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Starwood targets meetings planners New Caledonia: The French connection The Gold Coast invests for the future
A world of difference Sea World Resort’s new Conference Centre
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CONTENTS
On the cover Sea World Resort’s new state-of-the-art conference centre, due to come online next year, promises to capture a larger slice of the events market.
22 REGULARS
28
Print Post Approved PP231335/00018
OCT 2014
04 Publisher’s note 06 News 10 International news
FEATURES
13 Q&A Ian Andrew Walsh, G1 Group
12 Cover story Sea World Resort
34 Venue update
14 Gold Coast Building for the future
08 New Zealand news
36 Talking point Sebastian Germershausen,
InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto
20 Regional Victoria Renewed funding a boost for
37 Meeting people
38 PCO Association
22 New Caledonia A little piece of France on our doorstep
20
24 Heritage venues Historic spaces for history-making events
regional events
28 Universities On campus facilities worth a second look 30 Starwood Preferred Guest Pro Starwood woos meetings planners 32 Event report CIBTM opens the door to China
Starwood targets meetings planners New Caledonia: The French connection The Gold Coast invests for the future CIM1014.indd 1
A world of difference Sea World Resort’s new Conference Centre
1/10/2014 3:34 pm
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 3
PUBLISHER’S WORD
Investing in the future W
ith all the recent discussion about Australia’s economic future I was interested to hear the Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb call for more foreign investment in tourism infrastructure last month. Making his inaugural annual Investment Statement to the Parliament, he said the rise of the Asian middle class will be a major driver of growth in tourism to Australia. While “Australia is well placed to capitalise on this rising demand”, according to Robb, “we need significant investment in tourism infrastructure if we are to realise our potential in that market”.
The good news is that there is already almost $20 billion in prospective investment in high-quality Australian tourism infrastructure on the table, including the $8 billion Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort integrated resort development in Tropical North Queensland, the nation’s biggest-ever tourism project, and Hong-Kong-based hotel company The Wanda Group’s proposed $900 million Gold Coast triple-tower project. It’s not uncommon for naysayers to spruik doom and gloom about opening the doors to foreign investment, but foreign investment creates jobs and business opportunities, and supports the expansion of potential growth industries such as tourism and business events. Australia may be the land of opportunity but as a nation we have to open ourselves up to 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 MANAGING EDITOR Ylla Watkins JOURNALIST Sheridan Randall ACCOUNT MANAGER Michelle Cullen DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER Bin Zhou PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Anne Esteban ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Kate Wilcox
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THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY
4 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Nielsen Media Research July 2004 Readership 57,936 monthly Exclusive official publication for the PCO Association
AMAA, CAB Total Distribution Audit 16,541 March 2014 nce Organise rs fere A on
PCO
Inc. ation oci ss
The Federal Government has highlighted the need for more investment in tourism infrastructure to cope with the anticipated increase in demand from overseas visitors, but the Gold Coast is already well ahead of the game. Find out more on page 14.
Opinions expressed by the contributors in this magazine are not the opinion of CIM. Letters to the editor are subject to editing.
Professio na lC
Alexandra Yeomans, Publisher
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INDUSTRY NEWS NEWS BRIEFS Altogether Perfect for AACB Conference The 2015 Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) Staff Conference will be held at venues in Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley. The conference is the first event the Altogether Perfect collaboration has won for the regions.
Lewis Smith appointed to UTS advisory board Business Events Sydney (BESydney) chief executive Lyn Lewis Smith has been appointed to the University of Technology (UTS) Business School advisory board, which offers industry perspectives on curriculum, research priorities and key projects. BESydney has worked with UTS on industry-leading research into the value of business events to host cities.
Noosa venues band together Five of the Sunshine Coast’s largest conferencing venues have joined forces under the new “MICE Noosa” banner. A new web page, www.visitnoosa.com.au/business-events, developed by Tourism Noosa, will serve as a one-stop-shop for event organisers. The five resorts have 708 rooms and meeting capacity for up to 830 delegates between them.
New Studio in the sky Trippas White Group’s newly refurbished venue in the Sydney Tower has been named Studio, following a competition to name the venue that attracted more than 400 entries. Rebecca Hamerton (pictured left with Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore) took home the $2000 prize for her suggestion.
ACC passes food rescue milestone Adelaide Convention Centre has reached a major milestone, donating more than 100,000 meals to food rescue charities Foodbank SA and OzHarvest, which collect spare meals and provides them to their own charity partners for distribution to people in need state-wide.
ICC Sydney to be heart of ‘super precinct’ Representatives from the private and public sector met last month to discuss how best to promote the emerging super precinct, which includes the new International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) being developed in Sydney’s western harbour area. Chief executive officer of ICC Sydney and AEG Ogden Group conventions director Geoff Donaghy said that while the international convention centre was set within its own dynamic precinct of Darling Harbour, the destination was further bolstered by the growth of neighbouring financial, technology, media and university hubs. “A world class venue that will be underpinned by sophisticated services and people, ICC Sydney delegates and guests will enjoy the benefits of attending business and leisure events at the epicentre of a growing business, finance and innovation precinct along Sydney’s western waterfront,” he said. “This week we have seen individual businesses and business groups, different tiers of Government, university leaders and individuals all meet to discuss how to
best leverage the current rejuvenation of Sydney’s western harbour and deliver the best results for Sydney. “It feels as though the entire city is in support of the delivery of a successful western harbour revitalisation and that means a great result for ICC Sydney as well as this beautiful city.” ICC Sydney is set to open in December 2016.
BestCities looks to the future BestCities Global Alliance is reviewing its five year strategic plan, with a view to ensuring the alliance continues to be productive into the future. In order to road-test key issues highlighted in the plan, BestCities recently joined with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) in Chicago to co-host a dialogue with a group of global meeting executives. Representatives from a broad range of associations were invited to participate in the discussion. Hosted by BestCities board chair, Karen Bolinger (pictured) and moderated by Sherrif Karamat, chief operating officer of PCMA, attendees
6 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
discussed a range of issues affecting the international meetings industry including the value of convention bureaux in today’s market and the role they need to play in a vastly evolving global business climate to help associations meet their challenges. Whilst consensus for the model of an alliance and the potential value of such a collective was generally supported, clients agreed that what they look for the most in the partnership is trust, expertise, support, connections and assistance, explaining that they want convention bureaux to give them consistently high standards of service, destination expertise, local support and relevant connections as well as assistance with risk management and valuing the impact their meeting has on the destination. “There are times when we all wish we had a crystal ball to foretell the future; however in reality we have to chart our own destiny, which is why conducting a strategic review at this stage in our development is so important,” Bolinger said.
Brisbane’s Story Bridge open for events Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has announced that events planners will have the opportunity to hold their events on Brisbane’s Story Bridge from 2015. “The Story Bridge, arguably Queensland’s most iconic structure, is now open for business,” he said. “I encourage event organisers with a fantastic idea that will showcase Brisbane to the world, to get online and apply to use it as part of a special occasion. “That could involve events such as a major road race or fun run, a cycling event or a significant cultural event. “In the coming years, Queensland will be on the world stage with major international events including the G20 Summit, AFC Asian Cup, ICC Cricket World Cup and 21st Commonwealth Games. We’re keen to keep Brisbane in the international spotlight in the years to come through the use of this superstructure.”
been closed for firework display Riverfire.
The Story Bridge has previously only had limited availability for events, and has only
A maximum of four events a year will be approved for a full bridge closure.
World finance leaders meet in Cairns Cairns played host to a successful G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting last month, welcoming 2000 delegates, their families and associated staff, and national and international media to the city. Topics discussed at the meeting included fiscal and monetary policy, investment and infrastructure, financial regulation, tax and reforming global institutions. Host venue Cairns Convention Centre coordinated the delivery of audio visual and IT services in conjunction with the G20 Task Force, ensuring the event was a success. Treasurer and chair of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, Joe Hockey, congratulated the city on its efforts in hosting the event, saying
“Cairns was a standout host city, delivering world-class service in a world heritage environment with a friendly and engaged community. I commend you for seizing this opportunity to remind the world that Cairns is an ideal location for international events and a showcase for Australia’s favourite natural and cultural qualities. You have won over a thousand new advocates for Cairns and Far North Queensland”. Ross Steele, general manager of the Cairns Convention Centre, said “it was an honour to be the host venue for the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, a globally important event that showcased the outstanding business events infrastructure and service delivery our city and our Convention Centre is renowned for”.
Applications for events to be held from January to June 2015 are now open and close on Friday October 24, 2014.
Onward and upward for Canberra The Canberra Convention Bureau has achieved its year-end sales target, up 5 per cent on the previous year, and recorded a bid conversion rate of 63 per cent, against a target of 45 per cent (with some bids still outstanding), according to figures from its latest an external performance audit for 2013-14. Membership retention also remained strong at over 90 per cent. The new financial year has kicked off with a great start with Canberra hosting the Associations Forum National Conference in July, giving around 300 association executives an increased understanding of what Canberra has to offer. The city will also host the PCO Association Conference, due to be held from November 30 to December 2.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 7
NZ NEWS
Virgin Australia gets down to business Virgin Australia has announced it will introduce Business Class on all Trans-Tasman and Pacific Island routes from early 2015. From March next year, customers will be able to experience Virgin Australia’s award-winning Business Class product on a number of new routes, with Sydney-Auckland to be the first to launch. “Just as we led the market with innovations such as Premium Entry into our Sydney lounge, Priority Boarding and wireless in-flight entertainment through your own device, this enhancement will complete our service on these important routes and marks another major milestone for our evolving product offering,” said Virgin Australia chief customer officer Mark Hassell. “The introduction of Business Class on our key Trans-Tasman routes also allows us to deliver a more consistent customer experience in conjunction with our alliance partner, Air New Zealand.” Virgin Australia expects the progressive roll out of Business Class to be complete by April 2015. Business Class seats on Sydney to Auckland services are expected to go on sale before the end of year.
Rotorua reports ‘amazing year’ Rotorua has had an amazing year, with “the Australian market our most important market”, according to Patrick Dault, trade manager at Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing. Dault, along with Adam Hughes, trade development manager at Tourism New Zealand – Australia, recently led a contingent of local operators and representatives from Air New Zealand to Sydney for the Destination Rotorua roadshow.
Time to reflect It can be all too easy to skip or gloss over the debrief process. But taking the time to evaluate after each event is vital if you want to stay at the top of your game. In the world of conference management, the next pressing deadline can make it difficult to prioritise careful analysis of the last event. The latest educational research, however, tells us that reflection is a key part of the learning process.
“On the convention side we have the second highest share of Australian visitors (second to Queenstown), with one out of 10 convention attendees to Rotorua from Australia,” he said. “We are really proud of that.”
Discussing logistics and the minutiae of project management can certainly be useful. But even more important, arguably, are the experiential questions. How well did we help our clients achieve their goals? How did the participants feel about our interaction with them? Did the sponsors get the support from us they needed to do business? These are the insights – encompassing emotions, reactions and ideas – that will help you improve the value and relevance of your future events.
