Category

2019

ITB India All Set to Debut in a Grand Style in 2020

By | 2019

The inaugural ITB India is on track to take place from April 14 to 17 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai and exhibitors from around the world have confirmed their participation together with, leading minds of the global tourism industry, will share their knowledge at the ITB India Conference.

In its first year it will be organised by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and supported by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

The three-day business-to-business travel trade show and convention will focus on the Indian travel market including MICE, corporate, and leisure travel sectors. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including travel agencies and operators, national tourism organisations, business travel and MICE, travel technology, accommodation, and transport companies are all expected to attend.

ITB India will complete the trio of ITB Berlin, ITB Asia and ITB China, making it a quartet and strengthening the global ITB brand.

Oeganisers of ITB India are convinced that India’s outbound market will continue to grow and that ITB India will establish itself as the leading travel trade event for the Indian market.

For more information on ITB India 2020, visit www.itb-india.com.

 

Meet the Global MICE Market at ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition

By | 2019

A three-day long program organised by the Turkish Airlines will take place from January 22 to 24, 2020 at Istanbul Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

What you can expect from the show:

Buyers and Visitors from Turkey to Europe, Central Asia and Arabian Peninsula

For three days, more than 15,000 professional visitors are expected to attend the fair. Five hundred national buyers and 230 international incentive companies, PCOs, DMCs and corporate buyers will participate with the support of Turkish Airlines as the main sponsor of the show. Professionals world wide attending the show can conduct B2B meetings as part of the Hosted Buyer program with the exhibiting companies of the show.

How to Design, Plan and Manage Large Scale Productions

Production Talks will cover this theme held on January 22 and 23 in the Istanbul Congress Center, Uskudar Hall. The conference will gather production leaders of organiations from Olympic Games, Eurovision to Broadway Musicals.

While speakers bring the latest technologies and creativity in their projects, and insights about the production sector, as well as share their vision on how the industry will be shaped in the coming years.

AMEzing Party

On 22 January 2020, the first day of the exhibition, 1,500 MICE professionals from 41 countries will meet at Klein, one of the most famous night club in Istanbul for a party.

The Roadmap of Making Istanbul as Number one Destination for MICE

High level professionals of the Turkish MICE industry will discuss the roadmap of ensuring Istanbul reach its  potential as MICE destination in five separate sessions. The summit will be held by the moderation of Volkan Ataman as the president of Tourism Media Group as moderator during the summit with a gathering  the presidents of agencies, general managers of hotels and industry professionals.

A special session will host directors of London and Barcelona Convention Bureaus and American Express to deliver their personal success story before the audience.

For more information visit http://ameistanbul.com/tr/

AIME Awarded Best Trade Show at EEAA’s Annual Awards for Excellence

By | 2019

The award is for the Best Trade Show over 10,000 square metres of 2019 at the Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia’s (EEAA) annual Awards for Excellence held in Melbourne.

EEAA Awards for Excellence celebrate the achievement of outstanding shows, venues, suppliers, teams and individuals, and their hard work, creative curation and strategic planning that goes into each and every aspect of an industry event.

Talk2 Media & Events the event’s organiser, was challenged with re-launching AIME earlier this year with a new vision and bespoke offering; reigniting the passion and inspiration the business events industry was craving. The team implemented a new rigorous vetting process for Hosted Buyers.  At the same time introduced a cost-effective stand known as the Embassy Suites for exhibitors. This is to give delegates opportunity to maximise their returns on their investment.

“AIME has always had such a strong heritage and legacy in the business events world – we are thrilled to be acknowledged for driving it forward into its next phase. 2019 was all about showcasing to the industry that AIME was a refreshed format, and now the team at Talk2 can’t wait to show what 2020 will bring,” says Matt Pearce, chief executive officer of Talk2 Media & Events.

AIME will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 17 to 19, 2020.

For more details on AIME 2020 visit aime.com.au  

To follow AIME’s journey on social media visit Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn .

