Explore our website to learn more about BestCities Global Alliance and its Partners – Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore and Vancouver.
Welcome to our December Edition of Best Meetings News
EDITORIAL:
Dear Association colleagues,
Singapore recently concluded its TravelRave 2011, consisting of ten world class events starting with the Singapore Experience Awards, and culminating with the Cornell Hotel Society Asia Pacific Regional Conference. Hosting association event and Asia's Top Meeting City for 28 consecutive years. (Source: Union of International Associations - UIA, 2010).
The new Marina Bay Sands convention complex is one of the largest and most modern in Asia, with a capacity for 45,000 delegates, 2,000 exhibition booths, and accommodates 250 meeting rooms. As Southeast Asia's largest ballroom, it can sit up to 6,000 guests banquet-style or 11,000 theater-style. Situated in the heart of the city with 7,900 hotel rooms within 5 km, Marina Bay Sands has indeed added to the Singapore's cache.
In 2010, we proudly hosted 725 association meetings (UIA, 2010). Some meetings hosted by Singapore this year include the IATA Annual General Assembly, World Orchid Conference and World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention 2011. Next year, we will welcome the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health, among many others.
In this issue, our feature story spotlights Vancouver. Surveys have shown that international conferences held in Vancouver drew 6%-10% more delegates than the previous conference. It is easy to see why this city has been rated as the No 1 meetings destination in North America.
News from my other fellow BestCities colleagues include:
And more good news! Berlin and Houston have joined BestCities Global Alliance as Preliminary Members in October this year. Come 2012, the Alliance will be able to offer meeting planners ten premier convention destinations around the world - Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Juan, Singapore, Vancouver AND Berlin and Houston.
As home to the largest medical centre in the world and the brains behind US space exploration, Houston is a city with a lot to offer meeting planners. It is arguably the most multicultural city in the US as well as one of the most culturally rich with resident companies in the four disciplines of the performing arts - Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony and Alley Theatre.
Berlin has been named as one of the top five convention cities worldwide by ICCA for the past five years. The German capital convinces with a large number of convention centres and locations - including the award winning International Congress Centre ICC - as well as Europe's most modern hotel landscape. The opening of the new capital airport in June 2012 will result in an increase in long haul flights ensuring Berlin becomes even more attractive for international event planners.
If you haven't already participated in our short 5-questions survey, please do click on this link and share your thoughts about BestCities with us. Completing this online survey not only helps to improve BestCities services and products, but also benefits the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Emergency Appeal. The alliance will donate USD10.00 for every completed survey.
Please contact me or my BestCities colleague Jane Cunningham if you are interested to bring your meeting to Singapore or to any of our BestCities destinations. All of us at BestCities Global Alliance look forward to welcoming you, and your delegates, to our destinations.
Best Practices. Best Meetings. BestCities.
Yours sincerely,
Quay Poh San, Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau
On behalf of BestCities Global Alliance.
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BestCities Success Story
Simply amazing!
This is how Salome Meyer, project manager of the 17th Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference, described the "highly professional services" offered by the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau. Cape Town won the bid to host this biennial event in 2013.
Meyer explained that they were particularly delighted to discover the services provided by the Convention Bureau since their association is a non-profit organisation, which is dependent on volunteers to do its work.
"The Convention Bureau provided support and guidance throughout the bidding process. Their expertise in putting together the bid document was invaluable. They ensured that all the stops were pulled out for the bid site inspection. And even after we’d won the bid, they were right there ready to help boost delegate numbers," adds Meyer.
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What I like about...... Melbourne.
By Karen Bolinger, CEO, Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau
"There's something for everyone."
"Melbourne really is a city with something for everyone. Whether you are a Foodie or a wine lover, shopper or sports enthusiasts, music and art lover, families, or business travellers, you name it; they're all catered for in Melbourne with choices for all budgets and tastes.
This diversity continues to impress me and the level of quality maintained by the city's huge range of offerings is a key component in delivering a truly unique, memorable and all encompassing experience, making for a city that is very easy to love."
"It's the Events Capital of Australia."
"There's always something to look forward to in Melbourne with some of Australia's biggest and best-known events held right here. The buzz in and around the city in the lead-up to and during our major events is palpable and really is an experience in itself.
