1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. africa

1 • Destination MICE • December 2014
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2 • Destination MICE • December 2014
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contents
DESTINATION MICE MAGAZINE * DECEMBER 2014
Editor’s Note
I would first of all like to thank all our
readers for their kind support and
writing back to us with their inputs.
With the valuable feedbacks we have
been able to reach to the depths of
the insights that we can bring to you
from our desk about the industry.
With this issue, we have highlighted
on the emerging destinations of
the MICE industry. There are new
and upcoming MICE destinations
in the Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle
East and African regions that are
developing to be advanced models
of infrastructures for meeting
international standards of the events.
These specific regions are the land
of opportunities with Africa sitting on
the top of the charts. Realising the
mountain like heaps of opportunities
the exhibition and conferences
organisers have already started to
clone events by making them region
centric leading to form a business
platform to explore the available
resource base in these emerging
MICE destinations.
This month’s issue will elaborate
on the Emerging MICE markets of
the world and the measures that
are being taken by certain countries
for becoming an advanced level
contributor to the world economy.
Other special columns in this issue
will share views from Organisers of
IBTM Africa (Reed Exhibitions), NEC
etc along with many more updates
on the sector in total.
- Editor, Destination Mice
SPECIAL FEATURE........................................................................4
Las Vegas Rings in 2015 with Dazzling
New Year’s Eve Extravaganzas
mice business...........................................................................6
Emerging MICE Destinations
face to face ............................................................................10
Focusing Convention: Berlin Convention Centre
EXPERT speak...........................................................................12
Spotlight on Global Stage: IBTM Africa
EXPERT SPEAK............................................................................14
Planning a Convention in Thailand? Reach to PEACH
tech knowlogy ......................................................................16
Technology Shaking Hands with Technology
column ....................................................................................19
Safer Lipoabdominoplasty
• NTO updateS..........................................................................20
• industry updateS...........................................................22-27
• HOSPITALITY updateS.......................................................28-31
• AVIATION updateS.............................................................32-34
• APPOINTMENT updateS.........................................................35
• TECHNOLOGY updateS...........................................................36
• events update.................................................................38-39
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3 • Destination MICE • December 2014
special feature
Las Vegas Rings in 2015 with Dazzling
New Year’s Eve Extravaganzas
The Entertainment Capital of the World Welcomes the New Year with
Explosive Fireworks Displays, Concerts, Nightlife and Dining
Las Vegas is the ultimate destination to
bring in the New Year with stellar experiences across the Strip and beyond. The
destination will host one of the largest
pyrotechnic fireworks shows in the world
along with unparalleled nightclub parties and concerts by A-list performers and
decadent culinary offerings from remarkable chefs. There is something for everyone looking to kick-off 2015 in Las Vegas.
FIREWORKS DISPLAYS
With a number of fireworks displays on
and off the Strip, Las Vegas will absolutely
ring in the New Year with a bang.
The world-famous Las Vegas Strip will
be home to a stunning fireworks display
launching from the rooftops of seven
iconic resorts, including MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Caesars
Palace, Treasure Island (TI), The Venetian
Las Vegas and Stratosphere Casino, Hotel
& Tower. The highly anticipated America’s Party is hosted by Las Vegas Events
(LVE) and Las Vegas with the fireworks
display produced by world-renowned
Fireworks by Grucci of New York. The
eight minute and 12 second show will
light up the night’s sky with more than
88,000 fireworks.
Revelers can rock into 2015 on Fremont
Street Experience with the Downtown
Countdown New Year’s Eve 2015 Celebration. The event takes place from 6 p.m. to
3:30 a.m. on Dec. 31, with a year-in-review
retrospective on the Viva Vision screen,
a midnight countdown and an epic fireworks display by Grucci.
The High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel, at The LINQ Promenade
offers a 360-degree view of the destination’s fabulous fireworks displays on New
Year’s Eve. Visitors can purchase VIP cabins that begin loading at 10:30 p.m. and
will be at a standstill for the displays at
midnight.
CONCERTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The “Entertainment Capital of the
World” is sure to delight all visitors with
the seemingly endless amount of special performances scheduled to celebrate
2015.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga take the
stage together for the first time in Las Vegas at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The dynamic duo will
perform music from the recently released
album, Cheek to Cheek, at 7 p.m. on Dec.
30 and 9 p.m. on Dec. 31.
GRAMMY® award-winning pop-rock
band, Maroon 5 performs at 7 p.m. on
4 • Destination MICE • December 2014
Dec. 30 and 31 at the Mandalay Bay Events
Center at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
Returning to MGM Grand Garden Arena
at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino is worldfamous singer/actor, Justin Timberlake
for The 20/20 Experience World Tour.
Concerts begin at 8 p.m. on Jan. 1 and 2.
Britney Spears is back on Dec. 30 and
31 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
Beginning at 9 p.m., fans will experience
their favorite songs during the sexy, action-packed resident show, Britney: Piece
of Me.
Guests can kick-off the New Year’s celebrations with a hilarious performance by
Katt Williams on Dec. 30, at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. On Dec.
31, concert-goers can rock out alongside
Sevendust as the band performs a heavy
metal set at Vinyl, also inside Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino.
NIGHTLIFE
Party-goers can dance the night away as
the world’s leading DJs keep the celebration going well into the New Year.
LiFE Nightclub at SLS Las Vegas will
celebrate the start of 2015 with renowned
producer/DJ Steve Angello. The crowd
will ring in the New Year to Angello’s
biggest hits for an unparalleled musical
experience. Foxtail Nightclub, also at SLS
Las Vegas, welcomes singer/songwriter
Robin Thicke on Dec. 31 for a special New
Year’s Eve event.
Hakkasan, inside MGM Grand Hotel
and Casino, welcomes ever-popular DJ
Hardwell on Dec. 30 and resident DJ Calvin Harris for a celebration to remember
on Dec. 31.
Hyde Bellagio at Bellagio will celebrate
New Year’s Eve in style as GRAMMY®
award-winning singer, songwriter and
producer, Miguel, takes the stage for a
performance on Dec. 31.
Hip-hop heavy-hitter, Drake, will deliver a special performance on Dec. 31 at
Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan
of Las Vegas. The evening includes a celebratory champagne toast at midnight,
premium open bar from 9 to 11 p.m. and
hors d’oeuvres from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Drai’s Nightclub at The Cromwell welcomes global musical sensation, Iggy Azalea, to rock the Strip with a live concert
on Dec. 31. Drai’s Nightclub is a 65,000
square-foot rooftop venue overlooking
the Strip and a great location for a unique
view of Las Vegas’ fireworks displays.
Snoop Dogg will grace the stage at TAO
Nightclub inside The Venetian Las Vegas
on Dec. 31. The musical legend will host
a special New Year’s Eve edition of The
Snoopadelic Cabaret. Guests can enjoy
hors d’oeuvres from 9 p.m. to midnight
and indulge in a premium open bar from
9 to 11 p.m.
International DJ and producer, Zedd,
returns to XS Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas for a one-of-a-kind New Year’s celebration on Dec. 31. Resident DJ Lil Jon
will also take to the turntables on Dec.
31 at Surrender Nightclub at Encore at
Wynn Las Vegas. Three Ultimate VIP
packages are available that include everything from a dinner tasting menu at
the adjoining Asian dining hot spot, Andrea’s, and midnight countdown with
Lil Jon in the DJ booth.
DINING
Located more than 800 feet above the Las
Vegas Strip is Top of the World restaurant
at Stratosphere Hotel, Casino and Tower.
Executive Chef Rick Giffen has prepared a
one-of-a-kind, five-course menu to ring in
the New Year with items such as: braised
beef short rib with star anise reduction,
lobster bisque with lemon mascarpone
cream and a dessert extravaganza.
Comme Ca at The Cosmopolitan of Las
Vegas is celebrating 2015 with a special
four-course, prix fixe dinner menu and
optional wine pairing. Dishes include
Musquee de Provence pumpkin soup
with Alba white truffles, foie gras terrine,
Wagyu beef short rib and langoustine
chestnut ravioli, and white truffle and
pumpkin charlotte.
Before the clock strikes midnight, revelers are encouraged to stop by N9NE
Steakhouse at Palms Casino Resort. Executive Chef Barry Dakake has developed an
exceptional menu, including tender Japanese Kobe beef tenderloin, scrumptious
Alaskan king crab gnocchi and more. The
celebrations continue at Palms Casino Resort at Michelin-starred Alize. Diners can
delight over two exquisite prix fixe menu
options, created by Chef de Cuisine Mark
Purdy, while taking in breathtaking 280degree panoramic views of the Strip. Chef
Kerry Simon’s special New Year’s Eve
menu at Simon Restaurant & Lounge at
Palms Place offers a unique concentration
of the freshest seasonal items and quality
organic ingredients.
Foodies can indulge at La Cave Wine &
Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas. Executive Chef Billy DeMarco offers diners the
choice of a four-course or five-course menu.
Restaurants inside Mandalay Bay Resort
and Casino will also partake in the New
Year festivities. STRIPSTEAK, Fleur by
Hubert Keller, Charlie Palmer’s Aureole,
Bayside Buffet and Ri Ra are offering special coursed menus and holiday extravaganzas.
TRANSPORTATION
Getting around the Strip is easy with The
Las Vegas Monorail. While New Year’s
Eve is one of the busiest times of the year
and the famed boulevard is closed to automobile transportation, the Monorail
provides convenient connections to major
Strip destinations for hassle-free transit.
Visitors can purchase a special pass, valid
Dec. 27 to Jan. 1. Riders should use promo
code NYE2014 when purchasing tickets at
any Monorail customer service ticketing
office, online at tickets.lvmonorail.com or
at any eTicket kiosk.
5 • Destination MICE • December 2014
mice business
Emerging
MICE Destinations
The world started with a micro atom...
multiplied to be an organ and hence evolution shaped into multiple species of
organisms. The human species gradually evolved as premium level and small
groups of population formed civilisations.
People living in such groups had different expertise for serving their needs. The
want to be more comfortable and convenient further lead to the emergence of
trade practices giving birth to the concept
of fairs among civilisations. When they
evolved more, the trade practices began
to increase their economic size leading to
exchange of goods between two different
civilisations in fairs of those times and
that is how! it all evolved into the exhibition and conferences system that is practiced all across the globe.
The economics since that era saw the
transformation of barters to currency,
civilisations to countries, needs to wants
and from fairs to exhibitions. When the
industry of exhibitions was taking shape
there was a prime need for the intellectuals to carve the sculpture with curves of
policies and procedures. The framework to
innovation and evolutionary practices was
lead by the opinion leaders of that time in
big meetings that eventually evolved into
conferences of the present.
Meeting Incentives Conferences and
Exhibitions (MICE) industry has dig its
roots deep since then and have reached
over a massive size of USD400 billion
(approx). The industry has shown a multifold growth in the last two decades. The
era of 1980’s exposed the world countries
to each-other for better business and economic growth prospects. The niche concept of exhibitions and conferences of the
MICE sector is being accepted as the best
and most cost-effective tool for marketing
and business development. The western
countries on the globe like UK and North
America along with China in the Far East
were the foremost emerged destinations
for exhibitions and conferences witnessing
some of the oldest and the biggest interna-
Sydney Convention Centre - Darling Harbour
Mamo Convention Centre
Ottawa Convention Centre
The unavoidable concept of
“inconstant” prevailed and
the markets in the other side
of the world were exposed to
traders as destinations for
meeting buyers and sellers.
This scenario got a break
through with East Asian,
Asia Pacific, Middle East
and Africa being invaded
by the traders as land for
opportunities and business
development.
tional mélanges in the past decades. The
countries lying under these regions were
epicenters of global trade practices. But
the unavoidable concept of “inconstant”
prevailed and the markets in the other
side of the world were exposed to traders
as destinations for meeting buyers and
sellers. This scenario got a break through
with East Asian, Asia Pacific, Middle East
and Africa being invaded by the traders as
land for opportunities and business development. The traders in the west looked for
prosperous investments and the sellers of
the east looked for potential buyers as well
as investors from the west, concluding to
be a state of appropriate global business
practice. The exhibitions and conferences
hence played a vital role in the business
development practices and added to a
boom in the world economy.
The story did not conclude here, rather
this was just the beginning. The destinations that used to hold such business oriented mélanges not only shared the trade
benefits but the economies of the hosting
countries were also benefited due to boom
in tourism and travel industry. Such business events became major contributors to
the economics around the globe.
When the economies were growing
ahead with dedication towards MICE
tourism, the basic need for strong infrastructure was felt by the developing nations. Understanding the requirement
for a physical infrastructure to hold such
business events, countries started investing in formulating professional Exhibition
and Conference centers to facilitate organizers for holding such events. As a result,
the world saw a development of more than
1100 venues that have a large capacity to
hold such events with UK holding nearly
469 over the total. These countries not just
invested in venues for the events but also
established a strong infrastructure to the
travelers visiting their countries.
Following the footsteps, the countries
in Asia-Pacific and Middle East started
growing aggressively and worked towards
6 • Destination MICE • December 2014
a developed infrastructural facility. They
concentrated to design new and highly
equipped Exhibition and Convention venues. As their destinations were unexplored
and were potential markets to the world
countries, they started picking up the pace
in MICE interest. The one that established
itself rapidly was Singapore, which today
is one of the most advanced MICE destinations in the Asia Pacific region.
Asia and Asia Pacific
As a resource rich continent Asia attracts
buyers from all across the globe with different countries having versatile natural
resources. This generates great business
opportunities in this region that are either
under exploration or yet to be explored.
Having said that, the authorities are now,
constantly working on strong infrastructure to attract business show organizers to
their countries. Though, the destinations
in the Asia Pacific region have enjoyed a
leisure travel positioning for a longer span
but now the Tourism boards, Association
and Bureaus are concentrating to create
a blended positioning of countries entertaining both business and leisure tourism.
With destinations like Singapore, mastering this blended art of Business plus leisure tourism today stands tall as a leading
destination for MICE as well as leisure in
the world Tourism market.
The last decade witnessed edifice
structures that were especially designed
to accommodate larger groups and big
business events. The MICE industry has
grown quickly on the development staircase in the Asia Pacific region and it is
now spreading its wings in countries like
Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Vietnam and Myanmar. Where China,
Singapore and Hong Kong, were the primary stakeholders of the MICE events in
Asia and Asia pacific region countries like
Korea and Taiwan in the Far East are also
expanding the size of their business and
leisure travel industry. In the year 2014
the Government of Taiwan invested a sum
on US$680 million on the construction of
Exhibition halls. Likewise Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia are now concentrating
to invite organizers of Exhibitions and
Conferences to their countries with venues like Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Pattaya Exhibition and Convention
Hall, exhibiting state of the art architecture and technological facilities.
In the last decade Asia has developed
and grown towards contributing one of
the major share in the world MICE mar-
Middle East is extending its both business and leisure
tourism prospects. It is one of the fastest developing markets
of the world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi has been in the lime light
since a time now, but other destinations like Oman, Qatar,
Bahrain and Kuwait have started to share the stage.
ket. The government authorities of certain countries have made huge investments for developing infrastructure that
could attract tourism as well as business
events to their countries and now successfully hosting big events.
Middle East
The mavens of the world understood
the potential of the under-developing
regions and started investing in those
countries. Middle East which is one of the
prefect examples, showed a remarkable
growth in the last one decade. With petroleum being their forte they welcomed
buyers from all across the globe, hence
developed and are still developing exceptionally advanced MICE venues for holding massive groups of Business Travelers.
Shows like ADIPEC are one of the appropriate illustrations of the same. Not just
that, looking at the potential in the market the organizers from the western world
Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
Qatar National Convention Centre
Dubai International Convention
and Exhibition Centre
started to launch regional versions of the
shows like OTC Houston was cloned with
OTC Middle East to reach out to the depth
of the middle eastern and surrounding
markets like Asia Pacific and Africa.
Middle East is extending its both business and leisure tourism prospects. It is
one of the fastest developing markets of
the world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi has been
in the lime light since a time now, but
other destinations like Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait have started to share the
stage. They have also come up with dedicated MICE facilities and hence are looking forward to contribute economic gains
to the country as well as world GDP.
The Middle Eastern MICE business is
witnessing a fast moving growth graph
that is marking higher touch points with
every progressive year. The scheduled
Expo 2020 is one of the major attractions
to the world of business and economics.
The companies have already started to
establish themselves in these markets so
that they can assure maximum benefit out
of the opportunities as generated by the
Expo 2020 and otherwise.
The Dubai Authorities are also working round the clock to create best in class
model of a perfect destination for business
as well as leisure travel. In preparation of
one of the biggest events of the world the
Dubai Authorities are working towards
creating remarkable infrastructure. The
new high capacity Airport, the construction of Al Maktoum city and the development of free zones are some of the contributors of the big plan. The UAE tourism
authorities are concentrating on the larger
and easier accessibility of the world opinion leaders to the UAE nations. There are
frequent updates registered on the flight
launches from different world countries
to UAE countries, likewise there are regular updates on the business policies, visa
norms, export systems etc.
