Welcome to the november issue!
Views
Event
organisers sought better value for money last year,
shopping around for the best deal and negotiating harder on rates, according to
the latest industry research.
Eventia's
UK Events Market Trends Survey found that there was a general tightening of
budgets among conference organisers last year, as well as further
shortening of lead times for bookings, longer waits for confirmations and
increased cancellations.
The poll of
512 venues across the UK found that direct revenues from conferences and events stood
at an estimated GBP 7.2 billion between 2006 and 2008, down from the GBP
8 billion from 2005-07.
Venue
news
QE2
to open as hotel?
The owner of the QE2 is considering opening the vessel as a floating
hotel outside Dubai somewhere in the Middle East or
Africa.
New
Hilton at Heathrow: Plans
have been unveiled for a major new Hilton hotel at Heathrow Airport,
located near Terminal 5.
The
GBP 43 million development
will include 350 bedrooms, conference facilities, a gym and a swimming
pool.
New
brand:
The Cadbury Hotel in North Somerset is to become part of the Hilton franchise
with ownership and management remaining the same. Launched in the UK 12 months
ago, there are only four other hotels trading under the brand, none of which are
in the South West.
Glasgow
investment: Principal Hayley
Hotels and Conference Venues has bought the 222-bedroom Quality Hotel in Glasgow
and New Connaught Rooms in London. More than GBP 20m is to be invested in
the Glasgow property which will reopen in February 2010 as the Grand Central
Hotel.
Upgrade
success: A GBP
5 million upgrade at the Park Avenue Hotel in east Belfast has helped the
property achieve an extra star making it a four-star venue. The family
owned 56-bedroom hotel has recently completed a makeover and improvements to its
bedrooms, bar, restaurant and conference centre.
A
NEW alternative
and foodie orientated team building business has been launched - the Ministry of
Chocolate is the brainchild of Huddersfield-based chocolatier Carl
Turner.
The
firm offers team building events such as creating and marketing a
chocolate and a variety of chocolate workshops and presentations including
a challenge to build the biggest, most robust and creative chocolate
structure.
Appointments
Staff:
London hotel The Landmark has made two new appointments to its conference
and banqueting division.
Joanne
Shaw, formerly head of events at events management and catering company Inn or
Out, joins as director of conference and banqueting at the Marylebone
hotel. Shaw will be responsible for managing corporate and social events
and strategic and overseeing a team of six banqueting and events managers plus
an operations team of eight.
Working
with Shaw will be Mare Wessels who has been appointed deputy director of
conference and banqueting
Wessels
was senior head waiter in conference and banqueting before moving to the
InterContinental London Park Lane to become assistant operations manager.
Agency:
Event management agency, tmb events, will produce the Audi Fleet Sales Golf
Challenge for the 6th year running.