Construction has commenced on a $3 million state-of-the-art sports entertainment venue at the Pullman Reef Casino Hotel in Cairns. Located on the second level of the complex in the casino area, the sports “arena” will feature a $1 million theatre boasting the largest indoor LED screen in Queensland and tiered seating catering for more than 180 people.  

Development of the new arena follows on from a multimillion dollar renovation of the hotel’s extensive meeting spaces and conference facilities (pictured), which concluded late last year.  

Expected to take close to six months to complete, it is the first time the upstairs venue has received a comprehensive makeover in the 15 years since the casino opened. 

Pullman Reef Casino Hotel’s general manager Wayne Reynolds said the casino complex update complements the Pullman hotel’s recent conference centre renovations, and will provide a huge “wow” factor for guests and sports fans alike.

Australian delegates wishing to attend New Zealand business events expo Convene 2012 can now apply to be part of the hosted buyer programme. 
Convene 2012 is taking place at Auckland’s new Viaduct Events Centre on May 1, and successful hosted buyer applicants attending the exhibition will receive complimentary airfares, Auckland airport transfers and accommodation. 
Now in its seventh year, Convene 2012 promises innovative and inspiring solutions for organisers of conferences, incentives, functions and other business events who wish to engage with event suppliers from Northland to Hamilton. 
Buyers at Convene can expect to see a diverse floor of over 150 exhibitors showcasing their event specialities including venues, hotels, corporate retreats, convention centres, activity operators, caterers, team building companies, transport operators and theming companies.
Convene 2012 will include several informative seminars, offering professional event organisers ideas on how to maximise sources so events achieve the desired “wow” factor.  
Convene’s familiarisation experiences let hosted buyers see firsthand a selection of Auckland’s iconic venues, ferry to the jewel of Auckland’s crown that is Waiheke Island, or embrace their adventurous side by jumping off or walking around the Sky Tower. 
A welcome cocktail function provides a great networking opportunity between exhibitors and buyers while showcasing top venue, The Wharf. 
To apply for the hosted buyer programme, visit www.convenexpo.co.nz.

A large team of Korean business events industry specialists are scheduled to join the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) stand at this year’s Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) in Melbourne to promote “Korea Convention Year 2012”.  

Amongst those organisations joining the Korea stand at AIME 2012 will be Seoul Tourism Organisation, Busan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Daejeon Convention & Visitors Bureau, GumiCo, and Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau with Jeju Tourism Organisation.  

According to the Union of International Associations (UIA), 464 conferences took place in Korea in 2010 – a 34 per cent increase from 2009.  In recognition of the enormous value of the industry, the Korean government has been nurturing and fostering this sector as one of the strategic and new-growth industries. 

During “Korea Convention Year 2012” government support and incentives for events held in Korea will increase up to twofold for qualified meetings, conventions and incentive tours. Convention centres and hotels will offer discounts on meetings venues and accommodation, complimentary site inspection trips will be arranged for qualifying organisations, and bonuses such as special discounts for the events organisers and participants are also available on the two flag carrier airlines – Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. 

Melbourne has secured the right to host the prestigious International AIDS Conference in 2014, the largest medical conference ever to be held in Australia.

Announcing the win Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the International AIDS Conference was one of the most significant and esteemed conferences in the world, and was a major victory for Melbourne.

“This six-day event, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in July 2014, will generate $80 million for the Victorian economy and is expected to attract more than 14,000 of the world’s leading scientists, health care providers and political, community and business leaders,” she said. “Winning this conference for Melbourne is testament to Australia’s deserved reputation as an international leader in HIV/AIDS research and clinical care.”  

Melbourne is home to 139 biotech companies, as well as some of the world’s leading medical research centres including the Monash University, the Alfred Hospital and Burnet Institute, which specialises in infectious diseases including the HIV virus.  

“Holding a conference of this calibre in Melbourne will further assist medical researchers to deliver groundbreaking technologies in the fight against AIDS, with the aim to ultimately find a cure and an effective vaccine,” Asher said.
The win adds to a string of prestigious health-related events recently secured for Victoria, including the 23rd World Cancer Congress and the World Congress of Cardiology.

Twelve months to the day after the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) reopened for business after last January’s floods, the Centre’s highly anticipated BCEC on Grey Street extension was officially opened on Wednesday by Queensland’s Minister for Finance, Natural Resources and The Arts, Rachel Nolan (pictured with South Bank Corporation chairman Steve Wilson), standing in for Premier Anna Bligh.  

Predicted heavy rain and flooding across South East Queensland failed to put a dampener on the event, despite the Premier being called away to liaise with the Disaster Management Group, with around 300 guests attending the ceremony.  

The Minister said that the opening of the five level, $140m boutique expansion was further confirmation of Brisbane’s spirited determination to recover and rebuild.  

With its first event scheduled for mid-February, BCEC on Grey Street already has more than 290 bookings, including confirmed conventions which will generate in excess of $70M in economic benefit to Brisbane and Queensland. 

With the completion of the 25,000 square metre development, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is now equal in size to Australia’s largest convention venue and based on enquires is forecasting a minimum additional 300 events on top of the 1,000 events it hosts annually.  The expansion of the Centre’s facilities to a total of 44 meeting rooms including three stand alone tiered auditoria means it has the flexibility to host events catering for eight to 8000 guests.  

