Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau Showcases the City’s Pulse at ACE of MICE

Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau Showcases the City’s Pulse at ACE of MICE

LONDON (24 February 2015) – Turkey’s only MICE industry fair and Istanbul Convention Bureau’s (ICVB) industry partner, the ACE of MICE Exhibition, will be held at the Istanbul Congress Centre on 26-28 February gathering sector professionals from Turkey and around the world.

At the fair expected to attract more than 13,000 visitors, ICVB will promote Istanbul’s congress, conference, fair and exhibition facilities and incentives via one-to-one meetings with international sector professionals over the three days.

Goal to make Istanbul first choice for MICE…
ICVB’s General Manager Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz says: “We at ICVB are striving to make Istanbul the first go-to destination in international congress tourism and continue to work towards the city increasing its market share of the international MICE scene. To that end as an industry partner of the ACE of MICE Exhibition, which promotes the whole of Turkey, we look forward to a successful fair for both visitors and exhibitors. This year we will be taking members of the international media on tours of the city as the most direct way to experience and learn about Istanbul. We are very proud to be a part of the ACE of MICE Exhibition – the fair where the heart of the congress industry beats.”

The ACE of MICE Exhibition, established to created awareness of the MICE sector, is being held for the second time this year with exhibitors from 25 countries and will include the ‘ACE of MICE Congress, Meeting and Event Awards’ on 27 February at the Halic Congress Centre.

OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE CATALYST FOR THE SULTANATE’S FOCUS ON BUSINESS EVENTS

OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE CATALYST FOR THE SULTANATE’S FOCUS ON BUSINESS EVENTS

Muscat, 24th February 2015 – The Sultanate of Oman is enjoying record visitation from Australia and New Zealand due to its positioning as a multifaceted destination with serious delegate appeal. This interest is being propelled by the new world-class Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre opening in 2016.

Contributing to this record increase, Oman has already attracted significant events from high achiever incentive programs from Australia such as Mercedes Benz and News Ltd.

The Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry of Tourism Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Ms Mona Tannous, said that in 2011-2012 Oman achieved a staggering 72% increase in visitations from Australia and New Zealand, followed by 11% in 2012-2013 and 10% in 2013-2014, as a result exceeding those from European countries.

“We often talk about Oman being the best-kept secret in Arabia. But clients keep telling us that Oman’s unique natural beauty, heritage and culture combined with the renowned warmth and hospitality of Omani people makes Oman the best-kept tourism secret on the planet,” Ms Tannous said.

With more than 10,500 hotel rooms available in Muscat by 2018, the opening of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is the catalyst for major business events in the Sultanate.

OCEC’s venue manager AEG Ogden agrees that their marketing efforts over the past three years have gained traction with Oman now being seriously considered as one of the world’s most exciting emerging convention destinations.

AEG Ogden’s Group Manager Convention Sales Development, Ms Rochelle Uechtritz said,”with numerous convention bids in the pipeline as far ahead as 2021, the operations team will ensure that each and every delegate will experience a special blend of traditional Omani hospitality.”

“The OCEC executive management team is headed by our General Manager, Trevor McCartney, who has more than 20 years experience that includes venue pre-openings in the Middle East, Asia and UK. The key positions of Director of Operations, Head of Events, Director of Food & Beverage and the Executive Chef all possess extensive global operational expertise, most recently from within our own network of venues.”

“We have also been extremely fortunate to have appointed several highly skilled Omani professionals and are working towards recruiting and training a workforce of more than 160 full-time staff by the end of 2015, of which 60% will be Omanis,” Ms Uechtritz added.

Pacific World enrolls 24 more staff members to participate in an in-house MPI CMP Boot Camp

Pacific World enrolls 24 more staff members to participate in an in-house MPI CMP Boot Camp

Pacific World (www.pacificworld.com), the integrated global DMC and Event Management organisation, has signed up 24 staff members, who represent four of its European destinations (namely Spain, France, Monaco and UK), to undertake the MPI CMP Boot Camp and help prepare their employees for the Convention Industry Council´s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification. The Boot Camp will be held in Barcelona, Spain on February 23rd and 24th.

