Daily News & Opinion

Is it just us, or has Shelly Horton been everywhere lately? Not only did she host AV1’s recent Inspire Speakers Showcase, but she’s set to do the same for the MEALIVE 2019 Awards on May 29. Well, she’s back again with an online session focusing on how to make virtual events work. Over 45 minutes, the event covers the do’s and don’ts of virtual meetings, including how to avoid common faux pas.

Have you taken part in one of SongDivision’s musical happy hours yet? The sessions are free and reportedly lots of fun, with many industry folk having already logged in to laugh, play musical trivia and have an e-vent about their lives. The good news is that one is coming up on June 5 at 4 pm, with prolific songwriter, entertainer and emcee Brihony Dawson as host. Anyone who’s met Brihony knows how energetic and fun she is, so it’s guaranteed to be a hoot.

Something we can all finally look forward to: W Melbourne will open in December this year. This will be the second W hotel to open in Australia after Brisbane, and add 294 guest rooms to Melbourne’s accommodation market. For events, W Melbourne will offer 830 sqm of space, including a 426 sqm pillar-less ballroom with natural light and a 4mx5m LED wall. Fully-adaptable conference equipment, world-class AV equipment and contemporary cuisine from the in-house catering team will also be on offer.

In a positive sign of things to come, Etihad Airways has added a new transit connection from Sydney to London via Abu Dhabi. The announcement follows the airline’s recently launched link between Melbourne and London. In addition, Etihad will increase frequencies on previously announced special flights and add new services to Belgrade, Dublin, Geneva, Milan, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Toronto.

On Monday night guests completing their 14-day quarantine at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth were treated to an opera performance featuring principle soprano with Opera Australia Jane Ede. The performance took place in the hotel’s outdoor garden terrace, and 460 guests spectated from their balconies. In addition to Jane, audience members were entertained by Jodie Goodwin, Josephine Stark and Olivia French from Accor’s team. The performance was paired with a quintessentially-Sofitel French meal of niçoise salad, basque style braised chicken and crème caramel.  

A survey conducted by London venue BMA House has indicated a significant desire by event planners to improve their work/life balance. The survey, which was responded to by 229 planners and delegates, found that 68 per cent of organisers want a better work/life balance, and 87 per cent believe that more people should be offered the opportunity to work from home in the long term.

Venue Finding Agency CVBS has launched Virtual Tours to keep meeting planners and venues connected during the current social distancing and travel restrictions. This has come about after the team confirmed a large conference at a major venue for a client following a virtual tour of the hotel, which sealed the deal. “Staying informed and connected is now more important than ever before, and this is a great tool for both meeting planners and venues,” said Anthony Jepson from CVBS.

Marriott International has launched a new virtual meetings solution across 22 of its hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Encompassing four packages, the Virtual Meetings by Marriott Bonvoy™ allows teams to stay connected across multiple locations when they cannot meet in person. Each package includes cutting-edge technology and dedicated sales support, with staff facilitating satellite locations on planners’ behalf. Prices start from $1150 for groups of up to 10, with half-day and full-day packages with catering options available.