InterContinental Hotels Group, Tahiti Tourisme & Air Tahiti Nui recently hosted eight event and travel representatives from New Zealand on a five-day familiarisation of Tahiti and her islands. The group experienced the award-winning service of Air Tahiti Nui in “Poerava” (Business) class on their 4 ½ hour journey to Papeete. With the planned introduction of joint services in 2007 there will be an increase in marketed flights between Auckland and Papeete, from three to four services weekly. The InterContinental Hotels Group showcased their four properties, including the Thalasso Resort Bora Bora which opened in May 2006. Kevin Weston (director or Executive Travel) said “I’ve never been anywhere else in the world like this”. The itinerary saw the group experience an impressive array of activities including 4WD tours, shark and eagle ray feeding, sunset cruising, snorkelling and kayaking. When asked for feedback on the experience Laurie Matthews (Director) Indigo Direct Communications said “Don’t ask me any questions I’m too relaxed to think”.
From now until February 28 a special rate including one dinner will be offered during the stay at the Shanghai JC Mandarin for any group bookings with a minimum of 10 rooms materialised per night from RMB999* (approximately AU$164) per room per night in a Deluxe Room. *Subject to 15 per cent surcharge and room availability (10 per cent commission to bona fide travel agents). From March 1 onwards a free room upgrade from Deluxe Room to Super Deluxe Room will be accorded for any group bookings made with ‘Best Rates at Meritus’, with a minimum of 10 rooms materialised per night. Free room upgrade is subject to availability. Rising in the heart of the Shanghai commercial and tourist hubs along the famous Nanjing Road West Road in Puxi area, Shanghai JC Mandarin offers timeless elegance and comfort with its 515 spacious deluxe rooms and suites, each with a stunning city view. Together with international gourmet cuisines finely prepared by master chefs and state-of-the art meeting and conference facilities offering the choice of a newly renovated pillarless grand ballroom, two boardrooms and three functional meeting rooms, an enthusiastic conference team is also ready at hand to provide comprehensive service for the success of a MICE event. In addition, an abundance of recreational options are available for guests including a fully equipped fitness centre, an all-weather daylight swimming pool, two outdoor tennis courts and a wellness centre, making this luxurious hotel perfect for both business and pleasure. Contact the Meritus global sales office – Australia/New Zealand in Sydney on (02) 9929 2829 or email rso.syd@meritus-hotels.com for further details about this and other hot deals.
HelmsBriscoe, the largest global venue finding company in the world, is expanding its presence in Asia/Pacific. HelmsBriscoe International provides venue selection services to corporate, association and government clients that plan off-site meetings and conferences. There is no charge to the client for the services as HelmsBriscoe is compensated by the hotel or venue that receives the business. With more than 17,000 programs and 3.2 million room nights booked in 2006, HelmsBriscoe is an industry leader. More than 800 professionals in 35 countries have joined the fastest growing venue finding company in the world. . Founded in 1992, HelmsBriscoe offers the industry’s most respected network of procurement specialists, with 800 associates spanning 35 countries. HelmsBriscoe combines its highly experienced global distribution with proprietary knowledge databases of 36,000 hotels containing more than five years of rate histories, the documented experiences and insights from its associates and clients, and a proprietary electronic RFP tool. In addition HelmsBriscoe has just introduced HelmsBriscoe University (HBU), the first online training and e-learning experience in the industry. Visit www.helmsbriscoe.com for further details.
After months of anticipation, Singapore’s eagerly awaited mega attractions – VivoCity and St James PowerStation – are officially open for business. An extravagant launch party set the scene for the hip new retail, lifestyle and nightlife complexes, which are set to further boost Singapore’s profile as a global shopping and party destination. Located in Singapore’s prime southern HarbourFront Precinct, VivoCity is the proud centrepiece, sprawling over 1.04 million square feet of retail space, while St James PowerStation is the Lion City’s fabulous new nine-venue nightlife destination. “Both venues are world class and join together to further enhance Singapore’s reputation as an international relaxation and lifestyle hotspot,” said Mr Kevin Leong, Regional Director Oceania, Singapore Tourism Board. “In fact Singapore was recently ranked second in the world for its nightlife, shopping and dining offerings and both VivoCity and St James PowerStation are clear examples of the island nation’s commitment to on-going evolution and development,” added Mr Leong.
The George, Christchurch has been named best New Zealand hotel in the prestigious 2007 US Conde Nast Traveler Gold List. In the Conde Nast Reader’s Choice Awards 2006 it was also voted top hotel in New Zealand and Best for Service in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Almost 21,000 Condé Nast Traveler subscribers completed the 2006 Readers’ Choice Survey published in the November 2006 issue. The Conde Nast Traveler Gold List is the ultimate guide to hotels and resorts around the world.
New Zealand Convention Bureau managers from around the country visited Rotorua in late January for a quarterly meeting, at national bureaux chairperson and Rotorua Convention Bureau manager Ruth McIntyre’s invitation. Convention Bureau of New Zealand managers meet four times a year to discuss issues affecting bureaux and industry, plan joint venture marketing initiatives, and find ways to work more closely with each other and their various partners. This month’s meeting coincides with an exciting time for conferences and incentives in Rotorua, and the managers will experience key conference and incentive products during their visit. They will also visit the new Energy Events Centre, set to open in early March. Excitement is also building around the $15 million Rotorua Airport (pictured) upgrade to allow Trans-Tasman flights, and developments at venues such as Te Puia, which has undergone a $23m interactive development program, and Skyline Skyrides, where a $15 million upgrade has just been completed. Several city hotels also have developments in varying stages of completion.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has launched the 2007 Abu Dhabi Business Tourism Planners Guide following its strategy of promoting Abu Dhabi as an elite destination catering to high-end visitors with a particular emphasis on the MICE segment. “Business tourism is a key area for development and opportunity in Abu Dhabi and we wish to make it easy for anyone wishing to bring business tourism into Abu Dhabi by giving them all the information and the contacts of our stakeholders. Abu Dhabi is tipped by the global MICE industry to become the next “hot spot” and there are great things to see and do and we wish to make everyone in the global marketplace aware of them. Via this guide the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority can put potential buyers in touch with an enthusiastic and professional business tourism industry,” said Ahmed Hussein, director of ADTA’s product development division. Acitivity in Abu Dhabi is rife at present. Room numbers are set to increase from 10,000 to 25,000 by 2015, and plans for construction of a convention centre are underway.
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