Hughes described Rotorua as “very unique and special”.
One suggestion is to encourage your team to make notes throughout the project,
With international visitation to New Zealand increasing, Dault said that international visitors to Rotorua were also spending more, up around 65 per cent from three years ago.
“It’s one of the gems of the North Island,” he added. 8 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
to be discussed afterwards. Verbal responses from clients and sponsors are important, as well as the insights from delegate evaluations. Allow plenty of time for team members to share their experiences, suggestions and stories, ideally in conversation rather than in writing. You might want to think about ways these learnings can cross-pollinate to other projects. And it is good practice to update your master documents and knowledge templates to reflect not just logistical improvements but qualitative insights as well. Prioritising this part of the process means giving yourself the time and the permission to reflect, learn, and make changes thoughtfully – for everyone’s benefit. Jan Tonkin is managing director of New Zealand PCO, The Conference Company, vice-president of International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and vice-chair of the IAPCO Training Academy.
Ramada looks to expand in New Zealand said Barry Robinson, managing director of Wyndham Hotel Group in the South Pacific. “We see continued growth opportunities in New Zealand and we are actively working on a number of other projects throughout the country.”
New Zealand is set to see three new Ramada properties open in 2015 in Christchurch, Queenstown and Rotorua, following an announcement by parent company Wyndham Hotel Group that development company Safari Group has signed franchise agreements for the three new hotels. The Ramada Suites Christchurch City, Ramada Hotel and Suites Remarkable Park in Queenstown and Ramada Lakeside Resort and Spa Rotorua follow Wyndham’s recent announcement to open Fiji’s first Ramada resort in Nadi Bay. “We are committed to growing the Ramada brand throughout key markets in the region and are proud to add Christchurch, Queenstown and Rotorua to our portfolio,”
The 44-apartment Ramada Suites Christchurch City will offer a mix of studios, one and twobedroom apartments as well as an onsite cafe. The NZ$12.5 million ($11.4 million) hotel is scheduled to open by early 2015.
Opportunity to discover Auckland
Construction will also soon commence on Ramada Hotel and Suites Remarkable Park in Queenstown, a 54 apartment NZ$25 million ($22.8 million) development adjacent to the planned Remarkable Park’s convention centre. Work is scheduled for completion in December 2015.
Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB) is inviting Australian conference organisers to experience Auckland’s business events capabilities first-hand by joining their annual Auckland famil from November 20-22.
Ramada Lakeside Resort and Spa Rotorua is also in early stages of development and is expected to open in December 2015. The NZ$18.5 million ($16.8 million) development will offer a mix of 68 hotel rooms and one and two-bedroom apartments. It will feature a geothermal health spa, onsite restaurant and bar, swimming pool and conference facilities.
The three-day famil is fully hosted by ACB and partners and offers the perfect opportunity to find out more about New Zealand’s “City of Sails”. To find out more or to register your interest email Lee Watkins, sales manager at Auckland Convention Bureau, via lee.watkins@aucklandnz.com, or visit www.aucklandnz.com/conventions.
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 9
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Mega famil to boost Dubai’s business events credentials
KL to host Hemophilia Congress in 2020
Around 100 meeting planners and business events media from around the world travelled to Dubai last month, as part of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing’s (DTCM) ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the city’s offering for business events.
Kuala Lumpur has won the bid to host the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) World Congress in 2020. The largest international meeting dedicated to the advancement of treatments to improve the lives of people with genetic bleeding disorders including
The delegation toured a number of Dubai venues and landmarks including Dubai World Trade Centre, which hosts 50 per cent of the region’s exhibitions and conferences and the iconic Burj Khalifa. Delegates were also be taken to visit a number of Dubai’s leading hotels and meetings venues, as well as treated to a slice of Dubai’s history and culture through various tours of Dubai Creek alongside some of the emirate’s newer districts. “We believe that there’s no better way of promoting Dubai than having business events’ decision-makers and influencers experience the destination first-hand,” added Jakobsen. “Our infrastructure, connectivity and growing events and cultural credentials speak for themselves and we are confident that this trip, and the others that will follow will pay longterm dividends for both our business and tourism sectors.”
The Congress will see an impressive lineup of speakers comprising leading experts in the field of inherited bleeding disorders and healthcare officials, and showcase the latest scientific and clinical developments in research, diagnostics and disease management. “One of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s (MyCEB) goals is to make Malaysia the choice destination in business events and meetings for healthcare professionals,” said Zulkefli Haji Sharif, chief executive of MyCEB. “As such, we are proud that Kuala Lumpur is given the nod by the World Federation of Hemophilia as the venue for its 2020 World Congress.
The famil, believed to be one of the largest in the emirate’s history, was organised by Dubai Business Events – the Official Convention Bureau (DBE), a division of DTCM which promotes Dubai as an incentive travel, meetings and conferences destination. “Dubai’s business events and incentive industry continues to go from strength to strength,” said Steen Jakobsen, director of DBE. “Our hosting of almost 100 influential meeting planners who have descended upon Dubai from all corners of the world, is one of many initiatives being undertaken by DBE to both maintain and increase this momentum as we showcase to key industry partners the world over that Dubai is the place for business, and business events.”
haemophilia, von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies, and inherited platelet disorders, the biennial Congress is expected to attract 4300 delegates from more than 125 countries.
“The bidding process was a long and exciting journey for our team who worked closely with the Hemophilia Society of Malaysia to produce the winning submission.”
Chiba ‘the natural choice’ for business events The Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, has made its first promotional video geared towards attracting the foreign business events market.
(pictured) and numerous golf courses. It also has hot springs resorts, and historical and cultural sites.
With the main purpose being to garner interest in the prefecture, the video covers Chiba’s suitability as a business event destination, meeting facilities, tourist attractions, shopping facilities, leisure facilities, local delicacies, abundant greenery and appeal for post-convention activities using video footage, pictures, and motion graphics. Chiba Prefecture is located next to Tokyo and offers excellent access to Narita International and Haneda Airports. It is home to the Makuhari Messe International Convention Complex, Tokyo Disney Resort
10 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
Taiwan ‘the heart of Asia’
Price a priority for Chinese MICE buyers
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has launched its new promotional campaign, “Taiwan – The Heart of Asia”, to travel agents, media and other industry representatives at events in Sydney and Melbourne last month.
Chinese event organisers are increasingly looking for value for money when it comes to choosing a destination for a meeting or event, according to the latest China MICE Buyers’ Report. Unveiled at the China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) Exhibition 2014 last month by Professor Rob Davidson, from the University of Greenwich, in London, the survey of 213 Chinese event organisers showed that 59 per cent felt that price was very important in choosing a destination.
Guests at the events experienced a night of Taiwanese culture and gained an insight into why Taiwan is redefining the way we see Asia.
Location and price were also a key priority for organisers when choosing a venue, at 68 per cent and 65 per cent respectively.
The events included workshop presentations by local tour companies including Edison Tours, Golden Foundation Tours and MyTaiwanTour, who also provided prizes for the events. A number of airlines and hotels also provided support including Scoot, China Airlines, EVA Airlines, Marriott, Accor and Starwood.
The launch follows on from a 25 per cent year on year increase in the number of Australians visiting Taiwan in the first six months of 2014. To capitalise on the interest Taiwan Tourism plans to conduct a number of familiarisations for professional conference organisers and event planners to showcase.
Nearly half of those surveyed said that they go worldwide for their meetings (47 per cent), while 44 per cent said that a destination’s tourism appeal was very important. Davidson concluded that the Chinese MICE industry is “becoming more like markets in other parts of the world”.
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 11
COVER STORY
Part of parent group Village Roadshow Theme Parks, Sea World Resort is a one-stop-shop for events, with 400 accommodation rooms in its 4.5 star onsite hotel, four restaurants and two bar areas, including award-winning a la carte, a modern seafood buffet at The Shoreline and authentic Japanese cuisine at Hatsuhana, and six meeting and events spaces, currently catering for up to 270 delegates theatre-style in its largest room.
“This will be a unique conferencing venue in a world class location,” says Sea World Resort conference and events sales manager Caroline Duveau-Clayton. “We have been offering exceptional midsize conferences for many years and this new centre will allow us to do business on a much larger scale.” With 750sqm of space, dividable into three sections, the new Conference Centre will include the latest audiovisual equipment, a porte cochere with vehicle access, as well as a large al fresco style veranda ideal for coffee breaks, lunches and cocktail receptions.
A world of difference Sea World Resort has built a strong reputation as a venue to mix business with pleasure on the Gold Coast, but a new stateof-the-art Conference Centre due to come online next year promises to capture a much larger slice of the conference and events market.
View slideshow in the CIM iPad app.
Sea World Resort has long attracted conferences and events looking to mix business with pleasure, with cocktails with the sharks, dinner with the dolphins and a host of exciting rides and attractions keeping delegates smiling long after their conference finishes. Construction of the new Sea World Resort Conference Centre is now well underway. Due for completion in June 2015, the new Conference Centre is set to quadruple the event space on offer, catering up to 1000 delegates. With state-of-the-art facilities, a design encompassing plenty of natural light and all the attractions of Sea World Resort so close, the new Conference Centre is set to reinforce the Resort's position as one of the conference leaders on the Gold Coast.
12 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Sea World Resort’s sister properties also offer the opportunity to add an extra thrill to any conference with Sea World, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet’n’Wild, Paradise Country and Australian Outback Spectacular offering amazing offsite experiences as part of their conferencing at the Resort. The Conference Centre is already seeing bookings flooding in from organisers keen to take advantage of the possibilities the new venue offers. “The Resort’s relaxed atmosphere coupled with the new world-class conference facilities will make this a destination where serious business meets serious fun,” says Duveau-Clayton.
Q&A
New horizons Ian Andrew Walsh, owner of digital and live event agency G1 Group, has just returned from a trip to China that took in CIBTM 2014 and the resort destination of Sanya. He talks with CIM about the importance of China as an emerging market and the challenges that poses event organisers. Q: Are you seeing more work in China?
major challenges that any event professional always faces regardless of the style of event being undertaken. Firstly, how are the attendees experiencing the program going to interact with the local community and communicate, especially when English is not their first language. People can get very frustrated when they can’t communicate and this is always at the forefront of curating a program.