The event planning and management company is one of the first to sign up for the in-house boot camps that have been developed by the UK Centre for Events Management at Leeds Beckett University on behalf of MPI UK and Ireland.

This European initiative builds on a similar initiative announced recently in Singapore for a further 22 of Pacific World´s employees, (based across the company´s Asia locations), to train for the CMP examination.

MPI UK and Ireland President, Miguel Neves, who recently gained his CMP certification has welcomed the move.

“It is great to see buy-in by the industry and in particular to see an agency committed to getting high level education to prepare their staff for the CMP examination. We are delighted with the content of the boot camp which covers not only the ten knowledge domains in two days, but also uses best practices, group activities and real-time scenarios, to provide an effective all-round learning experiences for planners.

Mark Barber, Regional Director for Pacific World Europe, explains: “Pacific World has acknowledged that the events industry is at a turning point and that today´s clients are looking for a reliable events partner, who recognises among other things, the importance of continued staff development, to deliver a world-class event experience. The CMP training and certification will provide our staff with important skills and know-how to deliver the needs of our clients and at the same time, we believe existing and new clients will recognise the value of working with a partner whose staff understand and all speak the same language.

The successful completion of the CMP training and certification in our European and Asian locations, will complement existing CMP professionals, within the team of our alliance partner, ACCESS Destination Services.

Together, the Pacific World / ACCESS global team of CMP qualified professionals will aim to ensure a consistent and compliant way of working, along with exemplary operational standards, regardless of the destination our clients choose from our extensive portfolio of possible event locations.”

VP for Education on MPW UKI Board of Directors, Jane Baker of Freeman XP comments: “The CMP has been a core part of our vision to support the professional development of our industry. There has been significant interest on the certification and boot camp from agencies, so this in-house solution adds to what we can offer in the UK and beyond, alongside the scheduled boot camps that will run twice a year.”

MPI will be running the next CMP Boot camp in London on 6th and 7th July 2015. More details on this and future boot camps can be found on the website www.mpiuk.org

For more information on Pacific World please visit: www.pacificworld.com

Business Events Week 2015 opens with new research confirming the sector a major driver of the economy

Business Events Week 2015 opens with new research confirming the sector a major driver of the economy

The Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) officially opened Business Events Week 2015 – a week-long showcase of the business events industry across conferences and meetings, exhibitions and incentive reward travel – with a media conference strongly supported by its industry leaders.

Now in its third year, Business Events Week 2015 is building on its past success and broadening this year’s focus to a national perspective; delivering a platform to profile the Australian national business events industry.

MCB’s Chief Executive Officer, Karen Bolinger, said that whilst the significance of business events to Victoria was clearly demonstrated in 2014 with the World Cardiology Congress, the 20th International AIDS Conference and the World Cancer Congress – delivering almost 30,000 delegates to the city and an estimated economic contribution of more than $179 million – it was important that the Bureau supported the industry in raising the profile of business events on a national scale.

In breaking news at the media conference Matthew Hingerty, Chairman of Business Events Council of Australia (BECA), launched the first report in a decade on the Australian business events sector; presenting research demonstrating that the business events sector is a major driver of the national economy.

The study titled, The Value of Business Events to Australia was commissioned by BECA, conducted by the global research firm EY and co-funded by the Australian Government under the T-QUAL Grants program and the business events industry.

“A key finding of the research reveals the huge number of people participating in business events compared to other major public events,” said Matthew Hingerty.

“The significance of our sector is evident when the numbers show that 37 million people attended more than 412,000 business events held across Australia in 2013-2014 and provided 179,357 jobs.”

Ms Bolinger concluded, “Business events is a quiet achiever but this new report from BECA, with support from the business events industry, presents a very strong business case to government and industry stakeholders to continue to increase its support and investment in the sector.”

Business Events Week, an MCB initiative, is a week-long program of activities showcasing the value of business events to Australia in driving economic development, creating jobs, opening up trade and investment opportunities and fostering knowledge exchange.

For further information on Business Events Week or to conduct an interview with Karen Bolinger please contact Nicole Beasley, or for an interview with Matthew Hingerty contact Felicity Zadro.

