Interest is at an all-time-high for the new ITB Asia exhibition being held in Singapore from October 22 to 24. The three-day trade show and conference is being run by the organisers of the world’s largest travel exhibition, ITB Berlin. International exhibitors of all sectors of the travel-value chain, Asia Pacific’s leading companies and emerging small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to meet with top buyers from the MICE, leisure and corporate travel markets. ITB Asia will feature the full range of travel products, services and goods, while at the same time functioning as a knowledge platform for the industry with the concurrently held ITB Asia Convention. ITB Asia Convention is the perfect knowledge platform to hear about industry trends, stay on-top of the latest developments and influences in the global travel market and learn from colleagues, competitors and industry leaders how to improve business skills. In addition, Meeting Planners International will be holding its Asian Meetings & Events Conference concurrently with the show. Visit www.itb-asia.com for further details.
There’s plenty happening in Lake Taupo in New Zealand according to bureau manager, Di Christie. The Bayview Wairakei Resort has been undergoing room upgrades as is the Huka Falls Resort (the old Huka Village). Suncourt Hotel & Conference Centre is having a total facelift and the Copthorne Hotel Taupo has doubled its room sizes. A new property for the conference market is the Lake Taupo Motor Inn which has 38 units and conference facilities for 90 people. This is a newly built property and is just a short walk to bars and restaurants in town.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has opened a representation office in Sydney to build awareness of the destination. Australia joins an ADTA representative office network already comprising the UK, Germany and France, with the authority anticipating further expansion into China and Italy by the end of this year as it looks to increase international awareness of its standing as a world-class tourist destination. Hill & Knowlton Australia is now charged with helping raise the profile of Abu Dhabi, the largest of seven emirates which constitute the United Arab Emirates and home to the nation’s capital city.
Christchurch Convention Bureau manager, Annette Pendergast has been given high praise for her efforts at the bureau after announcing her resignation from the position recently. Ms Pendergast takes up a position with HOT Events, a division of House of Travel Christchurch City. Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau chief executive, Christine Prince, said the CCCB had gone from strength to strength thanks to the efforts of Annette and her team. “The percentage of delegate days enjoyed by Christchurch and the level of bid activity has been exceptional. Christchurch now leads New Zealand in hosting conventions. It is now acknowledged as a vibrant convention and incentive destination, with a myriad of options and a huge pool of professional and talented people who work together to produce outstanding results,” she said.
Representatives of the world’s leading convention centres are heading for ACC Liverpool after it won the bid to host the 2010 AIPC conference. The event, which is attended by CEOs and senior managers from the world’s most prestigious venues, is regarded as a major coup for ACC Liverpool, home of the BT Convention Centre.
The AIPC – the International Association of Congress Centres - represents 160 members in more than 53 countries across the world and has held its conference in cities including Quebec, Edinburgh, Montpellier, Graz and Singapore, where this year’s event is currently happening.
It has been a busy half year for the business tourism division at South African Tourism which has been recording strong growth in the sector. Figures show that business tourism to South Africa has been steadily increasing. In 2007, 652,000 business tourists arrived (7.17 per cent), compared to 2006 at 490,000 (5.85 per cent). In the last six months South Africa has secured a number of high profile meetings and events for the destination including the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) which has chosen South Africa as the destination for its 2009 International Destination Expo. Other significant business tourism wins include the 15th International Near-infrared Spectroscopy Conference 2009.
The Heritage Queenstown has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from delegates attending the first events at the new Icon Conference Centre. Launched on May 1, the purpose-built venue has already hosted several major conferences, including a five-day event with exclusive use of the hotel. A further 40 more conferences are already confirmed for the coming months. Heritage Queenstown general manager, Carey Norton, said the response from both guests who attended the launch event and those businesses that have used the facility already has been fantastic. “The adaptability of the space for different event types has been remarked on many times by conference organisers. They also comment on the wealth of natural light through the floor-to-ceiling windows and of course the fabulous views really help provide great impact to any meeting or event,” Mr Norton said.
Top
|