June 2012 edition

any

Founded in 1997.

June 2012

● UK JUBILEE TOURISM.

● AEGEAN AIRLINES START GATWICK,UK TO ATHENS ROUTE.

● CLEAR WATER AT MANY EU HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS.

● THE INTERCONTINENTAL SHANGHAI EXPO by Pamela McCourt Francescone.

● BERLIN & HOUSTON JOIN ALLIANCE.

● SINGAPORE REIGNS AS ASIA’S TOP CONVENTION CITY .

● QATAR NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE SEES GROWTH.

● GRANADA IS THE VENUE OF MITM IN 2012.

15-17 June 2012, Beijing, China

TATW Monthly 2012 © Massimo Theatre, Palermo, Sicily, Italy. www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

Buck ingham Palace, London, UK

UK

Jubilee

by Caroline Laspas, editor… This month sees the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II celebrate her Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne). So what does this mean for British tourism? The Royal family generate close to UK£500 (Euro€618)

million every year for British tourism with The Tower of London, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace the most popular Royal destinations. The United Kingdom is the 6th most visited nation and last year welcomed 29.6 million visitors who spent around UK£16.7 (Euro€21) billion. International tourism is Britain's 3rd highest foreign exchange earner.

With such an important historic occasion, the impact on the UK tourism industry is one of a big boost with inbound tourists already showing over 12.7 million trips to the UK capital, London. Financially, this event is expected to bring in around UK£10 (Euro€12) billion to the UK economy as many more people descend on the capital’s hotels, take in the shops, the sights and of course dine out in the process. Many hotels in London and surrounding areas have seen significant increase in bookings for the Jubilee weekend.

Buck ingham Palace, Diamond Jubi lee Concert , London, UK.

In particular the rooms and restaurants with River Thames views have been the big sellers, especially for the Sunday 3rd June when over 1,000 ships will travel in a Royal flotilla down the river. The flotilla will include a diverse mix of historic and modern craft from rowed boats to sailing ships, steamers to wooden launches and larger motorised craft. The Jubilee is such a historic occasion, one that usually happens roughly every 300 years (the last one took place in the UK during Queen Victoria’s reign in 1897). Many hotels are seeing booking rise to higher levels than the same time last year, although last year saw a peak a week or so earlier, due to the Royal Wedding taking place. Many hotels are offering Jubilee packages and if have not been fully booked

for a while, are now seeing late booking soar. Your London stay will definitely cost you more though, with a recent survey showing that hotel rates have been hugely increased by 54% compared to the same time last year, while some hotels were found to have increase their rates by a staggering 223%. However, it is also worth noting that despite the high price, occupancy levels are still very high! It is not only in London where the advantage is being taken for the Jubilee celebrations. In Edinburgh hotel prices have on average have increased by 28% more than usual while in the city of Manchester has seen an 8% increase.

The Royal Carr iage, Diamond Jubi lee, London, UK To make any stay that bit more special, many hotels as part of their packages are offering something a bit more; like the Goring Hotel where guests can enjoy a glittering cocktail named ‘The 1952’ in honour of the Queen which is served with a silver leaf in a crystal Swarovski glass!

Of course other great British traditions are also on offer like afternoon tea at many hotel restaurants and chic café’s around the capital, like at the Ritz or Fortnam and Masons and the Dorchester Hotel. Many are offering themed Diamond Jubilee tea packages, including treats such as Victoria sponge cake, coronation chicken sandwiches and gin and tonic jellies. There is also a general surge in venues offering the traditional British Cuisine whether it is for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner!

With so much attention focused on London, it is all over the UK where street parties, Jubilee Dances, events, BBQ’s as well as countless tea shops and restaurants cashing in on the excitement and economic prospect of the jubilee celebrations are being witnessed.

Shopping will be another hot activity for visitors to London, even the British themselves. Iconic shops like Fortnam and Masons, Harrods department store and Hamleys toy shop will be some of the busiest London shops over the Jubilee weekend.

→ to page 03…

2 www.tour ismaroundtheworld.co.uk

The Royal Guards, Diamond Jub i lee, London, UK

UK

Jubilee

←from page 02…

Many of these stores are preparing with royal red, white and blue window displays, multi language staff as well as conducting international inter-views to offer a real feel for

the event. Attractions in London and further afield will also prove a draw for first-time visitors to the UK. At London Zoo, a Diamond Jubilee exhibition is on offer throughout the weekend, highlighting the Queen and the Royal family’s historic relationship with the Zoological Society of London - featuring some wonderful photographs of the Queen as a young girl visiting the penguins and cheetahs at the Zoo. At the Eden Project in Cornwall, south west of the UK special events are being held to mark the occasion. A special jubilee ‘Big Lunch’ was held for local children. People across all 54 Commonwealth countries are being encouraged to hold their own Big Jubilee Lunch events as part of the celebrations.

The Royal Band, Diamond Jubi lee, London, UK

There is also expected to be a greater number of visitors at many historic royal places such as Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Holyrood House in Edinburgh, and the Royal Mews in London (where all the Queens horses and carriages are kept). When it comes to UK destinations, London remains the key attraction for overseas visitors with more than 14.6 million spending time in the capital during 2011 and spending over UK£8.6 (Euro€11) billion. Outside of London, Edinburgh Castle is the most popular overseas tourist destination attracting more than 1.2 million visitors each year.

So, if you are travelling to London soon for sure you will part of a big jubilee celebration. Many planned events are not only happening around the Jubilee weekend of 2-5 June, but throughout the coming months too. The impact

on tourism in the UK with this event alone, without taking into consideration the forthcoming Olympic Games, is a positive one whether you are a souvenir street seller, a top class hotel, a taxi driver, a café, a gallery, or a key royal venue, the Jubilee will be an occasion to remember! ■

www.tourismaro

undtheworld.co.uk

the global monthly for tourism, m.i.c.e and exhibitions

环球旅游全球电子新闻月刊全球每月为差旅、旅游业、会议、刺激、会议和陈列

TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD Monthly is a global e-journal for the travel & tourism, M.I.C.E and exhibitions industries.

It provides accurate, detailed, informative and useful information and is produced in English. Started in 1997 it has an ever-growing circulation. It is also the official global media support for several key exhibitions within the industry.

环球旅游全球电子新闻月刊是针对旅行与旅游

业、M.I.C.E.行业，在全球范围内发行的英语

版本电子刊物。它提供准确、详尽的行业资讯

，自1997年创刊以来发展迅速，并成为业内几

大卓越展会的官方全球媒体支持方。

TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD Monthly ist ein globales e-journal für Reise und Tourismus, M.I.C.E und Messe und Ausstellungs Industrien.

Es bietet akurate, detailierte, informative und brauchbare Informationen und ist hergestellt in Englisch.

Seit dem Beginn im Jahre 1997 hat es eine kontinuierlich steigende Auflage. Es ist auch die offizielle globale Medium Unterstützung für viele Zielmessen und Ausstellungen inerhalb der Industrie.

TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD MONTHLY

Aegean House, 71 Blandford Road, Teddington TW11 0LG, UK E: info (@) tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

3 www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk


The World Of Aviation

AEGEAN AIRLINES START GATWICK, UK TO ATHENS ROUTE Aegean

Airlines is to launch flights between Gatwick and Athens on 28 October in addition to

its well established flights from London Heathrow to Athens. Easyjet also flies between Gatwick and Athens, while BA offers a service from Heathrow. Aegean tried to merge with fellow Greek carrier Olympic Air in 2010 but the European Commission blocked the deal after a 10-month investigation in January 2011. Olympic then sold its Heathrow slots to Aegean as Olympic decided to focus on the expansion of its network in south-east Europe.

