz aur dahi ka salad • Tandoori Phool • Veg seekh • Tandoori mushroom • Bharwan aloo • Dahi kebab • Paneer tikka

Top: Guests enjoy the Awadhi menu at Suryagarh Jaisalmer Previous page: Suryagarh Jaisalmer dresses up for a special corporate evening Previous page Inset: Awadh Style evening at Suryagarh Jaisalmer

Bimalendra Kumar Executive Chef and F&B Director Suryagarh, Jaisalmer

Debanjan Kundu Associate Director of Sales – MICE The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace.

22

• Kesar-e-Pukhtaan • Lauki Mussallam • Khatti Aloo Bhindi • Dal Sultani • Aloo Pyaz Zaike wali • Veg Dum Biriyani • Naan Roti • Lakhnavi Aloo phulka • Papad pickle raita • Ice Cream • Moong dal Halwa • Angoori rasmalai

B

usiness travellers, whether domestic or international, have always held a fascination for the western state of Rajasthan. Wealth and valour are the main ingredients of the state’s history.

The folklore associated with Rajasthan’s still existing palaces and forts create a palpable backdrop for events, even as the hotels in the region attempt to bring alive a time that endless legends have been written about.

The Oberoi properties are a discerning name in the region (and other parts of the country) and their picturesque properties stand shoulder to shoulder with the remnants of the state’s beautiful ramparts.

Rajmahal, the fine dining restaurant at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur is a spectacular sight, especially after sunset. A magical evening can be created here, in the fort-like ambience of this exclusive restaurant, which serves food on silver platters and can be an epicurean’s delight, with its biryanis and tandoori dishes. A special ‘Royal Rajasthan’ evening at the Rajmahal begins with a royal welcome with elephants, camels and horses flanking the entrance. Groups are delighted by the presence of local musicians who create the mood for a Rajasthani experience awaiting them inside.

As a reminder of the good old days, women in their traditional attire welcome the guests to the Rajmahal by showering flower petals on the path of the guests.

As the evening continues, there is a puppet show to entertain the group. To add to the special ambience, the hotel can organise a session of applying ‘Mehendi’ (henna paste) for the women in the group, even as they admire the colourful glass bangles adorning their wrists, procured from a local vendor arranged at the venue. The Rajmahal at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur is ideal for a group of 30 or above and the menu is created after consultation about the specific likings of the group.

The poolside at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, becomes the setting for a special ‘Rajasthani Bazaar’ with local vendors, like bangle sellers, miniature painting artists, rice grain painters, etc. adding to the unique ambience. Live food counters are set up,

with the aroma of freshly cooked food filling up the environment, a la Bazaar environment.

Rajasthan is not only about creating a Rajasthani ambience and this is evident in an Awadh style evening that was organised at the Luxury Boutique Hotel, Suryagarh Jaisalmer (under the Preferred group of hotels). Built of yellow sandstone, the fort like façade of the hotel seems to rise from the expanse of desert surrounding it. According to Bimalendra Kumar, Executive Chef and F&B Director, Suryagarh Jaisalmer, a special Awadhi theme evening, a reminder of the days of Nawabs and Begums comprised, among other interesting features, of a qawali topi (cap) for the women and a gajra (garland of flowers) tied to the wrists of the men as they entered the venue.

The setting was the lake garden, a new function venue at Suryagarh Jaisalmer, which included a round table arrangement, with a unique centre arrangement on a ‘Pokhran’ stone, with tealight candles. Kumar adds, “We had live counters for food and chefs were making Lakhnawi phulka and the kebabs (all vegetarian).” The venue further reflected the Awadhi theme in its décor, the lighting, the music and the outfits of the hotel staff.

Kumar informs that the group was large (comprising 250 people) and live entertainment was organised for them, by bringing musicians and dancers to the venue. The group enjoyed itself thoroughly.

Branding was an important aspect of this special evening, with the company name reflecting in the flower arrangement and banners put up throughout the venue. The entire event was handled by Suryagarh Jaisalmer’s F&B team.

The more contemporary names in hospitality, like The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, has also been

cover story

hosting theme dinners for its guests. Now an important landmark of the city, the hotel offers exemplary meeting, recreational and dining facilities for its guests.

“We have 15,000 sq ft of meeting space available for energised meetings, conferences, weddings or gala social events. Westin’s well designed open terrace venue and lawns are a perfect option for throwing private parties and for having a great time with family and friends. We had recently organised an Arabian theme for a Corporate Award Night,” informs Debanjan Kundu, Associate Director of Sales – MICE, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace.

The event was held in the Poolside Lawn and the Pool Deck area and an Arabian ‘Souk’ (market) ambience was created all along the poolside. The hotel put up gazebos for seating along the lawns and ‘Sheesha’ was kept in each gazebo for the guests to experience exotic tobacco. The entrance to the venue had booths for the evening beverage. Arabian music was played to enthrall the guests and ‘mood lighting’ was used to create a great ambience, recreating the exotic Arab flavours in India. Arabian dancers and music kept the guests entertained throughout the evening. A camel was stationed at the venue and this added to the ‘Bedouin’ feel.

The ingredients were imported from the source market to stay faithful to the authentic flavours of Arabia. A special packet with Arabian dates and spices was handed out to the guests at the end of the evening.

The guests therefore, not only became a part of a unique exotic experience but also took back a piece of this experience with them.

The evening was executed by a professional event management company, as is the practice of the hotel when it comes to organising theme evenings.

Team bonding and ‘fun for all’ is defined in a different way at the Country Inns & Suites by Carlson Sahibabad, which organised an evening, with a Casino theme. Organised at their fairly new venue, ‘the Darbar’, which is spacious enough to accommodate

Sample of food counters during an event at Country Inns & Suites by Carlson Sahibabad Live Food Station • Poh Pia Wrap • Tappenyaki • Satay With Peanut Dip • Paneer Shawarma With Traditional Accompaniments of Pitta Bread, Tahina & Turshi • Tortelini and Taglitelli Verde (Italian Pastas) Cooked with Choice of Herb Sauce & Alrosso Sauce or Arrabiata Sauce (With Ciabatta & Foccasia Bread Served at this live counter)

• Rissoto With Garlic Bread with Mushroom Dip and Olive Dip Bar-Be-Que • Paneer Shashlik • Chunky Kathal Kebabs • Tandoori Phalon Aur Bell Pepper ka Shashlik • Tawe Wali Soya Chops (Rumali & Roti and variety of Marinated Onions to be served at this food counter)

Top: Meal is served to guests during a special evening at The Country Inns & Suites

by Carlson Sahibabad

Bottom: The poolside area of The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace often becomes the venue for theme evenings

23

cover story

The Neemrana Fort Palace on the Delhi Jaipur highway shimmers as it waits for its corporate guests

Dinner at The Bada Mahal, The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur: An evening with live kebabs and curries at the Bada Mahal, an old Hunting Lodge, which originally belonged to the Maharanas of Udaipur.

Adorned with torches, marigold flowers and candles with low, traditional Indian seating can be provided here with live Indian classical instrumental music.