AIME 2015 Gala Dinner location announced

AIME 2015 Gala Dinner location announced

Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer, Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has revealed today that Central Pier in Melbourne’s Docklands will set the scene for the inaugural 2015 Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) Gala Dinner.

The showcase social event hosted by MCB will follow AIME on Wednesday, 25th February, rather than precede the show, which is all part of the new AIME experience.

“We are excited to announce the location as Central Pier as this community and events hub set on Melbourne’s waterfront reflects our distinct Melbourne style – meeting its industrial past with modern design and reinventing something new and surprising.”

“The setting, just minutes from the inner central business district and surrounded by stunning water views is perfect for the new style of event. Hosted Buyers, Media and Exhibitors will be immersed in a celebration that truly represents the creativity, colour and vibrancy of Melbourne.”

“Guests will be able to catchup with new business contacts and continue the conversations from the previous two days of the show in a more intimate and relaxed environment.”

Many local businesses, which are MCB members, have collaborated to bring the AIME Gala Dinner to life including Atlantic Group, Peter Jones Special Events, and Harry the Hirer, as well as support from the City of Melbourne.

Atlantic Group has a reputation for challenging industry norms through innovation and excellence continued Ms Bolinger. So whilst the location has been revealed be prepared for something a little different – Melbourne is known for unexpected discoveries and creative twists.

“I have no doubt that this year’s event will further showcase the great reputation of Melbourne’s business events services and suppliers and demonstrate that no other city works together quite like Melbourne does.”

Tickets are selling fast, with a limited availability remaining. The dress code is ‘dress to impress’ cocktail and a light jacket is recommended.

AIME is the largest business exhibition of its kind in Australia, and will take place on Tuesday, 24th and Wednesday, 25th February at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. AIME is set to attract more than 2500 delegates responsible for organising meetings, conferences, incentives and business travel, and over 600 Exhibitors from over 37 countries.

Implementing solutions to control mass tourism

Implementing solutions to control mass tourism, a challenge for European cities

Worldwide tourism exponential growth (+276% international travellers in 30 years) leads European cities to face an increasing number of visitors and crowded spots, thus disturbing the tourism model and its public perception. During last European Cities Marketing meeting in Gijón this month, European cities discussed how to regulate visitors’ flows without destroying what made a city attractive at first: its uniqueness!

Keynote speaker, Stephen Hodes, co-founder and partner at LAgroup, particularly captured the audience attention regarding development of worldwide tourism and set the context. From 1980 to 2010, the number of international travellers worldwide has grown from 250 to 940 million and by 2030 this figure will double. While managing the growth of crowded touristic cities, several possible solutions were suggested throughout the day: quotas, creation of new attractions to spatial dispersal, temporal dispersal, limitation in hotel growth, pricing and ticketing of former free attractions… In order to face this challenge, Amsterdam came up with its new campaign to give tourists reasons to go out of the city, highlighting 16 characters to improve the product. And to market Amsterdam abroad, a layer of 6 themes was introduced.

Positive perception of cities is what brings results, Gijón Ambassadors programme showcased by Carolina García, Convention Bureau Coordinator at Gijón Visitors & Convention Bureau, is a good example. The “Inhabitants as ambassadors” programme consists in celebrities born in Gijón singing praises of their hometown. Several surveys show that the credibility and welcoming nature of Gijón citizens is what people appreciated the most during their stay. ECM members experienced this convivial nature during their stay in Gijón thanks to Gijón Visitors & Convention Bureau’s hospitality.

Five member cities: Aarhus, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bruges and Dubrovnik outlined their different experiences in terms of managing visitors flows in conjunction with their sizes, their environments, etc during the afternoon dedicated to best practices sessions.

Speaking about the meeting theme, Ignasi de Delàs, European Cities Meeting President, said: “Exchanges between members are at the heart of European Cities Marketing and this meeting was no exception with presentations and case studies on how cities handle visitors’ flows. It’s obvious that cities need tools to regulate tourism impact and avoid coexistence problems.”

The next ECM meeting will take place in Turin, June 3-6, 2015 and the theme will be “Creating the city – how events and infrastructure projects can change the image”.