LUFTHANSA INTERESTED IN BUYING PORTUGAL'S TAP AIRLINE Lufthansa is interested in buying state-

owned Portugese carrier Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP) as part of its efforts to tap into the fast growing Latin American market. TAP is the national airline of Portugal and has been a member of the Star Alliance since March 2005. Privatization of the airline is part of Portugal's UK£63 (Euro€78) billion bailout. TAP could be potentially attractive to Lufthansa as it is a leading European provider of flights to Brazil. TAP is one of the larger carriers who manage the gateway to Latin America. On the other hand, the combined entity of British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia Airlines, has also expressed an interest in acquiring TAP. Lufthansa has a 11% market share in South America.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES NEW STRATEGY Singapore

Airlines (SIA) has always been known for its high quality stewardesses and superior in-flight services reminiscent of when air travel was glamorous and profitable. In 2006, that high quality made Singapore Airlines the airline with the highest stock market value in the world. However with other competitors trying to match the Singapore magic combined with belt-tightening by business travellers, Singapore Air’s passenger count has fallen 12% since 2008 the biggest drop among 12 major full-service Asia-Pacific carriers. In 2009 it was Air China who became the world’s most valuable airline by stock value. For the 1st time since it went public 25 years ago, Singapore Airlines has reported losses for the 1st quarter and slowed capacity growth at its flagship unit. Singapore Airlines, as with many others faces greater competition on Europe-Asia routes such as Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways who are also expanding their fleets and routes as well as gaining premium passengers via improved cabin services. In addition, regional and economy travellers are looking towards low-fare airlines such as AirAsia and the Jetstar (part of Qantas Airways). Last year Qatar was named the world’s best airline, an award that Singapore Airlines has received in 3

of the past 5 years. This year will also see Thai Airways International and Malaysian Airlines both introduce their Airbus A380s to their fleet, Singapore Airlines flagship plane. Aviation is facing challenges the world over, but Singapore Airlines is still a benchmark airline that many aspire too and due to its long standing success on quality and service, will win through and will not be driven out of the market by financial decisions.

NEW AUSTRIAN STAR ALLIANCE TERMINAL On 5

June 2012, the new Austrian Star Alliance Terminal opened in Vienna, the departure point for all future Austrian flights. Whether you are arriving, departing or just passing through on a transfer in Vienna, you will experience the height of comfort and service in an area over 150,000m². The modern architecture creates a welcoming atmosphere with light and airy spaces offering fantastic views out onto the hustle and bustle of Vienna International Airport. There are 6 new, spacious lounges for HON Circle members, Senators, Star Gold cardholders and business class travellers. Modern facilities combine with Austrian comfort and hospitality: cafés with cosy seating, restaurant and bar areas offering Austrian and international cuisine. Large-screen monitor TVs provide a feast for your senses. Our business areas with free wireless internet allow you to work undisturbed in a relaxed atmosphere. All the lounges offer unique views of the aircraft taking off and landing on the runway.

SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES WORLD'S MOST PUNCTUAL AIRLINE For 3 years in a row, Scandinavian

Airlines, SAS, has been rated Europe's most punctual airline, and when in April it achieved 90.87% punctuality with its flights, it became the world's most punctual airline for that month. With more than 2,500 direct flights to Copenhagen a week, Copenhagen Airport is SAS’s main traffic hub. In April, 17,782 flights out of 19,701 arrived on time. SAS Group subsidiaries Widerøe and Blue1 were also amongst Europe's best performers with 91.95% and 90.17%, respectively. Widerøe is featured in the Regional airlines category, whilst SAS is in the Major airlines category.

OLYMPIC GAMES INCREASE FLIGHT TRAFFIC Flight sales to London are up by 13% around the time of the Olympics period compared to the same time last year. Figures show that most air travellers to London are to come from the US, Germany and Australia during the games (27 July-12 August). Bookings from the USA are also up by 12% overall with New York reporting a 48% year-on-year rise to London and San Francisco with a 29% rise. There are also increases of 13% and 18% for Chicago and Washington DC respectively. ■ 5 www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

Aegina Is land, Greece

Tourism

News

CLEAN WATER AT MANY EU HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS 92.1%

of bathing waters in the European Union now meet the minimum water quality standards set by the Bathing Water Directive. This includes the Serpentine Lake in London, which

will host several Olympics events, including the Open Water Marathon Swim and the swimming section of the triathlon. The results are from the latest annual Bathing Water Report of European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission, which describes water quality in more than 22,000 bathing sites at beaches, rivers and lakes across Europe last year. The report found that 77.1% of sites had excellent quality, an improvement of 3.5% points on last year's data. Some 93.1 % of coastal bathing waters were classified as ‘sufficient’ a 1% increase. Less than 2% of bathing waters were non-compliant. Cyprus, Croatia, Malta and Greece had excellent reports on their bathing water sites, all with more than 90% of bathing water sites meeting the most stringent guide values (excellent quality), and the remainder complying with the mandatory values. At the opposite end of the scale, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Latvia, Luxemburg and Belgium had a low number of sites meeting the strict guide values, especially as regards inland waters. Water quality at Europe's most popular summer destinations was generally good with more than 90% of bathing water sites meeting the mandatory values. Spain, Italy and Portugal had more than 80% of sites with excellent water quality. The overall quality of bathing waters in the EU has markedly improved since 1990. The number of coastal bathing waters not complying with the Bathing Water Directive’s provisions fell from 9.2 % of sites in 1990 to 1.5% in 2011. The number of inland bathing areas not complying with mandatory values decreased from 11.9% in 1990 to 2.4% in 2011. Bathing water in Europe needs to comply with standards set in the 2006 Bathing Water Directive, which must be implemented by December 2014. In the new report, all 27 Member States as well as Croatia, Montenegro and Switzerland monitored and reported bathing water quality, most of them according to the new provisions. Two thirds of bathing sites were in coastal waters and the rest in rivers and lakes. The largest number of coastal bathing waters can be found in Italy, Greece, France and Spain, while Germany and France have the highest number of inland bathing waters.

UK VISAS The European Tour Operators Association

(ETOA) has warned that vital growth markets for the UK tourist industry are being lost due to the lengthy and complicated visa application process. Research conducted by ETOA reveals that millions of pounds are lost to the UK economy every year because the visa process is so

complicated that often applicants decide to go elsewhere.

- The UK tourist visa costs UK£78 (Euro€96), which currently offers 2 countries: the UK and Ireland. The Schengen visa costs UK£49 (Euro€60) and offers 26 countries.

- The Schengen visa application form is 3 pages long; that for the UK is 8 pages.

- The UK visa form has to be completed in English. The Chinese do not require their visa forms to be completed in Chinese characters; the Russians do not insist on Cyrillic

- Prospective visitors have to submit fingerprints as well as a photo, make themselves available for an interview at a location that can be hundreds of miles from where they live. They may have to wait for as long as 3 weeks for a decision.

- ETOA’s survey of travel agents and tour operators showed that 26% of Indian and 30% of Chinese clients applying for UK visas gave up rather than endure this time consuming application process.

- France now attracts over 50% more visitors from India than the UK.

- In 2009, Switzerland joined the Schengen Area. Indian visitor arrivals were at 132,000 in 2008, by 2010 they stood at 197,000; this was growth of 49%. In the same period, the UK numbers rose from 359,000 to 371,000: a growth rate of 3%.

- Since the UK introduced visas for South Africans in 2009, visitor numbers have declined by 24%. In the same year visas were abolished for Taiwanese travelling to the UK. Visitor numbers have since increased by 39% and revenue by 155%.