Africa
Africa is a continent for global interest
with its reputation to be the fastest developing economy in the world. Witnessing
this boom the industry giants are moving
ahead and exploring new business horizons
in this land of resources. Having said that,
7 • Destination MICE • December 2014
the old saying continues, “Where there is a
will, there is a way”. The unexplored heaps
of natural resources are now in the market
with full swing. The African countries have
appealing opportunities to offer and so it becomes the land for the business travelers to
invade every now and then.
The world exhibitions and conferences organizers realize the need for MICE
events in various industries. The organizers are launching new business to business shows for creating a platform for the
business travelers. Launch of such shows
is complementing a rapid expansion of
tourism as well as MICE venues in the
continent. Where South Africa was the
only worldly acquainted business tourism
destination in Africa, it is no more alone
on the charts. Leisure destinations like
Morocco and under-developing nations
like Kenya, Rwanda and East African
countries are also growing fast with dedicated Exhibition and Conference venues.
Africa is wholly an emerging destination and is growing parallel to the growth
in the world economy. To accelerate this
growth, events like exhibitions and conferences will be of primary contribution.
Some of the convention venues that are
highly equipped have been constructed
Cape Town International Convention Centre
Durban International Convention Centre
CSIR International Convention Centre
and a lot more are underway. These centers designed well by keeping in mind
the international standards of facilities
and technology. These venues will have
high capacities to hold bigger mélanges
and world renowned events. The regional approach of the organizers has
already reached Africa, with big and well
known shows like WTM and IMEX being
launched in African versions.
Conclusion
Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and
Africa are the regions that the contributing to the MICE industry. The Launch of
new shows as well as regional versions
of the shows signifies the need of highly
advanced and equipped venues. This approach is parallel with development of
convention centres and launch of the
number of shows in these respective regions. At this pace we look forward to see
a developed MICE sector contributing
major chunk to the World GDP from these
regions by Expo2020. Strong marketing
of destinations and advanced infrastructure will contribute to the development of
nations of these regions as strong and developed economies of the world.
– Khushbu Sharma
8 • Destination MICE • December 2014
9 • Destination MICE • December 2014
face to face
Focusing Convention:
Berlin Convention Centre
Heike Mahmoud, Director Conventions, Visit Berlin,
Berlin Convention Office, elaborates on the business tourism and
convention facilities as well as activities across the world.
>>> Please share your views on
MICE trends you have witnessed
in Berlin recently.
We are noticing a constant high number of international congress business in
Berlin. Around 18 percent of all events in
2013 had an international presence. In
other words: one in five participants at
events in Berlin came from outside Germany. We are assuming that this number
will rise in the next years.
Furthermore, sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility will have a
stronger impact on the meetings industry. People’s sensitivity for this issue has
increased in the recent past – and will
further increase. For us, this means: Our
customers will demand “green” hotels and
venues.
The use of technology will have more influence on content and structure of meetings and congresses. Smart phones and
tablets already influence the way meetings are held and how we communicate
with our customers. And this trend will
continue. The inclusion of social media is
a good example.
>>> What are the major
developments that may shape
the future of Business Travel in
Berlin, both in the short term and
the long term?
With the new CityCube Berlin, the German capital provides a modern venue for
fairs, conventions and meetings. When
the Estrel Berlin – Germany’s biggest
hotel – expands its premises by another
convention centre in autumn 2015, the
capital will strengthen its attractiveness
for the international market. Besides the
CityCube Berlin and the Estrel Hotel, the
event location Westhafen Event & Convention Center is expected to be open in
March 2015. Centrally located, the former
>>> Heike Mahmoud
Director conventions, VisitBerlin, Berlin Convention Office
warehouse provides multifunctional halls
for conferences and meetings.
Berlin is one of the main centers for
start-ups and new biotechnology companies in Europe. These companies are very
important for further developments in
the meetings industry since they provide
the right atmosphere for congresses dealing with innovations. They will also help
to attract more high class conferences in
technology and medicine.
>>> How much growth do you
see in the increase in number
of business travellers to Berlin,
twelve months from now?
In the last twenty five years, Berlin has
become one of the most successful destinations for congresses and meetings in
Germany. Between 2003 and 2013, the
market has more than doubled and is now
one of the most important economic engines for Berlin. In 2013, about 126,000
events took place in the German capital,
two percent more compared to the previous year. In the first half of 2014 we also
saw a growth of two percent in the number of events and we are expecting a very
strong second half of 2014.
Moreover, Berlin has increasingly positioned itself as a venue for medical and
scientific congresses, and also offers platforms for innovations and trends. High
ranking summits like the World Health
Summit and the annual Diabetes Congress
strengthen the city’s role as the leading location for medical conferences in Europe.
>>> What is the effect of
emerging destinations on the
traditional powerhouse like UK
in attracting favourable new
outbound markets?
We are very active in the emerging destinations like Asia and South America. In
Asia we are focussing on trade shows in
10 • Destination MICE • December 2014
Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. In addition, we had a roadshow
through India this year. For the South
American market visitBerlin has its own
representative in Brazil.
However, Europe is still the key to a
growing meeting business in Berlin. Especially United Kingdom is one of the
most important markets. For that reason
we work in close collaboration with an
agency in London.
One of our main events to make the
German capital more popular worldwide
is the Meeting Place Berlin. Every two
years, we show our guests the diversity of
our city. These positive experiences create lasting memories and will entice our
guests to bring their future events to Berlin. The next Meeting Place Berlin will be
taking place from 2–6 July 2015.
>>> What will your
organisation focus in enhancing
business tourism in Berlin in the
short term and long term future?
The 25th anniversary of the Fall of the
Berlin Wall will be celebrated on 9 November 2014, a historic anniversary that
will once again put Berlin in the international spotlight. We are expecting hundreds of thousands of visitors from Germany and abroad and many international
journalists.
In a long term, we are focussing on association business and trying to convince
international associations to hold their
next congress in Berlin. In the last years,
we have been quite successful: Currently
Berlin is number five in the renowned
global ICCA statistics.
We also plan to develop new services
for our clients. We are going to implement
Berlin’s strong scientific network in our
service for event organizers. For example,
we will be able to provide experts to hold
key notes at congresses and conventions.
>>> What message would you
like to share with the industry?
German capital as a vibrant metropolis
which attracts with its very special flair of
vivid history and trendy places. Berlin offers a unique ambience for meetings and
conventions.
The Berlin Convention Office, Berlin’s official convention bureau, is always
pleased to support congress and convention organizers. They benefit from a experienced team, a vast network of contacts
and the free-of-charge agency and reservation services for hotel allocations. Find
more information on our website convention.visitBerlin.com.
Berlin has an excellent and well-developed network of hotels, venues and service providers. Our guests appreciate the
11 • Destination MICE • December 2014
expert speak
organiser speak
Spotlight on Global Stage
Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, ibtm Africa in conversation with
Destination MICE, share his views on the emerging MICE destination ‘Africa’.
He states Africa to have highest growth rates across the globe.
>>> How long have you been
associated with the industry?
Market Intelligence organisation Euromonitor’s latest summary states:
“The number of South African people
engaging in outbound travel and tourism
is expected to continue growing - the total
number of outbound departures is expected to increase to 6.9 million by 2017. Much
of this growth is set to be driven by the rise
of the travel and tourism culture among
South Africa’s nascent middle class, which
continues to grow unabated.”
UNWTO stats for 2013 show that Africa’s inbound tourism grew by 5%
Having been associated with the industry for nearly 10 years, I have crossed over
all sectors from leisure to corporate and
now MICE.
>>> How do you see your association
with Reed Exhibitions?
As Exhibition Manager for ibtm africa
and ibtm India, I play a crucial role within the Reed Exhibitions and particularly
the ibtm events portfolio, to continually
evolve the shows to ensure the eventsare
informative, fresh and relevant for our attendees.
>>> Being part of the IBTM Africa
Team, please brief us on the
challenges faced while setting up
your base in the African Market?
IBTM Africa takes place in Cape Town
and is held at the Cape Town Convention
Centre and is supported by a local team at
Thebe Reed Exhibitions. As a result of Thebe Reed any challenges that may occur can
be overcome. We very much believe that local teams in the region are fundamental in
helping to support an event. Thebe is an established exhibition organiser in the region,
and the IBTM portfolio’ ibtm events strategy is to provide international events with a
regional focus and that includes our these
teams on the ground.
>>> How much potential do you
think that the African market
has as a future beneficiary to the
world?
Africa as a whole has one of the highest
MICE growth rates across the world, surpassing even Asia.
Its importance on the world stage can
only continue to grow and we want to
be in a position where we can help that
growth and allow exposure to all aspects
>>> How many shows have already
been launched by Reed Exhibitions
in Africa? How many are in
pipeline to be launched by 2016?
>>> Shinu Pillai
Exhibition Manager, IBTM Africa
of the travel, meetings and luxury industries to the rest of the world. Africa holds
enormous potential for the global travel
industry both inbound and outbound so
the time is right for Africa to take a bigger
role on the global stage.
The WTTC (World Travel & Tourism
Council) predicts growth of 4.8% over the
next 10 years for Africa, growing at practically the same rate as the overall African
economy and making tourism the fourth
fastest growing sector in the continent.
“As Exhibition Manager for
ibtm Africa and ibtm india, I
play a crucial role within the
Reed Exhibitions and particularly the ibtm events portfolio,
to continually evolve the shows
to ensure the eventsare informative, fresh and relevant for our
attendees.”
Africa Travel Week comprises three colocated shows – WTM Africa, IBTM Africa
and ILTM Africa - encompassing Africa’s
inbound and outbound markets for general leisure travel, luxury tourism, and the
MICE/business travel sector under RTE’s
established portfolios of WTM (World
Travel Market), ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) and IBTM (Incentives,
Business Travel & Meetings).
2015 dates for Africa Travel Week
events are:
• ILTM Africa: April 13th – 15th
• IBTM Africa: April 13th – 15th
• WTM Africa: April 15th – 17th
We think three events is enough for
now, but now that we have our joint venture with Thebe Reed Exhibitions, I am
sure we will continue to review opportunities going forward.
>>> What are the key attractions
about various destinations for an
organiser to plan an Exhibition or
Conference in Africa?
Reed has been exploring opportunities in
Africa for sometime and the success of our
first launch event, ILTM Africa, has given us
12 • Destination MICE • December 2014
Reed has been exploring opportunities in Africa for sometime and
the success of our first launch event, ILTM Africa, has given us the
platform to now introduce two more of our global industry brands
to create ‘Africa Travel Week’ and make it the leading global event
for the continent’s travel industry.
the platform to now introduce two more of
our global industry brands to create ‘Africa
Travel Week’ and make it the leading global
event for the continent’s travel industry.
Because of the sheer size of the continent and diversity of its travel offering, all
three brands will help bring the world to
Africa and promote Africa to the world’s
leading source markets. RTE is committed to the African continent and its future
as a global player in the leisure, business
and luxury tourism sectors.
Africa Travel Week is the sort of event
that exposes the best of the continent to
a global audience that covers the entire
travel spectrum from leisure to luxury,
business to conferencing. Cape Town,
arguably one of the most beautiful cities
in the world, will be the perfect backdrop
to a travel showcase of this magnitude.
The Protea Hospitality Group firmly
supports collaborative efforts of this
nature in which tourism players work
together for the greater good of growing travel and investment in Africa by
creating infrastructure and permanent
jobs in a market sector that I believe will
continue to show steady growth in the
long term.
>>> What are your major target
industries in African region?
Suppliers participating in IBTM Africa will come from the whole continent,
including destinations, venues, hotels,
convention centres, convention bureaus,
DMC’s and the MICE support services.
>>> What is the percentage
participation of other world
geographies in shows of African
region?
IBTM Africa will be hosting buyers
from Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East
and Americas.
>>> How well the exhibition and
Conference industry in particular
is supported by authorities and
infrastructure in Africa?
Africa’s MICE industry is still very much
in its growth stage, and we are witnessing
the emergence of new destinations within
the country. We are also seeing second
tier cities developing quickly.Furthermore, the rapidly growing demand for
meetings industry suppliers within Africa
has been reflected in the unprecedented
interest witnessed from International
Hosted Buyers who applied to attend the
first IBTM Africa.
Africa holds enormous potential for the
MICE industry with great investment in
infrastructure. The World Bank predicted
that Africa’s economic growth should accelerate to more than 5% over the next
3 years, far outpacing the global average
with increased investment, high commodity prices and a pick-up in the global
economy driving this expected growth
surge.
Cape Town is considered to be the pre-
mier conference destination in Africa with
more than 50 association conferences
hosted since 2010. The City is an ideal
location for both local and international
customers, with great infrastructure, a
wonderful venue and a planned expansion
matching our own growth plans. The city
is also popular as a first class incentives
destination; it significantly promotes itself
globally as the meetings destination.
There is also the requirement for professional development and IBTM Africa is for
the first time from 2015 offering the CPD
programme created by The MICE Academy which helps all sectors of the events
and meetings industry through its subscriber based web portal. This partnership will definitely help support education
in the industry across the continent.
>>> Please share your views on
technological innovations, in
lieu of the MICE shows and its
success?
The IBTM portfolio supports the development of technology and innovation
across the world. We consider it a vital
component at all our events, not just as
exhibitors but also through education, so
we would welcome talking with any providers who wish to reach the regional and
international buyers at IBTM Africa.
>>> What is the affect of
webinars, video conferences and
other virtual methods on MICE
industry and its shows?
These are tools to increase year round
touch points, and ibtm events continues to
try to achieve a 365 communication with
all of our stakeholders so all of these marketing and technology methods are of great
importance. One example is how we put
our EIBTM education programme up on
the website during the year so that those
who were not able to attend the event were
able to watch various education sessions.
>>> What message would you like
to share with your stakeholders of
the industry?
That lastweek at EIBTM we announced
the re-branding of the IBTM portfolio
whch will become ibtm events – connections mean everything. At the same time,
six of the current eight events will also
have anew brand image and logo identifying them by region with our flagship event
EIBTM becoming ibtm world, the others will be ibtm africa, ibtm arabia, ibtm
america, ibtm china and ibtm india.
13 • Destination MICE • December 2014
expert speak
venue desk
Planning a Convention in Thailand?
Reach to Peach
In an interview with Destination MICE, Michael-Goh, Resident Manager,
Peach, brings the convention and exhibition facilities at Pattaya Exhibition
and Convention Centre to the limelight.
>>> Please give us a brief
overview of Pattaya Exhibition
And Convention Hall (PEACH)
and your journey with it so far?
PEACH, a prominent flagship of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group, is one of the largest
convention venues outside of Bangkok.
Boasting spectacular views of the Gulf of
Thailand, PEACH is situated in an idyllic
and stunning location. Possessing stateof-the-art technology coupled with a deluxe interior design, it is one of Thailand’s
most sophisticated and versatile convention venues that offer lots of flexible meeting space and vast multi-purpose halls.
With four 5-star hotels in the vicinity and
only a few minutes walking distance to
sandy beaches and award-winning restaurants, this full-service event facility is a
meeting, convention, tradeshow and exhibition paradise.
PEACH is located along the slopes of
the cliff between Jomtien and Pattaya, set
conveniently close to some excellent golf
courses and shopping complexes. Occupying 10 acres of land, it is situated at a
great location, approximately 75 minutes
from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport. With over 10 years of
specialized events experience, top of the
line services and a dedicated international
team, PEACH enjoys a global reputation
of excellence making it a premier meeting
and event destination in Southeast Asia.
I joined the company as the Resident
Manager of Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall (PEACH) in March 2008. Its
extension had just been completed and
Hall D and Pattaya Rooms 10 – 19 have
just been added. The official launch was
held in December later that year. Through
the years, training programs were implemented for personnel from all departments. Operations and manpower were
streamlined to maximise efficiency and
productivity. I am also responsible for
facility management and maintenance.
Handling the execution of events ranging from small groups of 10 to as much
as 10,000 has always been both challenging and greatly satisfying. Our team constantly works hard to provide outstanding
services that exceed the expectations of
clients and organisers. In June of 2014, I
was given the additional responsibility of
being the Director of Events to oversee all
events in the Royal Cliff Hotels Group and
PEACH.
>>> Michael Goh
Resident Manager, Pattaya Exhibition
and Convention Hall (PEACH)
>>> How many square meters of
exhibition capacity does it have?
The hall has 6,925 sq.m of floor area,
while the public areas surrounding it have
3,910 sq.m. PEACH’s main halls are specifically designed to host a wide range of
events including: tradeshows, exhibitions,
new product launches, concerts, technology shows and more. The main halls can
be conveniently divided into four smaller
sections: Hall A, Hall B, Hall C and Hall D.
