Khiri Travel Experts Showcase Southeast Asia at FITUR

Khiri Travel Experts Showcase Southeast Asia at FITUR

Khiri Travel aims to open new markets for Spanish speaking B2B tour operators who wish to discover authentic local travel in Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Maldives.

Multiple award-winning Khiri Travel is bringing 23 years of Southeast Asian DMC experience to Madrid for FITUR, 18-22 January.

At the event, Khiri will be represented at booth 6A35 by innovative managers, Gonzalo Gil Lavedra, General Manager of Khiri Travel Sri Lanka & Maldives, and Florencia Allo Moreno, Country Manager of Khiri Travel Vietnam. They have extensive DMC management experience in Southeast Asia combined with in-depth knowledge of their current destinations, Sri Lanka and Vietnam(read more about Gonzalo and Florencia below).

Florencia says that Khiri Travel distinguishes itself from other DMCs in Asia by focusing on in-depth local knowledge, highly informative local guides and showing natural community life in inspirational settings.

For example, in Hanoi, Florencia has introduced a back lane tour of the Old Quarter where guests see Tai Chi being practised and discover amazing Hanoi street food snacks such as baguettes, grilled pork and noodles and ‘egg coffee’ in hidden cafes.

In Sri Lanka, Gonzalo has introduced informal six-a-side cricket for guests in the 500-year-old heritage city of Galle in the south coast followed by a gin and tonic and a tour of the ancient ramparts overlooking the Indian Ocean.

When Khiri does visit iconic locations, they do it right. In popular places such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Myanmar and the Grand Palace in Bangkok Khiri guides take an alternative approach.

“For example, we enter Shwe Dagon Pagoda by a back entrance and talk to fortune tellers,” says Florencia. “In Angkor we discover the quieter temples away from the crowds early in the morning. In Bangkok, as well as the Grand Palace, we take guests on a back street walking tour through the historic Rattanakosin heritage district nearby.”

Says Gonzalo: “It’s about doing the major highlights right then moving on to surprising local discoveries where we get close to people and their traditional customs in a respectful way. There is always surprise and delight just around the corner.”

To date, Khiri Travel’s main B2B markets have been Netherlands, UK, Germany and the USA. “We feel it’s the right time to show Spanish and Portuguese speaking markets the amazing cultural diversity of Asia,” said Gonzalo.

In the last five years, Khiri Travel has won awards such as “Best DMC Worldwide”, “Best Travel Agency – Indochina”, “Best Responsible Tourism Website”, “Inbound Travel Operator of the Year”, and the Pacific Asia Travel Association Grand Award for Heritage and Culture — for a tented camp project in Cambodia. A list of recent Khiri Travel awards can be inspected here.

For an appointment to meet Khiri Travel’s Gonzalo or Florencia at FITUR, email travel.trade@khiri.com.

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IACC Names Chefs as “Copper Skillet European Champions”

IACC Names Chefs as “Copper Skillet European Champions”

(Netherlands)  — 9 chefs from IACC member properties in Denmark, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Germany & the UK gathered at Kapellerput on 24 September at the IACC-Europe Knowledge Festival to compete for the coveted European Copper Skillet where the winners go on to the Copper Skillet global final taking place in the Los Angeles in April 2017.

Regina Andersen from the Trinity Hotel & Conference Centre, Denmark took the Senior title for her winning dish in the cook-off of pork filet rolled around a farce of cod, with potatoes and fried onions.

Mary Palecek from the Sundial Venue – Woodside, UK was declared Junior category champion for her dish of pork fillet medallions, sweet potato, sautéed courgette and chorizo, with a tomato and chilli salsa

The chefs were presented with basic pantry items along with a “mystery basket” of proteins and other fresh, dairy and grocery items. They were given 30 minutes to prepare, create, and present their creations to local area judges.

The winners of the European cook-off (one senior chef and one junior chef) will go on to compete with other chefs from IACC chapters around the world at the International Copper Skillet Competition at the IACC-Americas Connect Annual Meeting on the 4–6 April 2017 where the 13th Global Copper Skillet Champion will be named.

