HAP5

HEADQUARTERS A S I A- PAC I F I C

the Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives Supported by UIA, Union of International Associations, Brussels

05

Headquarters Magazines Meetings Industry Publishers (Singapore) Published 4 times a year Edition March 2011

GO GLOBAL GO TO DUBAI

AN INTERVIEW WITH JERAD BACHAR

ALSO A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SUSTAINABILITY UIA TALKS ABOUT MEMBERSHIP

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HQ IN 2011 HQ EMEA HEADQUARTERS

HAP HEADQUARTERS

HQ EMEA stands for Headquarters Europe Middle East Africa, the magazine for EMEA-based associations.

HAP stands for Headquarters Asia-Pacific, the magazine for Asia-Pacific-based associations.

PROFILE HQ EMEA

PROFILE HAP

Distribution + HQ Magazine is the EMEA magazine for international associations + Circulation: 5,000 copies + Published 5 times a year + Distribution in Europe, Middle East and Africa

Distribution + HAP is an Asian-Pacific magazine + Circulation: 2,500 copies + Published 4 times a year + 14 Asian-Pacific countries

Readership + International associations organizing international congresses in EMEA and other continents (94%) + Members of ESAE, the European Society of Association Executives (1%) + the EMEA meetings industry PCO’s, AMC’s, members of 1% 5% EFAPCO, IAPCO (5%)

94%

Readership The readers of HAP consists of 3 important groups: + the Asian-Pacific associations organising congresses in the region: 65% + the internationanl associations organizing international congresses: 30% 5% + the Asian-Pacifc meetings industry, international agencies (PCO’s, AMC’s, members of IAPCO): 5% 30% 65%

HeadQuarters magazine, The EMEA Magazine for Association Executives

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HQ46 Sept. 2011 22 June Sustainability HQ47

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Each issue includes a cover interview, a special feature and destination reports.

HEADQUARTERS magazine, The Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives

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28 Oct.

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> M A R C E L’ S PA G E

WHAT I LIKE SO MUCH ABOUT ASIAN MEETINGS FAIRS Trade fairs attract me by nature, and the special ones interest me even more.

Association congresses are appealing as well, and here too the unusual ones draw my attention the most. To satisfy this hunger, I don’t have to look far.

These meetings (or MICE as they’re still called in Asia) fairs are practically thrown at my feet. In Africa the term is business tourism fairs. In Asia-Pacific, there are four important trade fairs every year. Let’s review them.

IT&CM 2011 CHINA, SHANGHAI MART EXPO, APRIL 13-15

MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Editor in Chief

This fair gave me the chance to discover Shanghai and the 2010 World Expo.

To me, the city is one of the big gateways to a new economic power. Organizer TTG Asia Media describes the fair as ‘leading China’s next MICE wave’. This is already the fourth edition. This fair especially interests me because it hosts a lot of ‘China oriented’ seminars. Its biggest attraction - at least to me - would be the ‘Future Leaders Forum’, where young people of MPI and IMEX get the opportunity to fall in love with the meetings industry. www.itcmchina.com

CIBTM 2011, CHINA NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, BEIJING, AUG. 30-SEPT. 1 I’ll have to attend this fair a lot of times before I really know every little corner of Beijing. But I’ve already thoroughly explored the Olympic Village of 2008, because I stayed in the nearby CNCC Grand Hotel. CIBTM is a product of Reed Travel Exhibitions and is also hosting its fourth edition in 2011. During the fair I always pay a lot of attention to the CIBTM Industry Research document that the marketing bureau releases every year. It’s full of relevant information. www.cibtm.com

Trade fairs attract me by nature, and the special ones interest me even more. Association congresses are appealing as well, and here too the unusual ones draw my attention the most.

To satisfy this hunger, I don’t have to look far…

IT&CMA 2011, BANGKOK CONVENTION CENTRE AT CENTRALWORLD, OCTOBER 4-6 Bangkok is a rapidly evolving city. I always enjoy staying there, even though it can be a hot and crowded place. The fair always books a good keynote speaker. In 2010, it was Professor Ng who held an exciting presentation about ‘The future of delivering and creating value in services’. Because this fair is a product of TTG as well, I always attend the Future Leaders Forum too. I think Asia spends a lot of time educating the young people of our industry. It’s a real good thing. www.itcma.com.sg

ITB ASIA 2011, SUNTEC SINGAPORE, OCTOBER 19-21 ITB Asia has a strong link with ITB Berlin. The fair is described as ‘the Trade Show for the Asian Travel Market’ and is held in Singapore for the third time this year. Last time, I attended the first Asian Association Day there - it was an enlightening experience, and, with more than a hundred participants, a big success. During my spare time, I learned a lot about luxury meetings as well. www.itb-asia.com

» READ MORE OF MARCEL’S STORIES ON HIS BLOG: WWW.MARCELSBLOG.TYPAD.COM!

HQ > CONTENTS

COLOPHON HEADQUARTERS ASIA-PACIFIC OR HAP IS A NICHE PUBLICATION FOR LOCAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS BASED IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION DEALING WITH THE ORGANIZATION OF WORLDWIDE CONGRESSES. PUBLISHED 4 TIMES A YEAR. CIRCULATION: 2,500 COPIES IN 14 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. Subscriptions Subscriptions amount to 85 euros (all incl.).

The online version of the magazines is available at www.headquartersmagazine.com Editor in Chief Marcel A.M.Vissers marcel@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch cecile@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Editor Rémi Dévé remi@headquartersmagazine.com Contributors Sarah Lee Thomas Reiser Jennifer Salsbury Judy Wickens Igor Hendrickx Design UPSILON advertising, Kortrijk - Belgium T: +32 (0)56 24 94 44 info@upsilonadvertising.be Print The Neu Print PTE Ltd - Singapore neuprint@singnet.com.sg Supported by UIA, Union of International Associations Address Headquarters Magazines PTE Ltd 1 Scotts Road #21-07 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 Responsible Publisher Headquarters Magazines PTE Ltd - Singapore Marcel A.M. Vissers marcel@headquartersmagazine.com

CONTENTS Cover HAP5: Jerad Bachar, Director of Dubai Convention Bureau, tells all about how they cater to international associations and the soon-to-be-famous Dubai Association Centre.

GENERAL MARCEL’S PAGE

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ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT: CMA

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UIA

10

HOW THE EU WORKS - PART II

16

NEWS

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COVER INTERVIEW JERAD BACHAR, DUBAI CONVENTION BUREAU

SPECIAL FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

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TRANSPORT

14

DESTINATIONS TAIWAN

18

BRISBANE

21

SOUTH AFRICA

25

GENEVA

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GET YOUR OWN FREE COPIES OF HQ ASIA-PACIFIC! Cécile Caiati-Koch

Headquarters Asia-Pacific, the must-have publication, is free to all association event planners. Just write to info@headquartersmagazine.com with your name, title and precise contact details and express your interest: you’ll be automatically added to our distribution list.

Suppliers (convention centres, hotels, special venues, agencies, etc.) in the meetings industry can benefit from special rates for group subscriptions.

Write to info@headquartersmagazine.com - we will happily answer your questions!

Rémi Dévé

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HQ

> COVER INTERVIEW

from London and Beijing, which gives us strategic placement in the middle of these two world economic headquarters. Also within this radius is a vast majority of the world’s population and global economic growth. Congresses that take place in Dubai have a long history of increased attendance due to this ease of accessibility. Associations also find this location of strong interest due to the potential exposure to increased membership from the immediate region and surrounding areas.

HQ: Can you explain to what extent the Asia-Pacific is an interesting market for you?

GO GLOBAL GO TO DUBAI An interview with Jerad Bachar AS DIRECTOR OF THE DUBAI CONVENTION BUREAU (DCB), JERAD BACHAR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AGENCY’S SHORT AND LONG TERM STRATEGIES, DAILY OPERATIONS, AND OVERALL POSITIONING OF THE DESTINATION WITHIN THE MEETINGS SEGMENT. JERAD TELLS US MORE ABOUT HOW THEY CATER TO INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE SOON-TOBE-FAMOUS DUBAI ASSOCIATION CENTRE.