These are the most common configuration
of halls at the facility. With soundproof
walls and partitions, four large meetings
can take place simultaneously. The four
halls can be further sub–divided into a total of nine separate sections. All the partitions used at PEACH are interlocking and
soundproof.
>>> How many people can it
accommodate for a conference?
In the hall, the total capacity is 10,062
pax for conference in theatre seating
and 5,040 pax in classroom seating.
With these maximum capacities, there is
still space for a stage. With 18 breakout
rooms on 3 other levels, PEACH can accommodate an additional 2,003 pax and
1,149 in theatre and classroom seating
respectively.
14 • Destination MICE • December 2014
effective form of communication. While
PEACH is always on the lookout for new
innovative products to purchase and install
to keep up with the current technological
trends, we are also constantly focus on improving our professional services to provide
that important human touch that makes a
huge difference in the success of meetings
and events.
>>> What change would you like
to implement to the MICE sector?
>>> Who makes up the bulk of
your MICE guests at PEACH?
The domestic MICE guests constitute
about 65%, while the remaining 35% are
international guests and delegates from
around the world.
>>> How does your venue stay
competitive in the globally
booming MICE market?
PEACH works very hard to maintain a
world-class multipurpose award-winning
convention facility that provides complete
versatility as a convenient ‘one-stop convention solution’ for any meeting needs.
We do this by continually upgrading our
technological facilities and renovate our
venue. PEACH is a flexible centre and offers an ideal location, modern facilities and
professional services to host a wide variety
of engagements, ranging from international
conferences to grand wedding celebrations,
product launches and banquets.
We are also very unique from other
convention centres because we have four
hotels of five star standards situated in
the same vicinity as PEACH. Therefore
most large events can house their delegates under one roof and save everybody
from the hassle of travelling to the convention centre.
>>> From your perspective, how
is the MICE industry in the world
evolving in the years to come? Any
specific change in the Industry
trends as recognised by you.
With the growth of internet and wireless
technologies, many events now incorporate
web casts and live video conferences with
partners and clients outside Thailand, reducing the need for them to travel.
>>> How do you think that the
Asia Pacific MICE market is
affected by the other emerging
MICE regions of the world?
Although the pie is getting smaller,
we see that the impact is minimal as the
Asia Pacific MICE market is very well established with excellent accessibility and
infrastructure. Although competition will
get tougher from other emerging MICE
regions in the world, demand for MICE in
the Asia Pacific will remain strong.
>>> What do you think are
the major challenges faced by
the industry due to growing
technology centric webinars that
create a virtual platform?
While it reduces the overall cost for organising events and the need for physical
facilities, nothing can replace a face to face
meeting. There is no substitute for physical
human interaction as this remains the most
We would like to see countries easing visa
requirements and restrictions on travels for
planners, organisers and event delegates
across the world. More relaxed visa regulations will certainly help the MICE sector in a
way that it will enable people to travel easily
to other destinations for their events. This
can help increase arrival numbers of business persons and tourists alike in a country.
With the exceptional facilities that it offers,
PEACH is competitive enough to attract
large MICE groups from around the world
who want to hold their events in a unique
destination such as Thailand.
>>> Any message you would like
to share with the Industry?
PEACH and its team of professionals
are always ready to offer abundant assistance, optimism and support to guarantee
the success of all your upcoming events.
We hope that you will have the chance to
experience the unrivalled resources and
services that we offer and look forward to
being the venue of choice in this region.
I earnestly invite you to visit PEACH
and experience for yourself the unparalleled hospitality of our award-winning exhibition and convention hall. In
the meantime, please visit our website
www.peachthailnad.com for additional
information about PEACH and to stay
current with exciting PEACH news or
email us at mice@royalcliff.com for
any inquiries and planned bookings of
your future event.
15 • Destination MICE • December 2014
tech knowlogy
Technology Shaking Hands
with Technology
Andrew Chi, Head - Public Safety Solutions, NEC India, elaborates on
systems and solutions in hospitality along with other sector.
>>> Please tell us about a little
about NEC, what does it deal with?
NEC India Pvt. Ltd, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of NEC Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd.
(NEC APAC) and NEC Corporation,
was established in New Delhi, India, in
August 2006. NEC India leverages on
NEC’s unique capabilities in integrating IT and networking technologies for
a diverse customer base across governments, businesses, individuals and society in India. NEC India provides and
develops solutions for Carrier Network,
Unified Communications, Retail, Security and Surveillance Systems, IT and
Multimedia Products to cater to the rapidly expanding Indian market.
>>>How has been the journey so
far since 1899?
NEC has been present in India for
more than 50 years now but the Indian
subsidiary got officially established in
2006. Since then, we have focused on
growing business by empowering customers and enterprises with our cutting edge solution in IT, networking and
communication space.
>>> Andrew Chi
Head - Public Safety Solutions,
NEC India
While we entered India with our microwave technology solutions, we have
expanded our suite of solutions to telephony systems, servers, thin clients, POS
solutions and Biometric ID solutions.
Our business in India consists of microwave technology, satellite, TV transmission and supercomputers. However, in
the last few years we have diversified
and tapped the enterprise segment with
our IT and biometric security solutions.
Over the years, NEC has emerged as
one of the prominent IT and networking
solutions provider in India. In a span of
eight years we have built NEC India as:
• A dynamic company
• Positioned as a global company that
understands and caters to local needs
• Accelerated investment in people
through strengthening its partner
network, mining new business opportunities & enhancing its product portfolio
>>> What are the different
solutions that you provide to
your clients? How do they work?
India is an important market for NEC
globally and we are looking at reiterating our commitment to the India market by strengthening our foothold across
industries with our suite of solutions to
build a strong social infrastructure. NEC
India customizes solutions to construct
large-scale, highly reliable, scalable and
flexible IT and network systems, such
as Security and Surveillance Systems,
Carrier Network, IP Telephony Solutions, Retail solutions (Hardware and
Software), Private Network Solutions
(Enterprise and Exchange wide EPABX,
IP Telephony, KTS), High Performance
Computing, IT products such as Servers,
Storage and Thin Clients, as well as Multimedia Products such as Projectors and
Commercial Display Products and Solu-
16 • Destination MICE • December 2014
tions for the Indian market.
In retail NEC has a range of integrated
touch POS (Point-Of-Sale) solution, Box
POS range and customized retail and
billing solutions aimed at segments like
F&B, Large Format Retail chains, Cineplexes and Hotels. Besides this, NEC has
recently launchedNear Field Communication (NFC) in India which gives both
the consumer as well as the retailer to
adopt a more streamlines cash–less and
card–less payment system.
NEC’s Public Safety business has presence in both government and private
sector in India. NEC offers services like
finger print analysis, video analytics and
surveillance and Face Recognition Solution (FRS) and finger print analytics to
government and hospitality as well as
real estate organisations.
The following are the solutions and
business domains that NEC will launch
under the new Safer Cities strategy:
• Citizen Services & Immigration Control
Citizen services and immigration
control solutions that leverage top-level-accuracy fingerprint identification,
facial recognition, and other biometric
identification technologies widely used
in Japan, the U.S. and many countries
around the world
- National ID systems, voter ID management systems, immigration automated gate systems, e-passport/e-visa
systems, etc.
• Law Enforcement
Solutions that support law and order,
such as solutions for detection of blacklisted persons using surveillance cameras for crime prevention, based on the
world’s most accurate biometric identification technologies
- Fingerprint identification solutions, criminal investigation support
systems, portable DNA analyzer, facial recognition solutions, radio wave
monitoring systems, plate number detection systems, cyber-crime prevention solutions, etc.
• Critical Infrastructure Management
Solutions for preventing occurrences
of crime in critical infrastructure, such
as airports, harbors, power plants, gas
facilities, water treatment facilities, and
stadiums, disruptions to which pose a
massive impact on society
- Area surveillance solutions (sophisticated sensor systems [high-sensitivity
cameras, infrared sensors, underwater
sensors], video surveillance systems),
warning and security solutions, biomet-
Reed has been exploring
opportunities in Africa for
sometime and the success
of our first launch event,
ILTM Africa, has given
us the platform to now
introduce two more of our
global industry brands
to create ‘Africa Travel
Week’ and make it the
leading global event for the
continent’s travel industry.
rics gate control systems, railway facility
camera surveillance systems, plant facility surveillance systems, etc.
• Emergency & Disaster Management
Solutions for preventing disasters
through early detection of disaster
threats, as well as for minimizing damage and facilitating recovery from natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, fires and typhoons
- Disaster monitoring solutions
(earthquake/ tsunami observation systems, satellite disaster-monitoring systems), disaster information systems,
wide-area disaster prevention networks,
emergency cloud systems, etc.
• Public Administration Services
Solutions that underpin public administration services to promote public
safety and security, such as solutions for
prevention of infection and manpower
management through the use of IT and
network technologies nurtured over
many years at NEC
- Foreign worker visa control systems,
e-government systems, healthcare information solutions, etc.
• Information Management
Solutions for cyber security in an information society where hacking and
other cyber-attacks pose a major threat
to people’s lives
- Internal incident visualization solutions, cyber-attack surveillance and
analysis solutions, cyber-attack response training, cyber security consultation, etc.
• Inter-Agency Collaboration
Network infrastructure for sharing
information among municipalities, government agencies, and relevant institutions; and solutions for extracting useful information from big data obtained
through information sharing and for
analyzing and visualizing data for presentation
- Sophisticated sensor systems, big
data analysis systems, visualization solutions, etc.
>>> What changes to do you
think that the innovation in
technologies has brought in the
operations of hospitality sector?
NEC has a strong presence in the Indian hospitality sector and has been
offering plethora of advanced security
technologies like – face recognition solution, visitor management system and
17 • Destination MICE • December 2014
surveillance systems. NEC is a leading
provider of digital video surveillance
systems based on IP cameras. Our technologies come with many advanced features, including motion detection and
camera control. These can also be utilized to generate alarms when required
and also produce live and recorded images along with playback search functions based on time and activity.
NEC’s fingerprint and facial recognition
solutions are recognized as some of the most
accurate biometric technologies for identification and these solutions have been deployed across numerous countries around
the world. NEC’s face recognition technology can be implemented as a functionally
independent application, or seamlessly integrated into new or existing biometric security solutions by system integrators and
solution providers. The same can used for
effective Blacklist and Whitelist management in the hospitality business. Thebiometric solution intelligently matches faces
appearing on the surveillance cameras to
the database in real time for security/monitoring purposes. The strength of NEC’s face
recognition technology lies in its tolerance
to poor quality, highly compressed surveillance videos and images. The technology
is advanced enough to offer positive match
results despite of changed appearances or
con. This cutting edge technology can even
use poor quality webcam images to produce
the highest search results per second, and
can recognise altered faces too with a high
level of accuracy. FRS can produce search
results quickly even linked to a huge database of over 1,60,000 records.
>>> Are there any other
solutions? If yes, what is their
target market?
NEC offers high quality and superior
Japanese technology. NEC is constantly
developing new products with advanced
technologies that are well positioned for
the Indian market. It has always been the
company’s endeavour to bring innovative
products & solutions to the Indian market
to cater to the needs of various verticals.
Going forward, we aspire for greater
synergy between IT and carrier network
team to drive a “ONE NEC” approach
to expand our foothold in India, and
help us build a key differentiator and a
competitive advantage in the industry.
In addition, NEC India will continue to
focus on high growth verticals such as
education, hospitality, healthcare & government with a special emphasis on civil
ID, criminal ID and public safety. Our
prime objective in India is to enhance
awareness, interest and desire for their
products and solutions at the end customers and channel partners’ level.
>>> Is hospitality industry
welcoming the technological
innovations? What are the
effects of technology on the
advancement of the sector?
Today the safety and security of its
guests is a key priority for hotels across
the globe. The very much proof of the
same is the adoption of top-end safety
and surveillance systems used by hotels
around the country.
NEC believes in constant innovation
and redefining the way we communicate.
This has led the company to be at the
forefront of innovative technologies like
Face recognition solution (FRS), which
intelligently matches faces appearing on
the hotel surveillance cameras to a da-
tabase list of potential security threats
provided by local authorities. Additionally, the solution can also be utilized for
whitelist management, offering customised service to the VIP guests at the
hotel simply by recognising their faces.
We have recently deployed the high
performance Face Recognition Solution
(FRS) featuring NEC’s world-leading
technologies at Lemon Tree groups’ upscale hotel, Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi
Airport, making it the first in the hospitality sector in India to adopt the topend safety and surveillance systems
>>> What are the major
challenges faced by you in the
emerging markets? What is your
strategy to meet them?
Most of the hotels are aware of security measures required for the safety
of their guests and overall operations.
But they are mostly restricted to meeting the regulatory norms, laid down by
the government. It is therefore important for hospitality players to expand
their horizon by thinking about safety
of their business, beyond these norms
and eventually take steps to implement
more stringent security procedures and
technologies in order to safeguard their
employees, guests and their properties.
>>> What message would you
like to share with the industry?
No doubt India as a market has become very important, considering the
huge population, size of economy and
the increased purchasing power of middle layer. NEC has been working in India
for more than 50 years and we plan focus more on this promising country.
NEC strategy is now changing from
conventional box supply to a solution
centric model. We plan to reinforce our
solution capability as well as resources
to add more value to this market.
18 • Destination MICE • December 2014
advertorial column
Is the Classic Tummy Tuck outdated? UAE Experts
Advise Safer Lipoabdominoplasty as an Alternative
Surgical complications can be avoided with safer alternatives to classic abdominoplasty
Obese women and men in the UAE
seeking classic abdominoplasty may want
to reconsider. Classical abdominoplasty,
also known as a tummy tuck, is a popular
surgery for correcting the muscle and tissue laxity produced by pregnancy or large
weight loss. However, it has been plagued
by its complication rates, reported as high
as 15-25%. The alternative lipoabdominoplasty (LABP) procedure, developed by a
UAE-based plastic surgeon, has seen complication rates brought down to 5%.
Dr Mohan Rangaswamy from Plastic
Surgery Works in Dubai, UAE, developed
the concept of LABPas an alternative procedurein 1995 when he was faced with high
incidence of obese patients from the Middle
Eastern population seeking tummy tucks.
LABP is now an accepted technique with
important studies emerging from various
other countries like Brazil and France attesting to the safety and efficacy of the method.
Dr Rangaswamy is one of the highly
anticipated speakers at Dubai’s leadinganti-ageing congress,ICAAM Middle East,
which takes placefrom5-6 December at the
Conrad Hotel.
According to Dr Rangaswamy, “With
LABP, extensive liposuction is done first
before cutting the skin, unlike a traditional
abdominoplasty where the patient will
often undergo a secondary procedure to
remove the fat. This, and other modifications of technique, including avoidance of
drains,led to superior results with greater
safety in in patients with excessively fatty
abdomens.”
The three major problems of classical
Dr Mohan Rangaswamy
Plast Surgery Works, Dubai, UAE
abdominoplasty, namely seroma, skin necrosis and fat necrosis, are eliminated by
LABP. Since necrosis and poor blood supply are important causes of infection, the
incidence of infection is also reduced.
Tummy tucks using LABPform about
20% of Dr Rangaswamy’saesthetic surgeries. The majority of his patients are women
tatra2015
travel and tourism
resources of asia
asia
tatraexhibition@gmail.com
“About 60-70% of my tummy
tuck patients are obese,
according to their BMI,andhave
a major problem with ‘external’
fat in their abdomens. We must
differentiate between gross
global obesity and obesity
predominantly in the abdomen.
A grossly obese person must
lose weight before being
accepted for LABP. Whatever
is behind the outer fat layers
of the abdomen is considered
‘visceral’ and cannot be
removed by liposuction,”
who have completed childbearing and are
looking to improve their figure. Men usually accumulate excess fat in and around the
internal organs in the belly and are, therefore, not candidates for any form of tummy
tuck unless they have lost a lot of weight
and their skin is then hanging in folds.
“About 60-70% of my tummy tuck patients
are obese, according to their BMI,andhave
a major problem with ‘external’ fat in their
abdomens. We must differentiate between
gross global obesity and obesity predominantly in the abdomen. A grossly obese person must lose weight before being accepted
for LABP. Whatever is behind the outer fat
layers of the abdomen is considered ‘visceral’ and cannot be removed by liposuction,”
highlighted Dr Rangaswamy.
