Groups and Events e-Newsletter Third Quarter 2008

What can an outsider provide that a company cannot do itself?

Perhaps the biggest incentive to outsource is the thought of wading through all of the dull logistics needed to translate such an apparently simple idea into reality with some guarantee that the event is going to go off smoothly without incidental costs spiralling upwards.

It is not that in-house managers do not want to deal with an array of sub contractors but most events and conference organisers can fix everything for you from beginning to end while technical services are provided and specific needs are met, some of which are very technical. 

"Using an external source frees up time so the client company can itself spend more time on client liaison" - the point of many conferences.

Major events often involve bringing delegates from across the world to one place and at one time.  Experienced travel / events management companies have the resource, expertise and exceptional buying power due to their long standing relationships with suppliers and hotel groups worldwide.

At Medway Travel Groups and Events we can be your one stop shop, providing everything from the venue, travel to and from anywhere in the world, full event management, themed events, sightseeing (guided in any language or not), theatre tickets, rail travel, on line registration.  Let us take the strain out of your next conference or event.  Contact us now and speak to one of our consultants who will be happy to help with your next event.

Having just returned from my first conference at the Aphrodite Hills Resort Cyprus I though I would share with you my impressions of this wonderful hotel complex.

The Award – winning Intercontinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel is uniquely and scenically located in an area steeped with Cypriot culture.

The resort is just 15 minutes from Pafos International Airport and overlooking the area where Aphrodite, goddess of love, is said to have emerged from the waves.

Contemporary and elegant, the hotel is a haven for devotees of luxury and comfort and offers the ultimate in five star facilities and service. There is an 18 hole championship golf course plus golf academy, a Greco roman spa, tennis and multi surface courts with tennis academy, an exclusive beach club, horse riding, nature and bike trails and a variety of bars and restaurants.

When it comes to conferencing and events the hotel offers an unparalleled setting in Cyprus. The events and banqueting department are able to undertake every aspect of your event whether this is set up, coordination with external audio visual or additional requirements including your gala events.

The function rooms at the hotel are excellent with the Morpheas Ballroom holding a banquet for up to 400 and this can also be divided into 4 sections to create smaller events. There is also an excellent pre-event foyer which is ideal for receptions and coffee breaks with access to the Olive Courtyard which always proves the preferred choice for al fresco events.

The hotel offers 290 smoking and non smoking rooms consisting of 190 delux rooms, 6 with disabled facilities, 58 junior suites, 6 with private pools, 28 club rooms and club junior suites 4 with private pools, 4 club suites with Jacuzzi or private pools and a presidential suite. I had a wonderful deluxe room in one of the villas facing the sea all of which have private balconies. The room was very spacious and luxurious and far enough away from the pool to be very quite and peaceful.

Numerous excursions can be arranged from the hotel and although the Aphrodite Hills is not a beach hotel as such it has everything one needs for a luxurious retreat and is perfect for your next conference and event.

Stephen Cresswell, Groups and Events Manager – Medway Travel

Please contact us if you require any further information regarding this or any other property.

Directly connected to Heathrow’s new Terminal 5, the 605-bedroom Sofitel London Heathrow opened recently and will be one of the largest luxury airport hotels and meetings and events venues in Europe.
 
Each of the hotel’s four room categories (Classic, Superior, Luxury and Suites) offers bespoke MyBed concept, a Smart desk housing “plug-ins” for the latest technology, satellite television and movie choices, Wi-Fi connection, direct dial telephone and safes. All bathrooms have separate bath and walk-in shower units.
 
Guests will enjoy moving through the hotel from area to area, from the warm and inviting comfort of the Lobby Lounge with its own floating fireplace leading then on to Sphere, the Lobby Bar, through large elegant pivot doors.
 
Opposite Sphere is Vivre, the hotel’s main restaurant, a buzzy dining experience, with clear views onto each vibrant kitchen as staff serve at the Wok Station, Pizzeria and Rotisserie. Brasserie Roux, in consultation with French master chef Albert Roux, will offer a stylish French dining experience.
 
