Micetalk june 2013

Rs. 100

Volume IV Issue 6 June 2013 60 pages A DDP Publication

Cover Story

New Trends in Meeting Venues

Philippines

A Business-oriented Country

Maha Kumbh 2013

Largest Meeting of Mystical Minds

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

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Lobby of the Sofitel Manila, Philippines

Publisher

SanJeet

Editor

Deepa Sethi

Desk Editor

Neelam Singh

Correspondent

Neha Oberoi

Design

Alpana Khare Neeraj Aggarwal

Advertising

Gunjan Sabikhi Geetika Pathak Shovan Kanungo Udit Pandey

Production Manager

Anil Kharbanda

Circulation Manager

Ashok Rana

MUMBAI: Advertising

Harshal Ashar

reader’s

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contents 12 Cover Story

New trends in meeting venues

8 Facts 22 MICE Country Philippines

Dear Reader, In India, the outbound MICE market is growing rapidly. With the emphasis being on value instead of cost of how well a meeting achieves its objectives and contributes to broader corporate goals, the shift is more visible in the MICE market.

In this issue’s cover story, we bring you new trends in meeting venues as suggested by some tourism boards and highlighted by MICE organisers.

With a conducive environment for business, the Philippines is fast becoming a sought-after MICE destination in Asia and we have tried to explore the country’s MICE-friendly infrastructure. Also, explore Munich and its unique MICE offerings in this issue.

We have asked some travel agents how they sell MICE for long-haul destinations and the answers reveal some interesting information regarding what prompted corporates to opt for offbeat destinations.

Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) is known as the first state-of-the-art and purpose-built MICE venue in India. We have explored its world-class meeting facilities.

Read about how event technology can add value to your events in our technology section.

In our Expert Talk section, learn about the ‘crisp yet relaxed look’ in business casuals which is fast becoming the corporate dress code.

Deepa Sethi Editor

28 Let’s Talk

Selling long-haul destinations

32 MICE City

Munich, Germany

38 MICE Venue

Hyderabad International Convention Centre

42 MICE Hotel

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre

46 Sample This Radisson Blu

48 Success Story

Maha Kumbh 2013 The largest meeting of mystical minds

52 Expert Talk

Decoding business casuals

54 Technology

Event Technology How can it add value to your events?

56 Movements 57 MICE Event 58 Events

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facts

Shangri-La in Istanbul

facts

ICCA launches an Association Portal for Event Organisation

In April 2013, ICCA launched an Association Portal designed to help association executives organise quality meetings.

Qualifying association executives can register on http://associations.iccaworld.com to access a password-protected section in the ICCA website. The Portal lets association meeting planners access their own meeting profile in the ICCA database, and to share insights with other association colleagues. Other resources available are the ICCA Statistics Reports, case studies and hosted buyer event information. Associations can also request advice on how to improve their bid manual.

Istanbul welcomed its newest luxury hotel with the opening of the Shangri-La Bosphorus. Set on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait between the Dolmabahce Palace and Naval Museum, the opulent 186-room hotel is the second in Europe. It is located on the site of a former tobacco warehouse from the 1930s.

Malaysia to host ICCA 2016 Congress

Izmir on the homepage of EIBTM

The Izmir CVB is a sponsor of EIBTM, (European Incentive & Business Travel & Meetings), the most leading and prestigious global trade show for incentives, meetings and congresses (to be held in Barcelona between November 19 and 21, 2013). Hence, a wide coverage will be given to the city of Izmir on the homepage of EIBTM. It is expected that the Izmir CVB’s rotating banner that will be on until EIBTM is over, will be viewed by visitors mainly meeting and event planners, hosted buyers, exhibitors and press members for more than 1,500,000 times in total.

Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia has been chosen by the ICCA Board of Directors for the 2016 ICCA Congress. Kuching stood out in terms of presenting themselves as a role model and inspiration for other second-tier cities, based on how they have used ICCA’s educational and marketing platforms to build their professionalism and creativity, so that they are now regularly winning prestigious international congresses in a wide variety of fields. But this was also a whole country bid involving all Malaysian members, and clearly presented as part of a sophisticated national development strategy.

facts

New Zealand attracts big conference business

Spain will host 17th Edition of MITM Euromed

New corporate logo for MyCEB

facts

New Zealand is poised to offer visitors and business delegates a unique and memorable experience with the announcement of the New Zealand International Convention Centre to be developed in Auckland. The centre includes public convention and exhibition space capable of accommodating 3,500 convention delegates at one time. It is expected to open in mid/late 2017 and is conveniently located in the heart of Auckland’s vibrant CBD, within walking distance of more than 4,700 hotel rooms and numerous shopping and restaurant precincts.

Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has launched a new corporate logo to reflect the organisation’s focus to become Asia’s model bureau, in terms of success, professionalism, best practices and business impact. The logo comprises a circle and the Petronas Twin Towers, presented with two new colour schemes including blue-grey and blue-black.

The blue-grey on the ‘Malaysia’ font presents the country as a hub that facilitates the industry from behind-the-scenes. The blue-black colour for the ‘Convention & Exhibition Bureau’ represents a strong foundation for the organisation.

The 17th edition of MITM Euromed, Meetings and Incentive Travel Market, will take place in the city of Seville, Spain, from December 2 - 4, 2013, sponsored by Seville’s Convention Bureau, PRODETUR and Alcora Hotel.

Seville was the venue of MITM Euromed’s first edition, back in 1997, and for the second time in 2000. They are aware of the benefits and strong promotion that the fair brings to the hosting destination and therefore were interested in being MITM’s venue once again.

Kyoto’s Kabuki theatre opened for MICE

One of Kyoto’s earliest kabuki theatres Minamiza is opening its doors for business events including VIP tours and private kabuki performances for incentive trips and hire for meetings, ceremonies and product launches.

Organisers using Minamiza for business events can apply for the Kyoto Convention Bureau and City of Kyoto cultural grant, which supports meetings, conventions or incentive travel which incorporate cultural activities.

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facts

facts

Hosted Buyer Diary for The Meetings Show UK

The Hosted Buyer diary for The Meetings Show UK has gone live, allowing buyers to schedule their appointments with exhibitors of their choice.

The Hosted Buyer Programme, which is the cornerstone of the event, allows buyers to choose appointments with exhibitors that are of genuine interest and need to their business. The opening of the online diary marks a significant moment in the event’s progress as buyers and visitors start to network, plan time together and prepare for the inaugural show in July.

The Meetings Show UK is expected to attract 5,000 meeting professionals including 1,500 hosted buyers from across the UK and Europe.

Port Stephens’ new MICE itineraries

Malaysia to host MEA annual conference 2014

Craft beers, luxury yachts, sunset cruises, seafood feasts, parasailing and quad bike rides on Australia’s biggest sand dunes feature in new itineraries released by MICE Port Stephens for the Hunter region’s conference and events market.

Two and three-day itineraries have been drafted to offer corporate visitors – and their families - a mix of inspired work and ‘fresh air’ play in the blue water wonderland of Port Stephens, a short drive away from Newcastle and other areas of the Hunter Valley.