After a tour of the new facilities, guests at the BCEC on Grey St opening were able to experience an event at the Centre first-hand, joining other guests at the 2012 Australia Day lunch, featuring entertainment by Paulini, tap act Raw Metal and local Brisbane talent the David Spicer Trio with Bec Laughton, as well as a keynote address by former Wallaby and bestselling author Peter FitzSimons.

The opening coincided with Premier Bligh calling a State election for March 24.

Business Event Sydney (BESydney) has secured conferences, congress and incentive programs that will see over 211,200 delegate days spent in the harbour city in 2012. Worth an estimated $191 million to the New South Wales economy, the forecast is a clear sign that Sydney remains a strong player in the global business events market.

The events range from small incentive groups to mid-size congresses and international mega events, and are a testament to the relationships built by BESydney.

“The 2012 calendar year is going to be a bumper year for the business events industry here in Sydney,” says Lyn Lewis-Smith, Acting CEO of BESydney. “With thousands of delegates spending 211,200 delegate days in our harbour city, the economic and social legacies of these events will be substantial.

“Some of these bids were secured by Business Events Sydney over five years ago! Seeing all the cogs in motion – all our Ambassadors, stakeholders, strategic partners and government supporters – working together to make these events a success is going to be fantastic, and an opportunity to profile why the Sydney event experience is like no other.”

The events are spread throughout the year, although March is looking to be a stand-out month with eight international events scheduled. In total 9500 delegates will spend over 39,700 delegate days in Sydney in March attending events BESydney secured. These events include the 3200 delegate-strong USANA Asia Pacific Convention, the XVI International Symposium on Atherosclerosis that is expected to attract 1500 delegates and a 1500 delegate Tupperware Indonesia Manager’s Incentive Trip.

“The strong pipeline of business for 2012 is testament to the strength of BESydney’s ongoing strategy,” says Lyn Lewis-Smith. “From growing our Asian business and targeting events that fall within government priority sectors, to providing valuable post-bid support and supporting activities that find leverage from the New South Wales Master Events Calendar, we are well-positioned to maximise the business event opportunities for the harbour city.”

Victoria’s Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher has announced that Melbourne has won the right to hold eight major congresses, worth an estimated $23.5 million to the state economy. 

The one national and seven international business events are expected to attract approximately 7,150 delegates from across the globe over five years. They include the International Conference on Care and Housing for the Ageing (IAHSA) 2013; IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics (ICPE) – ECCE ASIA 2013; Inaugural Broadband World Congress 2013; The MHS 2013 (The Mental Health Services Conference); International Symposium on Information Theory and its Applications – ISITA 2014; International Congress on Noise Control Engineering (INTERNOISE) 2014; Congress of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Coloproctology 2015, and AFMC International Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (AIMECS) 2017. 

The wins follow on from last year’s announcement that Melbourne will host the prestigious International AIDS Conference in 2014, the largest medical conference ever to be held in Australia. 

“These events highlight that major national and international businesses and associations continue to choose Melbourne for their events, bringing new visitors to the state with each meeting and presenting us with an invaluable opportunity to showcase the city and regional Victoria,” Asher said. 

“They also provide an opportunity for experts from around the world to come together to share their research and to network in an Australian setting. The events also draw international recognition of the research and findings of the many Australians, and in particular Victorians, working in a variety of fields.” 

According to Karen Bolinger, chief executive officer of the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB), the wins were an outstanding way to end 2011.  

“All of these wins relate directly to the excellent standard of Melbourne’s conferencing facilities and also demonstrate the appeal of our city to major associations,” she said. 

“Melbourne has developed a reputation as a world-class business events destination as a result of the city’s accessibility and state-of-the-art infrastructure, in particular the award-winning Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre where these events are scheduled to be held.”

NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events, George Souris, has announced that Destination NSW will open an office in India, in recognition of the importance of the market for the State’s tourism.

“Establishing an on-the-ground tourism presence in India will allow the NSW Government to further promote its ongoing relationship with the Indian market,” he said. “It will play a key role in achieving our target to double overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.

“The New South Wales Government is strongly focused on expanding our international visitor markets, as part of our commitment to rebuilding the State’s economy.

India is currently New South Wales’ 11^th largest tourism country market by visitor numbers; last year the state recorded a 17 per cent rise in visitors from the nation.

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase, said the new Mumbai office will also represent Business Events Sydney and will work closely with airlines, the travel trade, business event organisers and media to keep Sydney and NSW top of mind as Australia’s primary destination.

Lyn Lewis-Smith, Acting CEO of Business Events Sydney said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Destination NSW in this new venture. Asia, in particular India, is a market with enormous growth potential in both business and leisure tourism. Business Events Sydney’s international network has proven that having staff on the ground in-market is key to developing long-term relationships.

“There are obvious synergies and it makes sense for Destination NSW and Business Events Sydney to work together to maximise the opportunities the Indian market presents for the State. Beyond valuable incentive travel programs, we also see numerous opportunities for Indian delegates to attend professional and association events that will help to fuel collaboration, innovation, and trade and investment.”

Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) CEO Allan Trotter has told delegates at the recent Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) Association conference, held at the Langham Hotel in Auckland last month, that it is “a very exciting time for the New Zealand meetings industry”. 

Abandoning his notes, Trotter decided to address some of the questions he’d been asked prior to his scheduled session on “New Zealand’s future role in the Asia Pacific Meetings Industry”. 

While acknowledging that Australian and New Zealand-based operators can’t control the global economy, Trotter said that “we can be nimble and adapt” to changing circumstances. Sticking together in these uncertain times is also in the interests of both nations’ business events industries, saying that “Australia and New Zealand are joined at the hip”. 

“When times are uncertain you have to rely on your friends,” he said.

Praising Christchurch for its resilience and spirit, Trotter went on to reassure the gathered PCOs that the city is still open for small meetings and urged them to show their support by bringing business to the city once it is fully up and running again by 2016.  

Trotter also indicated that CINZ is expecting a further announcement about the National Convention Centre in the first quarter of 2012. 

Hyatt Regency Perth has recently finished a $15 million refurbishment of its accommodation room, communal spaces and conference facilities, the most extensive upgrade in its 23-year history.   

The hotel, which boasts one of the largest event and conference facilities in Perth’s CBD, can cater for up to 1200 guests. Event spaces include three ballrooms, six conference rooms, and Gershwin’s, previously the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, which has been refurbished as a premium event space for groups up to 100 people. 

The hotel is also currently reviewing the audio visual and technology upgrade in all its event venues in a commitment to provide an enhanced experience for any type of event. Included in these upgrades are the latest high definition projectors, state-of-the-art line array sound systems and automated theatrical lighting fixtures.

Fourteen ICCA Australia members and their association conference clients descended on the Gold Coast recently for the ICCA Australia – Client/Supplier Business Workshop (pictured), a joint venture between the Gold Coast Convention Bureau (GCCB) and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC). The three day event showcased the Gold Coast as a premier conference and meetings destination within a tailor-made association business exchange environment.
ICCA Australia members each invited a client to discuss their specific event requirements, and service providers to promote their company and services to senior decision makers actively looking for future destinations and venues.
Facilitated by Elizabeth Rich, former CEO of the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), the ICCA Australia Client Supplier Business Workshop initiated forum discussions on a variety of topics identified by participants who shared observations on trends, innovative ideas and overcoming challenges in today’s meetings environment.
An educational program featured CIM publisher Alexandra Yeomans speaking about social media in today’s business landscape; Bruce Sullivan from Red Hot Relationships, who presented an inspirational and uplifting seminar on relationships, business and life, and law firm partner Mike Prior who addressed the more serious side of the industry - contracts, legalities and risks.
The program also saw guests experience a number of iconic Gold Coast spots, including award winning hotel-casino complex Jupiters; Seaworld, where guests experienced the park’s “Penguin Encounter”, and McLarens Landing on South Stradbroke Island, where they enjoyed tropical island festivities under the stars.
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre’s General Manager Adrienne Readings says the three day programme brought value to ICCA members and clients not only through the business exchange but also by participating in forum discussions and openly exchanging ideas.
“The Workshop was not only a business networking event which provided a setting for members to showcase their venue and services, but also allowed both members and clients to build genuine relationships, creatively share ideas and really understand each other’s needs,” she says. “I think the event was a tremendous success bringing tangible benefits to both the members and the clients, and building relationships that went well beyond a business level.
ICCA Asia Pacific chairman Martin Winter said events such as this which bring clients, venues and destinations together are of enormous value.
“Even though we communicate on a regular basis there is nothing like having the opportunity to meet face to face to discuss the real issues which will determine where and how events will take place,” he says. “I am sure that everyone who participated not only secured new business but also benefited greatly from this experience that ICCA has facilitated”.

The announcement late last year was made by NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, who said that the move would inject around $150 million a year to the state economy.

Scoot will fly daily between Sydney and Singapore from mid-2012, adding 400 airline seats a day into NSW from Asia.

“This is a great win for Sydney and travellers in the Asia-Pacific region, opening up Australia’s largest city to more international routes and lower-cost carriers,” O’Farrell said.

Scoot CEO Campbell Wilson described Scoot as “the first true no-frills airline operating between Sydney and Asia” adding that he hoped the move would “shake up the industry”.

Scoot will be the first airline to come to Sydney under a partnership agreement between Destination NSW and Sydney Airport to promote Sydney to new airlines and compete for new routes.

Indian airline Jet Airways is offering travellers from Australia new routes to Europe, with flights from Sydney to Brussels and Belgium, flying via Singapore and India's capital, New Delhi.

The route is available until March 23, 2012.

Jet Airways code shares on daily Qantas flights to Singapore, where passengers connect with onward Jet Airways services to India, with a one hour transit, before continuing on to Brussels.

The Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) has achieved EarthCheck Certification for the third year running and reaffirmed its green leadership status. 

The Centre is EarthCheck Certified Silver, making it one of the country’s greenest convention and meetings venues under the global environmental program.

In order to receive certification, the Centre has had to report on its environmental footprint to independent auditors and adhere to internationally recognised standards of best practice. Operational data was then measured against a number of key indicators such as energy and water consumption, waste sent to landfill, and community commitment. 

