If Americans think they’re blessed having Hawaii then Australian and New Zealand meeting and incentive planners must certainly be endowed with the greatest choice of islands on which to hold memorable events.
Between one and five hours and delegates can be not only in the lap of luxury on a tropical island but sunning themselves by the pool, snorkeling in pristine waters or sitting in a conference session in air-conditioned comfort.
The Pacific Islands have never been more popular than now for conventions and incentives. With first-rate air access to most destinations and excellent hotels and resorts, the majority of which have superb conference facilities, planners are spoilt for choice when it comes to events with an island feel.
And the popularity of tried and tested destinations like Fiji continue to attract high quality groups more than 20 years after first entering the tourism market. The new Sofitel Fiji, for example, has already hosted more than 100 events since opening just under 12 months ago.
No doubt the nearby Hilton Fiji will be another popular resort destination for meeting and incentive groups. The 5-star resort features 138 luxury beachfront villas offering 219 guest rooms with indoor and outdoor living space.
Meantime, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort continues to be a perennial favourite with Australian and New Zealand groups. Situated on its own private 109-acre island, the resort is surrounded by pristine white beaches, blue lagoons and swaying palm trees offering the business traveler or holidaymaker a truly tropical escape.
Conveniently connected to the mainland by a causeway bridge, the resort’s layout sought inspiration from a contemporary Fijian theme. In 2005 all 436 rooms were refurbished, and the new Davui Events Centre for conferences and events is nearing completion.
New Caledonia
But it’s not just Fiji that continues to be an appealing island destination for Australian and New Zealand conference and incentive groups. The stunning New Caledonia, again just a short plane ride away, also offers so much for the seasoned conference and incentive travel reward recipient.
With increased budgets for promoting business events, New Caledonia Tourism has appointed Natalie Corbett-Jones as its first dedicated business development manager for the MICE sector.
She has begun targeting meeting and event organisers who would ordinarily seek a location in Australia or New Zealand. As Australia’s closest Pacific neighbour, New Caledonia is a French territory with a unique blend of European sophistication and tropical island allure.
“We’re providing a safe, easy and close alternative that’s as simple to reach as anywhere in Australia,” Ms Corbett-Jones said.
“We want event organisers to ask themselves why they go back to a routine location every year when they can reach a tropical overseas destination without necessarily travelling any further.”
Ms Corbett-Jones said she was focusing on event organisers in several target sectors including financial services, pharmaceuticals, banking, insurance, cosmetics and automotive. She would also conduct PCO familiarisation visits to New Caledonia during 2006 and instigate a series of tactical offers for discounted conference bookings.
New Caledonia recently launched a dedicated website for Australian travellers, including a section for the business events sector, www.newcaledonia.com.au/meetingsincentives. Designed to support the meeting and incentive planner, the online guide provides an insight into New Caledonia and its inspiring event locations.
For information on New Caledonia visit www.newcaledonia.com.au or phone New Caledonia Tourism’s Sydney office on (02) 9360 3933.
Upgrades all-round
Two of the best properties for meetings and incentives in New Caledonia are the Le Meridien properties – the Le Meridien Noumea and the Le Meridien Ile des Pins. And their appeal has recently become a whole lot better following significant refurbishments and upgrades, due for completion by the end of this year.
The Le Meridien now has WIFI internet connections in indoor and oudoor public areas, conference and guest rooms, while international broadband services will be available in New Caledonia mid-2008. Le Faré beachside restaurant has been extended and includes two new farés (Melanesian hut structures), new furnishings, lighting, sound system and table decor. It is often described as offering the best beachside dining in Noumea, and is a popular choice for groups in the evening.
Le Meridien Noumea’s signature restaurant L’Hippocampe re-opens this month (October) having undergone a complete refurbishment with completely new interior decor with contemporary furnishings, table decor and menu concept.
Executive chef Jean Claude Segar has expanded on the “degustation menu” concept and created multi-item courses based on food themes and seasonal local produce.
Le Meridien Noumea is also offering a new circus/carnival theme evening for convention and incentive groups. The ballroom is transformed into a circus/carnival tent featuring fantastic backdrops, putting delegates in the mood for a night of great fun and of course fine food.
The stunning Le Meridien Ile des Pins, located on one of the most beautiful islands in the world, has a new spa facility which include one double and one single treatment room, complete with outdoor terraces, an outdoor spa pool and secluded garden area where refreshments are served.
