From conferencing for a cause in Cairns to New Zealand on show at AIME, here is the wrap up of this week’s MICE news from Australia, New Zealand and around the world.
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef conferences help environment
The Nurturing Nature program is set to aid wildlife and environment conservation charities when conferences are held at one of the five leading Cairns hotels in 2020. The Shangri-La Hotel The Marina Cairns, Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Riley, A Crystalbrook Collection Resort, Hilton Cairns and Pullman Cairns International would each donate $5 per head per delegate to one of four local charities. Tourism Tropical North Queensland General Manager, Rosie Douglas, said “Nurturing Nature will create a legacy for event delegates and organisers with contributions to Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, Tropical Animal Rehabilitation Centre and North Queensland Wildlife Trust.”
This initiative will be promoted at the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) 2020 in Melbourne when the Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef team spend two days meeting with Australian and international meeting planners.
“We will also be talking about Tourism Australia’s Event Here This Year campaign encouraging businesses and event planners to hold their meetings, conferences and incentives in Australia. Cairns & Great Barrier Reef’s new infrastructure will be of enormous interest to planners looking for the latest event space. The upcoming $176 million Cairns Convention Centre upgrade will add new exhibition space to enable larger or concurrent events in addition to refurbishing the award-winning centre with new décor and audio-visual equipment,” Rosie Douglas said.
Additional improvements include an expansion of Cairns airport’s domestic terminal to improve the passenger experience as part of a $55 million upgrade, construction on the Courthouse Hotel to create an arts precinct in the heart of the city, Baillie Lodges is undertaking a $10 million refurbishment of Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree and Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas will soon complete a significant eco-friendly rebuild.
New Zealand launches landmark year at AIME 2020
Starting yesterday, Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne comes at the start of a landmark decade for New Zealand’s business events industry. Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins, who will be meeting delegates at AIME, says 2020 will be a pivotal year for New Zealand as new world-class facilities come online starting with Te Pae Christchurch in October. ”We are launching into an exciting decade of growth, with state-of-the-art infrastructure enabling us to host large-scale events across the country. At AIME, we will be showcasing our leading venues, including three new convention centres in our main cities, and an extensive range of international hotels,” Lisa Hopkins.
New Zealand has been a big supporter of AIME since the show’s inception. From 17 to 19 February, the 100% Pure New Zealand stand will boast a team of 28 industry experts from 11 key organisations, led by Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) and Tourism New Zealand. Visitors will also be invited to apply for hosted buyer spots at CINZ MEETINGS 2020 in Auckland this April, and they can pick up the newly-released 2020 CINZ New Zealand Event Planners’ Guide on stand.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi wins major award
http://www.accorhotels.com/1555
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has been awarded a Five-Star rating—the top level of recognition—from Forbes Travel Guide in the independent ratings agency’s assessment of luxury hotels, restaurants and spas in Vietnam. Forbes Travel Guide, established in 1958 (then called “Mobil Travel Guide”), is the oldest travel guide in the United States, and is the creator of the original Five-Star rating system for hotels. The guide’s ratings are among the most highly respected in the hotel industry.