The Centre is on track to be among the first convention centres in Australia to achieve EarthCheck Certified Gold status, partly as the result of $350 million expansion underway, which includes a number of green design initiatives.

To achieve Certified Gold status, the Centre needs to maintain the EarthCheck Certified status for another two years.

“By taking a scientific approach to measuring the effectiveness of their sustainability practices, Adelaide Convention Centre was able to identify where they were out-performing others and where room for improvement remained,” explains EarthCheck CEO Stewart Moore.

“Achieving certification is not an easy task and many organisations do not make it past the benchmarking stage. Securing a highly-ranked benchmarking result requires a strong commitment across all levels of an organisation and the imbedding of sustainability principles into all policies and procedures.”

Ten leading meeting and business events industry publishers announced yesterday that they will collaborate alongside event and association partners to deliver the industry`s first online super-site.

International Meetings Review will provide a global news hub with up to 20 separate satellite editions showcasing countries or regions, each edition delivered by the leading local publisher.

The members of the network have been selected by James Latham, executive producer of the super-site and founder of MEETINGS:review, and his industry association and event partners which include PCMA (Professional Convention Managers Association), ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), Site (Society of Incentive and Travel Executives), IAPCO (International Association of Professional Conference Organisers), UFI (Union des Foires Internationales), AIPC, and EFAPCO (European Federation of the Associations of Professional Congress Organisers).

The publishers, who have all signed Memoranda of Understandings (MOU`s) to complete the development and launch of International Meetings Review include Creative Head Media, publisher of CIM Australia, which will represent Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands with its combined edition.

Other publishers include CAT Publications from the UK which services the UK meeting and business events community through its flagship title, M&IT, and its web site www.meetpie.com. The United States edition of the site, servicing the largest meetings market worldwide, will be serviced by the Questex Travel and Hospitality Group - the leading US travel related publisher which acquired MEETINGS: review last month. Meanwhile TW Germany, in partnership with the German Convention Bureau will showcase the German offer, itself the second largest international market for outbound as well as inbound meetings after the US. Meetings International and its web offer at www.meetingsinternational.com will represent Scandinavia and the Baltic States, BBT Online at www.bbtonline.eu will showcase Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux), while Kongres magazine will represent South East Europe. TTG Asia Media, the leading media group across the region will represent Asia, including a dedicated edition within the site for China. Meet Middle East and its web offer www.meetmiddleeast.com published by NPI Media out of Dubai will showcase the Middle East and North Africa.

“This is a response to industry demand,” said Latham. “More and more meetings activity is centred on an international stage as the global supply chains converge. Planners are reaching out to international destinations to service their business meetings and events and there is a void in the converged provision of such an information resource. Because corporate, government, association, and institutional meeting planners are increasingly operating beyond national or regional boundaries, we are collaborating to deliver a single platform that aggregates their content and information demands.”

Latham expects additional publishers to join the International Meetings Review Network (IMRN) before the site goes live, and aims to complete a network of 20 publishing partnerships by the close of 2012.

The IMRN will deliver a weekly news email service which will be distributed by all partners featuring the local, regional, and global news for the industry.

“Combined with our industry partners, including international event partners IMEX, EIBTM, and IT&CMA, IMR will reach out to over 300,000 meeting and business event professionals every week,” said Latham. “This is in addition to a further 400,000 untrained meeting buyers delivered through the Questex Travel & Hospitality databases.”

Latham’s former website, MEETINGS:review (www.meetingsreview.com), is absorbed into the new super-site and will continue to deliver the rich media and video support that has become its hallmark.

Martin Lewis, managing editor at CAT Publications in the UK, and the 2012 Chairman of the IMRN Editorial Advisory Board, said “Our organisation will be delivering content, alongside our fellow publishing partners, to the site’s joint editors-in-chief, Pete Roythorne and Ian Whiteling, who will moderate the RSS and other content feeds supplied by each of the partners.

“We will also oversee a dedicated Association News section within the global hub through our international association brand, Association Meetings International (AMI).”

Roger Kellerman, publisher at Meetings International in Scandinavia added, “At Meetings International we can already offer local knowledge and insight to domestic buyers, but by collaborating with our partners elsewhere in the world we open up the region’s offer to the international market – something we have never been able to do as an isolated force.

“International Meetings Review strengthens our position in the local market because it enables us to deliver a shop window on Scandinavia to the world market. We therefore expect Scandinavian destinations and venue providers to be using the Scandinavian edition of International Meetings Review as their window to this vital international audience.”

International Meetings Review is also supported by a RFP-generator offered through MeetingsIn (see www.meetingsin.com), which is a call-to-action tool for small and professional meeting planners to search and book hotels as well as secure venue services.

“In the International Meetings Review Network platform, the publishers provide the insight and independent commentary, while we provide the call-to-action, enabling a swift conversion of interest from the planners into discernable business for the industry,” commented Ian Quartermaine, CEO and Founder of MeetingsIn.

International Meetings Review goes live on the January 30, 2012.

Sydney Airport and Destination NSW have announced they will join forces to boost tourism, attract new airlines and increase airline services to Sydney as part of a new visitor economy partnership agreement.