• Tourism boards
• TRAVEL AGENTS
• HOTEL RESORT & SPA
• AIRLINES AND CHARTERS
• DESTINATIONS & STATE TOURISM
• CINEMA LOCATIONS
19 • Destination MICE • December 2014
NTO update
Monaco Convention Bureau wins ICCA Best Marketing Award
The winner was announced at the
Closing Ceremony of the 53rd ICCA
Congress, taking place in Antalya, Turkey. Monaco Convention Bureau was
awarded for their campaign aimed at
overcoming negative stereotypes by
twisting clichés around to reposition
their brand. Patrick Delaney, Chairman of the Judging Panel of the Best
Marketing Award: “We were very impressed with the quality of the entries
and in particular of the finalists. Once
again the Best Marketing Award session had an extraordinary attendance
which shows the magic and ICCA’s
DNA in sharing knowledge and best
practice.” Mrs. Laurence Papouchado,
Deputy Director of Monaco Convention Bureau upon receiving the Award:
“We are very honoured and proud to
receive this very prestigious award.
Our entire team has worked very hard
in order to implement our new MICE
Marketing campaign and this award
shows that we are on the right path. Our
sincere thanks goes to all ICCA members
and jury that selected us for the ICCA
Best Marketing Award 2014. Congratulations also go out to the other finalists
The Whitsundays to host Tourism Australia’s
second Greater China Corroboree
More than 200 leading travel agents
from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan all ‘Aussie Specialists’ with experience in
selling Australian holidays - will visit the
Whitsundays next year as part of Tourism
Australia’s annual Corroboree Greater
China event.
The event will be hosted on Hamilton
Island from 12 to 15 May 2015 and will involve a three-day workshop, followed by
a day exploring the Great Barrier Reef and
tourism attractions of the Whitsundays.
The agents will then spend five days on
familiarisation visits, between them visiting every state and territory.
Tourism Australia Managing Director
John O’Sullivan said that the majority of
international travel out of China was still
booked through travel agencies and that
the event was therefore a key part of its
strategy to attract more independent,
higher spending Asian visitors.
“Free and independent travel out of
this region is growing strongly and to
tap into this market it’s critical that we
are working with agents who are familiar
with what our country has to offer and
are trained how best to put together and
sell high quality holiday packages,” Mr
O’Sullivan said.
Mr O’Sullivan said that Corroboree
Greater China offered Australian tourism
operators a fantastic opportunity to meet
face-to-face with ‘Aussie Specialist’ travel
agents from one of Australia’s most important regions.
“These agents are all frontline retail travel
agents, already actively selling Australia as
a preferred long-haul destination to Chinese
travellers. This event provides a professional forum for our industry to train these
agents and further strengthen their product
knowledge,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
Tourism Australia recently appointed an
elite group of 31 China-based travel agencies and distribution partners to spearhead a new distribution network focused
on selling high quality Australian holiday packages to China’s rapidly growing
middle classes. Each partner will have a
number of their front-line ‘Aussie Specialist’ agents attending the event.
Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ)
Chief Executive Leanne Coddington welcomed the return of Corroboree Greater
China to Queensland in 2015.
“Corroboree Greater China 2015 is a fantastic opportunity for tourism businesses
of this year’s Best Marketing Award:
Amsterdam Marketing and Wonderful
Copenhagen Convention Bureau. The
three finalists presented their successful
marketing campaigns at the 53rd ICCA
Congress in Antalya, Turkey. The ICCA
Best Marketing Award, established in
1997, recognises the excellence and outstanding achievements of organisations
in their effort to market their destination
or product. Entries can range from full
scale campaigns and branding exercises
to individual promotions and events.
The ICCA Best Marketing Award is
sponsored by Bedouk Meetings & Events
Media (http://www.bedouk.com) and is
open to ICCA members only. The 2014
ICCA Congress attracted over 900 participants from 72 countries, making it
the most global ICCA Congress ever.
to engage with travel agents from Queensland’s largest international market by
visitor expenditure,” said Ms Coddington.
“With a presence in China, Hong Kong
and Taiwan, TEQ is continually looking
for opportunities to promote Queensland
as a premier leisure destination to the Chinese visitor and we are proud to support
Corroboree in 2015.
“In addition, TEQ will lead a trade mission to Wuhan and Guangzhou in March
2015, enabling Queensland tourism businesses to connect with travel wholesalers,
retail agents, and airline and media representatives in the Greater China region,”
Ms Coddington said.
Whitsundays Marketing and Development Limited (WMDL) Executive Director
Jeff Aquilina said, “Corroboree Greater China presents a significant opportunity for the
Whitsundays to showcase the exceptional
tourism experiences on offer throughout the
region to leading travel agents from China,
Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“The Whitsundays is renowned for its 74
island wonders, offering iconic landscapes
in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef surrounded by rainforest and a vibrant coastal atmosphere. Visiting delegates will be
spoilt for choice when exploring the Whitsundays,” Mr Aquilina said.
Hamilton Island CEO Glenn Bourke
said, “The Chinese market is increasingly
important to our business and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to host
Corroboree Greater China and showcase
the best our region has to offer”
20 • Destination MICE • December 2014
21 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
Overview of 2014 EIBTM Trends Watch
Report Presented by Rob Davidson
The 2014 EIBTM Trends Watch Report will
be presented by Rob Davidson of MICE Knowledge this year as it reflects the upbeat tone of
confidence widely demonstrated this year by
companies and organisations operating in the
global meetings and events industry. It also is
predicted to capture the widespread phenomenon of rising confidence levels for suppliers
and buyers of services and facilities for business
events.
Highlights of the report show that most of
the key market segments in the corporate meetings sector - information and communications
technology, automotive, pharmaceuticals and
construction - have experienced growth in 2014,
boosting the demand for corporate conferences,
product launches, and training events. The developing world, in particular China and the
Middle East, is where this growth has been most
significantly witnessed. The incentive travel
sector has also seen a resurgence in 2014, with
convincing evidence of growth in demand, rising budgets and the use of a greater variety of
destinations for the hosting of such events.
Greater levels of confidence have also been
noted this year among planners of international
associations conferences, with evidence of increasing budgets and attendance levels. Cities
in Europe and Asia are particularly successful at
winning these events, although Australasia and
the Middle East are increasingly asserting themselves as destinations for international association conferences.
As demand has grown this year, so has the
supply of facilities for meetings and events, with
expansion, in many world regions, of the hotel
stock and major new convention centres - for
example Krakow in Poland and Nigeria’s first
dedicated international convention centre, the
Calabar International Convention Centre. This
expansion in supply has been matched by the
creation of a number of new convention bureaus
from Hangzhou in China to Spain’s Costa Brava,
with the aim of winning meetings and events for
their destinations in an increasingly competitive
market environment.
In terms of the outlook for 2015, modest levels
of growth are forecast for the global economy as
a whole, although that growth will be most significant in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. For
the meetings and events industry, forecasters are
practically unanimous in their predictions that
2015 will witness continuing expansion. Some
even predict that in a number of world regions –
the US and parts of Europe – we will see a return
to a sellers’ market, as demand outstrips supply
in some key city destinations.
But 2015 will not be without its risk factors,
which may create as yet unforeseen challenges
for the meetings and events industry - particularly on the international scale. These include: the
risk of escalating conflicts in the Middle East and
in Eastern Ukraine; the Ebola virus crisis further
extending its grip; and the threat of a return to
recession in the Euro zone.
Innovation, resilience and dynamism will be
the meetings and events industry’s best response
to meeting these challenges head-on and to making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead
in 2015.
Destination Mice Magazine invites your opinion about the MICE industry.
Kindly send your enquiry at destinationsmice@gmail.com
A day in the life of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
Over 20 team members from the Kuala
Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre)
shared their working experience with more
than 70 colleagues from the hospitality and
tourism industry at the inaugural event of
Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s
(MyCEB) ‘A Day in the Life of…’ series.
From Housekeeping and Front and Backof-House to Sales & Marketing, Event Coordination and Culinary, participants were
given an insight into how the various departments work together to ensure the success of every client event; big and small, at
the country’s premier convention facility.
Thanking MyCEB for choosing the Centre for the series’ inaugural event, Alan
Pryor, the Centre’s General Manager, said
the Centre is always happy to be able to engage with, foster better understanding of, as
well as share experiences and technology
with, their counterparts as this is one way
of contributing to the overall growth and
development of Malaysia’s business tourism
industry.
“I hope participants found their time at
the Centre well-spent and am confident
the remaining subjects of this knowledgesharing series will be of benefit to the local
industry supply chain. Only by understanding how each aspect of the industry operates
and how we may be able to work together,
can we attract more international events to
the country and grow Malaysia’s business
tourism footprint globally.”
The ‘A Day in the Life of…’ series was
conceptualised by MyCEB to give those
in the tourism industry the opportunity to
learn and gain an insight into the various areas that make up the Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.
22 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
22nd Edition of UBM India’s
Flagship Show for Travel and Tourism
SATTE 2015, the 22nd edition of South
Asia’s leading travel trade show hosted
by UBM India, is expected to host over 650
exhibitors from around 50 countries, providing a platform to domestic and international buyers and professionals from across
the travel, tourism and hospitality industry along with national and state tourism
boards to congregate and conduct business,
whilst promoting inbound and domestic
tourism in India.
Slated for January 29-31, 2015 at Pragati
Maidan, New Delhi, the event is supported
by The Ministry of Tourism, Government of
India.
SATTE 2015 will see participation from
states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra,
Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh,
Lakshwadeep, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh
and Odisha. International players include Abu
Dhabi, Argentina, Bhutan, Brand USA, Dubai,
Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Macau,
Malaysia, Israel, Swedavia, Japan, Korea, Mauritius, Oman, Fiji, Philippines, Spain, Taiwan,
Thailand, Turkey, VisitBritain, Maldives, New
Zealand, Guideline Travels, Arc Travels and
The Venetian Macao amongst others. Apart
from NTOs and state tourism boards, travel and
hospitality companies, DMCs, OTAs and tourism products will also join the trade event.
Furthermore, Israel, Korea, Fiji, Guideline
Travels, Arc Travels and The Venetian Macao have all increased their participation at
the upcoming event. The event this year will
further see participation from Philippines,
Swedavia-Sweden Airports, Mexico Tourism
and Central Asia for the first time, in addition
to a comeback from Rajasthan Tourism and
Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.
Joji George, MD, UBM India, while echoing the positive Industry response, said,
“The huge surge amongst the industry players for SATTE 2015 is the result of the new
government’s renewed thrust on tourism as
one of the significant industries to contribute towards employment and revenue generation. The Ministry of Tourism has already
initiated a series of marketing initiatives to
make India as a must-see tourism destination. SATTE expects to welcome a record
number of buyers for its 22nd edition. After
being bracketed as a vital sector by the new
government in this year’s Union budget, the
Indian tourism industry is looking forward
to a positive year, giving the industry more
than enough reason to be at SATTE 2015.”
Taking cognizance of the growing travel
business online, SATTE 2015 will provide a
platform to GDSs, online travel agencies and
online travel marketing companies to showcase their products and services. Companies
such as Abacus and Travelport Galileo, Fore
Representations, Holiday Merchants, Influence Technolabs, Internet Moguls, M Globe
International, One World Teleservices, QuadLabs, RezLive, roomsXML, Travel Boutique
Online, Travel I and Zap Booking amongst
others will showcase their new products and
applications to the Indian travel trade.
The 2014 edition recorded a participation
of over 640 exhibitors from 35 countries, 23
Indian states, airlines, DMCs, hotels and the
entire gamut of travel, tourism and hospitality suppliers showcasing their products.
The event received a record 10,000 business
meeting request between buyers and sellers. SATTE also welcomed its highest-ever
number of attendees - 11,529 travel trade
professionals, including pre-registered and
hosted Indian and international buyers and
business visitors.
New Interactive Six Flags Dark Ride Showcased at IAAPA EXPO
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
(NYSE:SIX), the world’s largest regional
theme park company, through a partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment - unveils a behind-the-scenes look at new components
of the 4D interactive dark ride experience
named JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATTLE FOR
METROPOLIS 4D. The thrilling new rides
are headed to Six Flags St. Louis and Six
Flags Over Texas in 2015.
“An enormous amount of detail and creativity has gone into producing what will
be one of the most exciting and immersive
dark rides experiences in the industry,”
said Tom Iven, senior vice president of
U.S. park operations for Six Flags.
Guests will be part of the action as they
fight alongside SUPERMAN, BATMAN,
WONDER WOMAN, THE FLASH and
the rest of the JUSTICE LEAGUE team,
to stop Lex Luthor and The Joker from
their diabolical plan to take control of Metropolis. Aided by the cybernetic Super
Hero known as CYBORG, guests will be
recruited to join the JUSTICE LEAGUE
reserve team and trained to use high-tech
laser blasters in preparation for anything
the Super-Villains have in store for them.
Traveling in six-passenger vehicles, riders take to the streets and take aim against
The Joker, Lex Luthor, and his relentless
robot army, in the thrilling BATTLE FOR
METROPOLIS!
The multi-degrees-of-freedom motionbased ride vehicles were created by Oceaneering and are equipped with six interactive laser blasters per vehicle to help guests
find the JUSTICE LEAGUE and free them
from their captors. Complete with 4D effects of simulating fire, cannon blasts, and
explosions, JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATTLE
FOR METROPOLIS is the ultimate dark
ride adventure.
“By incorporating the dynamic ride system created by Oceaneering, along with the
massive 3D screens, interactive game play,
and highly detailed scenery by Sally Corp.,
we can achieve the next generation of interactive thrills,” said John Wood, CEO of Sally
Corporation, the industry leader in dark
rides and creator of the lifelike animatronic
Super Heroes.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATTLE FOR METROPOLIS will feature custom-designed,
state-of-the-art animatronics. The Joker’s
lifelike movements and menacing cackle will
haunt riders as he sits atop his chaos-creating cannon spreading mayhem throughout
the streets of Metropolis. The four-minute
journey incorporates a wide array of special
effects including five huge interactive 3D
screens, incredible hi-definition animation
and a dramatic musical score.
Six Flags is still keeping broader details
about the ride experience under wraps, but
Iven said park guests can look forward to a
completely new experience with JUSTICE
LEAGUE: BATTLE FOR METROPOLIS as
it is “the very first motion-based, interactive dark ride in North America.”
23 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
Roger Kellerman Receives
2014 JMIC Profile and
Power Award
The Joint Meetings Industry Council
(JMIC) announced the winner of the 2013
JMIC Profile and Power Award as Mr. Roger Kellerman, the founder and publisher
of the magazine Meetings International.
The award was made in recognition of Mr.
Kellerman’s ongoing work in the development of a stronger Swedish Meetings industry through an array of advocacy and
educational activities including most prominently the Swedish Meeting Industry Week
which will be held for the 9th time in early
January 2015 in Malmö, Sweden.
“In Mr. Kellerman we are this year recognizing an individual whose many actions over
a number of years have produced not simply
a new level of industry and government enthusiasm but the ongoing structures required
to maintain this momentum, including the
Swedish Politicians Forum, Future Leaders
Forum and the Meetings Master Classes”,
said JMIC President Philippe Fournier. “His
work has not only advanced an entire country
and region in their industry effectiveness but
also provided an inspiring example for others
to follow along with the organizational models
that will help them do it. He has literally created a generation of political representatives
that understand and support our industry to a
level seldom seen elsewhere in the world”
The JMIC Power and Profile Award was
established by the Council as a way of recognizing individuals and organizations who have
made significant contributions to advancing the
awareness and influence of the Meetings Industry in their respective communities.
JMIC members include: AACVB (the Asian
Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus); AIPC (the International Association
of Convention Centres); ASAE (the American
Society of Association Executives); DMAI
(Destination Marketing Association International); ECM (European Cities Marketing);
EFAPCO (the European Federation of Associations of Professional Congress Organizers); EVVC (the European Association of
Event Centres); IAPCO (the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers); ICCA (the International Congress and
Convention Association); IFES (the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services); MPI (Meeting Professionals International); PCMA (the Professional Convention
Association Management Association); SITE
(the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives)
and UFI (the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry).
JMIC is also supported by the CIC (Convention Industry Council).
Smart Meetings TV Special “Smart
Destinations: The Best of 2014” Features
the Winners of the Smart Stars Awards
Smart Meetings magazine announced
its half-hour television special presentation of “Smart Destinations: The Best of
2014.” The show features the winners of
the annual Smart Stars Awards celebrating the best premier meetings hotels, resorts, cruise lines, event venues, and convention and conference centers in North
America across 25 categories.
The program will air in more than 200
media markets through Jan. 4, 2015, on
ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and independent
affiliates across the U.S. Check local listings for scheduled broadcast times.
“We’re excited to bring Smart Meetings’
best of the best to television again this
year. The enthusiasm around our Smart
Stars Awards and the hotels and destinations represented is spreading, and the
quality and style of the winners is worth
sharing with the broadest spectrum of audiences possible,” says Marin Bright, CEO
and founder of Bright Business Media,
LLC and publisher of the meetings industry trade publication. “Once again, these
winning venues excel in more ways than
are celebrated in their respective categories--they are excellent options for leisure
travelers, weddings and special events, in
addition to being top meeting choices.”
