Category: Expert Insights

This Monday’s Insights (20 February 2023) feature brings you the latest news including Australia business events campaign, IMEX Frankfurt, event icebreakers, and more.

Headlines

Australia has launched a campaign to attract business events from the UK and Asia corporate markets.

Tourism Australia and Singapore Airlines have signed a new agreement aimed at promoting business events in Australia to the UK and Asia

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marketing and promotional activities will focus on Australia’s strengths as a business events destination by highlighting its diverse landscapes, venues, unique experiences and friendly people. 

Andrew Hogg, Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of eastern markets and aviation, said: “Business events are incredibly valuable to Australia’s visitor economy and strategic partnerships such as this help to secure future business for Australia.”

Read more.

Evolution Dome will launch its latest range at International Confex.

According to Conference News, Evolution Dome – a supplier of temporary inflatable structures – will launch its latest products at International Confex.

Attendees will be the first to see Evolution Domes’ latest inflatable structure, with its ‘multipurpose Decagon structure’ that can be used indoors and outdoors and offers five brandable walls.

Ash Austin, director, Evolution Dome, told Confere News: “Not only is the Decagon designed to be easy to transport and deploy, but it’s also our latest step towards providing more sustainable structure solutions. By using sealed air, the structure does not require a power supply and is inflated from mains or battery power, reducing carbon emissions, costs, and noise pollution in the long term.”

Read more.

IMEX Frankfurt which takes place 23 – 25 May in its long-established home, Messe Frankfurt, is now open. 

IMEX Frankfurt 2023 will reflect many of the big shifts and changes in the meetings and events industry globally. As a buying force, the Chinese market is back and Asia in general is booming, driving event demand, locally and internationally. The big tech companies in Korea are one of several factors behind this growth.

The IMEX 2023 Talking Point – Human Nature – is the backbone to the show’s four-day education programme plus many of show-floor activations, both from IMEX and imaginative partners and sponsors.  

Specialist buyer events take centre stage on Monday May 22, with programmes such as Association Focus, Agency Directors Forum and Exclusively Corporate.

Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, says “While we’re always focused on innovation, business value and experiential development, we’re still careful to ensure that IMEX Frankfurt 2023 is a physically and emotionally safe experience for all. Health and safety remain high priorities for us and, as the world and event attendees continue to demand more sustainable events, we’ll also share IMEX’s legacy and learnings while cheering the industry on to do more, and with more urgency.”

Register for IMEX Frankfurt 2023

Skift Meetings has shared 48 Icebreakers for More Engaged Events.

It says ‘Bad icebreakers feel like forced summer camp activities, while good icebreakers are the seeds of amazing friendships, business partnerships, and more. To help you break the ice in the best possible way, we’ve gathered 48 of the best business networking icebreakers.

 Skift Meetings Studio Team.’

From the Novelty and fun, to the event themed ice-breakers, read them all here.

Haymarket’s profits have climbed to £16.9m as ‘live events boost revenue’.

According to Campaign Live, Haymarket’s UK B2B arm delivered best results in a decade, with revenue up 12%.

And it was great to read that Haymarket points to the ‘continued rebound in live events after the pandemic’ in helping boost its performance.

“Haymarket’s strategic diversification of revenues and continued investment in its multiple digital platforms has ensured its data and paid content opportunities are fully maximised,” the company said.

Kevin Costello, chief executive of Haymarket Group, said: “At a group level, we have maintained strong profit levels, in spite of the challenging macro-economic conditions, driven by the return to live events. We continue to invest organically and we are actively seeking acquisition opportunities.”

Looking for some new venue openings to inspire your next meeting or event? Make sure you’re choosing a venue that meets your business objectives and company culture.

There is a range of new venue openings both freshly opened and set to open this year, we have included a list of some of our personal favourites to keep an eye out for.

Art’otel London Battersea Power Station,

‘London’s Hottest New Hotel’ the Art’otel, is set to open on the 21st of February 2023 and will certainly come in with a bang. Jaw-dropping features and stylish décor are only the start of what this venue has to offer.

This hotel boasts stunning panoramic views of the city, a rooftop pool, a jacuzzi, and a gym. The hotel has a selection of rooms including the art room, the art room plus, the art room studio, and the art room skyline plus.