Dinner by The Spa Pool, The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur: Under the intricately carved dome, decorated with a marigold curtain and candles, dinner by the pool overlooking the City Palace and Jag Mandir can be exclusively set for a group. The chef can customise a three course meal based on the preference of a group.

Rajmahal, the restaurant at The Oberoi, Rajvilas, Jaipur

The Spa Pool at The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur

24

medium to large sized groups, there were 1500 guests for this corporate theme party.

The MB event company was put in charge of planning and execution of the event. The décor followed a black and red theme and this included the outfits of the staff that was present during the evening. Images of people playing at casinos were put up across the venue with the perfect use of lights to create the right ambience. Food for the evening also followed a casino theme.

To ensure that fun was more than just a visual treat, gaming tables were set up for the delegates to indulge in. A dance troupe was invited from Mumbai to rev up the evening and make it more memorable.

Country Inns & Suites by Carlson Sahibabad also organised an evening of Ghazals for the Indian Medical Association recently where ‘the Darbar’ was dressed up in a traditional way, with lights, décor and food to match.

The picturesque and unique setting of the Neemrana Hotels makes it easy to plan a special evening on any of their properties, strewn across the country. The Neemrana Fort Palace, for instance, situated on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway, was originally a fort. Lit up strategically after sunset, the property looks straight out of a fairytale, shimmering in its golden apparel. The open terrace often becomes the venue for gala nights, comprising cocktails and dinners, which gives corporates the opportunity to dress up in their finery and be a part of a ‘Royal’ experience of a lifetime.

Each of the Neemrana ‘non-hotel’ Hotels has something unique to offer to its guests and this is what makes them such a popular name in India and overseas.

Glasshouse on the Ganges, Uttarakhand, is popular with MICE groups because of the various opportunities for post event activities it offers, particularly outdoors.

A perfect way to end the day, after jungle walks or bird-watching would be to join your colleagues for a barbeque on the banks of the Ganga.

After a long working business day during a conference or a meeting, particpants would normally prefer to go to their rooms and relax. The company sponsoring them however, sees this as time for bonding with colleagues and networking with seniors.

Gala evenings are always a help to motivate people into action and lighthearted fun, achieving the required bonhomie.

destination

Serenading the Spanish Peninsula for MICE Ipshita Sengupta Nag

26

The Magic Box, a unique sport complex, which is also an events venue, is one of the city’s most emblematic installations and stands as a symbol of Madrid as a host city for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Think of Spain and you visualise the exotic Flamenco dancers or the brave Toreros challenging the mighty beasts in the bullrings. Visitors to Spain are also fascinated by its varying landscape that encompasses medieval towns, rugged mountain ranges and architectural marvels. The steaming paellas and the pitchers of Sangria add to the exotic experience. It is for these reasons and more that Spain has entered the list of the most preferred countries for business travellers looking for a flamboyant MICE experience. The Spanish cities of Barcelona and Madrid find a place on the ICCA list of the most favoured MICE destinations in the world.

27

destination

Previous Page: A scenic view of Spain’s beauty Previous Page Inset: Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Top: Louise Bourgeouis’ Mamam at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain Bottom: An open air cafeteria at Salamanca Mayor Plaza, Spain

W

hat places the Spanish cities ahead of other tourist favourites, when it comes to business travel is not a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Over the years, the country has developed an unparalleled infrastructure to support congress activities; state-ofthe-art venues, hotel networks, accessibility from other destinations, etc. The Spanish hospitality has added to the happy memories that people take away.

Spain is known for many of its urban cities, however majorly known MICE cities are Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla.

The meetings held in Madrid in 2010 have had a direct economic impact on the city amounting to over €1,000 million. Madrid takes the sixth spot in the world ranking for international congresses. This record figure marks a 31 per cent increase on the

Barcelona has countless historic and unique venues for receptions, gala dinners and parties. These represent the artistic genius of the creators; Catalan Gothic, rustic-style or ultramodern buildings, they make up an impressive landscape

28

number of international congresses in 2009, when Madrid was in 13th position and is 79.5 per cent higher than the average for the last ten years. According to the report Madrid hosted 14,095 meetings last year with a total of 12,90,171 participants.

Espacios y Congresos, S.A., empresa Municipal (Municipal Company), Madrid, manages over 2,00,000 sqm of exhibition space for trade fairs and business meetings and this includes the Madrid Municipal Convention Centre (Palacio de Congresos), with an Auditorium that can seat 1,900 attendants, the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) with 20,000 sqm of exhibition space and the Juan Carlos Auditorium with an outdoor area for 9,500 attendants. The company is undertaking the development of a new International Convention Centre of the City of Madrid, under the slogan ‘Madrid, where the sun never sets’ and an auditorium for 6,500 participants. The centre will become one of the most important icons of the city of Madrid.

The metropolis of Barcelona too is fully equipped to host international meetings and has got the second position in the ICCA ranking and seventh position in the UIA ranking for the year 2010. Over the years a number of leading multinationals have chosen Barcelona for their conventions and product launches.

El Centro de Convenciones Internacional de Barcelona, The International Convention Centre of Barcelona (CCIB), opened in November 2004, was purpose-built to host congresses, conventions, trade fairs and official events. Its modern facilities, capacity, versatility, architectural design, technological equipment and seafront location make it unique place to conduct MICE ativities. CCIB is easily accessible by public transport and there are hotels nearby offering 7,070 rooms (4,887 within walking distance). The CCIB

A good time to plan your visit to Spain would be during one of its various international film festivals. You can see international films, before their general theatre release. San Sebàstian is amongst Europe’s most prestigious international film festivals.

Top: A boulevard in Spain Middle: Casa Mila “La Padrera” Bottom: A Harbour in Spain Following Pages Top: A Flamenco performance in full swing Middle: Participants in their traditional attire during a parade in Spain Bottom: Pamplona Bull run in progress – an event in the San Fermin festival that takes place every year from July 6 - 14

Photo Courtesy: L Bertran

covers a total area of 1,00,000 sqm and comprises two buildings - the Convention Centre, which can host up to 15,000 people and the Forum Building Auditorium with 3,200 seats. Its unique features include an 11,340 sqm exhibition hall which can be organised into different modular layouts, a large banquet hall and 36 meeting rooms; all with natural light and without columns and equipped with state-of-the-art technology with a fully comprehensive range of inhouse services to meet every requirement of an event.

The Spanish city of Valencia is slowly catching up with its more famous contemporaries. The Valencia Convention Centre is the city’s hotspot for meetings and conferences with auditoriums, conference rooms, restaurants. The Feria Valencia is another venue popular for trade fairs and welcomes over a million international visitors every year. The other oft chosen venue for MICE in Valencia is the Valencia Concert Hall and Convention Centre.

There are several other venues in the country, like the Bilbao Exhibition Centre, which also sees a lot of trade events every year.

Spain’s capital Madrid also throws up umpteen opportunities to explore the country’s cultural and artistic heritage. Convention delegates can spend the post event hours visiting the Prado Museum, Royal Palace or Casa de la Villa City hall and Casa de Cisneros House. The city also has an active nightlife,

29

destination

with discotheques and clubs and opportunities to taste the seafood or innumerable options in wines. Madrid incidentally is the ‘Tapas’ capital of the country.

