Following the resignation of Peter King after 11 years in the role, Natalie O’Brien AM has been appointed the new CEO of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Read more
micenet news
New Zealand’s business events industry celebrates the reopening of the trans-Tasman border
With free-flowing quarantine-free travel now reinstated for the fully vaccinated between Australia and New Zealand, there is much positivity amongst New Zealand’s business events industry. Read more
How mainstream media killed the events industry
By Brad Foster They just don’t get it. Never have and probably never will. Stories are sensational and don’t help one iota. The Australian ran a story recently entitled How Covid killed the events industry. It was six months after COVID-19 changed our sector and the world like we’ve never seen before. The writers – for some reason they needed two people to write the puff – focused on fancy corporate events. Certainly, these make up the fabric of the event sector but they are […]
Will global manifesto for meetings actually work?
By Brad Foster It’s a scary word manifesto. It sounds serious. Like something a government or political party releases in wartime. And, as far as the meetings industry is concerned, what we are going through now could be likened a little bit like being in a war. Borders closed. Curfews. Aircraft grounded. Unrest. Protests. You get the picture. Led by the international Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), together with some of the largest exhibition organisers in the world – AIME, IBTM, IMEX and Meetings Africa […]
We can’t afford to wait for a vaccine: Global industry urges
By Lauren Arena Travel and business events leaders have warned the industry to brace for further coronavirus turbulence ahead. During an online forum hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board last week, WTTC president and CEO, Gloria Guevara said greater co-ordination between the public and private sector is needed in order to get the industry back on its feet. Together with Oxford Economics, WTTC has assessed the impact of Covid-19 on the travel and tourism sector, which prior to the pandemic contributed 10.3 per cent […]
Tom Rutherford’s Tarte Tatin recipe
Serves: 8 Ingredients 10 Medium sized granny smith apples peeled and quartered 200g Unsalted Butter 200g Castor Sugar Two sheets of pre-made puff pastry Rose petals and a dusting of icing sugar Vanilla ice cream Method Spread the butter and then the sugar onto a 30cm Teflon frying pan. Using a small knife trim the core out of the apple quarters and place then on their sides into the pan creating a fan effect around the circumference. Place the pan on a high heat on […]
Mental health in events
By Aaron Williams, CEO, Mindstar There is an old saying in the mental health world: “If you want to give someone an anxiety disorder, give them uncertainty.” In our new, constantly changing, COVID-19 world, how much uncertainty do we now have? In every area of our lives. The COVID-19 crisis is very different to anything that we have experienced before. It is a crisis that is unprecedented for most of us, as unlike a bushfire, drought, cyclone, or recession, it affects every single one of […]
Three LinkedIn tips to help you right now
By Annabel Sullivan We all know people who have been professionally impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Many are looking for jobs, adjusting to alternate roles or have decided it’s time to take control of their destiny and explore new career opportunities. Research indicates almost 80 per cent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates. So now, more than ever, it’s important to not only be ON LinkedIn but also to be ACTIVE on the world’s largest professional platform. I’ll share three things you can be […]
Our industry friends in isolation: Anna Stewart
What are the top 3 things you will do after lockdown? Head to the Gold Coast for some beach-time – I’ll be having a swim in the ocean, no matter what the temperature! (It’s nearly whale-watching season, so I should blend in ok!) Get back on the tennis court more often – have had a weekly hit with my coach during lock-down but really missed social tennis where there’s usually a post-game cappuccino or ideally a Prosecco involved! Face-to-face catch-ups with friends and colleagues – […]
Empathy and creativity pave the road to recovery
By Lauren Arena Doing good is good for business — especially during times of crisis. As destinations across APAC take preliminary steps to re-open and reboot their economies, Jack Morton China’s Helen Mok says nurturing talent will prove critical in ensuring the swift recovery of the events industry. With global brands like Dyson, LVMH and Gucci pivoting their business to support the global effort to combat Covid-19, Mok says the future of live events and experiential marketing will need to reflect a greater purpose. Q. […]
Tourism Australia MD keeping the faith
By Brad Foster Tourism Australia managing director, Phillipa Harrison, provides micenet with an update on activities, the organisation’s latest “big pivot” and the new normal. Phillipa Harrison is a hard woman to catch at the best of times. Right now, it’s a little harder. And no wonder. At present she’s probably feeling a little like the PM who appears to be working 24/7. But she did grab an hour last week to respond to some questions we asked about the current state of play and […]
Tourism offices doing the heavy lifting
By Brad Foster Hey it’s me. I’ve been down a rabbit hole for the last six weeks, trying my hand at some home renovations. Knock down walls, they said. Open it all up, they said. I’ve got to say, the desk job is a little less taxing on the body. But it’s been fun. The rest of the team has been holding the fort with this, our daily news, and our other online platforms. Sifting through the last six weeks of emails – okay, I’ve […]
MISE Macau hopeful for competitive recovery
By Lauren Arena The events industry in Hong Kong and Macau is battered and bruised – first by anti-government protests and now by the coronavirus – but many remain confident that the region will rebound quickly once borders reopen. Here I speak to Bruno Simões, president of the Macau Meetings, Incentives and Special Events Association (MISE), and managing director of DOC DMC, about the industry’s future. Tell us about the situation in Macau right now As in many other markets, we’re in survival mode right […]
Our industry friends in isolation: Donna Kessler
We’re back with another edition of our industry friends in isolation, and this time we’re showcasing Tourism Portfolio’s Donna Kessler. Find out what she’s been up to below. What are the top 3 things you will do after lockdown? No doubt have one of the Kessler extended lunches. A gathering of the people who are important to us, and that includes family. A facial and no doubt a good shopping trip will take place, too. Book the Christmas holiday (hopefully). What are your favourite things […]
