New conference after IMEX

I have receieved an interesting email from the Meeting Support Institute (MSI) about a conference they are organizing the day after IMEX.

The Meeting Content Conference will be focusing on the content side of conferences and meetings: the learning, the networking and the motivation of participants. The targeted participants for the Meeting Content Conference are senior meeting planners, meeting owners (such as product managers, HR managers, marketing professionals), press and faculty in meeting management.

Sounds interesting? Then read this: Hosted buyers from IMEX can extend their stay and join the conference, invited by IMEX and MSI!

Contact Ilse Mathé for more information: ilse.matthe@abbit.be

Gong Xi Fa Chi

Happy Chinese New Year to all readers from the Far East! It's the year 4705 (or for us Westerners 2007) and the year of the pig.

Here some more information:

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.
A Piggy Year

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in pig years tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were all born in the year of the pig.

Accor Sells Stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel for $ 465 million

As part of the strategic review of its business portfolio, Accor Group has signed an agreement to sell for $ 465 million its entire 50% interest in Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) to Carlson Companies and One Equity Partners LLC (OEP), a private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Accor Group and Carlson Companies had each owned a 50% interest in CWT since 1997. As part of the transaction, Accor and CWT have signed a three-year, renewable strategic partnership designed to secure preferred distribution of Accor hotels by CWT. At the same time, Accor has confirmed CWT as the Group's preferred travel agency.

Following the disposal, Carlson Companies will own 55% of CWT and OEP 45%. Among other things, the transaction is subject to regulatory approval by European and US competition authorities, expected in the next few weeks.

'This divestment,' said Gilles Pélisson, 'is the first step to the refocusing on our two core businesses: hotels and services. It is perfectly aligned with the new strategic direction announced by the Group'.

DUBAI EXHIBITION WORLD UNVEILED TO AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE

I knew that some of my readers will comment my article about the Abu Dhabi developlment about being not fair to Dubai. So here it is:

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), one of the Middle East's leading exhibition and conference venue operators, has unveiled its plans for Dubai Exhibition World, a Dh8 billion (US$2.17 billion) dedicated facility capable of hosting the world's largest and most prestigious exhibitions and events.

The new development represents the next stage in Dubai's ambitious plan to become one of the global centres for exhibitions and global gatherings. In the space of a few decades, the UAE's exhibitions and conference sector has expanded from a handful of dedicated events to a Dh12 billion (US$3.27 billion) a year industry, with the annual rate of event expansion increasing by 15 percent a year in terms of visitors, with some exhibitions experiencing a 30 percent year-on-year rise.

Abu Dhabi on the verge of a new era of exhibitions

Days away from the most modern exhibition centre in the world opening in Abu Dhabi

The countdown is on to the opening of Abu Dhabi's superb new Exhibition Centre - now just days away from opening in the UAE Capital City. The latest landmark event is the successful completion of Environment 2007, the last ever event staged at the old venue which has been the city's major site for exhibitions since 1986.

Phase 1 of the new Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre will open in February to host IDEX 2007, one of the world's largest defence exhibitions. When complete, the state-of-the-art multi purpose exhibition complex will offer 55,000 square meters of interconnecting hall space, including a 3,168 square meter atrium, 18,000 square meters of U-shaped concourse, 2,000 square meters of food courts and a sizeable multi-storey car-park.

ADNEC is also working with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) to establish Abu Dhabi as a leading business tourism destination and attract the world's premier events to the emirate. Four of the world's leading exhibition organising companies have recently confirmed their status as 'Foundation Partners' for the new venue, jointly bringing more than 30 additional shows to the new Exhibition Centre.