Roman remains, medieval quarters and 20th century avantgarde creations come together in the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona. Plan your itinerary well to capture museums, open-air sculptures, concerts and plays in your memories and your camera. One can plan day excursions to Montserrat, Figures, Stiges from Barcelona. Barcelona is also a shopper’s delight with antique shops and galleries to suit all pockets.

If you are a foodie then you cannot leave Spain without tasting its famous ‘Paellas’. Valencia is the country’s paella capital and you can taste the most mouth watering types of this dish here. The people of Valencia are particularly proud of their paellas and claim that they can offer so many different varieties of this dish that you can taste a new one every day even if you stay here for a long time.

There is plenty more to experience in Spain and with sufficient time on hand, can be an enriching MICE experience, no matter which Spanish city you might be scheduling your meetings or conventions in.

In Valencia, you can even hold your conferences at the Oceanogràfic Aquarium, under the vast, exotic marine world.

‘A la Carte’ proposals are offered by a range of destinations, such as Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid and other cities. Contact the Spain Convention Bureau or the local convention bureau for more details.

For more information: neelam.talera@tourspain.es Photograph Courtesy: Tourism Office of Spain; Turisme de Barcelona; Madrid Tourism

30

itinerary

Exploring Spain Day 1 Madrid Arrive at the Madrid Barajas Airport. Check-in to a 4 or 5-star hotel. Indian lunch at your hotel. In the afternoon proceed on a guided tour of the Royal Palace, one of the best preserved royal residences in Europe.

Later, start the sightseeing tour of Madrid to see all different and interesting sights of Madrid; from Austrias, Borbones, Isabelino and Contemporary quarters to the Barrio de la Morería. Stop for churros (a light, crisp Spanish doughnut with hot chocolate dip) at a local ‘chocolateria’.

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Day 2 Breakfast at the hotel. Full day conference/event at your hotel at the chosen venue with 2 coffee breaks.

Indian lunch at the hotel.

Gala evening at the hotel with Flamenco show, alcoholic drinks and Indian dinner served at chosen venue.

Day 3 After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour to Toledo (71 km from Madrid) by coach. Toledo was the capital of the country and is one of the oldest cities of Europe. Toledo has magnificent examples of architecture from different epochs; Arab, Jewish and Catholic. It was declared by UNESCO as ‘Heritage of Mankind Town’. Start with a walking tour to admire the beautiful streets and monuments: The Cathedral, Victorio Macho Museum, the Santa Maria la Blanca Synagogue and San Juan de Los Reyes Church. Conclude your visit to Toledo with some shopping of Damasquinado (precious metals incrusted on steel).

Indian box lunch with mineral water will be provided.

Afternoon shopping at the La Rozas Village, home to some 900 outlet boutiques of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands.

Return to Madrid around 6-7 pm, in time to see the matador take on the bull in the Bull Fight (from April-May to September-October).

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Enjoy nightlife in Madrid on your own. Madrid nightlife is incredibly varied and it goes on all night until the sun rises.

32

Itinerary courtesy: Tourism Office of Spain

Day 4 After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour to Bernabeu Stadium.

Then visit the new Trophies Exhibitions, the chief exponent of Real Madrid legend, the Best Club in the 20th century.

Indian lunch at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Afternoon, depart to Chinchon (45 km from Madrid city) for a fun car rally. Teams will compete along a car journey with a ‘surprise itinerary’ entailing various surprises and difficulties. The objective of the rally is to reach the point of destination - which is unknown to the teams beforehand.

Truly, a productive team building programme.

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Overnight stay at the hotel. Next morning check-out of the hotel and head to the airport.

This is only a suggested itinerary which can be adjusted/customised around a conference and to the requirement of the client.

itinerary

Day 1 Barcelona Arrive at Barcelona El Prat Airport. Transfer to your hotel.

Indian lunch at your hotel.

Afternoon, enjoy sightseeing of Barcelona; visit the Cathedral, Gothic Quarter, Sant Jaume Square, Port and Olympic Village, panoramic view from Montjuic, Olympic Stadium and Sant Jordi Palace. Visit the Spanish Village of Barcelona, 117 typical buildings from all over Spain on show with restaurants, shops and handicraft workshops. Enjoy a glass of the famous Catalan Cava here.

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Day 2 Breakfast at the hotel. Full day conference/event at your hotel or at the chosen venue with 2 coffee breaks.

Indian lunch at the hotel.

Gala evening at the hotel with Flamenco show, alcoholic drinks and Indian dinner served at the chosen venue.

Day 3 After breakfast, enjoy a guided visit to Montserrat Mountains by coach. Arrive at Monistrol de Montserrat. From here take the cable car to reach the mountains. Visit the Royal Basilica, where the famous 12th century romanesque sculpture of ‘Virgen Moreneta’ is kept.

Indian box lunch with mineral water will be provided.

After lunch, drive to Villafranca del Penedes, the capital city of the Alt Penedès and the most traditional and important wine region in Catalonia. Visit a wine cellar here and see how cava wine is made and do some tasting as well.

Late evening return to Barcelona.

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Day 4 After breakfast, depart to Pineda de Mar (57 km from Barcelona) for a day to enjoy team building activities. Choose from: Archery: Participants must show a great skill. Each participant will have a limited number of arrows and will have to score as much as possible.

Team Volleyball: It’s like the classic volleyball, but the only way to collect the ball and hand it back to the other team is with cloth that the whole team is holding. Will need teamwork and coordination.

Message Transmission: One part of the team is sending a message to the rest of the team with the other team in the middle trying to prevent them to receive the message. They will need coordination and communication skills.

Seegway: Participants will try the new two-wheeled vehicles, in a circuit marked by the organisation.

Indian box lunch with mineral water will be provided. Conclude the day with outlet shopping at La Roca Village.

Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Overnight stay at the hotel. Next morning, check out after breakfast and head to the airport.

33

mice city

Berlin’s MICE Culture The modern city of Berlin is one of the most vibrant faces of Europe, with events, festivals, gourmet delights, with each drawing its niche fan following. Berlin is wooing the Indian film fraternity in a big way, so do not be surprised to see your favourite actor preparing for a film shot against the city’s many beautiful ramparts. The city also has an enviable MICE profile, something that MICEtalk decided to explore…

Bottom: The exalting Brandenburg gate symbolic of a reunified Berlin Facing Page Top: An exhibition in progress at a Berlin venue Facing Page Bottom: Statuesque 40 ft Book Tower on the Bebelplatz square at the Berlin Walk of Ideas, memorialising the invention of modern book printing

34

A

s stand alone MICE venues across the globe get into shape to become more globally relevant, a growing number of corporate travellers are looking for a more unique setting for their business get-togethers. Recognising this fact, Berlin has been strongly marketing its one-of-its-kind venues. They are distinctly different from each other, both in terms of the facilities and the experiences they offer.

MICEtalk decided to explore how the uniqueness of venue spills over to the happy memories that one takes away from a place.