- Visit Britain’s figures show that just 3% of Chinese visitors to Europe in 2010 obtained a UK visa, 2% obtained both UK and Schengen visas and 95% obtained just a Schengen visa. The UK government is making efforts to improve the speed and experience of obtaining a UK visa.

RECORD DEMAND FOR COPENHAGEN AS A CONGRESS CITY The number of congresses which

Wonderful Copenhagen CVB has won for the Danish capital to date exceeds the previous record result from the same period last year. To date and in close co-operation with, among others, VisitDenmark and the business tourism network, Meetingplace, Wonderful Copenhagen - has won 24 international congresses which, together, will bring 31,480 participants and 107,560 room nights to Copenhagen in the coming years. By the same stage in 2011 the city had won 21 congresses. 6 www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

http://www.visitdenmark.dk/uk/en-gb/menu/mice/miceforside.htm

Strawberry Hi l l Upon Thames, UK

Tourism

News

WORLD’S TOP 10 TRAVELLER DESTINATIONS One of the world’s

largest travel sites, has announced the winners of its 2012 Travellers’ Choice Destinations awards. In the 4th year of its awards, the travel site has honoured 440 outstanding

destinations in 37 markets across the globe, based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travellers. Award winners were determined based on the popularity of destinations, taking into account travellers’ favourites and most highly rated places. The top 10 winners were: London, UK; New York City, USA; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; San Francisco, USA, Marrakech, Morocco; Istanbul, Turkey; Barcelona, Spain; Siem Reap, Cambodia and Berlin, Germany.

MEET ESTONIA 2012 FAM-TRIP Estonia successfully

hosted the 'Meet Estonia 2012' workshop/fam trip attracting participants from 11 countries across Europe. Organised jointly by the Estonian Convention Bureau and Enterprise Estonia, Estonian Tourist Board, the event gave 43 professional event planners and association representatives a taste of what Estonia has to offer as a meeting destination. In addition to visiting the 1,800-seat Nokia Concert Hall, a number of modern conference hotels and unique historical venues, the visitors took part in an active programme that included a nighttime tour ‘Searching the Lost Key of Tallinn’ and a traditional Estonian-style party. International meeting planners also had the chance to attend a workshop with local suppliers, and a large portion of them took part in post-tour visits to the university town of Tartu or the seaside resort town of Pärnu. This was the 3rd time that the Meet Estonia fam-trip took place. The Estonian Tourist Board (Enterprise Estonia),said that the number of meeting planners interested in participating in the Meet Estonia fam-trip has continued to grow every year.

ICCA CENTRAL EUROPEAN CHAPTER CHAIRPERSON ELECTS ANNA GORSKA FROM GDANSK CONVENTION BUREAU Anna Gorska, the

CEO of Gdansk Convention Bureau and Gdansk Tourist Organisation has been elected for the ICCA Central European Chapter Chairperson for a 2 years term. ICCA - International Congress and Convention Association is one of the most prominent organisations in the world of international meetings. It is the only association that comprises members representing the main specialists in handling, transporting and accommodating international events. ICCA's network of over 900 suppliers to the international meetings industry spans the globe with members in 87 countries. Gdańsk Convention Bureau has been ICCA's member since 2007 and from the start Mrs. Gorska eagerly participates in its

activities. It resulted in organising 2 ICCA meetings last year in Gdansk. Anna Gorska is the 1st ever Pole in the ICCA Authorities and the 1st non-German speaking Chairperson of ICCA CEC Chapter where the majority of members are from Germany and Austria. Anna Gorska is also the vice president of membership in MPI Poland Club.

VIENNA HITS THE MARK! Vienna has topped the world-

wide rankings as a destination for international congresses. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) statistics place Vienna on first place as a destination for international congresses. The Austrian capital staged 181 such events in 2011, putting it at the top of the worldwide league for the 7th time in succession. It was followed by Paris with 174 international congresses and Barcelona with 150. The other cities in the top 10 were Berlin (147), Singapore (142), Madrid (130), London (115), Amsterdam (114), Istanbul (113) and Beijing (111). Austria was in 10th place in the countries ranking, headed also almost by tradition by the USA (759). Not fewer than 68% of Austria’s 267 international congresses took place in Vienna. The best placed countries after the USA were Germany (577) and Spain (463).

CELEBRITY CRUISES COMPLETES AMBITIOUS INITIATIVE Celebrity Millennium is the 4th and final ship to

complete the cruise line’s UK£90 (Euro€112) million investment programme, called ‘Solsticising’. Ships that have been enhanced now feature a host of venues and experiences as well as being refurbished. One of the many new features added to the refurbished ships is Celebrity Cruises’ AquaClass category of staterooms, with spacious, private balconies; exclusive access to the speciality restaurant, Blu; complimentary access to the Persian Garden and Relaxation Room in the AquaSpa; a personal Spa Concierge to book AquaSpa treatments; use of plush Frette bathrobes and slippers; enhanced personal care products, and in-room features including Hansgrohe shower heads, fog-free bathroom mirrors, aromatherapy selections, and daily deliveries of complimentary bottled water and teas. AquaClass and its host of features will be added to Celebrity Constellation in 2013. Another Celebrity Cruises exclusive - ‘Qsine’ the restaurant introduced on Celebrity Eclipse in 2010 and Celebrity Silhouette last year - is also dazzling guests on Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Millennium as a result of each ship’s make over. The first restaurant at sea to present a menu and wine list on an iPad, Qsine serves a blend of classic and contemporary dishes in custom-made table ware. The extensive refurbishment and enhancement initiative was completed within less than 2 years, with each ship completing the massive transformation over the course of an only 3-week drydock period.■



The Spa Centre at the InterCont inental Shanghai Expo , Pudong, Shanghai , China

The InterContinental Shanghai Expo

by Pamela McCourt Francescone

Located adjacent the World Expo site in Shanghai’s futuristic Pudong district, the InterContinental Shanghai Expo, with its 400 guestrooms and suites - including a Presidential Suite occupying half of Level 28- caters ideally to business travellers in town

for events at the nearby Shanghai Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. But with a host of leisure services, including kids’ day care and activities, travel services, indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness centre, yoga lessons, a jogging track and a stunning spa, it is also of prime appeal to leisure visitors.

The contemporary guestrooms, with striking floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Huangpu River or the Expo area, are spacious and have large bathrooms with double sinks and vanity areas, bath tubs with in-mirror TVs and separate showers. The suites feature even more generous spaces in the master bedrooms and separate living rooms, and guests staying in the Club InterContinental rooms and suites on levels 24-26 can avail themselves of the facilities in the Club Lounge, also for breakfast as well as 24/7 business, concierge and valet services.

The dining options include the Café 1188 which blends international and Chinese influences. The dinner buffet food stations offer an excellent choice of cuisines and many local dishes in the large dining area - which has striking, thought-provoking portraits on the walls - and there is also ample outdoor seating in the garden beside the historic 1930s villas where the late-night bar is located. Master Chef Pan Xiang Wen’s Cantonese cuisine in the Cheng Hui Tang restaurant includes traditional dim sum and barbeques, and the home-style Italian cooking in the Italian restaurant, Basilico, is complemented by the wine cellar which has a choice of some 2,000 Italian fine wines.

The Grand and Terrace Ballrooms and the other 13 meeting rooms feature natural light and state-of-the-art facilities and are ideal for events, meetings, receptions, weddings and gala dinners.