A: I believe that with China being a major trading partner with Australia the destination has become increasingly popular with the Australian market. G1 have an increasing number of clients who have offices in China and have an on-going business relationship with the Chinese market. Through this experience we have learnt a lot about the culture and working with China, however I can personally say that coming to China and seeing firsthand how the people live and infusing myself into their society has really created a greater appreciation and understanding of Chinese culture. Q: Is China ready for an increasing number of international visitors? A: When working with China you need to understand that this is still quite a young country in relation to engaging internationally and that there is such a massive domestic market, given that there are over 1.3 billion people living in China. Therefore when dealing with China you need to always ensure that you have communicated your needs exactly, and this is where a third party partner is critical. This is different to other Asian countries as they have a history of dealing with the Australian market. Q: Would you use domestic Chinese hotel brands for events? A: There are domestic chains [here] that would suit the needs of many international organisers. My preference is for a recognised brand name but that doesn’t have to be a global one, it could be one that is known in Asia. There are plenty of operations here that will be 20 times bigger than the ones we are familiar with at home. We can’t dismiss them, we just need to be open minded. However, international brands have international standards. I just did a program in Thailand using a domestic brand [venue] but the standard was nowhere near the standard expected by the client, and that would have been met by an international brand. The bottom line is it’s about communication. Q: What challenges do international organisers face in China? A: I personally feel that every country and location comes with its own set of challenges, especially around how the person attending the program will experience it. However I think there are two
The other challenge is with the program’s organisation. We all hear about “Fiji time” or the “Thailand smile” and this is just a different way of working than we are used to. The organiser has to engage with the various partners and suppliers they are working with to make the program come to life. Australians internationally are known for just getting on and doing the job no matter what it is and we do a lot more within our roles than in many other countries, where people are segmented into different roles, so I think we all find this challenging when working internationally. But like all business relationships we work with those people we have an established relationship with or who we feel best understand us and can relate to the values we hold highly professionally. Q: Is China’s appeal as an incentive destination growing? A: China has so much to offer in regards to the many different regions and cultural history within these regions. China, like the US and Continental Europe, has so many different provinces that are like smaller countries within itself. The regional history of each of these cultures dates back thousands of years and as more hotels open, and flights into these regions become more direct, we are going to see an increase in incentive destinations within China. Q: Should we be learning Chinese? A: Personally, I think the onus is always on the person coming to the country to speak the language of that country. However we are fortunate that English is truly the international language. In Beijing and Shanghai I feel completely comfortable commuting on the subway, catching taxis or going to restaurants and I think you can communicate without a guide at most international hotel brands. This is not quite the case outside of the major cities and away from the tourist venues. My experience in these other provinces is that you do need a guide or interpreter still.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 13
GOLD COAST
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
Building for the future The Federal Government has highlighted the need for more investment in tourism infrastructure to cope with the anticipated increase in demand from overseas visitors, but on the Gold Coast they are well ahead of the game, writes Sheridan Randall. Top right: Jupiters Hotel gets a new coat of paint. Above: Wanda Group’s Jewel project.
Speaking last month at the inaugural annual Investment Statement to the Parliament, Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb outlined the need for Australia to increase its investment in
tourism infrastructure “to realise our potential in that market”. “With the rise of the Asian middle class, tourism will be a major driver of growth,” he said. “By 2020, almost 200 million Chinese tourists are expected to
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14 Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
travel internationally, a doubling of current numbers. Australia is well placed to capitalise on this rising demand.” Calling for the need for more foreign capital to further develop our tourism and hospitality
Sharing is caring The GCCEC is set to debut the latest equipment in wireless presentation and collaboration solutions – ClickShare – in all its meeting rooms. ClickShare allows any meeting participant to share content on a central meeting room screen from a laptop or tablet at the click of a button.
industry, Robb welcomed HongKong-based hotel company The Wanda Group’s recent announcement of a $900 million investment on the Gold Coast. The Wanda Group is planning to construct three towers on the Jewel site at Surfers Paradise, including a 5-star Wanda Vista hotel and serviced apartments. The Jewel project’s central park, conference rooms, restaurants, bars and other entertainment facilities will be located directly on the beachfront, with construction to begin in 2015. It
is set to open in 2018. Citing the Gold Coast’s “pristine, gold, sandy beaches and crystal clear waters” as a magnate for tourists, The Wanda Group is looking to grab a share of the 21.7 million tourists that visited the city in 2013 (415,000 of whom came from China), a figure that is growing at 24 per cent year-on-year. Another hotel resort that currently boasts the only truly beach front access is the Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa Gold Coast. The Resort’s
MORE THAN A P L A C E T O M E E T. . .
meetings booking numbers are strong, with an increase in inquiries from international markets, according to Leon Thomson, the director of sales and marketing. With the ongoing investment in infrastructure both public and private enhancing the Gold Coast’s suitability for meetings and events, groups choosing the Gold Coast “want to experience and incorporate elements from the local destination”, he says. It isn’t just new builds adding to the Gold Coast’s credentials
as a leading business events destination, with many established properties and venues splashing major cash on upgrades and refurbishments. The Mercure Gold Coast Resort is finishing off a major refurbishment of its accommodation rooms and conferencing areas to capitalise on the recent opening of the light rail system. “The tram will be a great asset to the Gold Coast events space,” says Chris Osborne, Mercure Resort Gold Coast’s director of
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 15
sales and marketing. “The ability to move large volumes from the convention centre to major accommodation and attractions will assist in driving interest to the Coast.
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“The Gold Coast has seen continued infrastructure improvements in the business events space over the past two years. This is significant for the region in more ways than one. We know event planners are looking for new and innovative delivery on events and product and now the Gold Coast has both amazing international branded venues and a location like no other. Resort conferencing and experience based incentives are presented on the Gold Coast at their best.” The Resort is seeing conferencing business increasing from the Sydney and Brisbane markets, with Melbourne continuing to “gain traction”. “Experience-based conferencing is critical to an events success,” he says. “We find it’s the Gold Coast and the Resort’s environment that lends to an outcome driven and motivating experience. The Gold Coast has the ability to offer experiences like no other; an offsite dinner at Dreamworld or a candlelit dinner on the [golfing] greens, it really is unique.” RACV Royal Pines Resort has also recently completed a major refurbishment of its conference and event facilities,
which overlook its 27-hole Championship Golf Course, now home to the PGA Mens Championships and Australian Ladies Masters. With a new 5.5m glass wall, the 1500sqm Royal Benowa Ballroom now allows delegates the opportunity to look out over the Resort’s grounds, which can also be used as an outdoor event space with marquee and tent structures for
“Delegates are looking for a holistic approach when attending a conference and taking time away from their daily lives.” up to 1500 people. Susan Griffiths, senior manager sales and marketing at RACV Queensland Resorts, says the investment in infrastructure across the board on the Gold Coast “provides more choices and facility options for clients and positions the Gold Coast as a must-visit destination for conferences and events”. “It improves the perception of the destination to be high quality, forward thinking and innovative,” she adds. “The Commonwealth Games and related emerging infrastructure will provide a range of unique facilities to enhance the event planners venue experience and
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assist in delivering on their promises to their clients of an exciting, modern and affordable destination.” RACV Royal Pines Resort has also unveiled its new multimillion dollar day spa – One Spa – which offers a diverse range of spa treatments, along with additional water treatments including a geisha tub, a lusar/vichy showers and a four-seater spa. “Delegates are looking for a holistic approach when attending a conference and taking time away from their daily lives,” says Griffiths. “Programs that have educational content in conjunction with time to relax and an experience is a must. Event organisers aim to achieve this through a combination of offerings such as team building, community involvement and health and wellness facilities. RACV Royal Pines Resort’s fabulous new One Spa, One Lifestyle and golf course development with the on-site team building company Timeout Adventures and first class convention centre offers all these opportunities within a 100 hectare perimeter.” Unsurprisingly, demand has been strong since the refurbishment. “Market trends show that face to face interaction remains paramount but the conference experience is certainly changing to a holistic approach in which the delegate needs to find personal education as well as business
Left from opposite page: Artist’s impression of Jupiters redevelopment; Artist’s impression of Sea World Resort’s new Conference Centre; The stars come out for Sea World Resort’s new Conference Centre; A bird’s eye view of the Gold Coast.
education,” she adds. “Venues need to adapt to this and strive to provide much more than four walls, and chicken or beef!” Venues that offer plenty of thrills beyond the four walls of a meeting room include Sea World Resort, which recently enlisted some iconic Hollywood starpower to help with the official groundbreaking of the new multimillion dollar Conference
Centre which is set to grow the conferencing and events market on the Gold Coast (see story on page 12). Marilyn Monroe and Austin Powers donned hardhats to help work commence on the site of the 750sqm Conference Centre, due to open in June 2015. “We thought it was only fitting to enlist the help of Marilyn and Austin at this groundbreaking event, to really emphasise our
team’s ability to create simply unforgettable conferences and events,” says Village Roadshow Theme Parks conferencing and events sales manager Caroline Duveau-Clayton. “This new Conference Centre will allow us to do business on a much larger scale, accommodating up to 1000 delegates and coupled with the Resort’s 400 rooms and suites,
will reinforce Village Roadshow Theme Park’s position as one of the premiere MICE destinations on the Gold Coast.” Gold Coast Business Events director Anna Case says the inclusion of this new Conference Centre is a positive step towards enticing delegates to continue to visit the Gold Coast. “The Gold Coast is a leading business events destination and
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 17
In a spin Dreamworld’s newest thrill ride, Tail Spin, opened last month, adding one more white-knuckle ride to the lineup of what is now Dreamworld’s Big 9 Thrill Rides. A first of its kind in Australia, Tail Spin is made up of 12 mini rider-operated aeroplanes that not only hurl thrill seekers 22m into the sky, but also allow riders to customise their own manoeuvres and control the speed of each plane’s 360-degree spin. Manoeuvres range from gentle rocking to intense spirals that push the boundaries of adventure.
the addition of new events space will only further enhance the unique and refreshed offerings the city delivers to planners from around Australia and our international markets,” says Case. Dreamworld Theme Park is also capitalising on the Gold Coast’s reputation for mixing business with pleasure, seeing a rise
in conference and incentive business, according to Kat Orchard, sales executive at events, Dreamworld. “We run a lot of gala dinners, welcome receptions and team building,” she says. “Dreamworld has over 12 different event spaces so we can tailor something to suit everyone.