The city makes it difficult to pick a favourite. If Adagio Berlin impresses with its quaint old world charm, Goya Berlin reiterates the city’s history of more than 100 years. Both the venues today make impressive event stopovers, with light and sound systems and amenities that can be customised to specific requirements. The Chamäleon Theatre is another venue that lets you relive

the city’s past with its historical ballroom and musical variety programmes to match.

The contemporary face of Berlin can be seen at the Moskav as an event venue. Situated in one of the posh boulevards of East Berlin, the modern two storeyed structure can organise events in its event rooms and lobby areas, apart from the basement space and the two exclusive open air areas. The dbb Forum is another venue that becomes relevant because of its contemporary ambience. The glass façade of the venue is the first feature of this venue that bowls you over. The main conference hall Atrium I & II have all the necessary multimedia technology to support the events. An interesting feature of this contemporary feature is the steel and glass lighting sail, which is suspended from the glass ceiling. This not only takes care of the lighting but also gives a dramatic feel to this venue.

mice city

But the contrast of the old and the new, that Berlin is particularly proud of, is what makes it such a great destination for MICE activities. Tempelhofer Freheit, which was originally an airport building, is one of the most spectacular venues of Europe. It not only has large open spaces in what used to be hangars earlier, but also exclusive space for meetings, for instance, at the former airport tower.

Talking of the unusual venues, situated right in the middle of the Havel River is Eiswerder Island, which is home to a unique event venue. This was originally the Royal Prussian Fireworks Laboratory. There are four studios here that can host events within their brick walls. Another jewel of Berlin’s crown is Eventlocation Wasserwerk, which is actually a 100 year old pumping station. The venue is often chosen by corporate groups for gala evenings, comprising special themes.

MICE groups coming to Berlin for their business activities have a plethora of hotels to choose from.

In the last ten years, the city has almost doubled its capacity of hotel beds. Now there are around 1, 11,500 rooms available around the city, comprising 2 to 5-star capacities. Almost all the major hotel chains from across the world, have their properties in the German capital.

As Berlin throws open its most exclusive venues for MICE, the city’s rich past makes it a delight for those who share a love for history. Royal rulers with a passion for art have left a sprawling legacy of culture in and around Berlin. Today’s UNESCO World Heritage sites unite architecture and landscaped beauty to form a captivating whole; a journey back in time to the days of courts and princes.

An interesting way of exploring this picturesque city and beyond – from the city lights to the sea breezes – are the cycling routes. The Berlin-Usedom Cycle Route takes you from the hustle-bustle of the German capital through densely wooded Barnim and the Uckermark region with its many lakes, to the Baltic island of Usedom. The route begins in Berlin. With the river Panke by your side, you head for Bernau.

From there the route takes you through the forests and across gently rolling hills in a landscape shaped by the ice age. Barnim nature park and SchorfheideChorin biosphere reserve allow you to discover nature at its most unspoilt best. Along the route you can find cultural treasures such as the stately homes, churches, abbeys and museums, all well worth a visit.

No visit to Berlin would be complete without a trip to Potsdam, the Brandenburg state capital, which is at a short distance from Berlin. Potsdam is a UNESCO Special Venues • Aldershof Science and Technology park • Auditorium Friedrichstrasse • Axica Conference and Event Centre • E4 Berlin • Konzerthaus • Palais am Festungsgraben • Tempodrom • Story of Berlin Museum • Willy-Brandt-Haus

35

mice city

Berlin Hotels

No. of Conference rooms

A&O Berlin Hauptbahnhof

324

7

ABACUS Tierpark Hotel

278

12

ande l’s Hotel Berlin

557

20

Estrel Hotel & Convention Center

1125

70

Golden Tulip Berlin-Hotel Hamburg

188

7

Grand Hotel Esplanade Berlin

394

12

Hilton Berlin

601

15

Holiday Inn Berlin International Airport

299

20

Hotel Adlon Kempinski

382

15

Hotel Müggelsee Berlin Conference & Resort

176

18

Hotel Palace Berlin

282

18

InterContinental Berlin

577

36

Maritim Hotel Berlin

505

49

NH Central Conference Office Berlin

660

21

Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof

383

18

Radisson Blu Hotel

427

15

RAMADA Hotel Berlin-Alexanderplatz

337

17

Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz

563

20

Swissôtel Berlin am Kurfürstendamm

316

10

Top: Atlantic Hotel, a historic Victorian bed and breakfast hotel in Berlin Bottom: Messe Berlin built in 1936-37 is one of Berlin’s most preferred conference and exhibition facility

36

No. of rooms

World Cultural Heritage site: visitors encounter living history at every turn, not only at Sanssouci Palace, the Prussian royal summer residence with its magnificent gardens, but also in Potsdam’s beautifully restored city centre (18th century architecture) and in the Dutch Quarter. The Berlin zoo in Friedrichsfelde is an extensive country park with a substantial collection of animals. The largest of Berlin’s lakes, Lake Müggelsee, is next to a large recreation area.

Messe Berlin has been organising international trade fairs and congresses since 1822. In terms of revenue it ranks among the world’s top 10 trade fair companies that operate their own site. It is located in the city centre and offers over 1,60,000 sqm of indoor exhibition space, plus a further 1,00,000 sqm outside. Direct links between the Messe Berlin halls and Europe’s largest congress centre, the ICC Berlin, makes it easy to combine trade fairs and conventions. Every year Messe Berlin organises more than 90 trade fairs and exhibitions with around two million visitors and over 500 conferences and events.

The Steigenberger Hotel Berlin is the first corporate hotel in Germany to offer carbonneutral events.

Berlin, in short, can be an aweinspiring experience, for groups who want to chose its precincts for their business congregations and who are looking for so much more from an offsite tour than work. Berlin’s culture and history are palpable accompaniments as one sits down to work and as much a part of this city’s experience as its impressive and efficient venues.

When Hawaii Means Business Ipshita Sengupta Nag

Aerial view of the mesmerising Hawai’i Convention Center Photo courtesy: David Cornwell

38

booked for mice

The Hawaiian Islands have held a fascination for surfers because of the dramatic beauty of the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Honeymooners have not been far behind. The splendour of the surroundings has added to the amorous instincts of couples. The islands have also been attracting a different set of travellers, who have been choosing its vibrant precincts to mull over business matters. The Hawai’i Convention Centre (HCC) epitomises the region’s commitment to meetings and conventions.

• Situated at a distance of 8 miles from the Honolulu International Airport, it takes 20 minutes to reach The Hawai’i Convention Center, once you have stepped out of the airport.

• Hawaii Standard Time (GMT 1000 hours), • Climate: Average temperature: 75˚-85˚ F. It is generally drier on the western side of the island and wetter on the eastern (windward) side.

• Clothing: Casual clothes are preferable. Carry a light jacket for the evenings. Smart casuals for restaurants and clubs.

39

booked for mice

T

Photo courtesy: David Cornwell

he Oahu Island, which is home to The Hawai’i Convention Center and the state’s capital, Honolulu, is the most vibrant face of this cluster of islands which occupies a significant page in history texts as the location of the Pearl Harbour attack, which blew the bugle for America’s entry into the Second World War. HCC had a grand opening on June 2008 and with its magnificent glass walled lobby has become an important landmark of this beautiful island. The highlight of the lobby is a 70 foot misting waterfall. A grand exterior staircase connects you to the Ala Wai Promenade. 60 per cent of this MICE venue is beautifully landscaped and this includes the 2.5 acre rooftop garden, with tropical flowers and ponds, that has won accolades for its iridescent beauty.

