Daily News & Opinion

Sustainability appears to be the flavour of the month. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre has introduced ‘Think Before Plastic’, an initiative which will cut over 1,600,000 disposable plastic utensils from its annual usage. In addition to no longer providing plastic straws, and replacing disposable cutlery with non-plastic alternatives, the centre has discontinued the sale of plastic bottled beverages from all vending machines. The centre is also working on sourcing non-disposable alternatives for meal boxes and cup lids.

A heritage-listed building on the corner of George and Elizabeth streets in Brisbane is now home to a grandiose 1920s-inspired TFE Hotels venue. Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane offers 220 luxurious rooms and suites, a soon-to-open Cantonese restaurant and a 250-seat basement lounge with an expansive cocktail offering and avant-garde designs, including ionic columns, detailed cornices and marble finishes. The property offers expansive views of the Brisbane River and an open-air, ground-floor gym. The hotel is also located near the BCEC.

In aid of the Kokoda Youth Foundation, team members from Oaks Hotels & Resorts participated in The Kokoda Challenge Gold Coast at the weekend, one of the most gruelling events in Australia. The team trekked through Gold Coast Hinterland during a cold snap, wound their way around tracks to pass 14 checkpoints and climbed over 5000 metres of vertical elevation. Over $3500 was raised for the foundation, and chief operations officer of Oaks Hotels & Resorts Craig Hooley commended the teams’ efforts.

Multinational hospitality company Hyatt has taken a leaf out of Woolworths and Coles’ books this month by announcing it will phase out single-use straws and picks from September. The items will be available on request only, and a range of sustainable alternatives will be on offer for clients. Hyatt’s senior vice president – global operations Frank Lavey said “Eliminating plastic straws and drink picks builds on the environmental sustainability programs we have in place and further drives our efforts to reduce environmental impact.”

In tandem with its multi-million-dollar expansion, and as part of its partnership with C2 International, the MCEC has launched a series of interactive C2 Labs. The signature labs – which include pool of childhood memories and a giant cake – were demonstrated to customers, industry and the media over two days, and are now available for customers to integrate into their events. The sensory experiences are ideal for workshops, brainstorming sessions, performances and festivities, and encourage participants to ‘think outside the box’.

If you were tossing up the idea of attending Luxperience between September 16 and 19 at the ICC Sydney, the time has come to decide. Registrations for agents and exhibitors officially close on July 29, and a limited number of spaces are available. This year’s event will focus solely on the market leaders and trendsetters who will influence the next generation of decision makers, with partners, speakers and a social program set to be released within the coming weeks.

If you were ALSO umm-ing and ahh-ing over attending Get Global this Friday, this news may get you over the line. Organisers have announced an app that will allow buyers, exhibitors, sponsors and partners to arrange appointments before the event, and enter draws for over $250,000 worth of travel prizes. Buyers will have the chance to win flights and accommodation to Fiji, New Caledonia, the USA, Hawaii and more, with more appointments booked resulting in more entries made.

Visitors at this year’s Australian Tourism Exchange, held in Adelaide during April, expressed strong satisfaction with the event. Around 98 per cent of international respondents turned in a positive post-event survey, with 97 per cent of overseas buyers saying they expect to sell more Australian tourism as a result, and 96 per cent of attendees indicating a strong intention to attend future events. Trade, tourism and investment minister Steven Ciobo said the event delivered fantastic outcomes for its 2200 delegates.