CIM July 2015 Issue

Print Post Approved PP100008072

JULY 2015

Darwin powers on Dunedin’s heart and stone Brisbane’s home grown heroes

Like never before Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau

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CONTENTS

On the cover

12

Ancient rainforests, blissful tropical islands, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and electrifying urban experiences all comprise the many faces of Malaysia.

REGULARS

Print Post Approved PP100008072

06 News 08 International news 09 New Zealand news 32 Event report

Cairns Convention Centre

31 Q&A

Ronni Kahn, OzHarvest

34 Venue update 36 Talking Point

Jana Wunderlich, Eventeamwork

37 Meeting people 38 PCO Association

JUNE 2015

28

04 Publisher’s note

FEATURES 10 Cover story

Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau

12 Brisbane

Welcoming new partnerships

18 Darwin

The Top End capital delivers

22 Dunedin The South Island city with heart

and stone

Gourmet attractions TNQ gets its groove back Times are a changin’ for Perth CIM0615.indd 1

Meetings ahoy P&O Conferences 1/07/2015 2:38 pm

To ensure you never miss out there are now more ways to enjoy CIM. As well as the monthly magazine, CIM is also available as a free iPad app, which is packed with exclusive extras. The CIM app is available at the iTunes app store.

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Don’t miss

24 Speakers

Finding the right speaker

26 New Caledonia

26

Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort and Spa celebrates

28 Gold Coast

This is Gold Coast Business Exchange

30 Event Awards

Look out for these topical news-based video stories on our website, www.cimmagazine.com, and in the CIM iPad app, to delve deeper into the issues behind the print stories.

New criteria levels the playing field www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 3

PUBLISHER’S WORD

The future is virtual I

’ve been in the industry in one form or another my whole life, having a front row seat to all the developments that have come to fruition over that time. There is one new development that I am particularly excited about and it’s not even real.

The industry has always known that the best way to win over a client is to let them experience it firsthand, but that realistically isn’t always possible. However, with the latest technology a virtual experience is possible and now widely accessible.

Last year’s AIME was a great example of a destination getting both great coverage and giving attendees that wow factor on the Business Events Sydney stand. Attendees got to climb a replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge wearing iTVGoggles, giving them “virtual” views of the Vivid Sydney festival.

Hamilton Island made a similar impression at a recent roadshow in Sydney when they unveiled next-generation virtual reality vision of the Island and the Great Barrier Reef. The Samsung virtual reality goggles were so effective you could almost feel the sand between your toes.

Now it’s our turn, with CIM excited to launch its new CIM TV Virtual Famil. Famils have always been the best way to showcase a destination or property, their only drawback being they are limited to those on the trip. CIM TV Virtual Famils are a great way for bureaus and organisations to bring their famil to a much wider audience. You can view our inaugural Virtual Famil on CIM’s YouTube channel. We hope you like it.

Published in Australia by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Suite 202, 80-84 Chandos Street, St Leonards 2065 P.O. Box 189, St Leonards 1590 ACN 147 436 280 ISSN 1039-1029 Website: www.cimmagazine.com PUBLISHER Alexandra Yeomans GENERAL MANAGER Michelle Cullen MANAGING EDITOR Sheridan Randall JOURNALIST Anastasia Prikhodko ACCOUNT MANAGER Peyton Hinson DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER Bin Zhou PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Anne Esteban SALES & DIGITAL CO-ORDINATOR Grissel Ritchie ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Kate Wilcox

HEAD OFFICE – SYDNEY +61 2 9438 2300 Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Fax: +61 2 9438 5962 Email: enquiries@creativehead.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 yr $99; 2 yrs $174; 3 yrs $261 (inc. GST) Copyright © 2015 Creative Head Media Pty Ltd.

Alexandra Yeomans, Publisher

THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY A city feel with a country town intimacy, Darwin is a growing powerhouse with the second fastest economic growth in Australia. See the full story on page 18.

4 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Opinions expressed by the contributors in this magazine are not the opinion of CIM. Letters to the editor are subject to editing.

Nielsen Media Research July 2004 Readership 57,936 monthly Exclusive official publication for the PCO Association

AMAA, CAB Total Distribution Audit 16,458 March 2015

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Meeting success at the South Pacific’s best kept secret Ensure meeting success at the new Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa nestled between the World Heritage lagoon and wild interiors of Grand Terre.

Direct flights from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland make New Caledonia’s best kept secret one of the South Pacific’s easiest meeting destinations to get to.

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INDUSTRY NEWS NEWS BRIEFS Marriott imagines new meetings platform Marriott International have launched Meetings Imagined, a website which assists event planners in organising and implementing meetings and corporate events. Meetings Imagined allows users to gather inspirational images to spark creativity and set out the objective of their meeting.

Urban Events launches off-site catering service “We have extended our world-class culinary offering beyond our established, awardwinning and hatted restaurants,” said Urban Purveyor Group director of sales Julie van der Weegen.

Zadro to promote AIME Reed Travel Exhibitions, organisers of the AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME), has appointed Zadro as the agency responsible for all public and media relations for AIME 2016. Zadro managing director Felicity Zadro said the new comms strategy was “crucial to the industry”.

New event app at Royal Pines

“Our talented culinary team will bring innovative catering solutions to a client’s own premises or venue of choice, whether it be intimate dining experiences for office and boardroom functions, extravagant gala balls or conferences for entire organisations, weddings, or other social occasions.”

Urban Events Venues & Catering has launched its new off-premises catering service.

Urban Events, an arm of Urban Purveyor Group, has extended its culinary repertoire to cater for off-site events from 50 to 3000 guests.

Group culinary director Martin Heierling said the expansive catering menu comprised over 300 dishes, spanning cocktail party bites and dessert tapas, shared style dinner options and plated menus.

AVPartners has launched a new events app at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

The app, Events@RPR, designed to be used on all smartphones, combines social media tools, gamification, surveys and live polls with up-to-date event information. The app also contains built-in analytic functions.

Melbourne notches up 18 bid wins in 2015

OzAsia Festival programme announced

Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has secured 18 major international association conferences for the city over the first six months of 2015.

Adelaide Festival Centre has revealed the new programming for this year's OzAsia Festival which runs from September 24 October 4. There are 180 scheduled activities including more than 90 performances, eight exhibitions, 15 film screenings, nine talk events and a variety of workshops and other activities.

Former Luxperience CEO heads to court Luxperience said it will “fully and vigorously” address claims made by former CEO Lindy Andrews in the courts.

Andrews is seeking more than $500,000 in damages and costs for a breach of contract from show founder Helen Logas. The case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on September 8.

Major wins secured by MCB include the World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics Gynaecology & Infertility – Asia Pacific Chapter 2016; IEEE Power and Energy Society Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies – Asia 2016; International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging 2017; and World Congress on Science and Football 2019.

“These 18 major conferences will attract thousands of world-leading academics, scientists and medical professionals to Melbourne and Victoria between 2016 and 2021, and reinforce world awareness of Melbourne as a centre of excellence in science and medicine,” said Karen Bolinger, MCB’s chief executive.

The conferences will deliver to Melbourne 14,600 delegates, who will stay long enough to fill every hotel bed in the CBD for more than four consecutive nights. Victoria will

6 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

gain an estimated $65 million in economic contribution from the conferences.

“Victoria has significant and globally recognised expertise in future industries, which is reflected in these wins, which cover sectors including engineering, agriculture, business, public health and infectious diseases,” she added.

New advisory board for AIME The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) has gathered a host of the industry’s most experienced buyers, sellers and influencers to form the AIME Advisory Board.

Tasked with shaping the show in 2016, the inaugural Advisory Board includes 16 members from across the AsiaPacific region including corporate event buyers, association event buyers, senior representatives from venues and hotels and a range of event suppliers.

“The Advisory Board will play a vital role in ensuring we evolve AIME for the benefit of the whole business events industry,

and continue to create an innovative and engaging program each year in Melbourne that delivers true value to our diverse customer groups,” said Karen Bolinger, CEO of the show’s owner, the Melbourne Convention Bureau.

Sallie Coventry, portfolio director of ibtm events, the show’s organiser, thanked the board for “their active and enthusiastic participation”.

“The Advisory Board engaged in lively debate, provided honest feedback and shared invaluable insights,” she said.

The Advisory Board will meet twice yearly.

Qantas returns Perth Singapore route Qantas has brought back a direct service between Perth and Singapore operating five return services each week with its Boeing 737 aircraft. Qantas ended its regular flight to Singapore service in May 2014.

“Our customers told us they missed us – so with the right strategy and the right

aircraft on the right route, we've come back to meet that demand,” said Qantas International CEO Gareth Evans.

“There has been a fantastic response since we announced the new services in April, with customers jumping to book great deals to Singapore and beyond.”

Marketing Australia to China Tourism Australia has signed three important strategic marketing deals in China aimed at promoting Australia to high yielding travellers and business events professionals in an overseas tourism market now valued at $5.7 billion annually.

The wide-reaching, multiple marketing deals consist of partnership agreements with two major airlines – China Eastern Airlines and Singapore Airlines – as well as with one of one of China's largest e-commerce companies specialising in travel services, Alibaba.

Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said the agreements would help strengthen distribution and Australia's ability to target China’s free and independent travel (FIT) segment.

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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 7

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Cuba cruises into the spotlight Starting in December 2015, MSC Cruises’ 2120-guest MSC Opera will homeport in Havana for the winter 2015-16 season, offering guests 16 Caribbean cruises with a two-night stay in the Cuban capital.