The programmes in the Spa, based on the traditional five prongs of wellness - massage, weight-control, energy balance, internal health and beauty, are a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. The signature programmes are the Yin Ritual, which calms the mind detoxifies the body, and the Yang Ritual which restores vitality and stimulates Qi energy. There is also a wide range of face and body treatments using ingredients that go from caviar to seaweed, and from passion fruit to Ginko Biloba, and massage techniques that use hot stones and essential oils. Total pampering care in an oriental ambience of subtle seduction reflected in the natural materials of the interiors, in the glowing handcrafted timber furnishings and in the soft lighting, creating a cocoon of rare tranquility and serenity, only minutes away from the vibrant heart of China’s most dynamic city. ■

BML International-UK

marketing & consulting in tourism, m.i.c.e and exhibitions.

www.bmlinternational.co.uk

BML International-UK

part of Laspas Associates

E.: infobml (@) bmlinternat ional.co.uk


The old br idge Al te Mainbrücke, W ürzburg, Germany.

Germany

News

BERLIN AND HOUSTON JOIN ALLIANCE BestCities

Global Alliance is pleased to officially welcome Berlin and Houston as full partners in their international network of

convention bureaux. After just 7 months as preliminary members, the 2 cities now formally join Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore and Vancouver to bring the BestCities score card to 10 out of 10! Both cities undertook their compliance audit against the BestCities Quality Manual in April 2012 and passed with flying colours. This requirement, that all 10 cities adhere to the highest level of service standards, is what differentiates BestCities. The inclusion of Berlin and Houston will also add further value to the BestCities international portfolio with enhanced sales opportunities, business leads and an increased global awareness of the BestCities brand. Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States and a hub for the energy, medical and aeronautical business sectors. The Houston Airport System offers non-stop flights from 170 destinations around the world whilst the city itself offers a wide array of unique selling points including 2 major convention centres and unique event spaces like Space Centre Houston. Berlin has developed into an internationally renowned convention city and has been named as one of the top 5 convention cities worldwide by ICCA for the past 7 years. The German capital convinces with a large number of convention centres and locations - including the award winning International Congress Center ICC Berlin - as well as Europe’s most modern hotel landscape.

TRAVEL TO GERMANY COMFORTABLY WITH DB Travelling between the UK and Germany by rail has become an increasingly popular and fast option. Not only is travelling by train a safe, reliable and comfortable option, it is also environmentally friendly. Always arriving at the city centre, time is saved on unnecessary journeys to and from the

airport whilst also avoiding long check-in queues. In addition, connections between Germany and the UK are simple and straightforward. The Eurostar’s international rail link from London St Pancras International or Ebbsfleet to Brussels or Paris from where the ICE waits to take you onwards to major cities in Germany including Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. Visitors leaving London can reach the centre of Cologne in just 4.5 hours. The ICE also operates to cities in some other European countries including Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna and Copenhagen. An additional option for visitors from the UK is to use the CityNightLine, one of the most comfortable and time-saving options for travelling to Germany. Take the Eurostar from St.Pancras International and connect with the nightly service from Paris to Hanover, Wolfsburg, Berlin and also to Munich. City Night Line has modern sleeper carriages offering elegantly curved corridors, soft lighting, an attractive design and high-quality materials to give its passengers more travel comfort and a good night’s sleep. There has never been a better time to take the train!

UK STUDENT ‘TRAVELMEISTER’ REPORTS BACK FROM GERMANY Take one travel-hungry UK

student, equip him with an iPad, and an eventful travel itinerary to Germany and set him forth with the task of creating a very personal diary of discovery. This was the task set by the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) to James Burns, aged 20, a student at Newcastle University and the winner of the GNTO’s TravelMeister competition. Throughout his trip, James, filed a daily account of his experiences through 7 German towns and cities, on Facebook. James landed in Düsseldorf, on 22nd March 2012 where he spent 1 day exploring before heading to the nearby town of Bottrop that has one of the biggest indoor ski resorts in Germany. His trip took him north to Münster, Bremen, Hamburg and Potsdam, exploring an exciting variety of places contemporary and classical, before departing from Berlin on 29th March. Klaus Lohmann, Director, German National Tourist office UK and Ireland, said: “Through James’ exclusive use of social media, his TravelMeister trip has created a unique perspective of Germany today, as a place for exploration and new experiences; this is James’ own highly personalised view which anyone can now share, thanks to social networking”. On his return, James summed up the tour thus: "The trip was unbelievable and gave me real insight into what Germany has to offer. It is a fantastic country and each town and city was attractive in their own different ways. It is definitely a country I would recommend for any avid young traveller!”


Leipzig Exhibi t ion Centre, Germany

Germany

News

GERMANY No.2 WORLDWIDE AS A CONVENTION DESTINATION Germany has again defended its position as one of the leading global destinations for meetings

and conventions. For the 8th year in succession, the study conducted by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) showed that Germany is the top location in Europe for association meetings. Globally, Germany occupies 2nd place. According to the rankings, only the USA has more international conventions. In 2011, the experts counted a total of 577 international association meetings in Germany - an increase of 35 over the previous year - and considerably more than 2nd placed Spain, which hosted 463 conventions. The United Kingdom follows in 3rd place with 434 events. According to the ICCA city rankings, Berlin was able to defend its outstanding 4th place in the global rankings for cities. It hosted 147 international association meetings, 9 more than in the previous year. Berlin therefore continues to lie ahead of Singapore and Madrid and behind the unchanged top 3 of Vienna (181), Paris (174) and Barcelona (150). It is no accident that Germany is a fixture among the world leaders in organising international conventions. As well as offering very good value for money, excellent infrastructure and a wide range of event centres, Germany also scores highly in terms of innovation. For example, in the area of organising green meetings - a theme that will continue to grow in importance. The German Conventions Bureau found that technology and innovation accounted for more than one quarter of the international conventions in Germany while around 20% of the association meetings considered were in the medical and healthcare sectors. As for the countries of these international organisations, running their conventions in Germany, the United Kingdom was the leading foreign market with 66 association meetings followed by the USA in 2nd place (64), Belgium (36), France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. The annual ICCA statistical study ‘International Association Meetings Market’ evaluates the trends in the international meetings market.

GULF TOURISTS HEAD FOR GERMANY Germany

has become one of the key destinations for tourists from Gulf Countries. Munich received 120,000 arrivals from the GCC last year and over 70% of the tourists were there for medical treatment. With a high hospital density, Munich has become a medical hub for patients travelling from the Middle East. According to statistics, residents from the UAE alone spend up to UK£1.3 (Euro€1.6) billion on healthcare travel annually with the 3 key source markets being 50% from the UAE, 30% from Saudi Arabia and 18% from Qatar with other markets being Oman and Kuwait. Many hotels in

Germany seeing the growing numbers of Middle Eastern medical guests are catering for the customs and culture needs such as including dietary needs, leisure pursuits, and accommodation interests, providing Arabic-speaking staff, native Arab chefs, halal meat and extended restaurant hours during Ramadan.

Stuttgart , Germany

Munich saw guests from the GCC spend 375,000 nights in 2011. Apart from being a growing medical tourism destination, Munich has a lot to offer with mountains with snow and natural scenes with plenty of greenery as well as lots of cultural offerings.