Many of the winners announced earlier
this year are featured in “Smart Destina-
tions: The Best of 2014,” including:
• Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
• Paradisus Punta Cana Resort, Dominican Republic Radisson Blu Mall of
America, Bloomington, Minn.
• The Fairmont Dallas
• Trump International Hotel & Tower
Chicago
For a complete list of Smart Stars Award
winners, visit smartmeetings.com/smartstars.
The program was created and produced
in conjunction with Telco Productions,
Inc., a Santa Monica, Calif.-based production and distribution company with more
than two dozen television shows currently airing in national syndication.
Smart Meetings is published monthly
by Bright Business Media, LLC, a multimedia company based in Sausalito, Calif. BBM also hosts www.smartmeetings.
com, an interactive website, Smart Meetings app and digital edition, Smart Site
Selector for RFP submissions, and Smart
Meetings Events connecting meeting
professionals with premier hotels and
destinations.
24 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
Aeroports de Catalunya Announced
as Host of World Routes 2017
Aeroports de Catalunya, Catalan Government’s state-owned company, will
host World Routes, the 23rd World
Route Development Forum in 2017. The
announcement, which took place during a press conference at the Ministry
of Territory and Sustainability of the
Government of Catalonia, was attended
by Santi Vila, Conseller de Territori i
Sostenibilitat (Minister of Territory and
Sustainability); Sonia Recasens, segona
tinent d’alcalde de Barcelona (Second
Deputy Mayor of Barcelona); Adrian
Newton, Group Director Aviation &
Technology for UBM Live and Gerard
Brown, Head of Future Hosting, Routes
and Airport Cities for UBM Live.
World Routes is the world’s largest commercial aviation event and the premier
business to business aviation conference.
The event consistently attracts over 3,000
senior level executives from the world’s
airlines, airports, tourist boards, economic
development agencies and governments
from over 110 countries to discuss air service development opportunities. Hosting
World Routes will bring network decision makers from the world’s airlines and
from across the aviation industry to Barcelona and offers a unique opportunity
for the city to showcase the opportunities
it has to offer potential global airline partners.
In this regard, Minister of Territory
and Sustainability, Santi Vila, said:
“Holding World Routes will be a huge
boost in making Barcelona airport the
hub of Southern Europe.
Our position on the map is a competitive advantage,” adding: “It will be a
magnificent platform for the economic
promotion of the city, of Catalonia and,
above all, of its businesses which are involved in the process of internationalisation and conquering foreign markets”.
For her part, Second Deputy Mayor of
Barcelona, Sonia Recasens, highlighted that: “In the present context, the
World Route Development Forum is a
privileged setting in which to position
Barcelona as an international air service hub and worldwide benchmark
in attracting conferences and major
events, which adds to our objective of
increasing the city’s economic activity
in the public interest”.
Noosa International
Food and Wine
Festival 2015
The Noosa International Food and Wine
Festival (NIFW) is bringing more than 250 of
the best in food, wine and lifestyle to Noosa
Heads, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast,
between 14-17 May 2015. Internationally
renowned chefs attending include David
Thompson, Ryan Clift, Josh Emett, Meena
Thongkumpola, Ben Batterbury and Andrew
Evans. They will be joined by some of Australia’s top chefs including Mark Best, Martin Boetz, Peter Conistis, Colin Fassnidge,
Dan Hong, Mark Jensen, Andrew McConnell, Matt Moran, David Moyle, Steven
Snow, Ryan Squires, Shane Watson, and
Adriano Zumbo. Tickets will be available
from 12 December, exclusively to the Festival’s loyalty group, the Chilli Club, which
anyone can join, before tickets go on sale to
the general public on 5 January 2015.
Quality services and shorter recovery times
attracts more aesthetic medical tourists to UAE
The UAE healthcare authorities have invested heavily into medical tourism. One
of the growing attractions ofthe UAE as a
medical tourism destination is aesthetic
surgery, as clinics in the UAE receive an influx of patients from the GCC, Middle East,
Russia and Europe. Procedures such as
dimple creation, breast augmentation, and
rhinoplasty are in increasing demand.With
technology developments shortening the
post-surgical recovery time, patients are
now able to return home sooner.
According to Dr Matteo Vigo, Chief of Surgery, Chief Medical Officer and Plastic Surgeon, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, Dubai, “To date, around 25% of
our patients seeking surgical procedures are
from abroad. They come predominantly from
the surrounding GCC countries, with KSA
and Qatar leading the way, as well as Kuwait,
Oman and Bahrain. Patients from Russia and
the Commonwealth of Independent states
(CSI) are also in the top 10 nationalities that
look for reliable cosmetic services offered at our
hospital.”
Dubai’s leadinganti-ageing congress, ICAAM
Middle East,organised by Informa Life Sciences
Exhibitions,is hosting a live plastic surgery session at the American Academy of Cosmetic
Surgery Hospital in Dubai on the 7 December
2014. This session will featurean open-closed
rhinoplasty surgery, breast augmentation, dimple creation, and Asian eyelid surgery.
“With a steady population growth, high per capita
income, increased health awareness and care for
appearance in the UAE, it is not hard to see why the
demand for Aesthetic Surgery continues to grow.
The UAE’s ambition and long-term strategy is to become a preferred destination for domestic patients
and a hub for global medical tourists seeking high
quality and cost-effective treatments. These devel-
opmentswill have a positiveimpact in attracting
people from the neighboring countries who have
traditionally travelled further abroad for medical
care,” highlighted Dr Vigo.
Marina Egorova,34isproject manager and
mother of two from Moscow, Russia. She came
to Dubai for an augmentation mastopexy – an
aesthetic surgical procedure to lift and enhance
the shape of the breasts.Researching online,
conducting and numerous background checks,
as well as seeing few surgeons at home, Marina,
a frequent Dubai visitor, made her final decision to
have the procedure in Dubai.
“I had heard a lot about cosmetic surgery being quite good in the UAE and I also
wanted to keep my procedure private, so I
made my decision based on my research,”
saysMrsEgorova.
25 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
EIBTM 2014 ends year on a high Business boom returns to the show floor
New Show Name for 2015 – ibtm World
EIBTM closed recently with over 15,500
(8% increase on 2013) industry professionals
onsite for the three days of the show. With
over 80% of attendees (excluding exhibitors)
coming from Europe, the trend underlines
the American Express Meetings & Events
2015 Global Forecast presented to over 200
global industry thought leaders on the eve
of the first day of the event. The report indicated that the number of meetings in Europe
is predicted to increase.
At the same time, trade visitor numbers
are also up by nearly 8%. EIBTM attracted
nearly 70% of trade visitors from Spain
supporting the country’s positive economic recovery which was highlighted in the
same report. Some 78,436 pre-scheduled
appointments and, for the first time, self
select were made between Hosted Buyers
and exhibitors, a 20% increase over last
year.
Association planners are also forecasting
an increase in their meetings activity, and
this year’s show has seen the highest number
of independent Association planners attend-
Adelaide to host
PCO Association
Conference 2015
The Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) Association has announced next
year’s PCO Association Conference will be
held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from
November 29 –December 1, 2015.
The announcement was made yesterday
(December 2) during the closing session of
this year’s conference (pictured), held at
the National Convention Centre, Canberra.
Highlights of the two-day program included an opening address by Andrew
Barr, Deputy Chief Minister for the ACT, and
sessions with Richard Robinson, the head
economic forecaster for the BIS Shrapnel
group, and the former chief commissioner
of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon.
ing with 67% of the 271 planners coming
from individual associations and societies,
overall the event saw an increase of 12%
in attendance by Association Hosted Buyers helped by the launch of a more flexible
approach to this year’s Buyer programme,
with the introduction of My Association |
My Club.
Jeton Iseni, European Project Manager,
European Huntington’s Disease Network,
who participated in the Association programme commented; “I am very pleased
with the new flexibility for Association
Buyers this year, especially around our appointments diary. The difference is that it
has given us a great opportunity and time
to meet with others in the industry, share
knowledge and network.”
Business optimism across the show floor
was also reported by exhibitors, many of
whom rated EIBTM as their best trade show
of the year.
Jim Hensley, CEO, Global DMC Partners; “EIBTM is the strongest and busiest
show in our trade show calendar. We´ve
had more appointments each day here
than we have had in entire trade shows.
The buyers we have seen have been good
quality and most importantly ready to do
business with proposals in place, rather
than general enquiries. We are very optimistic about the future business we will
place thanks to EIBTM.”
David Chalmers, Marketing Director Europe for Cvent inc; “We have been oversubscribed on appointments this year making
it our best ever EIBTM. All members of our
sales team have fed back on the fantastic
quality of buyers whom they have met with
and a significant amount of business has
been made here as a result of that.”
In Rob Davidson’s annual Industry
Trends Report, he highlighted the optimism
of the mood in the U.S. meetings market as
“very positive according to various studies”.
Supporting this trend for business, Deanne
Boynton Grupp, VP Tourism for Scottsdale
Convention & Visitors Bureau commented;
“it’s been the best EIBTM for many years
in terms of number of appointments, quality and the diverse nationalities of buyers
wanting to do business with us.”
This year’s new EIBTM concierge service
was also recognised as an important initiative: Isabel Agrelo, Communication Manager, Global Sales Division, Accor
“We have been extremely busy at
EIBTM with over 800 appointments across
the three days. We have met with some
very interesting sales leads and there will
be some positive contracts to come. The
new concierge service provided by EIBTM
this year has been extremely useful to us,
helping us find a solution to every problem straight away. We can´t wait to return
in 2015.”
Newcomer to EIBTM, The Faroe Islands
was looking to find business from the
event and Annleyg Lamhauge, Marketing
Manager – MICE, Visit Faroe Islands commented: “It has been our first time exhibiting at EIBTM and we have been very popular with a lot of interest in our stand. We
are finding there is a demand for smaller
meetings groups and this works well with
our destination. There is a trend to visit
the Nordic countries and the surrounding
islands. We have met with a lot of good
quality buyers at EIBTM and are looking
forward to 2015.”
“You really couldn’t miss the buzz on
the show floor this year which I hope was a
result of not only economic confidence but
also from new initiatives such as the fact that
this year exhibitors could top up their diaries with appointments they had requested
with buyers – the first time we have trialed
this,” commented Graeme Barnett, EIBTM
Senior Exhibition Director.
Finally from the close of this year’s show,
EIBTM is to be rebranded as ibtm world where connections mean everything. Ibtm
world will join its sister events ibtm arabia,
ibtm Africa, ibtm america, ibtm china and
ibtm india under the ibtm events umbrella
along with AIME in Melbourne and the recently announced ICOMEX in Mexico.
Announcing the new name for EIBTM,
Graeme Barnett said; “We’ve emphasised
the fact that it’s a global show. Whatever
markets our clients are looking to connect
with, we’ve got most of the globe covered”.
Together the events in the newly branded
ibtm portfolio annually provide access to
more than 5,000 suppliers from 100 countries, 19,000 event organisers and more than
110,000 pre-scheduled meetings take place.
** All EIBTM attendee numbers will be
independently verified and audited post
show
ibtm world will take place in Barcelona
from 17-19 November 2015.
26 • Destination MICE • December 2014
industry updates
Winter Expo on Arts and Crafts of 10th ICIF
& Art Shenzhen 2014 to Open this December
The Winter Expo on Arts and Crafts
of 10th ICIF and Art Shenzhen 2014 will
be grandly held this December. Derived
from China (Shenzhen) International
Cultural Industries Fair ICIF, the only
national-level, internationalized and integrated cultural industries fair in China,
the Winter Expo on Arts and Crafts & Art
Shenzhen 2014 is committed to building
the top exhibition in China arts & crafts
industry and the national exchange platform for art.
The Winter Expo on Arts and Crafts &
Art Shenzhen 2014 will be held from Dec.
12th~15th (Friday to Monday), 2014 at
Hall 6, Hall 7, Hall 8 and Hall 9 of Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.
• Hall 6, Hall7 - Art Shenzhen 2014 Exhibition Area: 15,000 square meters
Exhibition Zones Setting: Art exhibition
and trade zone, theme exhibition zone,
auction preview zone, art media/organizations zone, VIP exchange and negotiation zone
• Hall 8, Hall 9 - The Winter Expo on
Arts & Crafts of the 10th ICIF Exhibition
Area: 225,000 square meters
Exhibition Zones Setting: classical rosewood furniture exhibition zone, wood
carving exhibition zone, folk crafts exhibition zone, modern crafts zone, jade and
jewelry exhibition zone, embroidery exhibition zone, ceramic culture exhibition
zone and home decoration zone
• Supporting Activities:
Selection for Hundred-Flowers Award
of China Arts & Crafts, lectures on calligraphy and paintings appreciation and col-
lection, theme seminars on arts, auctions
on fine arts, lottery drawing, etc.
In next May, the 11th China (Shenzhen)
International Cultural Industries Fair
(ICIF) will be held. As a business matchmaking platform for global exhibitors and
buyers in cultural industries, ICIF centers
on “exhibition and exchange”. The fair
covers all aspects of cultural industries,
including creative design, movies, television and animation games, online games,
intangible cultural heritage, calligraphy
and paintings, press and publication, cultural tourism, cultural technology, arts
and crafts, etc. At present, the buyer &
exhibitor inviting work of the 11th ICIF
has been initiated. ICIF welcomes global
governmental, cultural and commercial
organizations to exhibit, and organization representatives and individuals visit
the show. Also, ICIF is inviting overseas
partners from all over the world. Please
contact ICIF via icif518@cnci.gov.cn for
cooperation. For more information, please
refer to the official website of ICIF: http://
www.cnicif.com, or search “China (Shenzhen) ICIF” on Facebook.
Pacific World Expands Presence to Croatia, Sri Lanka and The Maldives
Pacific World (www.pacificworld.com),
the integrated global DMC and Event Management organisation announced today
their expansion into a further three emerging MICE destinations including Croatia,
Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The strategic
development plans will enhance the global
footprint and value proposition of the company.
Pacific World’s operating in these additional countries has been made possible
through the extensive destination network
provided by Pacific World’s parent company, TUI Travel PLC. In all 3 destinations, the
leading global DMC for the meetings and
events industry will be directed by existing
TUI joint ventures, which are full-service
DMC’s with extensive MICE experience.
The common ownership and management structure will allow for seamless
alignment and consistency in all processes,
ensuring that Pacific World will be able to
successfully deliver exceptional quality and
service levels from the on set, in each of the
three destination.
In Croatia, Pacific World has partnered
with Gulliver Travel, the leading DMC in
Croatia and the Balkan region. Gulliver
Travel was set up as the first privately
owned DMC in the region in 1989 and over
the years has built a strong reputation in
the inbound MICE segment. Pacific World
Croatia will open up this exciting Mediterranean destination with its variety of options
ranging from stunning Adriatic coast to the
culture and heritage of Dubrovnik and Split,
to all Pacific World agency and corporate clients worldwide.
Pacific World has also partnered with Ait-
ken Spence Travel to open Pacific World Sri
Lanka and Pacific World Maldives. Part of
one of the longest established conglomerates
in Sri Lanka and with long established relationships with local suppliers, Aitken Spence
Travel is the perfect partner to launch Pacific
World in the region. A dedicated and experienced MICE team will provide meetings
& incentives ideas encapsulating the best
that the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” has to
offer. Aitken Spence Travel subsidiary, ACE
Travel Maldives will operate Pacific World
Maldives, and guarantee Pacific World service levels in the Maldives.
Harsha Krishnan, Strategic Development
Director of Pacific World commented, “We,
as Pacific World, are excited to be opening
in these three new destinations. Through
the shared ownership structure provided by
TUI Travel PLC, we can guarantee service
standards and ensure that creativity and the
customer experience is second to none. We
believe that this is one more step in our journey to create a “one-stop-shop” global value
proposition for all our clients worldwide.”
27 • Destination MICE • December 2014
hospitality updates
The 10th Annual Boston Globe Travel Show
Takes Place February 6-8, 2015
The Boston Globe will celebrate the 10(th)
anniversary of The Boston Globe Travel
Show on February 6-8, 2015 at the Seaport
World Trade Center in Boston, MA. Over the
past nine years, this iconic show has helped
form travel plans for more than 155,000
people, taking them on journeys across the
country and around the world.
One of the largest consumer travel shows
in the country, The Boston Globe Travel
Show regularly draws more than 20,000 attendees looking to book travel to both exotic and domestic destinations. In 2015, the
three-day event will feature more than 300
travel exhibitors and suppliers, representing
every segment of the travel industry and offering detailed information on trips to every
region of the world. Attendees will learn
about new and exciting travel opportunities
ranging from budget vacations to luxury
escapes, vacation rentals and much more.
Those interested in booking a vacation will
find great deals on-site.
A wide variety of exhibitors have participated in the show since year one, including
Aruba Tourism, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, India Tourism, Universal Orlando Resort, the Maine Office of Tourism, U.S. Virgin Islands, Tourism Malaysia and Cruise
Travel Outlet, among others.