An important aspect of HCC’s décor is its incorporation of original artwork, which includes creative works by Hawaiian youth and a carefully restored fresco by the late Jean Charlot, an internationally recognised painter who made his home in Hawaii.

Level one of the centre comprises the exhibition halls – Kamehameha I, II and III, which make up areas of 8,245 sqm, 5,505 sqm and 5,204 sqm, respectively.

These exhibition areas are supported by loading docks and large entrances to enable easy movement of objects required for small to large exhibitions.

Level two comprises the parking area, which can accommodate upto 700 vehicles.

The third level of the convention centre includes various meeting areas and two permanent tiered theatres/auditoriums, which can host meetings and conventions. These facilities are spacious and amenable to specific requirements.

Level four includes the breathtaking landscaped rooftop garden, which can serve as the most perfect backdrop for any gala event planned in the Kalakaua ballroom, situated alongside. The ballroom can be demarcated into smaller areas for smaller groups.

Although HCC is visibly dramatic with its towering glass walls and multi-level facilities and escalators, the centre is pedestrian friendly and gives the impression of large open spaces as guests can look beyond its walls to the distant scenic mountains.

A venue of this magnitude also shows its commitment to conserving the environment. Energy-saving systems have been integrated throughout the centre and this includes its ventilating and air-conditioning systems, which have been specifically designed for the Hawaiian

40

Facilities at a glance • Over 2,00,000 sq ft divisible exhibit hall with drive-on floor access • 350 pounds per sq ft floor load capacity • 35,000 sq ft registration lobby • 1,38,869 sq ft of total meeting space • 47 breakout rooms plus two permanent theatres with tiered seating • 35,000 sq ft ballroom • 2.5 acre landscaped rooftop garden • 20,000 sq ft production kitchen • Business Center on site • In-house audio-visual company

booked for mice

Previous Page Top: Outdoor space for events at the centre Previous Page Middle: State-of-the-art conference facility at the centre Photo courtesy David Cornwell Previous Page Bottom: Meeting Room Top: Delegates mingle in the Exhibit Hall of the venue

• In 2010 The Hawai‘i Convention Center won the Business Travel Award for the ‘Best Conference or Convention Center/City’ for the third consecutive year.

tropical climate, to ensure that minimum energy is used in operating them. Heat exchangers are also present to transmit waste heat from the chiller condenser to ensure humidity control, within the venue.

Also, you can enter the predicted occupancy of a room into the control system when a function is scheduled. The system then automatically controls the quantity of outside air that flows into the room and the temperature during the event. Reducing air volume means, the fan motors are running at a reduced horsepower, thus saving energy.

For proper air quality, special gas filters designed for the absorption of diesel and gas vapors have been installed in the exhibit halls, entrance lobby, administrative area, food service area and the main kitchen. These filters ensure that any vehicle fumes from the adjacent street are, eliminated from the air inside the venue.

The energy-efficient initiatives of HCC have resulted in three environmental awards, which includes rebates, totalling US$ 2,79,789, from the Hawaiian Electric Company.

Events at HCC are supported by able and trained staff. An event manager from HCC takes over once you decide to host an event here and acts as a conduit to provide the best in services and this includes putting you in touch with local suppliers, particularly

ROOM

TOTAL

for specific technology related requirements. This event manager then becomes the point of contact for all queries and requirements.

The meticulous planning of HCC is also apparent in their food & beverage service where the assigned catering sales manager contacts the concerned group nine months before the actual event. This is to determine the exact requirements of the group, in relation to meals, coffee breaks or theme evening parties.

Other support services at the centre include the Business Centre and an in-house audio-visual supplier.

A visit to Oahu Island for work is a great opportunity to explore its sights and sounds. The island can be defined as the heart of the Hawaiian art and entertainment. Groups can explore the places of historical interest or the museums or join in the fun and frolic of its various festivals or simply soak in the beauty of its various natural wonders; not to mention serenade the beach and resorts of the famous Waikiki area – there is something for every taste or pocket…

For more information: jennifer@thelimtiacocompany.com

DIMENSIONS

CAPACITIES

Sq Ft

Sqm

L

W

H

Max.

Theater

Class

Banquet

2,04,249

18,975

329’

619’

30’

13,340

13,340

9,000

9,500

- Exhibit Hall I

88,752

8,245

329’

269’

30’

5,340

4,309

3,368

3,760

- Exhibit Hall II

59,260

5,505

329’

179’

30’

4,000

4,000

2,416

2,760

- Exhibit Hall III

56,017

5,204

329’

169’

30’

4,000

4,000

2,584

2,580

- Exhibit Hall I + II

1,48,122

13,761

329’

449’

30’

9,340

9,340

6,416

6,930

- Exhibit Hall II + III

1,15,386

10,719

329’

349’

30’

8,000

8,000

5,152

5,590

KAMEHAMEHA Exhibit Hall I + II + III

42

Technology • Permanently installed, dedicated, point-to-point 3 mbps internet connection. The GST backbone connection to the mainland traverses a DS3 fiber optic line that can be upgraded to 10 mbps. The circuit is monitored 24x7 • LAN, WAN and dedicated Ethernet connections • Coaxial cable for video interconnects all major building areas; Web-casting and video conferencing available • Wireless phone services available upon request • Six-station simultaneous interpretation rooms • Press rooms can be equipped for global links to any country • Presentation theatre features an in-built projection room and state-of-the-art multimedia presentation environment • Voice-over IP available upon request • Connectivity available to the Maui Super Computer, 10th fastest in the world • Satellite uplink and downlink capabilities, as well as microwave transmission • Electronic message boards and closed circuit monitors located throughout the building • Plug-and-play connectivity allows attendees to plug into pay phone data ports and access information via kiosks throughout the centre • Gigabit Ethernet and VPN services • 45 Mbps Internet connectivity available

Novotel Checks into Visakhapatnam Megha Paul

N

ew luxury, beachfront 5-star hotel, Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, has recently launched commercial operations from November 7. This is Novotel’s fourth and Accor’s 11th hotel in the country.

With the biggest convention centre on the East Coast, the hotel will position itself as a MICE destination. Identifying Asia Pacific as the region with the maximum potential for the growth of the hospitality sector, Paul Archer, General Manager-Delegate, Andhra Pradesh, Accor-India, highlights, “India has never been a preferred MICE destination as there has been a dearth of good convention facilities. Accor wants to develop the market in Visakhapatnam leveraging its position as a leader in the convention market.”

44

To target the increasing number of business travellers and showcase Visakhapatnam as the next big conference destination, the state-of-the-art banquet facilities have a total area of 40,000 sq ft, both indoor and outdoor space, to accommodate over 4,000 guests. The property has as many as 12 banquet halls along with a pre-function foyer of over 9,500 sq ft. According to Archer, the largest hall can accommodate up to 1,200 attendees for the conferences.