The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) will host the Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) Annual National Conference 2014. This marks the first time the Conference is taking place in South East Asia and only the second time outside of Australia. It is expected to attract over 600 delegates and is estimated to generate RM 6.4 million in economic impact for the country. The delegates, attending the conference, range from conference and event management professionals including Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs), event management companies, in-house associations, corporate meeting planners and suppliers to the business events industry.

Indonesian annual travel mart

The Indonesian annual travel mart, the Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) 2013 or ‘Pasar Wisata Indonesia’ will take place in Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra. TIME is organised to promote Indonesia as a tourist destination in the international market and at the same time raise the country’s image as a global travel destination. The event will feature the best of Indonesia’s tourist attractions, including exciting destinations and special interests as well as top tourist facilities in the country. Top industry policy-makers, sellers and buyers of Indonesian tourism products and services will participate in the event.

cover story Cover

New Trends in Meeting Venues Neha Oberoi

Nowadays MICE requirements are changing at a slower pace, with more and more corporates moving to new destinations in search of exotic venues or looking for more possibilities during a meeting and after. The focus until now has been on costs, getting the most value out of a tight-fisted budget and then achieving the objectives of the meet. Well, today there is a subtle change in what the corporates demand. After a hard working day, entertainment and relaxation are important. This is why cities high on night life are becoming more popular for MICE events.

Haven’t we all been in situations where we have been part of a meeting only to walk away with a head full of other people’s thoughts and a stack of work piled on our desk? So whose voice was really heard and who should have tried to make the meet actually a fruitful event? Corporates have understood that there is a point in having shorter meetings that actually motivate and impact productivity. MICE organisers are now hosting shorter programs and not so many gala nights, cutting back on flashy entertainment and decor and giving attendees more free time. There is a shift in the market towards smaller groups, impactful meetings and new destinations.

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cover story

Introducing new experiences Vikram Madhok, Managing Director, Abercrombie & Kent, articulates “The business is buoyant and with our customised offerings of unique destinations, we provide corporates a quality of life that represents an aspirational class. We are bringing forward an experience. More and more companies are actively searching for new destinations to host their upcoming events and we are acknowledging this sense of bonhomie by bringing forth newer locales and ideas to the market.”

Arun Varma, CEO, Allways Marketing, believes “The new trends in MICE involve a convergence to sports/adventure tourism.

They are no more two separate spheres of activity. The integration of the two disciplines is responsible for creating a highly customised sector of tourism that has picked up immensely with corporates.

Especially with incentive tours with a motive of team building. Our business model, thus, is directing its energy towards the newer luxury segments adding to the zest of life for corporates.”

Col A C Sachdev, Director, Koniva Tours, shares “Travel isn’t the ancient medieval sorts that it used to be. Corporates are looking for more off-beat destinations. The same old tried and tested destinations aren’t working for them anymore and they want to try their hand at more newer avenues; adventure for team building and so on. With corporates keeping abreast through websites and media about travel we are working at bringing newer destinations on board.”

MICE organisers are now hosting shorter programs and not so many gala nights, cutting back on flashy entertainment and decor and giving attendees more free time.

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Cover story cover

Innovative ideas for MICE

So where will business take you in the coming years? Here’s some of the buzz in the MICE industry:

Unique MICE experiences in CANADA Tina Singh, Assistant Vice President, Canadian Tourism Commission, Representative in India, informs, “Canada offers an array of new vistas that need to be experienced by the business travellers.

A lot of corporates are looking at less travelled to destinations as incentives for their employees and partners. With the growing middleclass and the high propensity to spend, Indians are now looking at more exotic destinations for incentive travel.

Canada is now gaining popularity for MICE. There is a demand and the queries for MICE are fast growing. In 2013 we expect this to grow further.”

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Meetings & Conventions in Kelowna, British Columbia

Downtown’s Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta

Kelowna’s views of mountains, vineyards and orchards nestled around the waters of Okanagan Lake are the peaceful stimuli required to generate refreshingly successful meetings. Add-ons to MICE activities in Kelowna, include Golfing, Wine Tours & Tasting, Boat Tours on Okanagan Lake and Culinary Excursions paired with local wines.

Looking over the North Saskatchewan River Valley, here corporate honchos can plan a dine-around event in the funky Old Strathcona district which hosts the country’s largest fringe theatre festival or tap into the gold-rush roots with a themed event at the Historic Fort Edmonton Park.

MICEtalk June 2013

cover story

Unique Canadian Spas

Pic courtesy: archangelm

Discover the holistic healing properties of Hot Springs in the Rockies. Luxuriate in vinotherapy treatments and savour fresh, locally-grown and organic spa cuisine hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Train routes Uncover the roots of Canadian hospitality with VIA Rail. Get to know your colleagues with the leisure of time and a warm meal, while enjoying spectacular views on your journey.

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Cover story cover

KOREA offering exceptional venues Jae-Sang Lee, Director of Korea Tourism Organisation, informs “From traditional banquet halls to trendy yacht clubs, and from ancient palaces to national art museums, Korea offers a wide range of unique locations to hold your functions. Hosting a dinner at the most beautiful traditional house in Korea, holding receptions in a Korean royal palace or Confucian academy would be a wonderful choice. Exclusive yacht, spa and a pool party are other great options to create a memorable evening.”

Royal Palaces in Seoul Available as venues for small-scale events, some of them are open until October to allow individuals, organisations, and corporates a hands-on appreciation of ancient court life.

SamcheongGak Once exclusively used for entertaining politicians and diplomats, today it is an all-in-one meeting spot. The venue offers hands-on learning experiences in Korean tea ceremony, pottery making, embroidery, dance, and local instruments.

Floating Island Nation’s first-ever artificial island that floats on the surface of Hangang River, it is comprised of three flower-themed islets, Vista, Viva and Terra, with different MICE facilities.

Photo Courtesy - Korea Tourism Organization

cover story

FRANCE A charismatic business destination

Housed in a former wine warehouse, Les Pavilions de Bercy offers three themed event pavilions offering a capacity for up to 3000 people.

© Photocredit Atout France Cedric Helsly

Catherine Oden, Director, Atout France, says, “Paris offers an ‘experience’ rather than an event, be it a meeting or an incentive.

From East to West, Paris is dotted with unusual venues. You can plan your event against the backdrop of a historic monument, a museum, a private castle, a river boat or even a trendy bar or a restaurant. It is truly all possible in Paris.”

Book a one-day seminar at Chateau Kirwan 70 kms from Bordeaux. This family owned Chateau offers a peaceful and idyllic environment for organising business events accommodating up to 200 guests.

Party with celebrities at the Grévin Museum (Paris’ famous wax museum)

Wine regions of France combine work and pleasure! Aquitaine nestled in South West France offers a background of different landscapes for organising events, business meetings, seminars, exhibitions and conferences.