Tea 5, the Tea Salon, will be a treat for those who fancy things beautiful and exquisite – a feast of sweets beautifully displayed in delicately designed feature forms and a variety of exotic teas from around the world.
 
The Library Bar is the cosy corner of the ground floor. A contemporary cutting edge funky Bar with its Folly Bar feature and a raised area tucked away with very comfy ‘clubby’ seating throughout.
 
The Meetings and Events facility boasts 45 meeting rooms, the largest accommodating 1700 theatre style or 1000 in dinner dance; purpose-built tiered theatre for 117 delegates and three state-of-the-art Executive boardrooms with private dining facilities.
 
Sofitel London Heathrow also offers 400 car parking spaces underground, an internal Avenue with retail shops and luxury state-of-the-art spa facilities including six treatment rooms and gym and thermal suite including a vitality pool.
 
For all your hotel bookings, contact us. Remember we do not levy a transaction fee if your booking is made at the same time as you book the related airfare. This new Sofitel could be ideal for your outward journey if you have an early morning start and want to avoid the unpredictable congestion of the M25

When you need to have a meeting, you can have it “green.” Remember, it will not cost you more than a traditional meeting. The measures that are an essential part of green meetings include energy as well as water conservation and the inclusion of organic food.
In the USA, the Republicans and Democrats have been celebrating their presidential nominees at conventions that are billed to be the greenest in the histories of their parties. At the time of writing, the planning committees for the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were optimising energy efficiency for the event.

Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado will use recycled confetti and biodegradable balloons for greeting the attendees. Other “green” features include the recycling of the convention hall carpeting, and painting the walls using environmentally friendly materials.

Another possible measure is the reduction of the use of paper; this is possible by enhancing the use of electronic communication. Organizers can also ensure the use of fuel-efficient vehicles for transfers and associated travel.

Environmental Awareness and Meetings go hand in hand. It is known that meetings and conventions, if held without sparing a thought for the environment, can result in a large carbon footprint from air travel, waste from disposing of the trade show exhibits after the events and paper consumption on a large scale. The good news is that more and more businesses are now looking forward to incorporating greener practices.

Contact our specialist conference staff for advice and ideas about your next big meetings, so benefit from their experience and expertise in venue finding and arrangements, to optimise your budget and the success of the event.

One of the most popular five star hotels located in the heart of Amsterdam, and one of the most luxurious hotels of the world, NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, has attracted thousands of customers from all over the world with its impeccable service and world-class accommodation facilities.

The hotel has easy access to the city’s sightseeing spots like the museums, cinemas, department stores, shopping malls and many other fantastic venues. The hotel is tucked into the midst of picturesque townscapes and great restaurants.

The history of NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky dates back to 1866 when it started as a bar owned by Mr. Krasnapolsky. Now the accommodation includes four hundred and sixty-eight luxurious guest rooms and six junior suites along with restaurants, bars and public spaces.  Business guests will benefit also from the conference and business meeting rooms.

Customer satisfaction has been the primary objective of NH Grand hotel, offering a rich stock of facilities for guests. All the usual 5 star facilities are provided including fitness rooms and a beauty centre.

Food and beverage are an integral part of NH Grand Hotel. You can start with the exotic Dutch cuisines along with fine International delicacies. The Winter Garden will serve you the best items for breakfast and lunch. The à la carte Brasserie "Reflet" is a restaurant serving traditional dishes. Don’t miss out the Middle-Eastern cuisine at The Bedouin. Most of the restaurants open at five in the evening and stay open until eleven at night.

This property is great for business visits and meetings, but also for those weekend breaks, when you feel like a relaxing change.

If you or your colleagues have plans to visit any overseas trade fair in the future, please contact us as soon as possible about your arrangements for travel and accommodation, as the earlier we can make the bookings for you, the lower the cost of the airfares will be, and the greater the selection of hotel accommodation available.

We would also suggest you take a look at our website Trade Fairs page  from time to time, to help with your forward planning, and then look to our APTT service to ensure you get the best accommodation rates and locations.