To deck up for the GenNext MICE traveller, in addition to the pillar-free ergonomically designed banquet halls, the hotel offers five multi-functional meeting rooms and world class ‘Eureka Room’ with customised modular furniture for power meetings.

expert talk

Known for the long coastline and undulating beaches, Visakhapatnam is not just a leisure destination anymore. With the newly opened Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach Hotel, the ‘Jewel of the East Coast’ is all set to woo more MICE travellers. The first international hotel project in the city with a panoramic view of the Bay of Bengal presents the biggest convention centre on the entire East Coast. MICEtalk stops by the hotel to explore the convention facilities with state-of-the-art design, technology and outdoor space over the ocean.

Charming poolside view from Novotel Visakhapatnam Left: From the catalogue of sea facing rooms at the Novotel Visakhapatnam

45

Pleasant sea-view from the ‘Square’ at the Novotel Visakhapatnam

A spacious banquet area at the Novotel Visakhapatnam

Left to right: Paul Archer, General Manager-Delegate, Andhra Pradesh, Accor-India; Mohammed Shoeb, General Manager, Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach

46

Talking about the USP of the property, Mohammed Shoeb, General Manager, Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach affirms, “What is unique about the hotel are not just the 225 sea-facing rooms, but also its seafacing meeting rooms and banquet areas.”

Recognising the fact that MICE outings would also require a lot of planning, the GM informs, “Every requirement of an event will be planned meticulously by our banquet team. They would interact with the organiser of the event and would be responsible for planning and implementing every detail of the event.”

The hotel also provides dedicated parking space for over 350 cars and 800 bikes with an exclusive banquet entry.

Going forward, to keep pace with the discerning travellers and help them unwind after a day of long meetings, the hotel provides recreational facilities, including a well-equipped fitness centre, landscaped terrace garden with a jogging track and a 24 hour outdoor infinity pool.

V. Prabhu Kishore, Chairman and Managing Director, Varun Group and the hotel’s proprietor, says, “For the first time in the country, we have a joggingwalking track on the terrace, at a height of about 40 metre.”

To ensure that the meal breaks are utilised fully with sumptuous food, the hotel also boasts of four gourmet options. Overlooking the pool and the sea is ‘Square’, an all-day restaurant with an open kitchen offering a wide range of western and Indian cuisines.

Also there is Zaffran, a specialty Indian restaurant, a lounge named ‘Vue’ and the pastry shop ‘Sugarr’.

So next time you think of Visakhapatnam, think of it not just as the Eastern headquarters of the Navy, but also as an upcoming hub for conventions in the country.

Zooming MICE, the Ferrari Style Divya Goyal

For the next MICE tour you plan, zoom your way into the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Ferrari branded theme park. Race into the theme park for the ice-breaking sessions and post business entertainment that is sure to give you an adrenaline rush. Face the thrills that legends are made of, from touring the factory to feeling the rush of an F1™ race, it’s finally your turn to step into the story.

48

sample this

Location • The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is Located on the Yas Island. The park is conveniently located just 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi city centre and 50 minutes from Dubai Marina.

• International travellers can choose from three international airports located within UAE. It is a 10 minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, 90 minute drive from Dubai International Airport and 120 minute drive from Sharjah International Airport.

Accommodation • There is an array of options to choose from as various 3 to 5-star hotels are situated in close proximity to the Ferrari World Abu Dbhabi on the Yas Island. You can also book a hotel in the city of Abu Dhabi itself and in Dubai which is approximately 50 minute along the coast line.

49

sample this

Previous Page: Formula Rossa world’s fastest rollercoaster ride that will sweep you in just 4.9 seconds from 0 to 240 km/hr Top Left: Based on the real GT race course, the GT coasters will launch you on twisting parallel tracks Top Right: Let your junior be the winner of the ‘Junior Grand Prix’ Below: The iconic red roof of the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Facing Page: Pulsating experience on the G Force at the Ferrari World

50

U

nder the iconic red roof of the world’s largest indoor theme park lie more than 20 rides and attractions to indulge the senses, suitable for guests of all ages and purposes. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi also offers eight different function rooms and outdoor venues for concerts and large celebrations; evidently, this is an upcoming venue for MICE activities.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi can be a perfect venue for MICE, with more than 3,000 sqm of meeting space that can accommodate up to 1,500 delegates and several state-of-the-art facilities to cater to your different requirements. A convention at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will have the professionalism with lots of Ferrari spirit and class attached to it.

The Function rooms can accommodate groups of 15–250 guests. Individual attractions can be privatised for large groups of 50–1500 guests. There is an outstanding catering facility with an array of restaurants and cafes offering world class delicious Italian and internationally inspired delicacies and if anyone in the group has specific dietary requirements, the park is ready to oblige.

This theme park can provides an unrivaled memorable event experience, be it a board meeting or a training workshop or even hosting a large-scale gala dinner or a corporate celebration, the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will deliver the most impressive events, unmatched by any traditional venue. In addition to the themed function rooms, you can select a meeting room that overlooks any of the park’s remarkable surroundings.

The thrill, passion and the adrenaline rush of the Ferrari spirit, inspires some of the most successful business meetings and conventions. If you are entertaining a client or conducting an important deal, the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has the potential to impress the crème de la crème.

A broad range of VIP lounges, restaurants and cafes add to the Italian flair of the great food and service to the group’s experience. Italian and internationally inspired cuisine serves up the authenticity and variety perfect for your specific event. Traditional service combines style and convenience and if anyone in your group has specific dietary requirements, they are ready to accommodate.

51

The various attractions of the park can accommodate the most effective team building activities and funcharged incentives. Where else can you draw on the ‘Ferrari winning spirit’ to motivate your employees?

Corporate travellers will undoubtedly appreciate the opportunity to explore the various rides and attractions at one of the world’s most celebrated venues.

Post-conference revitalise yourself as per the demeanour of the Ferrari world. If you are up to the challenge then put yourself in the race, take on the most challenging F1™ courses. Dare to experience the world’s fastest roller coaster in all its F1™ glory that will accelerate up to 240 km/hr. Courtesy G-Force, enter into a custom Ferrari style seat as that will launched you 62 meter into the sky from where you can enjoy a birds-eye-view from the highest point on Yas Island, before plunging back to earth. Immerse yourself completely into the racing experience with the Scuderia Challenge which offers a level of realism far beyond any arcade game.

The Ferrari World is an ideal MICE destination for those corporate travellers who are travelling with

52

sample this

The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi houses a variety of concept restaurants and cafés that will offer the visitors a true Italian dining experience. The culinary creations combine classic Italian street foods with contemporary flair. Interestingly, each of the restaurants in the park can be linked to Ferrari’s history. For example, ‘Mamma Rossella’ is an extension to the famous family restaurant in Maranello where Ferrari drivers and management members dine out, ‘Ristorante Cavallino’ was the first restaurant to open next to the Ferrari factory back in the 1940’s, where Enzo Ferrari was a frequent diner, etc.