HAMBURG CRUISE DAYS AND BLUE PORT Hamburg is one of Europe’s hotspots for cruise liners. More and more visitors come to the North German city, the port of call for 164 cruise ships annually, with a total of more than 400,000 passengers. Ship christening events in the world’s largest ‘baptismal font’ and numerous other maritime events attract people from near and far. The highlight of this summer will be the Hamburg Cruise Days, taking place from 17-19 August. Cruise liner enthusiasts will be able to experience 1

st hand 7 luxury cruise liners,

ship parades, themed islands on land, and the Blue Port, the magical blue illumination of the harbour. The event will be taking place on an area that stretches over several kilometers along the Elbe River – on water and on land. The stars of the Hamburg Cruise Days will be the AIDAluna luxury liner, the AIDAmar (both belong to AIDA Cruises), the DEUTSCHLAND (Peter Deilmann shipping company), the MS/ASTOR (TransOcean), the MS COLUMBUS 2 (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises), the MSC Lirica (MSC Cruises), and the Queen Mary 2 (Cunard Line). On water, event highlights include the Hamburg Cruise Night, consisting of a fleet of party boats on the Elbe, as well as the magnificent Hamburg Cruise Days Parade, where 5 cruise ships will be making their way down the Elbe River, accompanied by a fleet of ships. Also in 2012, Hamburg’s harbour will be once again turned into the Blue Port: light artist Michael Batz will illuminate about 100 objects in and around the harbour, immersing the event in magical blue light. ■



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ASIAN

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SINGAPORE REIGNS AS ASIA’S TOP CONVENTION CITY FOR THE 10TH YEAR RUNNING Singapore has once

again maintained its position as Asia’s Top Convention City for 10

years running, by the latest ICCA ranking. In addition, Singapore has retained its spot as the only Asian city in the Top 5 Convention Cities in the World alongside Vienna, Barcelona, Paris and Berlin, since 2006. The accolade comes after Singapore welcomed a record high 13.2 million visitors, exceeding its forecast range of 12–13 million. The number of business visitors rose to 3.2 million, an increase of 2.6% from 2010, and accounting for 24% of total visitorship to Singapore. Expenditure by these business visitors also rose by 4.1% to an estimated SG$2.6 (UK£2.8, Euro€3.5) billion, contributing approximately 25% of total tourism receipts. There was also robust performance in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E.) industry, which saw a 46% year-on-year growth in the number of conventions, conferences and tradeshows in 2011. Key events also demonstrated strong growth with increased attendance and participation. The year also saw the securing of 17 new world congresses for Singapore’s line up of events from 2012 to 2016 and over the next few years we will see new developments such as Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Sports Hub, and The National Art Gallery, as well as new hotels such as W Singapore at Sentosa Cove, and ParkRoyal on Pickering. Beyond new attractions and hotels, Singapore will continue to improve existing infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the M.I.C.E. industry, and ensure that established event facilities remain relevant and competitive. Singapore Expo has developed a new meetings facility, Max Atria, designed with sustainability in mind, and which includes spaces inspired by nature. It is also the first M.I.C.E. venue in Singapore to receive the prestigious Green Mark Platinum Award by the Building and Construction Authority. In addition, Suntec Singapore, Singapore’s pioneer M.I.C.E. venue, will embark on a SG$180 (UK£91, Euro€111) million modernisation programme in mid-2012. The redesign of the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre will integrate a high degree of advanced technology including an impressive 2-storey interactive digital wall and a modernized facade. These new developments build on the numerous changes to Singapore’s tourism landscape over recent years and ensure that Singapore continues to be vibrant and innovative, offering all visitors a quality tourism experience.

PREPARING FOR CHINESE TOURISTS Many Chinese

tourists are still finding they get lost when travelling abroad due to the lack of services designated for them. Services deemed most suitable are food and accommodation, road signs and emergency treatment. Still not many tourist destinations are well equipped with services for Chinese tourists, compared to those for tourists from other countries. However, with the number of Chinese outbound tourists growing dramatically, many countries have seen the potential and are starting to adapt their offerings. The Chinese have become a massive buying power in foreign markets and can no longer be ignored. Foreigners travelling to China spent CN¥4.7 billion (UK£478, Euro€590 million) in 2008, more than Chinese outbound tourists; however the Chinese outbound tourists spent CN¥4 billion (UK£406, Euro€502 million) more than foreign tourists by 2009. That difference exceeded CN¥24.1 (UK£2.44, Euro€3.02) billion in 2011. Other facilities expected in coming years to make it easier for countries to accept Chinese tourists include easier visa applications, more frequent flights and more direct routes between China and foreign cities.

GUANGZHOU FOCUS ON CLEARER STREET SIGNS The Guangzhou government has announced it

wants to improve its bi-lingual public signs and crack down on the inaccuracy of the translations. Already 90% of public signs in the province are already bilingual (Chinese/English), but the accuracy needs to be focused on. The government is keen to improve the signs either with the correct written translation of with appropriate graphics.

CONGREX GROUP AND CHINA INTERNATIONAL M.I.C.E. CO. LTD. ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION Congrex Group and CITS’s China International M.I.C.E Co. Ltd (CITS M.I.C.E.) are to collaborate together offering services that will encompass international congress marketing and project management. Both parties aim for International and European Associations as well as their Chinese counterparts and other interested parties to contact them in order to assist in the increase in participation by Chinese individuals and companies in international conferences. Equally, the two parties’ planned activities will see the number of international conferences held in China by Professional International Associations increase, as well as the level of contact between national and international congresses in China. Both companies are looking for the number of congresses, and participation in them, to rise. A dynamic exchange of know-how and technology supported by the two groups’ experts and their marketing efforts is expected.


Bangkok, Thai land

ASIAN

WORLD

THAILAND LAUNCHES NEW 2012 M.I.C.E. PROGRAMME Thailand has unveiled its ‘Thailand Ultimate Choice for All’ Q3/2012 Strategic Plan for the M.I.C.E. industry, building on the success of

its ‘Thailand Destination of Choices’ campaign. TCEB has identified 5 key M.I.C.E. market segments with significant potential for growth, and will also present several new M.I.C.E. Cities. Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) new strategy continues to build on last year’s successful theme, ‘Thailand Destination of Choices’. Analysis of past M.I.C.E. events and demographics revealed 5 key target groups of M.I.C.E. travellers, which have been called ‘Businessmen on the Go’, ‘Women in Travel’, ‘Young & Adventurous’, ‘Art and Culture Lovers’, and ‘Happy Family’. TCEB has set a target of 10% growth for its European market in 2012, and expects 95,500 M.I.C.E. visitors and revenues approaching UK£121 (Euro€150 million). Overall, in 2012 Thailand’s M.I.C.E. industry is expected to attract 750,000 M.I.C.E. visitors and generate more than UK£121 (Euro€1.5) billion from group meetings, international conventions and incentive travel.

NEW SMART SERVICES ON THE GO WITH THE MEET TAIWAN CARD The MEET TAIWAN CARD, which

benefits event and business travellers to Taiwan, marks its 3rd anniversary this year. In 2010 alone, 12,000 cards were issued to event and business travellers from over 60 countries, while the card’s extensive service coverage has pushed user satisfaction to 93.5%. The newest version of the MEET TAIWAN CARD has integrated functions of the Easy Card and hot smart phone applications that offer special deals, shop information, GPS service, a taxi guide, and links to social media recommendations. With its diverse and innovative services, the MEET TAIWAN CARD has taken Taiwan to a new level in the meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition (M.I.C.E.) industry while driving sales for local businesses in Taiwan.

SEOUL’S GREEN GROWTH STRATEGIES HIGHLIGHTED AT GLOBAL SUMMIT Top economic

and environmental policymakers and experts from around the world discussed ways of developing environmental cooperation and economic development strategies at the recent 2012 Global Green Growth Summit (GGGS). The 2-day event is taking place in Seoul’s central business district at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, awarded ‘Best Business Hotel in Seoul’ during the 2011 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards. Under the theme, "Global Governance for Green Growth and the Green Economy", panel discussions focused on specific ways in which international cooperation could be strengthened to support countries that wish to

pursue green growth on a large scale. For Seoul, it is a major opportunity to promote its own green growth initiatives, particularly during the ‘Water and Green Growth’ session, which featured a presentation on South Korea’s nationwide ‘Four Rivers Restoration Project’. Over the past decade, Seoul has worked extensively to clean up and enhance the Han River under an initiative known as the Han River Renaissance Project. Examples of this include the creation of parkland, recreational facilities and wildlife sanctuaries both along the Han and its tributaries. The summit was also another opportunity for the city to host international events of major importance, following the recent 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in March. GGGS 2012 was jointly hosted by the GGGI and the Korean government. It was organised by the GGGI in association with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UNEP, and the World Bank.

