Month: February 2020

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Value of 2020 meetings sector to be uncovered by UKCAMS survey

UK conference and meeting venues are being urged to take part in the 2020 UK Conference and Meeting Survey (UKCAMS). This will help determine the value of 2020 meetings for the industry.

Though designed to be answered by venues, the survey will help event planners determine levels of investment made by venues in their product. It will give an indication of what percentage of event management is outsourced to a PCO or event management agencies and collect data on average rates achieved by venues and average durations of meetings and conferences.

Scheduled for publication in June, the UKCAMS 2020 report is hoping to achieve a minimum of 300 survey responses from UK venues.

Tony Rogers of Tony Rogers Conference & Event Services said: “We work on there being a universe of circa 3,500 primary conference and meeting venues across the UK. In 2019 we achieved 340 responses, approx. 10 per cent. We are also asking some new questions this year, alongside our traditional questions.”

“These cover factors that may impact levels of business, such as labour shortages, Brexit, competition, climate change, the economy, and also factors that are important to buyers in selecting venues, such as non-traditional seating and modular spaces, facilities for hybrid meetings, security and privacy.”

Value of 2020 meetings survey focus on venues’ conference and meeting business during 2019

Questions include:

  • how many events were hosted
  • rates achieved
  • event duration and size
  • client type
  • levels of residential and non-residential business
  • origins of the business
  • and capital investment undertaken.

The results aim to provide a definitive insight into the conference and meetings sector. They are widely used to inform investment, advocacy and marketing activities.

Last year’s research found that the conference and meetings sector was worth an estimated £18.3 billion to the UK economy. 1.48 million meetings taking place in 2018.

UKCAMS 2020 also includes a section on the targeting and securing of international events by UK venues. There will also be a question on factors likely to affect venues’ level of business over the next few years.

Venues that participate in the survey will receive a complimentary, personalised summer report. This will enable them to benchmark their performance in 2019 against other comparable venues.

The survey is accessible here.

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Radisson Hotel Group driving plastic reduction

Radisson Hotel Group is launching a global roll-out plan of plastic reduction. This includes the introduction of bulk amenities in all hotels across the group’s portfolio by 2022.

Radisson Hotel Group will implement bulk amenity dispensers across all brands by the beginning of 2022, replacing small bottles for common bathroom products.

This action will remove 57 million miniature amenities from circulation, avoiding the use of almost 500 tons of plastic annually.

In addition, Radisson Hotel Group has a global commitment to #refusethestraw. This ensures plastic straws and plastic stirrers are no longer used in its hotels by 2021. Eco-friendly alternatives will be offered to guests upon request.

Federico González Tejera, chief executive, Radisson Hospitality, said: “Plastic pollution is one of the current major global issues and our Group is proud to play a leading role in driving plastic reduction across the travel and tourism industry.”

The group is running a series of innovative pilot projects aiming to find new ways to drive plastic reduction globally.

Find out more about the Radisson commitment here.

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Blackpool to reveal forthcoming £500m transformation

Blackpool has returned to the conference and events mainstream. The resort’s message is to showcase its £500m transformation of the resort and its conference offer.

VisitBlackpool has joined forces with the resort’s Winter Gardens and a range of hotel partners to showcase its forthcoming transformation. They will exhibit at the International Confex to be staged at ExCeL London, 25-26 February.

A brand new £28m conference centre which is under construction adjacent to the historic Winter Gardens. This will increase capacity to almost 8,000 delegates when it officially opens for business early next year.

Several three-, four- and five-star hotels are also under construction.

The electrification of the Blackpool to Preston railway line will open up the resort to direct daily services with major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

The infrastructure, including a remodelled seafront, new European-style trams and the development of the biggest range of branded visitor attractions outside London, is also to delivered.

Partners at International Confex include representatives from two of the resort’s new hotels, The Boulevard and Hampton By Hilton. As well as existing hotels including The Imperial, Best Western Carlton, Royal Hotels Group and The Grand.

Mandy Tythe-McCallum, business tourism manager, for VisitBlackpool, said: “Blackpool has a long-established reputation as a conference destination, but we need to tell the world that we are not trading on nostalgia.

“Our business tourism offer has benefited from the huge programme of resort regeneration that is underway. At the heart of our offer is the brand-new conference and exhibition centre that has been specifically designed to accommodate modern conferences and other large-scale events.”

With the addition of the new Conference & Exhibition Centre, the Winter Gardens will become a hub of 12 distinct venues. It will offer a total of 4.9 acres of connected conference, meeting, event and exhibition space.

The 140-year old Winter Gardens is itself enjoying a multi-million-pound upgrade. This will include a new air conditioning system, improved digital connectivity and extensive refurbishments throughout the complex.

