Print Post Approved PP231335/00018
DEC 2013/JAN 2014
TNQ’s big idea Abu Dhabi set to soar Coffs Coast: stay and play
Show stopper Village Roadshow Theme Parks
New Caledonia/ Reward
Book, Stay, Play
On us - for longer! Just book a conference for twenty passengers with a minimum 15 rooms for 3 nights and you and your partner, client, friend or colleague can now go to New Caledonia for TWO nights FREE! YOUR REWARD • Air tickets for two – ex Sydney or Brisbane courtesy Aircalin.
• Fuel, taxes & levies courtesy New Caledonia Tourism. • Two nights accommodation including breakfast (1 twin or 2 singles), courtesy of Hotel chosen for your group booking. • Transfers Airport/Hotel/Airport courtesy of land operator chosen for your group booking. • To claim your Reward, simply call New Caledonia Tourism on 1800 673 745.
www.newcaledonia-tv.com www.visitnewcaledonia.com
Contact us for a copy of our 2013/2014 Conference Planner. Call 1800 673 745 or email info-syd@nctps.com. Conditions: Reward offer valid for deposited bookings of 20 pax with a minimum of 15 rooms for 3 nights. Reward bookings subject to availability. Offer valid for deposited bookings made before 30 June 2014. Incentive offer valid for travel until 30 December 2014. Only 1 dinner per group booking. Extensions of travel at your own costs. Offer not transferable. Flights must be booked on Aircalin flight number. NCT/CIM/Jan2014
CONTENTS
14
16 REGULARS
On the cover Village Roadshow Theme Parks’ plans for a new conference centre are set to take meetings at the Gold Coast to another level, with a new world of possibility for event organisers limited only by their imaginations.
04 Publisher’s note
Print Post Approved PP231335/00018
08 New Zealand news 09 International news 34 Venue update 36 Q&A
NOV 2013
06 News
FEATURES 10 Cover story Village Roadshow Theme Parks’ plans revealed
Top End, top performer New look Adelaide Luxury on any budget cim1113.indd 1
Fran Barlow, Microsoft Australia
37 Meeting people
11 IT & CMA Education a key focus 12 Tropical North Queensland Thinking big for 2014
38 PCO Association
18
14 Sell TNQ All the action from TNQ’s annual famil 16 Golf Combining work and “play” 18 Thailand Phuket’s island attractions continue to dazzle 22 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi aims high for events
Clear view New Zealand goes Beyond Convention 8/11/13 2:03:43 PM
To ensure you never miss out there are now more ways to enjoy CIM. As well as the monthly magazine, CIM is also available as a free iPad app, which is packed with exclusive extras such as extended interviews, behind-the-scenes video footage and virtual site inspections. The CIM app is available for download at the iTunes app store.
Subscribe to the CIM iPad app
Don’t miss
24 Macau Infrastructure overdrive to lure business events 26 Kuala Lumpur Looking forward to the 2014 MEA Conference 30 Western Australia
Room to move in the South West region
32 Northern NSW Coffs Coast has plenty of reasons to stay and play
Look out for these topical news-based video stories on our website, www.cimmagazine.com, and in the CIM iPad app, to delve deeper into the issues behind the print stories.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 3
PUBLISHER’S WORD
Looking forward to 2014 A
s December rolls around each year I can’t help thinking back on the year that’s just been.
I don’t know about anyone else but for me 2013 was in many ways an odd year, with the previous Federal Government’s early announcement of a September election casting the nation into “wait and see” mode, with many businesses putting plans on hold for nine months or more. This is not to say that the business events industry didn’t break new ground in 2013. February saw the inaugural Business Events Week launched in Melbourne, a week long programme of activities designed to showcase the value of business events to the broader Australian community. In Sydney, plans for the game-changing $1 billion convention precinct, with the International Convention Centre Sydney at its heart, as well as Sydney’s temporary exhibition facilities, Sydney Exhibition Centre @ Glebe Island, continued to be firmed up throughout the year ahead of the closure of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in December.
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 Wright
Mid-year the industry was rocked by the news that the then Federal Government proposed to implement a $2000 cap of work-related self education expenses, which led to the establishment of the highly-successful “Scrap the Cap” campaign and eventual overturn of the policy in October.
JOURNALIST Sheridan Randall
Despite the sluggish economy Australia attracted many major events including the Herbalife Leadership Vacation 2012 and the Perfect China Leadership Seminar, and many bureaux and venues reported record-breaking results.
ACCOUNT MANAGER Stephanie Rowen
With the election now behind us I feel confident that 2014 will be a much more energetic and upbeat year industry-wide. I know I’m looking forward to seeing how the country fares. In the meantime the CIM team is in the process of getting ready for The Austalian Incentive and Meetings Expo (AIME). We’re excited to be producing the AIME Daily again this year, bringing show visitors all the most up-to-date news from the expo’s organisers and exhibitors. Each of the Dailies will be available in print and digital versions for the show. To ensure you know where to find us if you have any news you want to share, we’ll have an office on our stand (Stand 2432). We look forward to seeing you there!
SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Jo Robinson
DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER Bin Zhou DIGITAL/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Xin Jin EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Anna-Louise McDougall
HEAD OFFICE – SYDNEY +61 2 9438 2300 Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Fax: +61 2 9438 5962 Email: enquiries@creativehead.com.au
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Alexandra Yeomans, Publisher
Copyright © 2013 Creative Head Media Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed by the contributors in this magazine are not the opinion of CIM. Letters to the editor are subject to editing.
THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY
4 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Official Australian publication for the PCO Association
CAB Audited Circulation 16,553 September 2013
Professio na lC
Nielsen Media Research July 2004 Readership 57,936 monthly
nce Organise rs fere A on
PCO
Inc. ation oci ss
Next year will be a big year for Tropical North Queensland, with the G20 Finance Ministers Meeting and Australian Tourism Exchange set to boost the region’s profile and a $4.2 billion development in the pipeline. Find out more on page 12.
BUSINESS PARTNER
INDUSTRY NEWS NEWS BRIEFS MCEC ‘doing it for the kids’ After 11 years at Etihad Stadium in Docklands, Victoria’s annual Good Friday Appeal telethon, is moving to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) in 2014. The telethon will be staged in MCEC’s 2500-seat Plenary, with the public able to purchase tickets to join the live studio audience. Proceeds will be donated to the Appeal.
Cellar Door Wine Festival wins tourism award The Cellar Door Wine Festival Adelaide, which is run by the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC), has won a second successive South Australian Tourism Award (SATA) in the Festival and Events category. In the past 12 months, the Festival has won seven major national and state awards as well as being a finalist for the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) Innovation Award.
Win for new Port Stephens bureau Destination Port Stephens’ newly formed business events body, MICE Port Stephens, has scored its first major coup with the announcement that Port Stephens and Newcastle, in New South Wales, will host the 2014 Australian Regional Tourism Convention. The five-day conference will be based at the Whitesands Convention Centre at Shoal Bay Resort & Spa (pictured) in Port Stephens, with meetings held across the region and in Newcastle.
MCB races to support Starlight Children’s Foundation The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has raised $28,445 for the Starlight Children’s Foundation through its participation in the Great Adventure Challenge, a full day, multiteam based, corporate adventure race. “I am exceptionally pleased to announce that MCB was awarded first place for the highest fundraising team in Victoria,” said MCB chief executive Karen Bolinger.
New Glebe Island facility gears up Dockside Group has been awarded a three-year exclusive contract for exhibition and corporate catering at interim facility Sydney Exhibition Centre @ Glebe Island (SEC@GI), which is set to open next month. Captain Cook Cruises will provide free, special event ferry services from Darling Harbour to the new facility, with a temporary ferry wharf being built at SEC@GI to accommodate the ferries.
New brand for Canberra tourism bureau Canberra’s marketing bureau, Australian Capital Tourism, has launched new branding and a new logo, with the bureau now known as VisitCanberra. The Canberra Convention Bureau (CCB) has welcomed the introduction of the new brand as an opportunity to promote Canberra’s identity. The brand promotes the range of brilliant possibilities, values and attributes associated with Canberra. Bureau chief executive Robyn Hendry said the brand is “is more than just a logo”. “It is the stories behind the brand which include the city’s assets and characteristics that give value and meaning to the brand,” she said. “Having a city brand will give us a wonderful opportunity to speak collectively about a place we are all so proud off. As people and organisations begin to engage with this brand we will be able to demonstrate our credentials as a vibrant and innovative city.
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app. “The brand’s strong focus on knowledge and culture directly speaks to the reason organisations choose Canberra for their meetings and conferences. The better we are able to tell this story and demonstrate the strength of this city the more likely organisations will be to choose Canberra as their conference destination.”
Best of the best celebrated One of Australia’s most spectacular festivals, Vivid Sydney (pictured) has taken out the Australian Event of the Year award for 2013 at the Australian Event Awards. The festival, which transforms Sydney Harbour into an impressive canvas of light, music and ideas, beat what the judges described as “a particularly close set of finalists”. Other major winners included Carillon Conference Management, which won the CIM Magazine Best Meeting or Conference award for their work on the 34th International Geological Congress. Australia’s Favourite Event, the only award to be decided by public vote, was awarded to Canberra’s Summernats Car Festival. “We are thrilled to see so many different types of events being rewarded,” said chair of judges, Sandy Hollway, Sydney 2000 Olympic chief. “It is nothing short of a vital national imperative to shift towards clever, sustainable, international service industries. And the smartest, quickest, most costeffective way to do that is to build on existing strengths. The events industry is one of those strengths.”
6 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Di Henry, renowned for redefining and executing the Olympic Torch Relay, and Mary Lopez, founding producer and director of the Schools Spectacular, joined Sandy Hollway on stage as they were presented with Lifetime Achievement awards for their creativity, innovation and dedication to Australia’s events indusrty. In a bitter sweet moment, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre was named Australia’s best venue, just weeks before its closure in December to allow for the redevelopment of the Darling Harbour meeting precinct in response to growing demand. In accepting the award, chief executive Ton van Amerongen paid tribute to his team for their work in continuing to deliver a world-class event experience to clients and delegates. “Over the past year, we have had the unprecedented task of managing peak business levels while preparing for the closure of a successful business,” he said. “It’s been an extraordinary time, but my team has continued to excel throughout, and I cannot praise them enough for their efforts.” The full list of winners can be found at www.eventawards.com.au.
$2 million pledged for ACC bid fund New features for AIME 2014 Plans are firming up for the 2014 Asia-Pacific Meetings & Incentives Expo (AIME), which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 18-19. According to organisers there are a number of new features lined up for 2014. In response to demand from local buyers to see more Asian and European exhibitors on the show floor, AIME has developed the Asian and European Pavilions. These two new areas will provide buyers the opportunity to meet with companies from the regions in two convenient locations, rather than a number of stands spread throughout the show. “With such a high demand from Hosted Buyers to work with Asian and European businesses, we saw a great need to introduce a strategy to ensure we were reaching this important market,” said Jacqui Timmins, exhibition director for AIME.
Another new area will be the Event and Services Pavilion, which will showcase key event logistics companies. Also new is the AIME blog, which gives the business events industry a platform to stay connected to relevant news and information year-round, with content contributed by industry leaders such as Jo-Anne Kelleway, of Info Salons, and Martin Sirk, chief executive of the International Congress and Convention Association. Applications are currently being accepted from event buyers interested in participating in the Hosted Buyer Program, which includes flights, accommodation, pre and post touring opportunities, access to networking and education sessions, and a pre scheduled appointment schedule. Visitor registrations are also open at www. aime.com.au. Entry is free for pre-registered visitors, or $25 at the door.
The South Australian Government has announced it will commit $2 million to a "bid fund" for the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) from the start of next financial year. South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill and Tourism Minister Leon Bignell made the announcement from the under-construction Ibis Adelaide Hotel, saying the fund would help the ACC, which is undergoing a $350 million redevelopment, make the most of its new facilities. The Adelaide Convention Bureau's funding had previously been cut from $1 million to $800,000 over the past three years. The city’s accomodation industry has welcomed the announcement with Adrian Williams, regional general manager for Accor Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, saying the Government’s commitment was a great “step for Adelaide and the expanding convention centre”. “Events growth and increased demand on services driven by the expansion of the Convention Centre and the State Government’s $2 million injection will no doubt bring about employment opportunities which will pay instant dividends to the visitor economy throughout the State,” he said.