SARAWAK AWARDED THE BRANDLAUREATE COUNTRY BRANDING AWARDS 2011-2012 Sarawak

Convention Bureau (SCB) was recently presented with The BrandLaureate Country Branding Award 2011-2012 for playing a pivotal role in promoting Sarawak and Malaysia as a leading destination in the area of business events, tourism and business investments. The BrandLaureate BestBrands Awards, aims to honour brand excellence amongst the best of brands in Malaysia and the world. Last year, Kuching earned its place, for the 1st time ever, in the 2010 International Convention & Congress Association (ICCA) Asia Pacific & Middle East city ranking, sharing the 42nd spot with Nara and Guangzhou, bettering the performance of many established 2nd tier cities such as Adelaide and Canberra in Australia and Bangalore in India. Since 2006, SCB has won 9 international destination marketing awards which have been recognised as best practice the world over; particularly in 2008 when SCB won the ICCA Best Marketing Award, after competing with 80 business events destinations from around the world, becoming the 1st Asian destination to enter the finals, let alone win the award. Furthermore, over 180 conference bid wins have been secured to Sarawak that are estimated to bring in over RM204million (UK£41.2, Euro€51.1) in direct delegate expenditure; a great boost to the State.

KYOTO TEMPLES TO GIVE BACK TO MEETINGS INDUSTRY Temples in Kyoto, Japan are seeking to give

back to the business community through involvement with events. With more UNESCO world heritage sites than any other city in the world, Kyoto is home to more than 2,000 temples and shrines – many of which have become available for corporate events over the last few years.

→ to page 15…


Shanghai , China

ASIAN

WORLD

←from page 14…

It is known that one experience that defines meeting events in Kyoto is the complete immersion in Japanese heritage with a reception

or dinner at a Buddhist temple. Kyoto Convention Bureau has assisted numerous successful events in their approach and work with these bastions of Kyoto society. Kyoto Convention Bureau together with the temples have recognised that the whole community can encourage visitors to the city, which in turn improves the quality of life and its economic success. Now many of the city’s temples are wishing to get involved which is great news for the city as a whole. One Zen Buddhist priest states that with the meetings industry being one of the most powerful and impactful in the world, if temples work more closely with the industry it provides an opportunity for them to spread their own messages whilst bringing in revenues that can help the temple maintain itself and grow in an ever changing world.

CHINA TRAVEL TRENDS GUIDE 2012 LAUNCHED A

new travel industry book will make it easier for businesses to understand China’s consumers, particularly their travel preferences and the latest social, economic and digital trends in a highly complex, fast-moving market. The "Essential China Travel Trends Guide - 2012 Year of the Dragon Edition," includes articles on Outbound Tourism, Luxury Travel, Tour Operation, Chinese Consumers, Customer Satisfaction, Internet and Social Media, Mobile Marketing, Hotel Regulation, Hotel Profitability, MICE, Green Tourism, Aviation, Human Resources, and Emerging Cities. The publication was published by ChinaTravelTrends.com, and produced by Dragon Trail Interactive in collaboration with COTRI and the Pacific Asia Travel Association. Its authors include experts from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the China Tourism Academy, Dragon Trail, the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, PATA China, Horwath HTL, Jones Lang LaSalle, UBM Aviation, GreenEarth.travel, Vari Arts Travel Group, TUI China, World Travel Monitor, Hurun Report, and Portfolio. The ‘Essential China Travel Trends - Dragon Edition’ e-book is available for exclusive download at www.ChinaTravelTrendsBook.com, and the print book will be available for sale via the PATA e-Store from 1 June at a price of €25, as well as at tourism events worldwide.www.ChinaTravelTrends.com

SYDNEY CONVENTION CENTRE NEW STRATEGY FOR GROWTH Australia’s leading convention bureau,

Business Events Sydney (BESydney), has announced new strategies focusing on long-term growth, BESydney’s strategy will maximise Sydney’s business event success during the development period and the opening of the new Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct (SICEEP). The new strategy centres on targeted business development, high-yield

corporate business, innovative conference marketing and destination marketing activity to strengthen Sydney’s and NSW’s global position. Growth in Asia will also be a priority. BESydney have had in-market representation in Asia since 2004 and have seen the success of this. In conjunction with Destination NSW, it will appoint a Mumbai representative. Sydney’s new international convention centre will also present huge opportunities for Australia’s global city. The new corporate structure will consist of 4 teams focused on growing, securing, delivering and sustaining business.

MyCEB ESTABLISHES GLOBAL PRESENCE Only 2

years after it started full operations in July 2010, MyCEB has grown from strength to strength in establishing its global presence with

appointment of Moulden Marketing, Marketing Challenges International and Gaining Edge as sales representatives in Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand respectively. The appointments are part of MyCEB’s strategic aim to secure more international business events for the country and expand its global market share to further reinforce Malaysia’s positioning as Asia’s business events hub. In 2011 the Bureau secured more than 49 international and regional conventions until 2016 helping to continue to grow the Malaysian business tourism industry and create opportunities for its industry partners. With an average of 730 delegates per event, these forthcoming conventions are expected to attract 35,750 delegates and generate over RM382 million (EUR€92 million, US$123 million, AUD123 million) in economic impact for Malaysia between 2012- 2019. MyCEB is confident that Malaysia will be able to achieve its goal to grow business tourism arrivals from 5% to 8% which translates to an increase of US$954,000 (RM2.9 million) by year 2020. Finally MyCEB wants to achieve its mission to be in Asia Pacific’s top 5 meeting destinations by 2020.■


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Beirut , Lebanon

Middle East

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Africa News

QATAR NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE SEES GROWTH Qatar

National Convention Centre (QNCC), one of the world’s most sophisticated convention

of exhibition centres is poised to attract more international and regional events. The award-winning Centre is a member of Qatar Foundation. The AEG Ogden-managed Centre had already exceeded its revenue target well before the end of the 1st year of operation, posting an estimated economic impact of QR72.84 million (USD 19.956 million) from overseas visitors. In 7 months, QNCC has hosted an impressive 128 events, catering for more than 128,000 visitors. Two major conferences and exhibitions will be staged at QNCC toward the end of this year; the 25th Universal Postal Union Congress (UPU) from 24 September to 15 October, and one of the world’s largest conferences, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 26 November to 7 December. Hosting the Convention on Climate Change will attract a minimum of 15,000 delegates representing governments, international organisations and civil societies from all over the world in attendance. The sustainable QNCC building is the perfect setting for climate change discussions as it is purpose-built to gold certification in accordance to the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) standards governed by the US Green Building Council. QNCC is expected to generate an estimated economic impact of over QR200 million (UK£35.3, Euro€43.8) from these 2 events alone. Qatar has one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in the world. Qatar tourism is expected to see a 13% growth rate in 2012, which is one of the highest growth rates in the world and 4 times the regional average. QNCC recently won the much coveted title of ‘Middle East’s Leading Exhibition & Convention Centre’ by World Travel Awards (WTA) 2012 the country is on track to become a global business destination.