At the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi travellers can collect eye-catching Ferrari products and spectacular souvenirs displayed at several retail points inside the park. You can also create your own personalised mementos at the innovative interactive zones. At the ‘Ferrari Store’ and the ‘Ferrari Past and Present’ boutique travellers can recreate of Enzo Ferrari’s first garage!

The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is as amazing as it sounds, or perhaps even more. With the wondrous opportunities, that this theme park has to offer, this MICE venue will soon enter the itineraries of every business traveller, especially those who are travelling with their families and are looking for adventure like they have experienced never before.

Facing Page Top: Birds eye view of the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island Facing Page Bottom: Riders sharing there experience of the rollercoaster at the Ferrari World

For more information: jbarber@farahleisure.com

their families. Let your spouse and kids have the time of their lives while you are in the ‘official’ meeting. And once through with the work join in their enjoyment and thrill the park offers.

For the amusement of children, the Ferrari World has Junior GT, a driving school where they receive a training session on road safety and driving instructions before they are given the keys to their own child-sized ‘F430 GT Spider’ that they can navigate through a streetscape that includes roundabouts, traffic signals and road signs. Once qualified, Junior GT School gives them a personalised Ferrari driving license and the children can then enroll in the Junior Grand Prix, a racing school for young Scuderia drivers. Here they are given expert instructions in racing techniques and safety before they can zoom out in their child-sized Ferrari F1™ racer around a course of hairpin turns, roads and tunnels.

All this and much more will ensure not just a successfully concluded business trip but also a funpacked thrilling family vacation.

More than just adventure at the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi • Driving with the Champion: It is an interactive 3D movie that follows the adventures of a young engineer who is riding with a racing champion on his first day of work at the Ferrari factory. It recreates the sensation of being in the passenger seat of one of the planet’s most powerful cars driven by a racing legend.

• The Racing Legends: Relaying the great moments in Ferrari racing history, it follows the original grueling Italian road rallies to the Scuderia’s most recent world championships.

• Cinema Maranello: It is Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s very own movie theatre, home to UAE’s biggest HD screen. The movie here takes the audience back to the roaring 1920s, when Enzo Ferrari was an aspiring race car driver.

• La Gara: Travellers can participate with their families in this 30 minute live Pit Lane show that charts a F1 race from the start of the Grand Prix to the chequered flag, through the eyes of the pit crew!

• Made in Maranello: It is a virtual tour that will take you within the boundaries of the place where Ferrari is designed and built. It is a unique opportunity to go behind the doors of the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello, a privilege previously enjoyed only by Ferrari owners.

• Bell’Italia: It is an exhibit showcasing recreations of famous Italian cityscapes, structures and racing venues. Guests can choose to drive a Ferrari 250 California Spyder throughout the exhibit or walk the 570 metre network of paths • Speed of Magic: A fantasy 4D journey following the adventures of a boy as he travels through a kaleidoscope of natural and phenomenal environments, where no Ferrari has gone before.

53

flying business

The Philippines Connect Megha Paul

On the back of a remarkable growth of Indian arrivals to the Philippines, the carrier is planning to aggressively promote onward destinations via the Philippines

I

ndian arrivals to the Philippines grew by 95 per cent in September 2011 compared to September 2010. Also, a notable growth of 62 per cent was witnessed for the period ending January-October 2011 over the same period in 2010. The good news does not end here.

On the back of a remarkable growth of Indian arrivals to the Philippines, Philippines Airlines is increasing its focus on India. In the sidelines of the Philippines India Sales Mission in Delhi, Praful Khosla, Head of Sales (India), Stic Travel Group, which is the GSA for Philippines Airlines in India said, “An increasing number of Indians are going to the Philippines for MICE business due to availability of good convention facilities. Also, Indian food is

54

readily available with fantastic nightlife and shopping opportunities. The Philippines currency value is similar to Indian rupee value and this adds to the advantage in terms of business transactions in the country.”

The Philippines flag carrier launched operations in India on March 27 last year. The airline that operates with Airbus 330-300 aircraft currently has three direct flights from Delhi to Manila via Bangkok on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

With the coming of the Philippines Airlines, the Philippines has become more affordable for the public.

Currently the business is being driven by the MICE and corporate sector. Regarding the significance of the corporate segment, Khosla revealed, “The

flying business

airline attracts a lot of traffic from the IT and BPO sectors, which have offices in Manila. Earlier they used other airlines that would have long layovers in other Southeast Asian destinations. Now they can fly directly to Manila via Philippines Airlines.”

The carrier is planning to increase its focus on leisure destinations in the Philippines. “Going forward, we aim to increase the leisure business from India, especially in the FIT segment. Most Indian travellers have already visited Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. So this is the new destination that can be explored now. Apart from Manila, we are going to promote islands such as Cebu and Boracay.”

Besides this, in 2012 the airlines will be aggressively promoting onward destinations via the Philippines. He stated, “For example- we fly to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco in the US and to Vancouver in Canada. We also have the shortest and fastest connection to Honolulu.”

“Going forward, this is one sector we will be promoting aggressively in India from this year with aggressive pricing,” he added.

55

new technology

BlackBerry’s Travel Innovation BlackBerry® Travel™, a new applicaton that provides its users with an all-in-one integrated tool to plan, book, manage and share travel activities quickly and easily, is now available in India.

T

he BlackBerry® Travel™ application offers convenient push notifications and seamless integration of travel itineraries and flight status updates into the familiar BlackBerry Calendar. When a new booking confirmation or itinerary arrives in the user’s e-mail inbox, the BlackBerry® Travel™ application is automatically updated with the relevant itinerary details, which makes travel planning and management easier than ever.

With the BlackBerry® push technology, the BlackBerry® Travel™ application can keep users informed and in control of their itineraries by monitoring flight status and promptly provide notifications about changes in their flight information. For example, If the flight is delayed or the connection changes, BlackBerry® Travel™ application will automatically push notification alerts to your device to keep you informed. The application can even identify potential omissions or scheduling concerns with the itineraries, such as missing accommodations or timing conflicts and provide users with suggestions.

With clever tools like, the currency converter, weather forecast of the destination, local search to find what is need while on the road and the BlackBerry® Travel™ Web Portal, travellers will be well-prepared, even for a multi-leg journey.

In addition, BlackBerry® smartphone users can share their travel information with their colleagues, friends and family over e-mail or through LinkedIn®, directly from the BlackBerry® Travel™ application The LinkedIn® integration allows users to search for people in their network who will be in the same city, send messages to the desired contacts and update their status.

The BlackBerry® Travel™ application also features a web component that allows users to book flights and car rentals, as well as print and edit itineraries, from their computer.

56

domestic mice

Take a Break in Konark I

t rises on the banks of the boisterous Bay of Bengal and forms a mighty silhouette when seen in the light of the setting sun. The architect of the Sun Temple of Konark intended to create an embodiment of the might of the powerful Sun God and he did just that… and that too with perfection. Generations of tourists, both domestic and international, have fallen under the spell of this chariot of the Sun God, which seems to be sailing across the sky. Every year, in the month of December, the vicinity of this otherwise quiet heritage site becomes the centre of activity, as Konark welcomes the most talented names in performing arts, for the Konark Dance festival. This is the most perfect time to plan your break in this part of the country, as MICEtalk finds out.

