Monthly Archives: November 2019

New year, new venues in the UK

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To celebrate the festive season, the UK is looking ahead and offering a sneak peek into four exciting new venue openings that are set to enhance your next event in 2020.

The Londoner – London, England

Central London will be welcoming the 350-bedroom hotel and cinema complex The Londoner in Spring 2020. The five-star Edwardian Hotel development will offer seven meeting rooms, a private estate area and ballroom which can host up to 1,000 delegates. Located in the iconic Leicester Square, it has been designed to complement existing properties and will serve as a series of independent but connected venues. Find out more

Blackpool Winter Gardens – North England

The UK will soon be home to the new £25 million conference centre, located in the seaside town of Blackpool in England’s north west. Blackpool Winter Gardens will feature a two-floor-plus mezzanine complex that can accommodate up to 1,500 delegates whilst also providing direct links to the stunning, 3,000 capacity Empress Ballroom, the Opera House Theatre and Empress Buildings. Find out more

Venue Cymru – Llandudno, North Wales

Currently undergoing a major £3million redevelopment, Venue Cymru is set to reopen new year. In Addition to its existing 1,500 seat auditorium and 1,550 sqm arena, Venue Cymru will also offer a 180 sqm conference room. This multi-purpose space with sprung floors can also be divided into four separate breakout rooms, offering the capacity to seat between 200 to 350 delegates. Find out more.

Luxury Lifestyle at Knowsley Hall, Merseyside

This remarkable venue boats over 1,000 years of history and is now the home of Lord and Lady Derby. Exclusively hire this exquisite stately home, set within 2,500 acres of private land, located just outside of Liverpool in the north of England. Knowsley Hall offers facilities for a fantastic incentive programme of indoor and outdoor activities, including meetings and conferences, archery, laser clay shooting and a wild safari, all within the estate’s walls. Find out more.

Contact VisitBritain to discover hot the UK can make your next business event GREAT: www.eventsaregreat.com

SPINCon CSR Efforts

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Continues Give-Back Efforts at Annual Conference
SPIN:Senior Planners Industry Network partnered with YWCA Monterey County for its CSR efforts this month at their annual conference, SPINCon 2019 held in Monterey, CA. SPINCon has had a tradition of supporting local causes centered around women and children since its inception.

Support for YWCA
One of SPIN’s partners, Wildly Different, coordinated a fun teambuilding activity around the property to kick off the conference. One of the many stops was an activity assembling 180 hygiene kits for YWCA Monterey County’s program to assist victims of human trafficking. “With the help of associations like SPIN, we can continue providing safe refuge to women and families as they rebuild their lives,” said Taryn Kearns, Community Resource Supervisor at YWCA Monterey County.

Book Swap and Donation
Another project helped attendees share their no-longer-wanted business books with others. All were encouraged to scour their bookshelves for books they thought could benefit others and bring them to the conference for a book swap. Almost 100 books were collected and all but 20 were swapped. The remaining books were donated to Friends of Marina Library for their bookstore.

About SPIN SPIN:Senior Planners Industry Network is the world’s largest association for senior-level planners with more than 10 years industry experience. SPINCon is their annual conference.

About YWCA Monterey County The YWCA Monterey County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Through ongoing programs, conferences, events, and initiatives, YWCA leaders are engaging communities to recognize the broad-based, negative and consequential effects of racism and human trafficking.

About Friends of Marina Library The Friends of the Marina Library has been a non-profit, public benefit corporation since 1990. We sell used books to raise funds to support programming and maintenance at the Marina
Library and to purchase new books, e-books, and videos for library collections that are available for the County library system.

About Wildly Different Wildly Different team building experiences, whose tagline is Play Outside the Cubicle, began producing corporate team building, networking, and charity programs in 2003 and has been working with corporations across the United States and beyond ever since. They’re renowned cutting-edge team bonding events are designed for teams ranging from 10 to 2000+.

The National wins Hotel of the Year and Chef of the Year

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Each year, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) celebrates people and companies who go above and beyond in the hospitality and tourism industry with the Ordinary Awards. This year, with a record number of nominations, The National Conference Center took home two wins — “Hotel of the Year” and “Chef of the Year.”

This marks The National’s second VRLTA “Hotel of the Year” win since 2017 when Geoff Lawson received the “Hotelier/General Manager of the Year” as well.

Executive Chef Frank Estremera was awarded the “Chef of the Year” award for his
creative ideas and community initiatives. Estremera spearheaded The National’s
farm-to-table food initiative, working directly with local farmers to deliver the freshest ingredients to conference center guests. Estremera also introduced cooking classes as a collaborative team building activity at The National.