IBTM Announces Partnership with SACEOS’ SMF for IBTM Asia Pacific

By | 2019

IBTM part of Reed Travel Exhibitions announced that it has entered a letter of agreement to partner the renowned Asia-Pacific MICE industry business conference SMF (Singapore MICE Forum) with its newest Business Event IBTM Asia Pacific. This SMF and IBTM Asia Pacific initiative comes at the back of the recent agreement between Singapore Tourism Board and IBTM Asia Pacific signed at the opening day of IBTM World in Barcelona.

In partnership with SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers), the national trade association for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events in Singapore (SMF2020)  will take place over 1.5 days at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre from April 6, followed by IBTM Asia Pacific on April 7 and 8, 2020.

SMF is SACEOS’ flagship industry business event. Over the years, SMF has grown to be the choice platform for the regional MICE industry to gain new insights from luminaries in both our core and adjacent industries; exchange views and share experiences on how we can enhance our business. SMF will bring together a group of 500 over event professionals for 1.5 days of focussed discussions on how event design as well as digital and community engagement are becoming cornerstones of business success.

Expert speakers will share and exchange views on proven transformative ideas and how the industry can make choices. SMF2020 will bring together possibilities for organisations to adopt easily and promises to be a dynamic and inspiring experience like none other.

The Forum will be structured around five key themes: innovation; technology; design; sustainability and event trends and will include a combination of dynamic talks, campfire sessions and case studies from thought leaders within and outside of the industry, to bring discussions to life and provide tangible outtakes and learning for participants.

Nick Pilbeam, divisional director ofReed Travel Exhibitions, commented: “We know from our extensive research prior to launching IBTM Asia Pacific, that there’s a real appetite for education in the Asia Pacific region and we’re delighted that we’re going to be delivering on that through our partnership with SACEOS. SMF 2020 will provide an inspiring and educational kick-off to our inaugural event and I’m looking forward to announcing more details in due course.”

As the national trade association for business events, one of SACEOS’ objectives is to provide a platform to develop a digitally-ready and future-ready MICE industry. The agenda of SMF is one of SACEOS’ key initiatives to encourage conversations and showcase of the Asia Pacific MICE industry and is a platform to catalyse MICE stakeholders to be wired for the future.

“SACEOS aims to inspire our industry by taking the lead to upend itself, the bold step to disrupt, and forge partnerships to create a refreshed future. Through this partnership with one of the world’s largest organisers, Reed Exhibitions, we can pool our strengths together with a longer term goal for SMF and IBTM Asia Pacific to lead and define the MICE industry in this region,” said Aloysius Arlando, SACEOS president.

IBTM Asia Pacific will bring together a high calibre group of international, APAC regional and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking. The event will be under-pinned by IBTM’s sophisticated, industry-leading Hosted Buyer programme which creates personalised appointment diaries for Hosted Buyers and exhibitors to ensure that delegates only meet people with whom there’s a very good chance of doing business.

For more information or to register interest visit: ibtmasiapacific.com.

Study of Theft in Hotels – Which Items are stolen the Most

By | 2019

By: Dr. Tassilo Keilmann
Wellness Heaven Hotel Guide

Stealing soaps or pens seems harmless for many hotel guests however some, are so bold that they carry TVs, pianos, mattresses or even stuffed animals out of the hotel. Wellness Heaven has asked 1,157 hoteliers which items are most commonly stolen. In particular, we observe a striking difference in the theft behaviour between guests in 4-star and 5-star hotels.

The main result of the study: the overwhelming majority of guests steal towels and bathrobes perhaps as goodie for the next spa break? These two objects of desire are closely followed by hangers, pens and cutlery. In addition to these “ordinary” items, there are a number of spectacular outliers that suggest a brisk imagination of the delinquents:

The most bizarre stolen goods:

Bathroom Fittings

Highly skilled craftsmanship was required of those guests who managed to steal bathroom fixtures, the head of a rain shower, a hydro-massage shower, a toilet seat, a drainpipe or even an entire sink, as reported by a Berlin hotel.