September 2008

1st – 2nd  India Oil & Gas Review Symposium &  International Exhibition      Mumbai, INDIA

Focuses on new products and technology
not yet introduced in the Petroleum industry.

3rd – 5th  World of Food China                    Shanghai, China

International Exhibition & Conference for
the Food & Beverage Industry

3rd – 7th   Beijing International Book Fair             Beijing, CHINA

Pre-eminent event for the business of books
in all formats, and the products, services and
education that supports the buyers and sellers
of books.

5th – 8th     Pret A Porter                      Paris, FRANCE

A comprehensive fashion event covering a
wide range of lifestyle fashion products.

7th – 9th  World Dairy Expo              Heilongjiang, CHINA

World Dairy Expo & Summit is regarded as
one of the most important platforms for
exchanges, cooperation & trading by domestic
and international dairy professionals.

17th – 19th  HOPSPIMedica ASIA              Suntec, SINGAPORE

International Exhibition on Hospital,
Pharmaceutical, Medical & Rehabilitation
Equipment & Supplies

28th – 1st Oct   InterCool                        Düsseldorf, GERMANY

International Trade Fair Frozen Food,
Ice Cream, Technology

October 2008

2nd – 4th   Book Fair  Azerbaijan                Baku, AZERBAIJAN

A full range of products and services,
educational programs, and networking
opportunities make this a must-attend event
for book industry professionals.

4th – 19th     Paris Motor Show               Paris, FRANCE

With all the big names in passenger cars,
commercial vehicles, heavy duty and garage
equipment, spares and automobile accessories
being present, offering you a perfect chance
to show case your products.

6th – 9th   Ausplas                 Melbourne, Australia

Largest & longest-running trade event for
the plastics industry in the Southern
Hemisphere.

15th – 17th    International Foodtec India              New Dehli, INDIA

India’s No 1 Trade Fair for Food Processing
& Packaging, Ingredients, Beverages, Cooling
and Refrigeration

21st – 25th  Glasstec                  Düsseldorf, GERMANY

International Trade Fair with Glass
Technology Live – Special – Show & Symposium

November 2008

6th – 9th       Transpotech             Cairo, Egypt

The only commercial vehicle show bringing
together buyers and sellers from around the
World.

11th – 13th       China International Citrus Exposition             Hunan, CHINA

Foreground analysis on international citrus
industry, the present situation and developing
trends of china citrus industry, new deep
processing technologies of citrus products,
new marketing thoughts on citrus products.

19th – 21st    INTERauto 2008              Cologne, GERMANY

A niche event catering for the international
automotive interiors design industry.

19th – 22nd        MEDICA          Düsseldorf, GERMANY

International Trade Fair with Congress
World Forum for Medicine

December 2008

3rd – 6th   Vehicle Manufacturing & Automotive             Jakarta, INDONESIA

Technology Indonesia
Dedicated international showcase exhibition
& conference for vehicle dynamics technologies
& components.

5th – 7th       GlassTech India                     New Delhi, INDIA

International Glass Products, Glass
Manufacturing, Processing & Materials Exhibition

January 2009

11th – 14th        Arabplast                       DUBAI

International Plastic & Rubber Industry
Trade Show

February 2009

4th – 6th      Fruit Logistica            Berlin, GERMANY

Provides an opportunity for industries
involved in fruit trading to present their range
of services from growing to selling

March 2009

3rd – 6th   Embedded in Munich               Munich, GERMANY

The best place to exhibit everything from
software, hardware and components to
systems integration and development platforms.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

We have just started to secure client reservations for the Fruit Logistica event in Berlin although it is not until February 2009, but it is best to book well in advance to get best rates and most convenient hotels.
If you are interesting in attending this event, please contact us now in order that we can secure the best accommodation availability and prices for you.

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Also, don't forget, if there are a number of you travelling together, there are major savings possible for groups of 9 or more, when we negotiate group rates with the airlines. Click here  to see more about our Group travel