MSC Cruises will partner with Cuba-based group Cubanacan to offer local ground services and shore excursions.

“We are particularly proud to make this exciting new destination available to our guests,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.

“The move to Cuba attests to our commitment to offer our guests the best and most sought-after destinations as they become accessible – thus further enhancing our global offering while providing travellers best-in-class experiences and service.”

Taiwan to host 2021 Rotary International Convention

Cruise company Carnival has also been granted US approval to begin travel to Cuba and intends to take travellers to Cuba beginning in May 2016 via its newly launched fathom brand.

The annually rotating global event is expected to attract 36,000 Rotarians, including over 10,000 global attendees. The 2021 RIC will be the largest international convention with the most participants hosted in Taiwan since MEET TAIWAN, the flagship MICE promotion project led by the Taiwanese government.

UFI Global Barometer rises Results of UFI’s 15th Global Barometer survey of the exhibition industry indicate positive turnover expectations for 2015 and the first half of 2016, with an average of six companies out of 10 declaring increases in all regions.

When compared to 2014, this reflects a slight slowdown in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, who had higher levels of growth in 2014.

However, both the USA and China outperform their respective regions, with more than seven companies out of 10 declaring increases.

In terms of operating profits, around four companies out of 10 in all regions except Asia/Pacific declare an increase of more than 10 per cent in annual profits for 2014

and 2015; in Asia/Pacific, only three companies out of 10 do for 2014 but the situation improves to five companies out of 10 for 2015.

China outperforms these results, with 58 per cent of companies expecting an increase of more than 10 per cent of their 2015 operating profits.

Around half of respondents from all regions declared that the impact of the “economic crisis” on their exhibition business is now over.

“Despite fairly different economic situations around the world, the regional consolidated results indicate some converging positive results in terms of turnover increase for the coming year,” said Paul Woodward, UFI managing director.

8 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Taipei in Taiwan has been selected as the host city for the 2021 Rotary International Convention (RIC).

More than TWD8 billion (AU$35 million) in economic impact is expected to be generated by the event.

The completion of Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2 and over 10 4-star and 5-star hotels located along the MRT Wenhu and Bannan lines were key factors in Taipei becoming host city to the 2021 RIC.

Fijian Tourism Expo sets date for 2016 Tourism Fiji has confirmed the dates for the 2016 Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE), which will be held from May 3-6.

Only in its second year, FTE has grown by 30 per cent with over 600 participants taking part at the expo over three days.

A record 358 local tourism operators had the opportunity to sell their products to more 150 international buyers and 18 international media.

“The feedback from international buyers and partners in the tourism industry from this year’s expo has been fantastic,” said Truman Bradley, executive chairman for Tourism Fiji.

“FTE is a solid platform for encouraging meaningful interactions between buyers from our key markets and further developing our industry to meet international traveller demands. It is an avenue to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new business relationships.”

NZ NEWS

South Island expo hosts Australian PCOs Australian conference and incentive organisers are being invited to apply for hosted buyer positions at Convene South.

The exhibition showcases the best of what New Zealand’s South Island has to offer business event planners, with suppliers from Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Queenstown, West Coast, Wanaka and other regions all taking part.

Convene manager Allyssa Eastaugh says the decision to host more Australians than in the past comes at a time when Christchurch is getting back on its feet – not only as a gateway to the South Island but also as a conference and incentive

destination in its own right.

“This is an opportunity for Australian business event organisers to see the South Island in a new light and really drill down to all their requirements in one day, under one roof,” she said.

Hosted Australian buyers can chose one of three pre-Convene familiarisation tours – two in the Christchurch and Canterbury region and one in Dunedin and Otago.

Convene South is being held at the Air Force Museum, Wigram on September 1, 2015, with a welcome function for delegates on August 31.

Wellington on show Registrations have opened for Wellington’s biggest conference and events expo, Show Me Wellington (SMW) 2015.

CINZ Annual Conference set to grow in Canterbury The CINZ 39th Annual Conference & AGM will be held on September 28-30, 2015, in Christchurch with the theme “Growing Together”.

Beginning with Welcome Drinks at the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, the first day of the conference is being held at the Hagley Cricket Pavilion, Hagley Park.

The CINZ Conference Gala Dinner, on Tuesday evening, will be at the Isaac Theatre Royal. The conference concludes on Wednesday with closing drinks at the Hagley Cricket Pavilion.

SMW will be held on Wednesday September 9, 2015, at the TSB Bank Arena and Convention Centre. Last year's expo attracted a record number of new exhibitors and this year is set to be better than ever.

Claire Smith, from the Vancouver Convention Centre, is the international keynote speaker, with other speakers including Roger Wigglesworth, from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Registrations open this month.

In conjunction with Business Events Wellington, buyers from outside Wellington are also being offered a hosted famil programme to experience all that Wellington has to offer.

Keeping the audience connected Conference sessions can provide the perfect platform for lively debate and stimulating discussion. But how often do you see that momentum stall when delivery of a microphone to delegates is delayed or they have to move to one in an aisle and the audience are twisting and turning to see who is speaking? It is just enough to slow the flow of the session and dissipate the energy in the room.

Usually plenty of attention is paid to the stage: providing just the right lighting, the right equipment to amplify speakers’ voices, their video clips and the like, but ensuring the audience can hear and see one another can be overlooked or given less attention than it deserves.

The technology is readily available but perhaps making the commitment to the expenditure is the issue? I recently saw how flawlessly a high level business meeting ran when digital audio technology was combined with a video follow function. Seated in a large hollow square delegates wishing to speak activated their microphone which automatically generated a video image of them on the screen as they spoke. Apart from some initial reticence at seeing themselves in such high definition on large screens delegates adapted quickly, the conversation and debate did not falter, engagement was high and the meeting was very productive.

Admittedly not every meeting needs such sophistication but audio visual specialists can offer more affordable alternatives to ensure audiences can readily see and hear everyone in the room. Next time you are briefing a/v companies why not intensify your focus on the audience’s needs and not just the speakers’?

Jan Tonkin is founder and Managing Director of leading New Zealand PCO The Conference Company. She is also Vice-President of IAPCO and Vice-Chair of the IAPCO Training Academy, which administers the Association’s international education programme.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 9

COVER STORY

View slideshow in the CIM iPad app.

Diversity is the key to Malaysia’s appeal, with the country offering an array of locations and experiences that go beyond the ordinary. Malaysia’s top destinations offer event organisers something new, bringing a real sense of adventure to every corporate meeting and incentive trip.

Like never before Malaysia is known for its cultural diversity and mouth-watering cuisines; but there is much more on offer. Ancient rainforests, blissful tropical islands, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and electrifying urban experiences all comprise the many faces of Malaysia.

For more information visit www.likeneverbefore.my

Experience an untouched jungle and unwind in Sarawak’s Mulu National Park. The 130 million years old tropical Borneo rainforest offers a world of tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of the major cities. Recharge your body, mind and soul in the longhouses of head-hunters and feast on local traditional delights. Get in touch with the natural world at the Mulu National Park (pictured) and experience one of the last remaining natural habitats of the endangered orang utan or dance to a different beat with a “Silent Party”, clubbing in the jungle with headphones.

For a different kind of jungle, explore the urban delights of Kuala Lumpur where it all happens.

Think Jimmy Choo, Zang Toi, Farah Khan, Bernard Chandran – globally acclaimed Malaysian fashion designers. Kuala Lumpur, known fondly as KL, is renowned as a world class shopping destination.

Malaysia’s capital is home to three of the world’s largest shopping malls, offering all the biggest and

10 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

best global brands, along with local retail talent, all at affordable prices. Get a complete makeover from fashion experts in high end boutiques or incorporate the local batik as a finishing touch to a made to measure outfit. And as bustling it gets during the day, KL sparkles with nightlife as the sun sets. Dine in style at the Troika Sky Dining, Marini’s on 57, Helipad Lounge Bar, Atmosphere 360, and the KL Tower for a true on-top-of-the-world experience.

Sail beyond the horizon on a floating platform in the middle of the sea off Langkawi Island. Dance away the night while gliding on the surface of the crystal clear Andaman Sea, against the backdrop of a fiery sunset. A cluster of islands with fascinating legends, mangroves and paddy fields, Langkawi is a tropical paradise known for its pristine beaches and luxury water villas.

Indulge in the cultural splendour of George Town on Penang Island. Step back in time with the historic beauty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and relive the past through cultural activities such as traditional artisanal trades and craftsmanship.

Recognised as a haven for foodies, Penang’s culinary adventure will take you on a mouth watering journey of the many cultures in the island.

Discovering a new side of Malaysia just got better with Malaysia Twin Deal X which encompasses two extra reward programmes to add value to your meeting or incentive. Now there are even more reasons to experience Malaysia “Like Never Before”.

BRISBANE

A welcome collaboration Brisbane has reaped numerous benefits from its Advocates Partnership program, forging new alliances and importantly creating new home grown conferences, writes Sheridan Randall.

Brisbane’s business event credentials have been given a boost with both the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council getting behind the city’s events capabilities.

The Palaszczuk Government’s recent Budget pledged more than $400 million in funding over the next four years to Tourism & Events Queensland (TEQ).

“TEQ will now be able to plan on a longer-term basis with an assurance that their funding is locked in for the next four

years,” says Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones.

“Now TEQ can consider retaining high-value events with longer planning cycles that will deliver better visitation growth.”

