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International Event Organisers Update (IEOU) is published monthly and is an information source circulated FREE to 12000 selected organisers and others interested in keeping abreast of development in the international event industry. It is edited to higher standards than the inadequate ones laid down by the self-regulatory Press Complaints Commission (PCC)
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Note: As a matter of policy International Event Organisers Update (IEOU) does not carry any 0870 telephone numbers in entries for the news or Announcements section of IEOU. This is because these numbers operate as covert premium rate lines – misleadingly called “national rate” by BT and others that sell them – and are charged at five or more times the current normal cost to dial a normal geographical UK number.
Readers are advised to visit www.saynoto0870.com for more information about this customer-unfriendly scam, and to ask all suppliers and potential suppliers to provide their normal, cheaper numbers.
China continues to draw bad publicity for its inhumanity despite its popularity for purely commercial reasons in political and business circles.
A recent demonstration in London’s Chinatown by spiritual group Falun Gong (banned in China for being an “evil cult”) distributed leaflets to the public claiming that their supporters were among others being murdered for their organs, apparently a lucrative trade in China.
Falun Gong say that corneas are sold for 30,000 dollars, kidneys for 62,000 dollars, livers for 98 – 130,000 dollars, hearts for 130 – 160,000 dollars and lungs for 150 – 170,000 dollars. Removals, they say take place while victims are still alive, to ensure freshness.
Similar horrors are reportedly inflicted on animals in China for the lucrative trade in cat and dog fur. A recent TV programme The McCartneys versus the Fur Trade featured the anti-fur campaigning of Paul and Heather McCartney and showed distressing footage, secretly filmed in a Chinese fur factory, of a young Alsatian dog crying as it was skinned alive, to keep the fur fresh.
Britain is failing to kowtow enough to the Chinese for business, with only politicians who command little respect being regular visitors to China.
This is the view of the Institute of Directors who have pointed out that whereas other major European countries such as Germany and France send their respected leaders, us Brits only send John Prescott, a current figure of fun on account of his extra marital activities, standing up. (Rumours that Chinese food fan Prescott’s favourite restaurant is the Fook Mee in Old Shanghai should be discounted as scurrilous).
The IOD also point out that Britain has so far failed to sign up to the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010, such expensive beanos functioning as showcases for industry but presented as major consumer events.
One minor Brit, and another figure of fun, who surely cannot be accused of not enough grovel and kowtow is London Mayor Ken Livingstone who surprised even the Chinese by obligingly comparing their 1986 massacres in Tiananmen Square with the 1990 poll-tax riots in Trafalgar Square. (See IEOU March/April).
The USA is losing substantial incoming tourism business over the treatment of all travellers as terrorists until proven otherwise.
Stories abound of tourists being treated rudely and disrespectfully by customs officials, now employees of the Department for Homeland Security. And visitors applying for visas report that ritual and gratuitous humiliation of applicants by those employed in US visa departments seems to be a much-treasured job perk for them. According to Private Eye the world-famous Halle Orchestra has cancelled a US tour because of the problems involved, a stand being taken by an inreasing number of other organisers of cultural events.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has admitted that “the US government is not exactly known for its customer service”. (Daily Telegraph).
Black football fans attending the world cup could risk their lives if they stray into parts of Germany where neo-Nazis are strong. (The Independent).
The warning has been issued by a German anti-racism organisation, Gesicht Zeigen which says black fans should avoid small and medium sized towns in Brandenburg because they “would possibly not leave there alive”.
Brandenburg is an area around Berlin containing cities such as Potsdam (the capital) and Brandenburg itself as well as a number of smaller and medium sized towns described in tourist guides as “time-warped”.
With the increase in terrorist incidents in many countries, including the UK are you, your staff and delegates to your event properly covered by travel insurance?
A recent piece in the Daily Telegraph suggested that a lot of travellers are relying on insurance gained free from credit card companies and banks not realising that the important aspect of medical costs incurred if injured in hostilities of any kind, including acts of terrorism are not included. This is one strong reason why the banks and credit card companies can buy the policies cheaply enough to give away.
The cost of including the all-important medical cover in the event of terrorism is not significantly large for the individual traveller. One annual multi-trip policy sold by every Post Office and underwritten by insurance company Fortis includes medical expenses for up to £10 million in most countries of the world for around £1 a week, an aspect which could, in the case of emergency make the bankers “free” insurance look very expensive indeed.
No travel insurance policy will cover for travel to countries on the UK Foreign Office “no-go” list – avoid all but essential travel – and details are available at www.fao.gov.uk
Footnote: A group of organisers visiting the BTC tourism industry exhibition in Florence a few years back were the victims of a tout – also an event industry supplier - who took them to a bar where they were charged £176 for a bottle of vodka they never had. They paid when the bar owner threatened to call the police (also in on the scam?)
The new Terminal 4 at Madrid airport is a traveller’s nightmare.
This is the view of Ray Roberts of organisers Travel Impact. Writing in a recent issue of Conference and Incentive Travel (C & IT) magazine Roberts opines that the vast airport is badly designed to the point of user unfriendliness and cites the very long hike from plane to ground transport, the inadequate trains to baggage reclaim (with people being pushed in by staff before doors can be closed) and the inadequate escalators that log-jam when the train arrives.
Now might be a good time to haggle with Parisian hoteliers, some of whom have reduced rates in the wake of the recent riots over employment law.
According to The Hotel Magazine the four star Hotel Napoleon has dropped from £307 to £122 and the four star Hotel Relais St-Jacques from £171 to £118.
A new dedicated meetings industry event, as opposed to a travel industry show, is being launched for the Gulf region.
GIBTM takes place in Abu Dhabi 27-29 March 2007 at the new exhibition centre and the programme includes hostings (free flights and accommodation) for buyers as well as an appointment system and educational seminars.
