NEED TO KNOW
ACCESSING LONDON
VISA Most international visitors need a visa for the UK. Check requirements at
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk.
WHEN TO GOLondon is great at any season but is particularly pleasant in the summer with its green spaces. In December delegates can opt to go ice skating at outdoor rinks or visit the Christmas markets. There are also light displays for the festive season.
GETTING THERE London has six main airports (Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick, Stansted, City and Southend-on-Sea) serviced by such airlines as Air China, Japan Airlines, Korean Air Lines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.
at family-run businesses are just two typical British experiences that caught the imagination of international corporate groups. “Our events and corporate travel teams started preparing
for the Games as soon as London was selected, and a big part of that has been to use our expertise and knowledge of London to evaluate the best venues and destinations for clients keen to have a taste of what life is like for the typical Londoner,” says ATP Event Experts UK head Neil Pace. “As a result, over the past few years our teams have been busy
sourcing and securing hospitality spaces including foodie pubs serving real ale.”
ON THE MOVE With London’s transport network being shored up before the Games, it is now easier for visiting groups to travel around the city. Stratford, home of the Games, has 10 lines in and out of its train station, making it one of the world’s best-connected sporting venues. Emirates Air Line, which links the O2 arena in Greenwich
with the ExCel exhibition centre in East London, will also be a permanent fixture on London’s skyline. The cable cars span the River Thames, moving over Canary Wharf, the Thames Bar- rier and Olympic Park.
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE London is a veritable melting pot of sounds, sights and cultures from the hustle and bustle of the markets at Petticoat Lane, Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Columbia Road to the pomp and cir- cumstance that surrounds Buckingham Palace. “We have a more contemporary culture than many countries
in Europe that is revered the world over and very much cele- brated by Asian visitors,” says P&MM Events & Communica- tions head of events Chris Clarke. He cites “some of the best shopping in the world, some of
the best theatre and the most diverse number of international restaurants and hotels” as London’s true attractions. But not matter what conference delegates or incentive groups
want, London can deliver. There is history by the bucketload, from ghost walks and architectural charms, but there’s more to the city than what is in the history books. It is a mecca for creativity and variety, from scrambling over
the roof of the iconic O2 building, exploring parks from the back of a 1960s Mini or watching debates at the House of Lords and House of Commons. All this has certainly attracted the attention of the business
events industry. The latest figures from the International Con- gress & Convention Association show that the city has propelled
t ISSUE THREE 2012 |
WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.ASIA 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56