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PUBLISHERS ANNOUNCEMENT
The Society of Event Organisers (SEO) which publishes this newsletter has moved to individual free membership, which can be taken up by organisers, convention bureaux, tourist boards, venues, suppliers and agencies in the event sector.
All will receive all the SEO’s free newsletters, which can be unsubscribed at any time, as well as a 20% reduction on all qualifications, tutorials and conferences presented by the SEO. Supplier members, venues and agencies receive a 20% reduction on advertising rates.
To sign up for free membership go to www.seoevent.co.uk
The United States, India and Russia have the rudest and most unwelcoming passport officials at their international airports, according to a survey carried out by wayn.com.
The friendliest are to be found in Australia, the UK and Canada.
The USA also offers visitors a very high level of credit card fraud, according to UK payments association Apacs.
Romania is another country contributing significantly to the £230 million lost by Britons on their credit cards abroad, and since much of this is generated by cloning cards the golden rule of never letting anyone take a credit card out of sight still applies.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also advises visitors to Nigeria to beware of financial scams, many of which are set up by former employees of UK banks, using the specialist knowledge obtained. In Argentina a lot of "accidents" with spilled tomato ketchup happen, along with wallets and purses lifted under cover of the helpful clean up. In Thailand and Istambul drugged food and drink offered to visitors is a particular problem. For more details visit fco.gov.uk and search for Know Before You Go Campaign.
Those travelling without language skills are offered a visual phrasebook that does away with the need, its publishers claim, to parlez in the local lingo.
The pocket-sized book is arranged in eight sections covering transport, health, accommodation, financial, buying, leisure, communication and eating out, and costs 6.99 Euros.
www.skippyglobetrotter.com
Underlining the importance of keeping an aircraft seat belt fastened at all times, 26 people were hurt, some with serious head injuries, when their plane hit some extreme turbulence over the Atlantic.
The Continental Airlines Boeing 767 was flying from Rio de Janeiro to Houston when it suddenly plummeted from 36,000 feet for 10 seconds, throwing passengers not wearing seat belts around the cabin "like rag dolls"
A major threat to airline profits are businesses that are increasingly turning to videoconferencing as a cheaper, quicker and more environmentally friendly alternative to flying expensive staff around, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
And according to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives it is these internal meetings that are especially suited to the technology and which can account for up to 40% of a company's travel budget, a significant amount to slash at in the current economic climate.
Perhaps, as suggested in the Daily Telegraph it is up to airlines and airports to make flying less of an expensive ordeal?
Reassuring to note, to be sure, that everyone's favourite Irishman, Michael O'Blarney of Ryanair is still pushing the envelope of customer care.
Earlier this month, following the runaway success of his £1 for the toilet and standing on flights schemes the lovable leprechaun seemed to have introduced a beat the clock game at Stansted Airport whereby passengers had to try to get on their flight with only half the number of baggage drops operating. This entertaining wheeze resulted in around 700 passengers, many with children, losing the game and having to cancel their trip or find alternative flights.
A new spa centre, ESPA Riga, has opened at the Reval Hotel, Riga offering six floors of pampering.
Included is an 18-metre swimming pool, an open air rooftop vitality pool with views of the city, a poolside bar, a cafe, and a fitness studio, along with a large range of treatments featuring aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, phytotherapy and Ayruvadic techniques, and a variety of relaxations.
www.espariga.com
Swiss cities and towns on lakes have always held a special charm for visitors and central Switzerland’s Lucerne, one hour by fast, clean double-deck train from Zurich airport is no exception. For the business visitor the main conference and concert venue, the modern KKL which stands for conference and culture Lucerne, enjoys an enviable water-front position, also adjacent to the equally modern railway station, and offering great views from its terraces over the waters and mountains of Lake Lucern.