© Aquitaine Photo Credit CRTA B Bloch

© Aquitaine Photocredits - CRTA Laurent Reiz

Choose from its venues such as the Hall of Mirrors or opt for a dinner in its Dome and the Column’s Room or organise a show or some dancing in its theater.

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Czech Republic offering Historical yet contemporary venues Though small in size, the country boasts a large number of cultural and historical sites, offering stylish and contemporary venues.

© Ladislav Renner

Zdeněk Giormani, Director of Czech Convention Bureau, elaborates, “Apart from modern hotels and venues, there are more than 200 historic structures available as fantastic congress venues. Especially for incentives: from historical costumed dinners accompanied by private classical concerts to gala events in castles and châteaux, the edgy buzz of old industrial premises to a simple party in the open air, there are plenty of memorable options on offer.

There are many ancient castles that are perfect for holding incentive events and gala occasions.”

The Karlovy Vary region A popular tourist destination known as the Bohemian Spa Triangle, its advanced facilities and high-quality services make it a great destination for MICE events. Offering a combination of MICE spa and golf, the region has 35 conference venues with a capacity for 20 to 7000 delegates.

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Runnymede-on-Thames in London The Runnymede-on-Thames in Surrey, just minutes from London Heathrow airport, offers an innovative incentive product aimed at organisers who want their delegates to experience something different.

Andrew Duggan, Marketing Manager, Runnymede-on-Thames, states, “Being located near Heathrow airport makes it easy to fly delegates in and out which is complemented by our setting right on the River Thames. We want to make it easy for organisers to create a memorable event for their delegates, so we have developed a suite of options that combine all the elements that make the Runnymede a great place to hold an event.”

Their package ‘business, boats and barbecues’ takes full advantage of the hotel’s riverside location and acres of open ground with a menu of activities ideal for motivational team building.

cover story

Green meetings and venues in Germany Sparing use of resources, innovative energy concepts and a focus on seasonal and regional products to create food are standard in many convention centres and hotels of Germany.

Green Meetings, Romit Theophilus, German National Tourist office, India, opines, “The MICE industry will continue to remain an important contributor to a region or a country’s economy. Technology is playing a much greater and growing role and many companies have invested in high-tech conference rooms and broadband connectivity to facilitate e-conferences. However, technology will not be able to replace live meetings as building relationships will always require a face-to-face interaction. On the other hand, MICE associations in many countries are trying to steer the industry to adopt a ‘greener’ policy. Associations are promoting and cooperating with conference centres, hotels and airlines, which have or are adopting environment-friendly practices. These practices actually save money by using methods which reduce costs and lower carbon emissions.

Germany is an industry leader when it comes to innovation in organising ‘Green Meetings.”

Meetings are now designed to maximise the interaction between employees and corporate stalwarts. Of course, the focus remains on justifying returns from the spend. With the emphasis being on value instead of cost, of how well a meeting achieves its objectives and contributes to broader corporate goals, the shift is more visible in the MICE market. With a growing demand for ‘off-sites’ and innovative events, MICE organisers are looking for new destinations to cater to both the meeting and incentive demands of MICE.

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MICE country

Philippines A Business-oriented Country

With a conducive environment for business, The Philippines is fast becoming a soughtafter MICE destination in Asia. Known as Asia’s most hospitable country with excellent MICE facilities, the country is gearing up to cater to the ever-growing demands of corporate guests. With 7,107 vibrant and colorful islands spread out in the entire archipelago, all pulsating with life and teeming with flavour, the Philippines has something to offer each traveller.

connectivity/visa There is no direct flight from India to the Philippines. One can use connecting flights via Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It takes approximately 6 hours from Delhi to Singapore and 3 hours 35 minutes from Singapore to Manila.

Indian nationals with valid visas for USA, Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen states, Singapore, and UK (AJACS SUK) or permanent resident permits are allowed to enter the Philippines for a period of 14 days without securing a Philippine visa.

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MICE country

Picture and Inset: Ocean Pavilion, Cebu

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MICE country

Cities Popular for MICE

As per the Dept of Tourism, Philippines, 42,844 Indians travelled to the Philippines in 2011

Subic The entire province of Zambales is known for its wide array of quality-standard MICE facilities. Olongapo City Convention Center, El Centro Multi-purpose Tent, and Grande Island Resort are some of its famous MICE venues.

Manila Manila is one of the acknowledged ‘Convention Cities’ of the world. World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) is the Philippines’ world class trade and exhibition venue. Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) offers excellent facilities for meetings, conventions, exhibits and special events. An integral part of the Mall of Asia Complex, SMX Convention Centre is a world-class venue for international exhibitions, large-scale local trade events, major medical and other industry conventions and corporate functions.

Davao Davao is an anchor tourist destination attracting more tourists for both business and leisure because of its rich culture, abundant natural resources, forests, wildlife sanctuary and the imposing presence of Mt. Apo, (the tallest mountain in the country). Davao International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC) and SMX Davao Convention Center are the latest additions to the city’s MICE facilities.

Cebu Known as the ‘Queen City of the South’, Cebu is a major site for some of the nation’s fastest-growing industries. The Cebu Convention Center is an ideal venue for conventions, meetings, trade shows, business conferences, sports, corporate events, expositions and other special events.

Aside from these world-class convention and exhibition facilities for international events, several hotels and resorts in Metro Manila and key cities in the Philippines have ballrooms, meeting rooms and similar facilities that can accommodate small and medium-size events.

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MICE country

Hotels with MICE Facilities Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Hotel Its Convention facilities include the pillarless Grand Plaza Ballroom, Harbour Garden & Sunset Pavilion for varied events and meeting options of up to 2,000 guests.

Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila Its largest convention facility is their Grand Ball Room with an area of 630 sqm that can accommodate 700

pax for cocktails, 500 pax for banquets and 600 pax for a theatre style set up.

Manila Hotel’s meetings and convention facilities include: Fiesta Pavilion Maynila Ballroom Centennial Hall Millennium Hall Tent City

(up to 2,500 guests) (up to 300 guests) (up to 1,250 guests) (up to 1,000 guests) (up to 2,500 guests)

•C omplimentary wired or wireless broadband Internet access •P rojector screen •S imultaneous translation system available upon request •T ele-conferencing available upon request

Makati Shangri-La Hotel Located close to Makati Stock Exchange and World Trade Center Manila, it is the ideal MICE venue. It has the largest ballroom in the area, as well as a second ballroom suited for more intimate gatherings. Its facilities include:

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Edsa Shangri-La Hotel The only deluxe convention hotel in the area with two ballrooms and over 3,000 sqm of meeting space.

Its professional team of convention and banquet managers presides over every occasion, from corporate meetings to elaborate theme parties.

Waterfront Cebu City Casino Hotel The hotel consists of multi-purpose function rooms, an exclusive outdoor forum and its Pacific Grand Ballroom offers more than 2,000 sqm of grand floor space.

Post-event Activities

There are extensive mountain ranges to hike through, underwater landscapes to dive in, flat plains to drive across, cave systems to explore, waterfalls, rock faces, rivers, lakes – and, of course, much more. Those who choose to snorkel can enjoy simply hovering above glistening corals, inches from the hulls of World War II shipwrecks. Mayon Mountain, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Tubbataha Reef are a few places to enjoy this activity.

