Sheep View 360˚ campaign wins at the World Media Awards 2017

Sheep View 360˚ campaign wins at the World Media Awards 2017
Sheep View 360˚, which saw the Faroe Islands enlist the help of its many (80,000) sheep to put the islands on the Google Street View map, recently won the top Travel & Tourism Award at the World Media Awards 2017.

With a budget of only $200,000, Sheep View 360˚ generated two billion media impressions and an estimated PR value of around $50 million. The campaign, in turn, shared the natural beauty of the little-known islands with the world, garnering support from countless destinations worldwide.

The campaign saw Faroese resident Durita Dahl Andreassen combine forces with Visit Faroe Islands to undertake a unique sheep-based mapping system to petition Google to put the destination on Street View, thus unlocking the Faroes’ hidden beauty. By mounting cameras on the back of sheep, which periodically captured 360˚ images as they wandered the hillsides freely, Durita was able to upload the pictures to Google maps, thus creating the unique ‘Sheep View’.

Nominated alongside Airbnb, Destination Canada, London & Partners and Marriott International, Visit Faroe Islands is thrilled to scoop the top award in the Travel & Tourism category.

The campaign has also won several other prestigious international awards in the USA, France, Sweden and Denmark.

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#SheepView360˚ #Faroes #VisitFaroeIslands #MICENews #TourismNews

London sees growth in hotel development, as new properties open across capital for 2016

London sees growth in hotel development, as new properties open across capital for 2016
Increase driven by uplift in budget and five star accommodation

PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday, 18 November 2015

The number of hotel rooms in London is expected to grow by 12 per cent over the next three years according to new data compiled by London & Partners and AM:PM, with the increase being driven by an uplift in budget and five star hotel accommodation across the capital. These new properties and hotel extensions will add 17,769 more rooms across the capital over the same period, up from the current figure of 138,769.

The data released to coincide with IBTM World in Barcelona this week, shows that 43 budget properties are expected to open by the end of 2018, with low-cost accommodation in the city predicted to increase by 29 per cent over the next three years. Over the coming three years, 19 five star properties will also open in the capital, increasing the hotel stock in this category by 22 per cent.

Tracy Halliwell MBE, Director of Business Tourism and Major Events at London & Partners, said: “With the rising number of business and leisure visitors to London and strong occupancy levels across the city, it is great to see that a range of hotel companies are investing in new properties, catering for the demand for both low-cost and high-end hotels. With properties right next to many tourist attractions, these investments will help to attract more visitors to London as well as provide new facilities for both local and international businesses to host meetings and conferences across the city.”

Rising business and leisure visitor numbers for London have been reflected in record occupancy levels across the city’s hotels. London occupancies have averaged 80 per cent or above since 2006, according to PwC and their UK hotels forecast 2016 predicts a decade high of 84 per cent this year, with the Rugby World Cup having provided a further boost. PwC projects a further increase to 85 per cent occupancy for London’s hotels in 2016.

Alan Gordon, Director of AM:PM said: “London has absorbed significant new hotel supply in recent years and continues to attract serious attention from UK and international hotel groups looking to enter or extend their presence. Alongside wider infrastructure and real estate investment in the capital, the footprint of the hotel market in London continues to expand and this has opened up new opportunities in many locations. Aldgate, Shoreditch, Vauxhall and Whitechapel are just a few areas that are witnessing exciting change that includes new hotels, many of which are from brands making their UK debut.”

Between 2010 and 2014 there was a 18.9 per cent increase in room supply in London and the city continues to see increasing hotel openings to cater for this strong demand. New luxury hotels opening their doors in 2016 will include the InterContinental London – The O2, the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square and The Curtain Hotel and Members Club Shoreditch.

Featuring 453 bedrooms, a dedicated conference centre with 20 multifunctional meeting rooms and a 3,000sqm ballroom, which will hold up to 3,000 delegates the InterContinental London – The O2 is due to officially open its doors in January. The hotel will be on the doorstep of The O2 in east London and will include a spa, an indoor pool, two restaurants, a hotel bar and an 18th-floor Sky Bar, offering panoramic views across the Thames to Canary Wharf and beyond.

Also in east London, the Curtain Hotel and Members Club Shoreditch, which will feature 120 warm and spacious guest rooms including six suites, each with natural light, hardwood floors, steam showers, and bespoke and original artwork from some of London and New York City’s leading contemporary artists. Nobu’s first London hotel will house 143 bedrooms and a statement restaurant: a dramatic five metre high space in the basement. The five storey hotel includes its own garden, while rooms are clustered around a central bathroom screened off by a full-height curved unit.