The plans for the new Conference Centre and upgraded Winter Gardens have already seen the venue sign-up several new major clients. They also welcome back a number of big events which had relocated to other venues.

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Coronavirus: advice for event organisers

Following the news that Hilton has closed 130 hotels in China, due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the hotel chain has now received another blow at their Barcelona venue – The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona, as The Mobile World Congress event has been cancelled. The event was due to be held 24-27 February 2020 and attracts around 100,000 attendees.

EDGE Venues is working closely with the Hilton hotel group by promoting a discounted offer for the Barcelona hotel in the hope of recouping some of the lost business. Working closely with various venues and event organisers, EDGE Venues is providing guidance to the industry to help with clarity and advice on the topic in this time of uncertainty.

Event Cancellations and Postponements

The largest impact that the Coronavirus has had on the events industry is the cancellation of large events. These have been planned years in advance and provide substantial income and temporary jobs. Cancellations are having a knock-on effect in many different sectors, not just the event organisers and venues.

With the coronavirus already affecting numerous events throughout the world, particularly in China and other parts of Asia, many event organisers are now choosing to err on the side of caution and either cancel or postpone events, including those outside Asia.

Subject Knowledge

The events industry, venues, event organisers and event attendees are looking at each other to be a source of advice in this time of uncertainty. It is important to share reliable and up to date information with each other and help those that are affected.

Virtual Meetings

A benefit of conferences and meetings is the chance for attendees to meet face to face and network. But with the current health risk one option is to consider a virtual meeting. This could be a viable alternative in the countries that currently have travel restrictions in place, or those that are worried about a low attendance rate due to the outbreak.

Communication

Communication is extremely important, in the run up to and during an event.

Planners should keep informed about the latest Coronavirus updates and inform attendees accordingly. If the event goes ahead it is advisable that a crisis communication plan is in place, should anyone fall ill.

For further information, check these websites, which are constantly updated with the latest advice:

The situation in the UK

If travelling abroad

World Health Organization advice

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Radisson Riyadh Airport set to open in late 2020

The Radisson Riyadh Airport is the newest addition to the Radisson Hotel Group portfolio. It brings the group’s portfolio to over 45 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in operation/ under development.

Riyadh is the largest city and capital of Saudi Arabia. King Khalid International Airport is about 35 kilometres to the north of Riyadh city and home to Radisson’s newest hotel.

As the economic capital of Saudi Arabia, the number of passengers through King Khalid International Airport exceeded 26m in 2019.

Located within close proximity, the hotel will be conveniently accessible from the airport. The city centre can be reached via Riyadh’s new metro system, making it an ideal location for business travellers.

Elie Younes, chief development officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “Saudi Arabia is one of the eight key focus countries in EMEA.

“We align our plans along those of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 which aims to significantly increase the contribution of tourism to the country’s economy.

“We thank our partners for their trust and look forward to opening the hotel later this year and to an exciting and rewarding journey.”

Opening late 2020, the hotel will complement Radisson Hotel Group’s array of city and leisure hotels across Riyadh.

The hotel will consist of 471 keys across various room types including serviced apartments and villas. Enabling them to cater to guests that require larger units or long stay units.

The property will feature an all-day dining restaurant and two speciality restaurants.

Guests will be able to enjoy an outdoor swimming pool and various leisure facilities. Including separated ladies and men fitness studio, indoor pool and a spa.

Check back for updates on opening later this year.

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ALL Visa card launched by Accor for Loyalty Members

Accor Hotels Logo

Accor and Visa have announced a global partnership to bring new payment experiences to ALL-Accor Live Limitless loyalty members.

The partnership will bring together Accor’s loyalty program and Visa’s global payment capabilities to create the new ALL Visa card. Members who apply for the new Visa card and use it for everyday purchases everywhere Visa is accepted. Accor will collaborate with Visa financial institutions across Europe, America, Middle East and Asia Pacific to issue ALL Visa cards. It will offer members tailored rewards based on customer preferences. They will also have the ability to earn more loyalty points when staying with Accor or when making purchases.

Accor boasts a portfolio of strong and iconic brands across all segments in the most promising markets around the globe. Accor offers unique experiences through its 39 hotel brands, in more than 5,000 hotels and residences across 110 destinations.

The introduction of ALL Visa payment cards aims to leverage Accor’s augmented hospitality ecosystem. ALL Visa will engage customers beyond their stay via industry-leading benefits and innovative digital, mobile-first experiences.

The cobranded payment cards will generate additional customer engagement in hotels and new member recruitment opportunities for ALL as well as spend uplift.

Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Accor, said:

“Partnering with Visa will be a huge boost to Accor as we embark on the shared journey to develop an innovative co-branded payment card. This new initiative will provide unmatched benefits to our members and reinforce the success of our ALL loyalty program by increasing our member base driving additional engagement and giving each member incentives to stay with us more frequently and easily. The development of ALL is a major milestone for us, and in Visa we are very pleased to have found a partner which shares our passion for delivering everyday rewards and recognition.”

Al Kelly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Visa, said:

“We are delighted to partner with Accor and support the introduction of a new customer loyalty program. Today’s digitally-savvy consumers expect rewards that are tailored to their needs and offer new and unique experiences. I am extremely excited about the power of Accor’s expertise in hospitality coming together with Visa’s global network and digital capabilities. This combination will translate into attractive loyalty and payment products that will be at the forefront of the hospitality market.”

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Almarose Hotels and Resorts appoints Richard Moore as group chief executive

Real estate investment company Aprirose has appointed Richard Moore group chief executive of its Almarose hotel management platform.

Moore most recently served as area senior vice-president UK, Ireland and Western Europe for Radisson Hotel Group. He has also previously held roles including managing director of director of hotel consultancy services for CBRE Hotels and area senior vice president at Radisson Hotel Group.

Moore will lead and develop Almarose as the business continues to look for opportunities to grow and invest in its portfolio. Aprirose launched the company in February 2019 to create a dedicated team to manage assets under its ownership.

Moore said: “As a new entity, a year into its journey, the company has clear aspirations for growth, a best in class team and a committed parent company dedicated to operational excellence and delivering strong results. There is ample opportunity available to build on the strength of the hugely professional management in place. I look forward to working alongside Aprirose, and to lead the team at Almarose, to develop this agile and ambitious business.”

Manish Gudka, chief executive of Aprirose, said: “[Moore’s] extensive experience in the UK and Europe, alongside his strong relationships working with hotel groups and third-party brands, makes him perfectly placed to fulfil this role.”

Almarose manages 20 properties within its portfolio, including 14 QHotels which Aprirose acquired in September 2017, five DoubleTree by Hilton hotels and the Nottingham Belfry.

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Last minute chance to experience Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona

As you may already be aware, The Mobile World Congress Convention has been cancelled in Barcelona due to the global concern of the Coronavirus outbreak. The event is a key part of Barcelona’s visitor economy which in 2019 resulted in an economic impact of 473 million euros and 13,900 temporary jobs.

With the event due to be held between the 24th and 27th February The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona has launched an incredible offer to try and recoup some of the economic loss they will face.

I am contacting you all to make you aware of this offer and ask you to choose this venue for any business you can put forward to them. It is our direct responsibility to help venues where we can, and you too can help us to help them by considering the venue and the below offer where possible.

The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona is a venue not to be missed and this opportunity will enable your clients to experience a great venue at an unmissable price.

As a strong venue procurement community, please let us show our support and find a fantastic event to fill this space.

Jacqui Kavanagh

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Planning approved for new EventCity

Plans for a new and bespoke EventCity have been approved. The application proposed the creation of a state-of-the-art venue in TraffordCity, in the present site of the Soccerdome.

Boasting an enhanced premium offering whilst still providing the same blank canvas as its existing core offer, the new site will bring EventCity even closer to several leisure venues and hotels, as well as providing excellent road and public transport access.  

At 23,700 sq. m, the purpose-built facility will cater for a range of events and will be more malleable, allowing for areas to be divided off with acoustic walls, so multiple events can take place at any one time. The venue will include updated features, such as a central foyer with breakout space and a reconfigured entrance.

With the doors to the new venue set to open in Spring 2021, the current EventCity will remain in operation until then. Work will commence at the new site immediately, with EventCity and Peel L&P entering a new, long-term lease of 25 years.

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British Airways to launch summer Newquay flights

British Airways has announced it will launch flights between Heathrow and Newquay for summer 2020 starting 2 July.

The news comes after Flybe said it would move its service between London and Cornwall Airport Newquay from Heathrow to Gatwick at the end of April. This means BA’s will be the only direct flights from Heathrow for the summer.

The service will operate on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 7 September.

On Monday and Friday, flights will depart Heathrow at 1805 and return at 2015. Thursday will see a 0700 departure and 0910 return. Saturday at 0640 with a 0955 return and Sunday at 1920 with a 2125 return.

Neil Chernoff, BA’s director of network and alliances, commented: “We know that customers enjoy exploring the UK as much as they do going further afield and Newquay has so much to offer, especially in the summer months.”

Richard Thomasson, interim airport director at Cornwall Airport Newquay, added: “We are delighted British Airways will be flying to Cornwall this summer and to be able to continue to offer this vital link between Cornwall and Heathrow. With such a major global carrier we will be able to offer our passengers one-stop access to the world, while worldwide investors and tourists will benefit from an easier connection to our stunning country.”