Lucerne is a festival city staging world-class concerts featuring all types of music - this year they have orchestras playing classical, as well as swing bands, brass bands, the Bill Haley Orchestra and artistes such as Joss Stone, John Fogerty, James Morrison and Diana Krall - and the KKL is central to this, offering a concert hall with famous adjustable acoustics for 1840, or 1300 in conference seating, a smaller hall with a standing capacity of 1500 and 850 for a banquet and an auditorium for 270.
www.kkl-luzern.ch
On the hotel side International Event Organisers Update sampled The Hotel, a luxury boutique property a few minutes walk from the KKL, designed by the same architect and overlooking a small park. This has 25 studios and suites, all themed differently from films, stills from which decorate the ceilings and bleed off down the walls. There is a stylish lounge bar and a chic and highly-regarded French/Asian fusion restaurant serving, as we found, some very authentic sushi and sashimi. Prices for bedrooms are from around £260, at current awful exchange rates for sterling.
www.the-hotel.ch
In the same group are two other hotels, both centrally located. The Astoria, of very clean and clinical white and silver design has 250 bedrooms including 90 superior rooms and suites for the business market, 12 meetings rooms for 8-190, a 350 capacity Penthouse Lounge with views, a 350 capacity dance club and three restaurants for Thai, Mediterranean and pizza/pasta cuisine. (www.astoria-luzern.ch) The Schiller, recently refurbished in Art Nouveau style has 100 bedrooms and a Mexican restaurant, set up in the style of a Mexican village square (www.schiller-luzern.ch) Bedroom rates are from around £160 for both hotels, and there is a day delegate rate of around £70 at the Astoria.
Off-duty time in Lucerne can be particularly pleasurable, with relaxing walks around the lake, over the centuries-old wooden bridges and through the boutiques, bars and chocolate shops of the Old Town being a highlight. Equally relaxing is to take a lake cruise on a paddle-steamer, perhaps with a meal included, and watch the scenery slide by. Those with art in their soul can visit the Rosengart art gallery to view lots of works by Picasso and Klee, and a few by the likes of Monet, Renoir and Cezanne, or go inside the Jesuit Church, a satisfyingly over the top rococo confection in white, pink, gold leaf, russet marble and brightly painted frescoes.
www.luzern.com
International Event Organisers Update made a trip to South Eastern Spain earlier this year to view conference facilities and pick up the flavour of three very different Spanish cities.
VALENCIA, Spain's third largest, offers 2,740 five-star beds and 8000 four- star beds, with 30% of its current hotels established in the last five years. Tourist guides describe it as an under-visited gem, with a seductive old quarter and a brave new world of ultra-modern buildings.
Venues visited were:
o City of Arts and Sciences, a 2-kilometre long, 350,000 square metre complex of ultra-modern indoor and outdoor spaces including an opera house with 2 auditoria for 1400 and 2 for 400, the largest IMAX cinema in Spain and the largest aquarium in Europe. New for 2009 is the Agora, a futuristic ellipsis with a covered area of 4800 square metres and a capacity of 5000.
www.cac.eso Valencia Conference Centre, another modern complex offering 2 auditoria for 1471 and 467 delegates and one for 270, divisible into two, as well as 15 rooms for 25 to 350 and 1277 square metres of exhibition space.
www.palcongres-vlc.como Valencia Exhibition Centre has a total of 230,000 square metres of covered area across 8 pavilions offering 2000 to 18,700 square metres and 12 meetings spaces of 70 to 1600 square metres.
www.feriavalencia.como Sercotel Sorolla Palace, a four star superior hotel in the business district and next to the Valencia Conference Centre offers 271 bedrooms (55 superior/suites), one large meetings space for 700 divisible into 350/250 theatre-style and nine rooms for 20-60, all with natural light. The metro for the city is 2 minutes away and there are some good eating places locally including an excellent and top value Japanese restaurant, Shintori Teppanyaki, which offers unlimited servings of 42 different dishes for around £10 for a weekday lunch, £14 for a dinner or at weekends.
www.hotelsorollapalace.como The Westin, a traditional luxury five-star hotel in the city centre offers 135 spacious bedrooms, all non-smoking with WiFi and coffee makers, (unusual in most of mainland Europe) and with 71 deluxe/suites, some with terrace and outdoor Jacuzzi. There is one large meetings room for 420, divisible into three, four other spaces for 45 to 100, a terrace holding 150 for a reception and 1900 square metres of gardens and courtyard, to take advantage of Valencia's 300 sunny days.