Brisbane City Council also sees business events as an economic driver, with a new committee tasked with shaping Brisbane’s economic development strategy for the next seven years recommending business events form a key part of the city’s

plan for growth.

Prepared by the Lord Mayor’s Economic Development Steering Committee, the Brisbane 2022 New World City Action Plan recommends the city win more conferences by consistently hosting 40 international conferences a year and striving towards an average of 50,000 delegate days per month by 2022.

The aim would be for the city to consistently earn a top 50 International Congress and

12 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Convention Association (ICCA) ranking city in the world.

Last year Brisbane hosted 37 international conferences achieving a global city ICCA ranking of 67.

“Brisbane’s world city ICCA ranking has averaged 76 with 32 conferences annually over the last five years and we really want the city to strive to attract more business event delegates which will mean increased support for our hotels, services and venues,” says Lord Mayor

Echo raises the stakes The Queensland Government recently gave Echo Entertainment Group, as part of Destination Brisbane Consortium, the greenlight to build a second casino complex in Brisbane as part of a revitalised Queen's Wharf precinct. The new integrated resort and entertainment precinct adjacent to the CBD and riverfront, is set to include more than 1100 new hotel rooms to operate under five new brands to Brisbane, including Ritz-Carlton and Rosewood Hotels and Resorts; 50 restaurants and bars and significant event space in the precinct with three major event spaces having capacity to cater to up to 60,000 people.

Opposite page from left: BCEC Foyer; Brisbane city scape; an artist’s impression of the Queen’s Wharf Precinct; BCEC Auditorium.

Graham Quirk.

as possible.”

“My aim is to ensure Brisbane’s influence as a serious player in the Asia Pacific region continues to grow and we are recognised globally as a new world city full of opportunity.”

One of the ways to enhance that delegate experience is through the “Brisbane Welcomes the World” program, which proved so successful during last year’s G20 Leaders Summit.

Brisbane Marketing says it “strongly supports” the recommendations, with Rob Nelson, general manager, conventions and business events, saying the high yielding nature of business events delegates meant the sector is “playing a key role” in the visitor economy.

“Brisbane Welcomes the World equipped 2000 workers in the service industry – from hotels to venues and transport to retail – with the information and training they needed to answer visitor questions, provide useful local tips and pass on Brisbane’s stories,” says Nelson.

“We will also put an emphasis on the delegate side of the equation by placing a major focus on delegate acquisition for business events to boost numbers and increase length of stay in Brisbane. Our other major focus is to ensure clients and delegates have the best possible experience of our city

“The program can now be tailored for conference staff and volunteers to ensure delegates have a welcoming and personalised experience of Brisbane that aligns with conference themes.”

Another focus for the Convention Bureau is to encourage the corporate and www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 13

Bigger and better The Brisbane Showgrounds have been busy this year, with 34 events hosted in May alone, making it one of the busiest months since opening in 2013. The series of national and local events featuring rugby league stars, politicians and financial experts were staged across the Showgrounds and Royal International Convention Centre including national conferences Austmine Association Conference and Exhibition and the AGOSCI 12th Biennial Conference.

association sectors to align their related conferences with the World Science Festival, an arts and science event being staged outside New York for the first time in March 2016; a move which reinforces Brisbane’s reputation as a scientific research and innovation hub, according to Nelson.

“We’ll work with festival presenter the Queensland Museum to attract sciencerelated conferences to Brisbane and build a critical mass of scientists, science communicators and industry experts,” he says.

“The World Science Festival Brisbane has already attracted the Cooperative Research Centre Association national conference with the organisers moving next year’s event to Brisbane to coincide with the festival.”

Health related sectors are also key targets for Brisbane, with the recent the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) World Congress 2015 and the 40th

Above: ICASSP volunteers. Left: Royal International Convention Centre (Royal ICC).

IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP) 2015, bringing in nearly 4000 delegates in April, many of who came from overseas.

welcome signage at Brisbane Airport, onsite tourist information at both events and Airtrain travel discounts to assist delegate travel into the city,” he says.

Quirk says Brisbane Marketing had worked closely with the conference organisers to grow the number of delegates, with

Both events were held at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), with its Advocates Partnership

“Our other major focus is to ensure clients and delegates have the best possible experience of our city as possible.” around 20 ICASSP volunteers from the Brisbane Welcomes the World program trained to provide the delegates with a personal connection to Brisbane.

“The Bureau offered a suite of in-kind destination marketing support, including assistance promoting Brisbane, pre-andpost event touring information,

program, which has around 60 Advocates working to secure conferences from their field of expertise in Brisbane, one of the key drivers behind many of these bid wins. More than 50 additional conferences have been secured for Brisbane through the Advocates Partnership program. The most recent bid wins were 21st World

14 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WCDEM) 2019 – with the bid team commended on “a compelling presentation” which included a “well thought out proposal” in terms of program outline and a strong local sector – and the International Clinical Cardiovascular Genetics Conference 2016, with a further 12 conference bids awaiting confirmation.

“The [WCDEM] bid received strong local industry support in terms of developing a program outline as part of a real team effort in putting Brisbane forward as the best destination to host the Congress,” Nelson says.

“Brisbane Convention Bureau collaborated with the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Tourism and Events Queensland and stakeholders right across the city to ensure there was a holistic ‘Team Brisbane’ approach to attracting the Congress to Brisbane.”

In 2013, the Advocates Partnership program pushed

Starwood looks to Brisbane Starwood Hotels and Resorts recent appointment of Tricia Cornelius (pictured) as a new director of Starwood Sales Organisation Brisbane marks a sign of its confidence in Brisbane, “as it enters an exciting era of grand-scale development”.

Above: BCEC on Grey Street.

“With billions earmarked for infrastructure investment in the city over the coming years, the redevelopment of the city centre will see key industries moved outside of the centre making space for arts and culture, as well as bars and restaurants,” she says.

After opening Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane in 2014, Starwood is adding to its inventory with a new W Brisbane slated to open in 2018, forming part of a $1 billion mixed-use development on the former Queensland Supreme Court site on George Street.

“Brisbane also has a fantastic track record of hosting large international conferences and has a strong calendar of future events, which will attract large numbers of business travellers to the city over the coming years,” she says.

“And we’re expecting this growth momentum to continue. We’re currently chatting to various investors regarding other opportunities in the CBD, hence why we’ve expanded Starwood’s sales organisation to include a new office in Brisbane.”

MEET WHERE WORLD LEADERS MEET T 07 3308 3063 E sales@bcec.com.au W www.bcec.com.au

BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE Host Venue for the successful 2014 G20 Leaders Summit

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 15

Poolside Hilton Brisbane has just unveiled two rejuvenated event spaces, Victoria’s and the Pool Terrace, part of the 19 purpose-built meeting rooms available.

Victoria’s features 3.3m ceilings and arched windows with a capacity up to 56 guests. The Pool Terrace has a capacity up to 160 cocktail style or can seat up to 100 guests.

the concept further by launching its Inaugural Conferences – home grown conferences developed in collaboration with Advocates and which have Brisbane as their anchor venue. To date, six Inaugural Conferences have been created, with four repeating and confirmed for future years and a further two to take place this year.

Alison Gardiner, director of conventions at BCEC, says “we had been moving the idea for a little while" before its conception.

“We had been thinking about this, of focusing on areas that Brisbane is really strong in and has world leading expertise,” she says.

A feasibility study was drawn up and a conference organiser with relevant experience both with international markets and inaugurals was also brought on board.

“Together we looked at the financial feasibility, what this would look like, would they come if we build it, is

there enough of a gap in the market?” she says.

“What we learned working through the first couple was to develop a feasibility assessment process so that we could have a methodology to apply, so that every time someone says ‘we have this great idea starting this new meeting’ we can dip into that.”

The initial feasibility process takes about six months to see if the conference “has legs”.

“People are comfortable with the idea of a feasibility assessment because there is no obligation on them so you really are collaborating together,” she says. “It’s a no lose situation because it means that we learn more about that particular space.”

With six out of six inaugurals so far, the strike rate is “frighteningly good at the moment”, however, Gardiner concedes “you have to manage a few expectations”.

“They tend to start small,” she

says. “You are kind of birthing something in a way and some of them come out looking a little premature while others are big robust kids. So far we haven’t had any casualties.”

The delegate count for each ranges from approximately 150 to 600.

“Usually with an inaugural event you try and keep it in the space for two to three times to get some traction with it particularly with the national groups,” she says. “And then you try to increase the number of international attendees, with the ultimate mark of success for it to be hosted overseas, with the rotation starting to take care of itself.”

Gardiner says that Brisbane has always had the confidence to do this type of program, with a base layer of expertise underpinning it.

“We have three really good universities, and we have Australia’s largest medical research institute, the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research

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Institute, so we have really solid medical and science and clinical research and we always had,” she says.

“There are institutional benefits that occur from those sorts of strategic relationships.

When you look at where our major hospitals are, the three universities and the big medical research institute we are kind of in the middle. Where the BCEC sits is what we call the knowledge corridor.”

For Gardiner, it is a win win situation for everyone involved.

“The venue wins, the hotels get extra beds, the disciplines and universities involved win, and that’s what we are looking for,” she says. “We have developed a very strong partnership model where we have very good relationships with senior people across the universities, it’s not just a one way street.”

The Advocates Partnership program celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, with the two latest Inaugurals

Hats off for Brisbane food Three hatted restaurant Esquire was named Restaurant of the Year at the recent Brisbane Times Good Food Guide 2016 awards securing its place at the top of the city’s culinary tree. GOMA Restaurant secured two hats this year, with head chef Josue Lopez named Chef of the Year.