The National and other VRLTA award recipients were honored at a special dinner
at Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa|Short Pump in front of an audience of hundreds of
hospitality and travel industry peers from across the state.

ASAE Foundation Announces New Name: The ASAE Research Foundation

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Based on the recommendations of its Research and Development Committees, the ASAE Board of Directors approved a name change for the ASAE Foundation to ASAE Research Foundation. This evolution of its current brand better reflects its deep focus on cutting-edge association industry and market research.

“This new name more accurately defines the quality and breadth of the Foundation’s work not only to increase usage, but to attract new donors,” said Steve Caldeira, Chair-Elect, ASAE and Chair, ASAE Research Foundation, and President & CEO of the Household & Commercial Products Association. “The hallmarks of the Foundation’s research include foresight, effective practices and sustaining association value – all of which are critical to the success of associations.” 

“The role of solid research in helping associations make more informed decisions is essential,”  said Interim ASAE President and CEO, Susan Robertson, CAE.  “As ASAE celebrates its Centennial year, the Foundation’s research will help light the way as we move into the next 100 years.”

For more information about the ASAE Research Foundation visit: http://asaeresearchfoundation.org

MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Precker, CAE, lprecker@asaecenter.org, 202-626-2735

About ASAE & ASAE Research Foundation

ASAE is celebrating 100 years of making society smarter, better and safer. The Centennial anniversary represents ASAE’s role as a leader and supporter of progress and innovation in the association industry.  ASAE is a membership organization of more than 48,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at asaecenter.org

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Kicks Off Q4 With 10 New Bid Wins!

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The world continues to choose Malaysia for major association meetings

During 2019, the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) has successfully attracted 10 high-profile international events which are due to be held in Malaysia between 2020 and 2025. The prestigious events from the oil & gas, medical and education sectors are expected to be attended by over 17,300 participants and deliver an estimated RM87.6 million in economic impact to the country.

These large-scale events include the Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium (ATPS) 2020, Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020, 10th International Conference on Isotopes (10ICI) 2020 and 17th Conference of International Society of Travel Medicine (CISTM) 2021, to name just some.

According to the Centre’s General Manager, Alan Pryor, “We are delighted to be adding these 10 prominent international association meetings to our calendar of events. This success is due to the hard work of all our team and investment in our global industry engagement programme, which is paying dividends. These bid wins demonstrate continued international confidence in Malaysia as a destination where experts and professionals can come together to collaborate, engage and exchange ideas.”

He continued, “Events contribute massively to the development of a country, not only from the financial perspective, but also in terms of the expertise and knowledge transfer that benefit local participants. That’s why this is great news not only for the Centre but for Malaysia as a whole.”

“We look forward to continuing our efforts, in collaboration with Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and other key industry players, to drive business opportunities and expand awareness internationally in order to bring more global events to our shores,” added Pryor.

“We selected the Centre as our ‘Venue of Choice’ because of the proactive engagement of the team throughout the bid process, we really connected with the warm personalities, culture and hospitality of the people of Malaysia. The strategic location providing ease of connectivity and accessibility, and world-class infrastructure combined with a very competitive value proposition, won us over. We are excited and looking forward to returning to Malaysia for ATPS 2020,” said Martha Barton, Exhibitor Services Director of Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium (ATPS) 2020.

The recent 11,000 sqm expansion of the Centre has contributed to its capability to secure these 10 bid wins as the new space has been designed in a very flexible and customisable fashion. “The multi-purpose spaces can accommodate innovative and experiential delivery of events and allow our clients to explore new meeting design, networking hubs and customise their participant experience to suit any occasion,” Pryor concluded.

Attendees at IBTM World 2019, which is the 13th consecutive edition the Centre has participated in, can visit Booth H60 to discover why the venue is your perfect business events partner and learn more about the engaging business events experiences available in Malaysia.

For all the latest news and information on the Centre, visit www.klccconventioncentre.com.

Meet the future of events at MeetGB 2020

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VisitBritain’s flagship event MeetGB returns in 2020, inviting international planners to ‘meet the future of event’ at the brand-new International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales.

When: Wednesday 22 to Friday 24 April 2020

Where: Celtic Manor Resort and ICC Wales

Discover the best of UK business events at MeetGB 2020:

VisitBritain invites event planners and agencies from Europe and North America to meet and do business with over 80 industry suppliers, including venues, hotels, destinations and incentive experiences from across the UK.