Do not miss flea market-shopping in the Philippines, where shoppers can buy items with big discounts, depending on your charm and good bargaining skills Shopping and nightlife

Most shopping places and malls in the Philippines have everything — from designer western brands to items

specifically designed for the tourist market. South Sea pearls, hand-woven cloth, embroidered fineries, terracotta and porcelain, coral and mother-of-pearl accessories, pineapple fiber, native handicrafts, and handmade footwear are just a few interesting items to look out for.

Every major city of the country has a number of nightlife activity hubs with restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs and karaoke bars. In Manila, Cebu and Subic, nightlife is aplenty. Boracay Island is known for its carefree attitude and the island is home to a lot of clubs and bars on the beach: Bazzura, Hey Jude, D’ Mall, and the Station 2 establishments.

Indian food in the Philippines

There is a wide variety of food choice available in the Philippines: Chinese, Indian, American, Mexican, French, Italian, Swiss — even Moroccan food.

Indian food is available in the metropolitan areas like Manila and Cebu. Even Boracay Island has two restaurants that serve Indian cuisine. Hotels and resorts in the popular tourist destination can prepare Indian and vegetarian cuisine.

For more information, please visit www.visitmyphilippines.com

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let’s talk

Selling long-haul destinations

Neha Oberoi

There is a surge in people flying to long haul destinations this year, whether it’s South Africa, New Zealand, Australia or Canada. Corporates have become more adventurous and exotic locales are featuring prominently in their location choice. MICEtalk approached a few stalwarts in the industry to understand the lure of the farther destinations and how the travel agents sell MICE for long haul destinations.

services

We endeavour to offer unique experiences and best services for our corporate clients

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Vishal Suri

Chief Executive Officer, Tour Operating, Kuoni Travel India Nowadays, more and more corporate firms are realising that recognition and motivational programmes are important for staff retention. With the global slowdown faced by most corporates, boosting the morale of its resourceful staff is seen as extremely vital for maintaining success in business. Meetings and conventions offer high value and serve the dual purpose of promoting business and leisure. Long haul destinations rich in attractions (heritage, cultural, shopping, scenic travel, special events) serve as perfect MICE experiences.

We endeavour to offer unique experiences and best services for our corporate clients. To cater to the unique requirements of corporate travellers, we offer intelligently designed packages and deals to enhance their experience.

Offbeat destinations like Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Cape Town and Kenya are jawdroppingly beautiful, historic and are the new sought after MICE Destinations. Spain, Greece and Turkey have also emerged as some of the newer and unusual MICE destinations with the Indian corporate sector. Bali is home to many Spa resorts that offer well-designed SPA Meeting and convention facilities.

Places in Australia like Sydney and Gold Coast are proving to be excellent MICE destinations in terms of the wide range of experiences they offer. Norfolk, an ever-surprising island in NewZealand, is also recognised as a special interest destination with MICE travellers.

MICEtalk June 2013

let’s talk

Naveen Rizvi

Sr Vice President, India & Head, TUI – Meetings & Incentives

budgets

Corporates with better budgets look for longhaul destinations

Corporates looking for incentive tours to long haul destinations generally have a better budget in hand, and therefore they require a MICE Operator who can suggest them itineraries that include out-of-the-run activities at unique places which are a USP of the destination. The itinerary apart from being customised for the client should offer one highlight of every city being visited and should be able to give a Wow Experience to the people on tour.

To ensure that the corporates accept our proposal, we prepare crisp presentations for the client depicting that we have good product knowledge of the itinerary being given or the destination being suggested. The itinerary should give good flight connectivity and routing from single or different travel hubs from India and also recommend good hotels to the client to maintain our service levels. Corporates are very specific about the food being provided on tours, and therefore we take care of the same. Presence of local offices in many countries and our relationship with hotels and airlines gives an add-on advantage to us.

Selling long-haul in conjunction with short-haul destinations Nihalluddin

Vice President, MICE & Outbound Travel, Trailblazers Generally travel companies sell long-haul destinations in conjunction with some smaller destinations where people are given a short stopover on the return segment, like Dubai. For example, we use Emirates to go to the US or Europe and while returning we give one/two night stay in Dubai for shopping and nightlife. Similarly in case of Australia and New Zealand, we sell these destinations in conjunction with Singapore/Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur. This adds one more destination. Almost at the same cost we plan for the long-haul destination and corporates are also happy with the idea that the budgeted costing is met and they get full value for their money as well.

Sometimes some MNCs take their staff/dealers to the place of their origin, like Japanese Companies in particular, where the dealers are taken around at their base on an educational trip - like Maruti Suzuki, Hitachi, Carrier, Toshiba, etc. The first leg of the trip is for education, where they are shown the factory and production, etc. and the second leg is destination knowledge with leisure activities. It’s the same thing with European Automakers, like Skoda (Prague), New Holland (Brussels), who have done many MICE Trips along with leisure activities.

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Exhausted short haul destinations pave way for long-haul destinations Manpreet Bindra

Director, Leisure & MICE, FCM Travel Solutions People are choosing long-haul destinations because they are bored of going to South East Asia repeatedly. Corporates have explored these destinations to a great extent and now in order to experience something different, they want to try out new and further destinations. Also, as the earning power of people is increasing, they are in a better position to spend on higher fare tickets.

Apart from this reason, knowingly or unknowingly, South-east Asian destinations have developed a kind of image that this region is not for families. Thus people avoid travelling to this region with their families. Also, people have realised that instead of going to the same place several times, it’s better to explore a new and better destination. Now, agents are offering attractive packages with some different kind of experience like safaris, beach activities, golfing, etc.

MICEtalk June 2013

MICE city

Munich

A convention and meeting metropolis Neelam Singh

Munich is a city of art, and a city of museums: the Blaue Reiter in Lenbachhaus, modern design in the Pinakothek der Moderne, Contemporary Art Museum Brandhorst, the German Museum, the residence, the BMW Museum, to name a few. This Bavarian capital is also a beautiful Alpine location for conferences, trade fairs or convention trips for product launches or corporate presentations among others.

E

xperience art? Served in the beer garden? Shopping sprees? Enjoy green? Munich offers everything: an excellent infrastructure, with about 32,000 hotel rooms in all categories, over 5,000 restaurants and bars, good transport links, excellent public transport system, spectacular museums, castles and churches, extensive parks and gardens, popular feasts and festivals and enticing shops.

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unique event venues 360 different venues offer a very wide range to host congresses, symposia, incentives and events in unique and unusual setting: the Olympic Stadium on brewery festival halls, the renowned congress hotel, the Hubertussaal in Nymphenburg Castle, rooms in the royal residence, or in the famous German museum to highly modern conference center.

MICE city

accessibility Munich International airport offers scheduled flights to over 60 countries. ICE and EC trains to all major German cities and many European cities provide a comfortable arrival and departure.