www.westin.com/valenciao Hotel Urbem, a brand new four star with 262 bedrooms, including 29 superior business class rooms on a dedicated floor. There are also 7 conference rooms, all with natural light, for 20-300 delegates, and a spa with Turkish baths, massage and mud treatments.
www.hoteloperavalencia.como Masia Xamandreu is a luxury villa around 10 minutes drive from the conference centre and offers a range of indoor spaces for 120/250/400/1400 delegates as well as more than 40,000 square metres of landscaped gardens for outdoor events.
www.masiaxamandreu.com
For more information see www.turisvalencia.es
ALICANTE is for those who like beaches, golf and messing about in boats of all sizes. It has more than 1,600 four -star bedrooms and a laid back atmosphere.
Venues visited were:
o Santa Barbara Castle dates from the 16th century and offers great views up the Costa Blanca coast from its 166 metre perch on top of Mount Benacantil. Some of the historic rooms are available for functions.
www.alicantecongresos.como Ciudad de la Luz is a working film studio on the edge of town offering huge spaces for events. These include 6 sound stage buildings totalling 120,000 square feet, workshop buildings totalling 120,550 square feet, a back lot area of 29.7 acres, 2 catering areas for 600 delegates and an 83,200 square foot water tank with water cannon and wave machines. All just the thing for staging El Cid, Ben Hur or the next corporate Titanic.
www.ciudaddelaluz.como Hotel Melia Alicante offers a prime position overlooking the beach and the marina, 544 four- star bedrooms, 14 main meetings rooms for 25-425 delegates and 2 areas for 300 and 1,100 for a reception. Great views are available from its rooms, restaurant and outdoor poolside area.
www.meliaalicante.como Hotel Hesperia Alicante is a four- star on San Juan beach, around 6 miles from town and with terraces overlooking the 18th hole of Alicante Golf. It offers 156 bedrooms, 13 meetings rooms for 20-300, two swimming pools and of course golf.
www.hesperia-alicante.com
For more information see www.alicantecongresos.com
MURCIA , the town, offers high culture in its cathedrals, museums and concert halls, and high gastronomy in its varied and tasty food and wine, with vegetarians particularly catered for. The region offers the resorts and high rises of the Mar Menor and the ancient port city of Cartagena, which boasts a Roman theatre and museum, an underwater archaeological museum and a new auditorium and conference centre under construction.
Venues visited were:
o Hotel Nelva in Murcia is a modern four -star opened in 2006, and has 243 bedrooms, all uniquely fitted with hydro-massage showers, 10 conference rooms totalling 2000 square metres and 5000 square metres of gardens on two levels. The bedrooms also have plasma TV, CD players, laptop sized safes, Wi-Fi and internet access, and the restaurant specialises in local rice dishes, perhaps washed down with the famously robust red Monastrel wine.
www.murcianelvahotel.como Auditorium and Conference Centre has two concert halls for 469 and 1833, 15 meetings rooms for 20-240, 4 multi-purpose spaces for small exhibitions etc, a VIP lounge and 3 cafeterias. It is a 15 minute walk from the city centre.
www.auditoriomurcia.orgo InterContinental La Torre hotel, at the centre of its own golf resort, is a five-star with 123 bedrooms,10,800 square metres of function space across 4 rooms and an outside deck, heated swimming pool, gym and six treatment rooms. It is located next to a Nicklaus design golf course and there are three others within a 25 kilometre radius.
www.ichotels.como La Manga Club is a meeting, incentive and golf resort which has the five-star 192 bedroom Principe Felipe hotel. This also offers five main meetings rooms for 60-400 and seven rooms for private dining holding 10-140. Also on site is Las Lomas Village with 60 four-star bedrooms, 111 self-catering apartments, a meeting room for 370 and a terrace area where 350 can dine. Other facilities at La Manga comprise three golf courses, three football pitches, two cricket grounds, 28 tennis courts, 20 bars and restaurants and a beach.
www.lamangaclub.com
For more information see www.murciacongresos.com
The Society of Event Organisers (SEO) has moved to individual free membership, which can now be taken up by organisers, venues, convention bureaux, tourist boards, suppliers and agencies in the events sector.