“Clients are definitely looking for that ‘wow’ option. To have your gala dinner or welcome reception inside Dreamworld is something that is unique and memorable. There is something special about having a theme park all to yourself.” Dreamworld’s newest event space is Dreamworld Corroboree, which opened in February this year and offers an interactive experience celebrating Indigenous culture. “We are also about to get access to the Big Brother House for events once this season has wrapped,” Orchard adds. “Dreamworld is constantly evolving – new rides, attractions and precincts – it’s always expanding.” Sharks Events Centre has unveiled the first stage of its refurbishment with a more sophisticated look across its six meeting rooms with adjustable walls that allow the Centre to accommodate any event size from 10 up to 1000 people. For the Sharks Events Centre team, the investment by many of the Gold Coast’s venues and properties “strengthens the product that the Gold Coast can offer as a combined destination”. “In the past some event planners may have seen the Gold Coast as more of a leisure destination, however investing in business events facilities illustrates that we are serious about competing with other major cities for
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business,” says a spokesperson for the Centre. The recent appointment of an event sales executive means the Sharks Events Centre is now targeting more international groups. “We are seeing more and more enquiries from clients who are looking for something outside the square, an experience rather than just an event venue,” the spokesperson adds. Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa has already seen two citywide events who have utilised the light rail system to transport their delegates from the Resort to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC). “The resort is only 300m from the nearest light rail station, making it a perfect choice for organisers looking to accommodate their delegates on the northern end of Surfers Paradise,” says Brooke Bath, Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa’s marketing manager. Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa was one of the first properties to complete a multi-million-dollar refurbishment ahead of the light rail’s opening, with the most recent additions being the appointment of audio visual staging company, Microhire, release of a new Meeting Services App and the launch of an online easy-to-book meeting
Left from opposite page: Dreamworld’s Main Street; Mercure Resort Gold Coast; A dinner at GCCEC.
space system. “We recognise the way people meet and work is changing,” says Bath. “It’s more mobile, more social, more collaborative and we want to be right there with our customers placing the management of meetings at their fingertips.” Watermark Hotel & Spa Gold Coast is also looking to make a splash with a multi-million transformation currently underway. With the Light Rail Surfers Paradise Station on the hotel’s doorstep, it has never been easier to get around the city from Southport through to Broadbeach – particularly for groups.
recognise it when flying in and out of Gold Coast airport,” says Geoff Hogg, managing director Queensland of Echo Entertainment Group, the property’s parent group. “We chose a fresh, modern look to ensure Jupiters continues to play an integral role in making this beautiful city a must-see destination.”
intricacies to showcase their events, GCCEC is “heavily investing in the building blocks that will propel our technological capabilities to a benchmark level that embraces offerings that are the cornerstone of modern conferencing”, says general manager Adrienne Readings. The Centre recently overhauled its entire network to include a physical upgrade of hardware and a redesign of the current network architecture to state of the art Cisco products, configured specifically for event management.
“The tram will be a great asset to the Gold Coast events space.”
Jupiters Hotel and Casino has started work on its $345 million makeover that includes a new 6-star hotel tower, a boulevard of restaurants and bars, and the transformation of the existing Broadbeach base. The project is expected to be finished by late 2017, but the painters are out already in preparation of the first phase of the redevelopment. Its wellknown sepia exterior is being transformed with over 12,000 litres of “Grand Piano Quarter” white paint, the first time the building has been painted since its construction. “Jupiters’ unique design is a real stand-out on the Gold Coast skyline – you can instantly
A new resort pool, bar and outdoor dining terrace is expected to be completed by the end of the year while a complete refurbishment of the building’s 592 existing hotel rooms is set to be finished next year. “Echo Entertainment Group is committed to creating a worldclass integrated resort, which will boost tourism and one which locals will be proud of,” adds Hogg. Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is also looking to the future with continual investment in its IT and audio visual capacity. Already renowned for attracting clients that demand the most complex and demanding technological
“We are currently seeing a shift in client demand driven by associations and blue-chip organisations that operate hybrid conferences which require the latest infrastructure and technology to be able to stream live to hospitals, universities and the like to create interactive experiences in real time,” she says. “Last year, the Centre commenced rolling out phase one of its planned IT infrastructure and equipment overhaul which included increasing bandwidth and wi-fi capabilities. This year, the Centre’s priority has been rolling out upgrades to equipment to ensure it marries with the standard of the GCCEC’s software technology.”
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 19
REGIONAL VICTORIA
Fresh focus With funding for the Regional Victoria Business Events Program renewed for another four years Business Events Victoria is keen to promote the state’s regional gems, ranging from lesser known locales to starperformer Geelong and the Great Ocean Road, discovers Ylla Watkins.
Regional Victoria will continue to be able to target business events thanks to the State Government’s renewed commitment to Business Events Victoria’s (BEV) Regional Victoria Business Events Program.
held in regional Victoria, they are also doing work in the Sydney and Brisbane markets “where there is a desire to go into regional Victoria but they just don’t know what’s available to them”.
Announced as part of the State Budget earlier this year, the Coalition Government provided $1.2 million over four years for the program, which over the past 12 months has generated more than 200 lead referrals for regional business events that have delivered almost 28,500 delegate days and over 15,000 delegate nights.
While “industry chatter” says that it’s been a little quiet for Victoria’s business events operators during the last few months, Porter expects to see business pick-up during the second half of the financial year.
Chris Porter, executive officer of Business Events Victoria, says they are thrilled that the funding has been renewed. “We had great success with the first four years of the program, which we just finished up delivering, but it wasn’t 100 per cent sure,” he says. With funding for the foreseeable future assured, Porter says the main aim of the program is lead facilitation, with the bureau canvassing for leads and then putting them out to specific regional Victorian venues and destinations depending on what the capacity or scope of the event is. While the bureau’s key market is Melbourne, which is the source of 70 per cent of events
The regions that do best are those that are within a 90 minute radius of Melbourne, he adds. “The likes of the Yarra Valley, Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges do well, as well as the Mornington Peninsula and Philip Island,” he says. “It’s more of a challenge to get people to travel that bit further. Our role is making sure that organisers are aware of what they can do if they travel that bit further.” It’s the Great Ocean Road however that Business Events Victoria fields the most enquiries for. “One of the main reasons for that is the fact that they have Business Events Geelong in the marketplace,” Porter says. “They actively promote the destination as a whole. There’s also something about the ocean; it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, groups want to be near a beach.”
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Mark Day, Business Events Geelong’s convention bureau manager, confirms the greater Geelong region, which takes in not only Geelong and the Great Ocean Road, but also the Bellarine Peninsula, is “performing extremely well”. “Last financial year the region held in excess of 3000 business events, which saw approximately 135,000 delegates in region,” he said. “As a convention bureau we have really ramped up our activity promoting the region, which has led us to see a significant increase in RFPs coming in, which has in turn resulted in some huge wins for the region.” Early next year Geelong will play host to the 2014 Having A Say conference, organised by the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability, which will see more than 1200 delegates descend on the city’s waterfront for three days. It will be the largest conference the region has hosted. The plenary session will be held in Deakin University’s Waterfront campus’ 1500-seat auditorium, while a number of smaller sessions will be held in venues around Geelong. “Once we get to that 400 mark we need to look at spreading the group over a number of properties,” says Day. While the region’s surf coast and iconic Great
Gippsland targets business events Business Events Gippsland has developed a new website, www.businesseventsgippsland.com.au, for the business events market. Conference organisers can search through the region’s venues, service providers, packages and itineraries.
Opposite page from left: Feeding the giraffes at Werribee Open Range Zoo; The Geelong waterfront; The dining room at the Vue Grand Hotel, Queenscliff. This page: Admiring the view over Gelantipy, Gippsland.
The bureau is currently working on putting together a tailored half day workshop series called “I Choose Awesome Leadership Through Lifestyle”. The workshops will be a way for companies to inspire, challenge and reward their staff.
Ocean Road are arguably the region’s biggest drawcards, there are plenty of other attractions throughout Geelong and the Bellarine. A perennial crowd pleaser is Werribee Open Range Zoo, where options for groups include safari tours, zookeeper talks, feeding time with the giraffes, and a “race around the zoo”-style event themed around gorilla conservation. Off-site dinners come complete with pre-dinner drinks with the lions, and small groups can even stay on-site as part of the Slumber Safari. Venues in the region include the tranquil Geelong Conference Centre, run by the Salvation Army, featuring six conference and meeting spaces including a spacious, light drenched auditorium with direct access to the gardens; Wyndham Culture Centre, offering conference space for up to 470 in the Tattersall’s Theatre and packages with the nearby Quest Serviced Apartments; and The Pier Geelong, the city’s largest conference and event space located at the end of Geelong’s historic Cunningham Pier and offering uninterrupted water views. A dedicated convention centre is also on the agenda for the city, adds Day. “We are in the process of trying to identify
Photo by Garry Moore.
“Conferences and their delegates tend to be a high yielding but discerning market,” said Terry Robinson, CEO, Destination Gippsland. “The recent Business Events Gippsland website development provides the tools to showcase and educate this market.”
the most appropriate spot to put a convention centre,” he says. “Unfortunately there’s no time frame for it yet. The focus at the moment is on the development of the Yarra Street Pier, which will allow cruise ships to dock right along the pier. Hopefully the convention centre is next in line.” Hotels with conference facilities also abound in Geelong, including the heritage Mansion Hotel & Spa, set in stunning landscaped gardens; the centrally located Four Points by Sheraton Geelong; and the Mercure Geelong, which has conference facilities for up to 400 guests. In nearby Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula, the beautifully restored Vue Grand, which dates back to 1881, offers delegates an elegant, old world ambience, and a rooftop bar with one of the best vistas in the region. For a change of pace the Monahan Centre, fronting Queenscliff Beach, is one of the Bellarine’s newest venues, with panoramic views of the ocean and capacity for 250 people banquet-style. Also on the Bellarine Peninsula are the Barwon Heads Golf Club, and the 13th Beach Golf links, which, while very different in style and atmosphere, are consistently rated as having two of the best golf courses
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in Australia. Both clubs have boutique conference facilities available, and they are also able to accommodate a variety of off-site functions and corporate golf days. A new attraction also worthy mentioning, according to Day, is Queenscliff’s newest mode of transport, the Bongo Limo, a ecofriendly tuk-tuk style vehicle. “We’re looking at utilising those services with groups in and around town, when the opportunity presents itself,” he says. “The groups that we’ve been dealing with have been jumping all over anything that unique and outside of the box, which is great.” While Geelong is arguably Victoria’s best performing region right now, Porter says he has noticed that more of Victoria’s regions are keen to tap into the business events market and actively working to promote themselves. “I’d say AIME [Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo] this year was probably one of the strongest I’ve attended over the last five or six years for us and we’ve got some good buy-in for our stand for 2015, which is great,” he says. Ylla Watkins was a guest of Business Events Geelong.
Surfs up for the board
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 21
NEW CALEDONIA
A taste of France Offering all the attractions of the Pacific, with a dash of French panache, New Caledonia is a seductive destination for business events, writes Ylla Watkins. Less than three hours from Sydney, New Caledonia offers an attractive package, combining stunning beaches and natural attractions such as its UNESCO world heritage listed lagoon, with a cosmopolitan mix of chic restaurants, architecturally-designed cultural attractions, and accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes. A “special collectivity” of France, New Caledonia’s intriguing mix of French and Melanesian culture is also part of its allure, with Indigenous Kanak traditions celebrated alongside more Gallic sensibilities.
well as an incentive scheme encouraging event planners to investigate New Caledonia for their next business event. As part of the scheme, the tourism board will help buyers organise an inspection trip to New Caledonia, and cover their costs, if their event is confirmed within nine months of the trip.
“We are on a mission to spread the word about the best kept secret of the South Pacific.”