All with modern, unique, and bright design features by Jamie Hayton. It is home to 6 glamorous event spaces that can hold up to 250 guests, making this an ideal location for anything from small intimate gatherings or large business meetings. For a showstopper venue, the hotel occasionally offers its glamorous 16th-floor rooftop bar.

Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars

The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Blackfriars London is brand new and set to open in a few months. Situated at Blackfriars Station, the Hyatt has direct access to public transport and is close to the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

This glamorous hotel has 204 guest rooms, each with extravagant features such as climate control, HD TV, and deluxe bathroom spaces. On top of this, the venue offers 3 flexible event spaces, all of which are extremely versatile to suit your meeting group/size.

Raffles London, Old War Office

This historic building will have 120 rooms and suites as well as 11 restaurants and bars to ensure guests are spoilt for choice.

Nestled in the centre of Westminster around half a mile from main tourist attractions such as big ben and the London eye, this new hotel is situated perfectly for both work and pleasure. The Raffles is a must-see hotel so keep an eye out for its opening later in the year.

TreeHouse Hotel Manchester

The Treehouse-themed hotel is located in the beating heart of Manchester on Deansgate, set to open this Spring. Featuring 216 rooms, a rooftop bar, and a restaurant/bar on the 14th floor, This new venue will be impressive.

A playful, fun décor throughout the hotel will allow guests to experience a stress-free and light-hearted stay. The Treehouse has a selection of event spaces, perfect for weddings, group meetings, or conferences. There are also several dining spaces for meals and catered events.

100 Princes Street Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s hottest new hotel is set to open in August of this year and will be a lovely addition to the grand selection of hotels available in the city. The hotel is a beautiful restoration of the original building, keeping some of the iconic traditional features throughout.

100 princes street which is described as a ‘Truly Scottish experience’ has 30 guest rooms and suites as well as a unique 2:1 staff ratio ensuring that guests have the most enjoyable and efficient experience during their stay.

The Wildes Hotel, Chester

Set to open in the spring of this year, this stunning, boutique, Chester – based hotel will have 18 rooms and a rooftop pool with beautiful city views. In addition to this, the hotel will also feature a luxury spa and mouth-wateringly tasty meals served at the restaurant.

Room2, Belfast

With the success of London’s Room2 developments, Room2 is branching out into Belfast and will be set to open its doors this spring. The hotel boasts 175 rooms, a gym, a restaurant, and event spaces.

The Wesley Camden Town, London

The newly opened Wesley in Camden Town opened in January 2023. This boutique hotel has 20 meeting rooms, all varying sizes with flexibility for different events.

There are 38 stylish rooms with contemporary features, made using sustainably sourced materials. In addition to this, the hotel has a lovely restaurant and bar to make your stay even better!

Hotel La Palma, Capri, Italy

Venturing a little further afield, the Hotel La Palma is set in a gorgeous location on the popular island of Capri. It is the newest addition to the Oetker Collection and will be very aesthetically pleasing.

With a clean, modern feel, the hotel will offer a range of traditional Italian cuisines produced by  Michelin-starred chef Gennaro Esposito when it opens this spring.

Kempinski Hotel Cancun, Cancun, Mexico

This glamorous hotel will have 315 guest rooms and 48 suites with an elegant vibe and its own private balcony overlooking the Caribbean sea.

With a mixture of both inside and outside event spaces, this luxury hotel will amaze any guests and have plenty of room to accommodate groups of all sizes. Direct access to the beach makes this hotel unbeatable and in demand so be quick if it’s your dream stay!

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, Maldives

Anticipated to open in Spring, this beautiful hotel incorporates the nature surrounding it to give a luxurious and relaxing feel. Each of the 44 beachfront villas and the 36 overwater villas come with a private pool for ease and comfort as well as magnificent views. Designed to make guests feel at one with nature, the Alila is one of a kind.

Keep an eye on EDGE Venues for more updates!

We’re almost certain Edinburgh city comes to mind when you’re ticking places off your UK event destination bucket list. So, we take a look at why Scotland’s pride and joy is favoured by event profs.

Edinburgh city’s Attractiveness

Edinburgh city is a picturesque combination of old and new, historical, and modern. Made up of the New Town and the Old Town, it is seriously eye-catching. With breath taking views and endless culture, it is popular among event profs.

Attracting a vast four million visitors and hosting thousands of events annually, its compact city makes Edinburgh perfect for easy exploration.

