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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.
The murder, in London, of the former Russian KGB colonel Alexander Litvinenko has put a question mark over the judgement of those UK politicians and companies enthusiastic about doing business with Russia and President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Litvinenko is the latest in a long line of Putin critics to be murdered and was poisoned by the radioactive substance polonium 210, reportedly in a Piccadilly sushi bar, Itsu.
His death follows that of journalist and Putin critic Anna Politkovskaya, shot in Russia in early October and reportedly the thirteenth journalist murdered since Mr Putin took power in 2000. (See “Vladimir Corleone?” IEOU October/November).
The recent Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Singapore have focussed attention on the country’s poor record for free speech. (Financial Times).
Outdoor protests were banned and selected accredited representatives of some non-governmental organisations were banned from entering.
In spite of promises by prime minister Lee Hsien Long to promote an “open society” laws on public gatherings are being tightened up, and use of the internet for free speech is being restricted.
In Singapore the media is state-controlled and is ranked 147th out of 167 countries surveyed for press freedom by Reporters Without Borders. This makes it arguably a safe choice for organisers wanting to stifle protest and open discussion, and control the media output at their events.
A “case history” on the World Bank/IMF event was recently published in the advertorial Association Meetings International event trade magazine under the boastful heading “WE KNOW WE’RE GOOD ….. NOW THE WORLD KNOWS” and was thought to have been paid for by the Singapore Convention Bureau.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is campaigning to stop travellers bringing back souvenirs made from the local wildlife. (Ethical Consumer).
Examples include jewellery and ornaments made from elephant ivory, currently illegal to bring into the UK. According to the Daily Telegraph a barbers shop group in London, George F Trumper Ltd was fined £10,000 for dealing in ivory products including shaving brushes and hairbrushes, in all 24 items.
The company pleaded guilty and the ivory was confiscated
Appreciation of ivory items seems to be restricted to a dwindling minority, at least in the UK. On a 2003 trip to Germany made by members of the Association for Conferences and Events (ACE) a visit to the famous Ivory Museum at Erbach left most participants unenthusiastic even though it was explained that alternatives such as fossilised mammoth tusks, bone and types of nut were now replacing elephant ivory to keep the long-established local carving industry going.
The IFAW campaign is also supported by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and other items targeted are “tortoiseshell” items, which are often made from illegally traded turtle shells, seahorses sold as curios and as medicine, coral jewellery, sharks teeth, reptile skin handbags, shoes and belts and big cats skins, which are made into coats, bags and rugs.
The IFAW’s slogan is “DON’T BUY & THEY WON’T DIE”.
The three part legacy of British PM Tony Blair – despite the best efforts of his highly paid publicists – is looking like Sleaze, More Sleaze and Iraq.
This is the message coming from the UK national press which reports on the Iraq invasion disaster highly recommended by the two man Blair/Bush focus group, the cash for honours scandal for which Mr Blair and some of his acolytes have been interviewed by the police, and the very smelly aborting of the Saudi bribes probe by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on the orders of the government.
On top of this there are still unanswered questions over the terms of a £1 million loan to the Labour Party by Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone.
Many in the UK feel that at one time a high standard of ethics was a notable and commendable facet of Britishness (fair play, straight bat, word is bond, that sort of thing) but not any more.
The likelihood of horrific mass culls of elephants in Southern Africa has significantly increased with the latest significant increase in their numbers.
According to a recent report in travel publication Ultratravel elephant populations in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have doubled in the last 20 years and are expected to more than double in the next 20. The elephant eats its environment in the form of trees and this environment in many parts of Africa is becoming smaller with the encroachment of man. In addition the elephant has no real predators – apart from man illegally killing it for its ivory – although lions will take babies and smaller, weaker animals.
Culls, like the ones at Kruger in the 90’s are as distressing to many as the clubbing of baby seals in Canada, not least to the rangers who have the appalling job of shooting down whole family groups from helicopters, so that traumatised and potentially dangerous young are not left alive. Nevertheless it is now known that elephants communicate over long distances using infrasound so that the distress of elephants being shot is likely to pass through and affect the remaining population.
No viable alternative to culling, such as sterilisation, has been developed in Africa
Britain’s part in the “profoundly shameful” but highly profitable slave trade has been acknowledged by pm Tony Blair, ahead of next years bicentenary of its abolition.
Blair said he felt “deep sorrow” for what was “one of the most inhuman enterprises in history” but his comments fell well short of an apology, possibly for legal reasons. They were denounced as “empty rhetoric” by black activists who are demanding reparation, presumably in the form of money.