The spa features the French label “Comptoir du Spa” products based on natural earth and water elements and offering timeless beauty treatments from all over the world. Treatments and massages are also available in the privacy of guest bungalows.
The Le Meridien Ile des Pins is well suited to small, intimate groups. The hotel features 39 guest rooms and bungalow suites along with 29 one-bedroom bungalows and 10 deluxe rooms. Premium suites feature a lovely sun-drenched deck with private beach access.
Norfolk Island
For something completely different, and still close to home, planners should take a look at Norfolk Island, which caters well to small to medium-sized groups. Celebrating its sesquicentenary this year (the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Pitcairn Islanders to Norfolk Island), Norfolk has been brimming with special events throughout the year. Stunning scenery fringed by azure seas, coral reefs, great for diving, and an abundance of bushwalking options, Norfolk Island is a destination with real appeal. In August this year the Australian Regional Tourism Research Centre in conjunction with Tourism Australia held its annual Australian Regional Tourism Convention on Norfolk Island to much approval from delegates. The island offers excellent accommodation and three main resorts on the island with state-of-the-art conference facilities. These include Colonial of Norfolk Island, South Pacific Resort Hotel and The Governor’s Lodge. For smaller events there are 60 other properties to choose from.
Visit www.norfolkisland.com.au for further details.
It’s not every day you have a modern Airbus A330 at your disposal, but that’s exactly what an Australian incentive group will get when they visit New Caledonia this month.
A group of 150 retailers will celebrate their sales achievements in Nouméa this October on a six-day incentive visit organised by The Forum Group on behalf of Coca-Cola Amatil. The retailers will get the chance to explore Nouméa and its top sights, take a cruiser across the world’s largest lagoon to Amedée Island and choose from activities including diving, fishing, snorkelling, jet skiing, golf and a gourmet food trail.
And although Aircalin’s flagship Airbus A330 was available for the group’s outbound flight, a smaller A320 on the return schedule meant the group had to consider splitting in two for the trip home.
“We know that moving an aircraft is no small thing for an airline, particuarly when they operate to tight schedules,” said The Forum Group’s senior event manager, Paula Nolan.
“But we asked Aircalin, they worked it out, and came up with the larger Airbus to bring us home.”
Ms Nolan said she had recommended New Caledonia for her client’s 13th annual incentive after a string of successful events in countries like Egypt, South Africa, Canada and Japan.
“Everyone we dealt with was very flexible and willing. The ground operator and the hotel both approached the national airline and the government on our behalf and made sure everyone was behind our visit.”
“New Caledonia gave us an exotic overseas destination two-and-a-half hours from Sydney. We couldn’t do a long-haul destination this year and we didn’t want to go somewhere we had been before. “We were also cautious about things like bird flu and SARS, so we ruled out any destination that had been the subject of a health warning or travel warning in the past two years.”
If there is one place in the world that conventions and incentives can be pure magic it must be Tahiti.
Made up of 118 islands and coral atolls, Tahiti offers majestic mountains rising out of crystal clear blue waters as a backdrop for what can only be described as an inspirational meeting place. The country’s heritage is a unique blend of Polynesian culture and French sophistication. Together with the ancient volcanic landscape they create a hard to match mystique and innocence rarely found in other island destinations.
Planners considering Tahiti for an extraordinary event are spoilt for choice in Tahiti, with more than 50 first-class hotels providing luxurious accommodation and first-rate conference rooms. State-of-the-art technology keeps business travellers in touch with the rest of the world while the quality of local produce, usually prepared with French influences, and the variety of seafood, guarantees every meal is a memorable affair. One of the most popular resorts for C&I groups is the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, located on the stunning Lafayette Beach.
The property provides flexible, well-appointed meeting and banquet space for up to 380 people, the largest in Tahiti. The fine dining Hiti Mahana restaurant (which hosts a Tahitian dance show each evening) is popular, as is the Lafayette Bar, an open-air lounge with majestic views of Matavai Bay.
And if getting into the great outdoors is on the agenda then you can’t go wrong in Tahiti. While the mountains provide a dramatic setting for eco walks, four-wheel drive safaris and waterfall swims, the protected beaches, with their inviting lagoons, play host to relaxed barbecues, snorkelling tours and sunset cruises. Delegates wanting a bit more adventure can get right out of their comfort zone by swimming with reef sharks and stingrays.
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