The city’s transport is easy and accessible, with tram and bus routes running regularly. This local transport is alongside Edinburgh’s international airport – one of the UK’s busiest.

A big part of Edinburgh’s cultural draw is its summer festivals and events. The Fringe is a perfect example: the month-long festival attracts diverse visitors from across the globe.

Edinburgh’s History

Home to the famous Edinburgh Castle, the city is rich with historical stories and buildings. Cobbled streets and medieval dungeon tours set the scene for the old town, with traditional bars and restaurants scattered along the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh city’s endless must-see sights include the Scott Monument, St Giles cathedral, and the famous Holyrood palace, all of great importance to UK heritage.

For the more adventurous visitor’s Edinburgh has various walks. How about a hike to Arthur’s seat, or a pleasant stroll up Calton Hill to observe beautiful historical architecture?

Edinburgh’s Food

Edinburgh has a wide variety of tastes for any palette from celebrity chef run restaurants to various global cuisines. The selection of restaurants available will leave any visitor spoilt for choice.

The Ivy is a high-end stylish option with delicious food to suit all tastes and incredible cocktails. There are numerous mouth-watering Italians including Mia’s Italian Kitchen which is a personal favourite of mine.

Additionally, there are a selection of steakhouses and traditional fish and chip shops. You’ll find The Fishmarket, Down the Hatch, and Scran Bistro cooking up top-tier food all year round.

Edinburgh’s Venues

With Edinburgh’s attractiveness and sheer popularity, the venues on offer throughout the city follow this trend. There are an endless number of hotels, meeting rooms, and conference facilities across the city, and here are a few to consider.

Radisson Blu Hotel – Edinburgh City Centre

The Radisson Blu is located in the city centre on the Royal Mile. And Edinburgh’s historical castle is just a few steps away. The venue is stylish and sleek, providing all the necessities and a great service.

Edinburgh central station is only a few minutes’ walk away, and Edinburgh International airport is a 13km drive.

Offering 238 bedrooms and nine meeting rooms it is a spacious venue with complimentary Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel. Boasting two restaurants, leisure facilities and on-site parking (additional fee), it’s a popular venue.

MEETING ROOMS: 9
BEDROOMS: 238

BOOK NOW

Intercontinental Edinburgh The George

Intercontinental is a prestigious venue which can be found in major cities across 60 countries globally. It is one of the oldest and most sought-after hotels in the city, situated right in the heart of the new town.

A few minutes’ walk away from the main street, the area is just five minutes from Waverly train station. The grade 2 listed building offers seven grand meeting rooms and 250 bedrooms.

MEETING ROOMS: 7
BEDROOMS: 250

BOOK NOW

Kimpton Charlotte Square

Overlooking the beautiful Charlotte Square gardens, the historical hotel is one of the oldest in the city. The hotel is made up of seven Georgian townhouses in the glorious New Town. It offers seven large function rooms and 199 bedrooms.

The venue is easily accessible: a 10-minute walk from Waverley Station and a 15-minute drive from the airport. The Kimpton has numerous high-end restaurants and bars on its doorstep. With high-speed free Wi-Fi throughout as well, it has everything to offer your delegates.

MEETING ROOMS: 7
BEDROOMS: 199

BOOK NOW

Holiday Inn Edinburgh

Located outside the city centre, the Holiday Inn is just four miles from the airport, with 250 free parking spaces. Despite being further from the centre, there are regular bus links providing easy access to the heart of the city.

The academy at the Holiday Inn has panoramic views across the hills and the nearby zoo. The property also boasts 14 large meeting rooms and 303 bedrooms. It’s an ideal venue for meetings, new conference food menus ensure that every guest is catered for.

MEETING ROOMS: 14
BEDROOMS: 303

BOOK NOW

Edinburgh is perfect for your next event, so check out more venues here!

This Monday’s Insights (06 February 2023) feature brings you the latest news from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events, isla’s new CTO, UK exhibitions industry bouncing back, and more.

Headlines

The shadow culture secretary, Lucy Powell MP, has joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events

Powell is a Labour Member of Parliament for Manchester Central and holds the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Events (APPG) is a cross-party group made up of members from both Houses of Parliament, and acts as the event industry’s voice in Westminster.

The APPG for Events provides a forum for the highly diverse and valuable UK events industry in Parliament, engaging with representatives from across the political spectrum, and supports The Business of Events, an independent Think Tank for the events sector.

