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Sofitel Wellington is scheduled to open in Bolton Street in 2014. The site was formerly the Apple & Pear Board Office Building, which will be stripped back and have extra floors added. It will include a ground floor restaurant, showcasing local produce and wines from the nearby Martinborough, as well as a good selection of French and imported wines. The hotel will also feature extensive function and meeting rooms, a fitness centre and indoor pool. |
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Luxury hotel for Wellington
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New BOP based company
Trudi Peet, formally convention bureau manager for Tourism Bay of Plenty, has joined forces with Rochelle Free from Freestyle Events to create a new company called Freestyle Events & Marketing Ltd based in Tauranga. The past 18 months has seen a dramatic increase in the number of conference & business events being held in the region signalling the Bay of Plenty is fast becoming a new and exciting area to hold business events, says Peet
Identifying the need for a specialist Sales & Marketing representation company based in the Bay of Plenty, Peet and Free will be represent a number of operators in the region - including accommodation providers, venues, activity operators and conference support services to the corporate, PCO & travel segments.
Freestyle Events & Marketing Ltd will also offer conference organisation to companies wanting assistance in this area. Other services include wedding planning, theming, event styling, equipment hire & event planning.
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Convene - register now
Visitor registrations for Convene 2013 are open now. Buyers of products and services related to meetings, functions, incentives, exhibitions and other business events are welcome to register as hosted buyers if they are travelling from outside of the great Auckland area. This year's event showcases the business events sector in the upper half of the North island, including Hawk'es Bay, Taupo, Rotorua, Waikato, Auckland and Northland.
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Welcome back, says SKYCITY
A sure sign that it’s a new year for Auckland’s business events sector is when SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre holds its ‘welcome back’ function. This year level 7 of SKYCITY Grand was the place, and a nice, fine evening was the time.
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Atif Khan, SKYCITY Convention Centre; Karen Gardner and Sue Harlich, both Beca; Agnes Faamausili SKYCITY |
See more photos from the night here.
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Bowling at Peek performance
A new year, a new Peek Bowls Tournament and new team of winners… the usual festive atmosphere, sprinkled with just a bit of intra-industry competitive spirit was evident at the Point Chevalier Bowling Club on February 8.
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| The winning team from the 2013 Peek Bowls are.... Dinna Sansalvador, Corporate Explore; Gillian Officer, SKYCITY; Mark Heke, ASB Showgrounds; Stu Freeman, ProMag; with Peek Exhibition’s Eugene Fraser |
Megan Poon and Maria Fomin, Peek Exhibition |
Gaye Wood, Hilton; Daron Gray, Waipuna Hotel & Conference Centre; Linda; Manning, Peek Exhibition |
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| Josephine Godfrey, Auckland Conventions venues and Events; Alex Weatherhead, Austin’s Food Design Events |
David Shearer, Henry Schein; Issy Freeman, ProMag; Maria Fomin, Peek Exhibition |
Richard Jeffery, TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre and Eugene Fraser, Peek Exhibition contemplate tactics during Peek Bowls at Pt Chevalier Bowling Club |
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Business Events Week and other AIME happenings
AIME (Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo) is just around the corner and 2013 will mark the inaugural Business Events Week from Monday February 25 to Friday March 1. Organised by the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB), the week long programme of over 50 events is designed to showcase the value of business events in Victoria and Australia. AIME is the centrepiece of the week, which will be kicked off by the Official Welcome Reception at Melbourne's newest dining and events precinct, South Wharf Promenade on Monday February 25.
Download the Business Events Week Calendar for a full schedule of events here.
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Waiheke's zipline heats up C&I scene
With four months of peak season operations under its belt since opening in October 2012, EcoZip Adventures has established itself as a new attraction on the list of ‘things to do’ on Waiheke Island.
‘Not surprisingly, the conference and incentive side to the operation is really heating up,’ says Jeremy Zinzan, marketing director for Auckland’s only zipline.
EcoZip has three flying fox ziplines descending over and through a stunning native bush environment. Zinzan says the new product has proved popular for corporate leisure or social club outings, on-site team-building experiences, sales incentives, or as a ‘day out’ gift for key clients.
A tastefully appointed lodge room and sunny, private courtyard has been custom designed as a conference venue for day hire. The lodge room seats 20 delegates in boardroom fashion, or 25 in cabaret style.