ICC Sydney sales off to strong start Three years out from its opening in late 2016, Sydney’s International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is already signing up major events. Business Events Sydney’s (BESydney) chief executive Lyn Lewis-Smith said the international events secured for the centre so far showed strong confidence in the new facilities and supported the Government’s investment in the redevelopment of Darling Harbour. “Five international events, worth an impressive combined total of almost $34
million, have now been confirmed for ICC Sydney,” said Lewis-Smith. “This comes on top of the 60 expressions of interest from national association events for the new centre.
Professionals (INSOL) World Quadrennial Congress 2017 and the International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference 2017 will be the first two major international conferences to take place in ICC Sydney.
“Four of these events are leading professional services meetings – a great alignment with the Government’s economic development plan that includes a focus on the State’s finance and business services competitive advantages.”
“The new convention centre has certainly been a key theme of our international discussions,” said Lewis-Smith. “It’s very encouraging to see an increasing number of events signing up to use this exciting new space and I’m sure we are going to see many more clients securing their events for the opening years of ICC Sydney.”
The International Association of Restructuring Insolvency Bankruptcy
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 7
NZ NEWS
International convention centre gets go-ahead This legislation means that SkyCity will invest NZ$402 million ($366 million) to design, build, own and operate the New Zealand International Convention Centre, in return for an extension of SkyCity’s Auckland Casino Licence to 2048 and other gaming related concessions.
The New Zealand Parliament has passed legislation allowing the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) to go ahead.
“Today’s announcement represents an important milestone in the transformation of SkyCity,” said SkyCity chief executive Nigel Morrison. “After many years of negotiation with the New Zealand Government, we are delighted to now be able to move ahead with this very
exciting development. “The passage of the legislation through Parliament allows us to proceed with developing a world-class convention centre in Auckland. This will be a vital piece of national tourism infrastructure that will reinforce Auckland as a leading international city by attracting high value events and visitors to Auckland and New Zealand. It will enable New Zealand to finally compete for major conventions in this part of the world.” The target date for completion of the NZICC is September 2017.
Queenstown shows off its adventurous side Tourism New Zealand and Destination Queenstown will undertake a joint marketing campaign to drive summer visitation to the region by showcasing its adventurous side.
campaign will help build on the success of that.” The joint summer campaign will
showcase adventure experiences against Queenstown’s stunning natural backdrops.
The campaign “Everyday a different story” is being rolled out in New South Wales and Victoria with a focus on attracting more visitors to Queenstown during January to April 2014. “We are thrilled to be working with Destination Queenstown,” said Tourism New Zealand general manager Tim Burgess. “Not only is Queenstown accessible, it’s widely recognised as the adventure capital of the world and this
Novotel Christchurch gets Qualmark tick The recently re-opened Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square hotel has been rated 4 Star Plus under the New Zealand quality rating system for tourism product, Qualmark. The Qualmark Hotel rating comes as a welcome boost to the Christchurch property which closed in February 2011 following the earthquakes that rocked the city. After 30 months
of remediation and renewal, the Novotel re-opened its doors officially on September 4, 2013. Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square general manager Carl Braddock said the recognition was “a moment of pride for the team in Christchurch and Accor in New Zealand”. “The extensive refit of Novotel, which was only a year old when the earthquake hit, saw only
New CAP bid win for Auckland
minor structural repair and extensive cosmetic repair, mostly to the exterior panels giving a look as good as the day it opened in 2010,” he said. “The Qualmark rating signals to the world that we are not only fit for purpose but stylishly handsome in our rooms and facilities, and we look forward to welcoming guests to our 4 Star Plus hotel.”
8 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
An estimated 1600 intellectual property lawyers from Asia and the rest of the world will gather in Auckland in November 2017, thanks to the combined efforts of the Auckland Convention Bureau and Tourism New Zealand. The Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) Council Meeting 2017 will be hosted at SkyCity and is estimated to be worth in excess of NZ$2 million ($1.8 million) to Auckland’s economy. The New Zealand Group of APAA will be responsible for organising the event. “The meeting is an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas with our industry peers, and we look forward to welcoming our guests to Auckland in 2017,” said New Zealand Group president, John Glengarry. “The support and guidance we received from the Auckland Convention Bureau and Tourism New Zealand was invaluable in getting our bid together and in getting New Zealand over the line.” The bid was won with the support of the Conference Assistance Programme (CAP), run by Tourism New Zealand on behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), which provides assistance to any association or organisation that is in a position to bid for an international conference to be held in New Zealand. Auckland Convention Bureau manager Anna Hayward says this is an excellent example of New Zealand agencies working in a unified way to secure conference business. ”There is enormous potential to grow this international business events sector for the benefit of Auckland and New Zealand,” she said.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Chinese in the dark about overseas destinations Destinations and venues outside of China, including Australia, must work harder to communicate what is available to the Chinese market, according to the first Chinese Meeting Planners Site Selection Survey taken at this year’s China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM) in Beijing. According to the research by Rob Davidson, senior lecturer in events management, University of Greenwich, London, 35 per cent of Chinese meeting planners experienced difficulty in getting information about
destinations outside China, and 47 per cent experienced difficulty in finding out about venues outside China. The four most widely preferred sources for receiving information about potential destinations for events were, in order: educational trips to the destinations; destination marketing organisations’ websites; other meeting planners; and meetings industry exhibitions. The factors influencing destination attractiveness in order of importance included a pleasant climate, financial issues, both in the
sense of economic stability and the possibility of destinations being able to offer financial or in-kind support to meeting planners, and visa requirements of host countries. The factors affecting venue attractiveness included proximity to airport and public transportation, closely followed by the provision of “fast internet”. “This sends an important signal to destinations and venues outside China, it shows us that they must work harder to make communication with the Chinese market easier,” said Davidson.
Singapore tackles sustainability Africa takes
‘centre stage’
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched a new set of Sustainability Guidelines to serve as a reference guide for business events industry organisers and suppliers in Singapore. These guidelines are referenced from international standards such as ISO 20121 and the APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards and geared towards those who are keen to adopt sustainable practices. The Sustainability Guidelines cover seven industry categories from across the business events ecosystem, including hotels, venues, event organisers and meeting planners, transportation, food and beverage, as well as audio-visual set-up. Areas covered under the guidelines include advice on waste management and the efficient use of water and energy, as well as initiatives that encourage employees to develop a commitment to sustainable practices. The first event to make use of the guidelines was the “Responsible Business Forum on Sustainability Development”, which was held at Marina Bay Sands in November. “With corporate clients and delegates becoming increasingly concerned about the environment, business event organisers and meeting planners are turning to destinations and venues with strong sustainability policies in place,” said Chew Tiong Heng, executive director, business tourism development at the Singapore Tourism Board. “Green initiatives are therefore gaining traction among MICE event organisers, who recognise that such endeavours significantly enhance the overall visitor experience. “In our pursuit of quality tourism, we must meet the emerging needs to enhance the experience of our business visitors. The Sustainability Guidelines will help our MICE
The South African National Convention Bureau, which launched just under two years ago, is “working hard to ensure that Africa as a continent works together in partnership, to significantly grow Africa’s share of global business events”, according to South African Tourism chief executive officer Thulani Nzima. partners and stakeholders take the first step in adopting sustainable practices, and eventually integrate these practices across all aspects of their MICE operations. Over time, all these efforts will strengthen the attractiveness of Singapore as a dynamic exhibitions and conventions hub in the region, and reinforce our reputation as a City in a Garden.” The Sustainability Guidelines will complement the various green practices, policies and programmes already in place for hotels and other buildings in Singapore. “To transition to a sustainable meetings and events industry, convention bureaus have a key role to unite their members and partners in collaborative action and innovation on a destination scale,” said Guy Bigwood, past-president Green Meeting Industry Council and MCI Group sustainability director. “Their role as a leader is key to help organisations understand the business value of sustainable practice, educate stakeholders, share knowledge, recognise best practices, champion the use of standards and to lobby for greater action. STB’s sustainability strategy and newly developed Sustainability Guidelines will inspire their community and bring Singapore to the forefront of sustainability on a global scale.”
Earlier this year the bureau launched its strategic positioning campaign, Rise with us!, which invites business events planners to bring their events to South Africa and be part of the continent’s growth. “We’re organised and we have the skill and track record that speaks of success and offers the assurance of excellent, professional, [and] awesome delivery for any event,” said Nzima. “South Africa offers value for money; economic and political stability; and a safe and secure destination for delegates. South Africa also has a business events infrastructure that’s extremely capable. We have five international convention centres, hundreds of four and five-star hotels – these are star-graded properties with guaranteed quality, excellent airport infrastructure, world-class technology and people with the skills and the experience to deliver the world’s most sophisticated business events.” South Africa is currently the number one association conference destination on the African continent, hosting 97 international association meetings. “Africa is no longer on the side-lines,” said Nzima. “Africa has taken centre stage.”
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 9
COVER STORY An artist’s impression of the new Sea World Resort Conference Centre.
View slideshow in the CIM iPad app.
With a spectacular array of beautiful venues, dazzling entertainment and unique experiences, Village Roadshow Theme Parks have been transforming conferences and events into something unforgettable for businesses from all around the world. Encompassing six world-class properties with a diverse range of uniquely themed venues, organisations are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the perfect venue for their conferences or event on the Gold Coast.
Show stopper Village Roadshow Theme Parks’ plans for a new conference centre are set to take meetings at the Gold Coast to another level, with a new world of possibility for event organisers limited only by their imaginations.
Included amongst its impressive range of properties are Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Sea World Resort & Water Park, Australian Outback Spectacular, Wet’n’Wild Water World and Paradise Country. Sales manager Caroline Duveau-Clayton says that “companies from all around the globe are enthusiastically returning to Village Roadshow Theme Parks year after year thanks to the unique and memorable events and venues we offer, as well as the incredible level of professionalism and service we deliver”. Some of their most popular events include enchanting breakfasts with their beautiful dolphins, dinners at Shark Bay, red carpet “glitz & glam” gala dinners in the Star Pavilion at Movie World with their “Hollywood Legends”, “scary” cocktail parties at Spooky Castle, casual beach parties at Wet’n’wild or incredible Australian Spectacular Outback adventures. “It’s always great to see companies stretching their imagination when it comes to conferencing and events,” says Duveau-Clayton.
For more information visit www.themeparks.com.au
Alongside the variety of fun and unique activities for businesses to take advantage of, Village Roadshow Theme Parks also offers accommodation at its 4.5-star resort.
10 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
One of the largest accommodation venues on the Gold Coast, Sea World Resort & Water Park features 402 rooms with seven unique meeting and conference rooms, all set on the spectacular Gold Coast Broadwater. Its relaxed atmosphere and world class conference facilities allow organisations to achieve their conferencing goals as well as experiencing unique team building activities. “Invariably conference organisers comment on how we delivered one of the best conferences they have ever held,” she says. “This is really the place where serious business meets serious fun!” The master plan for the new Sea World Resort Conference Centre was also unveiled recently providing a new focus for the conferencing and events market on the Gold Coast. The state of the art conference centre, due for completion in 2015, will cater for conferences of up to 1000 delegates. Its facilities include the very latest audio-visual equipment, a porte cochere with vehicle access, as well as a large al-fresco area ideal for breaks, lunches and cocktail receptions. Village Roadshow Theme Parks general manager Bikash Randhawa describes the new conference centre as a game changer for the Gold Coast conference market, providing a one-stop shop for companies and reinforcing its position as one of the leading conference venues in Australia. “We will be able to provide the corporate sector with larger conferencing facilities, whilst providing amazing offsite experiences at one of our theme park sister properties,” says Randhawa. This unique offering is not found at any other venue in Australia with Village Roadshow Theme Parks providing an endless possibility of imaginative experiences for its clients and adding the “wow” factor into conferences and events for organisations from every industry.