Every year the city looks forward to the Australian Football League Grand Final, the Spring Racing Carnival featuring the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open Tennis Championships, the Boxing Day Cricket Test and the Formula 1(TM) Australian Grand Prix.
A vast array of annual festivals and shows, as varied as the cultures who make up this city, are also on offer, such as the ever-growing Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and Melbourne International Arts Festival."
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In the Spotlight:
Vancouver
As the No.1 meeting destination in North America (as ranked by ICCA - International Congress and Convention Association) Vancouver certainly has the X Factor that draws big numbers. Surveys have shown that international conferences held in Vancouver drew 6%-10% more delegates than the previous conference.
Several times a year, Tourism Vancouver invites meeting planners from around the world to visit the city on multiple-day familiarization trips, allowing them to assess firsthand Vancouver's potential as a future conference or event destination. At the last trip, attendees had the opportunity to discuss their experiences. Here's what they had to say about their trip and Tourism Vancouver:
"Vancouver is extremely accessible to our clients overseas, and the multiculturalism here makes client transitions much smoother."
"One of the major selling points of the city is the range of low-cost hotel options. That's definitely something I would promote to delegates."
"I never read up on travel destinations beforehand so I won't have preconceived notions that the place will be amazing… but Vancouver has truly been amazing."
Meeting planners can give their delegates the opportunity of a lifetime through incredible pre and post tours: a cruise to Alaska, a train ride through the Canadian Rockies, grizzly bear viewing, tasting wine at the many vineyards in the Okanagan Valley or taking a floatplane to one of the beautiful and remote islands.
Tourism Vancouver is a non-profit organisation that offers services such as bid collateral gathering for presentations, venue and accommodation searches, site inspections, conference organisations and others. With the successful hosting of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vancouver is poised to host your international meeting.
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Where to Find BestCities
Cape Town:
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28 February - 1 March, 2012
Meetings Africa, Johannesburg
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Melbourne:
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21-22 February 2012
AIME, Melbourne, Booth Number 1400
Booth No. 1400
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San Juan:
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December 15, 2011.
Association Forum of Chicagoland, Holiday Showcase 2011, Hyatt Regency, Chicago. Booth No. 541
March 8, 2012.
Meetings Industry Council (MIC) of Colorado Educational Conference & Tradeshow, Denver
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Singapore:
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21-22 February 2012
AIME Melbourne, Booth No. 5016
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Photo Story
L-R Crew members onboard Edinburgh Inspiring Capital Nick Barclay,
kidney transplantee, Teressa Tymkewycz, specialist nurse with NHS Blood
and Transplant, and John Buckels, liver transplant surgeon pictured with
Professor Charles Swanepoel (holding the BestCities flag)
Edinburgh and Singapore have taken its unique data exchange process to a different level by circumnavigating around the globe as entrants in the famous “Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race”. The race which started in the United Kingdom on 31st July concluded its second leg in the BestCities port of Cape Town on 30th September. Following a five-day layover, the yachts will continue on to West Australia, New Zealand then back to Australia’s east coast before racing into the second BestCities port of the race, Singapore, in January 2012. The coming together of the three BestCities partners despite a grueling race symbolises the extensive planning, communication and teamwork that reflects upon this global alliance.
Upcoming international congresses in a BestCities near you
| Cape Town
|
18-21 March 2012, 9th Congress of the Pan-African Paediatric Surgical Association |
| Copenhagen |
19-20 Dec 2011, Plenary Assembly of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations |
| Dubai |
19 Feb 2012, 3rd Middle East Security Conference & Exhibition |
| Edinburgh |
1-4 Feb 2012, 5th European College of Equine Internal Medicine Congress |
| Melbourne |
17-19 Jan 2012, 10th Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Conference |
| San Juan |
January 22-27, 2012, International Council of Shopping Centers Caribbean Conference |
| Singapore |
21-23 Feb 2012, 14th Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering |
| Vancouver |
11-15 March 2012, Harvard World Model United Nations Conference - WorldMUN |
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Cape Town's Table Mountain a New Nature Wonder
Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain has been chosen as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. It was one of 28 finalists chosen by voters worldwide. Table Mountain is approximately 360 million years old and is home to a wide range of fauna and flora, boasting more species of plants than the entire United Kingdom.
It forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of all the final 28 contenders for the New7Wonders of Nature, it is the most accessible - just 20 minutes drive from Cape Town International Airport.
Accounting firm Grant Thornton has calculated that making the Top Seven in the list will increase the number of tourists visiting Cape Town by at least 20%. And since about 70% of them are expected to be foreigners, that could translate to USD$160 million a year in extra revenue over five years.
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Copenhagen Airport gets Thumbs Up
Copenhagen Airport saw a record summer season for 2011 with 6.5 million passengers and 66,009 takeoffs and landings! Despite the busy summer, the airport succeeded in getting more than 85% of all flights into the air on time. There were days where the airport processed more than 85,000 passengers but despite this, 9 out of 10 passengers passed through security in less than five minutes. A passenger satisfaction survey carried out by Copenhagen Airport shows that 8 out of 10 passengers were either 'satisfied' or 'extremely satisfied'. This is not only in relation to security but also in terms of check-in, shopping and cleaning. This year the airport was awarded The Best Airport in Northern Europe", "World's Best Low Cost Airport" and "The Most Punctual International Airport in Europe."
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Hoteliers eye Edinburgh for Investment
One reason for Edinburgh's continued strength as a BestCities is that the city enjoys a good mix of leisure and business visitors. Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and first UNESCO City of Literature, with the world-famous festivals attracting international visitors.
Recently, Edinburgh has been identified by global consultants HVS London as being the most attractive city for hotel investment in the UK with a number of high profile major investments in the pipeline. Waldorf Astoria, Marriott, InterContinental, Hotel Missoni, Motel One, easyHotel, Premier Inn, Travelodge have all chosen to come to the city or increase their presence here. The accommodation sector in Edinburgh offers an excellent product in terms of service, access and value.
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Dubai Bid Alliance makes Meeting Planners an Irresistible Offer
The Dubai Bid Alliance (DBA) - a working group with the Dubai Convention Bureau - have created a community approach to international congress bids by offering attractive incentive packages to suit each meeting planner's need. One of its success story is the 21st World Diabetes Congress, the first to be organised in the Middle East and North Africa Region.IDF President, Professor Jean Claude Mbanya, explains why the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was selected: "Whilst the significance of diabetes to the UAE, the Gulf region and the Middle East and North African Region was the main reason Dubai was chosen to host the 2011 Congress, the city also had to accommodate the needs of more than 12,500 delegates," Professor Mbanya said. "Dubai meets the IDF's requirements for a host city including safe, low-cost public transport and excellent international access, together with a range of accommodation facilities to suit all budgets."
Melbourne will welcome the 2013 Congress, making it the third of three BestCities destinations (Cape Town in 2006) to host this world-acclaimed medical meeting over a seven year period.
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Bolinger takes helm at MCVB
Beginning 7 November this year, Karen Bolinger takes over as the new Chief Executive Officer for the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB), and at a particularly fortuitous time.As at the end of September 2011, the number of business events secured by MCVB was standing at 200% of its first quarter target, while expected delegate numbers and economic impact were at 149% and 176% of the bureau's first quarter targets respectively.
Karen shares with Best Meetings News readers what she likes about Melbourne.
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Accolades for San Juan's ultramodern Convention Centre
The Puerto Rico Convention Center Pedro Rossello recently earned two top recognitions: Trade Show Executive's "World's Top Convention Center Award 2011" and Association Meetings' "Inner Circle Award." Both awards, bestowed by meeting planners through reader surveys, not only emphasised the facilities' superior product but the quality and level of service provided to tradeshows, exhibitions and convention organisers.
In addition, the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau also earned service recognitions from the readers of Corporate & Incentive Travel, Facilities& Destinations, Meetings & Conventions as well as Successful Meetings magazines.
The newest addition to San Juan's ever-growing roster of high-end luxury hotels is the 496-room Condado Vanderbilt. Opening in January 2012, this restored and re-envisioned 1920s gem is in the heart of the hip and happening Condado Beach tourist area.
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