HQ: Dubai’s situation on the international map seems to be ideal…

Jerad Bachar: The geographic location of Dubai is one of the destination’s leading selling features. This applies to all business sectors

HEADQUARTERS 6

including tourism and specifically to our promotion to the association market. Dubai’s humble beginnings started with the dredging of Dubai Creek and the formation of Port Rashid. Due to these expanded facilities and the central location of the emirate, Dubai quickly became the shipping hub of the Middle East. Today, the industries of shipping, logistics and re-exportation are vast cornerstones to the Dubai economy. Dubai has truly been the region’s leader in innovation for the past four decades.

As with any business, good location and easy accessibility are important. As it pertains to Dubai’s meetings industry, location and accessibility are paramount. One of the leading benefits of Dubai to associations is the ease of access from east and west. Within an 8 hour flight, travelers can access Dubai

Jerad Bachar: The Asia Pacific region as a whole is a primary focus market for us. We have long participated in industry exhibitions, regional road shows and of course hosted buyers and media from the region here in the emirate. Dubai’s Department of Tourism has had five representation offices throughout the area for several years. As of 1 November, the Dubai Convention Bureau opened representation offices in Beijing and Shanghai specifically to serve the meetings market. Incentive packages have been developed that are currently being promoted to new customers through these offices.

HQ: We understand international associations are encouraged to settle in Dubai in a kind of ‘free zone’.

How so and why is that?

Jerad Bachar: Recently an initiative has been undertaken by three Dubai government agencies including the Department of Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce and the World Trade Centre to collaborate on a centre for associations. The project has been titled the Dubai Association Centre and a physical office is currently located in the business tower of the World Trade Centre. Historically, the laws and regulations applied to association development have been restrictive and the application process for international associations has been unclear. All three organizations recognize the important role associations play in long term economic and educational development.

These developments come from industry specific education, collaboration and an exchange of ideas and best practices.

We have received great interest from

> COVER INTERVIEW

associations in North America and Europe that see the Middle East as the next frontier in their efforts to expand membership, promote their educational offerings and reach additional audiences for their products and services. Within the partnership, the Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the association licensing, the World Trade Centre is responsible for the operation of the centre and the Department of Tourism (through the Convention Bureau) is responsible for the marketing and promotional strategy.

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

Burj Al Arab

HQ: Can you describe Dubai’s assets as an international association conference destination?

Jerad Bachar: Of course I’m biased, but I truly believe Dubai is the leading conference destination anywhere in the world, especially for associations that address a global audience from the east and the west.

As mentioned before, we are easy to reach.

The Dubai International Airport is well served by over 120 airlines including Emirates Airlines which serves 100+ destinations on six continents.

Once guests arrive into the city, it is easy to move around through a number of tour operators, taxi services and of course the new Dubai Metro. The Metro is accessible from both primary airport passenger terminals and has over 14,000 hotel rooms within walking distance to metro stops throughout the city. It connects the airport and the numerous hotels directly with the city’s convention centre.

Dubai is home to over 71,000 hotel and hotel apartments across all classifications and price points, for all types of traveling budgets. At the centre of it all is the Dubai International Congress and Exhibition Centre with over 90,000 sqm of exhibit and meeting space.

The DCB has been working with Dubai’s congress community including hotels, the convention centre, Emirates Airlines and Dubai based PCOs/DMCs to create the Dubai Bid Alliance. The alliance brings together the entire community to create a collaborative effort to bring new congress business to the emirate.

Through this program we offer incentives and one universal contract among all participating hotels. Currently, there are over 19,000 hotel rooms available within the program.

Burj Al Arab

We have received great interest from associations in North America and Europe that see the Middle East as the next frontier in their efforts to expand

Dubai Marina

The alliance makes doing business in Dubai efficient and attractive for any association.

and works to promote a positive business environment for them to succeed.

HQ: You’ve attracted many large conferences. Can you tell us about conferences of smaller sizes?

Does Dubai cater to them to?

HQ: Dubai is strong obviously, but Qatar, Abu Dhabi, etc. also seem to want a piece of the cake.

How do you react to that?

Jerad Bachar: Absolutely! Congresses of over 10,000 delegates are exhilarating to win and certainly bring notoriety to any destination, however the majority of Dubai’s industry is contained within the small to medium size congresses. Dubai has increased the venue options for these types of congresses over the past few years with the addition of several hotels with large conference facilities onsite. Since early in 2008, the business mix in hotels has changed with a larger portion of the business coming from meetings. Hotels that have a strong customer diversification have proven to be more resilient through the challenges of the global economy. The city recognizes the importance of small to medium sized events

Jerad Bachar: There is increased competition from these two destinations in addition to a push from other countries like Lebanon, Oman and Jordan. Competition is nothing new and will continue to be a driving force both within the region and abroad. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and a close neighbor. Both cities offer different experiences, I believe groups can obtain great benefit if they include both cities for a variety of activities, this supports the country as a whole and offers a broader experience for the attendees. However, it is important to understand competition is a race, collaborate when necessary and compete always.

www.dcb.ae, www.definitelydubai.com

HEADQUARTERS 7

HQ

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

THE CHINESE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

A leading force in the modernization of China AT THE TIME OF THE TWO-WEEK ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS (NPC) AND THE CHINESE PEOPLE’S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE (CPPCC) ROLES AND GOALS FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN CHINA ARE BEING REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED. IN THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE AT TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE IN BEIJING, THE GOVERNMENT BRIEFS THE SESSIONS ON WHAT THEY DID IN THE PAST YEAR AND PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR. WITH THE REPORTS, THEY SOLICIT IDEAS FROM THE SESSION ATTENDEES. ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES IS THE CHALLENGE OF Jiang Yongmao

MEDICAL REFORM.

In 2009, the central government unveiled a three-year plan costing 850 billion yuan ($130 billion) for medical reforms. The aim of the plan was to offer universal and affordable medical services to all people in the country.

The Chinese Medical Association (CMA), established in 1915, is the organisation that is heavily involved in delivering this plan.

When we met recently with Jiang Yongmao, Director of the Department of Academic and Association Affairs at the CMA to ask about the Conference Organizing department, he outlined how this activity fits in with the whole association.

HQ: Can you update us on the structure of the CMA? Jiang Yongmao: The Chinese Medical Association (CMA) is a non-profit registered academic corporate body formed by Chinese medical science and technology professionals. CMA is not only a link between the government and the medical professionals but also an important social force driving the development of medical science and technology in China. Today it has 550,000 members plus 83 ‘sub-societies’ and publishes 125 Medical Journals. In addition it has joined 34 International Organizations and is a member of the Chinese Association

of Science and Technology (CAST). These activities are arranged under a total of 16 departments and 3 legal entities. Regarding the conference industry the activities fall under the Department of Academic and Association Affairs.

HQ: How does CMA work with its membership?

Jiang Yongmao: The mission of the CMA is to unite and co-ordinate the medical world in China communicating between the government and the medical professionals in both directions which it does through organizing Academic Conferences and publishing more than 120 specialist medical journals. The CMA played a key role in the development of Health Services in China - especially in establishing modern clinical medicine and a quality health service structure in a country where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was the norm in many areas at the early stage of the last century. It both serves and communicates with the 83 specialty sub-societies and branches in each province in membership.

Running conferences both National and International is seen as an extremely important and effective way of communicating. The Department of Academic and Association Affairs was established in 1951 to

manage this activity. The department establishes policies for all the conferences and also runs the overall administration for the CMA. All the sub-societies submit applications to host conferences to the department.

The department evaluates the applications and sends them to the Committee of Science Affairs and the Executive Council of the CMA for further evaluation and approval.

HQ: What kind of events does CMA organize?

Jiang Yongmao: Today there are 25 people working on conference management. They manage the annual conferences of the 83 specialty sub-societies, organize special topic forums and also assist the member societies to bid for their counterpart international congresses - both Regional and Global. The department organizes more than 200 academic conferences a year for the specialty sub-societies. The average size of the National Meetings is around 1,800 people but the largest meeting is the annual meeting of the Chinese Orthopedic Association (COA) which has over 10,000 delegates attending. Many meetings of the sub-societies are for 300 people or less.

Read part 2 of this interview in the next edition of HQ magazine.

