24th February 2014 Editor: Jill Varley
business events news Avert the eyes
When driving across Sydney’s Western Distributor, it’s not a pretty sight (and no doubt a distressing one to the architects, builders and those who worked at the SCEC during its 25 year life) to see the jagged and torn jumble of metal rods and broken concrete, as the halls of the exhibition centre are torn down. On a lighter note, talking with the Singapore Tourism Board’s Michelle Thoo at AIME, Singapore is moving at its usual breakneck speed with new hotels, reinventions and new hospitals under construction. Chinatown’s Food Street is due to reopen this month after undergoing a refurbishment, and opening in April is the Singapore Sports Hub, the first of its kind in the world. The state-of-the-art complex will house everything from a water sports centre to a retail mall and include the country’s National Stadium, a venue for large-scale sports and entertainment events with 55,000 seats. In 2015, two monumental buildings, the City Hall and the former Supreme Court will be reborn as the National Art Gallery. With so much going on, happy catch up week after AIME. Jill
Peugeot giveaway
The Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is giving away a new Peugeot 308 Sportium Touring, valued at more than $40,000, to one lucky conference and event organiser, as part of its new MICE incentive. All you need to do is contract a new residential conference, meeting or event at the Wentworth, valued at a minimum of $40,000. Bookings and a deposit must be received by 30 Nov for events held anytime. Find out more on 02 9228 9180.
business events news
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Dubai’s record growth
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Melbourne Business School conference and sales coordinator Kristen Bellsmith. Bellsmith won a magnificent hamper courtesy of BEN at AIME 2014 last week. Congratulations again, Kristen!
Majors sign up
DUBAI has kicked off the new year on the back of a 36.4% year on year increase in visitor numbers from Australia and New Zealand in 2013. The Government of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said there had been a 39% increase on 2013 in the Australian market, and a record 21% increase in the NZ market. The emirate had 21 major events, with an expected 46,000 delegates attending, locked down over the next three years, the DTCM said, and planned to up its hotel room inventory from 84,000 to between 140 and 160,000 by 2020. DTCM director general His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri said Australia and New Zealand continued to be key markets for Dubai’s tourism industry, both for leisure and business.
Fiji PR position Tourism Fiji has announced the establishment of a dedicated public relations unit, based in the organisation’s head office in Nadi. Comprising two staff, the unit will be responsible for developing and implementing Tourism Fiji’s public relations strategy across core source markets. Applications are now open for the position of PR manager, with the role of PR coordinator to be advertised in the coming weeks. Contact Asinate Ledua on +679 6722433 before 3 Mar.
“In recent years we have seen consistent growth in visitor numbers from this market and the 2013 numbers show a significant increase in tourists from Australia and New Zealand visiting our Emirate.” Last year saw 19 hotels established and a number of new hotels coming online in the next three years, he said. Dubai Convention and Events Bureau convention and business tourism director Steen Jakobsen said the emirate made up about half of the Middle East’s entire business events market.
Sports events grows A MAJOR growth area in sports events from Australian MICE operators has been identified by Hong Kong-based PC Tours, according to the company. Speaking in Melbourne half way through a marketing tour of Australia, general manager Cary Chiu said there was a continuing demand for their ground services in all destinations in Hong Kong, China, the Pearl Delta region and Indo-China and in particular Vietnam and Cambodia. “In recent years I have seen a steady 5% growth in business from Australia and expect this to grow to 10% over the next year or so, following the introduction of more diversified air services into Asia, such as the recent decision by Cathay Pacific to fly from Australia to Da Nang in Vietnam via Hong Kong.”
EIBTM says major industry exhibitors have confirmed their participation at the trade show, held from 18 to 20 Nov in Barcelona. Those who have already signed up include the Austrian National Tourist Office, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, Marriott Hotels International, Brand USA and the German Convention Bureau.
World’s apart Post AIME, the Asia Pacific team from WorldHotels were in Sydney on Friday to host a client lunch with a difference. Held at Sokyo Restaurant in The Darling hotel, Asia Pacific executive vice president Roland Jegge was joined by Christina Spykerman, senior director of sales and marketing Asia Pacific and Ganessan Suppiah, director of sales ANZ. Each gm or dsm waxed lyrical about a dish on the menu applicable to their hotel and gave away slabs of meat and fresh produce in exchange for answers to their questions. For example, Jupiters Townsville presented a Cape Grim Kobe beef Tomahawk (the cut of meat, not the axe), while the delights of a Durian dessert (smells like hell, tastes like heaven) was lost on all but our Asian cousins. The Star came up trumps on their signature lamp chop dish, with their chef revealing a secret ingredient – Vegemite. Jegge also disclosed WorldHotel’s intention to launch a Priority Points program, “to incentivise our clients.”
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