IT&CMA
Education focus for Bangkok expo A strong education programme that addressed industry trends and challenges, as well as the specific needs of attendees, was a highlight of this year’s event, writes Anna-Louise McDougall. Bangkok-based business events expo Incentive Travel and Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and co-located show Corporate Travel World (CTW) have celebrated their 21st anniversary with another successful year. The show, which was held in October, saw 387 buyers from 48 countries and territories attend with 887 exhibitors from 285 organisations. Amongst the exhibitors there was strong support from Japan who exhibited with the largest delegation since 2010, capitalising on Japan’s recent visa waiver for Thai and Malaysian nationals, which has increased the country’s allure as a “best-selling incentive destination”. Taiwan doubled their space from last year and Thailand also expanded with new exhibitors Phuket and Khon Kean. A highlight of the show for visitors was the education program which saw a strong contingent of experts deliver dedicated tracks catered specifically to the knowledge objectives of association executives and corporate travel professionals. “Engagement through knowledge enhancement has always been a central component of IT&CMA and
Going beyond convention
CTW Asia-Pacific,” said Darren Ng, managing director of TTG Asia Media. “This year, we have taken the emphasis on education to another level with a couple of new thrusts dedicated to association management and corporate performance.” The education programme’s keynote address was delivered by Rohit Talwar, chief executive of Fast Future Research. Talwar shared his insights on the future of business travel and business events, highlighting the five “megatrends” of the
Unrivalled opportunity Thailand has had a successful 2013, according to Supawan Teerarat, vice president, strategic and business development of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau. Teerarat said the year was “on track to welcome 940,000 business event visitors generating annual revenues of about 80 billion baht [$2.7 billion]”. The bureau also took the opportunity to introduce buyers to their new Thailand Connect campaign. Thailand Connect targets buyers from around the world focusing on three key industry pillars: the diversity of destinations, unrivalled business opportunities and a high quality of Thailand’s business professionals.
industry, including the evolution of traveller expectations, the growing emphasis of the guest experience, impact of new innovative business models, technology and the emergence of a multisensory internet platform as well as new capabilities required of future industry leaders to lead travel and events businesses in an increasingly volatile and uncertain world. Talwar also presented the results from The Power of 10 study, commissioned by IMEX, to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, detailing the top 10 challenges for the business events industry arising from the megatrends for the next 10 years. These include evolving a distinctive industry persona
Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) used IT&CMA to promote their recently launched “100% Pure New Zealand Beyond Convention” campaign. The campaign aims to attract international business events to New Zealand, focusing on the country’s strengths in industries ranging from marine, aviation, agribusiness and health science with a high value on food and earth science. Additional sectors identified for business event potential include tourism, indigenous culture, creative and digital, and bio security/ conservation. “This is a big year for Tourism New Zealand in the MICE market,” said Mischa MannixOpie, regional manager – South & South East Asia of Tourism New Zealand. “We have had a significant increase in funding specifically to attract business events – incentives and conferences – to New Zealand.” independent of tourism and representative of the role of events in knowledge creation, establishing universal economic impact models, experimenting with business models and revenue streams, acquiring, retaining and developing talent and embracing diversity. The show also debuted its new Association Day Forum, a tailored programme featuring topics on association management, spanning best practices, industry trends, updates and outlooks that benefit both suppliers catering to the association business as well as the associations themselves, and Corporate Performance Forum, which focused on topics helping corporate buyers accountable for performance targets to meet their objectives.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 11
TNQ
Thinking big Next year will be a big year for Tropical North Queensland, with the G20 Finance Ministers meeting and Australian Tourism Exchange set to boost the region’s profile around the globe, and a $4.2 billion development in the pipeline, writes Ylla Wright. The biggest news story in Tropical North Queensland currently is the proposed $4.2 billion Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort at Yorkey’s Knob just north of Cairns, which if it comes off will be the largest investment in tourism infrastructure in Australia’s history.
exhibition centre.
Conceived and planned as a fully integrated resort that leverages off the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef to draw visitors from Asia and beyond, Aquis is expected to attract thousands of domestic and international tourists each year and provide a significant boost to the local and State economies.
The project has attracted wide spread approval, according to Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef director Rosie Douglas.
What’s new in TNQ
Plans for the resort include 3750 hotel room across nine hotels, a casino, a 25,000 seat stadium, one of the world’s largest aquariums, 13,500sqm of high end retailing, two 25,000 seat theatres, a cultural heritage centre, 65 hectare estuarine lagoon, 18-hole golf course, large scale water fun park, and a 45,000sqm convention and
Subject to approval of an environmental impact statement (EIS), which was lodged in early November, and the granting of a casino licence, the project is expected to start construction in 2014 with an official opening in 2018.
“They’ve done a really good job with community engagement; there’s been lots of public consultation,” she says. “Part of the development will be infrastructure that the community will benefit from, for example, they’re talking about a rectangular stadium, which the city doesn’t have any more. They’re talking about another golf course, which will be open to the public. They’re talking about convention space.”
released (a representative for the company said they are “unable to release specific details about specific aspects of the resort” until after the EIS is assessed), the Initial Advice Statement presented to the Queensland Government said that the resort “will have the ability to attract to North Queensland international government and business conventions and exhibitions, major sporting events and international meetings and conferences”. Douglas believes the facilities are unlikely to rival the Cairns Convention Centre in terms of size. “I think everyone is of the opinion that if there is more space it will attract more business overall,” she says. The development is also likely to result in improved air access out of Asia, which will make getting business events delegates in and out of the region easier.
suggested that if the resort goes ahead the airport will need to accommodate an additional six wide bodied aircraft daily at the international terminal, and three smaller jets at the domestic terminal to bring in guests. Cathy Pacific, which commences four direct non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Cairns in March 2014, have hinted that they might come to the party, while China Eastern, China Southern (both of which operate charter and season flights from China), Air China, China Airlines, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas are also believed to be in discussion with the airport to provide additional flights.
While details of the proposed convention centre haven’t been
Cairns Airport chief executive officer Kevin Brown has
Behind the scenes tours
The view from above
Leisurely airport transfers
Centrally located
Client interested in environmental issues? Cruise operator Quicksilver is offering “back-of-house” tours of the environmental initiatives on eco-sensitive tourism development Green Island Resort, located 27km off Cairns, with fact sheets provided for delegates. The company’s Megan Bell says the option combines a “field trip with fun”.
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway installed the last of 11 glass bottomed Diamond View Gondolas in late November, offering small groups a view of the rainforest canopy just metres beneath their feet. Packages can be tailored to include rainforest discovery options such as tree planting, sustainability seminars or guided ranger tours.
What’s a trip to TNQ without a leisurely cruise? Sunlover Reef Cruises can provide airport transfers between Cairns airport and Port Douglas for up to 440 people on one of their two catamarans. Business development manager Michelle Kach says the two hours trip would be “a nice finishing touch to a conference before heading home”.
Fresh from a $20 million dollar refurbishment which was completed in August 2013, the centrally located Pacific International Cairns is less than 500 metres stroll along the esplanade to Cairns Convention Centre and Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal. The hotel has plans to relaunch the off-site catering arm of their business in early 2014.
12 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Douglas believes that overall
An artists impression of Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort.
Profile boosting events Amongst the major events to be held in Tropical North Queensland next year is the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), which will be hosted in Cairns for the first time. Organised by Tourism Australia, the annual event brings together 725 overseas travel buyers from 39 countries to meet with around 1500 Australian delegates from 470 companies from every state and territory. According to Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy, hosting ATE is a great opportunity for Cairns, and the region as a whole, to boost its profile internationally.
Tropical North Queensland is in an extremely positive place as 2013 draws to a close, with “a lot of business confidence across the whole region”. “Everything is moving really well for business events,” she says. “2014 is going to be a huge year, just based on what we have confirmed on the books so far.
C
A I R N S
“We’re seeing a lot of growth out of the North American market and also Asia. We’re starting to gain momentum out of China, in particular, but also South East Asia. Cairns is being presented as an alternative second or third city to some of the more traditional destinations, which we’re really happy about.”
C
“In previous years the immediate economic impact of ATE to the host destination has been around $13.4 million and 10,000 visitor nights, whilst also providing longer term benefits of tourism generated through the business forged during the event. “During ATE international buyers have the opportunity to
O N V E N T I O N
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not only meet face-to-face with hundreds of Australian tourism suppliers, from our hotels and tour operators, to our attractions, but also experience the destination first-hand through pre and post touring.” Another major event which will showcase Cairns’ beauty and business events capabilities to the world, which Douglas says is ”further testament that Cairns is a global business events destination”, is the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in September 2014. Queensland’s Assistant Minister for Tourism and Member for Cairns, Gavin King, recently encouraged the city as a whole to get behind the event, saying the G20 meeting would have a lasting impact on the region. “This meeting is bringing some of the most influential politicians in the world right to our doorstep, meaning pictures of this beautiful part of the State will be broadcast across the globe,” he said.
E N T R E
Consider Cairns for your next meeting… Vi s i t w w w. c a i r n s c o n v e n t i o n . c o m . a u
Serious Business in Australia’s Most Stunning Location www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 13
SELL TNQ
They say you ha ve to kiss a lot of frogs to meet a pr In Port Douglas Se ince. ll TNQ delegates -turned-cane toad jockeys kissed th eir toads for luck before “racing th across the finish em” line at a Welcom e Cocktail Party hosted by Port Do uglas Catering & Events and held Sugar Wharf. at
gates e. s, dele la g u Centr o ort D ntion P e v o t n ’s e o e sC out Centr s, en r it” at Cairn on the ll team, Cairn P ld e in e h k g a a n b et arrivin in “The Sn ch has bee L bask After cal NB a lun lunch lo e d o e t im t y enjo first home as the hich is This w ll court, w tba baske s. aipan The T
ts (otherwise known as A full-day of one-of-one appointmen at the Sheraton Mirage ) room “speed dates” by many in the chance to discuss their Port Douglas gave delegates the North Queensland’s best future events needs with Tropical business events suppliers.
Show and tell It was Port Douglas’ turn to shine when it played host to this year’s Sell TNQ, Tropical North Queensland’s annual business events showcase, writes Ylla Wright. What do koalas at check-in, lunch in “the snake pit”, and champagne and cane toad racing have in common? Yep, it’s just another day at Sell TNQ, Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef’s annual familiarisation event, which was held in Port Douglas in November. The four-day event, which alternates between Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Cairns, saw 30 business events organisers and media meet with suppliers from across the region during an intensive full-day networking session, as well as experience first-hand a number of Port Douglas hotels, business events facilities and attractions. Highlights of the famil included a welcome lunch in “The Snake Pit” at Cairns Convention Centre, home to the city’s NBL basketball team, The Taipans; a welcome cocktail event at the Port Douglas Sugar Wharf; a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with the Quicksilver Group; an Indigenous rainforest tour of Mossman Gorge; and a gala dinner at Flames of the Forest. A post-touring group of 10 went on to explore the
14 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
region, even joining in the city’s Melbourne Cup celebrations. Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef director Rosie Douglas says the event was one of the best yet. “Famils are a key marketing activity for us, as the best way to sell an exceptional destination is to have people experience it,” she says. “We find once industry representatives visit the region and understand what the destination offers that we have a much higher conversion rate of business.” Tara Bennett, business development executive for Tourism Port Douglas & Daintree says that the outlook in Port Douglas is bright. “Port Douglas has experienced its busiest year since pre-GFC times,” she says. “We’ve finally hit over two million room nights in the last financial year. In the conference side things has been fairly stable but we’ve seen massive enquiries and there’s going to be a lot of growth in that first half of the year. Our domestic market has grown but also some of our key ones such as the US market.”
e o th ior t t r p r each reso ghes, the b ing ecou n H o d i s n é stun CO Dav won a nap f a o c d P sy al, er e an urte land tion , aft pagn came co ew Zea Interna e lodge al m a .N ns Ch er t th ner odge dinn ge a entio y ge gala Beach L & Conv n packa nised b io ga la es Tha ncentiv mmodat draw or I o d c r m c a fro ht a iness c -nig s . two ng a bu indt n Kl ni win ger Joha a man
Fire d an TNQ’s cers kick o ff g in the ala dinner the evenin , held g heart at Fla ’s entertain o wasn mes o ’t eno f the rainf ment f the ore ug at Se into t Fores he nig h to damp st. Even a t, loca ll en sp tropic ht. ted irits a s gue al downpo sts pa ur rtied late
n runner Robert After watching champion maratho Baton Relay for ens De Castella participate in the Que delegates lucky es, Gam lth the Glasgow Commonwea visited Kuranda ring -tou post the for on enough to stay y before travelling on the Skyrail Rainforest Cablewa ic Railway. Scen back to Cairns on the Kuranda
Delegates on the post tour tried their ha Cairns Zoom nd at the ropes course, an indoor advent suspended ab ure course ove the tree lin e (not to men metre crocod tion four ile Goliath), be fore saying fa Tropical North rewell to the at a lunch at Salt House in Cairns.