“The Boston Globe Travel Show is one of
the most valuable shows we attend, in terms
of consumer interest in visiting Aruba. Individuals come to the show ready to book a
vacation or honeymoon and are looking for
more information on hotels and activities in
Aruba,” said Katy Kennedy, New England
Sales Manager for Aruba Tourism Authority. “The Boston Globe does a great job in
marketing the show as a destination and it
gives us a great chance to showcase all that
Aruba has to offer. We’ll definitely be back
for our 10(th) year!”
In addition to the show exhibitors, The
Boston Globe Travel Show features activi-
ties for the entire family, exposing show
attendees to presentations and culinary
demonstrations from cultures across the
globe. Esteemed travel writer Arthur
Frommer will be making his 10(th) appearance at the show along with his daughter
and fellow travel writer Pauline Frommer.
International best-selling writer Patricia
Schultz, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die will be speaking at the show
for the 7(th) straight year.
The cultural stage at the show will be
buzzing as the show floor opens, with a
full-line up of eclectic speakers, cultural
seminars, and music and dance presentations. Two stages of culinary demonstrations featuring chefs from around the world
will round out the experience, making the
Boston Globe Travel Show a true weekend
destination.
For those looking to quench their thirst
knowledge of international brews, The Boston Globe Travel Show will once again feature a craft beer pavilion, showcasing craft
breweries from all around New England, as
well as the rest of the United States. Tickets
for the Craft Beer Pavilion are $25 in advance
and $35 onsite.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bostonglobetravelshow.com.
Registrations now open for 4th International
Aboriginal Tourism Conference!
Québec Aboriginal Tourism (QAT) and World
Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) are proud
to announce that registrations are now open for
the International Aboriginal Tourism Conference
(IATC) to be held in Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Québec City on March 24-25, 2015.
The event’s website has also been officially
launched.
It is the first time that this major tourism conference is being held in Québec on Huron-Wendat
territory. Under the general theme COMMIT TO
ACHIEVE-The role of commitment in the performance of our industry, the IATC will bring together
more than 300 aboriginal tourism representatives,
enterprises and organizations from Canada and
abroad. Lectures and presentations will be given by
renowned key players of the global aboriginal tourism industry. There will also be plenary sessions to
drive our think tanks as well as our individual and
collective initiatives.
“QAT is collaborating with WINTA to promote the upcoming conference at the international level and encourage the participation of
key global players so that attendees can ben-
efit from a high-end international programme. This
pivotal partnership is in line with the best business
practices in aboriginal tourism that we want to convey at this conference,” said Steeve Wadohandik
Gros-Louis, QAT President. “This fruitful partnership
between WINTA and QAT will also bring best international business practices into the limelight, while
respecting aboriginal rights, and will allow for a full
and positive collaboration between tourism bodies
and aboriginal communities,” said Ben Sherman,
Chairman of WINTA.
Visit the IATC 2015 website(www.iatc2015.
com) to register and for more details about the
conference. The IATC will also host an exhibition
fair onsite and some unique social events such as
the grand Entrepreneurship Recognition Gala for
aboriginal tourism in Québec and of course our
opening cocktail. The Gala will be the highlight
of the IATC and will celebrate the success, efforts and dynamism of those involved in our industry. You will also get the opportunity to take
part in the Traditions Night (optional activity) for a
unique experience with the Huron-Wendat Nation
of Wendake.
“The Huron-Wendat Nation is very proud to
welcome aboriginal tourism representatives from
across the world on our beautiful Nionwentsïo. We,
the Huron-Wendat, are known for our warm welcome and sense of sharing. Aboriginal tourism is
a longstanding and important socio-economic tool
for Wendake and the major investments made in recent years demonstrate its importance. Welcome to
our Nionwentsïo!” said Konrad Sioui, Grand Chief of
the Nation hosting the IATC.
An early bird discount will be offered to those
who register by January 11, 2015. For more details, please visit www.iatc2015.com. The IATC,
presented by QAT, will benefit from federal and
provincial support.
28 • Destination MICE • December 2014
hospitality updates
Hilton Garden Inn Expands Presence in China
with New Property Opening in Lijiang City
Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Worldwide
award winning brand of upscale yet affordable hotels, announced today the
opening ofHilton Garden Inn Lijiang as
the first Hilton Worldwide property inYunnan Province, China. Hilton Garden
Inn Lijiang features 172 contemporary
guest rooms, including four suites and 10
family rooms offering the latest in technology and ergonomic comfort to guests. The
hotel is operated by Hilton Worldwide
and owned by Yunnan Shili Property Development Co., Ltd.
Hilton Garden Inn Lijiang “The opening of Hilton Garden Inn Lijiang is yet
another milestone for our brand and Hilton Worldwide as we bring Hilton Garden
Inn’s signature service style and Satisfaction Promise TM to travelers in Yunnan Province,” said Adrian Kurre, global
head, Hilton Garden Inn. “Leveraging the
worldwide strength of our brand name,
we are combining superior value as well
as Hilton warmth and hospitality to better meet the needs of aspirational, valueconscious travelers.”
Overlooking the sacred Jade Dragon
Snow Mountain and situated near major
tourist attractions and shopping districts
like Dayan Old Town and Seven Star
Street, the hotel is only 30 kilometers away
from Lijiang Sanyi International Airport,
making it the perfect choice for leisure
travelers visiting this charming city.
“We are delighted to introduce Hilton
Worldwide’s first property into Yunnan
Province,” said Bruce McKenzie, senior
vice president of operations, Greater China and Mongolia, Hilton Worldwide. “As
a world-renowned tourism hub, Lijiang’s
rich heritage and culture draw millions of
domestic and international visitors each
year. We are proud to offer smart, valueconscious travelers the option to stay at an
award-winning, upper mid-scale branded
hotel and experience cultural richness of
this beautiful destination.”
Guests at Hilton Garden Inn Lijiang
can indulge in delicious local and international cuisine options without leaving
the hotel. The all-day dining restaurant
Garden Grille offers delicious cook to
order breakfast, authentic Sichuan and
Yunnan cuisine as well as international
favorites. The Noodle Bar is the perfect
venue for freshly prepared noodles for
both dining-in and takeaways. Guests
can enjoy a refreshing cocktail to un-
wind at the Garden Bar and the Lounge
Bar. In addition, the 24-hour onsite Pavilion Pantry® offers an array of snacks and
refreshing beverages.
Hilton Garden Inn Lijiang features a
broad range of modern amenities, including generous work surfaces, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, 24-hour
business center, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The hotel’s 230 square meters of meeting space includes one multifunctional room, two meeting rooms and a
boardroom; fully equipped to handle conventions, private wedding ceremonies and
banquet events.
Hilton HHonors® members will be able
to earn and redeem points for their stay.
This hotel offers 1,000 Hilton HHonors®
points per night from January 1 to March
31, 2015 with an additional 5,000 points offered for any two-night stay. Hilton Garden
Inn Lijiang is located at No. 1271, ShangriLa Avenue, Gucheng District, Yunnan
Province, China.
Dominican Republic Named
Top Caribbean Golf Destination
Dominican Republic is thrilled to announce
its title of Caribbean’s Best Golf Destination
2014 in the World Golf Awards.
Offering 26 award-winning courses of
ranging difficulty throughout the scenic island
country, Dominican Republic is the preferred
escape of the golf aficionado. Currently, Dominican Republic boasts courses designed by
the renowned Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Jack Nicklaus,
Robert Trent Jones Sr., Gary Player, Tom Fazio,
Nick Faldo, Nick Price and Greg Norman - many
with stunning oceanfront greens.
“We could not be happier to be recognized for our destination and excellent tourism product by such a prestigious award in
this sector,” said Magaly Toribio, Marketing
Advisor for the Dominican Republic Ministry
of Tourism. “We are confident that our successes will continue to grow as both amateur
and professional players are drawn to our
picturesque designer courses and worldclass accommodations.”
The country has been working diligently to
update course and club options and position
itself as a leader in golf tourism. This past fall,
the first DR Golf Travel Exchange showcased
this like never before through seminars, workshops, course tours and more.
The inaugural World Golf Awards are part
of the World Travel Awards, now celebrating
over two decades as “the Oscars of the travel
industry.” Winners were chosen based on the
votes of golf travel and tourism professionals,
such as senior executives, travel buyers, tour
operators, agents and media professionals.
Dominican Republic’s first tourist was
Christopher Columbus in 1492. Rich in history,
Dominican Republic has developed into a diverse destination offering both Dominican and
European flavors to approximately five million
global visitors in 2012. Named #1 Golf Destination in Caribbean & Latin America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators,
Dominican Republic boasts 28 designer golf
courses, upscale resorts, pristine nature and
sophisticated cities and quaint villages filled
with warm Dominican people. Dominican Republic features the best beaches, fascinating
history and culture, and is a chosen escape for
celebrities, couples and families alike.
29 • Destination MICE • December 2014
hospitality updates
JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo Incentivizes Meeting
Planners With Special Perks Through End Of 2014
Meeting planners can have the pleasure
of doing business with JW Marriott Hotel
Santo Domingo while earning extra perks
thanks to a limited-time incentive.
Professionals can break away from
business as usual and discover a hidden
Caribbean treasure by taking advantage
of the latest group rates from the luxury
hotel in Santo Domingo. Meeting organizers who book their next group of 10
rooms or more at JW Marriott Santo Domingo before Dec. 30, 2014, will enjoy
one breakfast buffet per room, Internet
access for event participants, a special
welcome reception and 5% reimbursement to the group’s master account.
With rooms from just $205 a night, this
special deal invites travelers to get more
out of their getaway at the most exclusive property in the city.
Stunning Santo Domingo meeting
rooms with breathtaking panoramic
views of the city bring successful conferences and social events to life. The luxury
hotel features seven meeting rooms with
7,350 square feet of total event space that
can be customized to create any vision.
For extravagant events, the Piantini Grand
Ballroom can accommodate up to 360 at-
tendees for a memorable occasion.
Whether arranging a week of productive
meetings or an elaborate wedding for hundreds, event planners can take gatherings
from concept to completion with state-ofthe-art audiovisual technology, Wi-Fi and
an attentive service team. Exquisite event
menus can be customized with assistance
from the expert catering staff to take excep-
tional events to the next level.
Travelers wishing to socialize outside
of arranged gatherings will appreciate sophisticated dining on site at Winston Grill
& Patio. Guests can indulge in International
flavors while watching the chefs at work in
a live-kitchen dining experience. Following
a mouthwatering meal, diners can head to
Vertygo, a trendy bar and lounge, to sip on
handcrafted cocktails while enjoying spectacular views of the city.
When downtown arises, travelers will
thrive in luxurious accommodations. Seamlessly blending style and function, each guest
room in the Santo Domingo hotel offers a
pleasant retreat for escaping reality. Even
the well-traveled guest will be enchanted by
modern touches including Apple TVs, glass
desks and high-speed Wi-Fi paired with the
comforts of ultra-comfortable chairs, luxurious bedding and breathtaking views of the
Santo Domingo skyline.
Preparing for a productive day is never
difficult in sleek, contemporary bathrooms boasting separate whirlpools and
rain showers. Guests can pamper themselves with spacious vanities and the
convenience of hair dryers, designer bath
products and cozy robes.
Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa Awarded
The ‘Favourite Leisure Hotel in India’
Wyndham launches
flagship hotel in
Melbourne
Wyndham Hotel Group has opened a new
hotel in Melbourne, which it says will now be the
company’s fl agship property in the city.
The new Wyndham Hotel Melbourne is
located on the corner of William Street and Little
Bourke Street, and features 531 rooms. The
complex, which comprises two towers – one of
21 stories and one of 23 stories - off ers a range
of hotel accommodation, vacation ownership
and residential apartments, plus a retail precinct.
Other facilities include a gym, library, meeting
space and a rooftop pool and barbecue area.
The new hotel joins 16 Wyndham hotels
currently operating in Australia, New Zealand,
New Caledonia and Guam under the Wyndham,
Ramada, Tryp and Days Inn brands.
Qatar Airways will operate additional services
between Doha and Manchester from February 15th
2015, providing customers with ever more convenient options when transferring onto long-haul services to Africa and Asia Pacific via the state-of-theart Hamad International Airport.
Operated by a dual class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, the new outbound QR26 and inbound QR25
will operate on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday, bringing the total number of flights operated per week non-stop between Manchester and
Doha to 14.
Qatar Airways UK & Ireland country manager,
Richard Oliver, said: “Increasing services to and
from Manchester to a double daily operation will
provide our passengers with more convenient connection times and greater choice when connecting
to onward flights through our newly opened Doha
hub, Hamad International Airport.
“Combined with our recent announcement of the
expansion of the Edinburgh service to a daily operation from May 2015, this means that Qatar Airways
will operate a total of 63 direct services to Doha
a week from the UK providing even more access
to 145 destinations worldwide.” The Manchester to
Doha service, which commenced in 2003, recently
celebrated a decade of scheduled operations.
With the addition of Edinburgh in May this year,
Qatar Airways now serves a total of three destinations in the UK including London Heathrow.
Ken O’Toole, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airports Group said: “We’re delighted that
Qatar Airways will increase its long-haul services
from Manchester Airport, providing further direct
connectivity to Doha and beyond.
30 • Destination MICE • December 2014
hospitality updates
The Knickerbocker Hotel
Announces February 2015 Opening
Enviably situated on the corners of
42nd Street and Broadway overlooking
the heart of Times Square, The Knickerbocker Hotel will open its doors February
12, 2015, revealing an elegant, urban 330room hotel that pulses with the energy
of contemporary fashion, flavors, fitness
and finesse. Originally opened in 1906 by
John Jacob Astor IV, The Knickerbocker
has witnessed and influenced more than
a century of New York history. As the rumored birthplace of the original martini
and the first hotel to offer a multidimensional lifestyle experience, the legendary Beaux Arts landmark will infuse its
storied past with the rhythm of modern
New York.
”The Knickerbocker will epitomize
classic-reinvented. We’re embracing the
hotel’s original DNA, while simultaneously offering guests intuitive service and
relevant luxury,” said Jeff David, Managing Director of The Knickerbocker. “The
Knickerbocker’s history is something that
most luxury hotels cannot offer - no matter how strong the brand or address. By
drawing inspiration from our past to cre-
ate a lifestyle experience that is beyond
typical luxury hotel amenities, The Knickerbocker will undoubtedly appeal to both
local New Yorkers and international travelers.”
A member of The Leading Hotels of
the World, The Knickerbocker will provide the best of everything New York
has to offer. Having commissioned
leading architectural and interior design
firm, Gabellini Sheppard to oversee the
hotel’s design, The Knickerbocker’s interiors will reflect modern day functionality and contemporary design, creating
an urban sanctuary for guests and local
clientele. All 330 guestrooms, including 27 Junior Suites and four Signature
Suites, will provide a sleek and contemporary, customized layout, outfitted in
bespoke furnishings. From state-of-theart technologies, to exclusive bath amenities and in-room salon services from
celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson, guests
will discover all the comforts of home at
their fingertips.
The Knickerbocker has partnered with
one of the nation’s most recognized mas-
ter chefs, Charlie Palmer, to debut several
exceptional dining venues and ensure a
sophisticated level of taste throughout
the hotel. Guests will have the option to
dine at Charlie Palmer at The Knick - the
hotel’s full service restaurant and bar;
JAKES @ The Knick - a coffeehouse and
artisanal cafe; and St. Cloud - one of the
most magnificent rooftop bars in New
York City, complete with a signature cigar
lounge from celebrated tobacconist Nat
Sherman. In addition, priority access and
preferential treatment will also be offered
to hotel guests at Palmer’s flagship restaurant Aureole, located just across the street
from The Knickerbocker.
Visit us at : www.destinationmice.com
Ultima Hospitality Purchases Hyatt Place San Jose
A venture led by Ultima Hospitality
has purchased the 234-room Hyatt Place
San Jose.
The newly renovated hotel is strategically located on 1.86 acres in the heart of
downtown San Jose directly across from
the recently renovated and expanded
McEnery Convention Center. In 2012,
the hotel underwent a comprehensive
$7.3 million dollar renovation/rebranding to a Hyatt Place that included updating the property to a more contemporary design. The Hyatt Place San Jose
offers two food and beverage outlets,
6,900 square feet of meeting space, parking in an attached 261-space parking garage and guest amenities that include a
fitness center, and complimentary Wi-Fi
throughout the hotel.
The acquisition of the Hyatt Place San
Jose represents Ultima Hospitality’s
fourth hotel acquisition in the Bay Area
having also acquired the Westin San Francisco Airport, Aloft San Francisco Airport
and Holiday Inn Express Mill Valley over
the last 36 months. The acquisition presented the opportunity to invest in one of
the most diverse and fastest growing markets in the country at an attractive basis.