Zinzan says key partnerships with corporate and incentive suppliers on Waiheke and in Auckland help to ‘close the loop’ of a visit to Waiheke, from downtown departure to arrival back in the city. ‘As well as providing the core EcoZip experience, we are creating all-inclusive experiences for corporate groups, ranging from private charter vessels to on-island transfers and exciting add-ons like helicopter scenic flights, ‘after-match’ wine tasting and vineyard dinners.’
Visit the EcoZip Corporate page for further information and to download a corporate brochure or package options.
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| EcoZip Adventures, Waiheke's new zipline | Conference centre and private courtyard | The conference room seats 20 boardroom fashion or 25 in cabaret style |
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Time to get on and build
New Zealand cannot afford any more delays to the planned national convention centre at SkyCity in Auckland, according to Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ). CINZ is hopeful now the Auditor General has given the deal between the government and SkyCity the green light, planning and construction of the convention centre can finally begin.
CINZ has been pushing for a national convention centre in Auckland for years and says it is key to New Zealand attracting lucrative international conferences and conventions. It is estimated an international convention centre will boost New Zealand's economy by more than $90 million a year.
'The sooner the deal is consummated the better as New Zealand desperately needs to go to the next level in terms of new infrastructure,' says CINZ chief executive Alan Trotter.
'It will give us the ability to tap into markets we’ve been shut out of in the past because we simply haven’t had venues big enough to cater to their needs.
'I can’t over-emphasise how important it is that we put this politicking behind us and get on with the job of building an international convention centre that will finally give us the capacity to compete in the big league.'
A new 2500 capacity convention centre is planned for Christchurch and a scoping study is underway for a new convention centre in Queenstown.
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AIME delegates visit Australia's spa country
One of AIME’s 10 regional pre-tours took 13 AIME delegates to Australia’s ‘spa capital’ of Daylesford and Macedon Ranges, 90 minutes northwest of Melbourne. The region is known for its abundance of natural mineral spring water, with the therapeutic elements making ideal attributes for spa treatments and bathing.
And with the most massage and beauty therapists per capita in Australia, visitors to the area are spoilt for choice.
‘This is a region of wellbeing, great seasonal produce and fantastic shopping,’ says Kerry Clarke, Daylesford Regional Tourism Board. Clarke says Daylesford is a quintessential weekend getaway destination for those travelling from Melbourne and Geelong. 'It's destination to Melbourne like how the Blue Mountains is to Sydney.'
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| The group refreshes with a lavender lemonade at Lavandular Swiss Italian Farm | The original stone farm house at Lavandular where the original family's 13 children were raised in the 1850s. 'Historic places likes this do exist, it just takes people like us to give them a little TLC,' says Lavandular Swiss Italian Farm's Jack Larm | Herbal Lore produces liqueurs made from natural herbs and white and red grape blends. Golden liqueurs (white grapes) are known for their uplifting qualities while cimmerian blends (red grapes) are calming |
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| Morning tea at Lake House at Daylesford | The Lake House expanded from a restaurant to 35 guest rooms and a luxury retreat, a spa and conference centre and are the vision of Alla Wolf-Tasker, a chef, and her husband Allan, an artist. 'Lake House was originally the idea of creating a restaurant with a journey in Daylesford, then Alla's vision got the best of her and the rest is history,' says Bridie Eastern - Green, sales and marketing coordinator. |
Novotel Forest Retreat Creswick, one of the larger conference and accommodation providers, taking up to 600 delegates |
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| The Convent Gallery, with eight exhibition spaces, is a haven for weddings, and offers a quirky conference space |
A piece of artwork on display at The Convent, where exhibitions are changed every 6-8 weeks |
Angella has worked at Creswick Woollen Mills since she was 16 years old and knows the running of the mill inside out. She gives walk through tours of the only remaining woollen coloured spinning mill of its type left in Australia |
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Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre tech upgrades
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has introduced a variety of upgrades to its technology options available to conferences at the venue, with the installation of new projectors, social media technology and live in-room monitoring screens. The centre began looking at options other than projectors due to common feedback that projectors often fail to produce correct colours on screen, a particular issue for events such as medical conferences where it's crucial for colours in x-rays, for example, to be consistent. However Michael Walsh, director of technology operations at MCEC says that after considering other options, projectors are still the preferred choice in the industry.
