9 HRS AGO - Marina Bay Sands rolled out Mixed Reality (MR) capabilities at its state-of-the-art Hybrid Broadcast Studio at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 26 November. The glimpse into a new future for our industry was offered both online and live during Singapore’s first hybrid travel tradeshow, TravelRevive. CMW’s editor was on the spot in Marina Bay Sands to see the demonstration of the MR technology set to enlarge the studio’s hybrid tech toolbox, and empower event planners to transform their events by integrating the virtual and physical worlds to create an immersive and interactive presentation. Coupled with the studio’s three-dimensional stage and immersive backdrop, MR technology allows presenters to have a more meaningful interaction with digital data and the environment, bringing presentations to life through hyper-realistic visuals. The Hybrid Broadcast Studio was launched in August 2020 and took just seven days to set up and offer broadcast-quality live-streaming capabilities, Collapse

22 HRS AGO - Julian Agostini, MD at CMW publisher Mash Media, says that the events industry has the right skillset to help deliver the vaccination logistics.   With a month to go, we have now entered the season of chocolates without conscience, mulled wine and films that you have seen a thousand times, which require little cerebral involvement. I might have been drawn into one such film the other evening, namely Big with Tom Hanks.  Normally the story would play out mindlessly, but my family found itself in a discussion around one of the sub-themes, i.e. would it make sense for a child to be consultant at a toy firm? They, after all, are the end users: the experts. This led to further chat as to why humans are the chief tasters for dog and cat food. We even got to suggesting that cat food should surely be predominantly mouse flavoured or in fact just mice (could be a brand in the making?). The point is that everybody should do what they are good at, and that would make the world a more Collapse

1 DAY AGO - The city of Hamburg has been named ‘Germany’s strongest city brand’ in a survey by Brandmeyer agency. The agency conducted a survey of 10,000 people and found that across all age groups, Hamburg was perceived as the strongest city brand. Hamburg claimed the top spot, followed by Munich and Freiburg, in a number of categories: attractiveness, future development, city break destination, likeability, uniqueness and standard of living. Alongside brand strength, the Stadtmarken Monitor also measured how cities are perceived in terms of security, mobility and digitalisation, with Hamburg ranking first to third across these categories. Florian Gerdes, Marketing Manager Conventions from the Hamburg Convention Bureau, said: “We’re delighted to be recognised as Germany’s strongest city brand, an accolade that’s all the more powerful against the backdrop of the current crisis. “Destinations are an essential partner to help and support the business events sector on the road to recovery. A strong Collapse

2 DAYS AGO - Bold moves in the South of France have proven that rigorous health measures breed confidence for events.   Cannes positions itself as the premier business tourism city in France, after Paris, and the city’s leading venue, Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, is clearly leading in the effort to reassure conference clients to return with a vigorous approach to health security. The Palais des Festivals was the first European centre to achieve quadruple certification – ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHS 18001 and ISO 26000 and has adapted all its spaces in accordance with health security rules. The Palais des Festivals was also the subject of a Covid-19 Business-Ready audit carried out by the SOCOTEC group, a major player in testing and certification. The Palais’s key measures included implementing a specific cleaning protocol, training of staff and management of inflows and exit flows and the introduction of a traffic plan on the site. There has also been strict control of service Collapse

2 DAYS AGO - The exhibitions and events industry has united in support of the Restart Expo, an event that will showcase how exhibitions and events can be hosted safely with all the required COVID-19 health and safety protocols in place.  The Restart Expo is taking place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec, Johannesburg, from 25-26 November. In... Collapse

2 DAYS AGO - Business Events Perth has launched a new campaign to bring business events back to Western Australia. The organisation’s latest marketing campaign highlights Perth’s new hotels and its existing meeting venues and experiences. The aim is to keep Perth front of mind for future corporate meetings, conferences and exhibitions. In July, Western Australia hosted the country’s first large-scale business event since Covid restrictions were implemented. Over recent months, in line with local Covid restrictions, Western Australian business event operators have continued to operate safely. In recent years, more than 5000 accommodation rooms have added to Perth’s hotel inventory, complementing a 40 per cent increase in meeting space. Business Events Perth Chief Executive Gareth Martin said: “What this campaign shows is that business events don’t all have to be the same. I implore national conference and exhibition organisers who want to create a safe and unique experience for their delegates in Collapse

3 DAYS AGO - The International Geothermal Association (IGA) has announced that it will move its operational headquarters to The Hague. The Hague Convention Bureau, which works in partnership with The Hague Business Agency, expects the move to significantly increase events across the city in related sciences and sectors. The IGA organizes the World Geothermal Congress, an event which aims to encourage, facilitate and promote the development of geothermal resources and innovative research in geothermal technologies. It is organised every three years, with the 6th edition of the WGC having been rescheduled to 2021 in Reykjavik, Iceland with the 2023 edition scheduled to take place in China. The IGA represents the global geothermal industry at international organisations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the International Energy Agency. Bas Schot, Head of The Hague Convention Bureau, commented: “This news represents significant additional value Collapse