Ylla Wright was a guest of Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef.
A conference fAcility where you cAn
23883
“A big thank you for an outstanding conference last week. 95% of delegates said the conference venue met or exceeded their expectations” Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, August 2013
Award winning Conference venue 182 4½ star rooms 11 Function rooms State of the Art Audio Visual including Wifi Professional, unique, memorable 18-hole championship golf course
For further information – 03 6335 5879 leah.muir@countryclubtasmania.com.au www.countryclubtasmania.com.au
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 15
GOLF
Stay and play Holding an event on a PGA Championship golf resort is an ideal way to combine work with the sort of “play” that rewards delegates and creates lasting memories, writes Ylla Wright. For keen golfers and armchair enthusiasts, the Australian PGA Championship, held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort in Queensland’s Surfers Coast in November, is one of the key events of the year, carrying with it the cachet of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) of Australia. With only the best championship courses selected to host the prestigious event this is golf at it’s finest. While few of us might finish four rounds of the RACV Royal Pines course on 14 under par, as this year’s Australian PGA Championship winner Adam Scott did, you don’t have to be a professional golfer to enjoy the thrill of a hit of golf on a championship level course. And whether you’re organising a conference, meeting or corporate golf day, there are plenty of options available. Currently undergoing a multimillion dollar renovation of its convention facilities which is due to be completed by April 2014, the refurbished RACV Royal Pines Resort will offer conference and event facilities to accommodate groups from eight to 1800 delegates, while a number of outdoor venues can accommodate a range of team building and group activities. The resort also regularly plays host to corporate golf day events, with the golf events team able to co-ordinate everything from catering and accommodation to corporate merchandise, novelty holes, five and nine hole activities, putting competitions and pre golf clinics. Across the Tasman, it was announced in July that the New Zealand Open, a tier one event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, will be held at The Hills Golf Course and Millbrook Resort in
Queenstown, from February 27-March 2, 2014. Destination Queenstown has been focussing on promoting Queenstown as a world-class golf destination for several years and chief executive Graham Budd believes hosting the tournament will further this goal. “Queenstown and Arrowtown will provide the perfect backdrop for this high profile event, offering visitors world-class facilities, multi award-winning courses, spectacular
reminded by people of how beautiful the course and surrounds are,” he says. “The NZ Open will allow us to showcase Millbrook to a worldwide audience.” The resort, which was recently named New Zealand’s Best Golf Resort at this year’s World Travel Awards, prides itself on being able to suit clients’ needs. Amongst the options on offer are golf coaching, golf schools for groups of up to six and remote check-ins at the driving range. The InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa’s award winning Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course will be the first South Pacific golf course to host the OneAsia Premier Golf Tournament in August 2014, with the Fiji Government and PGA Australia recently signing a memorandum of understanding for the island nation to host the tournament for the next five years. Scott Williams, general manager of InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, says, “it is a great honour for our Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course to be hosting such a prestigious event” which will be broadcast to more than 40 countries. The Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course is regarded as one of the best golf courses in Fiji and offers not only challenging play but also uninterrupted views of the white sands and coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean. The golf course facilities include an 18 hole par 72 championship golf course, golf driving range, practice chipping and putting greens.
lake and alpine scenery, and a diverse range of golfing and non-golfing activity options,” he says. “It’s a huge opportunity for us to shine on a world stage.” Millbrook Resort’s director of golf, Brian Spicer, says they are “thrilled to be a part of this prestigious tournament, which will be the pre-eminent sporting event in this country this summer”. “People come from all over the world to stay and play Milbrook’s greens and we’re constantly
For business events, the InterContinental Fiji has a number of options, including group golf rates, corporate golf days and private events in the golf club for up to 95 people. Dinners can also be arranged on the course’s stunning fourth hole, overlooking the ocean, as part of the InterContinental’s Insider Collection of add-ons for meetings and events. With golf a popular pastime for many, and formats such as Ambrose (where each team member takes a shot, with the team recording the best one) allowing everyone to enjoy themselves, irrespective of experience or ability, holding your next event may just earn you a hole-in-one.
A regional winner
Giving back to the community
Multi-course packages
The InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa has been named Australasia’s Best Golf Resort in the recent World Travel Awards. “The Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course is a world-class course, with a stunning location along the beach and beautiful greens.” said general manager Scott Williams.
Laguna Lang Co Golf Club in Hue, Vietnam, is unusual for the three hectare rice paddy which forms part of its Nick Faldo-designed course, and its support of local community health services. The course produces up to 30 tonnes of rice, which is used by the resort and local orphanages.
Country Club Tasmania not only boasts a challenging 18-hole championship golf course built by world famous golfers and course designers Mike Wolveridge and Peter Thomson, it makes a great base from which to explore the five well known golf courses within a one hour drive from Country Club.
16 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
THAILAND
Island wonder Thailand’s push to increase its share of the global business events and incentives market is set to make the island of Phuket a firm favourite for event organisers, writes Sheridan Randall.
Phuket Big Buddha Phuket’s Big Buddha is one of the island’s most important and revered landmarks. The 45 metre statue sits on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kataand, and offers the best 360-degree views of the island.
Thailand is looking to expand its offering for the growing international meetings and events market, with increased investment across its five “MICE Cities” of Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Phuket. Although Phuket lost out to Chiang Mai in the convention centre stakes, with a Phuket convention centre 20 years in the planning being scrapped at the last minute in 2012 in favour of a new one being built in Chiang Mai, Phuket is still investing
in its infrastructure to attract more incentive and conference delegates to the island.
overseas business events travellers and 20,796 Thai business events travellers.
In 2012, Phuket’s business event and incentive industry was worth $179 million, which is second only to Bangkok. Out of this, $176 million is contributed by international business event and incentive activities with the remaining $3.3 million from domestic business event activities. Phuket hosted 788 events in 2012, which attracted 79,862 visitors, including 59,066
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is working with Phuket to make it a business event hub in the Thai south western coast region. As part of the plans, Phuket is getting infrastructure improvements including a larger airport, increased air access, a more extensive road network, as well as increased investment to its hotel accommodation offering.
Old Phuket Town Built on riches reaped from Phuket’s tin boom of the last century this historically rich part of town is home to shrines, temples (Buddhist and Chinese), ornate and beautifully preserved shophouses, cafés, tiny printing shops and impromptu private and public museums.
18 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Increased demand from both leisure and business event visitors has resulted in Phuket Airport seeing more international direct schedule and charter flights. The airport has handled more than its capacity of six million passengers annually in the last few years and will be expanded to handle 11.5 million passengers when its (approximately $200 million) expansion is completed in 2015, an increase of 77 per cent over current capacity. Phuket’s hotel inventory is also expanding with a number of new properties opening in 2013 and others investing in upgrades to both their accommodation rooms and meetings facilities. Phuket currently has a supply of 636 hotels, including 3- to 5-star properties, with about 42,000 rooms, as well as another 20,000 bungalows, with the island expected to see more than 5000 new hotel rooms open between 2013 and 2015.
James Bond Island
The Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa has spent more than $1.3 million to refurbish its Grand Ballroom. The ballroom spreads across 850 square-meters making it among the largest ballrooms on the island – accommodating groups of up to 1200 people. “The new ballroom is a worldclass space able to accommodate meeting and events with the latest technology; such as customisable fibre optic lighting and state of the art audio-visual setups,” says Andre Gomez, general manager at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa. Including the Grand Ballroom, the resort has a total of 14 function rooms and can cater for groups from anywhere between five to 1200 guests, while outdoor marquees can host up to 1000 guests across the property’s 30 hectares of gardens. The refurb of the Grand Ballroom follows an extensive multi-million dollar refurbishment of the resort’s 665 guestrooms and dining concepts in 2011. The resort also unveiled its newly renovated Ocean Beach Club, which holds up to 40 guests, while the bar has 10 counter seats and 90 sun-loungers across the pool deck. On top of this, there is a sand court that can be converted
Made famous by the 1974 Bond movie The Man With The Golden Gun, this rocky outcrop is one of around 100 islands in an area of 400 square kilometres in Phang Nga Bay that are renowned for their beauty. Best viewed by boat, James Bond Island is now part of a protected national park and draws a lot of visitors especially during the high tourist season.
into an outdoor meeting space for an exclusive “meeting on the beach” or beach themed cocktails. “Often events are happening simultaneously but because of our vast space, groups have privacy and in some cases exclusivity to various wings of the hotel,” says Gomez. Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach opened in mid-2013 with five meeting rooms and six outdoor function spaces for 10 to 400 guests, as well as direct access to the beach for team building activities. The 277 room resort also offers free wi-fi throughout the resort and a connectivity lounge that provides private rooms with LCD screens and Skype. The resort’s proximity to the airport (only 15 minutes away) “is a major attraction”, and it currently has
no neighbouring hotels that accommodate business events. Matt Fynch, director of sales and marketing, describes Pullman Phuket Arcadia as “a destination that connects local sophistication with international resort standards”. Located on the “unspoilt” western coastline of Phuket, the resort “was built to be as one with the tropical surroundings”. “As part of Accor’s five-star upscale Pullman brand guests can expect services and requirements of the cosmopolitan, seasoned business traveler,” says Fynch. The resort also offers the Pullman Co-Meetings concept, with features as dedicated “Chill out” spaces, cutting edge technology, innovative break ideas and inventive menus. Diversity is the key to Phuket’s
success as both a leisure and a business events destination, according to Fynch. “Phuket has changed quite a bit over the years and now has appeal to many markets and demographics,” he says. “The variety is so wide from bars and shopping in Patong, Kata and Karon to the untouched beaches in Naithon and Mai Khao in the north. It has everything from high energy adventure to tranquil spa and beach activities.” Phuket’s huge appeal to the leisure market does have implications for event organisers, with capacity during high season (late December to the end of March) often limiting business events groups to the large hotels (over 500 rooms), he says. “With MICE quotations sometimes shopping only
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30-60 days out now this makes high season MICE in Phuket a constant challenge,” he says. The unexpected decision to scrap the planned conference centre in Phuket was partly explained by this ongoing capacity issue, and for Fynch it will dent the island’s ability to attract the 500-plus conference groups. “But in saying that we are still evolving and developing as a MICE destination and this delay will only help us prepare as an island to further and develop roads, transport, staff and technology to be ready once or if the convention centre is passed to be built,” he says. With so many new properties arriving, many are undergoing refurbishments including Le Méridien Phuket Beach Resort, which completed a total renovation of all its accommodation rooms and suites in October this year. Its two eateries also benefited from a revamp, with Pakarang Restaurant undergoing a full refurb and its Le Café Fleuri restaurant being rebranded to a Le Méridien “Latest Recipe” dining venue. Almario Mungcal, director of online and marketing communications at Le Méridien Phuket Beach Resort, describes Phuket as “a multi-dimensional destination”, listing the scenic
beaches, natural and manmade attractions, internationalstandard golf courses, presence of major international hotel brands, and the wide range of dining and event venues on the island. Despite the absence of a dedicated conference centre, Phuket can still handle very large groups as was evidenced by the Amway China Conference in 2012 which saw 16,000 delegates descend on the island over four weeks between April and May. The event showcased the Phuket’s ability to work collectively, with a number of resorts working together to host the delegates including Le Méridien Phuket Beach Resort. Laguna Phuket Resorts and Hotels is the largest integrated resort in Phuket, with seven hotels across 404 hectares of parkland, and was the main host venue for the Amway China Conference, seeing around 1800 Amway China delegates each day. With 1300 rooms and 24 meeting rooms, plus marquee, Laguna Phuket also hosted another record-breaking incentive group from NuSkin China earlier this year, with around 4000 delegates from different parts of China all joining the event on the same day. Despite the logistical challenges of organising events during the high season Laguna Phuket is known for its ability to host business events during the high season, according to Prapa Hemmin, director of sales – MICE and corporate events, Laguna Resorts and Hotels. “Large-scale corporate gatherings and incentive programmes is one of our specialties,” she says. “Laguna Phuket is also known as the host venue of annual international sports events such as Laguna Phuket Triathlon and Laguna Phuket International Marathon.”