A popular holiday destination for the French, New Caledonia is also an increasingly attractive destination for Australian business events. “The Australian market is currently second in importance after France,” confirms New Caledonia Tourism’s Australian representative, Caroline Brunel.
“We are very keen to renew interest in New Caledonia out of Australia and are on a mission to spread the word about the best kept secret of the South Pacific,” says Brunel.
“There is a real willingness and commitment from the entire industry in New Caledonia to develop business from Australia.”
“We will be promoting this scheme through a targeted campaign on LinkedIn to reach the different key influencers (such as PCOs, CEOs and PAs) in order to generate interest and make sure New Caledonia is on their radar for future events.”
As part of their marketing activities, New Caledonia Tourism recently launched a new business events website aimed at the Australian market, www.newcaledoniamice.com.au, as
While there is a wide range of accommodation available, this year’s most “exciting development”, according to Brunel, is Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Sheraton
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New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa, which opened in August. The resort, which boasts a stunning beachfront location in Bourail, two hours by car from capital Noumea, has 180 rooms, a championship-level 18-hole golf course (set to open by April 2015), health club and spa, and recreation facilities including the largest outdoor resort pool in New Caledonia. For business events, the hotel offers nearly 1830sqm of meetings space, as well as indoor and outdoor pre-function areas. A dedicated conference and events team is on hand to provide ongoing support to ensure meetings, events and conferences are a success for both business guests and planners. Sean Hunt, regional vice president, Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, says the new hotel presents a compelling package. “We are delighted to expand the Sheraton brand’s global resorts portfolio with the opening of Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa, a spectacular, oceanfront property in one of the most sought-after vacation spots in the Pacific,” he says. “Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa will not only serve as a gathering place for business and leisure travellers, but also provide
Marine park ‘an investment’ Already considered a ecological hotspot, with the world’s largest coastal lagoon and UNESCO World Heritage site in their backyard, New Caledonia added to its natural wonders earlier this year when it established Le Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail (the Natural Park of the Coral Sea), the world’s largest nature preserve. Left from opposite page: The Tjibaou Cultural Centre; The swimming pool at the Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa.
Three times the size of Germany, the marine park covers around 1.3 million sqm and is home to 450,000 hectares of coral reefs, as well as 25 species of marine mammals, 48 shark species, 19 species of nesting birds and five species of sea turtles. The establishment of the park marks a “historic moment in marine conservation as well as sustainable tourism”, according to Brunel. “Such a measure exemplifies that it is possible to invest in the long-term health and productivity of our ocean resources, whilst also investing in our tourism industry,” she says.
an opportunity to experience the natural splendour of this remarkable World Heritage site while enjoying the signature services and amenities of the Sheraton brand.” Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa joins existing Starwood properties Le Méridien Nouméa and Le Méridien Ile des Pins, which are also both undergoing refurbishments. In January Le Méridien commenced an extensive refurbishment of their Noumea property, located 10 minutes from the city’s centre. Investing $31 million over two years, the refurbishment will include updates to the hotel’s public areas including its two restaurants, lobby, function and banquet
rooms. A new lobby bar, Latitude 22, and 900sqm Deep Nature Spa will also be created. Le Méridien, Isle of Pines will also undergo a soft refurbishment this year, with $2.5 million being invested in the refurbishment of its rooms, restaurant, bar and public areas. Another recently refreshed property is the Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residences, which rebranded from La Promenade in late 2013. Located on Anse Vata Beach in the centre of Noumea, the property features 154 spacious self-catering apartments. Meetings can be held in the hotel’s conference room or at the hotel’s sister property in the Nouvate Parc Complex.
PLAN YOUR EVENT IN NEW CALEDONIA The New Caledonia MICE website is the official gateway for businesses and organisations interested in New Caledonia as a destination for association, conferences, meetings, incentives and corporate events.
When downtime beckons, New Caledonia offers a plethora of activities for groups, ranging from a visit to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, to a day trip to the palm tree fringed Isle of Pines, often called “the jewel of the Pacific”. Other activities for groups include game fishing, snorkelling or scuba diving on the reef, scenic helicopter rides, jet ski safaris and horseriding. With so much on offer, it’s little wonder that New Caledonia is increasingly making it onto the radar for Australian groups. As Brunel says, “it is France on Australia’s doorstep, infused with Melanesian culture”. And who can argue with that?
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HERITAGE
Turning back the years Venues of a certain vintage use their history to give groups a real sense of place and time, offering a vision of the future without losing sight of the past, discovers Sheridan Randall. Say what you will about the Victorians but they were a hard headed lot when it came to business. Sydney Town Hall was built in 1889, and although used as a meeting place for the Lord Mayor and council members it was also very much a venue for hire for the general public. “If you look back at the old photos you can see they have been decorating and themeing this space for over a 100 years,” says Melissa Bajugi, venue manager at City of Sydney. “One of the key differences is this venue has always operated as a performance space. We are not trying to convert something
that had another purpose. This means it has always been fairly flexible in its design. There are lots of open spaces, spaces without pillars, good acoustics and things like that. That makes it a lot easier when you are dealing with event proposals.” Most recently being the home of Fashion Week, the venue gets used for all types of events, from concert performances and gala dinners, such as the Hosted Buyer dinner for Inspire Ex in August, through to community and school events. “From a corporate perspective we do a lot of incentive business,” she says. “Groups
come in from the US, Europe and Asia and they use the Town Hall because it is special. They haven’t come to Sydney to have a dinner in a hotel ballroom. They have come to experience things that they haven’t seen before. We also get a lot of conference dinners when they go offsite. Maybe three days in another property and we might do their conference dinner. A lot of event organisers see a lot of value in putting a special location for a dinner in their program.” As a visitor to the Town Hall the building remains as it was when it first opened its doors, but behind the ornate façade runs
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21st century technology. “To remain competitive in this industry we need to keep our technical services at a very high standard,” says Bajugi. “We spent a lot of money putting data cabling through the building so clients can come in and attach their equipment and it’s a seamless guest experience. For those who come for an event in Centennial Hall and enter from George Street they experience the beautiful view and architecture, but they won’t walk over a cable tray, won’t see cable runs or technical facilities, as that has all been really integrated and is out of sight.
Left from opposite page: The Grace Hotel; Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury; The Grand Hotel; Sydney Town Hall.
It’s beautiful that you don’t see those things but they are all there and working really hard.” Preserving and celebrating our heritage is becoming increasingly important, according to Isabelle Vertucci, sales and marketing coordinator at the Grace Hotel Sydney, which is located in one of Sydney’s finest example of neo-gothic architecture dating back to the 1930s. “In such a young city with so many modern constructions The Grace Hotel has great importance with linking the city to its history,” she says. “It stands as a symbol of the short history of Sydney and becomes increasingly more important as we move into the future of architecture.” The Grace Hotel’s “Tea and Tales” tour is a popular activity for groups, which includes a tour of the building, a talk by an historian and high tea. “The character of the building certainly attracts a lot of people to the hotel as they know they will be able to experience some of the history of the area when they come to stay,” she adds. “The hotel offers all of the charm and elegance of the old world with all of the comforts of modern living.” Luna Park Sydney’s iconic entrance may have undergone a
number of cosmetic treatments to brighten its smile in line with today’s health–obsessed aesthetic but it remains one of the most iconic symbols of Sydney’s past, up there with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, which can all be viewed from Luna Park’s venue spaces. In 2015, Luna Park Sydney marks its 80th anniversary, with a series of major activities to take place over a 12 month period cumulating with a major anniversary festival weekend. Luna Park Sydney will also introduce a new curated history walk through the park grounds encompassing art, media, imagery and information that will be updated monthly to celebrate each decade over the last 80 years. That history acts as a magnet for many of the groups that use Luna Park Venues, according to James Granter, Luna Park Sydney’s general manager of sales. “Inbound incentive groups, particularly from the United States and Asia, readily connect to the story and personality of Luna Park as an iconic venue,” he says. “They demand a high quality of venue and catering, which our inhouse executive chef team are always aware of and able to meet. But they also seem to embrace a deeper connection,
with the heritage of Luna Park adding a deeper meaning to their stay with us. We seem to be able to offer a personality and theme to their event that they cannot achieve elsewhere.” Luna Park Venues hosted more than 4000 Pro-Health China distributors over six nights in the last week of September who had selected the Big Top as their venue of choice even before finalising their travel partners, accommodation or itinerary. All the guests were ferried to Luna Park Wharf by cruise boat and spent an hour enjoying the heritage park, the rides and harbour views before the start of their dinner event each night. “Our historic ties to Sydney and Australia were an important part of their decision,” Granter says. “They were aware of our heritage and we successfully incorporated many elements from our wider park into the event as part of hosting the dinner. For example, our dancers and Luna Park characters and entertainers became an integral part of the event, not just to greet guests as they arrived and departed, but actually forming part of the performances for the evening. As a heritage venue, we provided a cultural entertainment experience, not just a venue and catering. We became an integral
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 25
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
part of the fun and entertainment for all guests.” The urban industrial setting of Australian Technology Park (ATP) in Sydney is definitely a drawcard for pioneering
companies, says Ruby Chronis, ATP’s director of sales and marketing. Attracting clients such as Google and Hewlett Packard, ATP appeals to organisers looking for a venue
that “stands out from the crowd”, such as the Vino Paradiso Food and Wine Festival, which is using the historic Exhibition Hall as a dramatic backdrop to the many local food and wine producers showcasing their wares during the festival. “Earlier this year the Exhibition Hall was transformed into a 1920s Gatsby-themed extravaganza with 850 guests welcomed to a spectacular display, with a red carpet entrance, the space included a cocktail area, two bars, a five piece jazz band, a powder area, 35 stunning chandeliers, a water fountain, ice sculpture, oyster bar and coffee cabanas,” Chronis says. “The Exhibition Hall is an incredible space and creates a really unique atmosphere – it provides a point of difference and is very versatile and I’m really looking forward to transforming it in to a buzzing food haven.” Melbourne is also blessed with superb examples of Australia’s architecture through the ages, with the Grand Hotel Melbourne dating back to the late 1800s. Starting life as a government administration headquarters, it was only in the mid 1990s that the building was converted into a luxury hotel. Protected by the Heritage Council of Victoria and
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now fully restored to its former grandeur, it is a fine reminder of a bygone Victorian Goldrush era. “Melbourne has great heritage laws, which ensures that historical buildings like the Grand can remain for people to enjoy in years to come,” says Kerstyn Egan, marketing executive at The Grand Hotel Melbourne’s parent group Erdigroup Hotels. “The unique story, location and highly recognisable façade of the Grand makes it stand out from the many other hotels in Melbourne CBD. Heritage is important – as buildings with a story or history, build a relationship and memory with their guests, ensuring they come back time and time again.” While the Grand Hotel Melbourne’s rich history and links to John Batman and the Victorian Railways have been carried through the décor and branding of the hotel, the property offers its guests access to many modern facilities. “Many of the rooms have already undergone beautiful refurbishments, adding modern stainless steel appliances to the apartment kitchens, and modern, bespoke furniture in the rooms, bar and restaurant,” she says. “The conference and event
facilities have all been recently renewed, with Sheaoak Function Room receiving new furniture and audio visual equipment.” TFE Hotels has built a reputation for transforming heritage buildings into hotels with Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne, Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne, Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury, Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney and the soon to be reopened Hotel Kurrajong Canberra all in the group’s portfolio. Currently undergoing a major renovation, the boutique heritage-listed Hotel Kurrajong Canberra is located in Canberra’s parliamentary precinct and was for 11 years, including his time in office in
the 1940s, the place post-war Prime Minister Ben Chifley called home. “Our guests want more than just a bed, and at Hotel Kurrajong they will experience a piece of the capital’s history, with the hotel having enjoyed a long association with key Australian political and architectural figures,” says Rachel Argaman, chief executive of TFE Hotels. The 147 room hotel will comprise of 26 heritage listed rooms, four executive suites, four balconies and eight terrace rooms when it reopens in December. TFE go to great lengths to ensure its heritage hotels provide guests with a sense of the historic significance and
MEMORABLE MELBOURNE
educate them about where they are staying “through historical artworks, historical restoration of the building, period-inspired furnishings or services”, according to Emma Fraser, TFE Hotels’ group director of marketing. “There’s nothing quite like staying in a historic hotel to help you feel connected and get a sense of a place,” she adds. “It’s a point of interest for those who want to immerse themselves in Australia’s history and creates an emotional connection for guests through the local story. It also creates a clear distinction for event and incentive organisers seeking to deliver an authentic local experience.”