'We narrowed our choice down to seven manufacturers, and after side-by-side shoot-offs on screen, we decided to go with a company called Projection Design,' says Walsh. The MCEC is now the largest single site installation of the new projection systems in Australia. Walsh adds that new 'vision modules' set in the back of conference rooms provide a quicker and more cost effective set up for organisers.
In other technology developments at the centre, new social media display walls available are set to be a popular add-on for event organisers. The new screens stream live social media updates, filtering Twitter feeds onto a large, non-static screen set on a portable stand. 'As soon as we had a prototype, we had clients calling in with their interest,' says Walsh. Organisers are able to 'sensor' the Tweets shown on the screen through a control panel on a tablet or iPad.
Last but not least, new live in-room camera monitoring gives event organisers the ability to see live activity in up to 15 rooms throughout the centre. Every meeting planner gets a screen included in their event package, but pays extra per room that they want monitored with a camera. Audio can be heard from one room at a time by clicking on the room's camera feed screen.
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| The social media feed screen (left) and the live view in-room monitoring screen now available to conference organisers at MCEC | Michael Walsh, MCEC's director of technology operations explains the benefits of the social media feed technology |
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Melbourne ‘needs more space’
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition space is ‘basically fully utilised’ and needs more space, says chief executive Peter King.
King told a media conference at the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME 2013) that government is considering a proposal for an extra 12,500 square metres of exhibition space. It will be built on existing car park space and a decision on whether the extension will happen will be made by the time the State budget is announced in May.
King says he is hopeful of the extension being approved. ‘We have a compelling business case, because we are currently turning away 30% of potential business at the moment.’
Meantime, the venue is looking to use its available space creatively. ‘We want to provide entertainment, food and wine and community spaces beyond the four walls and to provide more creative solutions for our customers.'
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Delegates gain advantage
Conference delegates in Cairns, Queensland will be able to simply show their lanyard for discounts and/or special offers in a number of outlets in the city and region. The Cairns Delegate Advantage Programme was launched at the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) on February 26 and a couple of hours later to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce.
Cairns Convention Centre general manager Ross Steele says delegates using any venue in Cairns will be able to benefit from the programme. ‘Delegates will receive a flyer in their conference satchels with details on how they can access the offers which will be made available to all conferences held throughout the city, Both the Cairns Convention Centre and Business Events Cairns and Great Barrier Reef will promote the programme at trade shows, through sales calls and in our bid documents.’
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PCOs discover treasure in Nelson
Nelson Tasman Tourism hosted PCOs from Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland on a two day treasure hunt around the region in March. Day one saw them head out to Happy Valley for swing across the canyon and quad biking. Lunch in the garden was hosted at Petit Fleur, the privately owned restaurant on Seifried Estate, and dinner was the 'theatre' of teppan at Miyazu Japanese restaurant at The Rutherford. The group was split between The Rutherford A Heritage Hotel and Grand Mercure Monaco Resort.
