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02/2018

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Crystal Interactive continues to build its portfolio as it partners with Slido

Wednesday, 14 February, 2018 - 14:22

The UK’s largest full-service event technology company, Crystal Interactive, has strengthened its partnership with Slido, the live Q&A and polling platform for meetings and events, to provide pre-event advice on meeting design and onsite services to ensure maximum audience engagement. Slido can be accessed on any mobile device and allows event organisers to crowdsource top questions for Q&A sessions and get instant feedback via live polls.

Chris Elmitt, Managing Director at Crystal Interactive said, “Since its launch in 2012, Slido has become the industry standard in Q&A and polling for live events, with widespread use at corporate and commercial conferences, as well as association, not-for-profit and academic meetings.  If you have used one piece of meeting technology on your own device in the last two years, it was most likely Slido.

“Whilst the Slido platform is typically designed as a self-service tool, some event planners prefer support in implementing a greater level of audience engagement.  This is where the features of Slido and the advice and service capabilities of Crystal Interactive really complement one another. With Crystal Interactive and Slido, event organisers can be safe in the knowledge that the technology and infrastructure are in the hands of experienced professionals, to ensure a smooth and memorable delegate experience.”

The collaboration will allow Crystal to enhance the service Slido provides in many ways, including advising whether venue Wi-Fi is suitable to deliver a seamless event, providing meeting design expertise to clients new to Q&A and polling technology and helping them to build this into their agendas.

Peter Krajnak, Slido UK Country Director said, “In partnering with Crystal Interactive we are able to offer our clients in the UK a vastly enhanced support offering. Crystal’s long-standing industry experience in audience engagement technology, together with their expertise, ensures that our clients are in the very best hands. In an industry where the stakes of the meeting are incredibly high and impactful to our clients’ reputations, Crystal Interactive provides faultless support to not only deliver but also to maximise outcomes.”

To find out more about Crystal’s partnership with Slido and the company’s best in class technologies please visit the Crystal stand at International Confex, London Olympia on Wednesday 28th February and Thursday 1st March, stand E70C.

For further information on the Slido product and how it can realise the potential of your audiences please contact Rob Curtis, Head of Sales at Crystal Interactive on telephone +44 1483 927 900 or email rob.curtis@crystalinteractive.net

Join Crystal Interactive at its next Masterclass

Crystal Interactive is hosting an ‘Audience Engagement Masterclass’ on Thursday 5th April, 9.30am – 12.00pm, at etc.venues Fenchurch Street, London for event planners looking to maximise adoption of event technology at their next event.  Abi Cannons, Slido’s Key Relationship Manager will be joining the Crystal team to share her expertise on maximising the outcomes of events through audience engagement technology.  The event is free to attend but registration is required.  To register for free please click here. 

  

Capita Travel and Events and Maiden Voyage Join Forces to Help Make Hotel World More Female Friendly

Wednesday, 14 February, 2018 - 13:36

Capita Travel and Events, the UK’s specialist in travel, meetings and event management and Maiden Voyage the world’s leading provider of female business traveller safety solutions have joined forces in a unique deal to certify and showcase hotels that are ‘Female Friendly’.

Maiden Voyage sets the standard for female friendly hotels based on a strict set of criteria looking at both safety and comfort. With employers becoming increasingly aware of their duty of care obligations, an informed choice takes away some of the guess-work when selecting hotels and of course, hotels deemed female friendly are also just as suited to male travellers. Capita Travel and Events will be inspecting hotels across the British Isles and incorporating those that qualify into their hotel programme.

Leigh Cowlishaw, director of supplier partnerships, Capita Travel and Events, said “We asked travellers whether or not they ever feel at risk when travelling and 67% of women said yes, compared with 19% of men. Our data also tells us that female travellers form a large proportion of our customers’ travelling population – a trend which varies between customer industries. Traveller wellbeing, for all travellers, is an important part of our Smarter Working proposition, so it made sense for us to join forces with a company which is changing the way in which hoteliers approach the needs of individuals. At the same time, Maiden Voyage saw the opportunity to use our UK hotel market expertise to help source the types of properties which meet its identified criteria – Maiden Voyage research shows that women business travellers want to be treated appropriately, not necessarily differently.”