The popular Copper Skillet competition was introduced in 2004 to highlight the artistry and skill of the best chefs from IACC-member conference venues around the world and to honour their contributions to the shared goal of providing an outstanding conference venue experience.

NASHVILLE ROCKS IBTM AMERICA 2016

NASHVILLE ROCKS IBTM AMERICA 2016

ibtm america held last week at Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort Nashville, exclusively connected the US and international meetings industry through a mix of business, education and networking. Kicking off with Discovery Day, where over 500 attendees experienced downtown Music City and the legendary Honky Tonks, the private event continued at the Gaylord Convention Center with some 5000 one-to-one mutually matched business appointments and 18.5 hours of networking opportunities over 2.5 days.

Tailored to the US market, the event was dominated by North America, Mexico, Canada and Caribbean suppliers that included hotel brands, convention centers, incentive destinations, CVB’s, NTO’s, Cruise Lines and tech suppliers. Each exhibitor has an all inclusive, uniformed Meeting Pod, which just requires their own branding so that clients just show up, sit down and start their business meetings.

First tier cities this year included NYC & Company, Greater Miami CVB, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and Detroit Metro CVB as well as Great Fort Lauderdale the destination for ibtm america in 2017. Some 2/3rd of exhibitors returned from their success at last year’s event.

Alex Michaels, Director of Sales for Virginia’s Blue Ridge “loved the privacy of the meeting pods” adding “We have been non-stop since Wednesday. I have really had a chance to have enough time with each buyer to explain about us and who we are and all in private. The mutual match has given me real appointments and planners who are already interested in us. I really believe I have met some great contacts for my business”.

This year’s international exhibitors included Costa Del Sol Convention Bureau, Valencia Region Tourist Board, Busan, Visit Flanders (Belgium), India Tourist Office, Turespana and Dubai Business Events.

Ishrat Alam – Tourist Information Officer, India Tourism confirmed the success of the event: “We have attended every year since the beginning of this event. Last year we picked up many leads but 2 of them will definitely turn into business in 2017. We know that any MICE business leads can take up to 2-3 years to make happen, but this has always proved to be a great ROI and it has given us the opportunity to really explain our experiential high end incentive and meetings products face to face. The mutual match appointment system is very good indeed.”

The Hosted Buyer program included 86% domestic USA and 14% international, (based on the research among exhibitors) including Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Spain, Sweden, UAE and UK.
Exhibitor’s had requested planners from the corporate sector, as well as incentive planners as their priority – the first time this sector was at the event – associations and agency made up the rest.

Thomas L Fagan, Jr, PE, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) said of his attendance: “We are the world’s largest not for profit association. In 2015 we had 1300 meetings worldwide. I am here looking at various hotels, venues and CVB’s and have found a number of opportunities. I had 18 serious appointments of which some will wind up getting business placed. We are looking at events up to 5 years ahead – it used to be 10 years but the lead time has now shortened. I have been to ibtm america for the past 3 years – it works for me”.

The top 5 products of interest identified by Hosted Buyers for their appointments this year were Conference and meeting venues, resorts and spas, destinations and non-hotel special event venues. Planners represented blue chip companies such as American Express, Colgate-Palmolive, National Association of African American Studies, Global Cynergies, Wells Fargo, The International Ecotourism Society, Herballife International, Maritz and many others.

The show floor had new features this year with a focus on Technology, displayed around a central hub that also enabled more connections to be made over breaks in the appointments schedule, the TechCollective showcased latest and emerging technologies, from start-ups and entrepreneurs highlighting new ideas for the industry through live demonstrations.

“Building a community for this industry is a key ingredient to the success of ibtm america and this year Nashville bought everyone together for a southern style US meetings experience. The mutual match system of appointments was refined still further to produce the highest quality of real business prospects, resulting in some great praise from our exhibitors and buyers. Designing a system that allows both buyers and suppliers to choose who they want to meet with from the outset of their journey with us, and then making this happen has produced some remarkable results and 100% of appointments that each party wanted to have for their diary – nearly 30 over the 1.5 business days”.

