After the recent fight over Visit Florida’s annual $76 million budget, a number of local destination marketing organisations in the state are rethinking ties with the state’s tourism promotion board. The new settlement imposes restrictions on contracts, staff salaries and travel and entertainment for Visit Florida, as well as for boards working with it. From Meetings & Conventions…
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) has persuaded several local businesses to form an alliance to promote the city’s meetings and business events sector. KLCC managers have also called again for the city to have its own convention bureau. Enquiries are currently dealt with nationally through the Malaysian Convention and Events Bureau. From Association Meetings International…
Opening the new Lake Nyasa exhibition hall, the tourism minister of Tanzania, Jumanne Abdallah Maghembe, has challenged the Arusha International Conference Centre to fully exploit the potential of conferences which he said generated $670m for the country last year. Tanzania has also announced a $156m World Bank financing plan to boost tourism by upgrading roads. From the Event…
Paris is to host the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles the 2028 games. LA’s Organising Committee will receive advance funds of $1.8 billion to foster participation and access to youth sports programmes in the run up to its later event. The news comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded both games together to the two destinations. From CIM News Magazine…
A $20 million renovation of the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has just completed. An existing exhibition hall has been turned into a carpeted ballroom, and major structural, design and technology changes have been made across the venue both inside and out, not the least of which is a new sawtooth roofline. From Meetings & Conventions…
Meet in Ireland has announced new services and subvention – and a new strategy – for business events visiting its shores. The Corporate Supports Programme offers customised assistance – financial subvention included – and facilitates access for organisers to Ireland’s key knowledge sectors. Incentives can even explore film locations and sets seen in Game of Thrones and Star Wars. From Meetpie.com…
The Laguna lifestyle development about to be built by George Group and Pointcorp in North Lakes above Brisbane is to feature a convention and events centre. The venue will boast five interconnected spaces and be able to host meetings of up to 720 delegates. The developers say its uniqueness will be as part of the wider Laguna community. From CIM Magazine…
With campaigners against Texas’s proposed “bathroom bill” claiming the state has already suffered $66 million of convention business cancellations because of the proposed legislation – the exact figure is the subject of some dispute – US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow says boycotts are the wrong way to campaign however well-intentioned their aim. From Meetings & Conventions…
The Outdoor Retailer trade show is switching to a three event annual format and coming to Denver and the Colorado Convention Center. The story of its move away from Utah is a tale of politics, proposed legacies in conservation and health, and the tireless campaigning of Colorado’s outdoor recreation chief – and Everest mountaineer – Luis Benitez. From Outside…
In a creative if unusual approach to bid selection – let the events industry take note – the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the 2024 and 2028 games together to both Paris and Los Angeles. Which city hosts which games will be decided later by the destinations’ National Olympic Committees and the IOC. From CIM News Magazine…
Following the boycott of another legal association last month for different reasons, the American Association of Law Libraries has decided not to stage future events in Texas. The AALL cites a new state law allowing publicly funded agencies to deny services for children in care on religious grounds, and also the proposed “bathroom bill”. Photo: LoneStarMike. From Meetings & Conventions…
The UK city of Nottingham is launching an ambassador programme to attract £5 million of research-led academic events from 2018. The scheme – run by Visit Nottinghamshire, part of Marketing NG, and the Nottingham Hospitality Association (NHA) – is intended in time to create a network of 200 ambassadors bringing in significant events to the city. From Association Meetings International…
Ahead of the ICCA Congress taking place there in November, the Prague Congress Centre’s renovation project has just entered phase two. After works to make the venue more environmentally friendly were finished in early Spring – installing energy-efficient heating and cooling – the focus is now on AV, a new navigation system and Internet connectivity. From Association Meetings International…
A ceremony has taken place at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport to break ground on ICC Wales and mark the start of construction. The two year “game-changer” project will cost £83.7 million and create a venue with a 26,000 square metre footprint for meetings, conferences and exhibitions. 5,000 delegate events can be accommodated. From Association Meetings International…
A major proposed expansion to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando has been unveiled. The project – to be financed through a tourist development tax – would cost nearly $500,000 and add 800,000 square feet to the centre’s footprint. Officials say it could attract 25 extra events a year and 250,000 people. From Meetings & Conventions…
At Meetings Africa 2017, South Africa announced a bidding fund to target and win international association conferences and meetings. But subvention can be a mistake if not clearly linked to encouraging growth in key knowledge sectors. A special Event video report – produced in partnership with The Iceberg – explores the role the meetings industry will play in African economic development.
The Cairns Convention Centre – which has twice been named “World’s Best Congress Centre” at the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) APEX Awards – is to receive AU$176m to fund an expansion that will make it a “state-of-the-art international venue”, according to Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt. He called the government money a “catalytic investment”. From CIM News Magazine…
A new conference centre in the UK seaside resort town of Blackpool will be using local suppliers and subcontractors in a bid to support the region’s economy. Work on the £25m project will start later this year, and local construction companies have already been invited to an open day to find out more. From Meetpie.com…
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