New Zealand: Take your thinking somewhere new

Save Victorian Events co-founder Simon Thewlis says the Victorian Government is actively consulting the industry on the insurance model for events cancelled due to COVID-19.

Thewlis said discussed were occurring with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, the super agency that includes the Tourism, Events and Visitor Economy (TEVE) branch, responsible for strengthening the profile of tourism and events across government and influencing reforms and economic outcomes for the sector. Read more

Former head of the Cairns Convention Bureau Angela Uhlig gives us a view from London of what emerging into COVID-normal looks like. Read more

With winners reflecting the nature and distribution of pandemic impacts across Australia, the biggest winners at Meetings and Events Australia’s virtual awards ceremony last night were Harry the hirer, which took home five awards, and Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and La Trobe University, which nabbed three each. Read more

Global hotel brand Marriott International has announced its intention to have net zero carbon emissions across its network of around 7,800 properties in 138 countries by 2050. Read more

Despite considerable freedoms expected to be granted to vaccinated people by the year’s end – including, potentially, international travel – the City of Sydney has scrapped the 9pm fireworks for Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations due to pandemic concerns. Read more

You hear often that people don’t set out to have a career in business events – they fall into it.

That was the case for Tracy Baker, Director of Sales for the association and not-for-profit sectors at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Before kicking off her business events career in Perth, Baker worked at the Australian Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal as the Ambassador’s Assistant and Archivist. Read more

Two completely different events on back-to-back nights, held 26m below ground in a venue definitely not made for events – an underground cavern that was a Sydney Metro worksite still being tunnelled.

And all of this in the middle of a global pandemic, not long after the Northern Beaches outbreak in Sydney.

It’s fair to say Eventify had a lot to contend with when it took on this particular project.

Here’s how they did it.

IHG Hotels and Resorts is offering benefits like flexible working arrangements, paid parental and partner leave, birthday leave and sabbaticals as part of a new employee program in Australia, in a bid to attract new talent and retain its current workforce.

In addition to the new IHG myBenefits program, employees will also have access to IHG’s MyPerks program which offers discounts and cashback at more than 400 retailers and service providers. An online wellbeing hub is also part of the deal. Read more