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ICM - equipped with modern technology The ICM has all the modern technology for example, variable stages, mobile screens for multiple projections, travelling light bridges, ultramodern data and video projection systems, digital mixers, separate control booths and interpreting booths.

Standalone Venues The International Congress Center Munich (ICM) The ICM is one of the world’s most modern conference centres and offers facilities for conferences and conventions, meetings and fairs, product launches and presentations. With its 19 rooms and a total capacity of 6,500 seats, it offers an optimal space for large events.

The ICM is directly linked with the buildings of the

New Munich Trade Fair Centre. With seating for up to 7,000 people, approx. 8,000 sqm of exhibition space and rooms for 20 to 3,000 people, the ICM is designed for flexible use.

Munich Trade Fair Centre Its world-class communications technologies and excellent services provide the right conditions for people to meet, communicate, exchange important market information and place orders.

Football - the Audi Cup 2013 On July 31 and August 1, FC Bayern München, Manchester City FC, AC Milan and the Brazilian top club São Paulo FC will meet for the third Audi Cup in Munich’s Allianz Arena.

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Hotels with MICE facilities The Bayerischer Hof Set in the heart of Munich, it is a popular international conference destination providing first class conference and business services with a choice from 40 airconditioned event rooms. The ballroom ensemble in the Bayerischer Hof is a unique event location. Its roof opens in minutes, transforming the event into a spectacular open air occasion.

Four Points by Sheraton München Central Situated in the centre of the historic city of Munich, the hotel is at a short distance from the main railway station and is close to the pedestrian zone, where business delegates and conference guests can find Munich’s finest shopping arcades.

Forum Hotel München Located in the centre of Munich’s artistic and nightlife hot spots, the Hotel is ideally situated for both business and leisure travellers. Large, modern guest rooms are equipped with the latest hi-tech equipment and have fantastic views of the city. Outstanding conference facilities can accommodate up to 2000 guests and a business centre is available.

ArabellaSheraton Grand Hotel München A superb venue with 21 function rooms, the hotel provides an ideal setting for a conference or business meeting up to 1250 guests. The highlight of the hotel is its 1200 sqm ballroom, the largest in Munich, with several balconies and spacious foyer with separate outside access.

The Holiday Inn City Centre Only a few minutes walk from the Marienplatz and the English Garden, the hotel is an excellent venue for a conference, being able to accommodate up to 650 guests in the largest room. It boasts 14 conference rooms which provide great flexibility, with space for up to 650 guests in the largest room.

Dolce Munich Unterschleissheim The Dolce housed 26 conference rooms on 4.600m² and is connected to Ballhaus Forum a multifunctional auditorium with a capacity for 3,100 people.

Indian Food in Munich Munich is famous for its food and favourite beverage with many traditional breweries exporting their lagers, pils, bocks and ‘Weißbier’ (wheat beer) around the world. Indian food is easily available in Munich. There are more than 85 Indian restaurants serving Indian cuisine in Munich.

Sightseeing options

The romantic Neuschwanstein Castle, Munich Residenz, the royal palace, and Munich´s famous 900-acre park English Garden, known for its four beer gardens, lakes and spaces for recreation are places to visit. A visit to the BMW museum and Romantic road is something not to be missed in Munich.

Guided bike tour of the city and river rafting on wooden rafts are some team-building activities.

German Convention Bureau Services • Advice on the choice of dates and venues • Assistance in acquisition of individual offers • Mediator to professional services companies • Proposals for specialised programs, excursions, frame and support programs, pre-and post-convention tours • Fostering promotion and acquisition • Information about the city as a congress, incentive and event destination • Procurement of qualified and multilingual tour guides and hotel reservation • Mediation of MVV Congress Ticket for the reduced use of public transport • Free organisation and management of hotel room allotments for conventions, meetings and major events

MICE venue

Boosting Business at

Hyderabad International Convention Centre Ramya J S D’Rozario

Located near HITEC City in Hyderabad, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) is ideally located in the midst of the city’s business and IT hub. The first state-of-the-art and purpose-built in India, HICC is situated at a 35-minute drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. MICEtalk explores the world-class meeting facilities, modern technology and a host of other products that make this venue a sure shot success with its customers.

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MICE facilities

The Hyderabad International Convention Centre has a massive pillar-less internal hall measuring 6,480 sqm, that can hold a 5,000 strong delegation and can be portioned into six smaller halls.

• State-of-the-art IT infrastructure, design, technology, telecommunications and AV equipment • A spacious pre-function foyer area of over 6,000 sqm of lobby space • 32 breakout rooms, including specialised meeting rooms, speaker preparatory rooms, boardrooms, VIP lounge • 12.5 m high ceiling, roof catwalks and truss to withhold heavy suspension • Service pits every 6 m, with power, water, wi-fi, etc.

• In-house 5-star banqueting service

Addressing all audio visual needs

The Video Production Center (VPC) housed at the HICC provides audio-video presentations, preproduction design support and even post production services. It offers services tailored and specifically suited to all types of events, seminars and conferences held here.

Post Production Services

• Photograph editing • Video editing • Mixing-audio editing, voice over, audio posting, special effects, appending titles and authoring • Final DVD case production

Webcasting

• Website design and maintenance • Live coverage of events and transmission over the Internet • Direct transmission to TV broadcast stations MICEtalk June 2013

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MICE venue

A Wedding Destination

HICC also offers its 6480 sqm of pillar-free space for wedding ceremonies and parties. The hall also provides event planners with enough space to even carry out themed weddings.

HICC has hosted some of the grand weddings in south India, such as Raviteja – a Telegu filmstar and Tourism Minister Dr. K Chiranjeevi’s son – Ram Charan Tej’s wedding.

Security

HICC has hosted some of the grandest weddings in South India. Such as Raviteja – a Telegu filmstar and Tourism Minister Dr. K Chiranjeevi’s son – Ram Charan Tej’s wedding

The convention centre provides a highly competent security system to all its guests. There are 32 fire exits and the centre is equipped with the latest technology in smoke detectors, fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems. CCTVs monitor the entire area. In addition, there are fully trained fire fighters as part of the Emergency Response Team. They have recently installed an Omnipolis system which can be activated with one button to alert the control room to call for help in case of fire emergency, bomb threat, medical emergency or terrorist threat.

Hotel facilities

There are numerous 5-star hotels near the convention centre, ideal for MICE groups to stay in.

• Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (part of the Accor Group) • Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills • The Park Hyderabad • Taj Banjara • Taj Krishna • Courtyard by Marriott • Westin Hyderabad Mindspace

CSR Activities

award HICC has been awarded the ‘Best Standalone Convention Centre’ for the year 2011-12 by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The centre has won the award for the fourth time in a row.

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The Accor Group launched PLANET 21 last year, a sustainability programme that involves all Accor hotels, employees and customers to plant one tree per member to contribute to the 40,000 trees being planted in the Asia Pacific region.

To mark the first anniversary of Planet 21, HICC and Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre inaugurated a state-of-the-art Sewage Treatment Plant at the property in April 2013. The plant is designed to ensure maximum utility of treated water and conserve and save natural resources.