Left from opposite page: Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne; Exhibition Hall at ATP; Luna Park Sydney; The Inspire Ex gala dinner at Sydney Town Hall; The Grace Hotel’s stained glass.
Whether for work or play, stay in style at the historic Grand Hotel. Featuring spacious apartment-style rooms, RAB Bar & Restaurant, boutique conference and event facilities and an enviable CBD location, which is walking distance to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, it’s the perfect place for your next stop in Melbourne.
Book your Christmas party at RAB, from $60 pp. Find out more, call 1300 361 455 or email grandhotelmelbourne@accor.com 33 Spencer Street, Melbourne
MGA LLE RY. A COLLE CT I ON OF ME MORA B LE HOT E LS: E UROPE - A FRI CA - MI DDLE EAST - CARIBBEAN - ASIA - PACIFIC
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 27
UNIVERSITIES
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
Talent pool Australia’s universities are not just hot beds of learning, they also have a huge range of venues and meetings facilities and offer easy access to some of the top minds in the country, discovers Sheridan Randall. Our universities are leading the way in academic fields, but they are also increasingly opening up their facilities to event organisers looking for access to some of the best located venues around. Situated on 81 hectares of Deakin University’s Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds, Deakin Management Centre (DMC) offers a haven from external distractions. Having built a strong reputation for multi-day conferences, DMC is looking to expand its appeal for groups including as an incentivebased venue, according to Tamara Hunt, sales and marketing manager at DMC. “A massive selling point is that we have 57 king size accommodation rooms onsite,” she says.
With a focus on activities, the Centre's lounge is equipped with pool and table tennis tables, and can cater for up to 500 people for cocktail events. A gym, heated outdoor swimming pool and spa, two tennis courts, basketball, cycling and walking tracks are also available on site. A large plenary holds up to 180 people with six size breakout spaces available. “We also have a beautiful lawn which has picturesque views and manicured gardens,” she adds. “Guests often make use of during breaks or team building activities.” University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) spans six blocks in the CBD offering a central location for groups looking to
make the most of its variety of meeting facilities. Outside of UTS’ venues such its Great Hall, lecture theatres and classrooms sits the Aerial UTS Function Centre, which is run independently by ActivateUTS, a not-for-profit body dedicated to enhancing the student experience. “Not only are we located in a central area close to public transportation, all our rooms have natural light and all have sliding doors opening onto a balcony looking over to the Anzac Bridge,” says Jennifer Lam, functions and venue manager at ActivateUTS. The venue has a fully equipped kitchen on site and can
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provides any type of catering from breakfasts to all day functions, cocktail parties and sit down dinners. If you’re looking for a traditional setting the University of Sydney’s Holme Building has plenty of old world charm. Built in 1913, the heritagelisted Holme Building offers six function spaces, from the majestic Refectory and the stately Cullen and Sutherland Rooms, to the more intimate Drawing Room and Chancellor’s Room and the brand new Courtyard. All the venues are overseen by HostCo, the body which runs all the event management and Gold License catering options, with an in-house professional conference
Left from opposite page: The University of Sydney; Deakin University’s Geelong Campus; A tasty treat from UTS catering; Aerial UTS Function Centre; Leighton Hall at UNSW.
organiser who manages largescale events and conferences from the registration process, down to event management.
accommodation options on campus at the colleges, “which provides a cost efficient yet unique experience”, according to Mudliar.
Menuka Mudliar, University of Sydney Union’s sales and marketing assistant, says that the Refectory is the most popular option for organisers.
HostCo also has access to the University’s other venues if required.
“Built in 1924, the Refectory impresses with its old-world charm featuring soaring 8m ceilings, arched French windows, heritage wood panelling and polished timber floors,” she says. “Adjoining the Refectory is a Mediterraneanstyle terrace and picturesque gardenscape providing an abundance of natural light and fresh air ensuring guests enjoy a setting of peace and privacy. Enter the Refectory through the luxuriously styled Drawing Room, featuring antique chandeliers, plush carpets and chesterfield sofas. Here, your guests can come together for pre-function drinks and canapés.” Located just 4km from the CBD and with a large range of hotel accommodation nearby allows groups to stay for longer meetings, while during semester breaks, HostCo can arrange
“Groups can use lecture theatres, seminar rooms and sports ovals depending on their event type,” she says. University of New South Wales (UNSW) has a range of event spaces across its CBD and Kensington campuses, with its Clancy Auditorium well suited to large conferences and events up to 945 theatre-style, while a plethora of smaller spaces cater to everything from half-day training sessions to multiple day conferences and training programs where the guests stay on campus the entire time. The venues and events team manage 44 bedrooms in the Conference and Residential Centre, while UNSW recently built 2000 new bedrooms on campus, some of which are available outside of the university session to accommodate delegates attending large onsite conferences. “You name it we’ve probably done it,” says Hannah Sparke,
general manger venues and events at UNSW. “We also have lots of open space which we use for festivals, marquee dinners and family days.” With a mix of clients from both the educational and corporate markets, the university’s environment works well for both. “Educational groups often have our top researchers present at conferences or seminars,” she says. “Educational groups find the environment inspiring and can leverage from this top ranking university, while corporate groups enjoy the benefits of the venue inclusions such as AV, open space for team building, and enjoy the grandeur of our venues. Corporate groups holding their training or professional development programs at UNSW can engage with AGSM Executive Education’s expert facilitators, or even have them design a custom program for them. “The campus in general offers a place for people to host events in an innovative and educational environment not far from the city but far enough that delegates and guests feel like they have escaped from the hustle and bustle.”
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 29
SPG PRO
SPG Pro member Amber Lock, managing director of Plaza Travel, doing a site inspection at the St Regis New York.
Rewarding times with Starwood A new loyalty program aimed at meeting planners and travel professional hopes to revolutionise the way you book meetings, writes Ylla Watkins.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts debuts a new companion to its award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), this month, aimed at meeting and travel professionals.
By giving customers even more reasons to book with Starwood, the company hopes to increase their market share. For each 1 per cent shift in market share the company stands to make an additional US$80 million.
The new SPG Pro is a comprehensive loyalty program which offers events organisers SPG elite status, upgrades and Starpoints for business to business (B2B) activity booked at any of Starwood’s nearly 1200 properties globally. Additionally any SPG member who books a group stay, event or business meeting will also receive Starpoints and status for that piece of business, even if they aren’t in the meetings or travel industry.
Launching the program to international media gathered in Bangkok last month, Alison Taylor, senior vice president of sales and revenue for Asia Pacific, said SPG Pro will replace three existing B2B programs, Star Choice, Starwood Preferred Planner and accreditation program Starwood Pro.
Currently B2B, including corporate travel, meetings and events, accounts for nearly 70 per cent of Starwood’s overall room revenue. The company’s top 1 per cent of event organisers delivers 40 per cent of that business.
it global. Every Starwood hotel worldwide, across all brands, will be part of SPG Pro. Customers’ personal travel can also be combined into the one program.” The SPG Pro program was developed based on some “simple but powerful insights”, according to Xue Ying Mei, manager, customer loyalty and communications, Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
“Our sales aim for Starwood is to be the easiest company to do business with, and hopefully out announcement today will lead us on our journey to fulfil that mantra,” she said.
“We have seen a shift in the way meetings are organised,” she said. “But we also wanted to expand on something close to our heart, the Starwood Preferred Guest program. One of the first things we learnt from SPG is that loyalty is extremely important for our business, and loyalty works.
“We are combining our three current loyalty programs in the B2B space into one program that has at its core SPG. This is great because it simplifies it for the booker and also makes
“The top 2 per cent of our SPG guests deliver 30 per cent of our overall business. Those numbers are a strong testament to the fact that if we are able to offer our
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Guests at the official launch party of SPG Pro, held at W Bangkok. Bottom: Alison Taylor, senior vice presidentsales and Stephen Ho, president, Asia Pacific.
Bangkok bounces back Following on from the civil unrest which shut down parts of Bangkok earlier this year, Starwood chose to launch the SPG Pro program in the Thai capital so that visiting media could see first-hand that it is now business as usual for the city. While business undoubtedly suffered, Joshua Lee, regional director, sales and marketing, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, says it’s already starting to recover. “The turmoil has obviously had an impact on the hospitality industry,” he says. “Thailand was expecting over 28 million arrivals this year, and we’re now looking at 25 million. That’s three million arrivals we’re not going to have. With an average stay of five nights that’s 15 million room nights. “That said, we are seeing very strong pick up, especially from the individual traveller. I think with lead in times we can expect to see [MICE bookings] start actualising through into early next year.” The Starwood famil saw media from across Asia Pacific fly into Bangkok for a full schedule of activities at the St Regis Bangkok and several other Starwood properties. A press conference introducing SPG Pro was followed by a cocktail reception at W Bangkok, where Stephen Ho, Starwood’s president, Asia Pacific, officially launched the program to assembled guests and revealed the company’s latest plans for the region.
customers the right benefit and the right level of personalisation we can really increase our business.” Event planners will be able to redeem points for rewards such as hotel stays (with no blackout periods), money-can’t-buy experiences and upgrades. Rewards will increase as planners progress through the tiers of the program. Taylor believes that with the meetings market changing at a rapid pace, with smaller meetings and shorter lead times becoming the norm, Starwood needed to simplify the way B2B bookers were rewarded. “We felt that the time was right because one, B2B bookers were getting more important, and also we were listening to our customers and what they were saying was that what we had in the market was too confusing. “Everyone who is already enrolled in one of the three programs will be seamlessly be rolled into the new program.” Costing $30 million, SPG Pro’s launch is
Starwood’s most expensive B2B marketing program ever, according to Taylor. In a departure from traditional B2B marketing, where meeting rooms rather than people tend to be the stars, the SPG Pro campaign takes a lifestyle approach, putting real-life event organisers and travel professionals partners centre stage in its collateral. “We want to talk to people holistically,” Taylor said. “Not just, this is you, business, and this is you, personal, and they don’t meet, because actually they do.” Overall, Starwood believes that the SPG Pro program will allow them to keep pace with the changing nature of meetings and events, and help them reach a new audience of businesses, regional organisations and the next generation of events and travel professionals. “This is the biggest thing we’ll do in the B2B space this decade,” said Taylor. Ylla Watkins was a guest of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 31
EVENT REPORT
Left: The CIBTM opening ceremony; Above: The CIBTM welcome function; Above right: Australian exhibitors at the Business Events Australia stand.