Members will receive all the SEO’s free newsletters, which can be unsubscribed at any time, as well as a 20% reduction on all qualifications, tutorials and conferences presented by the SEO.
To sign up for free membership simply go to www.seoevent.co.uk
The list of events for 2009 includes:
o Tutorial – How to write a press release, October
o Tutorial – How to be much more creative, October
o Conference – Delegate Agenda, October
o Network Forums, February - November
o Certificate in Conference Organisation, November/December
Chateau des Vigiers is located near Bergerac in the Dordogne area of South West France and only 1 hour from Bordeaux. The Chateau is quite unique with wonderful architecture, a fabulous setting amongst 450 acres of gardens, vineyards and a spectacular 27 hole golf course. Our warm welcome, the luxurious comfort of our rooms, and the consistent high quality of our cuisine, make this the perfect environment for your Incentive trip. We have a total of 87 bedrooms and 7 meeting rooms. "The Relais", situated 200 metres from the Chateau, offers 40 bedrooms with its own Conference facilities, swimming pool, gymnasium, breakfast room and bar. This can be privatised for your exclusive use.
The area is perfect for sampling wonderful wines (not to mention our own wine estate) and tours and tastings can be organised. For something really different we can go hunting for truffles in the local truffle farms! With everything from rowing on the Dordogne River to private dinners at a traditional farmhouse, the area offers something very different and memorable.
CHATEAU DES VIGIERS
F-24240 MONESTIER
DORDOGNE
SOUTH WEST FRANCE
RESERVATIONS : +33 (0) 553 61 5000
Email us at bienvenue@vigiers.com
Visit our website at www.vigiers.com
CERTIFICATE IN CONFERENCE ORGANISATION (CCO)
This is a four day course with a 1½ hour, 150 question examination. Non-residential London course dates are hosted at 16 Park Crescent, London W1. Fee is £1,080 + VAT or £864 plus VAT if two or more delegates attend from the same organisation, or if delegate is an SEO member (Free sign-up at www.seoevent.co.uk).
o Putting Together a Conference Programme covering objectives, delegate needs, layouts, food and beverage, speakers and audio-visual Friday 20 November 2009 (London).
o Sourcing, Evaluating and Negotiating with Venues covering where to find the best venues, inspecting them and getting the best packages Friday 27 November 2009 (London).
o Conference Administration covering contracts, organisation, delegate and speaker care, trouble-shooting and evaluation Friday 4 December 2009 (London).
o Staging a Conference for Profit covering conception, budgeting, pricing, getting sponsorship and marketing. Examination. Friday 11 December 2009 (London).
The CCO can also be delivered as an in-house presentation anywhere – call + 44 (0) 1767 316255 or e-mail to peter-cotterell@seoevent.co.uk
Two one-day tutorials How to Write a Press Release and How to be Much More Creative. Also new is a one-day organisers networking and discussion presentation Delegate Agenda. Call + 44 (0) 1767 316255 for details.
In addition to the above the SEO presents in-house workshops on such subjects as exhibiting successfully, manning an exhibition stand, running a small exhibition, negotiating with suppliers, conference catering, legal aspects of running events, presenting persuasively and many more. Call + 44 (0) 1767 316255 for more information.
o Event Organisers Update (EOU) for those running UK based conferences and seminars. www.eou.org.uk
o Incentive Travel Update (ITU) for those using travel as a motivator www.eou.org.uk
o Association News (AN) for those who associate. www.associationnews.org.uk
o Charity Matters. www.ezinematters.com
o Marketing Matters (from March 2009) www.ezinematters.com
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 (0) 1767 316255 or fax to + 44 (0) 1767 316430.
Edited and distributed by:
Society of Event Organisers
29a Market Square, Biggleswade, Beds. SG18 8AQ
Tel: +44(0)1767 316255 Fax: +44(0)1767 316430
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