Newcomer The Catbird Seat Bistro, in East Brisbane, was named Best New Restaurant.

the Trop-AG – Tropical Agriculture Conference in November, led by Advocate Professor Robert Henry from the University of Queensland’s Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, and Immunotherapy@Brisbane2015, led by Professor Frank Gannon and Professor Rajiv Khanna

Opposite page from left: The Pool Terrace at Hilton Brisbane; GOMA Restaurant; Brisbane’s Story Bridge.

from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

Foundation Advocate Professor Frank Gannon, who is director of the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, believes the link between conferencing and science is an intrinsic one.

“Science is one of the most

open systems in the world and you can only have success as a scientist by talking face to face and meeting with other scientists,” he says. “I think the BCEC Advocates program nurtures that collaboration.”

It’s the way the city works, says Gardiner, through “straight conversations”. Those

conversations extend to other stakeholders such as Brisbane Marketing and Tourism & Events Queensland, with both parties briefed on any new initiatives or bids.

“We will just continue to collaborate and try and make the most of the strengths our science base has.”

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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 17

DARWIN

Top End capital delivers

Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.

The Top End capital is dynamic, multi-cultural, and holds the second fastest economic growth in Australia. A city feel with a country town intimacy, Darwin is a growing powerhouse, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

Situated on the ancestral home of the Larrakia people in the Northern Territory, with its one crocodile to human ratio and tropical climate and Darwin captures the imagination like nowhere else in Australia.

The once isolated city is undergoing new projects, upgrades and business expansion plans to bring new life to the Northern Territory capital.

“What you have in Darwin is the second fastest growing economy in Australia and I

believe in the next few years it will overtake the other economies in Australia,” says Peter Styles, Minister for Business. “It’s one of those places that grabs you and hangs on to you.”

With a population combined of 60 nationalities and 70 different ethnic backgrounds, the people of Darwin have a culture of their own and that’s being Territorian.

“Generally a lot of people come from somewhere else and we have to rely on each other because we don’t have mum next door

18 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

or a cousin down the road,” says Styles.

Such diversity of cultures brings with it a varied culinary scene. Markets, food stalls and shops specialising in a range of Asian inspired meals as well as local delicacies of kangaroo, buffalo, crocodile, and camel.

The multi culturalism is a result of the thriving tourism and events sector, with international and national businesses wanting to capitalise on Darwin’s abundance of natural resources. This increasing interest

Left: Darwin Convention Centre.

This year’s Meet Darwin familiarisation, organised

by Darwin Convention Centre and the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, showcased Darwin to a group of event organisers from across the country. The group stayed at Élan Soho Suites, (since rebranded as Oaks Elan Darwin) situated in close proximity to the vast array of organised activities which included Segway tours, a picnic dinner at Mindil and Parap Village markets and enjoying a performance by the Darwin Symphony Orchestra Opera.

Also on the itinerary was feeding the crocodiles at Crocosaurus Cove, learning about Darwin’s turbulent history at Darwin Military Museum, VIP access to Paspaley and di CROCO Boutique and enjoying a poetry performance from the Larrakia people whilst painting clap-sticks aboard the Charles Darwin cruise. An Indigenous themed gala dinner and performance by the Gary Lang NT Dance Company capped off the famil.

An informative business session held at the Darwin Convention Centre – featuring NT Business Events ambassadors, Luke Bowen, general manager of Northern Australia Development Officer and Vicki O’Halloran, CEO of Somerville Community Health as well as Bronte Martin, director of nursing, trauma and disaster, National Critical Care Trauma Response – gave the group an in depth snapshot of the local economy.

Darwin Festival held over 18 days in August reflects Darwin’s position at the Top End of Australia, and its unique Indigenous and multicultural population.

The art and cultural festival will showcase some of Australia’s finest arts performers, and also includes outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance music, comedy and cabaret, film and visual arts.

in the economic potential in the north has prompted the Federal Government to support the events and business sector in the north by launching its foreign investment program, which will host a major forum in Darwin later this year, attracting key international investors.

In the next two years a new $75 million Cooperative Research Centre on Developing Northern Australia will be established to undertake leading-edge research and develop new technologies, products and services to help tackle major economic, environmental and social challenges.

This investment is expected to drive business events involved in areas of economic development, agriculture, water security, resource exploration and extraction, spatial information, health and Indigenous issues. Additionally, the Government’s introduction of a new 10 year multiple entry visa pilot for Chinese visitors is also set to give Darwin a boost.

“This reform strengthens our competitiveness and is set to encourage high yielding Chinese delegates attending a business event in Australia to repeat their visit with family and friends for leisure,” says Andrew Hiebl,

executive director of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux.

Only a four hour flight to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Darwin is referred to as the gateway to Asia.

“In the next couple of years we are really focusing on South East Asia as well as internationally,” says Janet Hamilton, general manager of Darwin Convention Centre. “We have direct flights in and from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur so we are really targeting our international efforts in the Asian and Asia Pacific area.”

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 19

The Centre overlooks the Arafura Sea, and reflects the historical past of the Larrakia people. For centuries the harbour was a place of connection to welcome visitors while trading with other indigenous tribes and Southeast Asian neighbours.

This year, over 7000 delegates are expected to arrive between March and October contributing a significant economic return estimated at over $30 million to Darwin and the Northern Territory.

“We target national associations within Australia, 65 per cent of our revenue comes from national associations and that is through a broad range of health, education and corporate markets as well,” says Hamilton. “We’ve got a lot to offer especially in the fields of education, health and tropical sciences. Charles Darwin University, and being a big defence town, are also key elements of Darwin and our

growing market.”

“wow” experience.

Charles Darwin University has been dominant in building relationships in research and education in the Northern Territory.

Vicki O’Halloran, CEO of Somerville Community Services and the ambassador for Northern Territory Business Events, says its people are a key selling point for Darwin, and what make it such a welcoming, friendly environment.

Suzanne Morgan, executive director of Business and Events of Northern Territory Convention Bureau, describes Darwin as “a very exciting opportunity”.

“There is a real partnership between Darwin Convention Centre and the Northern Territory Convention Bureau,” she says.

“What we do is to showcase the capacity of this Centre and what it’s about. But then we need to bring in the character of Darwin that’s what is so important.”

Morgan says that Darwin’s location is incredibly important to the association market and with the combination of ease of getting around and Darwin specific incentives, delegates are getting a real

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“Our product is people, as they consistently provide the best service delivery and put individual’s seeking support or treatment at the forefront,” she says.

Darwin’s diversity of people result in an understanding and respect for cultural differences at both an individual and organisational level, which filters through to every aspect of events and conferences. To put it simply, it’s a great place to do business.

Anastasia Prikhodko was hosted by the NT Convention Bureau and Darwin Convention Centre.

Thrill Seekers Crocosaurus Cove – Get snap happy with the almost 200 crocodiles on show. The Cage of Death offers an interactive experience for those who want to know what it is like to be bait.

Above: Darwin Convention Centre. Left: The group on Darwin’s waterfront precinct.

Crocodylus Park Cruise and Eco Tour – With 30 years of experience in crocodile research and conservation, Crocodylus Park is home to more than one thousand crocodiles. Take a cruise through along the river bank and see the crocodiles in their natural habitat.

Segway – The Segway tours at East Point are a great way to see more of Darwin from the ground.

Darwin harbour cruise – Take in the views of Darwin from the waterside on board the refurbished Charles Darwin, which caters for up to 270 passengers.

DARWIN

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Contact the team at the Northern Territory Convention Bureau as your destination concierge to create unique network connections when planning business events info@ntconventions.com.au

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 21

DUNEDIN

Right: Street art around every corner.

Below: Dunedin and the Otago Harbour at dusk.

Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.

Heart and stone

Dunedin offers surprises around every corner, as CIM discovered on a pre-MEETINGS 2015 famil of the South Island city, learning more about one of New Zealand’s quiet achievers, writes Sheridan Randall.

There are some places so full of surprises, so filled with history, so bursting with creativity and so jaw droppingly scenic, you constantly have to ask yourself why you haven’t heard about it before you arrived.

Dunedin is one such place. If you’re a student in New Zealand, the chances are you may well have spent your best years there, as it is home to University of Otago, one of the country’s most historic and established universities. But for the rest, it may simply evoke a shrug of the shoulders and “sounds chilly.”

To understand Dunedin, you must first take a moment to learn something of New Zealand’s history. We like to think of history as simply a collection of dates, but it is in reality the narrative built upon the achievements, struggles, vanities and vision of those who have walked before us. For Dunedin, it was the Scots, their religious struggles that forced them to set up home half way round the world, the wealth generated from gold that attracted so many other nationalities, and the slow shift of power that saw the grand city relinquish its crown as the largest city in New Zealand to that upstart in the north, Auckland.

Auckland may have the power now and house prices that go with it, but Dunedin had the sense to hold on to its heritage without ever seeming old. Take to the streets, as there is no better way to get a feel

for the city. Some of the finest examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture in the southern hemisphere sit side by side with the latest street art, thanks to a very forwarding looking council that has enticed international artists to come and leave their mark on unused spaces.