*European Cities Marketing is a non-profit organisation improving the competitiveness and performance of leading cities of Europe by providing a platform for convention, leisure and city marketing professionals to exchange knowledge, best practice and widen their network to build new business. European Cities Marketing is promoting and linking the interests of 110 members from more than 100 major cities in 36 countries.

Tour Operator for the Silk Road Train also known as Vodka Train

Leading Tour Operator for the Silk Road Train also known as Vodka Train

Tourism News – Travel News

SMS Frankfurt Group | Events Incentives Adventures
Three weeks, twelve nations – the most exciting active tour of the summer
Largest Vodka Train Tour of SMS Frankfurt through Russia to Mongolia and China completed

Frankfurt, – From June twelve to 30th almost 100 adventure and sports enthusiasts from twelve countries were on their way by train, by foot, bus and ferry – at the Vodka Train Tour. This summer offer included among other things a boat party on the Moscow River, cross country running along the Eurasian border, a bath in icy Lake Baikal and a stay in exclusive Mongolian yurts. It was the largest organized cultural, sports and event tour of SMS Frankfurt. >READ MORE>

Meet Birmingham

Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport – More than just an airport hotel…
Centrally located (just two miles from M42, NEC, Birmingham International train station and Airport) and with event facilities for up to 600 guests, the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport has more to offer than you may think.
Event Facilities

Having started life as the terminal building for the original Birmingham airport and following an £18 million investment, the Holiday Birmingham Airport hotel is now a key player in the meeting and events market. The Aspire Conference Centre features 14 flexible function rooms, with the largest being the Lancaster suite, seating up to 600 delegates. Features include a private entrance and foyer area, incorporating two private function bars. Smaller meeting rooms seat from 2 to 150 delegates and all benefit from natural daylight, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Our experienced events teams will help you navigate through the planning process and our dedicated conference hosts will be at your side throughout your event to tend to your every need.

Something for everyone –
With 239 bedrooms, including 90 Executive rooms and 7 suites, we can cater for residential events, as well as charity dinners and special events. Our Inspire leisure centre (including a swimming pool and gym) is the perfect place to unwind and residents can also enjoy a 25% discount off treatments at our on-site, Peridot Beauty.

Within easy reach –
With a complimentary regular shuttle bus service from Birmingham International train station and NEC (also servicing the airport via a free monorail) and ample free on-site car parking for all delegates, the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport hotel is the perfect central location for any event.

Exclusive meeting and events offer –
Enjoy 20% discount off all new meeting and event bookings, when you book before 1st September 2015 (Consumed by 31st December 2015 – Subject to availability and terms and conditions apply).

Contact our Meeting and Events Team for further information –
Telephone – 0871 663 9007
E-mail – conference@hiairport.co.uk
Website – www.hiairport.co.uk.

Abenteuertag, Kinderland und Kinderkino – Familien sind auf der ITB Berlin herzlich willkommen

Abenteuertag, Kinderland und Kinderkino – Familien sind auf der ITB Berlin herzlich willkommen
Große Abenteuer für kleine Entdecker – Auf der weltgrößten Reisemesse verbringen Eltern und Kinder am 7. und 8. März einen erlebnisreichen Tag – Eintritt für Kinder unter 14 Jahren frei

Berlin, 18. Februar 2015 – Spiel, Spaß und Reisefieber: Einen spannenden Tag mit Eindrücken aus der ganzen Welt erleben Familien auf der diesjährigen ITB Berlin. Große und kleine Besucher können am 7. und 8. März 2015 auf der weltgrößten Reisemesse fremde Kulturen entdecken, im Hochseilgarten klettern, auf Schatzsuche gehen oder mit Pippi Langstrumpf Geburtstag feiern. Über 10.000 Aussteller aus mehr als 180 Ländern und Regionen sind zu Gast auf dem Messegelände unter dem Berliner Funkturm. Dort gibt es umfangreiche Informationen und Inspirationen für den Familienurlaub. An zahlreichen Ständen lässt sich sogar die nächste Traumreise direkt buchen.