Carolyn Pearson, chief executive officer and founder of Maiden Voyage said “We are delighted to be working with hotel experts, Capita Travel and Events, on this initiative and we know that the female business traveller community will thank us for helping them to identify hotels that meet their specific needs. With 51% of female business travellers having reported feeling vulnerable when staying in a hotel we know that there is a genuine need for a trusted standard. Our strict inspection process is based on hard criteria unlike other initiatives we have seen and is far from subjective. We look at physical security elements, walk the area to assess the hotel location and we expect our hotel partners to adhere to certain security measures such as not announcing room numbers out loud. With a number of high profile cases of sexual harassment and assaults in hotels we expect this partnership to drive change across the industry and we are already seeing hotels such as the Leopold in Sheffield and Hotel du Vin in Birmingham making adjustments such as adding a second door lock to the hotel bedrooms”.

 

The Meetings Show strengthens advisory board with seven new appointments

Tuesday, 13 February, 2018 - 12:28

The UK’s leading event for the inbound and outbound meetings industry, The Meetings Show, has appointed seven sector leaders to join its advisory board.

The Meetings Show’s advisory board consists of eminent experts from both the buyer and supplier sides of the industry, who bring together their wealth of experience, ideas and strategic leadership to help steer and develop the show.

Joining the 12 existing board members are:

  • Therese Dolan, Events Senior Manager at Diabetes UK
  • Nicole Leida, Head of Conference & Events at the National Cancer Research Institute
  • Frode Aasaheim, Managing Director of Norway Convention Bureau
  • Tarquin Scadding-Hunt, CEO of MD Group
  • Steven Jenkinson, Conference & Events Manager at the Royal College of Nursing
  • Diane Waldron, Sales & Marketing Manager at the QEII Centre and Chair of ICCA UK & Ireland
  • Leigh Cowlishaw, Director of Supplier Partnerships for Capita Travel and Events

David Chapple, Group Event Director for The Meetings Show, said: “I am delighted to welcome the new members to our advisory board, who between them bring relevant and important industry expertise that will prove invaluable as we continue to develop and grow The Meetings Show.

Leigh Cowlishaw, Director of Supplier Partnerships for Capita Travel & Events said:  “I am really excited about joining the advisory board of the Meetings Show, one of the UK industry’s leading exhibitions. With over 20 years’ experience of the market, and a lot of insight into the specific needs of agents, partners and customers, I can’t wait to support the team in making the event even bigger and better for visitors and exhibitors alike.”

Steven Jenkinson, Conference & Events Manager at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “It was an honour to be invited to join The Meetings Show advisory board; I hope that my many years events experience – more than 15 of which have been spent in the associations sector – will help the show meet the needs of fellow association sector event professionals. I look forward to working with the advisory board to continue to shape and grow the event.”

The Meetings Show takes place on Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 June at Olympia London. For more information, visit www.themeetingsshow.com. 

QEII Centre appoints new finance director

Tuesday, 13 February, 2018 - 10:48

Mark Longford has been appointed as the finance director at London’s QEII Centre, where he will be responsible for all financial aspects of the iconic events venue as well as deputising for the chief executive officer, Mark Taylor.

Following the retirement of former finance director John French, Longford joins with a wealth of experience gained from senior accountancy roles in a variety of companies including Honeywell, Sodexo, Sony, Verizon Communications, BBC, SKY and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Longford is a qualified chartered accountant and fellow of accountancy body the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) with a university honours degree in Law from Southampton University.