Grand Piano

A hotelier from Italy: “Once I walked through the lobby, I noticed that something was missing, and soon after I learned that three unknown men in overalls had taken away the grand piano, and it never reappeared, of course.”

Room Numbers

In a hotel in England a guest had unceremoniously removed the numbers from his hotel room door. “We didn’t notice until the next guest could not find his room”, the hotel director declares.

Stuffed Hunting Trophies

In a hotel in France, a guest was caught trying to steal a stuffed boar’s head. At a later date, he did receive this trophy: friends bought the precious piece from the hotel and gave it to him as a wedding gift.

Sauna Benches

In a hotel near Salzburg, the wooden benches from a sauna were stolen. The “private sauna” was located on the terrace of a spa suite. The benches were made of fragrant pine wood, which probably stirred up the guest’s desire. Only when a subsequent guest criticized the absence of the benches (“Where should I sit in the sauna? I can’t relax while standing.”), the hotelier noticed the theft.

HiFi System

A hotel owner from Germany reports on how the entire stereo system of the spa area disappeared: Thieves had apparently dismantled the entire sound equipment overnight and loaded it in their car before they left.

Flowers

The management of a resort in the Maldives reports that it buys new flower arrangements several times a week to replace the missing ones. Maybe the demand for flowers is simply too high due to the many marriage proposals?

Thieving Preferences by Nationality

When classifying the delinquents by nationality, a different picture emerges. It turns out, for example, that German and British hotel guests follow a rather boring theft behavior: In addition to towels and bathrobes, primarily cosmetics and toiletries are in the focus.

In contrast, Austrians snitch in a more pleasure-oriented way: dishes and coffee machines appear high up in their theft ranking. It seems they cannot get enough to satisfy their thirst for coffee. For US Americans, pillows and batteries appear as the prime objects of desire.

Italians seem to prefer wine glasses as a hotel souvenir, while the hair dryer ranks high up in the Swiss ranking. The French, on the other hand, steal in a more spectacular manner: they represent the nation that is attracted mainly to TV sets and remote controls.

Dutch hotel guests see in their souvenirs above all the practical benefit: Their favorites include light bulbs and toilet paper.

Guests of 5-star Hotels Prefer Expensive Items

A total of 634 hoteliers from 4-star hotels and 523 from 5-star hotels were surveyed to determine the behavior of thieves depending on their wealth. As it turns out, “Greed is good” seems to be a reliable motto especially for the well-heeled 5-star clientele.

The probability of high-quality TV sets being stolen in 5-star hotels, is 9 times higher in comparison to the 4-star segment. Similarly, artworks are popular objects of desire in luxury hotels (5.5 times higher theft probability). Tablet computers and mattresses are also being stolen a lot more frequently in 5-star hotels.

Four-star hotel guests are content with less spectacular gifts: towels and hangers tend to be in higher demand than in 5-star hotels. The typical 4-star hotel guest is especially fond of practical items such as batteries and remote controls (theft probability 3.1 and 4.9 times higher, respectively).

Coffeemakers

The coffeemaker, which is so popular among Austrian guests, is also sought-after by luxury-minded 5-star guests, as we observe a 5.3-fold increase in theft statistics.

Toilet Paper

Hoteliers’ theft reports about toilet paper rolls only reach us from the 4-star segment. For luxury travellers, there seems to be no additional need for hygiene in this area.

Tablet Computers

Tablet computers, often referred to as “SuitePads” in the high-priced room categories, are stolen 8.2 times more frequently in 5-star hotels. Such tablets usually have a value of approx. 420 euros and tend to be a popular souvenir among luxury travelers.