Lustige Mitmach-Aktionen und spannende Kulturen erleben
Gleich am Eingang Süd überrascht das Offizielle Partnerland Mongolei die Besucher mit einer Original-Jurte. Ausführliche Informationen über das noch relativ unbekannte Land und seine jahrtausendalten Kulturen gibt es am Mongolei-Stand in Halle 26c. Auf der Bühne in Halle 4.1 nehmen Auftritte von Pferdekopfgeigenspielern, traditionellen Sängern sowie Schlangenmenschen die großen und kleinen Zuschauer mit in die Weiten des Landes von Dschingis Khan.

Samstag ist Abenteuertag. Auf der kleinen Bühne in Halle 4.1 lesen Bloggerinnen aufregende Reisegeschichten aus aller Welt vor. Über Reiseerfahrungen mit Kindern berichtet Patrick Valentin von Globetrotter. Langweilig wird’s in Halle 4.1 bestimmt nie. Kletterbegeisterte können ihre Künste auf dem fast sechs Meter hohen Kletterturm zeigen oder im Hochseilgarten die Technik des Klettersteig-Gehens lernen. Am Stand von Camp Adventure können kleine Gäste nicht nur ein Baumhaus besuchen, sondern auch eine eindrucksvolle Zaubershow bestaunen. Kleine Forscher können auf dem Globetrotter-Stand die Steppe der Mongolei ergründen oder sie begeben sich auf Schatzsuche nach einem Karabiner im Sand. Sie können entdecken, wie ein Arctic Truck aus Island funktioniert. Lustige Mitmachaktionen sowie coole Bastel- und Malstationen sorgen auch bei Radio Teddy für jede Menge Spiel und Spaß.

Märchenhafte Gewinnspiele und kostenlose Kinderbetreuung
Mit großem Tamtam, Gesang, Tanz und einer Torte feiert Schweden (Halle 18) den 70sten Geburtstag von Pippi Langstrumpf. Kleine Künstler sind eingeladen, beim Malwettbewerb mitzumachen. Die besten Bilder werden mit Pippi-Puppen belohnt. Popcorn und Drehorgel läuten am Stand der Hansestadt Bremen (Halle 6.2) den traditionellen Freimarkt ein. Die fröhliche Volksfeststimmung gipfelt mit tollen Preisen am Glücksrad. Auch am Stand von Hessen (Halle 7.2c) verspricht die Märchenfee sagenhafte Gewinne rund um die Geschichten der Brüder Grimm.

Im ITB Kinderland (Halle 26c) wartet ein wahres Mitmach-Spektakel des Labyrinth Kindermuseums und ein großer Basteltisch auf die jüngsten Messebesucher. Erstmals können Eltern ihren Nachwuchs auch im ITB Kinderkino (Halle 2.1) in die Obhut professioneller Hände geben. Kurzfilme aus 20 Ländern flimmern über die Leinwand. Außerdem gibt es Anleitungen zum Jurten-Basteln und Kinderschminken. Die Kinderbetreuung ab vier Jahren ist sowohl im Kinderland als auch im Kinderkino kostenlos.

Erwachsene können ihr Ticket gegen ein Gewinnspiellos eintauschen. Da heißt es Daumendrücken. Denn beim großen ITB Berlin-Gewinnspiel werden attraktive Preise im Wert von rund 60.000 Euro verlost, darunter Reisen auf die Malediven, nach Abu Dhabi, Estland, Luxemburg, Irland, Italien, Mallorca, Malta, Andalusien, Toskana, Hamburg und Türkei, sowie Flusskreuzfahrten durch Europa oder Erlebnis-, Städte- und Wellness-Reisen. Als Hauptpreis winkt eine achttägige Reise in die Mongolei. Die Verlosung findet auf der großen Bühne in Halle 4.1 am Samstag und Sonntag jeweils um 13 Uhr und 16 Uhr statt.