Continuing to rotate ibtm america to the country’s top meetings cities, The Hilton Diplomat Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale will be the home of the event next year. Having received top honors from TripAdvisor and Orbitz, the property was also named a top 100 Meeting Hotel by Cvent.

ibtm america will take place from June 14 – 16 2017
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#ibtm #ibtmameric #MICE #MICEnews #IEEE #CVB #NTO

IMEX in Frankfurt 2015 will be biggest ever

IMEX in Frankfurt 2015 will be biggest ever

Show opens on Tuesday 19 May
IMEX in Frankfurt 2015, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events, will be the biggest since its launch in 2003 when it opens its doors next week.

55 new stands from every continent and from every meetings market sector will be among the 3,500 exhibiting companies who represent over 150 countries at Messe Frankfurt from 19 to 21 May. 45 established exhibitors have booked larger stands from as far afield as Abu Dhabi to China, the Netherlands to Azerbaijan and Peru to New York City, making this year’s show the largest in its history.

With demand from hosted buyers continuing to strengthen year-on-year, hundreds of new hosted buyers, many of them from long haul destinations, will be arriving in Frankfurt as part of the almost 4,000 strong programme.

The IMEX educational programme, now based around the Inspiration Hub on the show floor, will offer 170 education sessions, with 30 of these in German, providing a comprehensive wide ranging choice. There will be new early morning sessions on Business Networking and Building Confidence. Two new session formats will be geared specifically towards Young Professionals – for anyone with up to 3 years industry experience – and Senior Professionals – for anyone with 8 years experience or more.

Also new this year within the education programme is Creative Thursday featuring engaging interactive sessions such as how to form effective partnerships with suppliers and advice on event design.

At the IMEX Opening Ceremony on Tuesday morning, the keynote speaker will be Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP, the world’s largest business software company who is a passionate advocate of the value and power of meetings in building business.

Trade visitors and buyers can still register for IMEX online in advance, or in person from at the show from May 19th – May 21st. Registration is fast and free.

To register to be a visitor https://portal.imex-frankfurt.com/register.php
To find out who is exhibiting http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/events/business/whos-exhibiting/
To find out more about educational events http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/events/education/

Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau Appoints Redmint

Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau Appoints Redmint as PR Agency for number of European countries

LONDON (19 January 2015) – The Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau (ICVB) has appointed Redmint Communications as its public relations agency for the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Redmint Communications will be promoting, publicising and strengthening Istanbul’s brand image as a leading congress and meetings destination via an effective and meaningful PR strategy in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

As a historical meeting point between East and West and spanning two continents, today’s Istanbul is a leading MICE destination offering unique and exciting venues. The city has the capacity to host every type of event, from bespoke incentives to meetings for up to 30,000 for corporate and leisure visitors alike. Combined with Istanbul’s historic venues, palaces, cisterns and more, it offers meeting planners a variety of remarkable options to create truly outstanding events. Accommodation in Istanbul is both numerous and offers a selection across the spectrum.

Easily accessible from around the world, Istanbul is served by nearly 300 international airlines at its two airports. Turkish Airlines, named ‘Best Airline Europe’ by Skytrax for four years running, has a network of more than 260 direct flights and flies to more countries than any other airline in the world.

Istanbul was ranked 8^th in the world by the International Congress and Convention Association in its 2013 Rankings for Cities and Countries and 1^st for large congresses of 300-500 guests.

ICVB was founded as Turkey’s first destination marketing bureau in 1997 and today offers a wide range of services to help promote Istanbul as a MICE destination while assisting organisers in creating

exciting events around the city. Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz, General Manager of ICVB, says of the appointment of Redmint: “We are delighted to have appointed Redmint Communications as our public relations agency for the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. With their unrivalled knowledge of Turkey and Istanbul, and their MICE experience to date, not to mention vital contacts, we feel confident that they will help take Istanbul into a new phase in its appeal as of the world’s top MICE destinations.”