The APPG plays a key role in keeping the events industry high on the Parliamentary agenda.

Manchester Central has struck up a significant partnership with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to bolster the region’s business opportunities.

The two organisations have aligned in a bid to connect businesses right across the city region, helping to build networks and add value to firms of all sizes. The new partnership has grown from a collaboration which began in 2019 with the launch of the now popular Destination for Business event series which covers topical themes for Manchester business leaders and help to put the events sector at the centre of conversations.

As part of the agreement, Chamber members will have the chance to get involved with a myriad of events hosted at Manchester Central, while event organisers will also be able to list events on the Chamber’s website, promoting them across the region, and get complimentary access to members’ lounges and workspace at Chamber HQ in the city. Throughout the partnership, there will be joint promotion of events and ongoing collaborations to ensure as many businesses in the city as possible have the opportunity to connect with each other. 

Kickstarting the partnership, the fifth Destination for Business event will take place this Thursday, 9th February, discussing sustainable growth within the city-region. Panellists will include Nick Richardson, founder of The Insights Family; leadership coach and business owner Maria Brycleland, Melanie Yeomans, partner at Ward Hadaway, Patrick Molyneux, co-founding partner at Acceleris Capital and Sharon Amesu, co-founder of She Leads for Legacy. Places are free and must be booked in advance online.

Shaun Hinds, CEO at Manchester Central, said: “Businesses of all sizes are the lifeblood of our regional economy and mutually benefit from connecting with others to grow and develop. We are resolute in our commitment to helping the city’s businesses to thrive. Our partnership facilitates this by creating valuable conversations, opportunities and collaborations which we hope will generate transactions for Manchester and North West businesses.

“Beyond this, we know clients across a broad spectrum of sectors are increasingly keen to engage with local businesses and communities when they bring an event to Greater Manchester. They see the significance and importance of attracting regional audiences to their events and making a positive impact on the region they are visiting. We’re really pleased to partner with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, which will no doubt help to bolster the region’s business community.”

Lewis Crowe, head of membership and commercial at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, added: “It’s incredible to see the city alive again with business events hugely contributing to our regional economy. This partnership allows us to build on this success and we’re looking forward to seeing the great initiatives that are instigated by working together in this way.”

isla has appointed Malcolm Leach as its first Chief Technical Officer (CTO) to develop TRACE – the definitive carbon measurement platform for sustainable events.

Malcolm joins isla from his most recent role as CTO at finance broker Funding Options, and brings with him more than three decades of experience spanning across technical product development, operational transformation and business scalability. 

His role comes at a time of rapid growth for isla and TRACE. He will provide technical leadership and help develop and grow the TRACE team to ensure the platform continues to meet the needs of the industry and the wider net-zero landscape.

As CTO, he will also spearhead new data-driven product features to enable adopters to seamlessly measure, manage and minimise carbon emissions for events of all sizes, engaging their value chain and brand partners along the way.

isla CEO & Co-Founder Anna Abdelnoor said: “We’re thrilled Malcolm is joining the isla team. His appointment marks a key turning point for TRACE as we focus on accelerating event emission reductions and growing our data-led Insights – one of our key business pillars.”

isla CTO Malcolm Leach said: “Tackling climate change has always been important to me in my personal life and I’m excited to bring this into my professional life, joining the fantastic team at isla in their mission to help accelerate the event industry’s transition to a sustainable, net-zero ready future.”

Double Take

UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, says the UK exhibitions industry is bouncing back from Covid-19 and recovering better than many other destinations. 

The UFI’s latest research, covered in Exhibition News, shows that UK exhibitions are performing well but ‘highlight different concerns for organisers here to the rest of the world. 

The biggest pressure for the UK industry for the coming year was the national economy and global economic pressures, whereas worldwide results prioritised issues within management structures and digitalisation.’

Read more about the UFI Global Barometer report and its results, in Exhibition News.

This Monday’s Insights (23 January 2023) feature brings you the Events Apprenticeship Framework, accessibility, sustainability, EBDS explainer, and more.

Headlines

The Events Apprenticeship Framework has been launched by the UKEVENTS (formerly BVEP) Skills Talent & Diversity Working Group to tackle industry’s talent shortage.

The Events Apprenticeship Framework will launch with five apprenticeship schemes, which include: Events Assistant, Live Event Technician, Creative Venue Technician, Live Event Rigger, and AV Event Technician.