Visit: www.reedtravel.exhibitions.com
A showcase for Chile is being staged on Tuesday 6 June at London Zoo, Regents Park, from 5.00 pm.
The programme includes a Chilean wine tasting and dinner and attendance is by invitation.
Tel: 0208 906 8989 Fax: 0208 906 8585
e-mail: info@hotels-hotline.com
Visit: www.visitchile.org
The four-star Clarion Hotel, Berlin has added 270 new bedrooms, and 30 suites giving it 701 bedrooms and making it the fifth largest in Germany.
There are also 18 function rooms for up to 550 delegates theatre-style as well as two restaurants and a wellness centre. All bedrooms are air-conditioned and have wireless LAN a wide flat screen TV and safe, and prices for doubles start from 105 euros with breakfast for 15 euros.
Tel: (49) 30 2605 2794
Visit: www.hotel-berlin.de
Old Gannet was greatly looking forward to a recent second trip to Antwerp, not least for the rightly famous Belgian F & B.
Disappointingly the Belgian genever bar which stocks 150 varieties (De Vagant) and used to offer wonderful tastings for individuals now only offers the service for groups, a well-regarded restaurant called Pottenburg refused to serve free tap water with a meal (so O.G. walked out without eating), and a meal of Moules Frites in the Suikerrui, a street supposedly famed for its informal seafood restaurants was underwhelming on account of the Dutch mussels served in Belgian restaurants not being in season during April-June and being depressingly small and shrivelled molluscs inside large shells.
However the sun finally shone on the last day for O.G. with the discovery of a superb place to enjoy Belgium’s national dish, Het Mosselhuis and Oesterbar. This is a specialist seafood restaurant on a giant 8-way roundabout, Marnixplaats, just south of the centre and has been open just 6 months, too new for the guidebooks yet. It is run by Dutch couple Martin and Kitty who know well the seasonal variations in mussel quality and get round the problem by serving large plump and juicy Canadian molluses when the Dutch Zeeland product is below par. Here a kilo of lip-smackingly superb examples in a variety of sauces cost around £12 inclusive an amuse-bouche, fresh bread with herb butter and the famous Belgian chips with mayonnaise.
We’ll be back.
Het Mosselhuis and Oesterbar, Marnixplaats 13, 2000 Antwerpen 03/216 0353. Accommodates 40 covers inside and 20 outside.
For over 300 years, the Royal Society has held some of the most important events in the scientific world. Based in Carlton House Terrace overlooking The Mall and St James’s Park, this Grade 1 listed building offers first class meeting and dining facilities. Whether a meeting for 10, a conference for 300 or a banquet for 160, we have the experience and the commitment to exceed your expectations.
With state of the art audio-visual equipment, including video conferencing and a high-tec digital filming service, we can also offer preferential accommodation rates with local Hotels. Full disabled access is also available.
Further details can be found at www.royalsoc.ac.uk or contact Nick Watts, Sales and Marketing Manager on 020 7451 2616 or email nick.watts@royalsoc.ac.uk
Porto Convention Bureau is a not-for-profit organisation specialising in promoting Porto and Northern Portugal as a destination for congresses, conferences, seminars, events and incentive travel.
The Porto Convention Bureau provides a wealth of information and advice, namely facilities, natural resources and professional partners.
We offer our services free of charge to any national and international organisers of meetings, conventions and incentives.
The Porto Convention Bureau gathers over 120 members such as hotels, congress and conference centres, DMC’s PCO’s transport companies and support services and plays a key role in giving an international reputation to Porto and Northern Portugal as a vintage destination.
Porto Convention & Visitors Bureau
Av. Inferior à Ponte D.Luis 1, 53-1° andar
4050-074 Porto – Portugal
ph: +351 223 326 751 – fx: +351 223 326 752
E-mail: rkoehler@portocvb.com – www.portocvb.com
The Society of Event Organisers (SEO) has launched a one-day in-house presentation, UNDERSTANDING EVENT ORGANISATION, aimed at giving venue sales, marketing and operations staff a full appreciation of the job their organiser clients do, to build rapport and improve working relationships.
Other training for venues offered by the SEO includes a public or in-house course on MARKETING YOUR VENUE FOR EVENTS.
Tel: 01767 316255 Fax: 01767 316430
This is a new three day residential adjunct to the Certificate in Conference Organisation (CCO), with an examination and qualification and being run in Porto, Northern Portugal for 2006 in co-operation with the Porto Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB). Covers destination evaluation, using a CVB and/or DMC, negotiating, pricing, transportation, security, insurance, legalities, currency, customs and excise, tax considerations, partner programmes, food and beverage, cultural differences. Fees from £950 plus VAT. Monday 31 July 2006 – Thursday 3August 2006.
Tel: 01767 316255 Fax: 01767 316430
Visit: www.seoevent.co.uk
A 100-word announcement costs from £95 in this section of International Event Organisers Update (IEOU) and reaches 12,000 organisers.
To download full details and a booking form visit www.eou.org.uk Alternatively call (44) 1767 316255 or fax to (44) 1767 316430.
For more information please contact the organisers directly. You are advised to check that events are appropriate to your needs and still running before finalising travel plans. IEOU only lists the main international exhibitions and events specific to the events market – there are however lots of smaller country-specific presentations and travel industry events that can deliver useful information to organisers.
6-7 MELBOURNE
AIME – Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo.
www.aime.com.au
28-30 BARCELONA
EIBTM exhibition
www.eibtm.com
27-29 ABU DHABI
GIBTM exhibition
www.reedtravelexhibitions.com
Edited and distributed by:
Society of Event Organisers
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Tel: +44(0)1767 316255 Fax: +44(0)1767 316430
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