Incentive to meet China is becoming a staple on many meeting planners’ yearly events calendar, with this year’s CIBTM offering a gateway to a country and industry that is continuing to make its presence felt both domestically and overseas, writes Sheridan Randall. Free tai chi classes, calligraphy lessons, tea ceremony demonstrations, shoulder massages and manicures in the Relaxation Zone and a new CIBTM Café all helped to put Hosted Buyers, exhibitors and attendees in a relaxed state of mind for the recent China Incentive, Business Travel and Meeting (CIBTM) Exhibition 2014. Taking place at Beijing’s China National Convention Centre on September 17-19, CIBTM marked its ninth year, putting on a record breaking effort, with a 33 per cent expansion of its exhibition space, 35 countries represented and 424 Hosted Buyers from across the world attending. Speaking at the show’s opening ceremony, Song Yu, general director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, said that “the MICE industry
has become an important engine for driving Beijing’s service trade”. It’s not just Beijing’s MICE industry that benefits from the show, with Australia and New Zealand making their presence felt with eye-catching stands. Business Events Australia (BEA), together with a delegation of seven vendors (Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Business Events Sydney, Gold Coast Business Events, Northern Territory Convention Bureau, Palazzo Versace, Royale Limousines and Sea World Resort & Water Park) highlighted Australia’s appeal for incentive programs and meetings groups, with their daily networking hour a popular way of showcasing some great Aussie wines. The show coincided with Sydney welcoming around 4000 delegates for the Pro-Health China Annual Conference, reinforcing just how important China is for
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Australia’s incentive market. “China’s population is increasingly sophisticated and well-travelled so it’s important that we inspire CIBTM’s delegates,” said BEA general manager Penny Lion. “Our own research has shown that Australia ranks highly with the international MICE market in areas including cultural heritage and activities, world-class beauty and natural environments, local cuisine and wine, hospitality and as a safe destination.” Attending the show, Kelly Maynard, trade programs manager at BEA, said they were “working hard to showcase what our business events capabilities are”. “China is a key opportunity in the incentives market,” she added.
any other market.” Sallie Coventry, portfolio director for IBTM Global Events at Reed Travel Exhibitions, said that “China continues to be a key driver for our business resulting from an ever increasing confidence in the Chinese business events market”. With the ongoing success of CIBTM, Coventry says that there is still much to learn by both the local exhibitors and the international buyers.
Andrew Hiebl, executive director of Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, which had four bureau members represented at the show, says that the economic opportunity for international business events offered by China “is a significant one”. “CIBTM provides an opportunity for Australian convention bureaux to connect and build strong relationships with China and Asian business events clientele,” he said. “Today, 30 per cent of international business events delegates are from Asia and the growth prospects are greater than
according to Jacqui Timmins, CIBTM exhibition director. “What we need to do is educate exhibitors about the buying behaviour of Chinese buyers that come to the show,” she said. “It’s very important [for the Chinese] to build a relationship based on trust, with three or four meetings before they get to a point of wanting to do a deal with you.
“It’s our ninth show here [but] I think it is still quite a novel approach in China, with getting people to understand why they need to come to a MICE-specific show,” she said. “It’s about developing grassroots, loyalty and advocates who are going to stay with the show.”
“One of the reasons we changed the feel of the floor this year was to add the flavour of that interactive feel to help the buyers and exhibitors establish a relationship in a more informal way. The concept of the CIBTM Café was they could come here and have a relationship-based conversation instead of sitting across a table in a booth.
With the Chinese way of doing business very much focused on relationships, Coventry maintains that it is “not up to us to change the way business is conducted, it’s about education”.
“Bringing the education component to the show was also really important because we know that people are thirsty for knowledge in the region and want to know how they can do business in China.”
This year all the components of the show, including the Knowledge Programme, were brought together onto the show floor to make it “more interactive and accessible”,
Sheridan Randall was hosted by CIBTM, courtesy of Air China and the Raffles Hotel Beijing.
“China is a key opportunity in the incentives market.”
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Exterior Grand Pavilion, Rosehill Gardens
Royal Randwick’s Spectacular Ballroom
Grand Pavilion Level 1, Rosehill Gardens
Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand at Royal Randwick
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 33
VENUE UPDATE
Innovative integration The new Rimba Jimbaran Bali, located within the 90-hectare estate of Ayana Resort and Spa, features 282 rooms and suites, expanding on Ayana’s 368 rooms and villas. Rimba can easily accommodate large corporate groups, with its
own ballroom, meeting rooms and event spaces. An integrated resort concept allows guests of both Ayana and Rimba to enjoy full access to all facilities across the property with seamless service and integrated billing.
News in brief Toranomon Hills Forum opens A new conference centre, Toranomon Hills Forum, has officially opened its doors in new hotel Andaz Tokyo. The Hyatt Group hotel occupies the top six floors of the 52-storey Toranomon Hills. The Toranomon Hills Forum includes three openplan halls and four spacious meeting rooms, with a combined space of 2180sqm, that can be combined to host a variety of conferences accommodating up to 2000 people.
New 5-star Bali resort New 5-star resort Centara Grand Villas Nusa Dua Bali offers 14 independent pool villas, with a choice of one, two or three bedrooms, set in an extensive private garden area. All villas include access to the Club Lounge and an around-the-clock villa host service. The resort also includes two signature restaurants, a bar, swimming pool, executive club lounge, spa and fitness centre, and meetings facilities.
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Fiji resort gets ‘China -Ready’ InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa has rolled out a “ChinaReady” program to help staff provide Chinese travellers with an exceptional guest experience. The “China-Ready” training for staff encompasses an overview of China, Chinese traveller profiles and characteristics, and basic Chinese language classes.
LACC gets a new look and feel The Los Angeles Convention Center is embarking on a US$10 million ($11.3 million) project to provide a new look and feel to the facility. Some of the improvements include installing a new energy efficient solar-ready “cool roof”, a remodeling of their 299-seat theatre and upgrading AV capabilities. Energyefficient and noise-reducing air handling units will be installed, while air walls, IT infrastructure, lighting systems and numerous operating systems will be upgraded.
Oaks Oasis Caloundra transformed Caloundra Resort Oaks Oasis, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has unveiled its new look, following the completion of a $9.7 million refurbishment program. Oaks Oasis has five conferencing and events spaces, available in a range of configurations, which can accommodate events up to 250 delegates. Each space features fresh carpet, data projectors, motorised screens, in-house audio systems and ambient lighting.
W Hotels debuts in Queensland Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced the debut of the W Hotels brand in Queensland. W Brisbane will offer 305 guest rooms, more than 960sqm of meeting and event space, as well as a 24-hour business centre, spa, state-of-the-art workout facility, indoor heated swimming pool, and three unique restaurants and bars.
Set to sail Sydney harbour MV Epicure is expecting delivery of a new vessel, MV Epicure II. The vessel is expected to sail into Sydney harbour in late November, with bookings now available. MV Epicure II caters for up to 100 seated guests and 200 for canapés, making it ideal for intimate and unique corporate functions and social events.
A first for Changde in China Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced the opening of Sheraton Changde Wuling Hotel, marking the entry of the first international branded hotel in Changde. The hotel features 313 guest rooms and suites, and 12 meeting rooms totaling 2500sqm. The 8.5m high ceiling and 990sqm grand ballroom is equipped with a high-definition LED screen, ideal for meetings, sales conferences and events.
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TALKING POINT
Rialto streets ahead Taking inspiration from Melbourne’s iconic laneways, InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto has launched its new street art-themed ballroom. Hotel manager Sebastian Germershausen speaks with Ylla Watkins about the ambitious refurbishment project.
Street artist Doyle with hotel manager Sebastian Germerhausen.
Melbourne’s laneways are one of its most iconic features, famous for their cosy small bars, al fresco eateries, one-of-a-kind retailers and cutting edge street art. For many visitors to the city a leisurely cafe latte in one of these hidden gems is considered a must-do, with a stop for a selfie with the art in Hosier or AC/DC lanes almost mandatory.
started checking out the work of local Melbourne artists, coming across Adrian Doyle, known as Doyle, director of Blender Studios. One of Melbourne’s best-known street artists, Doyle was keen to get involved with the project “from the get go”, recruiting other Blender Studio artists to help create with the one-of-a-kind artwork.
Now InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto has taken inspiration from Melbourne’s famous laneway scene, relaunching its ballroom with an edgy new street art theme.
“Creating graffiti always takes a bit of time,” says Germershausen. “First the artists came; they looked at the space; they spent a bit of time in the laneway to get connected to the space; and then they started drawing, showing us what their thoughts were. Overall, it took three to four weeks, including the designing and spraying of it.”
Renamed The Laneway Rooms, the restoration saw the hotel commission Melbourne street artists from The Blender Studios to graffiti the laneway directly outside the ballroom’s windows. The installation, which spans more than 40 metres, took eight artists more than three weeks to complete. The ballroom’s interior walls were stripped back to their original 1890s brickwork, heightening the urban feel of the room. Hotel manager Sebastian Germershausen says the idea for the ballroom came out of a desire to showcase the “real” Melbourne. “When I arrived here at the InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, one thing that became apparent to me is that the hotel is uniquely Melbourne,” he says. “It has laneways; it has the old heritage building. And then we had this ballroom, which was a great ballroom, but it didn’t really show the true spirit of the city.” With the idea of including graffiti in the planned refurbishment of the ballroom implanted, Germershausen and his team
With work on The Laneway Rooms finished, the hotel recently showcased them to a select group of event organisers during a familiarisation event which saw them partake in a guided Melbourne laneway tour conducted by Blender Studio artists and a stencil art class. Both experiences are available to meeting planners as part of the InterContinental’s Insider Experience program. A launch party, featuring Melbourne laneway-style food and street performers, saw The Laneway Rooms officially unveiled to an appreciative audience. Germershausen says he’s expecting demand for the “uniquely Melbourne space” to be strong. “If you have people coming for a meeting or social event here you can really connect them to the city, just by getting them into the ballroom,” he said.