HEADQUARTERS 9

YOUR MEMBERS: KEEPING THEM, FINDING MORE IT IS EVIDENT THAT AN ASSOCIATION NEEDS TO KEEP ITS MEMBERS AND ALSO TO FIND NEW CANDIDATES: BOTH ASPECTS REQUIRE EFFORT. THINK ABOUT THE VALUE OF YOUR ASSOCIATION TO THE CURRENT MEMBERS, MAINTAIN THE ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP, SO THAT YOU CAN DELIVER ALL YOU OFFERED, AND MORE. TEXT JUDY WICKENS, VOLUNTEER AT THE UIA, RETIRED SECRETARY GENERAL OF T.I.C. (TANB.ORG)

For new activities, apply two tests: one is whether the activity fits with the basic goal of the association, the other is to consider how the members will view the new proposal.

RETENTION Retaining the members already on your list should be your first preoccupation: they joined through interest in your association’s objectives, you know who and where they are. Members have a right to expect the services offered when they joined, with stability and continuity, and natural extension of your current programme, still pursuing your stated mission.

HEADQUARTERS 10

With time, the means of working towards those goals changes; a wide range of ideas for new products or services can be generated by brainstorming, networking, reading. The association leader must judge the usefulness and impact of each new proposal, accepting only those which fit with the objectives.

How can an association tell whether it is on the right lines, as far as its members are concerned? A classic method is to conduct a survey. Careful design is essential, not only imagining the potential replies, but also whether the association will realistically be capable of providing services if the members

favour them. A short list of alternatives is more likely to produce a response and a choice among projects, whereas leaving a blank space open to all suggestions is unwise, since members whose ideas are not implemented will be disappointed. It should be sent out at a period of the year when your staff have time and opportunity to analyse the results and to make practical and detailed preparations for projects selected.

Be sure to tell your members about the results and how you are responding: if they feel that they spent time on their response but you ignored it, they will be much less likely to reply in future.

On a day-to-day basis, information on the views of members should be collected by diligent association staff listening to them and reading their messages, not just during a survey but on every possible occasion.

Collating information rather than filing notes as soon as they have been dealt with will mean that you notice trends as they emerge, when the same topic arises repeatedly, either

as a positive inquiry or request or negatively as a complaint.

It is also significant when a product is not mentioned for a while: are members no longer interested? Perhaps you are putting effort into an outdated item which should be withdrawn, but before stopping, you should warn members, so that they can indicate whether they really do not care for this particular feature or whether they are taking its supply for granted. For both traditional and new events, review thoughtfully to try to understand why one event was fully booked before the deadline, another had to be moved to larger premises, while a third made a loss because numbers were lower than you expected: take note, learn from experience.

After all efforts to satisfy your members, there will always be some who leave. If members resign, and especially if they simply fail to renew their membership, attempt to find out the reasons why. When a company has sold its interests in the relevant industry, or a professional has retired from an active career, such members cannot be retained.

Wish them well for the future and part on good terms. But members who left because they were unhappy with your association will probably tell others, which is not good for your reputation, hence it is worth your while to know why they reached their decision and counter it. If you cannot persuade these members to stay, at least you can prevent others leaving on similar grounds.

RECRUITMENT In addition to keeping current members, an association needs new ones, and should make a specific effort to welcome new people.

Finding new members depends in some respects on the nature of the membership.

The approach to individuals for a professional society is different from a trade association serving industry, for example.

For personal memberships, doctors or lawyers, say, there is a natural turnover as the older members retire, so you need to

address their younger replacements. You can encourage their older colleagues to bring them along as ‘guests’ at a special low fee, and you can extend an invitation addressed personally to each newly qualified professional, scanning published results of appropriate colleges or institutes.

For a trade association, member companies can be encouraged to bring in their clients or suppliers as new members, but cannot be expected to bring their competitors, not wishing their rivals to benefit from networking, statistics and industry news as

tion on the basis that service will be provided as though the applicant were already a member until official approval can be given, effectively giving a free gift but one which will engage the applicant until the right moment comes.

Simply increasing numbers is not necessarily an advantage: a membership roll which your staff and resources can serve well is preferable to having a number too large to manage.

If it appears that all suitably qualified candidates are already your members, modifying the mission just to add numbers will not

In addition to keeping current members, an association needs new ones, and should make a specific effort to welcome new people. Finding new members depends in some respects on the nature of the membership.

The approach to individuals for a professional society is different from a trade association serving industry

they do. But you can find these potential members through trade journals or registers, and inform them of the advantages of your association.

be a success in the long run. Putting your energy into improving your offer of services or products is a better way to improving your association.

Employ opportunism, too. If guests from non-member companies attend your events, you can hand out a neatly presented package, including application form, inviting them to join, so that they can act immediately.

Equally, if you have assisted a non-member with information or guidance, take the chance to offer a membership application while the inquirer is feeling that yours is a useful organisation.

When your events are listed in the UIA Calendar, and your association is included in the UIA Yearbook, interested new members can find you.

www.uia.org

Nevertheless new members should be admitted in accordance with the association’s statutes and regulations; it is not a good idea to short circuit the proper procedure, for instance, to admit members randomly throughout the year if the rule is that new members must be elected formally by the annual assembly. Instead, accept the applica-

HEADQUARTERS 11

HQ

> S U STA I N A B I L I T Y

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE MEETINGS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR), THE DELIBERATE INCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST INTO CORPORATE DECISIONMAKING, IS NO LONGER A MERE TREND BUT AN ESTABLISHED VALUE. DESPITE THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, MOST COMPANIES KEEP HONOURING THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE OF ‘PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT’. THIS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY: INCREASINGLY EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL MEETINGS. TEXT IGOR HENDRICKX

The amount of information available about organising sustainable meetings can be overwhelming at first. Almost every international association or organisation has its own approach to sustainability. This article gives an overview of ways and means to put ‘Planet, People, Profit’ front and centre when organising events.

An important question to ask yourself is: ‘Who will be responsible for the CSR aspects of the event?’. The association planner can fund the extra costs to make sure that the event is sustainable. He/she can also look for a charitable organisation willing to help fund the event. Such a collaboration can be mutually beneficial: the association benefits from the good name of the sponsor, while the sponsor can put its name on a high profile event.

Finally, the destination and/or venue can take care of the CSR aspects. The local community could propose a socially beneficial activity, the venue and/or hotel can be environmentally friendly or can promise to donate a share of its earnings to charity.

BE GREEN Environmental concerns have been around since the Industrial Revolution. It’s no surprise then that the majority of sustainable

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practices in the meetings industry is concerned with the environment. These practices are already well known and widespread. Suffice it to say that green practices are mostly about the efficient management of energy, water and waste: virtual technologies as an alternative to distant travel and printed paper, bio-based recycled product offers, replacing bottled water with waterfilling stations... Being innovative is the most important part. For example, this magazine

is printed on FSC certified paper and, in collaboration with the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow, we have planted a Meetings Forest to support the Trees for Life conservation charity.

> SUSTAINABILITY

BE SOCIAL The new generation of meeting participants seems to be uncomfortable with the type of conspicuous consumption that characterises such events - especially when these events

+ Many participants are more motivated by outreach activities, which give them the opportunity to meet and interact directly with local people. This works particularly well when part of the objective is

The new generation of meeting participants seems to be uncomfortable with the type of conspicuous consumption that characterises such events - especially when these events take place against a background of disadvantaged communities or in developing countries

take place against a background of disadvantaged communities or in developing countries.

The interest is growing to make a difference and give something back to those communities. Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer in Business Travel and Tourism at the University of Greenwich, clearly delineates three kinds of social legacy initiatives for business tourism: + Donations to a sustainable project or fundraising among delegates, possibly with top-ups by the venue, agency and other suppliers. This is the most common and relatively simple way of leaving a social legacy with minimal impact on the event itself. + For longer events, where there is less pressure on participants’ time, a more hands-on approach to leaving a social legacy can be used: participants take a day or half-day out of the event’s proceedings to work directly on a construction or renovation project.

to raise awareness of social issues impinging on the local community.

