MIA UPDATE IN BRIEF
• CENTER Parcs has reduced its day delegate rate to £39 per person. The price includes full day hire of a newly refurbished meeting room, three servings of refreshments throughout the day, a two-course buffet lunch, free parking and wifi , and access to the trademark Subtropical Swimming Paradise. A variety of team-building activities are also available. Past clients inclide Hewlett Packard, Ryman and Gap. Recent research from the British Meetings and Events Industry – spon- sored by Center Parcs – revealed that only 33 per cent of corporate events are residential, and that the average day delegate rate is currently £63.83.
• CWT Meetings & Events reports ten per cent growth in business in, organising meetings and events around the world for one million delegates in 2012. Floyd Widener, global senior vice president CWT Meetings & Events, says, “We are seeing a lot of activity in the industry at the moment: expansion but also consoli- dation within the market as companies look for a one-stop-shop solution that incorporates everything from event strategy to sourcing and logistical support. The beginning of the year has been very healthy for our business.”
• LONDON landmark The O2 has launched a number of team building packages. The packages use its newest activities ‘Up at The O2’ which sees participants ascending to the very top of The O2 via a walkway suspended 52m above ground level. Companies can book an exclusive session which includes a dedicated climb guide, personalised video greeting and a team video package. Add-ons include food and drink, a cinema screening or a visit to The British Music Experience.
• WELL Met Conferencing at Leeds Metropolitan University has launched a new website designed to meet buyer needs more quickly and to better communicate the vibrancy and quality of the Well Met experience. The new website has improved functionality, including at-a-glance capacities as well as detailed information on each room, including fl oor plans. All prices and rates are also available online, as are sample catering menus, making it easy to fully assess event costs.
LORD'S Cricket Ground has completed the refurbishment of two hospitality suites ahead of a busy summer at ‘the home of cricket’. The Tavern Boxes and Marylebone
Suite have been given a compre- hensive makeover, including new décor, carpets and TV screens. Located in the Tavern Stand, the Tavern Boxes enjoy impressive views of the London cricket ground and clients can pre-order bespoke food and drink packages. Guests in the Marylebone Suite, meanwhile, can look forward to fine-dining options and a seafood
buffet including potted shrimp, dressed lobster, grilled squid, poached fillet of salmon, rock oysters and scallops. Lord’s hospitality manager, Julie
Bacon, says, “This refurbishment has brought the hospitality spaces at Lord’s into line with the high presentation standards displayed across the rest of the Ground. The work represents the most recent endeavour to ensure that Lord’s remains world class, and we look forward to showing-off the new facilities to guests during an exciting summer of cricket.”
Five additions for ConferencesGroup
global economic climate, venues struggle to achieve sustainable rates and event organisers feel the frustration of low delegate numbers, often leading to cancelled events – a detriment to all. These are some of the findings
A
VENUE-finding service Conferences- Group reports a busy start to the year with five hotel groups signing up to market their services. The new additions include Puma
Hotels, Principal Hayley, Jockey Club, Guoman Thistle and Accor. The 54 hotels included in the agreement with Accor are mainly Mercure (pictured) and Novotel properties.
“The meeting and events industry
in particular felt the strain of the economic downturn as businesses looked to cut back on corporate travel. While recovery remains slow, quarter one is certainly showing signs of improvement with new business levels exceeding expecta- tions,” says the group's managing director, Simon Thompson.
LORD'S GETS SET FOR SUMMER
from the mia’s most recent Pathfinder report, a quarterly research series, which surveys professionals from all sectors of the industry, including buyers, to track changing industry trends. Rates are under serious pressure
at both ends. With budgets tight, event organisers either want more for their money or are simply asking to pay less for what they received before, while venues attempt to make ends meet as their operating costs rise and demand for increased quality increases. The report confirms that venues
perceive prices to be at rock bottom again, following a short recovery during summer, largely a result of London 2012, but with cost pressures growing, rate rise seems somewhat inevitable in the future. To overcome the challenges,
venues are adapting, offering their clients more flexibility. For example, save on F&B costs by creating ‘meal-less’ events packages; save on the delegate rate by having a shorter event; and leniency on cancellation charges is used to help maintain good business relations. This is an industry taking stock
and focusing on the future. Despite the financial challenges, planned investment in venue facilities is substantial (73 per cent will spend more than £100,000 in 2013) and rather than save money by losing the lifeblood of the organisation, venues are maintaining employment levels, with just eight per cent expecting a decrease in staffing. In fact, there’s a degree of optimism in the air. The Olympics proved to be a blip in terms of business levels, but I believe their re-energising effect has stayed. As a consequence, the meetings and events industry is changed for the better, with renewed belief in what it does best and more ready to go the extra mile for clients than ever before.
Jane Longhurst Chief Executive, Meetings Industry Association (mia)
s the meetings industry continues to feel the pain caused by a stagnant
THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 57
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