Speaking after his appointment, Longford said: “I was attracted to the unique position the QEII Centre holds as London’s finest events venue located in the heart of Westminster. I am looking forward to embedding in a highly talented team to ensure the centre maintains and grows its excellent financial performance, with 2017/18 forecast to be QEII’s most successful year to date.’’

Mark Taylor, CEO of the QEII Centre said: “I am thrilled to welcome Mark to the team, who, as well as bringing years of experience in finance, will play a pivotal role in ensuring the centre meets its business objectives, continues to achieve stellar results and continually focuses on building a structure for growth, whilst maintaining and establishing the QEII Centre as a world class centre of excellence.”

For more information about the QEII Centre call 020 7798 4000 or visit www.qeiicentre.london.

 

 

Museum of Science & Industry Launches ROBOTS DDR

Tuesday, 13 February, 2018 - 09:05

The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), Manchester, has released a series of special events packages to correspond with the arrival of ‘ROBOTS’ the critically acclaimed exhibition, taking residence at the venue into the spring. R2-D2 Daiquiris and Sea-3PO fish cakes are all on offer for event organisers looking for a bigger experience around their meetings and events.

The Museum of Science, part of Lime Venue Portfolio, has created a day delegate and dinner delegate rate that complement the backdrop of ROBOTS. The exhibition consists of a unique collection of over 100 robots, from a 17th century dancing wine goblet and an animatronic baby, to Maria from the 1927 film classic Metropolis, and a news-reading android from Japan.

Each of the packages include access to the exhibition, but also some extra twists on the ROBOT theme. Guests can be treated to Squid INKHA ravioli, MAC and cheese Manchester tart, Nuts & Bolts (Micro fish and chips with mushy peas), A1 Arancini, and Milky way lollypops with space candy, whilst meeting under the backdrop of a genuinely visual experience.  

“This is a brilliant initiative and underlines why unique and unusual venues are so popular with creative event professionals,” comments Liam Potter, MSI. “The ROBOTS exhibition is already a massive success and now businesses can give their customers an exclusive look while enjoying great hospitality and of course, a productive business meeting.”

The packages are available exclusively at MSI in the venue’s own state-of-the art conference centre located in the museum’s Great Western Warehouse.

 

  

Twickenham Launches Options for Christmas 2018

Monday, 12 February, 2018 - 14:53

Twickenham Stadium is launching its plans for Christmas 2018 this year, after a record season for the venue. The launch comes following research by the venue amongst its key clients, that have set the theme and activity for Christmas 2018 at the Twickenham.

Results of the research, carried out amongst organisers, showed a variety in requirements where theme and budget are concerned, but all point towards a desire for a more ‘traditional’ Christmas and away from more indulgent events with fussy menus. With this in mind, the stadium is launching more than one option for Christmas this year. 

For the all-inclusive package Twickenham will be theming around ’A Fairy Tale in New York’, bringing in elements of New York, London and traditional Christmas, in a theme that offers a bit of glamour and sparkle, expanding much further than the Christmas Classic. The theming will give guests a feel for a more formal Christmas, served with a traditional festive dinner. The theme will also be available throughout the stadium’s spaces in the South Stand, including The Rose Suite, seating up to 800.

Meanwhile, a slightly different twist on the creative will be available throughout the East Stand of the stadium, which launches in Autumn 2018. The new spaces will also celebrate traditional Christmas with chalet style food stalls serving everything from fondue to mulled wine. For the budget restricted, The Ale House will also be launched within the East Stand, offering guests a private pub ideal for a more informal Christmas with pub favourites including homemade pies.

“Our clients are increasingly asking for a variety of different options to suit different budgets so we’re expanding our offering to ensure there’s something to suit everyone” comments Nils Braude, Catering & Conference Events Director, Twickenham Stadium.

“We did some research ahead of this season and increasingly we’re seeing the market divide, some looking for the best dates, high production, for larger groups, and other planners looking to book later for a later price point in exchange for less flexibility on timing,” concludes Nils. 

Further destinations across Ireland & the UK to do business!