To avoid the impression that your CSR efforts are a mere public relations cover or distraction, you should take the following into account. CSR should be long-term and tie into your organisational goals, mission and vision. You should be sensitive to the local communities’ plight. Finally, the choice of the CSR’s recipient(s) must be handled carefully. Convention Bureaus can help to select local charitable causes. Following these simple guidelines should guarantee that all involved will profit, whether people, planet or your association.

IN PRACTICAL TERMS There are several certificates, standards and protocols to help event planners and managers. Here is a selection of them: + Green Globe: A global certification for the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Industry. Members are certified annually based on their environmental impact. It includes additional worldwide certification programs and a broad range of sustainability tools and consulting. + Green Key: The Green Key is an international eco-label for leisure organisations. Demands are made on environmental management, technical measures, communication and on environmental education. www.green-key.org + EU Ecolabel: The EU Ecolabel is an official sign of environmental quality that is both certified by an independent organisation and valid throughout Europe.

It was originally created to reward tourist accommodation services and tourists that respect the environment. www.ecolabel-tourism.eu + BS 8901: British standard developed by British Standard Institution to move the events and planning industry in a more sustainable direction. Acts as a baseline and organisational framework for risk assessment and puts measures in place to reduce negative effects of events. + APEX Green Meeting Standards: Though under review, the APEX standard critically considers all facets of an event from communications to accommodations to transportation and scores your event on a green scale.

The APEX standard is complex to implement and interpret, and is not recommended for the average meeting planner. + ISO O 14001: This is a standard for environmental management systems that is applicable to any business, regardless of size, location or income. More generic, it provides requirements for environmentally friendly management systems and helps organisations minimize how th the hheeir ir their operations negatively affect the environment. nt.t.t. + Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol: Prottooco c l: IInspired nspi spired spi iredd by the UN Conference in Copenhagen, several organisa-tions are developing a flexible umbrella framework.

It is used to organise orga g nis nise large, complex, multi stakeholder meetings gs in gs in a sus ust s ain st ainabl inabl ble way way and was completed comp mpplet eetted ed in in sustainable Febru rua rru uuary 2010.

201 010.

01 0.

February

HEADQUARTERS 13

> SUSTAINABILITY

GO GREEN

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL OF ALL THE ASPECTS OF AN EVENT, ATTENDEE TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE EVENT

+ Airport-to-event: Airport transfer considerations can also have an impact.

Cutting the travel distance and using vans can reduce the carbon footprint by 80% or 20kg per attendee. Software can help coordinate this by providing manifests for shuttle drivers and by pre-scheduling. + Drivers: Even when driving is the norm for an event, you can still have a large reduction impact by optimising the location and by arranging for carpools. Cutting both drivers and mileage in half can save up to 75kg CO2 per attendee.

AS A RESULT TRAVEL REMAINS UNAVOIDABLE. TEXT IGOR HENDRICKX

These are just a few ways in which a planner can reduce the carbon footprint of his event.

The choice of transportation depends mostly on the distance that needs to be travelled.

Some delegates prefer to use the train for distances shorter than 600km and only fly for longer distances.

‘Sustainable development’ is a very broad term. Depending on your interpretation of it, you can either concentrate on organising a green event that will have little or no negative impact on the environment or you can ensure that local communities benefit from your event. A truly sustainable event would reduce its environmental footprint while also improving the lot of the community where the event takes place. And all this while still making a profit.

Trains are powered by electricity, so no carbon is emitted when they are running. The size of the carbon footprint of high-speed rail traffic therefore depends on how the electrical power is originally generated. As more renewable sources are used in Europe, emission levels decrease. Switzerland is a fascinating example. Because hydroelectric power is used as the main source of energy on railways in Switzerland, travel by rail results in virtually no carbon emissions. In fact, some modern trains actually

HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. ACCORDING TO A WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED BY CLIMATEPATH AND CERTAIN SOFTWARE, 90% OR MORE EMISSIONS OF AN EVENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ATTENDEE TRAVEL. NEVERTHELESS FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS ARE OF COURSE MORE DESIRABLE, AND OFTEN, MOST PRODUCTIVE, AND

HEADQUARTERS 14

Many ecologically friendly activities exist to at least reduce the carbon footprint of your event. Oftentimes it simply means eliminating inefficient and wasteful practices. + Air travel: Keep in mind that direct flights tend to be more efficient than flights with connections and find a central and direct location for your event. This can cut your event’s carbon footprint in half and save 500kg of CO2 per attendee.

> SUSTAINABILITY

create energy by converting the energy from braking into electricity and returning it to the rail network through the overhead lines, for use by other trains.

Travelling by train is not only advantageous for the environment. Many rail companies offer the possibility to organise meetings on their trains. Finally, travelling by train is truly travelling city-to-city: you don’t lose time transferring and you always arrive in the centre of your destination.

Railteam.eu, the alliance of high-speed train operators offers an overview of the ever expanding European high-speed train network. Operators include: ICE, TGV, Eurostar, Railjet and Thalys.

three largest air alliances, assume their share of responsibility regarding climate change. That’s why they have agreed on a vision of zero emissions by 2050. Being able to operate efficiently is critical to the future of the aviation industry, not just for environmental reasons but also for financial ones - especially since fuel is one of the industry’s most costly expenses. Aircraft operations are already over 20% more efficient than 10 years ago, but the industry is aware that much more needs to be done. Consequently, the quest for further efficiency continues on a number of fronts. + Technological innovation improves the efficiency of aircraft to reduce the level of emissions per passenger or over the

Travelling by train is not only advantageous for the environment. Many rail companies offer the possibility to organise meetings on their trains.

Finally, travelling by train is truly travelling city-to-city

Air traffic has always been accused of creating pollution although it has a moderate impact on climate change and is responsible for 2 to 3% of global CO2 emissions. All members of the International Air Transport Association, including Oneworld, Star Alliance and Sky Team - the world’s

distance flown. This includes: new aircrafts and engines, winglets and alternative fuels. + Operational efficiency makes each flight as efficient as possible, for instance by reducing the weight on board, employing alternative power units where possible and using new landing procedures.

+ Infrastructure improvements in air traffic management systems reduce the amount of fuel wasted through inefficient routing and flight patterns. It is a fact of modern aviation that the route from A to B is not always as direct as it could be, so there is scope for improvement. + Economic measures provide incentives for the industry to reduce emissions through buying more efficient aircraft, funding research and development, and emissions trading. From 2012 on, air transport will be included in the EU’s emissions trading scheme.

The air transport industry is actively involved in promoting public transport for accessing airports, plus replacing or complementing flights with high-speed train connections, such as between Paris and Brussels for long haul passengers flying in to Charles de Gaulle.

In short, it’s obvious that a few simple measures and a few simple choices go a long way towards sustainable transport to and from your event.

HEADQUARTERS 15

HQ > RESEARCH

How does it work

THE EUROPEAN UNION

making it even more critical for industries and countries to monitor and be actively engaged in the EU policy process.

POLICY MAKING ‘MADE IN THE EU’ Since its beginnings, the EU has grown from six to 27 Member States and more countries are candidates to join in the coming years. In addition, the European Union has extended its competencies over an ever broader range of issues and estimates suggest that around 2/3 of all legislation in place in the Member States, originates in Brussels. The EU also seeks to set the agenda on a global stage in key policy areas such as the environment and product safety.

The economic strength of the EU and the broad scope of its policy making powers mean that the decisions taken in Brussels have the potential to impact all areas of the economy and society.

It is important to understand that the European Union (EU) is not a federal State like the US. Nor is it a purely intergovernmental organisation like the United Nations.

It is unique in that its Member States remain independent sovereign nations, but have voluntary agreed to give up their sovereignty in a broad range of areas of common interest to the bloc.

FOLLOWING ON FROM THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THE 3-PART SERIES ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION PUBLISHED IN THE PREVIOUS ISSUE, THAT EXAMINED WHY THE EU MUST NOT BE IGNORED, PART 2 GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE SET UP AND THE WORKINGS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. TEXT SARAH LEE AND THOMAS REISER, INTEREL

The EU is the largest trade bloc in the world with €237 billion affluent consumers.

In 2008, the EU exported goods valued €237 billion to ASEM countries and imported goods worth €473 billion and these numbers are expected to grow substantially over the years to come. The EU is also seeking to strengthen its competitive position by exporting regulations and standards and many companies and industries/sectors

HEADQUARTERS 16

around the world now aim at meeting EU standards rather than lose sales in Europe.