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
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MEETING PEOPLE
Eventbrite has announced the appointment of Rachael Neumann (pictured) as managing director of Australia. Neumann has returned to Australia after a year in the US, working as the director of customer experience strategy at Eventbrite. Other new appointments include Laura Huddle as head of marketing for Australia and Damien Munro as senior business development manager.
Marriott International has appointed Brad Edman as general manager of the new Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak. Having worked for Marriott for 17 years, Edman brings a wealth of international experience within the hospitality industry. Prior to his role at Courtyard, Edman was the area director of sales and marketing for South East Asia Marriott International.
AST Management has welcomed Jazz Tyrril to the newly created role of communications and content manager. Tyrril has a strong background in event management, communications and marketing for event management firms, national associations, charities, unique venues, government and the corporate sector.
Heather Cornish will join the Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) team as events and marketing director. Cornish was previously consulting to CINZ, working on key marketing projects. She will take over the project management of the Meetings showcase and the CINZ Conference in 2015 from Jeanette Stanton, who leaves CINZ in November.
AVPartners has appointed Matt Taylor as partner at Crown Perth. Previously the business development manager for AVPartners Perth, Taylor brings over 15 years of experience delivering world-class integrated event experiences using state-of-the-art audiovisual technology to the role.
Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort has appointed Shirley Dodt to the position of director of sales and marketing. Dodt brings more than 25 years of experience having worked across the tourism and hospitality industry. She joins the resort from the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort.
Hilton Sydney has announced the appointment of Jan Jansen to the role of director of business development. Jansen’s experience includes directing the business development team at Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao in China. He will be responsible for directing all aspects of the hotel’s commercial functions.
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has appointed Nicholas Pome’e as information technology manager. He brings 12 years experience, with a background in managing and implementing IT systems, as well as providing end-to-end IT solutions.
Park Hyatt Melbourne has appointed Edwina San to the position of director of sales and marketing. San was most recently with the Melbourne Convention Bureau as general manager commercial partnerships for seven years. Her career spans over 20 years in senior management positions in the hotel, travel and business events sectors.
Merivale has announced the appointment of Jennifer Viali as their newest member of the sales and events team, as relationship manager. Viali joins Merivale after 18 years at Qantas where she worked across national industry and corporate sales, as well as inbound tourism development.
The Star in Sydney has appointed Jayson Heron as director of sales. Heron brings with him a wealth of industry experience from across a number of leading tourism, hospitality and events organisations. He joins The Star from his most recent role as national director of sales for Hilton Worldwide.
Pan Pacific Hotels Group has appointed Nicola Chandler as director of sales for Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney. Chandler previously held the position of director of sales and marketing for Accor Hotel's Sydney Strata Portfolio. She brings more than 15 years experience to the role.
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has appointed Marjolein Chandler to the position of director of events and special projects, joining the catering and conference services team. Chandler comes to Four Seasons from Hilton Sydney.
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PCO ASSOCIATION
Australia is sitting on another gold mine Tourism is our next big growth opportunity but Australia needs more infrastructure, writes Bryon Merzeo. for accommodation development, facilitating foreign investment and heavily petitioning hotel operators to grow room stock.
Over the past 20 years, coal, iron ore and natural gas have driven a resources-led boom in Australia. Our resources boom has plenty of miles in it yet, but has slowed as it moves from its construction to production phase.
Their success can be seen in the fact that there are currently around 90 hotel projects in the four-year pipeline across the country, the most we have seen in over a decade.
The next gold rush won’t come from the precious metal in the ground, but in the form of our golden beaches, wide open blue skies, famous landmarks, great food, even greater wine, big crocs and a very big rock. Deloitte’s recently released Positioning for prosperity? Catching the next wave report has identified tourism as one of five super growth sectors in which Australia has a competitive advantage and that can deliver real economic growth and prosperity over the next 20 years. While this is fantastic news for our industry, we must ensure we’re well positioned to deliver this prosperity and that we don’t miss this wave. Tourism 2020 is a strategy developed to get government and industry working together to achieve Australia's tourism potential. One of the many imperatives identified under the strategy is our need for up to an additional 20,000 capital city short stay accommodation rooms to meet the needs of this next boom in tourists. Yet at current count, we will be well shy of this by the end of the decade. There has been a long drought of new hotel, motel and serviced apartment construction stretching over the past decade. This, in turn, has led to record occupancy levels in many capital city markets – with average occupancy above 80 per cent in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in 2013. While hotel owners and operators have enjoyed growing demand, the other side of this story is more worrying. Melbourne, for example, experienced 138 nights in the past year at 90 per cent or greater occupancy. In Sydney, 90 per cent plus occupancy was experienced on 153 nights, equivalent to five months of the year. Corporate travellers, conference organisers
Many of these are part of mixed-use developments or are being built next to demand drivers such as airports, stadiums and conference centres, a type of development that is aimed at minimising risk by having a diversified source of rental income and guests. Sydney is slated for nearly 3000 new rooms, while Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth are likely to see just shy of 2000 each. and tourists have all experienced these extreme demand conditions – having to pay several hundred dollars for a basic room, often on the outskirts of town or, worse still, they haven’t been able to get a room at all. This is the certainly the law of supply and demand at work. It should be no surprise that hoteliers raise their rates when demand is stronger, but the downside for the tourism sector is that where room supply is uncertain or too expensive, major conference organisers turn their sights elsewhere, including overseas, for their large scale events. Looking at Australia from their viewpoint and, for example, having to secure a 10,000room conference in Melbourne (which only has 30,000 rooms in total on offer and often only 10 per cent of these, 3000 rooms, available) it should be no surprise that taking their event to Singapore (with 53,000 rooms on offer) or Hong Kong (with 64,000) is often their preferred option. Thankfully, Tourism Australia and the state tourism organisations identified this challenge a few years ago and, importantly, took action – introducing a range of incentives that included releasing crown land specifically
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The pipeline is strong, however Deloitte’s Tourism and Hotel Market Outlook forecasts that Perth will be the only one of these four markets to see a decline in occupancy rates – due to the new supply, but also based on the continued stabilising of the resource boom. Despite a forecast decrease to 79.4 per cent occupancy by 2016, Perth rooms rates are still expected to continue to grow at a healthy pace. Across the nation, room rates are expected to grow at 3.4 per cent per year, with most capital cities forecast to grow nearer 4 per cent each year. The next wave of tourism is building and we’re lucky to be positioned so close to developing Asian markets – and China in particular. People from rapidly growing and increasingly crowded cities, and with rising incomes, are craving space, nature, holidays, and luxury experiences. Australia is blessed with all of these and there is no doubt that we can win big with our tourism offerings. But we have to ensure there is always room at the inn. Bryon Merzeo works at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and is a consultant to the PCO Association.
Making money in a changing marketplace Openness with stakeholders is the key to building trust and long term relationships, writes Martin Lack. Fifteen years ago Wotif was a gleam in the mind of Graeme Wood; Eventbrite would burst onto the scene even later. No-one was streaming sessions. Our future looked secure. But not now in 2014. How do we stay alive today? The obvious strategy is to move up the value chain, get out of mere administration and walk away from the competition. So what business are we in? The communication business! Delegates attend conferences to meet people they know they want to meet. They get even greater value if they meet people they didn’t know they needed to meet. Delegates also attend to learn things they know they want to learn. More importantly we need to set up situations so they learn things they didn’t know they needed to learn. Finally, we add even greater value to our clients if delegates change the way they behave when they go back to their office – become internal evangelists, spruik what they’ve learned. Draw the attention of their colleagues to sessions on our website they found the most valuable.
want to achieve together then work with them to achieve it. Say thank you often. Embrace technology to increase productivity, smooth workload, reduce risk, and get rid of the boring stuff. Capitalise on the skills of your team. Encourage innovation and the sharing of ideas. Make their job fun and challenging. But work them flat-out from 9am-5pm and then send them home. You’ll be surprised what a difference this will make. Overall, everything will run a whole lot smoother and you won’t be putting out fires all the time. Everyone will believe in you and your clients will leave you alone to do the job you’re paid for. Build strong peer-to-peer relationships. Read magazines about your clients’ speciality. Give flowers to your team randomly. Thank key players the day after an event, for example your team, venue, committee, sponsors, keynotes speakers. They won't forget and will want to work with you again. A little bit of appreciation makes everyone feel really important.
What should our philosophy be? Aim to be the best professional conference organiser in Australia. And why not? Any aspiration less than that labels you as mediocre.
Always be prepared to learn and change, actively encourage staff and clients to make suggestions, and applaud their input no matter what. Constantly look through the eyes of your stakeholders.
Recognise the only reason you have a job is because of the people you work with – that is, all your stakeholders including clients, staff, suppliers, speakers, sponsors and delegates. Clearly explain the standard you
After the event, review everything, learn from the experience and change your processes to continue to improve. Assume everyone makes mistakes, so design your systems to trap these. Errors are costly
and mean you take your eye off the ball. A little effort up-front minimises stress down-stream. Play to the strengths of the team. More importantly, look for the specialised skills each possesses and capitalise on these too. Have the same business drivers as your client. Remember the stress when you present your bill. All this changes if the client sees you have the same interest in success as them. So… charge for every delegate entered on the database. The more who attend the more you win, and so does the client. Arrange to receive a percentage of all the sponsorship dollars acquired – another win-win. Openly charge all your other costs at cost. Taking hidden commissions is illegal and suppliers detest it. More importantly it restricts your choice of supplier and there is a disincentive to get the best price for you both. This is a lose-lose. If you have done all of the previous points, your client will pay a premium fee to you because it brings a real win for both off you. Openness like this builds trust and long-term relationships. It substantially reduces the effort it takes to run the next event for both of you. This brings a smile to the face of your client, and more money to your bottom line. Martin Lack from Martin Lack & Associates is a consultant to the PCO Association.
PCO ASSOCIATION NEWS Keynote speaker announced for PCO Conference Richard Robinson, the head economic forecaster for the highlyrespected BIS Shrapnel group, will be the opening keynote speaker at the annual PCO Association conference, to be held in Canberra from November 30-December 2, 2014.
manufacturing, consumer goods and commodities.
Robinson heads BIS Shrapnel’s economics unit and is the company's principal economic forecaster. His expertise includes areas that have either direct or indirect influences on the everyday lives of Australians and the nation's businesses, including property,
“We think he will give a very fair assessment of the state of play as seen by BIS Shrapnel and this may well give our delegates the confidence to move forward positively in their businesses,” he says.
During his presentation Robinson is expected to give insights into the Australian economy that will be pertinent to those operating in the events and tourism markets, according to conference chair Peter Sugg.
For more information visit www.pco.asn.au.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, October 2014 39
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