It will be overseen by the new Events Apprenticeships Advisory Board (EAAB), which comprises employers and specialist expertise.

Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular route into the industry, with more than 500 Event Assistant apprentices entering the workplace between 2017 and 2021 (IfATE, 2022).

According to UKEVENT’s 2020 UK Events Report, the business events industry employed 700,000 people in 2019. The association’s 2022 data, however, puts the figure anywhere between 140,000 and 560,000, a broad range backed up by UKCAMS and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). This reveals the scale of the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector.

With a clear reduction in overall staffing numbers, a structured apprenticeship programme is a sensible solution to tackling the shortage and presents a positive opportunity for growth.

Crowdfunding initiative launches

To help fund the Events Apprenticeship Framework, the EAAB has launched a crowdfunding initiative and has called for the industry’s support via donations and in promoting the new scheme to school leavers, those already working in the industry, or those considering a career change.

The EAAB says it is “imperative for the sector to have a robust and inclusive apprenticeship framework and to ensure longevity” and encourages any business able to contribute to do so. UKEVENTS has already provided seed funding, enabling a team of volunteers to build a strategy and lay out a clear plan.

Richard Waddington, Chair of EMA and a key figure behind the Events Apprenticeship Framework said: “When you talk to people about the events industry, it’s difficult to explain or understand, the Government doesn’t recognise it as a ‘professional industry’ and schools rarely talk about it as a potential career pathway – our aim is to change this.

“Whilst this is a massive ask in the current financial climate, the industry is crying out for people and there is an enormous untapped talent pool of people we’re not talking to, we need to bang the drum louder, have processes in place and attract people to this amazing industry.”

Read more, here.

M&IT Talks are kicking off 2023 with Anna Abdelnoor and Selina Donald about all things sustainability, including:

• the way the sector’s approach to sustainability has changed over the last decade
• how large events can balance the in-person element with the environmental impact
• how the sector should tackle greenwashing
• the one thing they would change about the sector’s attitude to sustainability

Find out what part of the sustainability conversation is like Netflix v Blockbuster Video, the missed opportunities of Qatar’s World Cup, and how far you can drive in an electric car:

Conference News has shared that ten of the Association of Event Venues (AEV)’s groups and working groups will start the year with 18 new chairs and vice-chairs leading them.

Rachel Parker, director, AEV, told the magazine: “The AEV convenes 15 working groups, including cross association working groups and the new Multi-Association Security Awareness group (MASA). I would like to welcome the new chairs and vice-chairs who will be playing a vital role in leading each group, communicating its findings and concerns to other groups and the wider industry.”

Read more on Conference News.

Skift Meetings’ Andrea Doyle has written a fantastic feature on accessibility and ensuring all attendees, including people with disabilities, can participate.

The piece looks at recognising what’s essential when designing events from the perspective of people with disabilities. It focuses on the insights of accessible design and DEI expert Rosemarie Rossetti, who is paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury.

Read the feature in full, here.

Double Take

M&IT Editor, Paul Harvey has put together a fantastic explainer on the government’s forthcoming Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS).

The Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide businesses with a discount on their energy bills from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The government says that the new scheme “strikes a balance between supporting businesses over the next 12 months and limiting taxpayer’s exposure to volatile energy markets”.

The M&IT explainer covers everything from what support will be available for businesses in our sector, including who is eligible, what discounts are available, and support for businesses that use a very large amount of energy.

Read the explainer guide, here.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.

Headlines

Culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, has called for Russian participation to be stopped at all UK events. She says Russia will be banned from attending or competing in sporting events and called for event organisers to block Russian involvement and cancel performances. Speaking in the House of Commons Dorries commented:

“Culture is the third front in the Ukrainian war. Across sport, the arts and entertainment, we’re ostracising Putin on the global stage. Putin is now suffering a sporting and cultural Siberia of his own making, and it will be causing the Russian leader real pain. Putin needs the kudos of these global events to conceal his illegitimacy and the hideous acts he is perpetrating in Ukraine.

She continued: “The Russian despot is desperately trying to hide the grim extent of his invasion from his own people. It’s why I strongly support, and continue to encourage, the kind of emotional displays of solidarity we’ve seen across sporting events in the last week, including the Carabao Cup Final and the Six Nations.”