Local businesses have been encouraged to spruce up the heritage buildings they occupy, while cafes and bars that would give Melbourne a run for its money are bringing a new lease of life to areas long forgotten after their glory days as a commercial hub. The city’s location also offers a contrast, set on a shallow harbour, with dramatic hills rising on either side. Soak up the full force of mothernature on the Otago Peninsula or promenade along St Claire’s beach – it’s all within easy access of the CBD. Dunedin is often used as a location for films, with locals used to seeing the likes of Sam Neil, Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz propping up the bar in their local thinking the same single thought that every out-of-towner ponders upon their first visit – “I’ve just discovered somewhere amazing”. So when you bring your delegates here let them know they won’t just have an amazing time, they get bragging rights as well. They discovered it first. We all did.

Sheridan Randall was hosted by Enterprise Dunedin.

22 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Nature lover Dunedin was the last port of call for Antarctic explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton, but you don’t have to go that far to see some unique wildlife. Simply board one of Monarch Wildlife Cruises vessels and get an ocean eye view of Royal Albatross, fur seals, penguins, dolphins and 20 species of bird and marine life.

Must visit Larnach Castle Release your inner Downton Abbey. Not some Disney version made of plaster and plywood, this is the real thing built in the late 1800s on the blood, sweat and tears of high achiever William Larnach. There are many rooms and spaces suitable for events, including the 200 pax ballroom which is reputed to be haunted by William’s daughter Kate who died of typhoid aged of 26. The surrounding gardens are equally grand.

Camp Estate Only 500m from the Larnach Castle gate, this glamorous Country House is straight from the style manual of Coco Chanel. Decorated with a combination of black lacquer, white marble and mirrors, this boutique accommodation and meeting venue manages to feel homely and fabulous at the same time, and is suitable for wholeof-house lets for small groups.

Forsyth Barr Stadium Dunedin is home to the world’s only Nude Rugby International.

It is also home to New Zealand's only permanently covered natural turf stadium. There is irony in that. The Forsyth Barr Stadium is one of seven Kiwi cities hosting the British and Irish Lions when they tour in 2017 and has numerous function spaces.

The Dunedin Chinese Garden

Dunedin has a strong Chinese heritage courtesy of the gold rush in the 1860s. These authentically built gardens commemorate that history, transporting you into another world behind its hand built walls.

Dunedin Town Hall The seat of the Dunedin City Council, this magnificent neo-Renaissance Victorian building provides multiple event spaces including its formal meeting chamber, conference centre and large auditorium which is home to “Norma”, a 3500 pipe symphonic organ.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 23

SPEAKERS

The show must go on Having the right speaker for an event can make or break it, meaning organisers must know their audience before they hire the talent, writes Sheridan Randall.

When Bill Clinton and Bob Geldof turned up in Melbourne last year for the AIDS 2014 conference, they made front page news, delivering headlines, free publicity and an immediate wow factor for the event. Their speeches were probably pretty good as well.

Getting the right speaker for an event can be crucial to its success. Or more critically, getting the wrong speaker can wipe out all the hard work in one fell swoop.

“If you have a dodgy programme the conference will fail,” says Peter Sugg, chair of the annual PCO Association Conference.

“The conference market is split in two and each have their own personalities. The association market, which has the biggest number of meetings, and corporate sector, and they both have different delegates, different motivations for having a meeting and different structures.”

can deliver to the delegates what they want and in turn complement all the other key elements of your programme.”

The association sector looks for relevant expertise, whether what they are doing at the moment is cutting edge, and experience in speakers for their conferences.

“Research all the relevant programmes listed over the last 12 months and look at who was speaking and on what,” Sugg says. “Then do some referenced research on the topic and see who you can marry up. You might find a particular speaker may have released a book or papers since then and which are complementary to the theme and direction of the conference. Then it’s just a matter of seeing who is available.”

The first rule of thumb is know your audience.

With the market for established conferences in Australia “still quite buoyant”, budgets for keynote speakers have remained consistent, he adds.

“Weigh up the demographic of the audience,” he says. “What is it they want at the conference? Find the right person in the world who is an expert in your field who

“With the falling Aussie dollar it restricts the number of international speakers you can bring out now, though organisers are looking closer to home, Australia, New Zealand and

24 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

as far as Singapore.”

Barry Markoff, founder and managing director of ICMI Speakers and Entertainers, says booking a speaker based on their CV “is not always the best way to do it”.

“You need to know why you are actually having the speaker or entertainer,” he says. “Is it to motivate the staff, thank clients, break up the conference day or to inspire?”

Event organisers need to have confidence in the speakers’ bureau or consultant to know what is right for their audience, he advises.

Budgets are also a major factor in the decision, as not everyone can afford a Clinton or Geldof to headline their event.

However, Winston Broadbent, managing director at Saxton Speakers Bureau, says it’s important to put the speaker cost in perspective “I have often received the comment, ‘that’s a lot of money for 40 minutes’,” he says.

“The answer is that you are not engaging 40 minutes but often the wisdom of 40 years.

“It’s been my experience that the major thing that stands out from a conference is how the

“Having thought about what they want to achieve it’s important to recognise that profile is not everything and typically it doesn’t always follow that a presenter well versed in the art of running a game show can not necessarily deliver an inspirational speech,” he says. “As Aristotle said ‘public speaking is an art’.”

One way to get the most bang for your speaker buck is pick a speaker who can fill multiple functions “On one occasion Richard Morecroft, one of the finest emcees in Australia, also delivered the after dinner speech, media trained the senior executives and hosted a Dancing with the Stars event,” says Broadbent.

Opposite page from left: Comedian John Cleese and Richard Morecroft; former US President Bill Clinton; Ita Buttrose.

speakers performed and they [attendees] will speak of them, for better or worse, for many years. Bear in mind too, that at the conference dinner the speaker cost will often be less that the soufflé and you can bet that it will be the speaker who will be remembered.”

Again, he advises against simply going for the best known talent that can be afforded.

“Similarly, in entertainment, Ciaran Gribbin, front man of INXS, will deliver an inspirational speech about growing up in war torn Northern Ireland, follow it later with his Rock’n Roll teambuilding and then bring out his band in the evening. Again, savings to be had but there is also a great deal of continuity developed with in the conference.”

With lead times shortening, from five months when he started to two months today, Broadbent says it is paramount that the organiser and speaker are on the same page, with Saxton’s working very closely with the client to ensure the best outcome.

“There are a multiplicity of goals and concerns that we receive from our organisers from ‘We want it to be better than last year’ to ‘I will lose my job if I don’t get it right’ and a whole spectrum in between,” he says.

“The relationship between the speaker and the client is very important in a achieving the sort of synergy that is necessary for that special speech. Just turning up on the night is an ideal recipe for disaster.”

With 27 years in the business, Broadbent says he is still learning, with every event offering the client the opportunity to rate and make comments on both the speaker or act and Saxton. The information is collated to effectively give each one “a report card”.

One speaker on Saxton’s books has never had less than 10 out of 10 since speaking since 1990 – Ita Buttrose.

“How does she do it? Every speech is new, she speakers at length to every client before the event, she mixes and mingles afterwards and I have watched her have her photograph taken with over 200 delegates and every one of them looked like it was the special one. Similarly after one speech in Melbourne a 70m queue stretched out of the ballroom door with people who just wanted to shake her hand. A speech turns very much into an experience and one to be cherished.”

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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 25

NEW CALEDONIA

Below: Cocktails at Le Meridien Noumea.

Right: The group at the Nokanhui Islands. Right below: Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa.

Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.

Au naturel With its unspoilt landscapes, French way of life and island feel, New Caledonia is a destination of many faces, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

Travelling two hours out of Noumea is the rural settlement of Bourail on the west coast and home of the Broussards – the cowboys of the Pacific.

A short bus ride away is Turtle Bay, enclosed with columnar pines and a white sand beach.

The tranquil place is where colonies of turtles unite during laying period.

This is also where Starwood’s newest luxury property, the Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa, is nestled between the white sands of Poé Beach and mountain tops of Oua Koué.

Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa recently celebrated their one year anniversary, which brought together the local community, New Caledonian government officials and Starwood’s team from Australia and New Zealand.

“We are in the lagoon where it’s a heritage location, we are in the national park, we are in the centre of New Caledonia, far away from Noumea, and really in the middle of nature and the heart of what New Caledonia really is,” says Thomas Schwall, the general manager of Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa.

“The introduction of the [Sheraton] brand to New Caledonia is helping raise awareness and build the destination’s image in international markets,” says Sean Hunt, the regional vice president of Starwood Pacific Hotels.

The Resort’s incentive activities are a key attraction, according to Clara Zaime, business development manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

“Next year, we’d like international clients to make up 50 per cent of Sheraton Deva’s revenue.

This revenue will enrich New Caledonia and benefit the region of Bourail.”

“We have a museum in Bourail, you can go horse riding and you can also go and stay with a farmer for the day who shows you how the livestock is grown,” she says.

Starwood also has established properties further south in the capital Noumea and Ile des Pins. Currently undergoing renovations, Starwood’s Le Meridien Noumea is a blend of

26 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

French sophistication and warm Pacific island ambience, containing five meeting rooms and a beachfront restaurant Le Faré suitable for small or large meetings. The hotel overlooks Anse Vata Bay and is only a few minutes from the town’s centre.

Board the plane for a twenty-minute flight south of Noumea and arrive at l’île la plus proche du paradis (the closest island to paradise) known as Ile des Pins (Isle of Pines).

The inhabitants of the island are native Melanesian Kanaks, with the island’s natural beauty a key selling point. Le Méridien Ile des Pins, overlooks the private Oro Bay Beach, with its restaurant La Pirogue at Le Meridien serving traditional Melanesian dishes with a French influence.