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, an exhibitor on London & Partners stand at IBTM World, will open two London properties in 2016. Park Plaza London Waterloo will have 494 rooms and offer a swimming pool, spa, restaurant and bar. Opening in early 2016, the Park Plaza Park Royal hotel in west London will offer four star accommodation over six storeys, with a bar, restaurant, gym and conference facilities on the ground floor.

“Our development pipeline continues to focus on opening contemporary hotels in vibrant destinations.” comments Greg Hegarty, Regional General Manager UK, PPHE Hotel Group. “As London remains extremely popular with business and leisure guests, we have directed investment in to the capital so that we can continue to offer a greater choice, excellent service and value to our guests in key locations throughout the city. In addition we have just confirmed the signing of a hotel management agreement with Battersea Power Station Development Company to open a new hotel under the art’otel brand; so the new openings come at a very positive time for PPHE Hotel Group and our ongoing development pipeline.”

On the doorstep of the Tower of London will be the new Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square. The existing structure of Ten Trinity Square, a grand Parisian beaux-arts building, is being meticulously restored and upgraded. The hotel will occupy the lower ground to the third floors of the building, with 100 guest rooms and suites, two gourmet restaurants, a grand lobby bar, and a spa and fitness centre.

New budget accommodation for the city will include eight new Travelodge hotels including London Richmond Central and London Finsbury Park. Premier Inn is also expected to open three properties during 2016, including London Sidcup, London Archway and the hub by Premier Inn at London Spitalfields, Brick Lane Hotel.

Visit London & Partners on stand G10 at IBTM World in Barcelona to learn more about new openings in 2016 and hosting an event in London.

www.conventionbureau.london

Exclusively Corporate @IMEX : Innovation und Leadership als Erfolgsfaktoren

Lingerie-Unternehmerin Michelle Mone als Keynote Speakerin bestätigt

Pressemitteilung
15 April 2014

Die IMEX Gruppe gibt ihr diesjähriges Programm des “Exclusively Corporate @IMEX ” Events bekannt – eine Veranstaltung, die bereits im zweiten Jahr ihres Bestehend zu einem Aushängeschild der IMEX für europäische und internationale Corporate Meeting Planner geworden ist.

Michelle Mone, Mitinhaberin des Unterwäschelabels „Ultimo Brands International“ und eine der drei erfolgreichsten weiblichen Unternehmerinnen in den England, wird die Keynote Rede der Veranstaltung am Montag, den 19. Mai 2014 halten. Mone, deren Rede von „London & Partners“ – London’s official Convention Bureau – gesponsert wird, wird in ihrer Rede insbesondere auf den strategischen Einsatz von Events als Differenzierungsmerkmal und im Rahmen des Markenbildungsprozesses für „Ultimo“ eingehen.

Die Veranstaltung “Exclusively Corporate @IMEX” wurde im letzten Jahr erstmals durchgeführt. Der Event behandelt in einem exklusiven Rahmen die spezifischen Bedürfnisse der Corporate Meeting Planner und bietet eine besondere Plattform speziell auch zum Austausch mit Kollegen aus anderen Branchen und Unternehmen. Das Programm startet mit einem informellen Abendessen auf Einladung von Fairmont, Raffles, Swissotel, bei dem der Erfahrungsaustausch und das Kennenlernen neuer Netzwerkpartner im Vordergrund stehen. Der nächste Tag startet mit einem Frühstück (gesponsert vom Dubai Convention & Events Bureau), gefolgt von einem Vormittag zur freien Verfügung, der für eigenes Arbeiten oder aber für eine City Tour verwendet werden kann. Nach einem Networking-Lunch läutet die Keynote Rede von Frau Mone den Weiterbildungsteil der Veranstaltung ein. Die ca. 70 Teilnehmer können dabei zwischen Vorträgen aus drei Bereichen wählen: „Risk Management und Compliance“; „Innovation und Creativity“ und einem dritten Bereich für Senior Corporate Executives, die mehr als 10 Jahre Berufserfahrung haben.