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has appointed a dedicated diversity equity and inclusion director. VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s Debra Lang joins its voluntary board of directors to lead on diversity, equity and inclusion work.

Lang, who is the Director of HR & Professional Services of the national tourism agency, will be using her extensive experience to develop a strategy and best practice framework for the business meetings and events sector to ensure it is recognised as being fair, impartial and without biases.

Kerrin MacPhie, mia chief executive, said: “While working at the national tourism agency she’s [Debra] transformed the employee experience launching a people strategy during lockdown and creating numerous diversity and inclusion networks, which will provide great insight to our work championing best practice in this area.”

Read the full story on Conference News, here…

IMEX in Frankfurt has banned Russia from exhibiting at the show in May in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Group CEO shared the news on Linkedin while showing support for the Ukrainian people.

IMEX Frankfurt takes place at Messe Frankfurt on 31 May to 2 June, and Messe Frankfurt has also put out a statement in response to the situation.

IMEX Group’s announcement from Carina Bauer (CEO) and Ray Bloom (Chairman) included: “Sadly, today we have taken the decision to suspend Russian state enterprises from participating at IMEX in Frankfurt 2022, as a direct result of the current political situation. We do this with a heavy heart, understanding that the world is in an unprecedented situation. Our hearts go out to everyone who is affected and especially the people of Ukraine. All of us wish for a speedy and peaceful resolution to this conflict.”

Read the full story on M&IT!

Double take

The NEC Birmingham and the International Convention Centre (ICC) have donated over 13,200 portions of food to their local community in the past 18 months using food-sharing app Olio.

The initiative also averted over 11,400kg of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 38,700 car miles off the road, and has saved 2m litres of water.

Marc Frankl, food and beverage director for the NEC Group’s in-house caterers Amadeus, said: “It has been a tough, yet rewarding journey for us to transform our operations in this way. Our staff have really embraced the partnership and it’s moving from strength to strength. OLIO is fantastic as it allows us to reduce any food waste from events, while giving back in the areas in which we operate.”

Read more on this fantastic achievement on Exhibition News.

This Monday’s Insights feature brings you the industry headlines you may have missed from the previous week.

Headlines

IMEX has reported ‘strong demand’ as Germany eases COVID restrictions, according to M&IT Magazine. The report supports anecdotal information heard by the EDGE team recently and is excellent news for the industry.

Germany plans to lift most of its coronavirus restrictions throughout March. Masks will still be mandatory indoors, as the number of cases in the country continues to decline. Read more about the country’s 3-step plan here, alongside comments from Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.

In more good news for overseas event planners, Northstar Meetings Group has reported that proof of vaccination is no longer required to access indoor events and restaurants in Washington, D.C., and the mask mandate will end on March 1.

Philadelphia has removed its vaccine requirement for indoor dining, but people still need face coverings in indoor public spaces. In Washington state, vaccine verification will no longer be necessary for large events starting March 1, and the mask mandate will end on March 21.

Read the full state-by-state Covid updates here.

Lime Venue Portfolio has launched three new packages. As part of its Meetings for Change initiative, they bring sustainability, mindfulness, and wellness to the fore.

The initiative follows findings from the brand’s Beyond Food reports. Specifically the chapter on Food & Mental Health, and the need to support mental health and create empathetic and reassuring spaces for delegates. 

“This is about health; health for our delegates, our organisers and the planet. The aim is to offer our customers a simple package that is highly credible and allows them to fulfil their own commitments to their guests, and their sustainability goals, by working with a trusted partner like ourselves.”

Jo Austin, Sales Director, Lime Venue Portfolio

If you want to hear more or book any of the packages, contact EDGE.

Double take

During its fourth-quarter earnings call, Air France-KLM shared a ‘steady rebound’ of corporate traffic in 2021. According to BTN (Business Travel News), the Group’s corporate segment in December 2021 reached about half the volume of 2019. The trend was ‘driven by long-haul routes after a partial relaxation of travel restrictions and the reopening of U.S. borders’. 

And Omicron-related corporate travel restrictions trend hampering short- and medium-haul traffic into 2022, has recently reversed. What’s more, Air France-KLM noted that ‘several major multinational companies are starting to or planning to resume travel.’

With corporate travel policies often setting the tone for meetings and events, this is good news for events. 

Read the full BTN run-down of the airline’s earnings call here.