Quintessentially French mixed with a relaxed way of life and an international cuisine makes New Caledonia a destination with a difference.

Anastasia Prikhodko was hosted by Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa Wow feature: Trek up Oua Koué Mountain for a bird’s eye view of the Sheraton Deva Resort & Spa and surrounding landscape.

The anniversary celebration opened with Fantasia, a traditional horse show simulating military assaults. Horseriders rode in armed with black powder rifles.

Cuisine: The anniversary luncheon was a mixture of French, Arabic and Melanesian cuisine consisting of three stations offering French cheese and breads, Middle Eastern Koftas and the traditional Bougna.

Le Meridien Noumea Wow feature: Surrounded by kite surfers, and decorated with local arts and crafts, Duck Island is a popular venue for offsite dinners and activities. Lunch options are also available at the island’s traditional Kanak thatched hut restaurant surrounded by unique wooden sculptures and couches on the beach.

Cuisine: Lunch on the beach at Le Meridien restaurant Le Faré for treats such as crab salad and bite size coffee, chocolate and passion fruit flavoured éclairs.

L’Hippocampe restaurant showcasing the Territory’s many cultures, with pumpkin cream; passion fruit scented duck liver, and brioche; chicken breast stuffed with Caledonian blue prawn, bisque cappuccino; and spelt wheat risotto all on the menu.

Le Meridien Ile des Pins – Ile de Pins Wow feature: Take a boat to the Nokanhui islands, a series of islands with untouched beaches shaded by banyan trees and columnar pine. Enjoy the white sand beaches, snorkelling with huge sea turtles and reef sharks, followed by lunch at Nuu Ana. The island is owned by a local family and often hold small lunches and events. A visit to nearby Brush Island tops off a perfect island escape.

Cuisine: The restaurant at Le Meridien, La Pirogue served escargots, king prawn risotto or beef with roasted potatoes and mushrooms and for dessert it was poached pear and sorbet or a chocolate lovers dream.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 27

GOLD COAST

Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.

Exchange of new ideas The second year of the This is Gold Coast Business Exchange saw an even bigger turnout of exhibitors eager to give the 40 buyers an update on all that is new in one of the country’s most popular events destinations.

The Gold Coast welcomed 44 association and corporate meeting planners from Australia, New Zealand and the South East Asia and the US for Gold Coast Business Events This Is Gold Coast 2015 in June.

The event was held over three days to showcase the Gold Coast’s business events credentials, giving buyers a glimpse of some old favourites and new developments in a city that never stands still.

Gold Coast Tourism director of business events Anna Case says she was excited to be operating the second programme.

“We certainly learnt some lessons from last year and made some improvements,” she says. “You always have to be looking at new ideas and implementing new events within the program to make it fresh and exciting for

the buyers participating.”

The buyers had around 25 appointments throughout the day, and between the exhibitors and buyers they racked up around 1515 pre scheduled appointments during the Exchange. But it’s not all work, with social functions a key part of the experience.

“The most important part of it is the networking and showcasing the creative aspects that the Gold Coast can deliver,” she says. “It is also very important to have the downtime to have the exhibitors and buyers can meet one on one.”

Accessibility is one of the Gold Coast’s selling points, and one that has been turbo charged since the launch last year of the new light rail.

“The light rail launched after the inaugural

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event and this year we actually had all our buyers taking the light rail to the convention centre in the morning and then back again in the afternoon,” says Case. “That was part of the whole programme and part of the strategy. We wanted to showcase how easy the light rail system is, how inexpensive it is and how accessible the rest of the city is in relation to the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.”

The InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort played host to the welcome function, with the red carpet treatment leading buyers through the Resort’s convention centre space to the Grange area, with its colonial style perfectly lending itself to the many local artisans, wineries and boutique breweries showcasing their wares. “It was a relaxed networking night where people got to know

A shuttle to 2017 The Badminton World Federation (BWF) Sudirman Cup 2017 is headed to the Gold Coast in 2017 marking only the third time the event has been awarded to an outside continent in its 25-year history.

The BWF Sudirman Cup will be staged at the Carrara Sport and Leisure Centre being built for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games – in conjunction with the BWF Annual General Meeting, attracting 350 delegates.

Opposite page from left: Canapes at Royal Pines Resort Surfers Paradise; fireworks over the marina; Dreamworld Candy Nut and Fudge Store; Anna Case arriving in style.

Well connected The Gold Coast light rail – G-Link – offers a conference card for delegates, giving them a three day pass on the network which stretches from Broadbeach South to the Gold Coast University Hospital, including stops at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Griffith University.

each other,” says Case.

The gala dinner also impressed; a collaboration with Dreamweavers Event Productions and Jupiters Hotel & Casino saw the buyers dropped off in style at Jupiters newly revamped swimming pool area to enjoy canapes from all the restaurants in the hotel precinct. From there they went into Jupiters 1200 seat showroom for a private serenade by the Jersey Boys, before sitting down for a roving gala dinner.

The next morning’s site inspections were given a wow factor element with rides on Harleys and classic Holden cars, before a farewell lunch at the new Sea World Conference Centre where they brought in some of the characters and even the horses from the Australian Outback Spectacular.

The action didn’t stop there with half of the delegates staying on for the post famil. Helicopter flights, segways, jugglers at breakfast, dinner in a candy shop at

Dreamworld, where they got to pat one of the tigers as well as cuddle a koala, and a team building fashion parade at Palazzo Versace were all on the itinerary.

“The feedback has been amazing from our buyers,” says Case. “One of the things that resonated with them was this great feeling of collaboration. They felt welcomed.”

Alex Yeomans was hosted by Gold Coast Business Events.

Gold Coast BUSINESS EVENTS

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The Gold Coast is famous for fun, but it’s also a world-class meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition destination. Inspiring, energetic and exciting, the Gold Coast is the perfect destination for any business event, from intimate meetings to spectacular gala events.

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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 29

EVENT AWARDS

From left: Craig Hassall; Mountain to Mouth, from the City of Geelong, winner of the Best Community Event in 2014.

Levelling the playing field A seemingly minor tweak in the judging criteria for this year’s Australian Event Awards highlights the importance of quality over quantity in the events industry, writes Craig Hassall.

As part of our annual review of the awards, we always reassess the judging criteria in light of feedback from the entrants and judges.

The aim is to continue to grow the strength of the Event Awards and ensure they continue to serve and recognise the events industry in the best possible way.

created opportunities unique to their events or achievements.

Often it is through feedback that we identify and address areas for improvement to make the entry and judging processes – and ultimately the awards themselves – more valuable for everyone involved.

The judges always look for and reward growth and development – this applies to previous winners as well as to events and achievements which don’t take the proverbial cake in their first year of entry – plenty of these take on our feedback and go on to deliver stunning, award winning events in the years following.

As the only awards program for the national events industry open to anyone and everyone in the industry, one of the challenges for the Event Awards has always been the difference in size, location and resources of events competing in the same categories.

The judges – seasoned experts that they are – have never simply awarded wins to events because of sheer size or huge budget.

But in 2015, by applying and emphasising a “degree of difficulty” across all categories, we’ve been able to articulate in the judging criteria, as well as in the questions posed to entrants, that events and achievements are assessed based on their own merits – factoring in what each has accomplished with the available resources as well as the obstacles of each undertaking.

For the judges and for the events industry as a whole, it’s about the event or achievement excelling in its purpose. Through asking each entrant to consciously discuss the constraints their event or achievement faced, judges will now have the best information about the ingenuity and depth of thought that goes into organising events of all sizes and shapes and how organisers faced the challenges and

This does not mean big events don’t and can’t win; indeed they often do, because with their big budgets and oodles of staff they create truly extraordinary events that exceed the expectations of their resources.

Suffice to say, at the Event Awards, we’re more likely to prioritise quality over quantity and innovation over the conventional. We’re about enhancing the reputation of the national event industry by rewarding the incredible events that Australians put on and work on.

We’re about the Vivids and the Bluesfests, the Tours Down Under, the World Lung Cancer and the Trumpet Guild Conferences, the Taste Festivals, the Gourmet Escapes, the AIMEs, the Children’s Fairs, the Wooden Boat Festivals and the extreme arts walks of Australia.

They cater to wildly different audiences in wildly different places and landscapes, and their budgets, staffing and attendance levels span a wide scale, but they have at least one thing in common – they are assets to the events industry and to Australia itself for their ability to engage, inform or entertain their patrons – whoever and wherever they are.

Craig Hassall is the co-chair of the industry judging panel.

30 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Q&A

The plus in surplus OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn’s experience as an event organiser prompted her to launch the food rescue charity. She spoke with CIM about the journey over the last 10 years.

Q: Did your experience on a kibbutz sow the seeds for your journey in OzHarvest?

clients used to love when I said to them ‘how would you feel if the food you paid for but cannot take and will not use goes to someone in need.’ It was an added bonus.”

A: It was all about values – community, giving back and living in a society that was based on equality. None of the values of sharing and living in a community have ever left me.

Q: What’s the key to OzHarvest’s success?

Q: What was the reaction when you started OzHarvest?

A: Businesses are interested in the simplest most hassle free of passing on their surplus. So for them having somebody else come along and collect it is the best way.

They don’t want to have to call every day but when they call they want to know we will come. In that sense we are a traditional transport and logistics company.