The agreement will see Sydney Airport and Destination NSW work together on joint initiatives to attract new airlines and routes to Sydney from key tourism markets, including China and India, and enhance Sydney Airport’s passenger arrivals and departures experience.

More than 35 million passengers passed through Sydney Airport’s three terminals with a record 12 million passengers welcomed through Sydney International Airport in 2011.

Kerrie Mather, CEO of Sydney Airport, said that “air travel is the lifeblood of Australia’s $94 billion tourism industry,” with the two parties committing “to attract airlines, grow tourism and retain Sydney’s position as the gateway to Australia”.

Destination NSW chief executive Sandra Chipchase said the partnership “provides the framework for increased co-operation on specific initiatives designed to deliver sustained passenger growth and wider economic benefits to NSW”.

The NSW Government has set a target to double tourism – measured by overnight expenditure – by 2020.

Singer Delta Goodrem was the headline act at this week’s VIP opening of the $700 million Hilton Surfers Paradise, the Gold Coast’s newest luxury hotel.

ore than 250 VIP guests joined high profile industry figures such as Ashley Spencer, Vice President Operations Hilton Worldwide Australasia; Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes, and Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter for the event.

Goodrem returned to Australia from Los Angeles to headline the grand opening event, and guests were also entertained by real-life mermaids adorning the Pool Deck. Guests were treated to a menu created by Luke Mangan, whose Salt Grill by Luke Mangan is a major drawcard for the hotel, as well as cocktails by the hotel’s FIX bar master mixologist Grant Collins.

As part of its new Tropical Breaks program for the conference and incentive market, the Pullman Reef Casino Hotel in Cairns has forged an alliance with the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.

One of four breaks on offer, Pullman’s Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre concept provides incentive and corporate clients the chance to get out of the hotel and  to engage in a two-hour visit with the centre which specialises in treating injured or ill marine turtles brought in from the Great Barrier Reef and Cape York Peninsula.

Clients also have the chance to participate and help fund the work the centre’s team of volunteers do to help save these endangered turtle species, by taking a guided tour.

Corporate sponsorship packages are also available. These involve a company sponsoring a turtle from when it first arrives into the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, and for up to 24 months depending on the severity of a turtle’s injuries.  The sponsoring company receives naming rights of the turtle and when it is released they are also able to sponsor a tracking device which is attached to the turtle, allowing them to track its progress online on a daily basis.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed a new director of sustainability to its Australasian operations, business operational efficiency and sustainability expert Victoria Rose. One of just 26 people invited to participate in the US Department of State’s 2011 International Climate Change Policy, Rose is a member of the United Nations Global Compact Working Group, and was voted Young Achiever of the Year in 2010 by the Facilities Management Association for her contribution to the industry.

Rose will be responsible for leading IHG’s strategy to make its existing and new Australian hotels more environmentally and economically sustainable. She will drive efforts to reduce each hotel’s consumption of natural resources and expand IHG’s sustainable business operation practices.

One of Rose’s first achievements in her new role was to secure more than $2 million from the Aus-Industry Green Building Fund, according to IHG chief operating officer Australasia Bruce McKenzie.

“This grant will help to fund projects at six of our hotels that will reduce energy consumption by more than 7,000,000 kWh, cut energy costs by more than AU$1 million a year, and reduce annual carbon emissions by more than 8,750 tonnes of CO2,” he says.

After eleven years at the helm of the Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB), which looks after the national interests of Australia’s Convention Bureaux, Mike Cannon has announced he will be taking up a role in Borneo as CEO of the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) from March.

“The offer came as a welcome surprise,” said Cannon. “I will truly miss working alongside my colleagues  at the Convention Bureaux of Australia.  I feel very privileged and honoured to have worked with some of the most outstanding leaders in the Business Events industry in the nation and have enjoyed seeing the progress we have made on both national and international levels.”

In making the announcement, Cannon also paid tribute to the chairs of the many AACB committees. 

“In the past eleven years I have seen every city, state and regional Bureau move ahead in leaps and bounds in terms of their own destinational marketing objectives  but importantly, members have jointly instigated strategies and programmes to ensure Australia’s place in the global market will continue to gain strength well into the future.

“This is in no small part due to the dedication of the wonderful team AACB has heading the various strategic and programming committees to whom I pass on my heartfelt thanks.  In particular I want to thank Damien Kitto, a proactive AACB president who has shown me incredible support.”

“Mike has been an integral part of the organisation and through his passion, commitment and dedication over a long period AACB is now leading the charge when it comes to marketing and selling Australia as a viable destination for Business Events,” Kitto said. “Whilst individually being directly responsible for business development at a city, state and regional level, the AACB members (Bureaux) as a team are now on the front foot leading the way with new and innovative projects that showcase Australia to the world as a leader in the Business Events industry.”

The AACB Board is currently seeking a replacement for Cannon, with applications closing January 29, 2012. Full details of the job are available on the AACB website, www.aacb.org.au.  