“We are thrilled to expand our footprint
and further develop our brand in this
highly visible location within Silicon
Valley,” said Chief Investment Officer,
Nir Liebling. “This is a wonderful opportunity to add the Hyatt Place brand
to our portfolio and extend Ultima
Hospitality’s outstanding services to a
very savvy guest. We look forward to
doing business in one of the nation’s
most robust, high energy, tech-based
markets.”
Ultima Hospitality’s commitment
to guest service is their fundamental
distinction as a hospitality management company. Leveraging more than
150 years of combined experience in
hospitality and commercial real estate
management among its senior leadership, Ultima Hospitality has experience
working with all major hotel brands,
including Marriott, Hilton, Starwood,
Intercontinental Hotels, Hyatt, Choice
Hotels, and Wyndham Hotels.
31 • Destination MICE • December 2014
aviation updates
Dubai to host 3rd Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF) in May 2015
• Event co-located with 15th edition of Airport Show
• 30 thought leaders and decision-makers
to address conference
• Participants to benefit from global expertise & best practices
• GALF to debate concerns of the airports
industry
• Events to contribute to sustained growth
of the industry
• Dubai, one of the world’s fastest growing
travel hubs, will host the third edition of
its iconic knowledge sharing platform for
global aviation industry professionals in
May next year.
The two-day Global Airport Leaders Forum (GALF-2015) will be held at the Dubai
International Convention and Exhibition
Centre (DICEC) from May 11 and 12 as a colocated event of the 15th edition of Airport
Show, the world’s top-notch B2B exhibition
for the airport industry.
GALF and Airport Show will be held under
the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed
bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai
Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman
of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief
Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.
Sheikh Ahmed said: “The importance
of airports as global travel hubs has been
growing. In Dubai, the massive airport expansions are needed to accommodate the
Delta Taps Seven More Craft
Brews for In-Flight Offering
Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) this week began
stocking its beverage carts with a selection of
regional craft beers to bring local options to customers. The move continues the airline’s focus
on bringing regional food, wine and now beer to
the in-flight experience.
Beer from Ballast Point Brewing Company
(San Diego), Blue Point Brewing Company (Long
Island, NY), Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY),
Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, Calif.),
Newburyport Brewing Company (Newburyport,
Mass.), Samuel Adams (Boston), and Stone
Brewing Company (Escondido, Calif.) join SweetWater Brewery (Atlanta) to give all customers on
routes within the U.S. a craft beer option.
The selection of regional craft beers are available on Delta’s West Coast Shuttle between
Los Angeles and San Francisco; between New
York-LaGuardia and Boston, Washington-Regan
National and Chicago-O’Hare; on Delta’s transcontinental routes between New York-JFK and
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle; and on
flights between Atlanta and New York-LaGuardia,
Washington-Reagan National and Dulles, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa and New
Orleans. Samuel Adams is available on all other
domestic routes in the U.S.
growth in air traffic and airport development continues to play a strategic role in our
future growth agenda. The huge and consistent aviation investments will have a positive impact not just for Dubai alone but for
the UAE, Gulf region and the world.”
GALF, he said, has been bringing international aviation experts and leaders to Dubai
for an unparalleled knowledge and expertise
sharing experience which will contribute to
our combined efforts towards the sustained
growth of the global aviation industry.
Both the events are being supported by
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects
and dnata.
The Forum will assemble the world’s foremost aviation industry thought leaders, experts and decision-makers, making it an ideal global platform to exchange knowledge,
share best practices and explore emerging
technologies and future innovations.
The 2015 Forum comes at a time when
the global aviation industry is continuing its
fast growth and transformation, more so in
the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf. Aviation infrastructure developments in the run
up to the Expo 2020 that Dubai will host and
the expansion of the Dubai World Central
(DWC) will be on the agenda.
GALF will debate the current issues and
future concerns of the airports industry for
a better tomorrow. A number of issues like
government regulations, best practices, industry cooperation and collaboration, innovation and technology and future travel
trends will be discussed at the Forum by
experts drawn from various parts of the
world.
Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of GALF, said an advisory board
comprising of leading industry stalwarts
has been formed to chalk out the agenda
for the forum. The forum will have a stellar line up of speakers including the heads
of international aviation bodies and airlines among others.
Hong Kong Airlines Celebrates 8th Anniversary
Since its establishment in 2006, Hong Kong
Airlines has grown to become an internationally-acclaimed SKYTRAX 4-star airline
and was awarded “World’s Most Improved
Airline” by SKYTRAX in 2014, recognizing
the warmth of its service and the quality of
its onboard offering. The Airline operates an
all-Airbus fleet with an average age of approximately 2.4 years as of May 2014, which
is one of the youngest fleets among major
international airlines in the world. To mark
the 8th anniversary, Hong Kong Airlines
launches a series of exciting activities and
promotions, as an appreciation gesture for
customers’ continuous support and sharing
joy with the whole city.
To spread the birthday joy across Hong
Kong, the airlines is delighted to organize
“8th Anniversary Roadshow”. Party truck
decorated into airplane cabin will travel
across different places inHong Kong, giving
out more than 18,000 gifts and up to 888,888
Fortune Wings Miles reward. The first five
days of roadshow have attracted numerous
visitors, who had fun with games and won
attractive prizes. With the wish to earn miles
and redeem free air tickets, many of them
registered as Fortune Wings Club members.
Many visitors queued up to join “8th Anniversary Roadshow”. They had fun with
games on the party truck and won attractive
prizes. During the promotion period, visitors can get a birthday stamp card on truck
and collect stamps on different roadshow
locations. Having at least 5 stamps and writing birthday messages on card, the top ten
creative participants will be awarded a total
of 888,888 miles. Let’s grasp this opportunity and join the party in coming five days!
32 • Destination MICE • December 2014
aviation updates
Air China’s VIP Chauffeured Transfer Service
Available to Three More Domestic Cities
On November 26, Air China began to
provide free chauffeured transfers between
downtown and airport terminal to qualifying PhoenixMiles members and First Class/
Business Class passengers in three more
domestic cities: Chongqing, Hangzhou and
Nanjing. So far, the service is available in 9
Chinese cities, with the other six being Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Other passengers can
also pay for the service with the combination
of accrued Air China kilometers and cash.
Air China’s VIP chauffeured transfer service is also applicable to many of the carrier’s international routes to Europe, America,
Australia and Asia. Passengers can call Air
China’s hotline (008610) 95583 or visit www.
airchina.com for reservation.
It’s been years since this exclusive service
for Air China’s VIP passengers has been introduced. It’s intended to enhance passengers’ experience, promote the brand and further improve the carrier’s overall offerings.
According to a source from Air China, in the
future the carrier will introduce the highend service on more domestic routes and
add more extras to create good and unique
seamless experiences for passengers.
Air China has been working hard towards its strategic goal: become one of the
world’s finest carriers, keep on developing
our growth potentials, create pleasant and
unique customer experiences and create
value for stakeholders. It attaches great importance to details and quality in its development of high-end services. As the first domestic carrier to offer chauffeured transfers,
Air China has also introduced dedicated
airport VIP lounge, star hotel for transit passengers, online self-service meal reservation
and 72-hour free parking for passengers
who choose to drive to the airport, making
VIP passengers feel truly privileged with a
full range of quality services. In addition, to
make high-end services available to more
PhoenixMiles members, Air China allows
them to pay for chauffeured transfer and
5-star hotel stay with the combination of
“kilometers and cash,” giving loyal customers an additional way to spend their accrued
kilometers.
Air New Zealand moves to new
home at LAX’s Tom Bradley
International Terminal
Air New Zealand has recently moved its Los
Angeles airport operations from Terminal 2 to
the newly-refurbished Tom Bradley International
Terminal.
Flight NZ6 will be the airline’s first arriving
flight at the terminal, expected to touch down at
LAX at 10:30 a.m. local time. The airline’s first
departing flight from Tom Bradley International
Terminal will be NZ2, departing at 4 p.m. local
time to London Heathrow.
Customers departing from the terminal today
are invited to celebrate the airline’s new home
with a special event at Gate 134.
Air New Zealand General Manager Customer
Experience Carrie Hurihanganui says today’s
move is a significant milestone for the airline in
the North American market.
“Air New Zealand has been flying from Auckland to Los Angeles for almost 50 years now.
The move to Tom Bradley International Terminal
signals the start of a new era for our airline in
Los Angeles and will allow us to provide our
customers with a more seamless and enhanced
experience on the ground there,” says Mrs Hurihanganui.
The airline has also increased services on its
North American routes and currently operates double daily services between Auckland and Los Angeles (triple daily on select dates over high season)
as well as a daily service between Auckland and
London, all using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
WestJet Celebrates the Spirit of Giving
Blue Santa visits the Dominican Republic to share a Canadian Christmas
WestJet today celebrates the release of the
airline’s third annual holiday video, WestJet
Christmas Miracle: Spirit of Giving, showing
how WestJet and its now-famous Blue Santa
brought a snowy Canadian Christmas to a
community in the Dominican Republic.
Since 2012, WestJet and Live Different
- a Canadian charity that works with volunteers on development projects abroad have built 23 homes for families living in
extreme poverty in the Puerto Plata community of Nuevo Renacer, one of four
destinations WestJet serves in the Dominican Republic. The airline’s history with
and commitment to Nuevo Renacer led to
its decision to share the Christmas spirit with local residents in a way they will
never forget.
“The WestJet holiday video has become a
tradition for us, an opportunity for WestJetters to enrich lives through our fun and caring
culture,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Sales Marketing and Guest
Experience. “Having shared the holiday spirit
last year with our guests in Toronto, Hamilton
and Calgary that resulted in the more than
36 million views of the video in every country around the world, we decided to celebrate
Christmas this year with a community that
is near and dear to our hearts. This was our
chance to give the people of Nuevo Renacer
a once-in-a-lifetime experience - a Canadian
Christmas.”
Last month, 20 WestJetters travelled to
Nuevo Renacer to work alongside Live Different and 40 local residents to secretly create
the 2014 WestJet Christmas Miracle: Spirit of
Giving video. Once again this year, multiple
hidden cameras were used to capture the experience.
“Bringing the spirit of Christmas to this
community was an extraordinary idea that
took extraordinary effort,” said Charles Roberts, Executive Director of Live Different.
“WestJet’s genuine desire to enrich the lives of
those in the WestJet world extends to this community too. Providing a memorable and fun
experience that celebrates the spirit of Christmas with no strings attached, is something that
WestJet did with excellence and careful consideration. We are thrilled to have a partner who
shares a deep conviction to value and care for
people as their first priority.”
33 • Destination MICE • December 2014
aviation updates
Boeing Conducts World’s First Flight
with ‘Green Diesel’ as Aviation Biofuel
Boeing [NYSE: BA] has completed the
world’s first flight using “green diesel,” a
sustainable biofuel that is widely available
and used in ground transportation. The
company powered its ecoDemonstrator 787
flight test airplane yesterday with a blend of
15 percent green diesel and 85 percent petroleum jet fuel in the left engine.
“Green diesel offers a tremendous opportunity to make sustainable aviation biofuel
more available and more affordable for our
customers,” said Julie Felgar, managing director of Environmental Strategy and Integration, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We
will provide data from several ecoDemonstrator flights to support efforts to approve
this fuel for commercial aviation and help
meet our industry’s environmental goals.”
Sustainable green diesel is made from
vegetable oils, waste cooking oil and waste
animal fats. Boeing previously found that
this fuel is chemically similar to HEFA
(hydro-processed esters and fatty acids)
aviation biofuel approved in 2011. Green
Etihad introduces new
inflight enhancements
Etihad Airways has introduced innovative
new inflight products and enhancements to its
long-haul and ultra-longhaul cabins, lifting the
level of its acclaimed onboard service in First,
Business and Economy Class.
The new upgrade program is also being introduced across the rest of the fleet with products varying on flight duration.
Inspired by the world’s finest hotels, the First
Class service includes a personalised welcome letter from the Cabin Service Manager and an elegant
silver-tray reception service with a welcome drink,
fragrant hot towel and traditional Arabic dates.
First Class dining is to feature elegant new
chinaware by Japan’s famed fine bone china producer Nikko, and designer ‘Royal Oak’ cutlery by
quintessentially British brand Studio William. Fine
wines from Etihad Airways’ onboard cellar will
be served in red and white wine stemmed crystal
glasses created for the airline by Lucaris.
First Class dining will now include a new contemporary menu design, an enhanced selection
of canapés, a pre-dessert course served by the
Chef, a ‘Café Gourmand’ coffee and tea course
accompanied by mini cookies, cakes and pastries, and a signature XO Cognac served in new
Cognac glasses by Norman of Copenhagen.
diesel is chemically distinct and a different
fuel product than “biodiesel,” which also is
used in ground transportation.
With production capacity of 800 million
gallons (3 billion liters) in the U.S., Europe
and Asia, green diesel could rapidly supply
as much as 1 percent of global jet fuel demand. With a wholesale cost of about $3 per
gallon, inclusive of U.S. government incentives, green diesel approaches price parity
with petroleum jet fuel.
“The airplane performed as designed
with the green diesel blend, just as it does
with conventional jet fuel,” said Capt. Mike
Carriker, Chief Pilot, Product Development
and 777X, Boeing Test and Evaluation. “This
is exactly what we want to see in flight tests
with a new type of fuel.”
Green diesel is among more than 25 new
technologies being tested by Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator Program aboard 787 Dreamliner ZA004. The program accelerates the
testing, refinement, and use of new technologies and methods that can improve avia-
tion’s environmental performance.
On a lifecycle basis, sustainably produced
green diesel reduces carbon emissions by 50
to 90 percent compared to fossil fuel, according to Finland-based Neste Oil, which
supplied green diesel for the ecoDemonstrator 787. The flight test was coordinated
with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney, and
EPIC Aviation blended the fuel.
Qatar Airways Boosts Manchester
Flights to Double Daily
Qatar Airways will operate additional services
between Doha and Manchester from February 15th
2015, providing customers with ever more convenient options when transferring onto long-haul services to Africa and Asia Pacific via the state-of-theart Hamad International Airport.
Operated by a dual class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, the new outbound QR26 and inbound QR25
will operate on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday, bringing the total number of flights operated per week non-stop between Manchester and
Doha to 14.
Qatar Airways UK & Ireland country manager,
Richard Oliver, said: “Increasing services to and
from Manchester to a double daily operation will
provide our passengers with more convenient con-
nection times and greater choice when connecting
to onward flights through our newly opened Doha
hub, Hamad International Airport.
“Combined with our recent announcement of the
expansion of the Edinburgh service to a daily operation from May 2015, this means that Qatar Airways
will operate a total of 63 direct services to Doha a
week from the UK providing even more access to
145 destinations worldwide.”
The Manchester to Doha service, which commenced in 2003, recently celebrated a decade of
scheduled operations.
With the addition of Edinburgh in May this year,
Qatar Airways now serves a total of three destinations in the UK including London Heathrow.
Ken O’Toole, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airports Group said: “We’re delighted that
Qatar Airways will increase its long-haul services
from Manchester Airport, providing further direct
connectivity to Doha and beyond.
“The service will provide increased choice to the
22m passengers living close to Manchester Airport.
Customer support for ‘Fly Manchester’ has been
fantastic with passengers continuing to choose
Manchester over other UK airports as we continue
to add new destinations to our network and increase
frequency on existing services.”
34 • Destination MICE • December 2014
appointment updates
Loews Hotels & Resorts Appoints S. Kirk Kinsell,
Veteran Hospitality Executive, as New CEO
Loews Hotels & Resorts, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Loews Corporation (NYSE: L),
has named S. Kirk Kinsell as President and
Chief Executive Officer, effective March
2, 2015. Paul Whetsell will remain CEO
until that time and will then become Vice
Chairman of Loews Hotels & Resorts to
ensure a smooth transition. Both will report to Jonathan Tisch, who will continue
his leadership as Chairman.
Mr. Kinsell joins Loews Hotels after 19
years in senior positions with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and more than
35 years in the hospitality business. Most
recently, Mr. Kinsell served as President,
The Americas for IHG. With more than
3,700 hotels under his management, Kinsell
was responsible for business development
and performance of all hotel brands and
properties in North and South America.
Prior to IHG, Kirk was with ITT Sheraton
and Trammell Crow Hotel Company.
“Kirk’s broad experience in development,
sales, and brand operations makes him an
ideal choice to lead Loews Hotels forward
in our next phase of growth and operational
excellence,” said Jonathan Tisch, Chairman
of Loews Hotels & Resorts and Co-Chairman of Loews Corp. “I want to thank Paul
Whetsell for his leadership over the last
several years. He has been instrumental in
profitably growing our brand and broadening our customer base through the addition
of key properties in gateway cities and by
building upon the success of our existing
portfolio.”