Visitor numbers In the 2012-2013 financial year, Thailand welcomed 993,072 business event travellers, with revenues of over 86,280 billion baht ($3.14 billion). Of those visitors 318,663 were from the conventions industry, followed by incentives travellers (247,888 visitors), corporate meetings (237,701 visitors) and exhibitions (188,820 visitors).
The expansion of the airport is a significant development, says Hemmin, as having separate international and domestic terminals “will ease the congestion” and make the island more attractive for international business travellers. In the meantime, Phuket continues to attract delegates wanting to “enjoy the best of both worlds”. “The north part of the island is more serene and perfect for a calm day, privacy, teambuilding, or corporate gatherings while the south provides various entertainments and exciting nightlife,” says Hemmin.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 21
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
High flyer Abu Dhabi is a new destination for the business events market, but its commitment to the sector and the deep pockets of its Royal rulers are set to make this a destination to watch very closely, writes Sheridan Randall.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is a city on a mission. Often seen to be in the shadow of its sister city Dubai to its north, Abu Dhabi has been meticulously developing a strategy to put itself squarely in the centre of the global business events sector, and that planning is starting to reap dividends already. Following the prioritisation of the local and international business events industry under Abu Dhabi’s 2030 economic blueprint, the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau was launched in early 2013, with the aim of securing six major events in 2013 and breaching the top 150 in the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) 2012 global city rankings for the first time. To date, the Bureau now has nine “major wins” under its belt and leap frogged into the top 100 in ICCA’s global city rankings, up from 234th place in 2011, according to Mubarak al Nuaimi, director of promotions and overseas offices at the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. “We are the nexus between west and east, present and future, developed and
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developing and a safe haven to meet close to all the new emerging markets,” he says. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre is the city’s largest venue with a multipurpose International Convention Centre Hall that caters up to 6000 people, while the Emirates Palace accommodates 2400 delegates. With 25,671 hotel rooms available and another 2000-plus due on line next year, Abu Dhabi is well catered for in the accommodation stakes, with many of those hotels with meetings facilities catering up to 1000 delegates, including The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers (pictured above), the Beach Rotana, InterContinental Abu Dhabi and the Ritz Carlton Grand Canal. Access from Australia is also easier following national carrier Etihad’s partnership with Virgin. “Early next year Etihad will step up its frequency linking Abu Dhabi and Munich to a doubledaily service and in June it will launch services linking the UAE capital with Zurich and Los Angeles – giving Australians more places to access via Abu
Dhabi,” says Al Nuaimi. “The carrier also flies from Sydney double daily, and Melbourne and Brisbane daily. Also, we are becoming increasingly accessible with 39 airlines now using Abu Dhabi International Airport – which will rise to 40 this month when Air Baltic begins flying from Riga to Abu Dhabi.” That accessibility, combined with the city’s global location, makes it perfectly placed to be at the centre of business across many countries and continents, according to Sue Wallace, director of destination management company Nemonic Concepts. “It’s time zone is 1.5 hours from India, seven hours from Australia, three hours in front of the UK, and the same time zone virtually as Africa, and that is where the UAE and Abu Dhabi
22 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
have realised that it really is in the centre of today’s world,” says Wallace. “The city has been developed strategically, with the Royal family of Abu Dhabi working very closely with the Royal family of Dubai with the aim if making it the big event capital of that part of the world. “I was there in 2009 and it was just a big master plan; now everything seems to be coming online in a timely fashion.” Part of that master plan is the funding of some major cultural attractions including the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre in 2015, the Norman Foster-designed Zayed National Museum in 2016 and the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in 2017 on Saadiyat Island. “Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as
Emirates Palace.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Named by TripAdvisor as one of the world’s Top 20 landmark attractions, this is one the world’s largest mosques, with a capacity for 40,000 worshippers. It features 82 domes, more than 1000 columns, 24 carat gold gilded chandeliers and the world’s largest hand knotted carpet.
the cultural capital where you can experience real Emirati traditions, culture and heritage,” says Al Nuaimi. “We also have new conference facilities, hotels and developments on Yas Island, more attractions, a new airport terminal and even better professional services all coming up.” With strong governmental support at the highest level including Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau and Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi is
“now better placed than ever to meet organisers’ highest expectations”. This is backed by a strategy to boost business in 2014 by offering incentives for corporate meetings and incentives held in the city. “Based on a sliding scale of room bookings, we have 13 incentives on offer ranging from free rounds of golf on our championship courses, to free city tours, evening functions Emirati-style, ‘Speedster Specials’ at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, desert safaris
and dune dinners, full day meetings packages, tours of Abu Dhabi’s award-winning Falcon Hospital, tours of the emirate’s heritage heartland of Al Ain and its UNESCO inscripted sites, VIP tours of the Yas Marina Circuit; entrance to the Yas Waterworld waterpark; cultural education sessions and event logo development,” he says. “The diversity of our destination is also a selling point with unspoilt desert, incredible dunes, rugged mountain scenery, lush
oases and wildlife reserves, beach resorts and awardwinning, big ticket attractions.” Wallace says that Abu Dhabi has “been given the tools and really done their homework” when it comes to positioning themselves as a business events destination. “Abu Dhabi has been strategic in how they planned to make the city a standalone destination and the hub of the UAE,” she says. “It’s a fascinating part of the world.”
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www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 23
MACAU
Full house Macau is small by size but a relative giant when it comes to attracting visitors. A massive surge of investment in new infrastructure, hotels, meeting facilities and attractions is set to pay dividends in the business events and incentive travel sectors, writes Sheridan Randall. Macau sits on 30sqm of land, much of it reclaimed from the sea, but this former Portuguese colony is intent on putting itself squarely up there in the league of must visit international destinations. Famous for its casinos, Macau generates more revenue from gambling than Las Vegas, but it also wants to increase its share of the business events market. To implement that strategy, Macau is busy increasing its inventory of hotel rooms and constructing new convention facilities, on top of the massive infrastructure developments currently being undertaken. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, a vast construction project consisting of a series of bridges and tunnels that will connect Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai, three major cities on the Pearl River Delta in southern China, is due to open in 2016, allowing seamless travel from Hong Kong to Macau in just 20 The Sheraton Macao. minutes by taxi. Hengqin Island is also under construction. Bigger than Macau, the first major project there will be a new University of Macau campus. However, other projects include Chimelong’s Ocean Kingdom theme park, which is nearing the end of its three-year construction period. Ocean Kingdom will combine animal exhibits, themed entertainment shows, and thrill rides, along with a massive resort including a golf course, yachting centre, sports facilities, theatres and convention centres. Hengqin Island is connected via the Lotus Bridge to Macau’s Cotai strip, which is another newly developed precinct set on reclaimed land now home to a plethora of hotels, casinos and attractions. The Macau Theme Park and Resort has said that it intends to build an amusement resort
consisting of a mix of hotels with more than 6000 guest rooms, convention facilities, shopping malls, an indoor beach and wave pool and amusement rides. Earlier this year, Cotai welcomed the completion of the Sheraton Macao Hotel whose 2067 new rooms and suites brings the Sands Cotai Central hotel’s total room count to 3896, making it the largest hotel both in Macao and in Starwood’s global portfolio of hotels. Sands China’s Cotai Strip Resorts now has more than 9000 hotel rooms and suites – the single largest accommodation offering in Macao. Edward Tracy, president and chief executive of Sands China, said at the opening of the new Sheraton Earth Tower that the “integrated resort concept provides Macau’s visitors with a full spectrum of accommodation, retail, dining, entertainment and MICE offerings, which we are confident will transform Cotai into one of Asia’s top destinations for business and leisure travellers”. The company, which recently signed up retired UK soccer star David Beckham to promote the resort in China, also plans to invest another $3.1 billion to build a new Macau resort, to be named the Parisian, which will have a replica of the Eiffel Tower. The Cotai Strip Macao is the single largest provider of meetings space in Macua, with five hotels, including the Venetian Macao, offering 9000 rooms and a total of 120,000sqm of meeting and exhibition space including the Cotai Expo with 75,000sqm of exhibition space, Asia’s largest ballroom with 6500sqm of pillar-free space, 108 meeting rooms covering more than 18,500sqm and the Cotai Arena seating up to 15,000
24 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Leap of faith Macau is home to the world’s highest Bungy jump. At 233 metres, the AJ Hackett Macau Tower jump is simply terrifying. Other vertigo inducing activities include Skywalk X, Skyjump and the 388 metre Mast Climb. Watch the video in the CIM iPad app. delegates. Earlier in 2013, Cotai Strip Macao launched its Sands Meetings Conference App, which is available in English and simplified Chinese and includes features such as event schedules, a messaging feature and venue information. “This is the latest endeavour by Sands Meetings to facilitate and enhance the meeting experience in Macau,” says Natasha Tomé, executive director of MICE marketing for Cotai Strip Macao. “Cotai Strip Macao offers unrivalled conference facilities, and the Sands Conference App will immensely enhance that experience. We always strive to anticipate our clients’ needs and this is our initiative to make the planning process even smoother for meeting planners.” With a marketing strategy in place targeting the Asia Pacific region, the resort opened an office in Sydney in 2010, with Australia and New Zealand “important markets for The Venetian Macao”. “We have seen the results blossom with a 40 per cent increase in demand directly from this market alone,” says Tomé. Australian visitors travelling to Macau continue to grow with over 100,000 Australians visiting Macau this year (January-October) according to the Macau Statistics and Census Service. “Australia is currently The Venetian Macao’s fifth largest MICE market in the year to date based on room nights and has been selected by many large Australian corporations as an incentive destination and regional meeting destination due to Macau’s central location in Asia and convenient entry to and from China,” she says. “Macau continues to grow from strength to strength with the incredible and exciting happenings here. From various hotel offerings, transport infrastructure, increased customer service levels and a unique cultural experience, Macau’s attractive as a MICE destination increases year on year.”
KUALA LUMPUR
Meeting of minds With the 2014 MEA Annual National Conference to be held in Kuala Lumpur in May, the Malaysian business events industry is set to benefit in more ways than one, discovers Ylla Wright.
When Kuala Lumpur hosts the Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) Annual National Conference 2014 in May next year it will be the first time the conference has been held in South East Asia and only the second time it has been held outside of Australia in the Association’s history. With the event expected to attract around 600 delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore, ranging from professional conference organisers (PCOs) and corporate meeting planners to event management companies and suppliers to the business events industry, it may not be the largest conference to be held in Kuala Lumpur next year, but it is shaping up to be one of the
most exciting for the Malaysian business events industry.
events industry with their Asian counterparts.