AIME’s organisers will also welcome South African Tourism  as the 2012 sponsor of Globe, the show’s restaurant, giving attendees the opportunity to sample South Africa’s unique cuisine. The Globe menu will include South African favourites such as Bobotie, a slow-braised mince, lightly curried with sultanas and topped with saffron custard, served with potato mash and dried fruit chutney, as well as Boerewors, traditional BBQ sausage with chakalaka sauce. A selection of South African wines will also be available. Lalie Ngozi, general manager (Australasia) of South African Tourism said, "South African Tourism is proud to be sponsoring the Globe restaurant at AIME 2012. This is our way of showing the Asia-Pacific region that South Africa is closer than you think”.

Coffee roasters and baristas from around Australia will converge on the Sunshine Coast Function Centre in Caloundra for the 2011 CSR Sugar Golden Bean Roaster Competition & Conference, from November 30 to December 4.

“The Golden Bean event has been held in Port Macquarie for the past five years, and we have worked extremely hard to bring this business to the Sunshine Coast,” says Business Events Sunshine Coast manager Pippa McCreery. “It will help strengthen the coast’s reputation as an emerging food and producer leader.”

It is estimated the five-day event, the largest of its type in Australia, will attract about 250 participants and contribute $500,000 to the regional economy.

“The Sunshine Coast is a popular holiday destination, making it ideal for roasters to come early and take some time out from the daily grind, or stay on after the event,” says Cafe Culture managing director Sean Edwards. Cafe Culture organises the event.

“Through working with Business Events Sunshine Coast and positive word-of-mouth, we are starting to attract significant events from outside of the region,” says Sunshine Coast Function Centre team leader Patrice McGhie.

Sunshine Beach coffee business Costa Noosa Espresso won two silver and one bronze medal in last year’s Golden Bean roasting competition. Owner Gavin Piper says it is a real coup to bring the competition to the Sunshine Coast.

Visitors and exhibitors attending the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME)  in Melbourne next month will be able to download an event-specific smartphone event application. The introduction of the ShowGizmo app will allow attendees to plan their time, share and connect information using their phones. Sally de Swart, Reed Travel Exhibitions director for AIME said the introduction of the ShowGizmo app was a great opportunity to utilise technology in a meaningful business context. “Up until now the only option at exhibitions involved exchanging business cards and collecting literature,” she said. “The ShowGizmo app means that the same information can be gathered in a more convenient way.”

A 10-Year Sustainability Achievement Award has been presented to The Grace Hotel, Sydney.

It was presented by Minister for the Environment Robyn Parker to general manager Philip Pratley at the 2011 Green Globe Awards at Parliament House.

It recognises the hotel’s commitment to sustainability and protecting the environment since the inaugural Green Globe Award in 2001.

Over the past decade the hotel’s management and staff have continuously introduced environmental initiatives, particularly in the areas of pollution reduction and resource conservation. Initiatives include:

• Cutting energy consumption by 20 per cent through systematic lighting upgrades and air-conditioning improvements.

• Cutting water use, despite extra food and recreational outlets, through efficiency programs and increased monitoring.

• Introducing green amenities with biodegradable packaging in guest rooms, and using environmentally friendly cleaningproducts in housekeeping.

• Introducing a more efficient garbage-sorting system to reduce landfill impact.

• Implementing a commitment to the 10R policy covering Research, Review, Reduce, Reuse, Replace, Remove, Repair, Refill,Recycle, Results.

Pratley says the hotel will continue to support environmental initiatives.

Based in Sydney, Workshop Events has produced three social events for a conference in Singapore attended by more than 500 guests from Australia.

Workshop Events was commissioned to produce the welcome reception, family evening and gala dinner for a three-day financial conference. More than 300 delegates travelled from Australia with their partners and children.

Working with the conference theme “Explore, Expand and Evolve” and overlaying Oriental inspiration, Workshop Events used local suppliers and materials to design the events and style the venues.

Before an event management team (project manager, three event producers, production manager and technical director) headed up to Singapore for site visits and to build relationships with suppliers, it did research through a DMC and using internet searches and recommendations through social media (namely LinkedIn and Flickr).

Finally recommended from an immense range of venues were the Billiard Room at Raffles Hotel, Singapore Zoo and Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre’s ballroom (in partnership with KuDeTa restaurant atop the hotel). Compromise and creative thinking was needed for each venue to meet the event brief.

For the welcome reception at Raffles Hotel, Workshop Events produced an evening evocative of British Colonial Singapore as the “explore” component of the conference theme. The indoor/outdoor cocktail reception included culture and entertainment, starting with soldiers leading guests through the streets to the hotel. Singapore Slings were served on arrival and guests invited to explore their surroundings. A pianist in tails was performing and an all-female pipe band played Tipperary to echoe colonial times.

In the Palm Garden, guests discovered colonial trader treats including an Indian tea-pouring display, Chinese sugar candy, an Indian snake charmer and a fortune-telling parrot. They could also try their hand at Malay weaving and Chinese fan painting.

A family evening at Singapore Zoo was the second social event, themed “evolve” and focusing on the evolution of Singapore as a melting pot of cultures. A buffet menu featured delicacies from India, Malaysia and China, complemented with Tiger beer. Entertainment included fire-breathing drummers, a Chinese mask-changing performer and an agile Shaolin monk.

Three elephants were invited to the party for a feed of bananas, and guests took part in the zoo’s Night Safari by tram.