The lucrative trade in which many countries participated involved sailing transporter ships to Africa to capture slaves and then deliver those that survived the trip, to the West Indies to work on plantations growing crops such as sugar and tobacco for consumption back in Britain. Certainly the fortunes of many a trader in the ports of London, Plymouth, Bristol and Liverpool were based on it, as was that of some of the Queen’s favourites such as Sir Francis Drake and shipping insurers Lloyds. The Royal Navy Ship Bounty, where the crew famously mutinied was on a mission to take breadfruit plants from Tahiti to Jamaica, to provide a cheap and tasteless food considered good enough for slaves.
Slavery was abolished in Britain in 1807 after a profitable run of 240 years. It was abolished in France in 1848 and in America in 1865.
Some interesting insights into the future of the hotel business and business travel were given by panellists from hotels and convention bureaux at a discussion held at the recent World Travel Market (WTM) exhibition at Excel.
o Pharmaceutical company junkets were definitely a thing of the past.
o Global warming will put many destinations underwater and spell the end of snow– topping on some famous mountains. (So see them before it’s too late?)
o Guilt about flying and unbearably high summer temperatures will persuade many European globe-trotters to holiday nearer home and in cooler places such as northern Europe, so UK could benefit.
o The US has promoted an unfriendly image of “We don’t want you here” which has significantly damaged its incoming market (Apparently some Brazilian and Argentinean bankers attending a US based conference were refused entry and sent home).
o Events run by associations are a significant growth area in Europe.
o Hoteliers in the UK will trip over themselves to build new hotels in time for the London Olympics and watch occupancy levels plummet after the event. (A better idea might be to use cruise ships for accommodation, like they did in Greece).
The session was part of the WTM focus day for the events industry.
In conjunction with the organisers of the IMEX meetings industry exhibition in Frankfurt April 17-19 the publishers of International Event Organisers Update (IEOU) are planning a hosted visit for readers.
This will comprise complimentary flights from a selection of UK airports, transfers, accommodation and some meals and participants will be expected to book and show up for a small number of appointments with exhibitors.
Applications are invited from UK based organisers of events overseas who would like to attend on this complimentary basis.
Please call 01767 316255, fax to 01767 316430 or e-mail to info@eou.org.uk for an application form.
A free e-mail newsletter Into The Blue is offered to international event organisers interested in booking cruises, and cruise ships for their programmes.
It is offered by the publishers of Cruise Trade News and organisers interested should e-mail to kmellis@btinternet.com
One of the really naff things about cruising, for many Brits, is the pressure under which they are put to tip. (Travel Trade Gazette).
Some generous hearted cruise firms simply add a “discretionary” charge to guest bills of £6/7 per person, per day which for a 14 day cruise for 4 could add £400 to the bill. Others simply recommend a tip level and leave passengers to feel guilty or good about under tipping or over tipping.
The issue has always been a contentious one in the UK with some being happy to tip staff individually, feeling that by this way they are rewarding especially good service. Others suspect that employers are unfairly using customer tips to subsidise the low wages they pay their staff, a common concept in the travel industry.
On a Disney cruise a few years back the author recalls being given a set of empty envelopes on the last day marked with the titles of various staff and “guidance” as to how much to put in each. One of the titles was the maitre d’hotel who the author only recalls seeing at the last meal, on tip day, cruising smoothly between the tables and smiling at everyone in that engaging American way.
Those travellers looking forward to saving money on purchases of their favourite tipple, smokes or perfume can visit an informative website to see how much it’s likely to cost.
The site, at www.dutyfreepriceguide.com gives current prices for items at airports and on airlines and the differences can be huge. On one day in November for instance:-
o A bottle of Jack Daniels was £23.29 on Britannia Airways, £11.65 at Bahrain Airport and £9 on Lan Chile.
o A pack (200) of Marlborough cigarettes was £26.35 at Vienna Airport, £12.71 on Aer Lingus and £5.29 on Ethiopian Airlines.
o A pack of 200 Benson and Hedges cigarettes were £25.41 at Salzburg Airport, £16.94 at Berlin and Frankfurt Airports, £19.06 on British Airways, £7.41 at Thailand and Hong Kong Airports and £5.29 on Ethiopian Airlines.
o A bottle (litre) of Gordons Gin was £13.24 on Britannia Airways, £8.47 on BA, £5.82 at Bahrain Airport and £4.24 on Aeroflot.
o A 50 ml bottle of Chanel No 5 Eau de Parfume spray was £40.24 at Salzburg Airport, £37.59 on Air France and Swissair, £33.88 on Aeroflot and £22.24 on Bangladeshi Airlines.
Sadly, in our view, the website doesn’t give the answer to the eternal conundrum, as to whether or not it’s cheaper to buy in local shops.