Dazu IMEX Group CEO, Carina Bauer: “Wir freuen uns sehr auf die zweite Ausgabe dieser Veranstaltung und speziell darauf, Michelle Mone als Keynote Rednerin präsentieren zu können. Ihr unternehmerischer Esprit und ihr Einfallsreichtum passen wunderbar zu den aktuellen Anforderungen unserer MICE-Branche. Speziell in Zeiten, in denen Compliancevorgaben und weitere Reglementierungen die Veranstaltungsbranche stark beeinflussen, wird ein außergewöhnlicher und kreativer Zugang zum Eventdesign immer wichtiger. Die vielen praktische Einblicke und erfolgreichen Case Studies, die im Programm vorgestellt werden, bieten sicherlich einen hohen Mehrwert für die Teilnehmer.“

Barbara Jamison, Head of Business Development Europe bei „London& Partners“, ergänzt: “Wir freuen uns sehr, diese Veranstaltung unterstützen zu dürfen. Die hier transportierten Werte Inspiration, Kreativität und Innovation korrelieren bestens mit unseren wichtigsten Botschaften, die wir durch unsere Unternehmensstrategie für London vermitteln wollen. London bietet alle Möglichkeiten für perfektes Eventmanagement mit bestens ausgestatteten Locations, innovativen Dienstleistern und einer Kultur, die ihresgleichen sucht. Wir von „London & Partners“ freuen uns sehr, unsere Stadt mit 20 Partnern an F400 auf der IMEX in Frankfurt präsentieren zu können.”

Nach der „Exclusively Corporate @IMEX” Veranstaltung, die wieder in der Villa Kennedy statt findet, wird die Teilnehmergruppe die IMEX Frankfurt an den darauf folgenden Messetagen besuchen.

Eine Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Ergebnisse und Diskussionen des „Schwester-Events“ der IMEX in Amerika, dem „Executive Meeting Forum“, das jährlich in Las Vegas statt findet, ist in einem kostenlosen Online Report erhältlich.

Es stehen noch einige wenige Plätze auf der “Exclusively Corporate @IMEX“ Veranstaltung zur Verfügung. Interessenten senden bitte eine Email an: donna.fung@imexexhibitions.com.

UK AND IRELAND ATTEND EIBTM

UK AND IRELAND ATTEND EIBTM
Destinations use Global Event for the Meetings and Events Industry as a Platform to Boost International Exposure

UK and Ireland have confirmed that they will once again be exhibiting at EIBTM (www.eibtm.com) this year. The decision for London & Partners, Visit Scotland and Meet in Ireland to attend the show, supports its strategic business objectives which are to extend its global presence and market the UK and Ireland as a key Meetings and Incentives destination to an international audience.

London and Partners (www.londonandpartners.com) – Stand B35
Barbara Jamison, London & Partners Head of Business Development Europe, commented, “Exhibiting at EIBTM generates about £25m worth of enquiries for London & Partners and our partners. The city has shown that it can deliver events on an unprecedented scale, and a raft of new venues, accommodation and attractions have been developed.

“By exhibiting at the show, we aim to promote London as a top business tourism destination, with a focus on corporate, incentive and association events. It provides a platform to promote the new marketing messages of London, namely, its diversity, innovation, value and the legacy of London. We are also able to introduce partners to market contacts they do not already have whilst gaining market intelligence and competitor information to formulate our overall market strategy.

“We want buyers and visitors to the show to see London as a destination where they don’t have to fly in, have their event and fly straight out again. There are a multitude of attractions to see and activities to do in the city and these can become great reasons to extend a business trip or form part of a social itinerary. London is where people can tap into key markets and network with business professionals that are experts in their field”.

VisitScotland (www.conventionscotland.com) – Stand B60
Amanda Henderson, Meetings and Incentives Marketing Manager, UK & Europe, VisitScotland comments, “Scotland is a destination on the move, offering a globally recognised culture that adds splendour, character and humour to any occasion, and that is supported by a 250-year heritage in hospitality that creates a welcome so deep rooted in the population’s character that its impossible to miss.

“Combine this with a truly breathtaking landscape, a playground of incentive choices – from outdoor pursuits, cultural explorations, geographical delights and world renowned sport – and with an equally enticing contemporary choice of destinations, attractions, hotels and venue’s; Scotland is a country ready-made for the ambitious and demanding event business.”

“2014 is a big year for Scotland, the combination of Homecoming 2014, the arrival of the Commonwealth Games and the return of the Ryder Cup will showcase to the world the many reasons why event organisers choose Scotland. Our world class hospitality, our warm welcome, our abundance of stunning venues, range of accommodation, the most beautiful landscapes in the world, and of course our passion for sport, especially golf, are just some of the many reasons to visit Scotland.”

Meet in Ireland (www.meetinireland.com) – Stand B30
Keith McCormack, Head of Business Tourism and Events, Fáilte Ireland commented,
“Meet in Ireland attends EIBTM each year as the show provides another opportunity to promote Ireland as a MICE destination to international buyers particularly those from our key source markets of US, UK, France and Germany. Our presence at the show gives our Irish trade partners a platform to showcase their business and we pass on as many contacts to our partners as we can.”