LEADING INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS TO ATTEND EIBTM

LEADING INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS TO ATTEND EIBTM
MY ASSOCIATION | MY CLUB ATTRACTS GLOBAL ATTENTION

OKTOBER 2014 – A new initiative launched for the Association Sector by EIBTM has garnered support from the industry across the world and attracted a global representation of Buyers who are now registered to attend EIBTM 2014. My Association | My Club was announced in the summer to give a more flexible option to an Association Planner’s business and networking agenda at this year’s event in Barcelona from 18-20 November.

Association Buyers with average budgets between US$1m & US$5m and some as high as US$20m, have joined the programme which will see 20 countries represented including US, China, UK, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France. The key elements of My Association | My Club have been designed in consultation with Association Planners through research and a dedicated Focus Group meeting.

Commenting on the new approach to the Association sector, Patrick Debus, Permanent Secretary World Federation of Consuls said: “I can only congratulate the EIBTM Team for having launched “MY ASSOCIATION / MY CLUB“, this new initiative is fully answering and definitively taking more care of the Association Planner’s expectations and I can only congratulate the team for such a useful and highly appreciated concern.”

Another participant from the Association Focus Group commented: “The new My Association | My Club programme is unique, as it is specifically tailored to the Association Executive, allowing optimal networking while offering maximal flexibility. The Club Lounge on the show floor and the Educational Sessions will allow to maximise interactions with fellow Executives and Exhibitors. No doubt this will enhance the return on investment of Exhibitors as well as Association Buyers.”

Richard Holmes, International Director of Meetings of International League against Epilepsy, added: “I am delighted to see that many of the suggestions from the Association Focus Group have been taken on board and incorporated into the planning of EIBTM 2014. By hosting Buyers at the same hotel and benefits such as the Association Hub, I expect to have greater opportunities to meet with other Association Buyers whom I might not get a chance to catch up with on the show floor. I hope that more flexible scheduling will allow me to maximise my limited time, meeting with more partners and suppliers at the show.”

Priority has been given to “flexibility” a key request that came out of the research. Each Association Planner can now control their own itinerary, through choosing what they do, allowing time to explore the show, choose their own meetings and appointments and add to them as they wish in their own Association Hub – a dedicated Club Lounge on the show floor. With dedicated networking, and their own host hotel, the Association Club also means that the attendees get to be together throughout their attendance at EIBTM 2014.

Whilst the Association Planners will continue to have their own dedicated education sector sessions, they will also have the flexibility to attend any of the EIBTM Knowledge Programme, defining which best suit their own business – another request that was made from those who participated in the research.

“We are delighted by the response from the international Association sector, since we announced the launch of My Association | My Club. It was clear from the Focus Group held to determine and discuss what they wanted from their industry event, that we needed to think big and make some fundamental changes. We have, and we hope that EIBTM 2014 will be exactly what they want from their stay with us in Barcelona, and that our suppliers will obviously benefit as well from this more flexible approach,” said Graeme Barnett, EIBTM Senior Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

“More than ever, EIBTM is definitively the key Event for Associations Meeting Planners to meet the World, and their world, in the most enjoyable and fruitful conditions,” added Debus.

For more information on My Association | My Club, please go to: http://www.eibtm.com/Hosted-Buyers/Dedicated-Programmes/My-Association-My-Club

To find out more about the Hosted Buyer Programme and to apply for your place, please visit: www.eibtm.com/hbregister

EIBTM 2014 will take place from 18th – 20th November.

TERI ORTON NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF HAWAI‘I CONVENTION CENTER

TERI ORTON NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF HAWAI‘I CONVENTION CENTER

HONOLULU, December 12, 2013 – AEG Facilities, which will assume management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center January 1, 2014, has named Teri Orton as General Manager of the 1.1 million square-foot facility located at the entrance to Waikïkï, O‘ahu. She will join AEG on December 18.