Wednesday, 7 February, 2018 - 16:58

Irish owned Dalata Hotel Group continue to expand and further develop their portfolio of both Maldron & Clayton hotel brands within the Irish and UK markets, including some brand new build properties. These iconic Irish brands offer the best of facilities across an impressive range of key destinations.

Tuesday the 13th of March is a very exciting date for Dalata Hotel Group. On this date, the doors will open for the very first of their brand new build property, Maldron Hotel Belfast City. This 4 star hotel, located in the heart of Belfast city includes impressive state of the art meeting facilities in addition to Grain & Grill, their tasteful food and beverage offering.

Other new build additions to the group include: Maldron Hotel Kevin Street, Dublin 2 (opening July 2018); Clayton Hotel Charlemont, Dublin 2 (opening October 2018); Maldron Hotel Newcastle (opening early 2019); Maldron Hotel South Mall in Cork city (opening October 2018); Maldron & Clayton Hotel, Glasgow (opening 2020). The most recent addition to the group, Clayton Hotel Birmingham (formerly Hotel la Tour) has also joined the group, offering impressive meeting and event facilities accommodating up to 140 delegates. We have no doubt this list will continue to grow, particularly in the UK market so make sure to keep an eye out on their goings on here!

For anyone unfamiliar with these brands, Maldron Hotels comprise of 15 hotels throughout Ireland, NI (& soon the UK). Their range of both 3 and 4 star properties offer your valued clients the ideal setting to do business or simply relax after a tough day of meetings. A large amount of investment has been made across the portfolio in recent months with the aim of improving the overall guest experience in our hotels. This is evident in the spacious revamped bedrooms decorated in the new ‘Maldron style’; many of which feature King Koil beds, complimentary hi-speed Wi-Fi, impressive in-room dining menus and the all new Maldron Hotels Vitality breakfast which includes our very own ‘Vitality’ breakfast range. Early check-in or late check outs are also accommodated upon request where possible.

Clayton Hotels, established in 2015 comprise of a choice of 19 hotels throughout Ireland, NI and the UK. Combining 4 star comfort and convenient locations in a choice of oversized superior and executive-style bedrooms, with warm and attentive staff on hand that will handle every detail with care. Each of these hotels offer quality bars and restaurants within, and carefully considered state-of-the-art meetings and conference facilities. An exceptional environment for the corporate guest to work and, when the time is right, relax and unwind.

All of their conference hotels cater for everything from small meetings, to product launches, exhibitions, team building and training seminars, to large-scale national and international conferences. We have a wealth of experience throughout the group and our teams at each hotel will ensure your meeting or event runs seamlessly through their dedicated assistance and co-ordination.

 

Sodexo announces a new signing at St James’ Park

Tuesday, 6 February, 2018 - 14:01

Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events, which works in partnership with NUFC to provide match day catering, hospitality and banqueting at the Newcastle United FC ground, has appointed Denise Staples to the position of sales co-ordinator.

Denise, who graduated with a First Class Honours degree in PR and Adventure Tourism from the University of Derby, joins the Sodexo team having spent six years marketing and managing events and providing sales support for businesses within the private and charitable sectors.

She will be tasked with promoting the world-famous stadium to corporate clients and event organisers looking for a unique venue to cater for all types of events from small meetings and large conferences to banqueting dinners and weddings.

Jacqui Page, regional sales manager (north), at Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events, said: “Denise is joining an award-winning team and I know her additional knowledge and experience will be a great asset to it.”

For further information about conference and banqueting facilities at Newcastle United Football Club call 0191 201 8525 or e-mail candb@nufc.co.uk.

For information about Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events venues, call the central enquiry hub on 0845 6055 699, email Venues&Events.Prestige.UK@Sodexo.com or visit www.prestigevenuesandevents.sodexo.com.