“Winning the MEA conference is a proud achievement not
“It is also a good opportunity for Malaysian industry partners to
“Holding the MEA conference is definitely a win for us as it allows us to showcase our offerings to industry professionals from Australasia.” only for us but our team of partners as well,” says Ho Yoke Ping, general manager of sales and marketing for Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). “It is a great milestone for us and we will be able to use this as a platform to connect the Australian business
learn and to share knowledge with Australian partners.” According to Linda Gaunt, chief executive of MEA, it was this opportunity to connect with Malaysia’s business events community that swung the MEA board in favour of holding the event in Kuala Lumpur over
Malaysia’s appeal as a destination Malaysia’s diverse cultural mix, which is made up Malay, Chinese, Indian and nearly 40 indigenous ethnicities is one of its biggest drawcards, according to Ho Yoke Ping, general manager of sales and marketing for Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). “It really is a truly Asian
experience, all of Asia in one country,” she says. “Malaysia is also a land blessed with a wide range of attractions. With its natural landscapes and multi-cultural appeal, the destination offers sheer diversity and top class services. From the modern city of Kuala Lumpur to the rainforest in Sabah and
Sarawak, tropical islands of Langkawi and UNESCO heritage sites, Malaysia offers many exotic and exciting options for pre and post tour programmes for conference delegates.” Good air access into Kuala Lumpur from Australia is also a plus, with regular flights from capital cities.
26 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
competing destinations. “We felt that we really should be learning from what’s happening in Asia,” she says. “We’re losing so much business to Asia, let’s go and have a look at why. There are some things we can’t compete against, like pricing and staffing, but it is an opportunity for our members to benchmark themselves against their type of business, regardless of what sector of the industry they’re in, in Asia.” The chance to run a business exchange – an appointment programme which facilitates the swapping of information and ideas between similar organisations – between Asian and Australian delegates was also a key attraction. “It’s not something we can do in Australia because we don’t have the variety amongst the delegates to be able to do it, and they don’t need us to do it, but by taking our membership into Asia we can facilitate a reasonable exchange programme,” says Gaunt. The Association was also able to access subvention funding from the Malaysian government. MyCEB bid for the conference as part of “Team Malaysia”, which also includes Tourism Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Malaysia Airports, Malaysia Airlines and Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Asia like never before
Imagine the delight in savouring the rich and colourful Indian culture, embellished by the spectacular backdrop of limestone caves and temples; a spread of traditional Malay delicacies served with rhythmic sounds of hand drums; an array of nyonya treats that goes well alongside Peranakan traditions; and exhilarating adventures that await at the Headhunter Trail. All designed exclusively to enrich your high achievers.
Discover more ideas for theme events and experiences in our Corporate & Incentive Guide. Visit www.myceb.com.my to request a complimentary copy today! For enquiries, please contact:
MALAYSIA CONVENTION & EXHIBITION BUREAU (MyCEB)
Kuala Lumpur’s successful bid was announced at the MEA 2013 conference in Darwin.
Centre, a 100-acre “city within a city” development that offers a “wide selection of exciting recreational, entertainment, F&B and accommodation options”.
and lots of choice for pre- or postconference tours,” he says.
While the programme is still being locked in, Gaunt is confident that the conference will be a success.
“Apart from the economic benefit this conference will bring to Malaysia (approximately RM 6.4 million or $21.7 million), we are confident that the convergence of meetings industry experts will be able to create a multiplier effect for the country,” says Ho.
“The program will be fantastic,” she says. “We’re doing all these ‘DeepDive’ sessions and, as the conference is so much more accessible in Kuala Lumpur than it is in Australia, we’re trying to get some really good international speakers.” Convention Centre (KLCC). “Holding the MEA conference is definitely a win for us as it allows us to showcase our offerings to industry professionals from Australasia,” says KLCC general manager Peter Brokenshire. The Centre worked closely with other Team Malaysia partners right from the bidding stage to demonstrate full support towards hosting MEA 2014, offering around RM100,000 ($34,000) of complimentary add-ons under its Convention Value-add Programme, and enhancing its food and beverage offerings to reflect a truly Malaysian experience. “Malaysia is blessed with a multi-cultural society, which provides the Centre with the perfect opportunity to highlight the uniqueness of the country
through various offerings,” he says. “One such example is Culinaria, which embodies Malaysia’s creative crosscultural cuisine and brands our culinary services as an enriching, multicultural and value-added food and beverage experience whilst demonstrating the culinary team’s flexibility to create enticing dishes that meet a range of taste and dietary needs. “Another is our complimentary Cultural Showcase which offers international delegates a brief yet lasting insight into traditional arts and craft such as batik painting, basket weaving, wood carving, songket weaving, pewter smithing, henna painting, and Chinese calligraphy.” Delegates to the conference will also enjoy the Centre’s location within Kuala Lumpur City
One hundred early bird tickets released earlier in the year have already been snapped up. Brokenshire believes the conference “not only provides the Centre with an excellent platform to directly engage with international industry professionals to showcase its first-class offerings but gives ‘Team Malaysia’ a chance to highlight the destination’s unique offerings”. “Hosting over 500 industry players offers us a great opportunity to highlight Malaysia’s business tourism benefits including direct air access from most major cities around the world, a safe and stable political climate, valuefor-money, multi-cultural society, established industry supply chain, world-class infrastructure
Around the Centre Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is home to not only the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre but also 10 other landmark developments known collectively as Malaysia’s Iconic Experience in Kuala Lumpur (MIEKL).
1 2
Petronas Twin Towers – the world’s tallest twin towers.
Suria KLCC – six levels of shopping and entertainment, along with more than 30 cafes, bars and restaurants.
3
KLCC Park – a relaxing park in the heart of the city.
4
Petrosains – an “edutainment experience” showcasing cutting-edge science and technology exhibitions.
5
Petronas Philharmonic Hall – 865-seat hall is specially designed for symphonic performances.
6
Petronas Art Gallery – the gallery displays a dynamic range of art, from paintings to experimental works.
7
Aquaria KLCC – this 18,300sqm aquarium boasts more than 5000 exhibits over two levels.
8
Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur – this premium hotel
is conveniently located and offers its guests the ultimate in services and facilities.
9
Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur – billed as the contemporary hotel for smart business travellers, its known for its Skybar, which offers stunning views of the city.
10
Impiana KLCC Hotel – a chic business hotel with a convenient location.
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MyCEB also believes the conference will leave a lasting legacy.
“MEA will definitely play an instrumental role in strengthening international business networks between Australia and Asia. And we will be able to leverage on the experience of Australia as a business events destination. “Networking relationships and collaborations is another benefit that we see from this conference. MEA will provide opportunities for local industry players to do business with Australia and for Australians who would like to engage with Asia. It also presents a platform for Malaysian partners to showcase their products and services.” She would also like to invite delegates to “explore the diversity of the country and its many attractions”. With 2014 being declared Visit Malaysia Year, this is definitely the perfect time to see, feel and experience Malaysia.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Room to move The South West region of Western Australia offers a world of possibility that combines the best of the State’s natural beauty with world class wine and food, all supported by great venues and plenty of accommodation, discovers Sheridan Randall.
With much of Perth’s event facilities and accommodation running at full capacity due to Western Australia’s strong resources industry, event organisers need only venture south to find a new world of possibility. The South Western region is bound by 1147km of coastline, some of the nation’s most remarkable old growth forests and world renowned wine regions. It is also, thanks to ongoing investment, becoming a great place for meetings and incentive groups, with new event infrastructure in the pipeline and conference facilities that can cater up to 800 delegates. From Bunbury through to Margaret River, which was recently voted the highest ranking Australian “Destination on the Rise” for 2013 by TripAdvisor, and onward down to Albany, there is truly something for every type of event. Bunbury sits just 1.5 hour’s drive from Perth on the recently completed Forrest Highway, and is undergoing a huge overhaul. New branding is being used to target the leisure sector, while the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre (BREC) is currently undergoing a $12 million expansion of its conference facilities due to be completed by July 2014. Located on the waterfront in the heart of Bunbury, the new
BREC Conventions @ Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre will include flexible meeting and function spaces for 10 to 800 delegates. “It has been a long time in the making and has possibly been driven a little bit by capacity issues in Perth which helped make the argument for viability,” says Bonnie Allen, business tourism officer at Australia’s South West Regional Tourism Organisation. “Bunbury is a significant business hub outside the Perth metropolitan area. The agriculture and environmental industries have a big presence here, while the resource industry is also quite significant in the South West.” Bunbury’s Lighthouse Beach Resort has also recently completed a refurb of its function space with a new ballroom, new bar and alfresco area seating up to 320 people. Located next to the beach with panoramic ocean views across the Indian Ocean, the 70 room resort has added three new rooms to its total of nine meeting spaces – the Geographe Room with a private bar area catering
up to 120 seated; the Leschanault Room for boardroom meetings up to 40; the Koombana Room with its own Alfresco Bar area catering up to 160 seated; and the Grand Ball Room catering to 320 delegates. But it’s not just industry that draws people to the region, with Margaret River’s reputation as a world-class gourmet food and wine destination pulling in some culinary superstars of late. UK celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal headlined the recent Margaret River Gourmet Escape, which showcased the region’s renowned wine and produce. “Tourism WA are developing a culinary marketing strategy that dovetails in beautifully with the business tourism market as they [delegates] all want those extra special experiences,” says Allen. “Whenever we have had groups here, particularly in the Margaret River region, we’re always tried to link them in with the well-known chefs, such as
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Aaron Carr from Vasse Felix or Tony Howell from Cape Lodge, and give them a back of house experience, particularly with the high end groups.” Located 15 minutes from the Margaret River township is a new event space with a twist. Perched over a dramatic escarpment in the middle of the karri forest, the new Events Deck at Lake Cave is an innovative venue guaranteed to lift any meeting to new heights. Owned and run by the Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association (AMRTA), the Events Deck is licensed to hold up to 150 people, while a number of indoor meetings rooms including four boardrooms and an auditorium can cater from between 10 and 140 seated. “We are extremely proud to have created such a beautiful and remarkably different functions venue for the region – it really stands apart from the crowd,” says AMRTA acting chief executive Jayme Hatcher. “We are confident that people are looking for unique venues for functions these days, and the deck certainly will ensure an unforgettable occasion.” Further south sits Albany, 4.5 hours drive south west from Perth, which is set to be the focus of international
Must-do: Dolphin Discovery Centre Take a Dolphin Eco Cruise around Bunbury’s Koombana Bay or interact with the dolphins in their own environment on a Swim on the Wild Side Tour. There is also the Interaction Zone where the wild dolphins often come to interact with visitors.
Opposite page: The Albany Entertainment Centre. Above: The Events Deck at Lake Cave. Left: A meeting space at The Events Deck.
Dolphin photo courtesy of Troy Mayne.
Watch the video in the CIM iPad app.
attention in 2014, with the ANZAC centenary commemorations and events taking place across April and November. Featuring the combined Australian Defence Forces, the centrepiece commemorative event program will include a Sunset Ceremony, Commemorative Service, Troop March and Ship Open Day, as well as a series of supporting community events including a major public concert featuring the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. To cater for the expected influx of visitors, a range of pop-up restaurants and open air
market will be open over the four day period.
Centre featuring local wineries at their “Meet Your Maker” dinners.
The striking Albany Entertainment Centre also hosts a wide range of local, state and national conferences, according to Karen Lloyd, the Centre’s marketing co-ordinator, with over 30 events taking place in 2013.
“The dinners offer the opportunity to taste a number of wines from one local winemaker while having the opportunity to hear and learn first-hand about the special characteristics of their wines,” says Lloyd. “Whether it’s team building or indulgence we have a flexible approach to corporate events, tailoring existing options to accommodate specific requirements, or creating a unique, one-off experience, we can customise a package to suit the client’s needs.”
The Centre offers a number of flexible function spaces catering for groups of up to 600 in a single space or across six breakout areas, with the typical conference taking place over one to three days. The venue is also proud to plug the quality of its local produce and wines, with the
There is a wide range of
accommodation in Albany from motel-style, to exclusive five-star private retreats, with more than 500 rooms within a 5km radius of the CBD, and 170 of these are within 500m or less of the Albany Entertainment Centre. That ease of finding accommodation across the region is major selling point, according to Allen. “[Hotel] capacity during the week is brilliant and what organisers find is that they can negotiate really good rates,” she says. “In terms of capacity and bargaining power this is your place.”
EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS
PRODUCTIVE BOARD MEETINGS
CREATIVE CONFERENCES
INCREDIBLE INCENTIVES
Get out of the city and enjoy the benefits of a regional meeting or event. Event planners are spoilt for choice. Link up with major events for incentive groups or utilise the great outdoors for conferences with a difference. Our complimentary services puts you in touch with the right suppliers. Email us mice@australiassouthwest.com.au
You can download the Conference & Incentive Planner from australiassouthwest.com
Albany’s Premier Venue
Group Bookings: 08 9780 5911 groupbookings@margaretriver.com
albanyentertainment.com.au | amazingalbany.com.au
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 31
NORTHERN NSW
A natural fit Coffs Coast on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales is carving itself a reputation as a destination that caters to all sizes of event without losing that personal touch, writes Sheridan Randall. Situated halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, Coffs Coast is perfectly poised to capture both markets. Coffs Coast has long been a magnet for those looking for natural beauty, but it also offers a plethora of conference venues and accommodation, making it the ideal place to mix business with pleasure. One of the largest venues on the Coffs Coast is the Coffs Harbour Show Ground, which has nine function rooms as well as expansive outdoor space suitable for large scale marquee events, with around a quarter of all the events held outdoors, according to manager Pat Gibbeson. Over the last 12 months the Norm Jordan Function Rooms have been fully refurbished giving the facility “a completely new feel”. “We have spaces for one on one meetings to annual general meetings for 14,000 people,” Gibbeson says. “You name it, we’ve had it! From the Moscow Circus to Essential Energy industry expos. We have over 130,000 people a year come through our gates for events.” While the majority of business comes from the local region, direct flights into the Coffs Harbour Airport means “we regularly have state conferences and meetings”. Located in the heart of Coffs Harbour, C.ex Coffs caters up to 1000 delegates, earning it the title of Best Club Function
Venue at the 2012 Clubs NSW Awards for Excellence. With nine purpose built functions rooms, C.ex Coffs is the largest club located between Newcastle and the Tweed Coast, hosting meetings and events from the Mid North Coast and Coffs Hinterland, interstate and international, with a recent weeklong conference including delegates from the US, according to Melanie Swindells, sales and events coordinator at C.ex Coffs Harbour. Set on 40 hectares of subtropical gardens near Charlesworth Bay, the 170 room Novotel Pacific Bay Resort has nine function rooms catering for up to 550 delegates banquet style plus the Bay Marquee, ideal for gala events, catering for up to 1000. The resort is an ideal place to “stay and play because we have so many onsite activities”, according to Jodie Evans, director of sales and marketing at Novotel Pacific Bay Resort. Time Out Adventures operate from the resort, with Segways, foosball, laser clay shooting and Zip Circus the Flying Trapese School all available as team building activities. Food and wine is also on the menu for conference delegates with a cheesemaking workshop another popular option for teambuilding. Another venue offering mouthwatering gourmet options is the award-winning Bonville Golf
Resort, with the option to meet (in one of the three indoor meeting rooms catering up to 200), stay (at the 30 accommodation rooms) and play on the multiaward winning golf course. The resort’s restaurant, the Flooded Gums, has been awarded a hat in the 2013 and 2014 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guides, “which sets us apart from our competition Australia wide”. “Food and beverage has become the most important area of conference and corporate groups when staying with us as they want the hat experience for their guests and clients,” says Damien Tarbox, business oprations and marketing manager at the resort. “On a regional note there aren’t many hatted properties outside metropolitan areas so we attract people looking for a city experience in a regional location.” Located between two headlands on absolute beach frontage and set in 6.5 hectares of landscaped tropical gardens, the recently refurbished 4.5 star Breakfree Aanuka Beach Resort has three conference rooms which can cater up to 180 delegates theatre-style. The resort is popular with sporting groups throughout the year, due to its ability to accommodate guests quadsharing in their villas, while the conference spaces are ideal for
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Clockwise from top left: Novotel Pacific Bay Resort; Dinner on the fairway at Bonville Golf Resort; Breakfree Aanuka Reach Resort; Coffs Harbour Show Ground.
coaches meetings, physio rooms and quarantine rooms, according to Ashleigh Palmer, the resort’s conference and event sales executive. A large beachside lawn area is perfect for team building activities, with the resort working with a team building company to offer a range of activities. “If groups wish to travel offsite for activities such as white water rafting, jet skiing, swimming with dolphins or whale watching to name a few we work with local suppliers to arrange these activities,” says Palmer. Coffs Coast Tourism brands the region as “Where memories are made”, but with so much to offer event organisers it may well be known as where meetings are made.
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VENUE UPDATE
Fairmont Peace unveils events spaces Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, one of China’s premier venues for conferences and corporate functions, now offers a number of new event spaces including two exclusive private dining rooms on the roof terrace as well as two function rooms. Boasting views of the Huangpu River and the city skyline of Pudong, the roof terrace and mezzanine level provide more than 1000sqm of additional event space. The new dining rooms, The Scotland Room (25sqm) and the
England Room (35sqm), are adjacent to the roof terrace and the Nine Heaven Hall, which has been restored to its original 1920s splendor and offers a 270-degree view of the river. The hotel’s mezzanine level houses the Chun Shen Room, a 215sqm space which has been designed to complement the Art Deco style of the Hotel and offers a view of the Bund. Next door is the new Thames Room, a 110sqm space overlooking historic Dian Chi Road and Huangpu River.
News in brief Peppers to open in Melbourne The Mantra Group has announced it will manage the 5-star hotel within the new M Docklands development, which is set to open in 2015. The 68-room apartment hotel will be known as Peppers Docklands Melbourne. The hotel will be feature an on-site restaurant, pool and gym, and lobby area with 24-hour reception and full service concierge.
Langham moves into Guangzhou
Sheraton’s 100th hotel
The 500-room Langham Place, Guangzhou has recently opened, making it the eighth hotel for the group in mainland China.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced its Sheraton brand has opened its 100th hotel in the Asia-Pacific region with the opening of Sheraton Shantou Hotel in China.
Boasting the largest ballroom in the city, the Langham Place, Guangzhou has a combined meeting and event space of nearly 5000sqm. The 2800sqm ballroom Great Hall has an eight metre high ceiling, which is perfect for conferences and exhibitions.
Sheraton Shantou Hotel is one of nearly 30 new Sheraton hotels to have opened in the region this year. There are more than 50 additional Sheraton hotels in the development pipeline in Asia-Pacific, which is both its second-largest and fastest growing market.
34 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
Cypress Lakes Resort opens The new Cypress Lakes Resort by Oaks Hotels & Resorts in Pokolbin, New South Wales, has officially opened, with a number of new event spaces. The Events Centre is the largest conferencing space on the 4.5 star property and can cater for up to 620 delegates theatre-style, or 390 banquet-style, making it a perfect choice for large corporate functions. The resort’s newest addition, The Cypress Centre, features five new function rooms catering for between five and 200 delegates in a variety of configurations. The resort’s meetings and events precinct also has an additional two venues, the Convention Centre and Lagoon Pool Marquee, which couples expansive deck surroundings with pool and garden views.
Shangri-La launches Grand Ballroom The Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney recently launched its refurbished 668sqm Grand Ballroom, inspired by Sydney’s two most famous landmarks – the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The ballroom’s lighting, sound and audio-visual system are controlled through a wireless iPad, while 69 LED ceiling lights can be individually remote controlled to highlight table centrepieces or specific areas of an event. Complimentary wi-fi is also available throughout the facility. The Grand Ballroom is able to accommodate up to 850 guests for cocktail receptions and 500 guests for banquets. Classroom, boardroom and theatre style configurations are also possible.
Hamilton Island goes HD
New tune for Melbourne
AVPartners has equipped the Hamilton Island Conference Centre with HD resolution projection technology, providing conference guests with brighter, crisper projection.
International hotel group Tune Hotels has opened its first hotel in Australia – the Tune Hotel Melbourne – with the group saying they have further plans to expand its footprint within the Australasia region.
Two new 8.5KHD projectors allow for better visibility from a distance and ensure that a presentation on the big screen looks as close as possible to the original. The space can accommodate up to 1000 delegates for conferences, product launches, exhibitions and incentives.
The 225-room property features an indoor open air courtyard, a recreational lounge, a restaurant, café, luggage storage and free Internet desks ideal for business travellers.
The Westin returns to Singapore After more than a decade The Westin has returned to Singapore. The Westin Singapore occupies levels 32 to 46 of the new Asia Square Tower 2 in Marina Bay. The hotel’s function facilities encompass 1350sqm of meeting rooms, a pre-function area and a ballroom; the entire space is fitted with in-meeting technology and high-speed Internet access. The Westin Executive Club Lounge also offers Executive Club guests private meeting rooms.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 35
Q&A
Global networker As head of events and sponsorship with Microsoft Australia Fran Barlow is responsible for marketing and managing Microsoft Australia’s two biggest conferences – Tech Ed and the Australia Partner Conference. Sheridan Randall spoke with her about achieving success across two very different client groups.
Q Who are you targeting with the two conferences? A The Australia Partner Conference (APC) is targeted towards our partners who are a big segment of Microsoft’s infrastructure. APC is a sales kick off for our partners to show them what is coming up for the year and our strategy. Also because they come from different areas they love networking and meeting other partners and Microsoft account managers. It’s very “boutiquey”. Tech Ed is very technical. It’s for IT developers and professionals. It’s all about training and they just attend sessions all the time across four days. Q Do you follow a global Microsoft template when it comes to either conference? A We are one of the few countries that have our own partner conference. There is a worldwide partner conference in the US with 12,000 people. Ours is around 800 delegates, but it’s the same concept. We do use some of the branding and the content flows down. Tech Ed is a very strong global event brand, and we work very closely with New Zealand to the point where we go back to back. That means we can bring down core speakers (from the US) and share them. We also share the same vendors where we can and the same content. Q Being a tech company, why does Microsoft still use conferences
as a medium? A There is nothing like meeting face to face. What we have done with
Tech Ed is create a community. We really push that at the event. I don’t fill it with exhibitors and sponsors – I have a cut-off point – and the rest of the space is a community lounge where delegates can sit and do all this coding and solve problems together on whiteboard tables. But what happens is that it doesn’t end at the event. They all hook up and use social media to keep talking. You get all these user groups meeting in the one place and sharing stories. Q How do you use technology to enhance the events? A For APC this year at the Cairns Convention Centre I put the conference guide on devices. I didn’t print anything. First of all we sent it out to everyone electronically. Secondly when they got onsite I had plinths set up with devices on them, so they could go and check where they wanted to go to. There was digital signage everywhere and I had volunteers wandering around with tablets. It was a risk, but I was determined to show Microsoft and its partners’ offering, and that you could do it all online. It also meant we could make last minute changes. We could go straight online and have everything completely up to date. I did it for APC because of the smaller nature of the event but I am looking at rolling it out for Tech Ed.
Q Tech Ed has been based at the Gold Coast Convention Centre (GCCEC) for a number of years. Why is that? A We use the GCCEC because we like the fact that we bring people out of the office. We held it in Sydney once and we found the numbers increased but there wasn’t that sense of community. People drift in and out and go back to the office. On the Gold Coast we have a captive audience [of around 2000]. Also it’s a bit of a reward for these guys. At Tech Ed we always do a networking reception party on the night before they fly home. We had done Movie World and Dreamworld previously and so I asked [GCCEC general manager] Adrienne Readings “can we use the car park?” So for three years in a row we did the party in the car park. We had [agency] Jack Morton transform the place, so when the delegates came out from session they had no idea. One year we did drag racing in the car park and another year we did laser tagging. We do a band jam in the plenary hall. We had a basketball court one year, an indoor rock climbing wall another year. What other venue would allow you to do that? They are a great venue to work with. Q How do you measure the success of Tech Ed? A At Tech Ed they can deeply immerse themselves. We run labs until
8pm. We also run certification – they can actually do exams onsite. We’ve got guys that go to sessions all day, a couple of labs in the afternoon and in the evening they are doing an exam – that’s how intense it can be. That’s our return on investment. They go back armed with an amazing tool kit of knowledge. Q How do manage sponsorship of the events? A For both events I have amazing sponsorship retention and they come back year after year, which for me is a great return on investment. With both events there is finite amount of space and I’m not there to fill it up with sponsors and exhibitors, that’s not what the events are about. It’s about our customers and partners first. We are very strategic with our sponsorship and exhibitors. We are not there to make money on these events. Q You won the Most Outstanding Individual Contributor in the
inaugural Microsoft Global Event Marketing Awards in 2012 – what did you do to achieve that? A It was a lot to do with our strategy for that year around doing less
but with more impact. We launched an event called Big Picture where we invited all our partners and customers to come in and play with our stuff, touch the technology and see it hands on. We did it in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and it was really successful.