For this reason, emerging economic powerhouses such as China and India increasingly model after or adopt European standards as their own, and European standards are elevated to international standards. New EU legislation will likely lead to a further increase in European standardization activity

Historical backgrounds, diversity (different nations, cultures, languages) and political fragmentation are omnipresent and the ensuing compromises have led to a complex governance model and intricate and lengthy decision-making procedures.

STRUCTURE The three main decision-making institutions are the European Parliament, which represents the EU’s citizens and is directly elected by them; the Council of the European Union, which represents the individual member states and the European Commission, which seeks to uphold the interests of the Union as a whole. The European Commission is the only EU institution that has the power to

> RESEARCH

propose new legislation, but it is the Council and Parliament that pass the laws.

to build coalitions and constantly seek consensus.

Based in Brussels, the European Commission is the driving force of the EU. Apart from its exclusive right of initiative in EU law-making it is also responsible for supervising the correct enforcement of these laws by all Member State governments. Under the EU Treaty, the Commission has the responsibility of taking legal action against Member States that fail to so, which can ultimately lead to a ruling by the European Court of Justice and heavy fines. The Commission, although it is led by a thin layer of politically appointed Commissioners, is dominated by career civil servants that work on policy and legislation.

It is also responsible for drafting the EU Budget and distributing EU funds to Member States, wide-ranging antri-trust powers, represents the EU in negotiations of treaties

The European Parliament (736 members) is the only directly elected EU body. In most policy areas the Parliament is as powerful as the governments of the 27 Member States combined: it can also accept, reject or put forward amendments to laws proposed by the Commission. It is organized by political affiliation and works in specialized committees to address any matters of concern. The recent Lisbon Treaty has further increased the powers of the European Parliament on the principle of ‘representative democracy’.

DECISION MAKING Generally speaking, the process of writing and passing laws in the EU involves balancing the interests of the Member States (Council

Emerging economic powerhouses such as China and India increasingly model after or adopt European standards as their own, and European standards are elevated to international standards

and in external trade matters and contributes to decisions affecting foreign, security, justice and home office affairs. While it has significant powers, it is not directly accountable to the electorate which has led to claims of a democratic deficit.

The Council of the European Union is composed of the relevant government Ministers from all 27 Member States and shares legislative power with the European Parliament. The Council is organized by subject areas and decisions are prepared in working groups of national civil servants from all countries and voted by weighted qualified majority voting. This system means that governments are required

of the European Union) and the European Parliament, with the interests of the European Commission. Depending on the type of legislation passed, these institutions work together in different ways.

Focusing and agreeing on the EU’s long-term goals and the overall direction of European lawmaking is set by the heads of the 27 governments in the European Council. It also sets guidelines for and passes powers to the Commission to act on a wide range of policies.

States governments to transpose them into national laws. Regulations are directly binding across the EU’s territory.

While only the Commission has the power to propose new laws, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union examine the proposals and suggest amendments before adopting the legislation. Most legislation is adopted through the ‘co-decision’ procedure which provides two legislative readings to both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers during which they can pass amendments to the Commission’s proposal. If after those two readings the two institutions continue to have diverging positions, they must attempt to negotiate a compromise under the ‘conciliation’ procedure. The procedure is typically lengthy but in almost all cases leads to new legislation - hardly ever proposals end up being shelved.

Because of its complexity and political fragmentation, European lawmaking is often criticised for being too bureaucratic, secretive and difficult to understand. It can pose significant threats but also opportunities for many stakeholders as important legislation is put in place that determines the cost of doing business in the EU but also has an impact far beyond Europe’s borders as other jurisdictions copy the European approach on policy.

Read Part 3 of this series about the EU in the next issue to understand how your organization can concretely make its voice heard and influence the process.

Sources and information + europa.eu - Gateway to the European Union + europa.eu/institutions/decision-making/index_en.htm EU Decision Making Process, Institute for the Study of Civil Society + www.civitas.org.uk + www.interelgroup.com

The Commission can propose two main types of laws: directives and regulations. Directives are EU wide-laws that require the Member

HEADQUARTERS 17

HQ > TAIWAN

TAIWAN PLAYS MEDICAL Three case studies

TAIWAN’S MEDICINE AND PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY HAS BEEN KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD FOR ITS REMARKABLE POOL OF TALENT, SUPERB TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED EQUIPMENT. COUPLED WITH THE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT AND UPGRADE OF ITS MEETINGS INFRASTRUCTURE AND HIGH QUALITY HANDLING AND EXECUTION CAPACITY, IN RECENT YEARS, MORE AND MORE INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE SHOWING STRONG INTEREST IN EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF HOSTING THEIR RESPECTIVE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES IN TAIWAN.

Taiwan’s relevant industrial organizations or chapters of international medical and pharmaceutical associations have more and more chances to host major international conferences, and they are steadily building up a track record in this field. Among the many conventions won for Taipei in 2010

HEADQUARTERS 18

were the 10th Asia Congress of Urology of the Urological Association of Asia, the 5th Asian Congress of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the 2nd Asia-Oceanian Congress of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (AOCPRM) which we’re presenting right now.

1.

UROLOGY

The 10th Asia Congress of Urology of the Urological Association of Asia (10th ACU) took place August 27-31, 2010, with 1,600 experts from 34 countries, at Taipei International Convention Center.

The live demonstrations were the biggest challenges to be organized during the congress, and the budget was also an issue as it became larger and larger as the event approached. The conference ended up involving more than 150 invited speakers, over 450 free papers, 3 pre-congress workshops and 1 post-congress workshop.

And in the end it took place flawlessly thanks to the professionalism of everybody involved.

The welcome reception was a standing cocktail party, with numerous authentic

> TAIWAN Taiwanese food stands and booths of Chinese folk crafts. Masters demonstrating Chinese macrame knots, straw weaving, silk fans and paper-cut art fascinated all the delegates.

The congress ended with a guided tour of the Northeast Coast of Taiwan, where participants learned the artistry of pottery works in Yingge, and discovered Taipei 101.

2.

PEDIATRIC DISEASES

A diverse range of activities livened up the 5th Asian Congress of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ACPID), which took place at the Taipei International Convention Center from 23 to 26 September 2010, and gave attendees a chance to learn about the beauty

Taiwan’s relevant industrial organizations or chapters of international medical and pharmaceutical associations have more and more chances to host major international conferences, and they are steadily building up a track record in this field

of Taiwanese culture. A total of 1,754 professionals from 34 countries in the medical field attended the Congress.

1.

10th ACU

Attracting attendees and meeting their needs, as well as incorporating the unique characteristics of Taiwan, contributed to the success of the event, according to Jason Yeh, Chief Executive Officer of the event organizer, GIS Group. Industry professionals from mainland China were able to attend in large groups due to a more relaxed cross-strait policy. An important goal of the Congress was to invite experts and scholars from mainland China.

Banquets as well as tours to sites like the National Palace Museum and hospitals were arranged. The dinner banquet was held at the museum’s classically beautiful Silks Palace which, along with the performance by the Lan Yang Dancers, provided an artistic feast for the attendees.

2.

3.

5th ACPID

2nd AOCPRM

3.

REHABILITATION

The 2nd Asia-Oceanian Congress of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (AOCPRM) was held April 29 -May 2, 2010, at Taipei International Convention Center, with 1,600 experts from 40 countries.

Numerous workshops were organized to offer hands-on practice sessions in ultrasound examination, low-temperature thermoplastic AAFO, meshglove stimulation, brain motor control assessment and transcu-

taneous lumbar posterior root muscle reflex stimulation.

The gala dinner was held at The Grand Hyatt Taipei, which gathered all the prestigious speakers and delegates to celebrate the success of the conference. The event was honored by the presence of the mayor of Taipei City, Hau Lunbin. Aboriginal dancers and dragon and lion dances brought the night to a climax. The gala dinner ended with some popular Taiwanese activity - karaoke!

Due to the volcanic activity in Iceland, which caused major disturbances in air transport across Europe, some speakers were not able to attend the event. However, the organizers reacted promptly and invited other medical authorities to replace the speakers.