KOREA & UAE WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER The growing successful trade agreement between Korea and the United Arab Emirates continues to grow with figures over-passing last year's figure of US$20 billion with the UAE diversifying its non-oil industrial sector. Bilateral trade which dropped during the global financial crisis is showing a rapid recovery. The UAE is Korea's 2nd largest investment destination in the Middle East. Korea's direct investment to the UAE stood at US$1.24 billion (UK£79 million, €99 million) in 2011. It is Korea’s largest importer among GCC countries as well as the 2nd largest oil exporter. Korea and the UAE have maintained bilateral cooperative ties since 2007 through the Joint Economic Committee Meeting. The Joint Committee is a high-level inter-governmental cooperative channel to discuss overall bilateral economic cooperation

between the 2 nations. Through this channel the 2 countries have expanded the areas of cooperation to industries, such as finance, education, healthcare and medical sectors, as well as investment, energy and construction. Korea and the UAE share similarities. They have open economies that grew quickly into major economies in the world. And as their economies are complementary, there are various areas where they can work together in the future. By combining the UAE's policies to nurture the medical industry with Korea's medical industry, the aim is to enhance the quality of medical services in both nations and promote medical tourism.

JORDAN FOCUSES ON MEDICAL TOURISTS The

healthcare sector in Jordan is soon to benefit from 2 recent agreements which will increase the number of medical tourists visiting the country’s hospitals, which offer some of the highest quality services in the region. The Private Hospitals Association (PHA) confirmed that one agreement will see more Nigerians referred to the Kingdom’s hospitals for medical care, as opposed to being recommended to hospitals in Egypt or India, as is currently the case. Some 300,000 Nigerians left their country for medical treatment in 2011, but only 250 came to Jordan. The PHA has also negotiated a health insurance reciprocal agreement with the Gulf Health Insurance Association that will allow the insurance of Jordanians and Palestinians working as expatriates in the Gulf to be honoured by hospitals in Jordan. These agreements should bring more revenue into Jordan’s private health industry, allowing the sector to upgrade facilities and attract higher-value staff, a key factor if interest in private health insurance is to continue to expand. Other organisations are also seeing the benefits of the medical industry in Jordan. The World Bank recently named Jordan the 5th strongest medical tourism destination in the world. This ranking reflects the health sector's advanced medical equipment, short waiting times, value for money, and high quality customer service. Jordan has achieved substantial development in medical services since 1950, with the country’s number of hospitals increasing from 14 to 106, and the number of hospital beds from 464 to almost 12,000.


‘Please let me kindly tell you that I am very impressed by the high quality of the writing and the given information, which I am sure it must be interesting for everyone in the tourism industry. It is a newsletter full of information we all need it given in such a fresh and nice way. Thank you once more and just keep on like that offering this high level of quality we all need'.


Harissa, Lebanon

Middle East

& North

Africa News

OMAN CONVENTION CENTRE Global recognition

highlighting the beauty and “must-see” aspects of Sultanate of Oman is good news for the Oman

Convention & Exhibition Centre which is scheduled for completion in 2016. Oman has been trading with the world for more than 5,000 years and is an active global community member. Oman’s diverse landscape, natural attractions, pristine coastline and rich heritage and culture has contributed to its emergence as a business events destination and becoming the Arabian Tourism Capital in 2012. AEG Ogden has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Oman’s key stakeholders in introducing the world to Oman and as the new hub for major international conventions, meetings and business events. Many international and regional organisations have already expressed a strong desire to hold future or expand events in the sea side city of Muscat. The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre will be a world-class venue within a fully integrated precinct housing a 5*hotel, two 4* and a 3* hotel totalling 1,000 rooms, supported by a shopping centre, business park within 4kms from Muscat International Airport. The Centre will play an important role in the country’s Vision 2020 strategy to diversify the economy and build employment opportunities for the Omani people and open their country to the world.

EUROMIC EXPANDS INTO UAE Euromic, the premier

international consortium of companies specialising in MICE travel, events and destination management, recently announced that it has added a new World Affiliate in Dubai, Emeco DMC. The company, which has been operating under the name Al Abjar Tourism since 2003, has long been a leader within the tourism sector in the Emirates. In recent years, Dubai has emerged as both an international business center and a tourism hotspot. The Emirates encompass a wide variety of scenery and activities in a relatively small area, making it possible to experience sand dunes, mountains and beaches in one day. Meeting and convention facilities, modern hotels and a multitude of dining and entertainment choices are readily available throughout the region. The Dubai International Airport, hub for Emirates Airlines, provides easy accessibility with direct flights from over 200 points around the world. Emeco DMC in the Emirates also operates a joint venture in Muscat, the capital city of Oman, to assist planners interested in combining and/or extending their Emirates experience with this unique destination. www.euromic.com.

LIWA EXECUTIVE SUITES 2ND ANNIVERSARY Liwa

Executive Suites, managed by Coral Hotels & Resorts, which opened in Abu Dhabi in May 2010 is celebrating its 2nd

anniversary after achieving an enviable 100% occupancy level during the World Ophthalmology Congress in February and following it up with an equally brilliant 96% occupancy in April. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) estimates that the emirate will receive 2.7 million hotel guests in 2012. Last year, the number of hotel guest nights rose 22% to 6.3 million, and January witnessed a further 20% increase, accompanied by an 11% increase in revenues. The hotel’s key markets have been Europe and the GCC countries - predominantly Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - and it has earned itself the reputation of being the ideal choice for both corporate and leisure travellers seeking boutique hospitality. While the focus had been on the expansion of deluxe hotels in the UAE capital, demand for value-priced accommodation is increasing from both business and leisure visitors. Liwa Executive Suites has achieved a niche status, becoming the preferred option of executives looking for high-end accommodation that offers them home comforts. Location is a prime advantage for Liwa Executive Suites.The first Coral hotel in the UAE capital, Liwa Executive Suites offers 54 spacious suites (18 Coral Club suites and 36 Deluxe suites) with separate living area, work desks and kitchen facilities, plus on-site conveniences such as a dedicated business centre, 3 meeting rooms that can cater for seminars or boardroom meetings for up to 50 people, fitness centre and roof-top pool, 24-hour restaurant and café, and 24-hour room service.

CORAL BEACH RESORT – SHARJAH WINS BEST HMH HOTEL 2011 Joint winner of the Best HMH Hotel

Award for 2011, the Coral Beach Resort – Sharjah achieved success through a combination of both consistently high occupancy levels, financial returns and operational standards, as well as due to its staff. Altogether, more than 40 different nationalities work at the Coral Beach Hotel – Sharjah, all of whom have contributed to its success as one of the emirate’s premier resorts as well as one of the best performers among HMH’s network. An occupancy rate averaging 85% for 2011 provides a great goal for building on that success. The Coral Beach Resort – Sharjah features 156 spacious rooms as well as a range of leisure activities for all ages, including 2 Rimal Club outdoor swimming pools, children’s pool, indoor playroom and complimentary Kid’s Club as well as tennis, badminton and volleyball. ■


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Exhibitions

News

GRANADA IS THE VENUE OF MITM IN 2012 The 16th

edition of MITM Euromed, Meetings and Incentive Travel Market, will take place this year in the city of Granada,

Spain,on 3-5 October, at the Granada Exhibition and Conference Centre, who is also sponsor of the event along with Granada Tourism Authority. For the 2nd time MITM will be held simultaneously with GSAR Marketing's other event CULTOURFAIR, International Cultural Travel Fair. This means that exhibitors of MITM will have the opportunity to meet by individual prescheduled appointments not only with top MICE – meetings, incentives, congresses and events – buyers but also with important worldwide tour operators and travel agents specialised in cultural travel, covering 2 very important travel niche markets. www.mitmeuromed.com, www.cultourfair.com

TRAVEL ZOOM-2nd CONFERENCE ON STRATEGIC & CREATIVE MARKETING IN TOURISM The International Conference on Strategic and

Creative Marketing, Travel Zoom, was held from 21-23 March 2012 at Bled, Slovenia. It was the biggest marketing event for tourism to date. For 3 days over 70 speakers from 15 European countries shared their knowledge and expertise on the great Travel Zoom stage. The 3rd International Conference on Creative and Strategic Marketing for Tourism, Travel Zoom, will again be held in Slovenia in Bled from 13-15 March 2013. www.travel-zoom.si.

REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS LAUNCH ‘SPA & WELLNESS BY ILTM’ Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE),

organiser of International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), is launching an event called “Spa & Wellness by ILTM”. The 1st dedicated event of its kind by RTE for this increasingly important sector in leisure travel, will take place in Seefeld, Austria, 10-12th September 2012 at the 5* Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol. Through research among exhibitors and buyers there is a need for a focused spa and wellness event that involves both business and education, so that the travel and leisure industry can keep up to date with the latest destination spas, resorts and personalised experiences offered alongside some of the very best treatments, programmes and therapies. Up to 40 VIP Hosted Buyers representing the senior decision makers from specialist tour operators and individual planners of bespoke spa and travel itineraries will be pre-qualified and personally invited to do business with up to 40 exhibitors. The 2-day event will be split into conference sessions and one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments between exhibitors and buyers. The conference sessions each morning will open for all exhibitors and buyers to attend, with an agenda that focuses on the latest spa and

wellness issues, trends, brand marketing, the role of social media and a live panel debate. The five-star Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, provides the setting for the event. www.spaandwellnessbyiltm.com

2012 LATIN AMERICAN MEETINGS AND EVENTS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED The 2012 Latin American

Meetings and Events Conference (LAMEC) will be held on 17 August at WTC Convention Center. In 2009 and 2010 MPI Brazil and Meeting Professionals International headquarters have successfully partnered with industry organisations in Brazil to host the Strategic Meetings and Events Conference – Latin America, attracting a combined 800 attendees. The extensive growth of the business meeting and event industry in Brazil and Latin America has lead to the evolution of Latin America Meetings & Events Conference (LAMEC) into one specifically focused on the expanding professional and business development needs of meeting and event industry in the region. Now entering its 2nd year, LAMEC has become the strategically important event for the meetings and events industry in Latin America attracting over 400 attendees at the last edition. In a survey conducted after the 2011 LAMEC over 80% of attendees said that ‘the interaction with other professionals during LAMEC was relevant for their businesses’ and affirmed that ‘LAMEC provided a better vision on the events sector. This year LAMEC will present a variety of tools and trends for the meetings and Events Industry. Regional Events in Brazil, CSR, New AV technologies, Gamification for events, are just a few topics to be named that will be presented.www.mpibr.org

SUCCESSFUL IT&CM CHINA 2012 ATTRACTS EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR 2013 EDITION Next year’s IT&CM China will return to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, from 17 – 19 April 2013. More than 70% of exhibitors at IT&CM China 2012 have already signed up to be part of next year’s showcase. A number of exhibitors have also upped their participation by investing in larger booth space. Noteworthy amongst these is Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK) who have almost doubled their space to 128sqm. Among international NTOs exhibiting at the 7th IT&CM China, are Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Centre, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Indonesia, Jeju Convention and Visitors Bureau and Seoul Tourism Organization. Leading corporate exhibitors such as Marco Polo Hotels and Millenium and Copthorne Hotels have also signed up to be part of next year’s showcase. Chinese exhibitors have also registered early, with names such as Club Med, Ocean Spring Hotels,

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German Travel Mart

Exhibitions

News

←from page 18…

Langham Hotels, Wuzhen Tourism, Jinjiang International Hotel and Mission Hills Golf Club

already on board. Mr. Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media said, “We are very pleased with the quality of exhibitors that has signed up for IT&CM China 2013. The feedback from this year’s delegates has been extremely encouraging, and the early registrations are clear evidence of the value they see in IT&CM China.” The show’s education component also delivered high value. The Professionals Association Executive (PAE) course, by the Australasian Society of Association Executives and the Canadian Society of Association Executives, held at IT&CM China for the first time, was well received by the association professionals that participated. Said participant Mr. Zhong-Kang Liao, Deputy Secretary General, Shanghai Bath Association, “What I got out of this course is that associations in China must become more market-oriented and work harder to develop their own competitive advantages and membership power rather than depend on government support.” The Fundamentals of Business Travel Management Course by Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) received positive reviews from the 60 participants that attended. In 2012, the event attracted 2,432 delegates from 45 countries. It is the only event that features a good mix of International and Chinese exhibitors as well as a dedicated team to deliver some 400 buyers with a 50%-50% mix of International and Chinese buyers. www.itcmchina.com.

THE MEETINGS SHOW UK TO INVEST £1 MILLION IN HOSTED BUYER PROGRAMME Centaur has

announced that it is investing £1million (€1.24) in The Meetings Show UK, creating the UK's most engaging and rewarding hosted buyer programme. The show is expecting to attract over 1,500 buyers to more than 13,500 appointments, delivering substantial business and networking opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors. The programme will be run by a full time, dedicated hosted buyer management team with extensive experience sourcing and attracting high quality buyers. The team will be assisted by recruitment and marketing specialists in Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Eastern Europe and the UK - making it a truly international show. Centaur has also recruited specialists to focus on attracting association buyers as well as professional qualifiers, ensuring that all buyers have legitimate meeting requirements The specialist diary and registration system is being created by RefTech – the leading industry delegate and attendee management specialists who also support hosted buyer programmes for both The Business Travel

Show and IMEX. Hosted buyers will receive travel, accommodation (including breakfast), and ground transportation throughout. Once on site they will enjoy an exclusive welcome reception, access to several sponsored hosted buyer lounges each featuring a business centre, a full range of refreshments and access to a tailored professional education programme. Hosted buyers will also be able to plan their day with personalised diaries. The Meetings Show UK will bring together more than 4,500 trade and industry professionals during a week of events, education and networking in July 2013.

CONFERENCE HOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW EVENT EXHIBITION FOR ASSOCIATIONS AND CHARITIES Conference House, the organisers behind leading charity and association events CHASE and nfp technology, have announced the launch of a new exhibition. The exhibition will offer targeted business and learning opportunities for non profit events professionals. nfp events aims to register between 400 and 500 delegates and will also benefit from cross-attendance by visitors to sister event nfp technology, which will run concurrently on the same day. nfp events will target delegates and exhibitors representing all areas of events and conference management, from mass scale charity challenges to gala fundraising dinners, networking and training events, conferences and congresses. nfp events builds on the enduringly popular format of CHASE, now in its 20th year. A convenient 1day programme combines the opportunity to explore event suppliers and event management services with a programme of free seminars covering the latest tools, tips and techniques for charity event managers and association conference planning professionals. Exhibitors will include charity challenge event suppliers, professional conference planning agencies, venues, caterers, signage contractors and insurance brokers. They will have the opportunity to meet face to face with non profit decision makers including events managers and consultants, fundraising directors, charity and association trustees, CEOs and senior managers. nfp events takes place on the 25th September at the Business Design Centre, Islington. Delegates attend free and can register online at www.nfpevents.org.uk. ■

OFFICIAL APOLOGY Tourism around the World Monthly would like to formally apologise for an error in its recent publication of an article in its March edition entitled ‘Cities of a Golden Era’.

It was stated that the article was by the Editor when full credit goes to freelance writer, Mrs. Pamela McCourt-Francescone. The e-journal sincerely apologise for this error.


http://www.itcmchina.com/

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June 2012 edition

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