Celebrating the client’s 25th anniversary, the gala dinner was at Marina Bay Sands Complex and themed “expand” to showcase Singapore as the modern hub of Asia. A stage featured the city lights and a chandelier made from thousands orchids. Soul Mystique entertained with its quick-change act, and after dinner guests were surprised by clowns dressed in black and white on stilts. They presented guests with balloons and invited them to take them on a “parade” to the top of the hotel. With views of the city skyline from 58 storeys up, guests arrived at Ku De Ta, releasing their balloons before having dessert, cheese and cocktails while a contemporary band played.

At times, communicating with Singapore via email and phone was extremely frustrating with long delays in response times, constantly changing quotes and unclear messaging,” says Workshop Events managing director Richard Breatnach. “On the ground, however, everything came together extremely well, and all suppliers went to great lengths to get it right.”

South Australia’s conference and convention strategy can drive further economic development if supported by key local growth industries, according to Fast Future CEO Rohit Talwar.

He told industry leaders in Adelaide that the strategy should be closely linked to such sectors as defence, mining, education and medical research.

Talwar said that attracting targeted international conferences and events to Adelaide would promote stronger links between key SA industries and overseas decision makers, creating more likelihood of inward investment.

This can be achieved if decision makers recognise the potential of using business events as a platform for economic development.”

As a legacy from the six-month 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition which ended in April, the Expo Dome has been converted into a convention and exhibition centre while other structures have also been saved for other uses.

Nearly nine million visitors attended the floral event, setting an attendance record for Taiwan.

Joining the dome and other expo pavilions will be the Taipei pavilion from the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, which is being reassembled and will re-open next month. As well as this, the exposition site will stay as the Flora Expo Park.

Within a month of the floral event closing, the new convention and exhibition centre hosted the five-day 2011 Taipei Food Festival World Championship of Cookery, which had 10,006sq.m. of exhibitions and attracted nearly 1000 international guests and 15,000 people from Taiwan.

A spokesman says the exhibition calendar of the Expo Dome is full until the end of November.

Staging Rentals & Construction Services has made a major investment in its construction capabilities in its Sydney and Melbourne branches.

A computerised CNC cutting machine has been bought for the Sydney branch while a workshop has been set up in Melbourne also with a CNC machine. The machines work off CAD drawings and can shape large sheets of timber, laminate, Perspex and even foam.

Managing director David Comer says the moves will enable clients to push the limits of possibilities even further. The new machines allow for event designers and producers to be more creative without it being costly,” he says.

In the photo, this shell design for Myer was a finalist in the Design Institute Awards.

A record $30 million in revenue from events and related activities was generated by Adelaide Convention Centre<http://www.adelaidecc.com.au> in the latest financial year.

Events at the 24-year-old centre in the past 12 months delivered $91.1 million in economic benefits to South Australia – more than $16 million over target.

Chief executive Alec Gilbert says the year’s events brought 22,500 people from interstate and overseas into the state, and that hotels were among the biggest beneficiaries with 101,000 room nights generated off the back of events at the centre.

The record year is testament to the hard work and commitment of the 504 permanent and casual staff employed at the centre, who also managed to achieve a 98 per cent satisfaction rating among our guests and delegates during the year.

ACC hosted 505 events during the 12 months, including high-profile international and national conferences including OzWater, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress, EAROPH World Congress on Housing & Planning and the International Conference on Co-ordination Chemistry.

However, despite the record return, the centre still lost out on business because of the venue’s capacity restraints.

The expansion and redevelopment of the centre over the next few years will make us one of the largest, most flexible and up-to-date meeting places in the world and remove the capacity restraints,” says Gilbert.

We have already managed to attract larger events for 2014 and beyond because of the increased capacity brought about by expansion, including the 2014 World Aquaculture Conference.”

Event organisers from Queensland and Victoria have spent three days at Crowne Plaza properties in Terrigal, Coogee Beach and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales testing the creative components of the hotel group’s Meetings Success program.

After an al-fresco buffet lunch at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach in Sydney, the group transferred north to Crowne Plaza Terrigal by seaplane. After landing, the group was greeted with sparkling wine. Dinner that evening was in the hotel’s beachfront Seasalt restaurant.

There was more sparkling wine the next morning when the visitors arrived at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley. After a horse-and-carriage wine tour and appreciation class at nearby Ballabourneen winery, there was an off-site dinner in the wine room.

After a buffet breakfast at Redsalt the next day, the group was offered a range of treatments at the hotel’s Tea Tree Day Spa before boarding stretch Hummers to drive to Newcastle Airport.

Pictured: Ready to fly are (from left): Lauren Born of Taylored Images, Julie Jerbic of Conference Online, Michelle Van Schalwyk of Corporate Traveller, Phil Beeson of IHG, Janice Creighton of Limelight Events, Samantha Morris of Venue Management Services/ECS, Fran Lalor of Organisation Unlimited and Karine Beck of MCI.

For the second consecutive year, Adelaide Convention Centre has achieved silver EarthCheck certification, performing at “above best practice” in seven key areas of natural resource reduction. Its success in diverting waste from landfill saw it graded 57 per cent above best practice.