American physiatrist Joel Delisa, professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, says: ‘Taiwan has a mature medical education system and it keeps improving. I am very positive about Taiwan playing a leading role in the international physical and rehabilitation medicine field. The organizers of this conference were very professional. I want to say I am very impressed with all the information you sent overall the period of the time, the quality and clarity. So far, the management is outstanding.’

This year (2011) marks the 100th year of the founding of the Republic of China, and it is expected that during this centennial year, the Asian and Oceanics Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the 9th Meeting of the Asian Society of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, the 8th Asian-Pacific Congress of Hypertension 2011, 8th APCH 2011, and the World Psychiatric Association Regional Conference (among many others) will all take place in Taiwan.

CONTACT Tess Yang PR Manager T. +886-2-2514-2532 tess.yang@meettaiwan.com www.meettaiwan.com

HEADQUARTERS 19

*2 3/$&(6

EXPAND YOUR VIEW. ENGAGE YOUR MIND. In a World-Class Convention Destination.

Brisbane – Australia’s new world city. Vibrant. Engaging. Warm and welcoming. It’s where you’ll find ground-breaking researchers. It’s where you’ll find innovative thought-leaders. And it’s where you’ll find the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre – recognised as one of the best international convention venues and expanding to bring you even greater scope for boutique events and mid sized conferences. Brisbane – the destination for people who want to go places.

JRSODFHVEULVEDQH FRP DX

HQ > BRISBANE

Brisbane River and Story Bridge

BRISBANE Australia’s new world city

IF MELBOURNE WAS AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER CITY DURING THE 19TH CENTURY, THE 20TH BELONGED TO SYDNEY. BUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL SHIFTS SHOW THAT BRISBANE HAS BLOSSOMED IN THE EARLY DECADES OF THE 21ST CENTURY. INDEED, WHEN I VISITED BRISBANE AFTER THE FLOOD THIS YEAR, I DISCOVERED A VIBRANT, FRIENDLY AND LIVELY DESTINATION WHERE BUSINESS IS BOOMING AND CULTURAL LIFE IS AT ITS HIGH PEAK. NO WONDER THAT BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE (BCEC) WILL SOON INAUGURATE ITS NEW EXPANSION. REPORT CÉCILE CAIATI-KOCH

After visiting the AIME fair last February, I decided to visit Brisbane in order to see in what way the flood had affected the city and its region. As usual, mass media had shown the whole world dramatic pictures, and I wanted to see to what extent it was true, especially for the meetings industry. Just have a look at the pictures and you will see that Brisbane is back in business again. Hard work and solidarity helped the city return to business within a very short lapse of time.

Annabel Sullivan, Director of Brisbane Marketing’s Convention Bureau, says that communication is ever more paramount now:

Brisbane CBD

‘We have to turn this flood into an opportunity now that the whole world knows where Brisbane is. The community spirit, the display of hard work, the sense of collaboration and belonging: these features epitomize Brisbane people and will always be present.’

QUEENSLAND, BRISBANE: ‘MOST PROBABLY THE SMARTEST STATE IN AUSTRALIA’ Besides people’s ability to get back on their feet quickly, let me give you some important key figures about Brisbane as a congress destination. Because not only has it a very busy international airport with flights to the rest of the world, Brisbane is also known for its diverse and innovative economy and for different areas in research.

Internationally renowned fields are: + Clean technology and renewable energy as the most biologically diverse capital in Australia and home to the country’s first ecosciences precinct, Brisbane is a green city with a clear commitment to its environment and sustainability. + Mining and Energy - Brisbane is an international centre of excellence for

mining techology and services. International companies are capitalizing on the city’s strategic location, skilled workforce and its knowledge economy. In 2012 the 34th International Geological Congress will take place in Brisbane. + Digitial and Creative Industries: The fast growing population with fresh creative talent, a diverse community and a high quality development environment helped the promotion and development of creative industries. Large international companies such as Microsoft, Sega, Sony have established themselves in the city.

SMART BCEC To get in line with Brisbane and Queensland’s areas of excellence, BCEC smartly developed the ‘Convention Advocates Partnership’, enabling them to win bids for conferences. Key persons within Brisbane’s academic world help the BCEC through the sharing of networks, convincing their peers to choose Brisbane for their next congress. I met Professor Michael Good, a world leader in tropical medicine and immunology, who animatedly talked about finding sponsorships and showed to be an excellent advocate for Brisbane and Queens-

HEADQUARTERS 21

> BRISBANE

DURING & AFTER THE FLOOD

DURING

AFTER

land. Another key person I met was Professor Max Lu of the University of Queensland - he also enthusiastically supports the BCEC Partnership. With a strong academic background, Alison Gardiner leads the International Convention Sales Team and, through her experience, feels particularly at ease among these ‘fellows’.

BOUTIQUE BCEC And now more about Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. In the second half of 2011, the new expansion, BCEC on Grey Street, will open, with five levels of boutique meetings and events spaces. It has been specifically designed for smaller and medium sized meetings up to 600 delegates, with two dedicated tiered plenary auditoria and several unique function areas with beautiful views on the so-called SKY level. All in all, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre will

BCEC on Grey Street

As images can speak louder than words, this is just to show you that the flood in Brisbane is just an old memory now. These pictures were taken from BCEC.

DURING

accommodate from 200 to 8,000 people with 3 auditoria in total.

HAUTE CUISINE & HOW TO BE GREEN IN BCEC But the boutique look and expansion is not BCEC’s one and only asset. Cooking is for Executive Chief Martin Latter more than just catering for the banqueting needs of the Centre’s visiting delegates. He takes pride in bringing his kitchen to the level of the world’s top chefs. You need proof? His Sous-Chef has taken part in the Bocuse d’Or culinary championship and is the only chef from a meeting venue!

And since sustainability is nowadays the talk of the town: in 2010 BCEC was awarded the IMEX Green Supplier Silver award for its environmental excellence and innovation within the international meetings industry. As Bob O’Keeffe, BCEC CEO, says: ‘Green values are mainstream values which we apply to the day-to-day operations of the centre.’

AFTER

The city cats - the river’s popular high-speed catamaran service - enable delegates easy access from and to the river banks around the city and its arts and cultural precinct. Its closeness enhances the feeling of warmth Brisbane is sub-tropical, at least to me ! - and relaxation and laidbackness for which the city is known.

The business area has the Manhattan look with its huge skyscrapers and wonderful river-dining area, whereas the South Bank precinct is like a hub to Brisbane’s congress district and thriving arts and cultural activities. My personal favorite? Definitely the famous Gallery of Modern Art (which can also be used for special events), only a few minutes walk to the BCEC or the business district. In terms of accommodation, Brisbane has 50 inner city hotels and 2 hotels adjacent to the BCEC with 14,000 rooms in total.

CONTACT DESTINATION BRISBANE

South Bank and Wheel of Brisbane

HEADQUARTERS 22

To me, Brisbane looks like the perfect combination of European and American features: the streets and buildings have an American look, whereas the people are definitely European, and of all kind of origins, including a strong Asian representation. Although it has more than two million inhabitants, it still gives you the feeling of being some kind of ‘international village’ where delegates can own the city thanks to its compact and easy-to-get-around size and outdoors culture. The river has been fully integrated to the city with a lot of foothpaths running along the inner city and swimming beaches.

Brisbane Marketing Annabel Sullivan, Director Convention Bureau T. +61 7 3006 6213 asullivan@brisbanemarketing.com.au

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) Alison Gardiner, Manager International Convention Bidding T. + 61 7 3308 30 34 alisong@bcec.com.au www.bcec.com.au

Asia’s Only Doublebill Event M.I.C.E. | Corporate Travel www.itcma.com | www.corporatetravelworld.com

ASIA WINNINGAND BEYOND Asia-Pacific’s Premier MICE and Corporate Travel Event

The 19th IT&CMA and 14th CTW Asia-Pacific 4 to 6 October 2011 Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld Bangkok, Thailand High Buyer to Exhibitor Ratio

New Participants

1.6 buyers: 1 exhibiting company

50% of buyers were new to the show

Quality Participants More than 50% of exhibitors expect to receive orders in the next 6 to 12 months ranging from US$ 250,000 to above US$ 500,000

Around the World in 3 Days!