“Meeting new buyers who are considering Ireland as an option for their MICE business enables us, as a destination, to convince these buyers that Ireland is the right choice for their group and also gives us an opportunity to introduce new ideas and product to them. Meet in Ireland’s role is to educate buyers on what Ireland has to offer from a MICE perspective and to advise buyers on the best fit for their meeting, conference or incentive programme.”

“EIBTM is an essential event in our annual promotions calendar, it offers a real opportunity for our Irish trade to showcase their products and meet genuine international buyers, it is a win win event for our us as the Tourism Development Authority. The show also provides an opportunity for us to continue to build on our existing relationships with buyers, and also gain knowledge on who our competitors are and what other destinations are doing from a MICE perspective.”

Visit England (www.visitengland.com) – Stand B50

Simon Gidman, Head of Business Visits and Events at VisitEngland, commented:
“Following a hugely successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and a host of major sporting events on the horizon, including the 2014 British Open, the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2017 World Athletics Championships, VisitEngland will be celebrating all things ‘sport’ and showcasing our great event destinations and venues at EIBTM in 2013.”

“As the national tourism organisation for England it is our job to encourage international visitors to our country and given that just over 25% of international spend is by business visitors this is a very important market for us. A recent report suggests that the UK meetings industry is worth an estimated £58 billion to the UK economy and employs over 530,000 people”.

“England is globally recognised as a world leader in meetings and events with a highly skilled and creative industry and after the hugely successful Olympic and Paralympic Games last year, England proved once again that it can host global events at the very highest level. Now we can look forward to hosting more major international events in the years to come whether business, cultural or sporting. England is proud host to the Rugby World in 2015 and getting ready to welcome the World Athletics Championships in 2017″.

“It is also our job to raise awareness of the incredible opportunities for holding business events across the entire length and breadth of our country. Many of our destinations have a proven record of boosting delegate numbers as well as offering excellent facilities and superb value for money. This year at EIBTM VisitEngland has an impressive range of stand partners. These include three of our leading exhibition and convention centres, a number of England’s most exclusive luxury hotels, two of our world class universities, two DMCs and a host of our most successful event destinations. EIBTM provides us with an excellent platform to showcase England as one of the world’s leading destinations for corporate, incentive and association events. Our key messages are around easy access, excellence in key economic sectors – particularly those in the advanced knowledge sectors such as engineering and life sciences – a diverse range of quality venues and our warm English welcome.

“With the arrival of a new heir to the English throne and new developments happening across the country, English tourism has an exciting future to look forward to. At EIBTM we want to give visitors a real taste of what we have to offer!”

EIBTM 2013 will take place from 19th – 21st November, a week earlier than in previous years. The EIBTM Forum will take place the day before the exhibition on 18th November. To find out more about ways to attend, visit www.eibtm.com/attend

CIBTM 2012 – THE BIGGEST EVER

CIBTM 2012 – THE BIGGEST EVER
China’s largest meetings, incentives and business travel exhibition

CIBTM, (www.cibtm.com), China’s largest meetings, incentives and business travel exhibition (12 – 14 September 2012) taking place at the China National Convention Centre (CNCC), Beijing, has received unprecedented regional and international exhibitor bookings and Hosted Buyer registrations, driven by regional and overseas companies wanting to do business with each other.

Supported by the findings of the 2011 CIBTM Industry Research Report, growth is not only for the meetings market within China, but also for the volume of meetings and events inbound to China from international planners as well as the growth predicted for outbound business tourism from the region.

Jeffrey Xu, Reed Travel Exhibitions, CIBTM Project Manager commented, “Last year’s analysis showed that 74% of buyer respondents and 52% of suppliers forecasted an increase in the volume of events that they would organise and supply to over the next twelve months. This clearly demonstrates the high demand for businesses who can cater for China, Asia and the rest of the world, which explains the unprecedented request for space from exhibitors.”

97% of the show floor is now booked as many new exhibitors, along with a long list of returning companies have signed up to continue leveraging the exposure and business leads which the show generates for both regional and international meetings industry suppliers.