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| Julie White, Tandem Travel and Jude Earles on their quads at Happy Vally | Enjoying cocktails in the new conference rooms at The Rutherford A Heritage Hotel are Angela Hunter, Nelson Tasman Tourism; Bevan McGillicuddy, The Rutherford and Sue Archibald, Promote | Shelley Eastwood, Heritage Hotel Management and Donna Clapham |
Enjoying warm Nelson sunshine and local food and wine at Petit Fleur Restaurant on Siefried Estate are, from left, Vicki ; Glenda Harding, Harding Consultants; Angela Hunter, Nelson Tasman Tourism; Clare Davies, Grand Mercure Monaco Resort; Tom Heaphy, Nelson Coachlines; Laurette Farr, Conferences and Events; Jude Earles, Corporate Venues and Holly Westbrook, Grand Mercure Monaco Resort. Full coverage will appear in the May issue of Meeting Newzs
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Kiwi a life member
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Long time association sector stalwart Barrie Cooper has been made a life member of the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE). Cooper, now based in Christchurch, joined the New Zealand Real Estate Institute in 1965 and has since worked with the New Zealand property Management Institute and the NZ Security Association. He is still involved with not for profit organisations, notably Radio Lollipop. He was instrumental in forming what was then the New Zealand Society of Association Executives, which morphed into an Australia New Zealand organisation and is now AuSAE. Belinda Moore, executive officer of AuSAE and Barrie Cooper who is one of only seven life members of the association. |
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New Langham space sparkles
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The Langham Auckland launched its new Chandelier meeting space with a sparkle. To mark the opening, anyone who books and confirms an event at The Chandelier by May 31 goes into a draw to win a pair of diamond chandelier earrings (check the terms and conditions). Louise Erceg, director of sales and marketing at The Langham, Auckland says the room is ideal for high end functions, cocktail parties, private dinners and weddings. ‘The Chandelier takes 80 banquet style, so it really fills a requirement for us. We’ve got the big ballroom (Great Room) which takes up to 900 and the Waitemata Ballroom that holds 150 to 200 so this new addition is ideal for the more intimate occasions.’ Left: Langham ‘security’ Sam Henwood and Jake Dromgool made sure nobody ran off with the chandelier earrings during the opening of Chandelier at The Langham Auckland. With them are event organisers Loren Taylor, Loren Taylor Events; and Shelley Cunnignham, Convention Management New Zealand |
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Christine Tung and Alexandra Bayfield, both The Office of Ethnic Affairs; Tracy Pearson, Estee Lauder
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Kelly Gilkinson (left) and Marlen Smith (right), both of the Communication Agencies Association (CAANZ) with Rachel Searl, Langham |
Rosina Khan, NZ Indian Bridal Magazine, Sarwan Singh, The Langham Auckland, Rabina Khan, NZ Indian Bridal Magazine |
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Meetings more than tourism
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The meetings practitioners and suppliers start thinking of themselves as part of the knowledge economy, rather than simply a branch of tourism, it will change the way they do business and allow them to really influence the business and government and association decision makers they are targeting.
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Martin Winter, chairman of the Asia Pacific Chapter of ICCA, says tourism is a big beneficiary of conferences, but the most important contribution of the sector is to the development of nations.
He says the immediate economic impact through delegate spend is obviously a major factor in why destinations should work to attract meetings. ‘However, the benefits are more than economic. We facilitate business relationships and showcase national capabilities. These kind of things are never factored into an event, more often than not people are just interested in how many dollars they put in and how many they got back.’
Noor Ahmad Hamid, regional director for Asia Pacific, says the meetings industry is about selling dreams, providing lifestyle concepts and enabling businesses to grow. ‘So what business are we in? We are part of the knowledge economy, not just tourism.’
Hamid says so much of what happens at a conference is virtually impossible to quantify. ‘During a coffee break, two professors are talking together and a new research element comes out of the their discussion. It’s difficult to calculate the economic benefit of that sort of thing.’
Both Hamid and Winter say New Zealand ‘punches above its weight’ but, like other countries, needs to do more to identify meeting subjects that suit the destination and the organisations that run conduct conferences in these disciplines.
‘For example, three different international associations deal with volcanoes and they all hold conferences. There are eight different sleep related congresses that attract between 200 and 2000 people. So think outside the box, there are so many different subjects to concentrate on,’ says Hamid.
The update was organised by Tourism New Zealand.
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Bean bag meetings
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Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has taken an unconventional approach with its new TenOnCall Beanie Experience where participants can snuggle up in big bean bags in various set-up configurations (ie circle, half-moon or straight rows) of their choice 'making this the ideal solution for clients wanting to give a slight innovation to their meeting format. It’s particularly ideal for training, brainstorming, teambuilding and creative networking…to get the creative juices flowing,' explains Angeline Lue, the centre’s director of sales and marketing. 'With the bean bags’ funky colours, the meeting atmosphere will definitely be lightened.' |
TenOnCall Beanie Experience is enhanced with takeaway lattes, cappuccino, coffee or tea, and complimentary Bean-ovation value-adds such as titbits, energy booster drinks and energy bars, comfy slippers and a stress ball, and are extensions of the Centre’s TenOnCall hallmarks of free-flow lifestyle cuisine, audio-visual and presentation equipment, technician on standby and signage.
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'Open Space' returns to Melbourne's Business Events Week
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has announced the return of 'Open Space' on Thursday 20 February 2014. The free public event will coincide with Business Events Week and the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) which is hosted annually at MCEC. The inaugural Open Space in on February 28 this year saw more than 600 people attend the showcase.