Meet buyers from 54 countries, and exhibitors from 40 countries, all in one convenient venue!

High Level of Satisfaction Up to 84% of exhibitors pledged to return

“As always the event has surpassed my expectations! I’ve renewed contacts & it’s really a perfect way for networking & learning the latest industry trends & news.”

Leah Villarta | Co-ordinator & Exec Asst, Robert Bosch Inc

“This year packed in both days full with appointments.”

Jacob Abraham Van Hal | European Marketing Director, S.T Tours (1996) European Branch

“I was able to extend our contacts from all over the world. Am satisfied with the opportunity to promote our properties.”

Christine Kim | JW Marriott Seoul

TER REGISIN !

ONL E ORGANISED BY

SUPPORTED BY

HOST COUNTRY

EExhibitors x | Buyers | Media Corporate Travel Managers Conference Delegates OFFICIAL AIRLINE

OFFICIAL VENUE

HQ

> SOUTH AFRICA

MEETINGS AFRICA 2011 A colorful fair and a cheerful African Association Day

of Headquarters of International Associations’, like Washington, Brussels, Dubai and Singapore already are for their respective continents.

Meetings Africa 2011 was definitely an improvement compared to last year’s edition. There has been a lot of interesting new developments

Johannesburg

THE LATEST AVAILABLE NUMBERS (IE THE UIA STATS FROM 2009) SHOW THAT THERE ARE ABOUT A HUNDRED HEADQUARTERS OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA. THIS MAKES THE COUNTRY NUMBER ONE ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, FOL-

Taubie Motlhabane, Manager, Trade Relations - Business Tourism, explains: ‘South Africa can rely on a long tradition when it comes to the meetings industry. We are number one if you look at corporate incentives and conferences and we have five congress cities with a purpose-built conference centre, the most recent of them being in Kimberley. But we have to look further.

South Africa isn’t Africa. I think our leading role can help other African countries.

That’s why we were very happy to welcome a large delegation of associations from Kenya during our Association Day.’

LOWED BY KENYA, WITH 75 HEADQUARTERS, AND EGYPT, WITH 60. AND IT’S PRECISELY SOUTH AFRICA THAT HAS AN IMPORTANT Nomasonto Ndlovu

MEETINGS FAIR, MEETINGS AFRICA, AND HOLDS A PURPOSEFUL ASSOCIATION DAY DURING THIS EVENT - THIS CAN ONLY MAKE

US EVEN HAPPIER. FOR ME, MEETINGS AFRICA 2011 MEANT THE START OF AN AFRICAN MEETINGS INDUSTRY AWARENESS. A FAIR AND A DAY WITH A ‘FEEL-AND-LOOK-VALUE’ OF 7.9 ON THE MI-SCALE (MEETINGS INDUSTRY SCALE)!

REPORT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

UPCOMING CONFERENCES IN SOUTH AFRICA Nomasonto Ndlovu, South African Tourism Global Manager For Business Tourism, says: ‘We were very active during recent years to attract big congresses to South Africa. Here are some of the recent bids that South Africa won after the World Cup’.

Meetings Africa 2011 was definitely an improvement compared + 23 Colloquium of African Geology 2011 + International Small Business Congress 2012 to+ last year’s edition.

4 World Conference on Doping in Sport 2013 There has been + Pediatric and Cardiac Surgery Conference 2013 + World Transplant Games 2013 a +lot of interesting International Association of Child newanddevelopments Adolescent Psychiatry 2014 rd

A CONTINENT IN FULL BLOOM With the big leap forwards after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the recent civil revolutions in the North, we can only expect the meetings industry to grow significantly on the African continent. All in all, there are now 36 African countries

hosting a total of more than 600 headquarters of international associations - which is a good start. South Africa leads the race, but we’re not exactly sure about which city is home to the most headquarters. It’s a close call between Johannesburg and Cape Town for the title of ‘African Capital

th

+ Baptist World Congress 2015 + 14 th World Forestry Congress 2015 + 23rd International World Congress of Nephrology 2015 HEADQUARTERS 25

> SOUTH AFRICA

A FAIR WITH PERSPECTIVE Meetings Africa was created in 2007 and got off to a modest start. This year South African Tourism, the owner of the fair, hosted 123 international buyers and 32 members from the international media and Association Day was attended by 52 delegates. There were also 250 exhibitors and more than 2,000 visitors. Increase was the key word: there was an increase of 39% among exhibitors, 21.4% among visitors and 39% among all buyers. Local buyers made up

77% of all the buyers this year, and that amounts to an increase of 57%. Meetings Africa is a well organized fair with a lot of spirit. Everywhere you went you could hear positive reactions. Beatrice Makawit, of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, said: ‘Meetings Africa 2011 was definitely an improvement compared to last year’s edition. There has been a lot of interesting new developments. I was particularly pleased with the increase in the number of buyers interested in Africa’.

HOT NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA A NATIONAL CONVENTION BUREAU FOR SOUTH AFRICA Plans are well ahead to set up a National Events and Convention Bureau by the second half of 2011. This is according to Thandiwe January-McLean, Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism, speaking at a media briefing held alongside the Society for Incentive & Travel Executives conference (Site), which took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre recently.

Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, opened South African Tourism’s premier annual business tourism expo Meetings Africa 2011’ at Sandton Convention Centre (Johannesburg, February 21-23). He said: ‘We have already secured almost 200 meetings and conferences in South Africa over the next five years, attracting more than 300,000 delegates to our country.’

Meetings Africa is Africa’s leading and premier Business Tourism Exhibition and is held every year at Sandton Convention Centre in Johan-

HEADQUARTERS 26

nesburg. It started in 2007 and in 2011 it welcomed more than 250 exhibitors and 3,000 visitors. It is a four-day event.

As a big city, Johannesburg gained a lot of fame after the 2010 World Cup. It’s a business city with lots of party spots.

On the roof of Randlord’s Braamfontein, a marvelous loungebar, you get to see modern Johannesburg from all sides.

The Association Day of Meetings Africa 2011 was a fine example of Africa’s progress in the meetings industry.

This year there was a big delegation of association executives from Kenya.

During the Association day, Farieda Mayet of SASBO, the Finance Union (on the right), presented an interesting case study called ‘UNI World Cngress 2014’. She explained how to

bid for an international congress, all about delegate boosting and working with convention bureaus. There was laughter, dancing, applauding, hugging but also lots of tears during the viewing of the DVD specially made for this congress. An absolute success!

During the Association Day, Evans Omwenga of the Architectural Association of Kenya (Town Planners) got the opportunity to explain his bid for the annual international congress. It’s these moments we often miss during congresses in Europe or Asia.

CONTACT Taubie Motlhabane Manager, Trade Relations - Business Tourism (Associations & IGOs) T. +27 11 895 3000 Direct: +27 11 895 3097 F. +2786 566 9785 taubiem@southafrica.net www.southafrica.net

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© Genève Tourisme

> G E N E VA

GENEVA

the smallest of the big metropolises

SITUATED BETWEEN THE ALPS AND THE JURA MOUNTAINS, GENEVA, RENOWNED FOR ITS MAJESTUOUS LAKE, PRESENTS REFRESHING SURROUNDINGS OF ALPINE SCENERY AGAINST A BACKDROP OF GREEN COUNTRYSIDE. THE CITY DRAWS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR TO EVENTS SUCH AS CONFERENCES, CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS - MOST OF THEM AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE GENEVA (CICG) AND THE GENEVA PALEXPO, WHICH MARCEL VISSERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, AND

In December, Geneva shines with a thousand stars and lights. Trees, streets and squares are decorated by famous artists for the Trees & Lights Festival - the old town even goes back to 1602 for the weekend celebrating the ‘Escalade’, the most important episode in the history of Geneva.