Run by EC3 Global, the EarthCheck program is used by more than 1100 tourism and travel organisations in 65 countries, including convention centres, hotel and travel groups, national park agencies, community organisations and government regulators.

After becoming the first convention centre in Australia to achieve bronze EarthCheck accreditation two years ago, ACC followed up by becoming the first centre to progress to silver status. It must undergo an annual audit process for five years to gain gold status.

Chief executive Alec Gilbert says few organisations have programs based on science and even fewer put themselves up for independent auditing. “At ACC, benchmarking, research and continuous improvement are fundamental to achieving our sustainability goals.”

ACC’s “green crusade” is in its fifth year. Organic waste going to landfill has been virtually eliminated; the centre aims to reuse and recycle at least 90 per cent of exhibition waste; electricity consumption has been cut by 26 per cent and gas consumption by 35 per cent; and the carbon emissions from staging events can be calculated and offset.

“Sustainability is part of our business plan,” says Gilbert. “The board and senior management embrace our programs, and many of the best ideas – and much of the daily commitment – comes from the staff.”

As well as hosting a gala dinner for 200 people following the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation annual Ride for a Cure gala dinner, staff members at Novotel Barossa Valley Resort in South Australia helped with some fund-raising among themselves, and many worked overtime or on their day off to help.

It is the sixth year the foundation has held the event at the resort, and it is already locked in for next year. Ride for a Cure, this year involving 188 riders, traditionally follows the Tour Down Under cycling event in South Australia.

With the event outgrowing the 180-seat ballroom at the Novotel, a 10m. by 45m. marquee was put up in its grounds. As well as working within a tight budget, the resort shared the cost of setting up the marquee and landscaping the event, a $5000 gesture. The staff fundraising resulted in general manager James Murphy presenting a cheque for $500 to support juvenile diabetes research.

To add a James Bond touch, the resort‚s business events team secured an Aston Martin for the night and set up a mock casino. Chefs from the resort‚s restaurant worked on a menu that was easy to create in a temporary kitchen, and Accor partners helped provide a temporary bar and fridge.

After all expenses were paid, the foundation was left with $1 million from the evening.

Key benchmarks in measuring the business value of meetings were identified in a study released by Meeting Professionals International at AIBTM in Baltimore.

These included the percentage of businesses that measure, barriers to implementation, crucial programming elements for organisational success, and key skills for personal success.

This research enables our members and industry colleagues for the first time to assess their own practices against established, global benchmarks,‰ said MPI president and CEO Bruce MacMillan. „We now have the critical data to direct the development of tools and resources our professional community needs to speak the language of business and advance best practices in value measurement.‰

Conducted by Association Insights, the study was funded through an investment by AIBTM into the MPI Foundation‚s Thought Leadership program last year. The initiative produced the Meetings Deliver report and tactical implementation kit that aggregated market research from multiple sources. Based on the latest findings, MPI will develop a set of business tools that will measure the value of events in relevant business terms.

After interviewing 261 corporations in 27 countries, researchers found that fewer than 10 per cent of meetings are currently measured for business value. Many businesses were found to rely on the current marketplace definition that there is implied business value if participants are satisfied with the meeting or event objectives.

As well as exploring the impact of implied return on outcome, the report outlines successful elements of active measurement programs associated with high-expense events.

While the research indicates that tradeshows, sales meetings and marketing events draw the most scrutiny on business value, researchers discovered that the key tactics used measuring these types of events can be applied universally. The three most common traits of successful measurement initiatives are clearly defined meeting and event objectives, appropriately designed data collection methods and thorough evaluation of results.

A panel of security industry experts honoured Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre for having the best in-house security team in Australia.

It took the title in the Australian Security Industry Association Limited Awards, presented in Melbourne.

SCEC chief executive Ton van Amerongen says the award reflects the sophistication of the security set-up at the centre, which hosts more than a million people a year, including political leaders and other international VIPs.

Headed by security manager Johnny Naofal, the team is responsible for not only high-level security, but also specialised strategies, emergency response plans and medical help at levels beyond the industry standard, says van Amerongen. It has a relationship with the NSW Police Department, Federal Police and ASIO, and its personnel can swell to more than 100 officers during major events.

Pictured: Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre’s award-winning security team - (from left): Phil Brookes (control room manager), Michael Barker (security officer), Eddie Idik (security support manager), Johnny Naofal (security manager), Bradley Goldberg (event security manager), John Langi (security superviser) and Albert Ferro (security officer).

A business events division has been set up by Hangzhou Tourism Commission in China.

Manager Roger Shu says a website will be launched this month with information on venues, hotels and other suppliers. While in Mandarin, it will be updated in English and then other languages.

Forums, training and destination promotion are also being organised, with ICCA president Arnalod Nardone running a three-day training program last month.

Shu says UNWTO has been asked to help promote Hangzhou internationally as a business events destination.

He says the division has suggested to ICCA that after its congress in Shanghai in 2013 it could use Hangzhou for its leisure program.

Meanwhile, a “massive” convention centre is being built in Hangzhou, according to the commissions director-general, Li Hong. It would be opening in 2015.

A business events association has also been formed, with 100 members.

Hangzhou can be reached by high-speed train from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport in about the same time it takes to reach Shanghai from the airport.

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