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

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

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.

IMEX Group issues findings from tenth Politicians Forum debate – Destinations urged to use report content to increase local political support

IMEX Group issues findings from tenth Politicians Forum debate – Destinations urged to use report content to increase local political support
The IMEX Group has today issued a public report on the findings of the IMEX Politicians Forum discussion held during IMEX in Frankfurt in May this year.

With meetings and business events integral to the development of knowledge-based economies and increasingly central to the prosperity and future growth of nations and cities around the world, the annual IMEX Politicians Forum in Frankfurt provides both a private and a public platform to review industry progress.

The latest report provides an overview of the days’ content, including the case studies and papers presented by Business Events Sydney, Bordeaux, the European Society of Cardiology, Excel – London, Germany, Mexico and San Diego.

Close to 130 participated in the Forum, including politicial representatives and industry leaders. This year’s special guest speaker was Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman of The Rocco Forte Hotels Group. The Forum’s keynote speaker was Nick de Bois, MP, Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Events. 36 politicians and government officials from 16 countries also participated – the largest number to date. They represented: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden and the UK.

One high point was the participation of Gloria Guevara Manzo, State Secretary of Tourism, Mexico, and member of President Calderon’s cabinet. She spoke about her country’s continued growth and ambition. Now one of the world’s top 15 economies, 190 million tourists visited Mexico in 2011, almost 23 million of which were international travellers. Manzo explained that Mexico’s goal is to become one of the world’s top five destinations by 2018 and recognises that meetings, incentive travel and events have a part to play in reaching that target.

Together with its three partner associations (AIPC, JMIC and European Cities Marketing), the IMEX Group hopes that destinations and convention and visitor bureaus in particular will use the report to encourage further political engagement in – and understanding of – the industry among their local political representatives. Its findings also demonstrate how far the industry has developed over the past 10 years and how much more assertive, cohesive and informed it has become.

The IMEX Group furthered its commitment to industry development through political influence at IMEX America this year when it held the first ever Political Advocacy Forum in conjunction with partners, the US Travel Association. This Forum was attended by special guest, Mayor of Las Vegas, Carolyn Goodman, together with CEO of US Travel, Roger Dow and close to 100 participants and media took part. IMEX will further advance its advocacy efforts in 2013 through PCMA’s new Industry Business Forum for local leaders.

IMEX has also made a 3-minute informational video available for free industry download. The video explains the importance of lobbying at a local level and is designed to be viewed by destinations and local government representatives alike.

A full copy of the IMEX in Frankfurt Politicians Forum Report plus a shorter summary is available online.

The IMEX Politicians Forum in Frankfurt is co-organised by ECM (European Cities Marketing) and AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres) and held under the auspices of JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council). It is supported by the German Convention Bureau (GCB), the Frankfurt Convention Bureau, Messe Frankfurt, International Meetings Review, Brähler and Sixt.

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