I VISITED LAST SUMMER DURING A KIND OF UPDATE TOUR OF THE SMALLEST OF THE BIG

MEETING FACILITIES

METROPOLISES. REPORT RÉMI DÉVÉ

Geneva is known the world over as the United Nations headquarters and the head office of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Distinguished by its unique geographical position in the heart of Europe, state-of-the-art technology, high-quality services and ranking as a world-class city, it also bears all the advantages of a small town. Marcel and I personally experienced it: you can do pretty much anything either by foot or public transport and getting from the airport to the city centre is super easy… and free if you choose to take the train - just don’t forget to take a ticket while you wait to collect your suitcase. I believe no other European capital can boast such a thing. Oh, and by the way, Geneva International Airport

ALL THROUGH THE SEASONS All year long, Geneva is a choice destination.

Whether it be for leisure or business, the city is worth more than a détour. Through its exceptional situation in the centre of Europe, its up-to-date equipments and its high quality allowances, Geneva is more than a meetings destination. That’s why I will first focus on the feelings you get there all year round.

In spring, the city and its numerous gardens and parks blossom with tulips and iris. It’s time for a walk and then for a rest on a terrace.

In summer, it’s time to party. In June, for a

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whole weekend, the Music Festival will satisfy the most demanding music lovers. In August, during the famous Geneva Festival, the entire lakeside comes alive with music, shows and entertainment of all kinds. On the last Saturday, Geneva offers one of the biggest musical fireworks in the world, launched from the middle of the lake.

Fall is the season of beauty, the ultimate time of the year to visit the countryside and discover the radiant, golden vineyards. Don’t forget to drop by the wineries and have a taste of Geneva wine.

> G E N E VA

GENEVA’S MAIN CONFERENCE CENTRES + CICG Maximum capacity: 2,200 pax Biggest hall can be divided into four smaller rooms for 120 to 1,000 people A 600 m2 multipurpose hall that can be divided into 3 rooms for 90 to 350 people Total exhibition area: 4,000 m2

2010 ITI World Symposium CICG

is located a convenient 3 miles from the city centre (6 minutes by train), and welcomes flights from more than 100 destinations worldwide.

I had never visited the meeting facilities on offer in Geneva, but Marcel had and he was pleasantly surprised to find that most venues he remembered to bit a little passé have been completely refurbished. We were particularly impressed by the handful of hotels and

Distinguished by its unique geographical position in the heart of Europe, Geneva bears all the advantages of a small, yet international, town palaces on the waterfront. For example, the old Hilton hotel has been replaced by Grand Hotel Kempinski after a top-to-bottom renovation - the look-through perspective is just

Palexpo

one-of-a-kind! Just a little further up, right next to the UN headquarters, the Intercontinental Hotel also welcomes you in the most refined atmosphere - the refurbishment has given wood, light and space pride of place. All in all, there are 127 hotels ranging from one to five stars, for a total of 9,325 rooms and 14,948 beds. You can hardly ask for more.

In terms of congressing, the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG) and the Geneva Palexpo are the places to be. François Dricourt, of the CICG, was proud to show us around : even if the last makeover dates back 5 years, the facility has still this brandnew feel and is highly flexible (the main auditorium can be combined with ground floor rooms almost in a blink of an eye), for up to 2,200 people. As for Geneva Palexpo that’s a mere 10 minutes away from the airport by foot, it’s an exhibition venue par excellence with 102,000 m2 of inter-connected, modular and flexible space, but it also takes pride of its quite elegant conference centre, whose biggest room accommodates 2,500 participants. I personally liked the Villa Sarasin

+ GENEVA PALEXPO’S CONFERENCE CENTRE Only 5 minutes’ walk away and 2 minutes by direct bus from the airport and railway station Only 4 km (20 minutes) from the city centre and lake shore 41 newly-refurbished meeting rooms 2,500 seats theatre style in the main modular plenary hall Additional conference rooms can be built in one of the 7 exhibition halls 7 exhibition halls totaling 102,000 m2 of contiguous pillar-free exhibit space Starling Hotel***** located immediately adjacent to the venue: 500 rooms.

right next door, a beautiful 19th-century restored maison de maître, perfect for any board meeting.

I’ll leave the final word to Anja Loetscher, Director of the Geneva Convention Bureau: ‘There is definitely a city spirit in Geneva: the proactive approach of everybody involved in the hosting of conferences is almost tangible.

Welcoming international associations is a big responsibility and we never take it for granted. We always ensure they will get the best service and infrastructure when they choose the smallest of the big metropolises.’

CONTACT Anja Loetscher, Director, Geneva Convention Bureau Geneva Tourism & Conventions Tel. +41 (0)22 909 70 48 gvacb@geneva-tourism.ch www.genevaconventionbureau.ch

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> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

BESYDNEY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM ACHIEVES THE NEXT MILESTONE Business Events Sydney (BESydney) Ambassador Program reaches another milestone, now with 52 Ambassadors onboard. Launched in September 2009 with 22 Ambassadors, the program brings together a group of prominent people from a range of fields, who are passionate about promoting Sydney to the rest of the world. At the annual dinner event held last March at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, BESydney officially welcomed 16 new Ambassadors to the program. The BESydney Ambassador Program is endorsed and supported by the NSW Government. www.besydney.com.au Sydney

HKCEC WELCOMES 31 NEW EXHIBITIONS AND MAJOR CONFERENCES IN 2011

HKCEC

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) is celebrating a successful start of 2011 with seven brand new exhibitions and 24 international and regional conferences scheduled in the year. A number of recurrent exhibitions also have plans to expand. The 24 major international conferences are expected to bring altogether over 20,000 delegates, experts and government officials from all over the world to Hong Kong and the HKCEC. These conferences cover a diverse range of topics, from medical science, dental, engineering and construction, retailing and consumers, to infrastructure, phonetic sciences, yoga, ICT, and sustainability. Among the 24 conferences, 15 are new to the HKCEC. www.hkcec.com

EXHIBITION INDUSTRY COMMITS TO VIABLE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES During the second UFI Focus Meeting on sustainable development, speakers and delegates shared insights and information on current global initiatives with particular attention to developments in Thailand, India, and China. The Focus Meeting was organized in compliance with guidelines established by the Green Meetings Thailand programme. Eric Everard, President of UFI, the Global Associa-

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tion of the Exhibition Industry, addressed the issue of sustainability from the perspectives of destination, venue, organizer, service provider and client and urged the exhibition industry to meet this common challenge. The meeting was hosted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in Bangkok last February. www.ufi.org

MCVB LAUNCHES WORLD FIRST BUSINESS EVENTS MARKETING E-KIT The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) unveiled its latest product offering, the Melbourne Business Events Marketing e-Kit, at AIME. They created a suite of five ‘white label’ online products that any conference or Business Event coming to Melbourne and/or Regional Victoria can rebrand with their own logo and content. These include a Smartphone App (user friendly application containing convention information specific to each conference), a Tablet App, designed to be the interactive element at the conference, a personalised ‘My Melbourne’ online delegate boosting tool, a Melbourne Widget, and an EDM, an integrated email system with a series of ready-made electronic templates. www.mcvb.com.au

ADELAIDE CONVENTION CENTRE MOVES TO ATTRACT ASIAN MARKET Eight months after its inception, Suntec International, a member of the ARA Group, has signed on a second partnership agreement, adding the continent of Australia to its portfolio for sales and marketing representation. The contract

Adelaide Convention Centre

with Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC), a multi-award winning, leading venue in Australia comes just four months after it bagged its first contract with the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Under the contract, Suntec International has been appointed the sales and marketing representative to spearhead efforts in drawing more meetings and events from Asia to Adelaide.

The partnership calls for sales driven initiatives that will generate leads and sales activities for associations heading to Adelaide. www.adelaidecc.com.au www.suntecsingapore.com

2011 MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIRS WORLDWIDE: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! GIBTM // 28-30 March 2011, Abu Dhabi // www.gibtm.com IT&CM China // 13-15 April 2011, Shanghai // www.itcmchina.com IMEX // 24-26 May 2011, Frankfurt // www.imex-frankfurt.com AIBTM // 21-23 June 2011, Baltimore // www.aibtm.com CIBTM // 31 August - 1 September 2011, Beijing // www.cibtm.com IT&CMA // 4-6 October 2011, Bangkok // www.itcma.com.sg IMEX America // 11-13 October 2011, Las Vegas // www.imexamerica.com ITB Asia // 19-21 October 2011, Singapore // sme-itb-asia.com EIBTM // 29 November-1 December // www.eibtm.com

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