MeetGB 2020 offers an exciting week-long programme where delegates will experience the future of events in the UK, with thousands of one to one, pre-scheduled business meetings set to take place. Delegates will also be able to attend unmissable networking events, including a star-studded gala dinner.

Ahead of the business programme international buyers will attend educational visits to 11 different UK destinations, experiencing first-hand the country’s best conference, events and incentive products.

Meet the future of events at MeetGB:

Taking inspiration from the woodland surroundings of the ICC Wales, MeetGB is offering attendees the chance to ‘meet the future of events’ – incorporating sustainability, wellness, product innovation and industry expertise into its week-long programme.

Throughout the event both UK suppliers and international buyers will be encouraged to take part in the discussion and focus on their own well-being.

Experience a ‘warm Welsh welcome’ at Celtic Manor Resort and ICC Wales:

MeetGB 2020 will take part at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort and the recently opened International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales located in Newport.

Since launching in September, the new £83 million venue has welcomed thousands of visitors to enjoy its industry-leading facilities and nature-friendly footprint, with wellbeing and sustainability being key drivers for both ICC Wales and Celtic Manor Resort.

To be part of MeetGB 2020 please visit: visitbritain.com/meetgb

Delta contributes $50K to Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to help fight California wildfires

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Delta Air Lines is contributing $50,000 to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to aid in the fight against wildfires in California.

California firefighters are battling more than a dozen fires across the state, and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in the destruction caused by wildfires. The funds contributed by Delta will be used to purchase fire shelters for LAFD firefighters to carry with them when battling the brush fires. These shelters are used as a last resort for firefighters who become trapped by a wildfire and are designed to reflect radiant heat, protect against convective heat and trap breathable air.

“We are grateful for the generous support from Delta Air Lines. This gift will help to keep our LAFD firefighters safe when battling fires,” said Liz Lin, President — Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation provides essential equipment, technology, training and youth programs to LAFD and accepts donations at this site.

“The devastating wildfires in California remind us of the grueling work firefighters do every day to protect families and their homes. We are so thankful for the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and LAFD’s firefighters, as well as those across the state and around the country who are working to keep Californians safe,” said Scott Santoro, V.P. — Los Angeles and West Sales.

The American Red Cross is supporting evacuees as more people are displaced from their homes due to the California wildfires. The American Red Cross is Delta’s longest-standing nonprofit partner and when disaster strikes, Delta’s support helps the American Red Cross provide food, shelter and relief to those in need. Delta’s support as an Annual Disaster Giving Program participant at the $1 million level allows the organization to be strategic in disaster response.

How customers can help

Delta customers are asked to donate directly to the disaster relief of the California wildfires at   http://redcross.org/delta-pub. Donations will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and mobilizing volunteers to help those in need.  Customers are also able to donate to the American Red Cross through SkyWish, the charitable arm of the Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program. It allows Delta and its SkyMiles members to donate miles to charitable organizations worldwide.  
 

Memphis & Liverpool Partnership

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In partnership with the City of Liverpool, Memphis Tourism unveiled a plaque commemorating the historical and musical relationship between both cities. The plaque is now located on Mathew Street outside of the Cavern Club, where The Beatles were originally discovered.

Kevin Kane, President & CEO of Memphis Tourism said, “Memphis and Liverpool share the spotlight as two iconic global music cities. This plaque made in Memphis placed on Mathew Street outside the world-famous Cavern Club cements the unique and lasting bond between our cities. Together, we are in great company and inspiring each other and music artists all over the world.”

New Orleans launches new airport November 6

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There has never been a better time to host a meeting or event in New Orleans. We’re reimagining the entire meeting experience starting with our world-class, billion-dollar terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport that opens November 6! And we’re not stopping there…

You already know what makes New Orleans a successful meeting destination—more than 26,000 hotel rooms, a walkable downtown, world-renowned cuisine, legendary music and an authentic culture that cannot be found anywhere else. But the new state-of-the-art airport terminal, additional hotel inventory, convention center capital improvements and 4.5 miles of riverfront developments – plus so many more new improvements – are reinventing the meeting experience. Take a new look at New Orleans, we can’t wait to welcome you!

The brand-new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is opening on November 6! The long-awaited new facility will enhance the arrival experience with all of the modern technologies needed to ease the travel experience. Guests will immediately feel welcomed with the spirit and culture of the New Orleans region through local restaurants and shops that embody our unique culture. This is the first airport of its size in the U.S. to build a completely new facility in more than a decade!