The stunning beauty of the Sun Temple is the inspiration for the Konark Dance Festival, which takes place in the first week of December every year.

The festival sees the most reputed names in Indian classical dance and music take the stage at the open

58

air auditorium, with the Sun Temple serving as the most perfect backdrop. It is a feast for the eyes and ears with floodlights illuminating the place and the sound of ‘Ghungroos’ (anklets worn during a dance performance), ‘Tablas’ (percussion instruments) and other musical instruments reverberating against the fantastic façade of the temple. The mute stones of the Sun Temple, seem to be speaking a language of their own and adding to the musical ambience of the place.

Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and the Chau are some of the dance forms that have taken centrestage, over the years. The slight nip in the air, with the approaching winter, adds to the surreal atmosphere created here. The performances are dramatic and a perfect ode to India’s tradition of performing arts. The festival also includes a Craft Bazaar.

The Konark Festival has been a major attraction for tourists since its inception in the 1980s. Being one of the most identifiable landmarks of the coastal state of Odisha, the Sun Temple of Konark sees a trickle of tourists through the year. But the time of the Konark Dance Festival sees the town turning into a centre of performing arts and an overwhelming rush in the handful of hotels available here. If you do take our advice and decide to partake of the festivities at this time of the year, it is advisable to ensure accommodation for your group months in advance.

Yatrinivas and Panthanivas (Odisha Tourism Development Corporation) and Travellers Lodge are the best options for accommodation in Konark. There are groups who choose to drive down from the nearby town of Bhubaneswar (65 km) and Puri (35 km) instead of staying here. The highways have good roads and make for comfortable journeys.

There is a legend associated with the Sun Temple that its dome housed two strong magnets that were so strong that they could pull ships out in the sea to the shores of Konark. The Sun Temple today attracts tourists in much the same way, who cannot help but be drawn to this architectural wonder, when they traverse this part of the Indian coastline.

people on the move

VTB’s Vienna Convention Centre’s Deputy Director, Ulrike von Arnold is appointed to ICCC’s Board of Directors In its annual congress held in Leipzig from October 22-26, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) appointed Ulrike von Arnold, Deputy Director, Vienna Tourist Board’s Vienna Convention Centre (VCB) to its Board of Directors. She will represent the Sector Destination Marketing comprising the city convention bureaus along with the regional and nations convention bureaus.

Arnold has been with VCB since 1997 as Marketing Manager for Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries and was the deputy of Christian Mutschlechner, VCB since 2004. As an ICCA Board of Director, she will continue with the tradition established by Mutschlechnerin. (www.vienna.convention.at/)

New Events & Conference Manager for Quality Wellington’s Conference & Event Centre New Zealand’s recent arrival, Stephanie Flitton has joined Quality Wellington’s Conference & Event Centre team as their Events & Conference Manager. She brings with her a wide spectrum of experience in the fields of hospitality and conference management. She has worked for various international chains such as Accor and IHG. Flitton has a Bachelor’s degree majoring in photojournalism. (http://www.hotelwellington.co.nz)

Gold Coast Tourism Board appoints the CEO of Mantra Group, Bob East, to its Board of Directors Bob East, CEO, Mantra Group was elected to Board of Directors of the Gold Coast Tourism at the corporation’s Annual General Meeting held on December 1, 2011. East, a first time nominee, successfully secured enough votes to make it on to the board outright. The other board position contenders, Dean Gould of Griffith University and Bruce Nicholls of Tall Ships, were put to a random draw, as per the organisation’s rules when equal votes are polled for candidates.

East is well positioned to provide valuable direction as the Gold Coast gears up for the much anticipated 2018 Commonwealth Games. He wants to showcase to Australia and the world, the advantages of the Gold Coast being host to international-scale events vis-a-vis their combined accommodation capacity, accessibility, word class facilities and natural resources. The board is lead by re-elected Chairman Paul Donovan, COO Gold Coast Airport and Vice-Chair Adrienne Readings, General Manager Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. (http://www.mantragroup.com.au/)

Meetings & Events Australia names Board of Directors 2012 In their Annual General Meeting held on November 22, in Tasmania, Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) named its official Board of Directors for 2012. With a strong events background and over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and venue environment, Rhona Walker joins MEA as the Chair of the Board. She is the Owner Operator of Solution RED and Avantage, a TAFE mentor for students entering the meetings and events industry and was named Industry Person of the Year, Asia Pacific in 2009. Simon Baggs who has joined as Vice Chair, MEA, has over 25 years of experience in upscale event management, working with the corporate sector, prestigious brands and prominent public events.

The other members include, Phil Holmes AMM, AFMEA, Director - Convention Wise Pty. Ltd. as Treasurer, Anne Jamieson, Director of Sales and Marketing – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Susan Ryman-Kiernan AFMEA, Managing Director – Wise Connections. (www.meetingsevents.com.au/)

Philippe Fournier is now JMIC president Philippe Fournier, president of the International Association of PCOs (IAPCO) and managing director for MCI Group, France has assumed the presidency of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC). Fournier replaces Leigh Harry, past president of ICCA, who led the Council for the past three years and has recently moved to a government post in Australia.

59

Corporate Eye

Gaurav Saklani, is a facilitator- coach and works with corporate teams in the area of leadership and personal effectiveness. He is also a co-founder of INME, an outdoorbased experiential learning program for children. He enjoys travelling, spending a large part of his time in the hills and in wilderness. An amateur magician, his other passions are photography and cricket.

60

61

events

events Event

TTF – Travel and Tourism Fair

Venue

City

Chennai Trade Centre

ASEAN Tourism Forum

Date

Chennai, India

Jan 6-8, 2012

Monado, Indonesia

Jan 8-15, 2012

FITUR – 2012 – International Tourism trade Fair

Feria de Madrid

Madrid, Spain

Jan 18-22, 2012

India International Hotel, Travel & Tourism Research Conference:

Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology,

New Delhi, India

Feb 1-3, 2012

The Business Travel Show

Earls Court

London, UK

Feb 7 & 8, 2011

AIME-2012, Asia pacific Incentives & Meetings

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia

Feb 21& 22, 2012

ITB Berlin

Berlin Exhibition Grounds

Berlin, Germany

Mar 7-11, 2012

European Meetings Industry Fair

Tour & Taxis

Brussels, Belgium

Mar 13 7 14, 2012

MITT – Moscow International Exhibition-Travel & Tourism

Expo Centre

Moscow, Russia

Mar 21-24, 2012

Pacific Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference

Darwin Convention Centre

Darwin, Australia

Mar 28-30, 2012

MICE International Trade Market

Lugano Exhibition Centre

Lugano, Switzerland

Mar 29 & 30, 2012

Middle East Event Show

Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre

Dubai, UAE

May 1-3, 2012

Reaches out to over

500,000

Corporate Clients & Travel Specialists Available at T3 Airport lounge

For Advertising Contact: joel@ddppl.com harshal@ddppl.com

+91 9650196531 (Delhi) +91 9619499167 (Mumbai)

For Subscription Contact: ashok@ddppl.com

gunjan@ddppl.com

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