Vergünstigte Tickets online bestellen
Die ITB Berlin-Publikumstage sind am Samstag und Sonntag, 7. und 8. März 2015. An diesen Tagen erhalten die Besucher vergünstigte Eintrittskarten online sowie an allen S-Bahn-Verkaufsstellen und in Kundenzentren der BVG. Ein Tagesticket kostet hier 12 Euro statt 15 Euro an der Tageskasse. Diese reduzierten Tickets lassen sich unter http://www.itb-berlin.de/eintrittskarten bequem bis 8. März 2015 von zu Hause buchen und sind bei der BVG sowie der S-Bahn Berlin bis 8. März 2015, 12 Uhr erhältlich.
Kinder unter 14 Jahren haben in Begleitung eines Erwachsenen freien Zutritt. Schüler und Studenten erhalten ein ermäßigtes Tagesticket zum Preis von acht Euro. Das Last Minute Ticket für den 8. März ab 14 Uhr kostet an der Tageskasse acht Euro. Erwachsene können ihr Ticket gegen ein Gewinnspiellos für ein Riesengewinnspiel mit Reisen rund um den Globus eintauschen. Die Öffnungszeiten der ITB Berlin sind jeweils von 10 bis 18 Uhr. Für die bequeme An- und Abreise wird die Nutzung des öffentlichen Nahverkehrs empfohlen.

Weitere Informationen und Tourenvorschläge für die ITB Berlin 2015 finden Interessierte unter http://www.itb-berlin.de/publikum.
Über die ITB Berlin und den ITB Berlin Kongress
Die ITB Berlin 2015 findet von Mittwoch bis Sonntag, 4. bis 8. März, statt. Von Mittwoch bis Freitag ist die ITB Berlin für Fachbesucher geöffnet. Parallel zur Messe läuft der ITB Berlin Kongress von Mittwoch bis Samstag, 4. bis 7. März 2015. Er ist weltweit der größte Fachkongress der Branche. Mehr Informationen sind zu finden unter http://www.itb-kongress.de. Die ITB Berlin ist die führende Messe der weltweiten Reiseindustrie. 2014 stellten 10.147 Aussteller aus 189 Ländern ihre Produkte und Dienstleistungen rund 174.000 Besuchern, darunter 114.000 Fachbesuchern vor.

Youtube Marketing – MICEmedia-online.biz YouTube channel advertising

Youtube Marketing – MICEmedia-online.biz YouTube channel advertising

Reach your global target group with http://www.MICEmedia-online.biz.
Meeting planners and decision makers around the globe and upload your own company clip here.
A professional clip can bring your business message directly to your target group. Discover venues, hotels and destinations with MICEmedia.biz business videos and get a preview of the destinations you want to visit.
This is your chance to promote your company or product directly to the global MICE professionals.

- Your video should be in .mov format!

Copyrights:
Make sure all copyrights belong to you 
- Do not upload anything for which you do not hold the copyright. (i.e. Pictures, Music etc.)
Please note: Your clip will be reviewed and if accepted will be released within 24-48 hours, after we have received your payment.
Spots that pertains to MICE activities gets preference. Only those with complete contact information will be published. MICEmedia-online.biz asks that you not upload copyrighted, obscene or any other material which violates!
MICEmedia-online.biz reserves the right to remove any video at any time at our discretion, if your video matches not to our regulations and suggestions.

Prices:
Your global presence costs 499.00 EUR!
Special price for all new clients NOW ONLY 399.00 EUR.
The listing is unlimited in time!

MICEmedia-online

Video Marketing €399,00 EUR

The best way to see how easy and effective our service can be is to try it!

Payments
All payments are verified by PayPal. Sign up and log in to your PayPal account and go to the “Send Money” tab. You can send money to this e-mail: info(at)mice-contact.de using your credit card, checking account or funds already in your PayPal account.
If you do not feel comfortable to pay online, we will be happy to invoice you for a bank transfer, we send you the invoice as PDF-file. Let us know which payment way do you prefer. We will publish your announcement after the receipt of your payment.
All online orders are pre-paid orders.
Attention: Your computer’s IP address will be recorded for safety and security reason!
If you should have any questions about our advertising options or news release offers, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Copyrights:
Make sure all copyrights belong to you 
- Do not upload anything for which you do not hold the copyright. (i.e. Pictures, Music etc.)
Please note: Your clip will be reviewed and if accepted will be released within 24-48 hours, after we have received your payment.
Spots that pertains to MICE activities gets preference. Only those with complete contact information will be published. MICEmedia-online.biz asks that you not upload copyrighted, obscene or any other material which violates!
MICEmedia-online.biz reserves the right to remove any video at any time at our discretion.