Luxury Mattresses

Even expensive luxury mattresses (often worth several thousand Euros) are not immune to disappear: the probability for their theft is 8.1 times higher in 5-star hotels. How exactly do the bulky goods, are transported unnoticed out of the hotel remains a mystery. On request, some hoteliers informed us that this only happens in the middle of the night – using elevators which lead directly to the underground parking.

Blankets

To complete their sleeping experience at home, some luxury oriented guests add the hotel’s blanket to their luggage. Theft of this object is 3.9-fold increased in 5-star hotels.

Method

On the methodology of this survey: The multiple-choice answers were randomised, multiple answers were possible. For example “Towels” in Fig. 1: 77.5% of surveyed hoteliers have indicated that towels were stolen at their hotel. The survey was conducted in September and October 2019.

A total of 1,157 responses were evaluated, the result can be considered as representative. The 1,157 hotels whose management participated in the survey are located primarily in Europe. 634 hoteliers were surveyed in the 4-star segment, and 523 in the 5-star segment.

Singapore Chosen as Host City for the Inaugural of IBTM Asia Pacific in 2020 – An Expected 3,000 Meeting Planners and Exhibitors to Attend the Event

By | 2019

IBTM Asia Pacific, part of IBTM’s global portfolio of meetings and events industry trade shows, will hold its inaugural Asia Pacific event in Singapore, at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in 2020. As the region’s vibrant hub for the meetings and events market, Singapore was selected as the host city for the very first edition of the show. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will partner IBTM Asia Pacific to curate thematic tours, local experiences and networking opportunities for hosted buyers. This will take place before and during IBTM Asia Pacific, which will be held from April 6 to 8, 2020.

Together with IBTM Asia Pacific, STB will host interested buyers for a pre-event familiarisation tour, taking place on April 4 and 5, before IBTM Asia Pacific commences. The tour will showcase interesting local experiences and new, unique venue offerings for business events. In addition, STB will offer complimentary tours, on a first-come-first-served basis, on the evenings of the show days from April 6 and 7 for interested buyers to discover a range of experiences in dining, nightlife and entertainment, or to participate in innovation tours in Singapore. Hosted buyers are invited to reach out to IBTM to register their interest.

Nick Pilbeam, divisional director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, commented: “As a group, Reed Exhibitions has a long-standing and much valued working relationship with the Singapore Tourism Board. I’m absolutely delighted that we have cemented that through this partnership for IBTM Asia Pacific. Strategically, the event is a key addition to IBTM’s, and indeed the Group’s portfolio, and is an exciting new addition to the industry calendar for the region’s business events market.”

Singapore Tourism Board’s executive director, Conventions, Meetings & Incentive Travel, Dr Edward Koh said, “We are delighted that IBTM Asia Pacific has chosen Singapore as the destination for its inaugural Asia Pacific edition. As a global hub, Singapore has unrivalled connectivity to the region and also offers strong infrastructure and MICE expertise for meeting planners and exhibitors who are looking to host their event here. We look forward to welcoming the attendees to Singapore in April next year and also invite them to experience our vibrant lifestyle offerings through familiarisation tours and networking events.”

IBTM Asia Pacific will bring together a high calibre group of international, Asia Pacific and local meeting planners and exhibitors for two days of pre-scheduled one-to-one business meetings, education and networking. The event will be under-pinned by IBTM’s sophisticated, industry-leading Hosted Buyer programme which creates personalised appointment diaries for Hosted Buyers and exhibitors to ensure that delegates only meet people with whom there’s a very good chance of doing business.

For more information, or to register interest, visit: ibtmasiapacific.com.

 

ICCA increases footprint in China at Xiamen International MICE Week

By | 2019
From left to right:  Qiu Guoyue, Xiamen ITG MICE Group; Senthil Gopinath, ICCA; Jeoven Wong, Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs; Noor Hamid, ICCA Asia Pacific; Huang Xiuyun, C&D Global Tourism Group

 

ICCA was invited to attend Xiamen International MICE Week by three of its members: the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs, C&D Global Tourism Group and ITG MICE Group. This is the first time ICCA held a Global Executive meeting in a city outside its Head Office in Amsterdam.