Latest update from BECA
COVIDSafe Guidelines and Subcommittee BECA deputy chair on Tourism Restart Taskforce Engagement with Coronavirus Business Liaison Unit Tourism industry meeting with minister Birmingham Australian Government three-step framework for a COVIDSafe Australia Business Events Response & Recovery Framework COVIDSafe Guidelines and Subcommittee BECA has delivered a set of strategic principles to government that instils confidence in Australia’s business events industry so that COVID-19 restrictions can be safely lifted and the industry can rapidly restart. A Safety and Hygiene Subcommittee has also been established to ensure the […]
Our industry friends during isolation: Lynne Schinella
Guess what? You guys love our industry friends’ updates so much that we’re here with a bonus one. The second update comes from Lynne Schinella, whose answers might surprise you. Have a look at them here. What are the top 3 things you will do after lockdown? Find new excuses to not to visit people. Find new excuses not to have people visit. Turns out I’m not as much of a people person as I make out to be. But I will find my son […]
Travel and incentives in a post-Covid-19 world
By Damion Breust, Senior Vice President, Andria Mitsakos Public Relations (AMPR) The first thing to accept is that these are shocking, awful times for hundreds of millions of people. Quite apart from those who have died from Covid-19, countless other lives have been turned upside down by it. There is no question that this caught the world unprepared, and until there is a vaccine and a cure, it will continue to cast a shadow of safety, over lives, and over whole communities and economies. I […]
5 Reasons you should give Doubletree’s choc chip cookies a go
By Laura Bradley This month, to the elation of sweet tooths everywhere, DoubleTree by Hilton released the official recipe of its famous chocolate chip cookies. Although numerous fake recipes have circulated on the internet over the years, this was the first time the real deal became available to the masses. And what better time? We’re all stuck inside on an endless search for activities, and there’s only so many times the floor can be scrubbed and F.R.I.E.N.D.S can be re-watched on Stan. I decided to […]
Global research predicts $120b loss for business travel in Asia Pacific
By Brad Foster Just released research by the Global Business Travel Association is predicting potential global losses from the coronavirus (COVID-19) of $820b including $120b in the Asia Pacific. A snap survey of the 9000-strong GBTA membership around the world received responses from more than 1000 members with results showing three of every four companies had cancelled or suspended all or most business trips to Asia Pacific countries. GBTA’s members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. The study […]
Events sector already suffering losses due to coronavirus
By Brad Foster and Laura Bradley Tourism Australia monitors, launches strategy Some meetings and incentives postponed nationally AIME 2020 set for launch likely without mainland China delegates Pivot in marketing promotions New Zealand/Tasmania report minimal impact Australia’s forward bookings shaky? Coronavirus could cost the Australian business event sector hundreds of millions of dollars, with a snapshot from major players in the industry this week confirming meetings and incentives already postponed and delegate numbers down. Some convention bureaux and centres are claiming the Federal Government’s decision […]
The full list of MEA national award winners
The MEA 2018 national awards were held last night at the BCEC, at the conclusion of the MEA 2019 EVOLVE conference. Here is the full list of winners: Association event of the year – ICMS Australasia for the IEEE 2018 International Conference on Robotics and Automation Government event of the year – QLD Department of Education- Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage 2018 Corporate event of the year – Forum Group Events & Marketing – South Africa Tourism Event Roadshow Event of the year (incentives […]
Building anticipation
We humans are a nosy bunch. The fact that you’re reading this is evidence of that. What savvy event planners and marketers have done is bottle up this human instinct for NEEDING to know things and integrated it into their event campaigns. One such example is industry royalty Peter Jones AM, who was four years ago tasked with creating a networking event for AIME. The brief specified that the event must be outdoors, fun, unique and something that hadn’t been done before. Peter and his […]
EVOLVE 2019 – on the track to success
EVOLVE 2019, which will take place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre between March 31 and April 2, is set to feature eight tracks with a slew of expert speakers who will discuss how events professionals can improve their event delivery, businesses, sales techniques and careers. The scheduled tracks are as follows: TECH TALKS TRACK Partakers will learn about the latest advances in event technology. AI, VR and all that is new in technology, staging and production and how it is used to heighten […]
Mike Pence who? Sell TNQ a success despite U.S. Vice President visit
Regardless of the presence of US Vice President Mike Pence and a huge security detail in and around Hilton Cairns (preferring a TNQ sleepover to PNG during APEC), the annual Sell TNQ managed to avoid the secret service kerfuffle as business events delegates and media from Australia and New Zealand went to Port Douglas. Sell TNQ’s usual full-day speed dating session between buyers/media and sellers was held for the first time, and to delegate acclaim, aboard a 60 metre vessel Quicksilver 8, well beyond roadblocks, […]
New app set to be event talent game-changer
Brad Foster A new app launched today is aiming to simplify the searching for and booking of event entertainers including musicians, MCs and keynote speakers. After investment of close to $1 million and almost four years of development, founder and CEO of the Associated Celebrity Talent App, Harris Meitanis told micenet today the online booking platform is set to disrupt the events and entertainment industry in the same way that Uber and Airbnb have disrupted their market segments. And the good news is that it […]
Simon Baggs has a rant about the business event industry
Everybody is entitled to their opinion and we like where Lateral Event Marketing’s Simon Baggs is going here. Take it away Simon… “I can’t work out if we are blessed in the business events industry with so many industry conferences, exhibitions and awards to choose from, or if we’re so crazily disorganised and discombobulated that we’ve ended up with a mishmash of smaller events that don’t really serve us well. “In 2018 there were eleven business industry events, held over 26 days, providing 19 days […]