 

CTI JOIN THE ADVANTAGE TRAVEL PARTNERSHIP - CTI renew client commitment with raft of new partnerships for 2018 -

Tuesday, 6 February, 2018 - 12:23

CTI, the leading regional Travel Partnership Company (TPC), has become the newest member to join The Advantage Travel Partnership. The Advantage Travel Partnership is the UK’s largest independent travel agent partnership with a collective turnover of over £4.5bn of travel sales.

CTI Commercial Director, Melanie Quinn, commented: “CTI are delighted to become members of the Advantage Travel Partnership. Working with likeminded partners that add value to our clients’ travel programmes is at the heart of our business. Through the Advantage Travel Partnership, CTI will work with an industry leading organisation to innovate and develop marketing leading propositions for our clients.”

Managing Director of Advantage Travel Group, Julia Lo-Bue Said, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome CTI to the Advantage family as our newest Corporate Premium member. We look forward to spending time with Melanie and her team to learn more about their business and the travel solutions they offer their clients.”

 CTI will be exhibiting at the Business Travel Show, Olympia, London on 21-22 February 2018 where they will also be unveiling their brand-new online booking tool, PLANNET – Stand B422. For further information visit www.cti.co.uk .

A vast range of new initiatives as HBAA Kicks Off 2018 ‘Building on Success’

Tuesday, 6 February, 2018 - 10:59

A new HBAA Apprenticeship scheme, an International Forum, the HBAA Immersion Lab, new ‘Know Your HBAA’ induction tools, further collaboration among members and within the industry and 21st birthday celebrations are among the HBAA’s main plans for ‘Building on Success’ in 2018.

HBAA Chair Louise Goalen, Louisa Watson, HBAA Venue Member Chair and the Executive Committee revealed these initiatives to a capacity audience of members at the association’s recent Kick Off meeting at the Hilton London Wembley.

The HBAA Apprenticeship scheme will operate in partnership with Realise and with collaboration from venue and agency members. It is designed to address the talent gap for entry level and graduate roles by providing experience in various sectors on all sides of the industry during an eighteen-month intensive work experience programme.

Having recognised the benefits for both agencies and venues when staff understand each other’s functions better, the HBAA Immersion Lab will offer a unique opportunity for agents and venues to develop this understanding through specialised brief placements.

In addition, ‘Know Your HBAA’ induction packs and short films will be created to help members cascade awareness of the association and its work within their own organisations. 

These activities are a direct result of discussions at the HBAA Business Leaders Forum which was held in October at the Lygon Arms.

Graeme Leach, CEO and Chief Economist at Macronomics, gave an encouraging view of economic prospects, saying that the economy was in a transition phase, that it was scheduled to grow by 2 per cent in 2018 and that there was ‘too much gloom’ and ‘not enough boom’ around Brexit.

Paul Hussey, Director of the Meetings Benchmark examined key industry trends in 2017 and those becoming apparent for 2018, based on year-on-year comparisons of data provided by HBAA members. He highlighted the ever-shortening lead times for meetings bookings and that meeting planners are not all taking advantage of ‘early bird’ discounts on event rates offered by venues.

The full extent of the HBAA’s plans for the year were outlined by the Executive Committee members who lead the HBAA’s dedicated committees in achieving specific objectives which support those outlined by the Association Chairs.

Among the many announcements were those relating to the association’s events calendar including a new International Forum at The Belfry on 9 February, the HBAA Annual Forum on 19 July at the Crowne Plaza Stratford-upon-Avon and a first Independent Venues Showcase on 6 September at Wyboston Lakes.

Louisa Watson, the association’s Venue Member Chair, concluded by congratulating and thanking members on raising almost £26,000 last year for Brigade and Beyond Food, which will continue to be the HBAA’s chosen charity for 2018.

Louise Goalen summed up the day saying: “With a comprehensive schedule of exciting new initiatives and programmes for the year ahead, 2018 is the perfect opportunity to capitalise on progress made, build on success and strengthen industry collaboration both internally with our members and externally with other industry associations.”

 

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