Experiences included a pop up hawker-style food market in the MCEC foyer with real grass and Simon Hammond and his rock band who provided an inspiring plenary session on the value of connection in business. A panel of events and industry experts were also on stage to discuss the community, education and cultural benefits of events. Major sponsors Harry The Hirer and greenevents transformed the foyer space into a green slice of urban Melbourne. Farinacci Pasta, Milla’s, Tarago Olives and Y&J Japanese Catering supplied produce.
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CQ Quality Hotels turns five
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The champagne flowed as Wellington's CQ Quality Hotels celebrated its fifth birthday in style, on April 5. It really did flow; over an impressive champagne fountain as general manager Olivier Lacoua 'sparkled' off the celebrations. Adding to the bubbles, a massive chocolate birthday cake and plethora of spot prizes were shared among the industry leaders and valued clients invited to the party. |
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| Above, from left, Paul Yeo, Tourism New Zealand; Lesley Immink, Tourism Export Council; Olivier Lacoua, CQ Quality Hotels | Above, from left, Mieka Wansink, Vision Media; Lizzy Campbell, Wellington Convention Bureau; Amanda Robb, Epicure; Samantha Kent, Epicure |
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Wild adventures in the Waikato
The second Hamilton and Waikato national mega famil is underway in the region and business event organisers from Auckland and Wellington are sampling a portion of what is available for the conference and incentive market.
The group from Auckland travelled by Leisure Time Tours luxury coach to Hamilton, stopping at the Tuakau Hotel and Zealong Tea Plantation. After undergoing a complete renovation and adding a new seven room accommodation wing, the local pub has ‘grown up’. The upstairs conference room caters for 50 theatre style and the permanent marquee and main bar/ restaurant area are available for a casual reception or cocktail function for 70 and 150 respectively.
About 20 km from Tuakau is Zealong Tea Plantation, a treasure of tranquillity in the heart of Waikato. A surprise for all attendees to find tea being grown in New Zealand and that the plantation has two million tea bushes for commercial production and all propagated from 130 seedlings. Zealong has a restaurant that serves tea tastings and high tea with a selection of sweet and savoury handmade delicacies. A small meeting room with deck area can cater for up to 50 delegates, with a varied menu selection available.
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| First stop to Hamilton. Marleen Goedhart, Icon Conference and Event Management; Jenny Tukiwaho Stokes, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism; Isaac Banks, Extra Mile Company and manager of the Tuakau Hotel Dee Bond outside the Tuakau Hotel in Tuakau | Donna Harper, Arnott’s New Zealand Ltd and Isaac Banks, Extra Mile Company take tea tasting lessons from Zealong’s Hiromi Feitoza | Jenny Tukiwaho Stokes, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism; Marleen Goedhart, icon Conference and Event Management and Donna Harper, Arnott’s New Zealand Ltd on the grounds at Zealong |
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| High Tea at Zealong Tea Plantation | Darren (Daz) Martin, Verve Consulting is guided by Marleen Goedhart, icon Conference and Event Management through the Corporate Challenge at Claudelands | And the winner is… The yellow team of Viviane De Jesus, Auaha Group; Kelly Lawrence, NZ Childcare Association; Camilla Taylor, S2N Events Ltd and Isaac Banks, Extra Mile Company |
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Left: This group is heading for the Black Labyrinth at Waitomo. Preparing to slip into their wetsuits are Ingrid du Toit, New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association In.; Dean Bradley, Convention Management NZ; Camilla Taylor, S2N Events Ltd; Marianne Rowley, Fonterra and Geraldine Hutchison, Air NZ
Right: Everyone collects their wet suits |
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| Cheryll Wagener, IPENZ Engineers New Zealand getting sorted and is not really that anxious about the Black Water adventure | Geraldine Hutchison, Air NZ is almost good to go | As is Dean Bradley, Convention Management NZ |
Meeting up with the Wellington group at Claudelands in Hamilton, Stu Robertson from Corporate Challenge set up an ‘ice breaker’ challenger. Teams had to guide a blindfolded member through a course without cheating or running over the cones – which was challenging for some. But there can only be one winner.
The famil continues with surprise components but it is hinted that Black Water Rafting and a Lost World encounter could be happening at Waitomo.
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