Prior to accepting the position, Orton was Vice President of Condominium Resort Marketing for Outrigger Enterprises Group, which consists of 16 properties across the Hawaiian Islands.

“Teri’s dynamic leadership skills, ability to motivate teams and proficiency in the hospitality arena combined with her experience and deep understanding of the destination make her the ideal person to oversee this great facility,” said Brad Gessner, Vice President of Convention Centers, AEG Facilities. “The addition of Teri along with the existing knowledgeable and professional staff to our experienced AEG Facilities team are uniquely qualified and poised to take the Center to new standards of success in service, bookings and guest satisfaction.”

In her new role, Orton will oversee all overall management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, including sales and marketing, operations, finance, food and beverage and customer service, while implementing the strategic positioning and marketing plans for the facility in conjunction with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), and the Meet Hawai‘i team.

“I am excited and privileged to have the opportunity to join the well-respected AEG Facilities management group in operating the world class Hawai‘i Convention Center,” said Orton. “Together with the veteran existing staff members, I am looking forward to working in conjunction with all of the community and hospitality stakeholders along with the HTA and Meet Hawai‘i sales team in marketing the Center and the Hawaiian Islands as an unmatched business meetings destination.”

“We are very fortunate to have found in Teri an individual born and raised in the Islands with outstanding travel industry credentials and a passionate belief in the strength and marketability of Hawai‘i as a meetings destination,” said Mike McCartney, HTA’s president and CEO. “Her proven track record of success and leadership will contribute greatly to elevating the Center’s global presence and optimizing its usage.”

Orton’s 17 years of hospitality experience includes posts as hotel general manager, director of sales and marketing and other management roles with Outrigger Enterprises Group, Embassy Suites, The Ilikai, W Diamond Head, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani and the Huntington Beach Hilton Resort.

Orton majored in communications at the University of Hawai‘i – Windward Campus and advanced her training in hospitality management through various certifications with Starwood and Hilton Hotels. She has also been a member of the Waikiki Roundtable Committee for two years and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) membership committee chair for two years.

AEG Facilities has more than 20 years of experience in the management of convention centers, as well as arenas, stadiums and other facilities. The company offers a network of elite
worldwide convention centers, all of which have a similar look and feel to Hawai‘i’s convention center. With a presence in more than 100 venues on five continents, the Los Angeles-based organization expects to immediately position the HCC in some of the HTA’s key Meetings, Conventions and Incentive (MCI) markets, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

AEG takes over the management of the Honolulu center from SMG, which has run the venue since it opened in 1998.

About Meet Hawai‘i
Meet Hawai‘i is a collaboration of the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) and Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) to reinforce the brand of the Hawaiian Islands as a world-class destination for business meetings, conventions, and incentive programs. The marketing efforts of the Meet Hawai‘i team are overseen by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawai‘i’s tourism agency. HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawai‘i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawai‘i’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs. For information about Meet Hawai‘i and the hosting of meetings, conventions and incentives, please visit MeetHawaii.com.