MICE event

Revolutionising technology for the event industry ProAV & Events Technology Summit 2013

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n ideal forum for people associated with the Live Event, Entertainment Management, Professional Conference Organisers, Rental & Staging Industry, the summit was designed to create a one-stop arena for participants and visitors to discover new technologies and products. It also intends to be a catalyst in providing growth opportunities to all stake holders by keeping them abreast on the latest developments in the events industry.

The exhibition had participants from Original Equipment Manufacturers like Barco, Bosch, Shure, EV and other companies like Express AV, Atdec, Jyothi Audio Visuals and Namdhari Exhibitors. The Live arena showcased the breadth of AV applications in the entertainment and hospitality industry. Various technologies available in the Audio Visual domain for Live events were put on display. The summit witnessed the attendees from the hospitality industry, corporates, associations, PCOs and other representatives from the event industry.

According to Mr. Sreecharan Atluri, President of ProAV Society, “The two-day event was designed to educate and enlighten professionals and companies as well as end users.�

MICE hotel

Business & More at

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre Ramya J S D’Rozario

The Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is located in Hyderabad’s business and IT hub near HITEC city. With the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) located right next to it, the hotel provides the perfect vantage point for all business and leisure travellers. MICEtalk discovers more…

Spread over 15 acres of land, the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) is a 45-minutes drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Launched in 2006, this hotel is the flagship property of Accor Hotels in India.

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MICE hotel

The Corporate Lobby (an extension of the Bar) is perfect for a quiet discussion, meeting or a casual chit chat.

Premier Floor for business travellers

Donning an elegant work space and bedroom area, the rooms on this floor are equipped with an electronic safe and a full marble bathroom featuring a tub and shower combination. The guests on this floor have exclusive access to the Premier Lounge that offers complimentary amenities for the business traveller: • Buffet breakfast at the exclusive Premier Lounge (6:30 am to 11:00 am) • One way airport transfer • Internet access • Evening cocktails (6:00 pm to 8:00 pm) • 30 per cent discount on transportation • 24-hour hotline service

convention facilities NHCC offers three banquet halls and a pool-side lawn which can cater to small luncheon meetings, training sessions and conferences for 8 - 350 guests. The hotel offers personalised, attentive service, state-of-the-art equipment and has interpreters standing by to facilitate communication.

non-smoking rooms An Earth Check Certified Hotel, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is committed to implementing environment friendly practices.

All guest rooms, except those on the Second Floor, are non-smoking.

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CSR activities Accor has invested heavily in implementing eco-friendly programmes in the property and surrounding community. This year, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre inaugurated a state-of-the-art Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at the property. The refurbished plant has been designed to ensure maximum utility of treated water and conserve natural resources.

Dining Options

The hotel offers three main dining areas. The Square is the signature multi-cuisine all-day dining restaurant here. Its three live counters offer Indian, Oriental and Continental dishes.

There is also an outdoor seating area near the swimming pool and lush green lawns.

La Cantina provides customers a Mexican treat and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Le Café is a European styled sidewalk café. It offers the finest tea and coffee accompanied with assorted confectionary items. The Bar and a Johnny Walker Lounge keep customers busy with their wide range of spirits.

spacious & comfortable rooms Designed to provide a comfortable and business-friendly environment for the business traveller, the property offers 287 spacious rooms with soft contemporary décor to match the purpose of both business and leisure travellers.

sample this

Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Relaunches State-of-the-art Banquets

Radisson Blu Plaza’s newly renovated banquets are a fine blend of sophisticated technology and artistic splendour. A combination of rich Porto Gold and classy Spider Gold stone; add a touch of grandeur to the majestic space and breathe magnificence into the décor.

about the hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi, located near the International Airport, is Carlson Rezidor’s flagship property in India. Designed for travellers who want to be in a central location with easy access to shopping and business districts of Delhi and Gurgaon, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi has 261 beautifully appointed guest rooms, including 28 suites and a Presidential Suite. Contemporary and modern in setting, all rooms offer elegant décor and luxurious amenities.

sample this

D

istinctly furnished with rich textured silk fabric in a combination of two veneers; namely Ebony Rosewood and Walnut Burl timber panelling, the elegant banquets – Crystal Room, Ebony 1 and Ebony 2 – provide an ideal space for conventions, celebrations, parties and weddings. Crystal is an ideal banquet for conventions and parties of up to 1000 people. This banquet hall can also be converted into 5 separate meeting rooms. Ebony 1 and 2 are smaller meeting rooms that can host up to 30 people each.

The banquet has a grand porte-cochère with an elegant waterfall in front giving a majestic look. A wall embellished with mother-of-pearl over a stretch of 5 metres, greets the visitor at the entry to the banquet lobby and an artistic chandelier and decor adds a touch of grandeur.

Technology

Blending modern and sophisticated technology with artistic splendour and luxury are the futuristic sound and lighting systems that operate on a single touch of an I-pad with the capability of high definition multiple formats inputs. Seamless Wi-Fi Internet access on demand makes it an ideal venue for business conferences. CCTV cameras are installed all over the halls for security purposes. All banquets come with the unique advantage of being served by a wide range of cuisines and the service hallmark of “Yes I Can”.

Special facilities on offer • Photographers • Flowers and Decorations • Full Bar Service • Custom-designed Menus • Entertainment

Contemporary in style and decor, the banquets are equipped with the most modern technologies MICEtalk June 2013

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success story

Maha Kumbh 2013 Largest Meeting of Mystical Minds

On the day of the auspicious ‘Mauni Amavasya Snan’ on February 10, 2013, the mela witnessed the largest gathering (thirty million) of humanity in the world!

K Devesh Chaturvedi Commissioner Allahabad

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umbh mela is an ancient spiritual festival considered as the largest religious gathering in the world. It brings sages, religious and ordinary people together to discuss their faith and disseminate information about their religion. The Mela takes place on a rotational basis in four of the most holy Hindu locations in India and Prayag (Allahabad) known for the confluence of three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the underground Saraswati, is one of them.

Allahabad hosted the Maha Kumbh mela in January 2013 which is held once every 12 years. The serene river banks were transformed into a bustling city for 55 days.

MICEtalk June 2013

Challenges for Planning the Mela

• The ‘mela’ area was available only after the monsoon receded and the meandering river Ganga stabilised its course.

• A short span of only 10 weeks was available for finalising the layout and development of the fair area.

• Layout had to be planned keeping in mind the expected increase in number of pilgrims and vehicles.

sustainable practices • Minimal use of polythene in Mela area • Drain water recycled for sprinkling on chequered plate roads • Awareness campaign for ‘Clean Ganga’

success story

For 55 days starting from January 2013, the Maha Kumbh in Allahabad enthralled world travellers who sought to view this massive congregation of mankind, to witness how effectively such a massive event could be held peacefully and impeccably. Devesh Chaturvedi, Commissioner, Allahabad shared the success story of the Maha Kumbh held at the HAI e-Conclave on May 2 & 3, 2013 in Gurgaon. Excerpts from the presentation…

Pontoon bridges

• The connectivity between the river banks was managed by 18 pontoon bridges using 1537 pontoons to facilitate the movement of pilgrims and vehicles • These bridges ferried 5,00,000 people per hour on peak days

You can imagine almost double the population of Manhattan had to be accommodated in 1/4th its area.