A: When we launched nobody was doing it. Waste was not considered valuable and was a resource people were not tapping into at all. Even though I was a lone voice right from the very beginning it was obvious I was a bit of a pied piper because people just came on board. They loved the fact that someone was doing this. It wasn’t that anybody else hadn’t thought about it. The concept makes so much sense. I didn’t have to teach anybody that good food shouldn’t go to waste.

Q: How do you attract so many big names such as Neil Perry to the cause?

A: When I started OzHarvest Neil was not as big a name and was a caterer. So when I said to him this is what I am going to do he said ‘that’s bloody brilliant what can I do to help?’ It has been a long journey with him.

Q: How has your background as an event organiser shaped OzHarvest?

A: OzHarvest is very good at creating spectacular events [from pop ups to campaigns such as Eat.Think.Save]. It is the most practical way of giving the public the opportunity to eat rescued food.

Q: How did the Nourish pathway to education programme come about?

Q: There is still a lot of waste in the events industry – any moves to target that sector in a more focused way?

A: [Waste in] the events industry is outrageous. From building chair covers for a particular event to flowers. That’s really when I started realising that I just couldn’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a one off unique moment when there is so much need out there. For us it is crucial that event planners add us as part of their package. It makes them look green, it’s better for them, better for the venue and better for their relationship with their client. Our

A: OzHarvest is about three pillars. One is education and Nourish falls under that stream. Education is the only way we are going to shift and change anything. From understanding how much food goes to waste and what we need to do actually rescuing people. Nourish is about taking vulnerable people who would might not have the chance of going to TAFE. It’s for those young people who are looking for an opportunity but not sure how to go about doing that and how to learn about hospitality with a commitment to getting a job. The joy of seeing the kids grow in the six months they have been with us is extraordinary. It’s a lot of love, a lot of care and a framework, it’s a kind of tough love.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 31

EVENT REPORT

No bull Professional Bull Riders (PBR) – Cairns Invitational Cairns Convention Centre, July 4, 2015

Transforming a convention centre into a pro-bull riding arena is no easy task. It seems easy at the first glance.

Just bring in some dirt, throw a few cages up and you are done or so you would think, writes Alex Yeomans.

I spent five days in July at Cairns Convention Centre watching them prepare and then host the PBR – Cairns Invitational and it really isn’t that simple.

“Does the venue have the capacity for the crowd numbers PBR is attracting?”

Engineers had to be consulted to ensure the event could be run in the arena which is suspended over the carpark. This is because they bring in 240 tonnes of dirt, 60 tonnes of steel and then 60 tonnes of bulls. The event takes four days to build, with only two days to bump out.

Ross Steele, general manager of the Centre, says a risk analysis is done prior to the event in conjunction with PBR Australia to ensure all assets of the Centre are protected. Also important is public safety, with live bulls all weighing around one tonne each ensuring they remain contained is paramount.

During the build for the event seating has to be protected from

the influx of dust while unloading the dirt, so they are covered. The carpet floor first has a layer of plastic taped over it then sheets of plywood and finally the 240 tonnes of dirt is brought into the arena.

Glen Young, general manager of PBR, says when choosing a venue “it’s

about bums on seats firstly”.

“Does the venue have the capacity for the crowd numbers PBR is attracting?” he says. Then he looks at the venue’s ability to manage a public event including the food and beverage. At the conclusion of the event this year PBR announced the new dates for next year which will again be held at the Cairns Convention Centre.

While the PBR is a public event and something different for Cairns Convention Centre, it is an excellent illustration of how versatile the Centre is. Steele also says the event is also an important connection

32 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

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to the local community giving them the opportunity to experience the world class infrastructure.

The PBR is not your average “rodeo”. It’s a show, complete with fireworks, lightshow, pyrotechnics and non-stop eight second adrenaline pumping action. Steele invited two potential clients to the first PBR held at the centre in 2014 and they were so impressed with the venue’s ability to hold a unique event like this they have since booked two events with the Centre.

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Run Date: June/July 2015 & Dana Communications 609.466.9187 www.cimmagazine.com Convention Incentive Marketing, July 2015 33

VENUE UPDATE

Hilton Darwin’s $10m revamp The 18-month refurbishment of the Northern Territory’s only 5-star CBD hotel, Hilton Darwin, has been completed.

The Berger Hotel Group, owner of the Hilton Darwin, invested more than $10 million into upgrading all 236 guest rooms, lobby hallways and entertainment areas, and introducing a new fitness centre, adjacent to the outdoor pool on the 10th floor. The hotel also offers Darwin’s only executive lounge – serving continental breakfast, evening drinks and canapés. The hotel contains five meeting rooms on a dedicated events floor and a seafood restaurant, Mitchell’s Bar & Grill.

News in brief Blue Mountains new grand luxury Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains has unveiled 12 newly constructed rooms and suites, including one spacious Grand Luxury Suite. The 12 new rooms and suites comprise of four smaller suites, including a two bedroom deluxe suite and seven superior rooms – bringing the resorts total accommodation offering to 223 rooms.

Brisbane’s conference centre opens The Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane conference centre, the city’s largest purpose built hotel-based conference facility, is now open. The conference centre offers over 1000sqm of floor space and 11 function rooms. The $17 million construction project includes the expansion of the lobby and the transformation of offices and function rooms.

34 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

Adelaide property debuts new brand SilverNeedle Hospitality (SNH) has launched its first 4-star brand Sage Hotels at the former Grand Chifley Hotel.

Guests will receive personalised service, complimentary wi-fi and laundry services comparable to street pricing as part of SNH’s “Fair Value Promise”.

AccorHotels upscale AccorHotels has increased its presence on the Sunshine Coast with the addition of The Sebel Pelican Waters Golf Resort & Spa, in Caloundra.

The property, formerly the Pelican Waters Golf Resort & Spa, is AccorHotels fifth for the region.

The Sebel Pelican Waters Golf Resort & Spa is situated on a championship golf course and offers 76 resort rooms (which include spa suites and one and two bedroom apartment options). The Sebel also offers a day spa, swimming pool plus restaurant and bar options.

The resort also includes a selection of outdoor and indoor events spaces, including six meeting rooms with capacity for up to 320 people theatre style, or 350 guests for a cocktail reception.

Redevelopment plans for Townsville resort Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino will be revitalised into a contemporary entertainment precinct for the North. The $30 million plans include a resort-style pool featuring a swim-up bar surrounded by an elevated timber terrace, refreshed dining destinations and a flexible new pavilion for poolside events, with works to refurbish three hotel floors to commence later this year.

Jupiters Townsville will transition to its new name The Ville later this year.

AccorHotels signs Byron Bay resort A new $100 million beachfront resort is being constructed on Belongil Beach in Byron Bay. Elements of Byron resort is on a site encompassing rainforest, lakes and two kilometres of absolute beach frontage. The resort is set to contain 193 individual one and two bedroom villas, with 94 villas, along with the central resort and leisure facilities, due for completion by December 2015.

Langham Auckland shines The 5-star Langham Auckland has recently undergone a $2.4 million refurbishment of its meeting rooms. The Crystal Room is a new venue which can accommodate up to 180 guests. The Waitemata Room is now lighter, brighter and more functional with the configuration changing into two more practical-sized rooms. Four new Gallery Rooms have also opened on the site.

Phuket welcomes Wyndham pearl The first Wyndhambranded property in South East Asia has opened in Phuket.

The Wyndham Sea Pearl Resort is located on 16 acres of hillside, with views of the Andaman Sea and onsite facilities include four restaurants and bars, a multipurpose hall for meetings and events.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 35

TALKING POINT

Resourceful way to motivate With their company Eventeamwork pioneering the outsourcing of event volunteer management in Australia, Jana Wunderlich and Flavia Fontes have developed a long term solution for streamlining the volunteering process at some of Australia’s biggest events.

In 2011, both freelancing in the events industry but with a hankering to work together, Fontes and Wunderlich sat down to consider what it was they loved about events and came up with the initial concept for Eventeamwork.

“We love working with people,” says Wunderlich. “We had worked with volunteers in the event management days and we saw that’s an area that can be improved.

“We were inspired by what it can bring to the events industry and to the volunteers. We approached some of our colleagues and asked them what they thought about the idea and we actually ended up with work straightaway.

So then we built the business at the same time as working on the first contract.”

Fast forward to today, and with the 2014 Australian Event Award for Best Product or Service under their belt, Eventeamwork has proved itself managing the volunteer programs for several other Event Awards winners and finalists including Sydney Festival, City2Surf, the 15th World Conference on Lung Cancer and Vivid Sydney.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. When it comes to volunteers, there are some fairly significant misconceptions floating around the industry.

“One perception is ‘Volunteers? That should come for free!” says Wunderlich.

The next question is “why is there so much cost involved?”

“Aside from the cost of uniforms, meals, management, training and on-site support, getting from the recruitment phase to having volunteers actually turn up on event day is an important marketing and communications exercise which takes time and attention,”

she says.

“It’s finding tools to keep them excited about the event. In general it’s keeping in touch.

“You also have to come up with new ideas, as you can’t always do the same. And look at what people are looking for: why are people there? Students – they want to get some experience, so how do we get them the experience?”

Above: Jana Wunderlich (left) and Flavia Fontes (right).

offers large and small scale events a solution which avoids budget blow-outs, work flow bottlenecks and offers a long-term alternative to in-house volunteer co-ordinator positions which typically have a high turnover rate often leaving volunteers feeling they know more than their rookie line managers.

At Eventeamwork, understanding what drives people to give their time for free is a big part of building a successful volunteering program for an event.