Chief executive officer Senthil Gopinath and the Management Team met in Xiamen during the 5th edition of the 2019 International MICE Week to hold ICCA’s Global Executives Round Table Conference.  At the same time, ICCA welcomed new members from Xiamen and signed an MOU to increase further collaboration.

Since 2016 when Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention & Exhibition Affairs joined ICCA, the city’s convention bureau has established a close relationship with ICCA. ICCA’s director Asia Pacific Noor Hamid for example, has visited Xiamen for training and knowledge exchange and, in October of this year, the general director of the city’s convention bureau, Jeoven Wong led a delegation from Xiamen to participate in the 58th ICCA Congress in Houston, USA.

China currently is the country with the most ICCA members of 84 organisation strong. The number continues to grow with ICCA welcoming new member Shaanxi Meton Conference and Exhibition Management LTD.

 

Left: Representatives of Xiamen and ICCA met in Xiamen during the Xiamen International MICE Week

Lights on for AIME 2020

By | 2019

Inspired by the 2020 theme of ‘the power of human connections’, the AIME team has partnered with SolarBuddy an Australian registered charity that provides solar powered lights to children in third world countries.

SolarBuddy was the first charity in the world to supply donated solar lights directly to children, and has educated over 130,000 students in over 500 schools, across 21 countries. Its mission is to help improve the educational opportunities of six million children living in energy poverty throughout South Pacific, Southeast Asia and Africa by 2030 through providing them SolarBuddy to study with after dusk.

So how does it work at AIME 2020?

Delegates will be tasked with building SolarBuddy from scratch. The lights made during the 2020 event, will give guests the opportunity to create something meaningful, while connecting and building relationships with one another for charity.

 

 

Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park of Ainu Culture and Heritage – First of its Kind in Japan

By | 2019

Scheduled to be opened in April next year, the museum and park which are set against the natural surroundings of Lake Poroto in Hokkaido, will showcase the custom and tradition of the Ainu tribe that has been officially recognised by the Japanese government as an indigenous people of the country.

Upopoy which is the name given to the museum is an Ainu term that means singing in a large group.  The mission of the museum is to bring people together to understand and learn about Ainu culture and history.

When completed, the museum and park will house a hall with exhibitions on display aided by audio and visual presentation on the Ainu people.  Adjacent is a park on a site of about 10 hectres that includes an open-air museum where you can actually experience the traditional life of the Ainu people through the reproduction of a settlement on the shore of Lake Poroto.

You can easily spend a day at Upopoy viewing the exhibits and enjoying the scenery and outdoor sights.

Eventually the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in Shiraoi will becomea base for Ainu culture and tradition.  Currently information on the Ainu people can be found in several smaller museums and cultural centres across Hokkaido.

The Ainu people are to be found in Shiraoi, a town that is also a tourist destination with its sea, lakes, rivers, forests and hot springs.  The town is keen on preserving the culture of its inhabitants, the Ainu and the Upopoy National Museum and Park, which is fully funded by the Japanese government, will keep alive the heritage of the Ainu people.

Falling Leaves at Hokkaido University in Saporro City

By | 2019

One of Japan’s leading universities, the Hokkaido University is not only an institute of higher learning, but also known for its ginkgo tree lined avenue.  Visitors from all over the world come to walk along the road of rows of these trees to admire the autumn foliage.

The university commonly known as Hokudai is located in the city centre and near to the Sapporo Station.  A vast site, the campus ground includes several school buildings and forests covering about 660 per square kilometres which are used for research.

Part of the university grounds resembles a national park with huge trees, and are open to the public.  In spring there will be colourful cherry blossoms – fresh green plants and blue skies in summer – ginkgo trees with falling leaves in autumn – and in winter, you can enjoy the snow.