Making of the ‘Team Kumbh’

Experienced officers with good track record, resilience to pressure, willingness to innovate and accept change and desire to serve better were chosen for the Team Kumbh. Each member was assured that acts done in good faith and right spirit would be supported by the government. We tried: • Connecting with the last person in chain of command • Acknowledged the role of the last mile worker • All strategies were shared with them and they were given constant motivation and encouragement MICEtalk June 2013

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success story

Bathing ‘Ghats’

• We encouraged informal interaction with workers on the bridges, sanitation workers, police constables and others

• 22 bathing ‘ghats’ covering 3.5 miles • 18 temporary ‘ghats’ and 4 permanent ‘ghats’ • Monitored more than 600 polluting industrial units upstream of Allahabad • Sewage treatment capacity of Allahabad city was increased from 89 MLD to 211 MLD • For clean water supply, additional release of water from Tehri dam (located 800 km from the ‘mela’ area), appropriately timed, to synchronise with the bathing dates.

• For the first time, emphasis was laid on making permanent bathing ‘ghats’ along the banks of River Yamuna.

• Anti-erosion measures were undertaken on the river banks to provide adequate bathing space.

In Sync with other departments

Water facilities

There were 6 Central Government departments and 28 State Government departments who worked together with a single vision and mission - hosting the ‘Mela’ successfully

A clear message was given to all departments that organising the Kumbh Mela has to be accorded the highest priority. A single line of command was setup and a regular review and monitoring system was followed rigorously. Appraisals of all the government employees deputed to the mela team were done by the Mela Administration. This gave the employees confidence that their efforts would not go unrecognised.

Crowd management

• Policing without weapons • Ease of location identification - Poles with pictorial signages • Scanning the Mela area three times per hour • Evacuation strategy • Contingency plans and emergency schemes were prepared to handle a sudden rush and an increasing pressure of pilgrims for bathing.

• Multi-layered communication with the pilgrims.

Roads

Pic courtesy: Roshan Raj

• 108 miles of road network created with 75,000 steel chequered plates • 66 miles of minor roads • 56 pile culvert bridges

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• 428 miles of water lines • 32,000 water connections • 46 tube wells were bored and developed on the river bed to augment the drinking water supply • 92 MLD of drinking water • 5350 KL storage capacity

Food and Civil supplies

• Over 1,00,000 ration cards for subsidised food distributed • 124 fair price shops and 150 milk booths were set up • Over 1823 MT of wheat flour, and other cereals were distributed • 3-stage checking to prevent pilferage

achievements • Incident-free Kumbh Mela area • ‘Shaahi Snaan’ managed peacefully • No terrorist activity • No body offence of any kind • No crime against women • No epidemic break-out during or after the event • 150 thousand lost pilgrims reunited • Only one case of drowning

success story

Healthcare measures

• A central 100-bedded multi-specialty hospital • One hospital of 20-beds in each of the 14 sectors • Prevented breeding of mosquitoes and flies • 243 doctors were deployed during the Kumbh period • 123 ambulances and 4 river ambulances

Sanitation

• 34,000 toilets • Zero discharge toilets with bio-digester technology • 96 MT of garbage removed per day

Pilgrims from over 75 countries attended the mela • Efficient collection and transportation mechanism for solid waste • 7,000 sanitation workers deployed round-the-clock

• 1000 life guards in river • 24/7 control room and helpline • CCTV cameras provided full coverage of the ‘Mela’ area

Security

Media

• 20,000 police personnel deployed • 200 police establishments • 1000 anti-terrorist personnel

A dedicated media centre, equipped with the latest facilities, was established for the international, national and local media.

expert talk

Decoding Business Casuals Introduced in the Silicon Valley, ‘business casuals’ was intended to show a company’s desire to allow its employees to wear comfortable attire to work, without compromising on their professional image. The intention was to make life easier, however, as it was open to individual interpretation, it has further added to the confusion!

Shital Kakkar Mehra Practitioner of Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol in India

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usiness Casuals as a corporate dress code made its way into India during the dotcom boom (and subsequent bust!) at the turn of the century. Till then, we believed that Corporate Dress Code = Formal Attire.

Business Casuals is defined as a ‘crisp yet relaxed look’, which is appropriate for a meeting with an important client or your boss. It is not to be confused with party or casual wear - when in doubt, just remember, the word ‘business’ still exists in the phrase ‘business casuals’!

Business Casuals for Men

Trousers: Non-crease khakis/chinos/twill cotton trousers Shirts: Long-sleeved solid shirts in traditional stripes/check in white or blue, polo and button-down shirts T-Shirts: Knitted, solid corporate colors, with collars Shoes: Good quality leather shoes (loafers) Belt: Leather belt, matching with the shoes Accessories: Smart leather portfolio/briefcase and a classic/trendy wrist watch & pen.

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Pics courtesy: Simran Kaur

Note: • Clothing with your company’s logo is acceptable • Ties are not necessary • A traditional navy blue blazer/smart jacket is worth carrying with you, especially when traveling overseas for business – there are parts of the world where a jacket is an integral part of business casual.

Event Technology How can it add value to your events?

D

ue to the need to enhance the live attendee experience, the value of mobile devices for events has increased immensely. The justification for having one has now moved beyond reasons that solely benefit the organiser (being green, going paperless, creating revenue streams or being able to communicate changes to participants in real time) to those that also benefit the event participants. Now, it’s entirely possible to build an attendee experience around the benefits (utility, justification, connection and recognition) afforded by mobile devices—an advantage that no other event-industry technology has or can offer.

Utility

Event apps enable attendees to check-in, register, navigate and participate in a meeting or conference.

Justification

Digital satchels enable collection of session presentations, posters, papers, handouts via direct

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download and content-capture applications. Event apps enable attendees to justify their attendance to managers and establish a personal return on investment.

Connection

Attendees use their mobile devices to connect and share with peers via email, private messaging, SMS and social media, often via the official mobile app for the event.

Recognition

Game play, complete with leader boards and prizes, addresses attendees’ needs for recognition from their peers. Online networking within the app also allows users to comment and exchange ideas making their thought leadership more visible.

The rate of technology change is accelerating with thousands of ideas, apps and innovations bubbling up to help meeting planners, exhibitors, venues and attendees to do their jobs better.

technology

Pre Event Marketing and Engagement Tools Video

Videos can engage viewers, can increase retention of content, are accessible via many devices, and can be easily shared via social media channels. Videos can be used before, during and after the event to convey the message and to improve attendance at future events.

• Hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute: 60 • Number of videos viewed on YouTube everyday: 4 billion • Number of unique visits to YouTube every month: 800 million • Total number of hours of video watched on YouTube each month: 3 billion • Total number of views YouTube had in 2011: 1 trillion

Email Marketing

This is certainly the most powerful engagement tool for marketing your events. When used properly of course. Email is a powerful way of interacting with clients, potential delegates, sponsors and exhibitors; generating interest in your event.

Social Networks

Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, Foursquare, Flickr. All of these can be used to listen to, share with and engage your audience when marketing your events. You just have to be prepared to listen and not heavily moderate your conversations.

Native Event apps are rapidly becoming the tool of choice and can deliver content and engage your audience well beyond the walls of the event Native Apps

Having a conference app that is native to the iPad takes advantage of the faster syncing capability, the enhanced graphics and the larger screen size. Going native also allows the ability to seamlessly use other applications, such as email, calendar, camera, alerts etc., as part of the event app.

Audience polling

Audience polling devices are a great way of stimulating attendee interaction and finding out what they are

thinking. Event App based polling/survey systems, are rapidly evolving and very soon will be the polling system of choice for all events.

Surveys

Mobile event app survey tools are low-cost, low in environmental impact, efficient in data collection and capture the data while the impressions are fresh.

Event Technology can and does add true value to the planning, marketing and participation phases of your events. It is important to learn and adapt to NEW technology quickly to make use of the technological development.

about the author Darren Edwards is the founder of Invisage Creative Services in Australia. With more than 20 years’ experience and knowledge in the meetings and events industry, Darren continues to drive creativity in events and the way they are run.

Contact: info@invisage.net

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Movements Thailand welcomes new Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak has been named as Thailand’s new Minister of Tourism & Sports. An electrical engineer by training, Somsak has twice served as Governor of Thailand’s Suphan Buri province and is a member of the Chart Pattana Party, which is part of the coalition government.

Tourism Malaysia

AIME and CIBTM

welcome new event director Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) announced the appointment of Jacqui Timmins as the new Director for the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) and the China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM).

Timmins brings with her over 25 years travel industry experience. She has managed events including Travelscene American Express onshore and offshore conferences, Qantas Platinum Club and Qantas Holidays Achievers events and has sat on the boards of the Australia Federation of Travel Agents and Travelscene American Express.

In her new role, she will be working on two of the most recognised meetings and incentives events CIBTM 2013 and AIME 2014.

appoints new Director for New Delhi Amran ABD Rahman, has been promoted as the Director of Tourism Malaysia for New Delhi.

Having a strong background in business, economics, management and international relations, Rahman started his stint with Tourism Malaysia in 1991. He was responsible for penetrating the Middle Eastern and Western European market for Malaysia Tourism in its early stages. Rahman started out as the Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia in London, then as a Unit Head for Market Intelligence at Tourism Malaysia HO, moving on to become the First Director for Tourism Malaysia in Beijing.

Puerto Rico Convention Bureau appoints President & CEO

The Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau announced the appointment of Milton Pancorbo as president and CEO of the organisation.

Segarra-

Segarra will oversee all aspects and operations of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, including the headquarter offices in San Juan and regional hubs. In addition to directing the efforts of the Bureau staff and implementing policies set by the Bureau’s Board of Directors, Segarra will be responsible for maintaining strong relationships with the organisations 300+ member-suppliers, local business leaders and elected officials.

AirAsia India appoints CEO

Mittu Chandilya has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia India. In his last role as Principal and Head of Services practice in Asia-Pacific at Egon Zehnder, he took leadership in the travel and hospitality segment where his primary focus was Aviation. Chandilya, one of the youngest CEOs, educated at INSEAD in France. He was formerly the head of services practices for Asia Pacific at Egon Zehnder International, an advisory firm with more than 420 consultants spread across 40 countries.

Hyatt Regency Gurgaon names new Director of Events

Ravi R has been appointed as the Director of Events for Hyatt Regency Gurgaon. He is a qualified Hotel School graduate from IHM Bhubaneshwar and has been associated with Jaypee and Taj Hotels in the past. He has worked with Hyatt Hotels Corporation for over eight years now, starting as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. His consistent professional success led to him being promoted to Director of Conventions and Events, and later to Director of Sales and Marketing at the same property.

MICE event

IT&CM India

Presenting a Unique MICE Platform IT&CM India is an international MICE business, education and networking event that advances opportunities of ‘Promoting India to the World and the World to India’.

T

he event delivers an equal mix of international and Indian delegates across exhibitors, buyers and media categories, thus promoting business opportunities on all fronts - inbound, outbound and domestic.

Launched in 2012, it is the first in the IT&CM series of events to offer international and leading India exhibitors and buyers in the industry a dedicated avenue to showcase and procure luxury travel.

In addition to the proven IT&CM programme formula comprising of structured business appointments, exhibition showcase, seminar sessions, official networking functions and tours, delegates to the 3-day event will also receive access to India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB)’s Conventions India Conclave (CIC) and other partnering events that promise to enhance their investment at IT&CM India.

luxury travel With the incorporation of a luxury travel dimension, the event is expected to expand business opportunities. Up to 30% of MICE buyers who attend IT&CM India also procure and serve clientele demanding up-market products and services.

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events

events calendar

EVENT China Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM 2013)

VENUE

China National Convention Centre

CITY/COUNTRY

Beijing, China

DATE

Sep 2-4, 2013

16th Busan International Travel BEXCO Fair (BITF)

Busan, South Korea Sep 6-9, 2013

International Travel Expo - Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC)

Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Sep 12-14, 2013

JATA Tabihaku Travel Showcase 2013

Tokyo Big Sight

Tokyo, Japan

Sep 12-15, 2013

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart

Chengdu

Sichuan Province, China

Sep 15-17, 2013

Otdykh Leisure Moscow Fair (International Trade Fair for Tourism)

IEC Crocus Expo

Moscow, Russia

Sep 17-20, 2013

Lighting Week Brazil

Expo Center Norte Rua José Bernardo Pinto

Sao Paulo (Brazil)

Sep 18-20, 2013

IFTM TOPRESA Travel Trade Fair (International French Travel Market)

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles

Paris, France

Sep 24-27, 2013

The National Wedding Show

Earls Court, Warwick Road

London (UK)

Sep 27-29, 2013

IT&CMA and CTW (Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia-Pacific and Corporate Travel World)

Bangkok Convention Center

Bangkok, Thailand

Oct 1-3, 2013

TTG Incontri

Rimini Expo Centre

Italy

Oct 17-19, 2013

Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) 2013

Grand Inna Muara Hotel & Convention Centre

Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Oct 18-21, 2013

ITB Asia

Suntec singapore

Singapore

Oct 23-25, 2013

International Tourism and Travel Show

Montreal

Canada

Oct 25-27, 2013

ICOMEX

Centro Internacional de Mexico City, Exposiciones y Convenciones WTC Mexico

Nov 6-8, 2013

Postal Registration No.:DL(ND)/6150/2011-12-13 WPP No.:U(C)-305/2011-13 for Posting on 29th-30th of Advance Month at New Delhi P.S.O. Date of Publication: 22/5/2013, RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144