“It has been an honor to work at Loews
Hotels. I’m proud of what we have been
able to accomplish together and I look forward to helping Kirk and the team,” said
Mr. Whetsell. “I’ve known Kirk for many
years and he is absolutely the right person
to advance our strategy from this point.”
“I am impressed with Loews Hotels and
the strategic steps taken over the last few
years to enhance the operational effective-
ness of the network and strengthen the
brand. The company has exceptional assets
and a solid foundation in place,” said Mr.
Kinsell. “I have spent the majority of my career at larger chains, and am gratified by the
prospect of being able to shape the continued growth of one of the most storied luxury brands in the industry. On a personal
note, I very much look forward to working
with Jon and Paul, and with the Loews Hotels executive team.”
Choice Hotels Announces 100 New
Information Technology Job Openings
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:
CHH), one of the world’s largest hotel companies, has announced it is hiring 100 new IT
positions following recent technological successes. Choice will be holding a career fair and
open house on December 10(th) from 4-7 p.m.
MST at the company’s Phoenix, Arizona office,
where its IT operations are headquar tered.
The company was recently ranked as the
top hotel company on Forbes’ Most Innovative
Growth Companies list and has experienced
several technological accomplishments including a recent partnership with Ford to enable
travelers to make hotel reservations “handsfree” while driving certain Ford vehicles.
Following is a list of some of the open positions within the Phoenix office:
• Java Developer (all experience levels)
• Mobile Application Developer (iOS/Android)
• Web Developer, Java (all experience levels)
• Test Engineer, Selenium/Soap UI (all experience levels)
• Technical Analyst (all experience levels)
• Scrum Master (all experience levels)
• Principal Systems Engineer
• Technical Managers (various departments)
“Our Phoenix office is experiencing a hiring
surge due to our recent technological successes and desire to remain one of the most
innovative hotel companies,” said Todd Davis,
chief information officer at Choice Hotels International. “The Phoenix office is an exciting,
fast-paced and challenging work environment
that employs more than 500 people, and we
are committed to push technology boundaries
to reach our business goals. We are looking
forward to expanding our all-star team with
these new positions.”
To register for the career fair, please email
resumes to sonia_chaves@choicehotels.com.
The career fair will be held at 6811 E. Mayo Blvd,
Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ, 85054. For more information about joining the Choice Hotels Phoenix
IT team and Choice Hotels’ open positions, visit
www.careers.choicehotels.com.
La Quinta Holdings Inc.
Announces Board
Appointment
La Quinta Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LQ) recently
announced that Mit Shah has been appointed as
Chairman of the Board.
“Mr. Shah has been an extremely valuable
member of the Board, and we look forward to
his leadership as Chairman,” commented Wayne
B. Goldberg, President & Chief Executive Officer
of La Quinta. “He has significant expertise in the
lodging industry and we are excited to further
benefit from his experience and insights.”
Mit Shah has served on the boards of directors of La Quinta and its predecessor entities
since 2013. Mr. Shah currently serves as Chief
Executive Officer and Senior Managing Principal
of Noble Investment Group, which he founded in
1993 and which specializes in making opportunistic investments in the lodging and hospitality
real estate sector. Mr. Shah also currently serves
as president of the Marriott International’s MINA
board, is a member of the owner and franchise
board for Hyatt Hotels Corporation and is a member
of the Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
35 • Destination MICE • December 2014
technology updates
NEC India Deploys Leading Face
Recognition Solution at
Lemon Tree Hotels for Advanced Security
First deployment of NEC’s world leading face recognition
technology at Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport in India
L-R - Koichiro Koide, MD, NEC India and Rahul Pandit,
President & Exec Director, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company.
NEC India Pvt. Ltd., a leading network and IT solution provider, completed the deployment of a high performance Face Recognition Solution (FRS) featuring NEC’s world-leading technologies at Lemon Tree
groups’ upscale hotel, Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport, New Delhi
recently, making it the first in the hospitality sector in India to adopt the
top-end safety and surveillance systems. Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi
Airport is located in the Aerocity Hospitality District near Indira Gandhi
International Airport, India.
The solution is deployed with NEC’s partner Target Vision, and intelligently matches faces appearing on the hotel surveillance cameras to a
database list of potential security threats provided by local authorities.
Additionally, the solution can also be utilized for whitelist management,
offering customized service to the VIP guests at the hotel simply by
recognizing their faces.
Mr. Koichiro Koide, Managing Director, NEC India said, “We are excited to bring the cutting-edge NEC face recognition technology to the
hospitality sector in India through Lemon Tree Hotels. We have spent 30
years to bring in the level of advancement seen in this technology, which
has been globally recognized for its performance and accuracy.”
The strength of NEC’s face recognition technology lies in its tolerance to poor quality, highly compressed surveillance videos and images.
This cutting edge technology can even use poor quality webcam images
to produce the highest search results per second, and can recognize
altered faces too with a high level of accuracy. The FRS can produce
search results quickly, even when linked to a massive database of over
1.6 million records.
Mr. Rahul Pandit, President & Executive Director, The Lemon Tree
Hotel Company commented, “We are proud to be the first in bringing
the world’s number one biometric technology to the hospitality sector in
India. Having 26 hotels in 15 cities across India, the safety and security
of our guests is our prime responsibility, and thus, is of paramount
importance to us. We thank NEC for partnering with us to provide this
innovative security solution to further strengthen our already existing
state-of –the art security arrangements at our Aerocity hotels”.
NEC’s Face Recognition technology achieved the highest performance evaluation in the recent Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT)
2014 performed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Moreover, NEC’s technology took first place consecutively
following the 2009 Multiple Biometric Grand Challenge (MBGC 2009)
and 2010-2011 Multiple Biometrics Evaluation (MBE 2010-2011).
Travelport Announces
Director Change
Travelport Worldwide Limited (“Travelport”) announced today that the Board of
Directors has accepted the resignation of Mr. Scott McCarty, a member of its Board,
effective November 25, 2014. Mr. McCarty is a partner with Q Investments and has
served as a director since May 2013, when Q Investments further increased its
equity ownership in Travelport.
Douglas Steenland, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: “On behalf of our
Board of Directors, I would like to thank Scott for his valued service as a member of
our Board and contributions to Travelport leading up to the IPO. Since Q Investments’
initial investment in Travelport in 2008, Scott’s expertise has contributed to a number
of significant strategic initiatives at the company, including its recent, successful
initial public offering. We wish Scott well in his future endeavors.”
Scott McCarty commented: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside my fellow
Board members and the talented leadership team at Travelport. During my tenure, I
have been fortunate to experience the tremendous transformation that, under CEO
Gordon Wilson’s direction, has put Travelport in a fundamentally improved position
with a significantly strengthened financial profile and strong growth momentum. The
recent Board appointments of Elizabeth Buse, Michael Durham and Douglas Hacker
provide Travelport with further talented domain expertise across payments, airlines
and travel distribution. I have the highest confidence that the Travelport brand and
management team will serve well the interests of Travelport’s shareholders. As a
result, I will now be able to focus more of my time on my responsibilities at Q.”
GCCEC Linkage Grant
Programme Application
Linkage Grant program is now calling for applications for five linkage grants worth
a total of $25,000 aimed at assisting professional and personal development run
annually by the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC).
The Linkage Grant program commenced in 2012 and is open to academic and
professional staff within the South East Queensland region to apply with the aim
of supporting their professional development through attendance at an international
conference within their chosen field of endeavour.
GCCEC General Manager Adrienne Readings believes the Linkage Grant Program
serves a two-fold purpose; to attract more international business events to Gold
Coast and the Centre whilst also benefiting grant recipients – the community’s top
minds.
“As a venue we are able to invest in the professional development of local
academics through grant assistance to attend international conferences and at the
same time identify conferences that have the ability to be held at the GCCEC in the
future.”
With five grants worth $5,000 each, the funding covers travel, accommodation
and registration expenses to the maximum value of the award.
“In our first two years we have doubled our applicants for grants from Queensland’s
leading universities, and awarded four grants last year. We are thrilled with this result
and excited to work with our recipients for mutually beneficial outcomes,” added Ms
Readings.
The programs International Scholarships are designed to support individuals
who are prepared to actively research and participate in their trade or professional
association with the proviso of nurturing future convention hosts prepared to bid for
conferences for the GCCEC.
As an instrumental contributor to the success of the regions leisure tourism sector,
the Centre hosts more than 160 business events annually which attract thousands of
domestic and international visitors who conference, bring their families and stay-on
to holiday on the Coast.
36 • Destination MICE • December 2014
37 • Destination MICE • December 2014
events updates
Regal Entertainment Group Announces
Grand Opening Celebration for Regal Carlsbad 12
Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC),
a leading motion picture exhibitor owning
and operating the largest theatre circuit in
the United States, is celebrating the grand
opening of Carlsbad 12 north of San Diego,
California. Activities include preview events
Sunday, December 7 through Tuesday, December 9 with $3 movies, popcorn and soft
drinks to benefit local charities. The official
grand opening will be Thursday, December
11 with first-run feature films including Exodus: Gods and Kings. Moviegoers who belong to the Regal Crown Club will also enjoy
free popcorn and soft drinks with each paid
admission Thursday, December 11, through
Wednesday, December 17.
“Regal Carlsbad 12 is truly a state-of-theart entertainment destination with a pristine
presentation and featuring the Regal luxury
experience with oversize recliners,” says Rachel Lueras, marketing manager for Regal
Entertainment Group. “We are proud to be a
part of the exciting new plan for an open-air
shopping center in Carlsbad and we invite
moviegoers to stretch out, relax and recline
while watching a movie at this new luxury
theatre.”
The preview events include recently released films with themed days where all
proceeds benefit local charities. On Sunday,
December 7, the theme is “Regal Family Fun
Day,” benefiting Toys for Tots including recent family-friendly film selections. On Monday, December 8 “Regal’s Recipe for Hope”
features some food-focused films benefiting
the San Diego Food Bank. Tuesday, December 9 benefits the San Diego Humane Society
with holiday films for a day entitled “Take
a Pet Home for the Holidays.” During the
three days of preview events, all movies
will be $3 with proceeds benefiting the respective charities. During these fundraising
days, small soft drinks and small popcorn
are only a $3 donation each.
“Regal is so fortunate to work with these
great charities and be able to give back during Carlsbad’s grand opening festivities,”
says Russ Nunley, vice president of marketing and communications for Regal Entertainment Group. “These activities not only
add to our celebration but also give us a way
to show our gratitude to our fans throughout the San Diego market while also placing
our new showplace in the spotlight.”
The experience of going out to the movies continues to evolve as Regal raises the
bar. Regal Entertainment Group is invested
in providing amenities that further enhance
the moviegoing experience. At Carlsbad
12, guests will enjoy a new state-of-the-art
theatre featuring Regal King Size Recliners providing more room, comfort and true
luxury. Each recliner has an electric control
for multiple positions and features padded
footrests.
Carlsbad 12 also offers the Regal Crown
Club to reward frequent guests. Regal fans
can access their card through their mobile
device for easy access on-the go by downloading the Regal Movies app. Users can
program their favorite theatre, gather movie
information, select showtimes and purchase
tickets. The Regal Crown Club is the number
one theatre loyalty program in the country,
allowing patrons to accumulate credits at
the box office and concession stand to earn
free popcorn, soft drinks and movies. Free
membership is available at the theatre or
online. Moviegoers can also stay connected
through Regal Cinemas’ Facebook page and
Twitter account, @RegalMovies.
Hong Kong Airlines Celebrates 8th Anniversary
IATA Assigns to Baltia
Two-Letter Designator
Baltia Air Lines (BLTA) announced today
that IATA (International Air Transport Association) has assigned to Baltia the two-letter
designator “BQ”.
Baltia Air Lines is America’s newest airline,
currently undergoing Air Carrier Certification.
Baltia’s principal base of operations is at Willow Run Airport, Michigan. Upon Certification,
Baltia will operate Boeing 747 aircraft across the
Atlantic, from JFK Airport New York to Pulkovo
Airport St. Petersburg, Russia.
This service is subject to receipt of government operating authority.
Since its establishment in 2006, Hong Kong
Airlines has grown to become an internationally-acclaimed SKYTRAX 4-star airline
and was awarded “World’s Most Improved
Airline” by SKYTRAX in 2014, recognizing
the warmth of its service and the quality of
its onboard offering. The Airline operates an
all-Airbus fleet with an average age of approximately 2.4 years as of May 2014, which
is one of the youngest fleets among major
international airlines in the world. To mark
the 8th anniversary, Hong Kong Airlines
launches a series of exciting activities and
promotions, as an appreciation gesture for
customers’ continuous support and sharing
joy with the whole city.
To spread the birthday joy across Hong
Kong, the airlines is delighted to organize
“8th Anniversary Roadshow”. Party truck
decorated into airplane cabin will travel
across different places inHong Kong, giving
out more than 18,000 gifts and up to 888,888
Fortune Wings Miles reward. The first five
days of roadshow have attracted numerous
visitors, who had fun with games and won
attractive prizes. With the wish to earn miles
and redeem free air tickets, many of them
registered as Fortune Wings Club members.
Many visitors queued up to join “8th
Anniversary Roadshow”. They had fun
with games on the party truck and won
attractive prizes. During the promotion
period, visitors can get a birthday stamp
card on truck and collect stamps on different roadshow locations. Having at least 5
stamps and writing birthday messages on
card, the top ten creative participants will
be awarded a total of 888,888 miles. Let’s
grasp this opportunity and join the party
in coming five days!
38 • Destination MICE • December 2014
events updates
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Celebrates
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary
After months of careful planning, Grand
Hyatt Hong Kong hosted its twenty-fifth
anniversary cocktail party on26 November
2014.
The grand event was themed “Rising To
New Heights”, symbolising the hotel’s continuing commitment to delivering authentic
hospitality and creating memorable moments for all its guests for another 25 years.
The evening began with a champagne welcome reception in the hotel’s iconic lobby,
followed by a luxurious cocktail party at the
Tiffin lounge.
About 400 guests attended the special
occasion, which featured a night of exceptional entertainment. Lucy Kay, the second
runner up of “Britain’s Got Talent” offered
a sensational opening act by singing three
opera songs. After her enchanting performance, General ManagerPhilip Yu gave
a thank-you speech and guests were surprised with confetti. After toasting, guests
were invited to proceed to Tiffin to continue the celebration. Another surprise came
when famousHong Kong singer Kenny
Bee and his band were invited onstage.
Mr Bee’s cheerful performance brought
the evening to its peak.
In addition to the entertainment,
guests indulged in the culinary team’s
delicious canapes, including pan-fried
foie gras and crispy duck pancake rolls;
and 12-hour braised Australian Wagyu
beef cheeks with black winter truffles.
Live cooking stations featured our restaurants’ signature dishes, including
sauteed prawns with crabmeat sauce
and chilli (One Harbour Road), Acquerello risotto with white alba truffles (Grissini), premium sashimi (Kaetsu), grilled
Japanese scallops (The Teppanroom)
and fresh shucked oysters (Grand Hyatt
Steakhouse).
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong thanked WRG
for the production of this remarkable event.
Located on the prime waterfront on Hong
Kong Island, the luxurious Grand Hyatt
Hong Kong features nine restaurants and
bars including One Harbour Road Chinese
restaurant, Grissini Italian restaurant, Kaetsu Japanese restaurant, The Teppanroom,
Grand Hyatt Steakhouse, The Grill (poolside alfresco dining), Tiffin Lounge, Grand
Cafe, Champagne Bar and The Waterfall Bar
(alfresco lounge). A majority of the hotel’s
539 rooms and suites command beautiful views of the harbour and Central skyline. An
extensive range of leisure facilities is available including Plateau Spa, 50-metre swimming
pool, fitness studio, a 400-metre jogging path and more. 22 event venues cater for meetings
and events of all kinds.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Unveils
The Dream Marking its 15th Anniversary
As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the world’s
most luxurious hotel, has launched The Dream - a powerful motion graphics
video that takes the viewer on a journey starting from the vision, to the arrival,
to the unveiling, to the heart and finally to the promise of more to come.
The Dream - created specifically to commemorate this special anniversary uses a unique double-exposure technique mirroring the aesthetic design of the
hotel, its textures, vibrant colours and a kaleidoscope of Burj Al Arab patterns.
The Dream showcases a number of the hotel’s most recognisable locations,
including its famed sail, helipad and 180m high atrium - the world’s tallest.
“Burj Al Arab Jumeirah always strives to find new ways of expressing
its uniqueness to its many admirers across the world,” saidRoss McAuley,
Group Vice President of Brand, Digital and Loyalty at Jumeirah Group. “The
hotel has always sought to be bold and innovative. This time the innovation
is more artful, using carefully devised double-exposure filming techniques
to bring elements of this remarkable icon to life with a dream-like narrative
and a mesmerizing sequence of images. Another great example of Jumeirah’s STAY DIFFERENT™ promise”.
39 • Destination MICE • December 2014
40 • Destination MICE • December 2014