24 regional and international exhibitors have signed up to attend CIBTM for the first time this year including Italy, Holland, Madrid Convention Bureau, Switzerland, InterContinental Hotels Group, Okinawa Tourism Board, MGM Grand Ho Tram, MasterCard, McArthurGlen UK Ltd, Chengdu Tourism board，Diaoyutai MGM Hotels，The Okura Group, Shenzhen Best Meeting, Sengmen International Hotel Management Ltd，China OCT, Pacific World, Changjiang Cruise Overseas Travel Co., Hotel Equatorial Shanghai, Xi’an Tangyi Fang, Global Management Services, Carey International, London & Partners, Circus Maximus International and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

“Exhibitors from 2011 have returned once again this year as a direct result of the return on investment they achieved from their participation in last year’s show. As part of our on-going development and progression, we continually conduct research around inbound and outbound business from the regions where each of our shows are held. We are looking forward to this year’s update of the IBTM Global research at the show as it will provide us with an insight of what to expect in the industry sector for 2013,” continued Xu.

“We are delighted to be participating in CIBTM once again. Last year’s show delivered for us on all fronts and we achieved a great deal of business leads following our participation. CIBTM continually delivers a great quality audience of Hosted Buyers and we are looking forward to exhibiting again this year,” said Mercedes García, Marketing Manager at Barcelona’s Tourism Convention Bureau.

CIBTM has also received a higher volume of Hosted Buyer applications, 320 to date (33% up from this time last year) nearly 80% of the number expected at the show. Regional Hosted Buyers confirmed to attend are from cities including Shenzen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Qingdao and international Hosted Buyers are traveling from cities including Hong Kong, Moscow, Madrid, London and New York.

Regional Hosted Buyer Ding Jisheng, Senior Business Development Manager, Motorola (China) Electronics Limited comments, “I feel that CIBTM has become a must-attend MICE event which provides corporate buyers with direct access to first hand industry information, allows them to build a rapport with new suppliers as well as learn more about the industry through the cutting-edge education programme. I always expect unique suppliers for meetings and events and CIBTM never lets me down”.

This year’s CIBTM Education programme is now confirmed (www.cibtm.com</em>) with more than 19 tailored education sessions taking place over the course of 3 days. The Site International Conference follows CIBTM this year in Beijing. For full event details and to apply for free Hosted Buyer or visitor status logon to www.cibtm.com/en/Visiting

CIBTM 2012 takes place on the 12th-14th September 2012.

London and Partners

Tourism results demonstrate upward momentum for London

The latest provisional figures from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) reveal that London welcomed 4.4 million visitors in quarter three (Q3) of 2011 (July – September), representing a year on year gain of 1.9%.

The biggest contribution to Q3’s performance came from long haul destinations, with North America up by 7.8% and the other countries including most of the developing and emerging economies such as Brazil, China, Russia and India – all significantly increased.

In total the overall increase represented nearly 80,000 additional visitors in the three month period compared to 2010.  As a result, figures for the nine months to September reveal a positive 5.9% increase in visits to the capital; indicating a steady rise in London’s visitor growth.  These were buoyed by robust business visits which have increased by 8.5% over this same period.

The upbeat business market also strengthened Q3 visits to the capital with an increase of over 5% year on year, representing nearly 700,000 visits in total. London’s number one business market, the USA, continued to drive the sector upwards in the quarter with a 6% increase in corporate visitors. Other major business markets including France and Germany also performed very strongly in the quarter.

Visitor expenditure growth was also more marked than Q2 with a year on year increase of 12.4%, generating an additional £300 million for London’s tourism economy.  As a result, the average trip expenditure increased by one-tenth, to £633 from £574 in 2010.

Both European and North American expenditure showed a steady increase up 8.4% and 10.6% respectively, bringing the total visitor expenditure in London to an impressive £2.77 billion.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “London remains one of the most exciting and unique destinations in the world. Last year saw more visitors than ever coming to our great city and, standing on the cusp of what is set to be one of the most memorable years the capital has ever seen, there couldn’t be a better time to visit. From world class sport, to cultural extravaganzas, to the pomp and pageantry of the Diamond Jubilee there really is something for everyone to enjoy.”

Gordon Innes, CEO, London & Partners said: “The solid evidence of sustained recovery is evident in these latest results for the capital. We can also see an indication of the burgeoning BRIC sector and an increase in visitors from Asia and other countries.  Big draws for this quarter included Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress at the summer opening of Buckingham Palace, London Pride and the very successful World Badminton Championships at Wembley.” – Ends

About London & Partners
London & Partners is the official promotional organisation for London. Our company attracts and delivers value to business, students and visitors. London & Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of London and a network of commercial partners.

Our remit is to drive leisure and business visitors as well as bidding to secure major events in London, to unlock the city for overseas businesses who want to set up or expand in London and to promote the capital’s world class universities to international students.

Our intention is to work in partnership with organisations in London and across the world to deliver our goal – that London be globally recognised as the best big city on earth.

For more information visit www.londonandpartners.com

Contact: Press@londonandpartners.com / +44 207 234 5710
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