About AEG Facilities
AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, is the leading sports, entertainment and venue operator in the world. AEG Facilities, a stand-alone affiliate of AEG, owns, operates or consults with more than 100 of the industry’s preeminent venues worldwide, across five continents, providing complete venue management, as well as specialized programs in operations, guest services, ticketing, booking, sales and marketing. AEG Facilities also provides resources and access to other AEG-affiliated entities, including live event producer, AEG Live, AEG Global Partnerships, AEG Development, AEG 1Earth, AEG Encore and AEG Creative to support the success of AEG venues across the globe. The Los Angeles-based organization owns, operates or provides services to the world’s most elite venues, including STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, Calif.), StubHub Center (Carson, Calif.), Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (Los Angeles, Calif.), Sprint Center (Kansas City, Mo.), KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, Ky.),
AmericanAirlines Arena(Miami, Fla.), Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.), Target Center (Minneapolis, Minn.) and BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, Texas). Among the roster of world class convention centers and other facilities managed by the division are the Los Angeles Convention Center, Hawai’i Convention Center (Honolulu, HI), Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (Brisbane, Australia), Oman Convention and Exhibition Center (Muscat, Oman), Sydney International Convention, Exhibition, and Entertainment District, Cairns Convention Center and Darwin Conventions Centre. Other venues include Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum (Oakland, Calif.), CONSOL Energy Center (Pittsburgh, Penn.), Rabobank Arena (Bakersfield, Calif.), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MasterCard Center (Beijing, China), The O2 Arena (London, England), O2 World (Berlin, Germany), O2 World Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany), Ahoy Arena (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Itaipava Arena Pernambuco (Recife, Brazil), Allianz Parque (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), Ülker Sports Arena (Istanbul, Turkey), Ericsson Globe Arena (Stockholm, Sweden) and the. For more information, please visit aegworldwide.com.

INTERNATIONAL CONFEX LAUNCHES DESTINATION VILLAGE

INTERNATIONAL CONFEX LAUNCHES DESTINATION VILLAGE

24th July 2012, London: International Confex has announced plans to create a Destination Village at the 2013 show. The feature will form part of the International sector and is the first in a series of new experiences launching next year (19-21 March 2013).

The Destination Village will represent the perfect opportunity for Destination Management Companies (DMC’s) from around the world to represent theirdestinations to the lucrative UK outbound market. The Village will also create an easy to navigate and knowledgeable environment for buyers looking to take their events internationally.

“The UK market sits as either the first or second largest inbound market for themajority of countries both within Europe and further afield in the US, Asia, and South America,” comments James Samuel, Event Manager, International Confex. “It is therefore crucial that we continue to satisfy this demand from our buyers.”

The Destination Village will consist of a series of pods each representing a different destination, with one DMC limited to each destination. Exhibitorsusing the area will have full use of the distribution and connectivity features from International Confex, ensuring they can seek, meet and qualify the right buyers for their destinations.

“We’ve already had an outstanding response to the new feature, and some major destinations have signed up including Malta, Italy, Spain, Germany and Netherlands,” continues Samuel. “This is brilliant news for both exhibitors and buyers to ensure this sector is vibrant and business focused.”

International Confex and its sister show Live Experience will form part of Confex Week, launched earlier this month, encompassing the full range of events, education, and networking that will take place around the show at ExCeL London next year.

www.international-confex.com

GLOBAL RECOGNITION SET TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

GLOBAL RECOGNITION SET TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
Global recognition highlighting the beauty and “must-see” aspects of Sultanate of Oman is good news for the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre which is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Speaking at one of Europe’s premier meetings industry trade fairs, IMEX, in Frankfurt, Geoff Donaghy, the Director of Convention Centres for AEG Ogden which manages the Oman Centre, said the importance of international awards could not be understated as a tool to promote venues to prospective customers.

“Oman and its capital city Muscat recently being acknowledged by both Lonely Planet and National Geographic for its range of attractions was very timely.

“Oman has been trading with the world for more than 5,000 years and is an active global community member so it comes as no surprise that our preliminary research and promotional activities has uncovered strong interest in the Sultanate as a destination,” he said.

Mr. Donaghy said Oman’s diverse landscape, natural attractions, pristine coastline and rich heritage and culture had contributed to its emergence as a business events destination and becoming the Arabian Tourism Capital in 2012.

“AEG Ogden has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Oman’s key stakeholders in introducing the world to Oman and as the new hub for major international conventions, meetings and business events. Many international and regional organisations have already expressed a strong desire to hold future or expand events in the sea side city of Muscat.

“Our message to these decision-makers is consider Oman not only for the world class venue that will be there but the diversity of attractions at their disposal. It’s a total package that delegates will be inspired to attend and an experience they won’t forget,” Mr. Donaghy said.