36 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
MEETING PEOPLE The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has announced several new positions, including Keith Bazley (pictured) as executive manager of property operations. Adrian Potts has been appointed audio visual manager and Andrew Sjaus will be the new food and beverage manager.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Hal Philp to the position of general manager for Sheraton Melbourne Hotel. He brings to the position 19 years of international hospitality experience. He has previously been deputy general manager at the St. Regis Doha and held senior roles at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Sheraton Auckland and Sheraton on the Park, Sydney.
Sunshine Coast Destination Limited has appointed a new head of marketing, Laughlin Rigby. Rigby has a strong background in tourism and destination marketing, most recently with the Irish Tourist Board. He previously founded Travelshake.com, the world’s first social media portal for the travel industry, and has also held key marketing positions in major organisations such as Tourism Ireland and Unilever.
Trevor McCartney has been appointed general manager of the yet to be opened Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. McCartney was previously the director of business development at the Qatar National Convention Centre. He has also worked at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Malaysia and at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall, Thailand.
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has appointed a new general manager, Rudolf van Dijk. He joins the hotel from the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake in China which he managed for four years. Van Dijk has also held positions at Four Seasons hotels in Singapore, Tokyo at Marunouchi, Bangkok, Shanghai and New York.
Angela King has been appointed general manager of the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay after two years as the director of sales. King has extensive hotel management experience, having previously held roles based in New Zealand with Millennium Hotels, Rydges Auckland and Rendezvous Hotel Auckland.
Renee Murphy has been appointed as director of sales hospitality at Jupiters Hotel & Casino. Murphy joins the Jupiters team with more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously she was the director of sales’ conference and events at QT Hotels & Resorts on the Gold Coast.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Marieke Chataigner as director of business development South Pacific. With more than 10 years experience in hotel chains, Chataigner joins the Hilton team from the South Pacific where she worked as director of sales and marketing for Sofitel.
Tune Hotels has appointed Nathan Copsey as general manager of its new Melbourne property. He will be responsible for managing the hotel’s operations and 20 staff. With more than 11 years experience, he has previously held roles at the Melbourne Parkview Hotel and Bayview on the Park Melbourne as well as The Chamberlain Hotel in London.
Alicia Weilder has been appointed director of brand development at Rydges Hotels and Resorts. She will oversee the Rydges Hotels & Resorts branding strategy and direction as it launches the new loyalty program Priority Guest Rewards. Weilder has a strong background in hotel brand advertising and key account management sales.
Palazzo Versace has announced the appointment of Jenny Ramos as director of sales. She joins Palazzo Versace from Gold Coast’s Jupiters where she was sales manager. She has previously held roles at Seaworld Nara Resort, Hotel Watermark, Legends Hotel and Q1 Hotel & Resort.
Event Travel Management (ETM) has appointed Karen Krieger as sales manager. Krieger joins ETM with more than 15 years of experience within the events industry across Asia, Australia and throughout Europe. Prior to joining the team at ETM, Krieger was the event director and portfolio leader across Sydney-based trade shows, ABEE and Sydney’s Event Showcase.
The general manager of Peppers Carrington Resort, Simon Jones, has been appointed chief executive of the resort and its associated companies. Jones will oversee a million dollar refurbishment which will take place over the next few years.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 37
PCO ASSOCIATION
Voice as a thermometer of change Finding your authentic voice is a matter of adjusting your awareness, learning how the unconscious mind Finding your authentic voice is a matter of adjusting your awareness, learning how the way the unconscious adjusts the breath, larynx and body shape negatively and developing techniques to overcome those habits, adjusts the breath, larynx and body shape negatively and developing techniques to overcome those habits, writes Dr Louise Mahler. writes Dr Louise Mahler. The voice is like one of those “Magic Eye” paintings you may have seen that look like strange abstract paintings but when you refocus, you see dolphins swimming in a sea of foam, or deer hiding in the forest. Likewise, on the surface, the voice appears to be a tool of communication. We manipulate it for certain effects, but behind the scenes – to be said in the inimitable voice of Tim Shaw of Demtel – “there’s more”! In Australia, with our passion for authentic communication, any sense of surface “manipulation” is not congruent with our national psyche. For instance, as is a common experience, an executive told me how he had been “slowing the voice”, using “pauses” and “pitch variation”. This is what I call “Zeigeldundauskunftsmittelsvernichtung”: a complete waste of time, money and resources. The voice can’t be faked, we need to go behind the scenes to discover why the pace and pitch are not working effectively on their own. At its core, it is all about breath. Sitting one day in a yoga workshop, the teacher asked the class the simple question, “Why do we need to breathe?”. The answers, of course, were extensive: to stay alive, to reduce stress and tension, to enhance creative and athletic performance, for meditation and martial arts, to relieve acute chronic and acute pain . . . When you change your breathing, you change your chemistry. When you improve your breathing, you improve your physiological and psychological functioning. But what many of us never bring to conscious awareness is the
fact that our breath is the medium of sound. Without breath, we are silent . . . Breathing and vocal habits change on a day-to-day or moment-to-moment basis, as a response to emotional stimuli. Stress sets into motion certain physiological responses that result in shutting the throat – at the extreme. Can you remember a time when in crisis you have been unable to speak, for example after an accident or shock? This is the voice’s response at the acute end of stressful reaction. At less extreme levels, the voice reacts with more predictable changes such as those of pitch or amplitude. Some people get a very high voice when they are challenged, some get gravelly, some speak more quickly. Some combine all the effects and, like a needle in the crack in an old vinyl record, we get stuck there. We are still alive, but all the other functions of breath are compromised. Changing voice is not achieved by changing the voice. It is about going back to the mind, recognising how it affects the body (and breath flow) and working there. The voice is simply a consequent thermometer of change. Do you know your mental scripts under stress? Do you repeat phrases like “this will be hopeless” without even realising? Have you identified your emotional triggers such as the size or
38 Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 www.cimmagazine.com
constitution of an audience? Many people are happy talking to peers; for some people, an audience of peers is a nightmare. Do you know how you alter your posture under stress? Is the weight on both legs or one? Where are the feet pointing? How far apart are they? Are they even interlocked? These things affect breath. Breath effects voice and there you have it. To impact on vocal change is a matter of adjusting awareness, so you are aware of your sound, and then educating yourself on the way the unconscious adjusts the breath, larynx and body shape negatively. It is then about becoming aware that we have the ability to override those habits consciously and develop techniques to do so when required. Assuming the participant actually wants to change (how many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change), these changes are embedded by conscious repetition that then makes our softly-spoken executive become physically and mentally invigorated – vocal problems farewell! One of the joys of my work with individuals is discovering the potential of their voices, both literally and as a figurative manifestation of their personal potential. From a fresh perspective, with total authenticity as key, we can explore voice and bring new awareness about “self”, viewing the voice as a dynamic, walking, talking thermometer of personal change. Louise Mahler was a Keynote Speaker at the 2013 PCO National Conference.
The growth of the world’s cruise industry means there are now cruises in every part of the world, of every length, and in every price category. So whatever the group’s needs, expectations or budget, there is a cruise to match. For local organisers, there are plenty of cruise options available on our doorstep. Photo courtesy of Tourism Australia.
Australia is one of the world’s fastest growing cruise markets, with almost 700,000 Australians taking a cruise in 2012 – up 11 per cent on the previous year. We now have more ships based here full-time than ever before (six at the last count), which means there are dozens of roundtrip cruises sailing from major cities including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Fremantle.
Smooth sailing for meetings While hotels and cities around the globe continue to vie for the meetings dollar, an increasing number of PCOs are heading to sea, where an ocean full of venues is now available, writes Brett Jardine. The rapid expansion of the international cruise industry and the introduction of new ships in fleets across the world have opened up exciting new opportunities for meeting organisers keen to offer their clients something truly different. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) member cruise lines now operate more than 300 vessels worldwide, which means there are ships of all sizes, styles and budgets available to provide interesting and exciting venues for conferences, meetings, training sessions and seminars. From a conference for 3000 people to an intimate incentive group for 30, there’s a ship to meet delegates’ needs. For professional conference organisers, an event at sea is a dream, with one supplier overseeing every element, from the accommodation and meals to social functions and even flights. All delegates sleep, eat and socialise in the same space, cabins are more or less the same size, with upgrade options available and all onboard meals are included. Not only is a cruise ship-based event easy to organise, it’s also great value. The all-inclusive nature of the typical cruise ship product is hard to match in a land-based venue. In addition to accommodation, meals and entertainment, cruise ships offer their conference centres at no extra charge. And most lines also provide standard audio-video equipment on a complimentary basis. Not surprising then, that one US-based cruise events services company, Landry & King, has estimated that an all-inclusive cruise ship event saves 20-30 per cent on costs. Ship meeting facilities range from small dedicated meeting rooms to auditoriums and multi-deck theatres for more than 1000 delegates and there are plenty of public areas for continuing business outside the sessions.
Companies can usually customise and brand the venues, and with dedicated corporate planners and helpful staff, it’s easy to organise themed events and promotions. Few land venues can match the evening entertainment on offer, often to West End [of London] standards, in the price of the package – nor fantastic facilities such as the spas, sports areas, casinos, bars and restaurants available on larger ships. But the real excitement when choosing a cruise ship for your event is the thrill of waking up in a new port every day or two, and the unique opportunity to combine business with land excursions in several destinations. Smaller groups normally book into an existing cruise, but if you charter a whole ship, you can even create the itinerary and pick your ports of call and shore tours. And whether you charter a small ship for 100 people or a superliner for 3000, exclusive really does mean exclusive.
We also have a record number of ships “home porting” and visiting our cities over the peak summer months. In fact, across CLIA cruise line members a record 34 cruise ships will sail in our waters over the 2013-14 summer season, making almost 600 calls to Australian ports alone. Over recent years CLIA’s head office in the US has taken a bigger role in promoting meetings, creating a Meetings, Events & Incentives Task Force made up of 15 cruise lines members focused on developing a strong relationship with the meeting and incentive industry. Locally, more of our member cruise lines are hosting PCOs and meeting organisers onboard their ships to familiarise them with the product on offer. And both here and overseas, cruise line companies are now taking an active presence at key trade shows to raise awareness of their offerings. So when you’re planning your next meeting, don’t forget to contact your local cruise operators and have a chat to them about what they can offer. And remember to keep your eye on the horizon – there’s sure to be a ship out there for you. Brett Jardine is the general manager of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia and a consultant to the PCO association.
PCO ASSOCIATION NEWS PCO 2013 National Conference
Looking towards AIME
The 6th annual PCO Association Conference and Exhibition was held in Melbourne in November with 350 registrations and 66 exhibitors, making it the largest to date.
The PCO Association will again partner with Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) to present part of the 2014 AIME Knowledge program, with full details to be released shortly.
“We think it is one of the best meetings business programme that the PCO Association has put on,” said PCO Association spokesman Peter Sugg. “We got the speakers and the topics right; they just seem to match the mood of the people. From a keynote speaker perspective we tried to cover the main elements of the sector – what is going to happen in the next few years in the venue, aviation and destination sector.”
AIME offers three flexible options for those who want to attend the event as a Hosted Buyer, which includes complimentary return flights, transfers, accommodation, pre and post touring opportunities, education and access to a range of networking events. To apply, please go to www.aime.com.
www.cimmagazine.com Convention & Incentive Marketing, December 2013/January 2014 39
Meet Melanie. She lets our staff concentrate on the details, so she can enjoy the event.
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