A poster proclaiming NOTHING GOOD EVER CAME OUT OF AMERICA has generated 39 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The poster, which was meant to be ironic, was for a new digital TV channel “Five US” which featured “the most highly regarded American films, drama, comedy and talk shows”. The advertisers followed it up shortly afterwards with another poster with the pay-off line WHO SAYS NOTHING GOOD EVER CAME OUT OF AMERICA? The complainants, some of whom were American citizens, claimed it was irresponsible and distressing and could incite violence in areas where racial tension already existed.
The ASA noted that the ad did not refer to a specific ethnic group, that the phrase used was not a racial insult, that it was “relatively mild” and did not directly incite violence and accordingly rejected the complaints.
Budget airline Ryanair has been reprimanded by the Irish Takeover Panel for some interesting figures given to Aer Lingus employees. (The Independent).
At the time of its attempted £1 billion takeover Aer Lingus staff there who were members of the carrier’s share trust were told that they would receive £40,000 from the deal. Interestingly the share trust itself put the figure at around £28,000, or 30% less.
Meanwhile Ryanair has also been in trouble (again) with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over its optimistic description of its “£0” fares in a TV ad. A trade complaint from Monarch Airlines was upheld this month on the basis that the lowest cost of a “£0” Ryanair fare was found to be £11.70 when all Ryanair’s famous non-optional “taxes and charges” were added.
ITV, which made money out of running the ad, supported Ryanair and accepted the ad even though the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) which polices TV advertising had refused to clear it. The ASA’s ruling was that the ad must not appear in this form again.
The chief executive of Ryanair is Michael O’Blarney.
Hall 2, a £5 million exhibition hall, the largest in Leeds, is now being built alongside the Royal Armouries Museum.
Hall 2 is due for completion April 2007 and increases available exhibition space at the Royal Armouries to over 27,000 square feet (2500 square metres) as well as complementing the existing range of five galleries and meetings space. There is a secure 1,650 space car park, an on-site 130 bed Express by Holiday Inn hotel, another 700 hotel bedrooms within a five minute walk and another 5,500+ in the rest of Leeds.
Show-rounds are being arranged for organisers of conferences, corporate hospitality, parties and exhibitions in early 2007.
Tel: 0113 220 1990
Fax: 0113 220 1997
e-mail: enquiries@rai-events.co.uk
Visit: www.rai-events.co.uk
More than 19,000 square metres of exhibition space is being added to the total offering at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The three new spaces comprise 7,200 square metre extensions to Halls 1 and 2 and a 5,000 square metre extension to hall 3 and all are due for completion by early 2009.
Visit: www.hkcec.com
The Hotel Okura, Amsterdam has opened the largest and most luxurious hotel suite in the Benelux countries.
This occupies the 17th and 18th floors of the hotel, offers 485 square metres of space and comprises two palatial suites (his and hers?) two large 25 square metre bathrooms, a fitness room, cinema and a dining room for 14 guests.
Visit: www.okura.nl
Mocha is an award-winning creative team working with clients in the corporate, association, charity and government sectors. We use film, video, dvd and cd-Rom to create cost-effective solutions for internal and external communications, marketing, sales, public relations, promotions, tenders and bids, and from conception through filming, editing and production.
Recent projects have included filming large conferences and events, promotion of venues, video installations and corporate documentaries and films.
Contact us for an initial no obligation discussion.
Tel: 0151 706 0761 Fax: 0151 706 0762
e-mail: info@mocha.tv
Visit: www.mocha.tv
A new 12 day Diploma in Conference Organisation (DCO) qualification has been launched by the Society of Event Organisers (SEO) for 2007.
This comprises the four current days of the SEO Certificate in Conference Organisation (CCO) and eight additional and mainly practical days held as a summer school at a variety of London venues in August 2007. Delegates already holding the CCO qualification can just take the eight day summer session to sit for the DCO exam. The CCO is being held in Manchester on a residential and non-residential basis this August and in London (non-residential) starting September.
Fees for DCO run from £1,460 to £2,940 plus VAT.
Tel: 01767 316255 Fax: 01767 316430
e-mail: info@eou.org
Visit: www.seoevent.co.uk
o Event Organisers Update (EOU) for those running UK based conferences and seminars. www.eou.org.uk
o Corporate Hospitality and Party Update (CHPU) for those organising client hospitality and parties. www.eou.org.uk
o Association Update (AU) for association organisers. www.eou.org.uk
o Exhibition Update (EU) for organisations that exhibit themselves. www.eou.org.uko Live Marketing News (LMN) for live marketers. www.livemarketing news.com
o Association News (AN) for those who associate. www.associationnews.org.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.
27-29 ABU DHABI GIBTM exhibition
www.reedtravelexhibitions.com
17-19 FRANKFURT IMEX exhibition
www.imex-frankfurt.com
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