With many events partnering with Eventeamwork year after year, “we don’t have to reinvent the volunteer program every year, we can actually build on what works and make it better year after year…rather than scrambling through it,” she adds.

“It helps a lot if you know their motivations and why they’re actually coming and try to meet that need and then build a team around those needs,” she says.

She also emphasises the need for her team to work closely with each event for the best outcome – the volunteer element is not one to be outsourced and forgotten about.

Although each one is different, Wunderlich roughly divides event volunteers into three groups – young people seeking experience, professionals looking to do something meaningful outside the office and retirees looking to stay connected and involved in society.

But by keeping volunteers engaged, in the loop and able to find many gigs in one place, Eventeamwork has been able to build a community of volunteers who return to the same events each year, increasing the overall effectiveness of the events’ volunteer programs.

“The seniors often bring a lot of experience because they’ve been involved in the event for a very long time, so they can often help mentor the younger ones, guide them a little,” she says. “The professionals often come in as team leaders. The key is to find out during the recruitment process why people want to be involved with an event.”

In the end, while volunteers may not be the mythical free resource people are led to believe, “most events can’t exist without volunteers so if you’re working with volunteers, you might as well make it work”.

Whatever their motivations, Wunderlich highlights the importance of taking the time and effort to look after volunteers.

“If there is a point where they don’t feel they are valued to play that role, then it’s a very quick exit.”

Volunteer psychology aside, Eventeamwork

36 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

And when it works, she says, volunteers are a wonderful source of positive publicity.

“You have people that are ambassadors and they spread the word about your event so that’s where I see volunteer management can actually impact events and improve events because you are raising the profile of the event by people talking about it and loving it – having a good experience not only as patrons but as volunteers.”

MEETING PEOPLE

Heritage Hotel Management has announced two new appointments, Viresh Mathur (pictured) as the operations manager of Heritage Boutique Collection, based in Heritage Hotel Management’s Auckland office, along with Akash Sood, the new manager at CityLife Hotel Wellington.

Crown Perth has welcomed Andrew Cairns as the new executive general manager of Crown Perth Hotels. Cairns has made the move to Crown Perth after seven years in the role of general manager at Crown Towers Melbourne.

Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre has announced two new appointments within its Business Development team. Wendy Harrison has joined the Hamilton venue as its business development and sales manager, while Dawn Stewart (pictured) has been promoted to the role of business development and sales executive.

Oaks Hotels & Resorts, a division of Minor Hotel Group (MHG), has appointed Dan Hastings as chief financial officer.

Hastings will oversee the financial operations of the company as it continues to roll out its strategic acquisition and expansion plans under the direction of MHG.

Lisa Coates has been appointed to the role of telemarketing sales executive, undertaking a 12 month parental leave contract with the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Coates joins the team with a sales and marketing background and experience within the local, national and international markets.

AVPartners has appointed Daniel Naidoo as operations manager at Crown Perth.

The role will see Naidoo manage a team of operational staff and crew and will be responsible for driving performance, productivity, efficiency and profitability in the operations department.

The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre welcomes a number of key appointments.

Ben Morris (pictured) has been promoted as the new audio visual manager, Nicole Smith as marketing manager, Lauren McGann as business development executive and Nicole Barclay as communications executive.

Echo Entertainment Group appointed Kelvin Dodt as general manager of Hotels – Queensland.

Dodt was previously general manager of Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa. He will be overseeing the daily operations of Jupiters’ 592-room hotel and Treasury’s 130-room heritage hotel.

IHG has named Paul Walters as general manager of InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. Walters joins IHG from the Langham Group and has over 30 years of experience in luxury hotels and resorts, including over 15 years as a general manager.

AEG Ogden announced the appointment of three new directors to International Convention Centre Sydney. The appointments comprise Malu Barrios as the director of event services, Ivan Sanhueza as the director of technology services and Johnny Naofal as the director of building services.

Llewellyn Wyeth has been appointed general manager of Pullman & Mercure Albert Park. Wyeth joined Accor in 1996, and has since held a variety of roles, having started off with operational management positions at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort and later at the Novotel St Kilda.

Canberra Convention Bureau has announced Michael Matthews as its new chief executive officer. Matthews is currently the executive director of meetings and conventions PEI, responsible for marketing, sales and product development for Prince Edward Island in Canada.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts has appointed Benjamin Bahn as vice president of Global Sales for Asia Pacific. Bahn will oversee all sales activities driven by the company's team of 10 associates in seven offices across the region.

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 37

PCO ASSOCIATION

Driving change There has never been a better time for industry collaboration to help design the future of the business events industry.

We live in uncertain times with terrorism, viral epidemics, sluggish economic forecasts, manmade and natural disasters hitting the headlines. In addition to this technological advances are rapidly changing the way we live and work. Somehow through all this some, though not all, in the travel and meetings industry still manage to flourish.

There are both opportunities and challenges that the industry must face collectively to sustain the industry in the longer term.

Globalisation and regionalisation through the expansion of multinational companies and regional trade agreements are generating a greater need to meet and do business.

Sluggish economies are looking for new market frontiers to stimulate growth whilst growing middle class societies in developing regions and the explosion of low cost carriers are generating a new source of travellers and conference delegates. At the same time technological advances are enabling the industry to remotely engage larger audiences instantaneously. Understanding, communicating and catering for different cultures, languages, diets and religions has never been more important.

Within Asia and the developing regions economies continue to diversify with investment in education, professional standards, research and development increasing rapidly. Their associations are growing in sophistication and more readily engaging in international affairs, a trend being supported and encouraged by governments across the region. Singapore and Dubai continue to create incentives to attract association headquarters, whilst Malaysia, the Philippines and South Africa

are supporting the development of their national associations. Should Australia see this as a threat or an opportunity? I would suggest the later.

The regional meetings market is growing but not necessarily to the benefit of Australia as we continue to debate whether we are part of Asia or just content with our lot.

A small number of Australian companies have engaged and invested in the region and with patience achieved positive results.

Australia’s national associations continue to debate whether to engage with their Asian counterparts but many continue to hold back rather than make an investment into their future development within the region.

Globalisation and regionalisation are providing common platforms to engage and do business yet we continue to hold back in fear of the unknown and the challenges of doing business with different cultures.

Globally associations are confronted with many challenges; staying relevant to their members, growing membership, engaging with the online generation, providing greater business opportunities for sponsors and delegates, embracing rapidly changing technology, minimising risk and dealing with shorter lead times for meetings. Delegates are becoming more environmentally sensitive, seek greater interactivity at meetings and demand a greater return on investment for their investment in membership and conferences.

In response associations and meeting planners must know more about their audience and their individual needs. They must become more sophisticated in how

they communicate, engaging both traditional and new forms of communication tools to reach an audience that is demographically, culturally and geographically diverse. They must know what the audience wants, how they want it communicated and, when they want it.

Meeting destinations are also becoming more sophisticated in how they brand and promote themselves as they move away from a leisure focused brand to a value proposition with a sound business case for hosting meetings in their respective destinations. Australia is one that has taken the lead in this space.

Destinations like Singapore are taking an all of government approach towards the attraction of business events. Australia’s recent engagement with Austrade is yet another positive sign that all of government should recognise the wide spread impact business events has on all economic sectors.

As the competition in the meetings market increases so does the need for strategic partnerships to enable destinations products and services to maintain and increase market penetration.

The message here is simple, a sustainable future for our industry will be based on how effectively the industry collaborates and builds strategic alliances whether it be between complementary products and services or competitors. Australia’s ability to embrace, understand and collaborate with its regional neighbours is more likely to assist in meeting the challenges head on than not.

Mike Williams is a senior consultant at GainingEdge.

PCO ASSOCIATION NEWS Registrations are open for the 8th Annual PCOA Conference and Exhibition, to be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, November 29 - December 1 2015.

This year’s program is now available from the conference website www.conference.pco.asn.au/index.html.

38 Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 www.cimmagazine.com

The third space In an increasingly fast paced world Dr Adam Fraser offers ways to improve workplace performance and flourish in the events industry.

Human performance researcher and consultant Dr Adam Fraser has made a career out of studying how organisations adopt a high performance culture to thrive in today’s challenging and evolving business landscape. Partnering with universities throughout the Asia Pacific region on research, he is at the forefront of how neuroscience and positive psychology can be used to improve workplace performance and is thought to be the only speaker in the world to have had the impact of his keynote presentation measured in a university study (it improved the behaviour of attendees by 41 per cent).

His topics include the psychology of performance, improvement of productivity, transformational leadership, engagement of teams, worklife balance and development

of high-performing cultures.

Dr Fraser says those working in the events industry are asked to wear many different hats and thus have to transition between different roles and environments at a lightening pace.

“We have many unrealistic demands placed on us,” he says.

“Humans find it hard to move from one interaction to another without dragging the energy, mindset or baggage of the first interaction to the next.

“The key to success is the ability to leave the mindset and baggage of the previous interaction behind and psychologically ‘show up’ to the next one with a mindset that will get the most out of it.”

Dr Fraser is to give delegates to the PCO

Association’s 2015 conference tips on how to stay “sharp” when going from meeting to meeting.

His workshop at the PCO conference in Adelaide in November will be titled “The Third Space – How to flourish in the events industry”.

8TH ANNUAL PCOA CONFERENCE AND

register now!

NEW ZEALAND

ASIA PACIFIC

EXHIBITION 2015

‘Now is the time’ 29 November - 1 December 2015 Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide

www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, July 2015 39