The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre will be a world-class venue within a fully integrated precinct housing a five star hotel, two four star and a three star hotel totalling 1,000 rooms, supported by a shopping centre, business park within four kilometres from Muscat International Airport.

The Centre will play an important role in the country’s Vision 2020 strategy to diversify the economy and build employment opportunities for the Omani people and open their country to the world. It will also offer an additional choice to international and regional associations, organisations, institutions and corporations to grow business opportunities, impart knowledge in a destination that has serious delegate appeal.

IMEX is being held in Frankfurt from 22 to 24 May. The Centre will feature on the Oman Ministry of Tourism stand E620. For more information view www.omanconvention.com

About the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre is located in the Hayy Al Ifran district only four kilometres from Muscat International Airport.

The design of the Centre will ensure a flow of the meetings space to suit the most discerning conference and exhibition organisers. It also incorporated expansive concourse areas to enable ease of large delegations with floor to ceiling windows overlooking landscaped gardens and water features.

The Centre will feature an elaborate tiered auditorium to seat 3,200 while the exhibition halls will feature 22,000 square metres of column-free exhibition space. Halls 1 and 2 will have a superior fit out, specialised acoustic treatment, advanced lighting and rigging requirements to act as a multi-purpose space for plenary sessions, concerts, performances, gala events on a larger scale of up to 10,000 seated, theatre-style.

The Centre will also include an additional 14 meeting rooms for 70-360 delegates, two well-appointed ballrooms to seat up to 2,360, VIP Pavilion, a spacious food-court and a multi-storey carpark with capacity for 4,000 vehicles.

The Precinct will provide the infrastructure necessary to host successful international, regional and local events and for the enjoyment of the community. These include a five star hotel linked to the convention centre, two four star, and a three star hotel and apartments with a combined total of 1,000 rooms. A business park, retail shopping mall surrounded by a nature reserve which will be a haven for Oman’s exotic birdlife, parklands and wadi (valley) park are also part of this picturesque precinct. http://www.omanconvention.com

About the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
AEG AEG Ogden is a joint venture between Australian interests and AEG Facilities of the United States.

AEG Ogden manages venues throughout the Asia Pacific region, including the Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur and Qatar convention centres and the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (under construction), Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, five live theatres including Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre, the Perth Concert Hall and Subiaco Arts Centre, and a network of arenas including Sydney’s Allphones Arena, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, and the Perth Arena (currently under construction). www.aegogden.com

AEG, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, is the leading sports, entertainment and venue operator in the world. AEG Facilities, a stand-alone affiliate of AEG, owns, operates or consults with 100 of the industry’s pre-eminent venues worldwide, across five continents, and works in concert with affiliated AEG entities, including live event producer, AEG Live, AEG Global Partnerships and AEG Development to support the success of AEG venues across the globe. AEG owns, operates or provides services to venues including STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, Calif.), The Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.), Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Los Angeles, Calif.), Citizens Business Bank Arena (Ontario, Calif.), Valley View Casino Center, (San Diego, Calif); Sprint Center (Kansas City, Mo.), XL Center and Rentschler Field (Hartford, Conn) The Rose Garden (Portland, Ore.), KeyArena (Seattle, Wash.), KFC YUM! Center (Louisville, Ky.), American Airlines Arena (Miami, Fla.), AT&T Center (San Antonio, Tx.), Time Warner Cable Arena (Charlotte, N.C.), Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.), Target Center (Minneapolis, Minn.), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MastercardCenter (Beijing, China), The O2 Arena (London, England), O2 World (Berlin, Germany), O2 World Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany), Ahoy Arena (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Pernambuco Stadium (Recife, Brazil), Allphones Arena, (Sydney Aust), Globe Arenas (Stockholm, Sweden), Turk Telekom Arena (Istanbul, Turkey) and the Qatar National Convention Centre (Doha, Qatar). For more information, visit www.aegworldwide.com.

For more information contact:
Rochelle Uechtritz
Group Manager, Convention Sales Development
AEG Ogden