Author: Ben Debski

Boston for MICE

Posted on by Ben Debski

From the downtown core to the outlying neighbourhoods, visitors find that Boston is a city of intriguing diversity. With a mix of colonial charm and urban sophistication, the city is rich in history with great dining and nightlife, extraordinary shopping, championship professional and college sports teams, and a vibrant arts and cultural community, making it a dynamic meeting and convention destination.

Making connections
There are several factors that make it such a great destination for international meetings and events. The first is the ease of access into and around Boston. Logan International Airport is served by major domestic and international carriers. The airport currently offers domestic service to 79 destinations and international service to 36 destinations with more than 1,500 flights a day arriving and departing from the airport. New international air service into Boston’s Logan International Airport in 2011 increased almost 20 percent, and Boston continues to be the shortest non-stop flight from Europe into the United States.

Logan International Airport is just three miles from the city and has completed its $4bn modernisation project, including new terminals, new roadways, and a new harbour tunnel that connects the airport to the city centre. In addition, once in Boston, delegates find that the city has excellent access to air, rail, and bus connections. Its two convention centres feature the fastest airport-to-convention centres in the country.

Boston is known as America’s Walking City, but when you can’t get around by foot, the city is easily accessible by the ‘T’, Boston’s public transportation system. And what’s more, planners and delegates find that Boston is a very safe city to move around in.

Culture of excellence
Boston is also a world centre for education, technology and life sciences.

Known also as the “Athens of America,” Boston’s medical and educational institutions have helped to make it an international centre of learning and intellectual activity. The metropolitan area’s 35 hospitals and more than 60 colleges and universities can be a vast resource for your meeting or group. Groups also have access to world-renowned financial and biotech institutions located in the Greater Boston area as well.

Boston & Cambridge offer upscale, international, and eclectic options for the taste buds, and each unique neighbourhood is home to a whole different dining scene. Great new restaurants join the mix on a regular basis, keeping things fresh and cutting-edge. And the area boasts a variety of hotel products to suit the needs of any group – from five-star boutique properties to independent lodgings, to all of the major domestic and international chains – Boston can offer something for everyone.

Breaking with convention
The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) strives to continually position Boston as a world-class destination for meeting planners, delegates and leisure visitors. By offering exceptional, award-winning customer service, the staff and the community are able to offer an inspiring and sustainable experience for clients and visitors.

And now, the award-winning GBCVB makes it easier than ever for meeting professionals to meet in the Greater Boston area. No one knows more about the region than the staff at the GBCVB. From assisting with putting together RFPs to sending it out through an online system that distributes the RFP directly to hotels, attractions, transportation companies and more than 1,200 GBCVB members that planners select, the GBCVB sales department will ensure that all of a planners needs are met.

The GBCVB staff can assist planners with: complimentary RFPs for all of your meeting needs, site inspection assistance, attendance building promotions, (including participating in your convention one year prior). Destination collateral, housing services and a concierge and restaurant services desk are also available during your convention

Leader in international meetings
Boston continues to be a global leader as a destination for international meetings. According to the most recent numbers available, Boston saw 1.18 million overseas visitors in 2010 according to the US Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, a four percent increase over 2009. And in 2011, Boston and Cambridge are on track to see more than 1.25 million overseas visitors, a 5.5 percent increase over 2010 and a new record for the Boston and Cambridge area. For the third consecutive year, Boston & Cambridge were named the Top Destination in the United States for International Association Meetings by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). In 2010, Boston & Cambridge hosted a record number of 43 international meetings (up from 36 the previous year), making it the number one destination for international association meetings in the United States. The economic impact of these international meetings to the Boston and Cambridge economies is in excess of $60m.

The campaign for international meetings includes participation in major tradeshows such as IMEX, EIBTM, AIBTM and IMEX America, as well as the coordination of sales missions and other marketing and public relations activities. These serve to build awareness for Boston as a meetings destination and help expand overseas air service. These efforts have not only resulted in an increased number of meetings over the past few years, but also an increase in international air services to Boston, including the first-ever none-stop service from Tokyo to Boston that launched in April, 2012.

Two of the major international events that will be held in Boston in 2012 include BIO, the world’s largest annual gathering of the biotechnology industry, which is expected to bring 26,000 delegates from around the world. And in July, Boston will play host to the Global Business Travel Association’s Annual Meeting, providing an opportunity showcase its attributes to corporate meeting planners and travel managers from around the world.

Sustainable commitment
The cities of Boston and Cambridge have invested millions of dollars in cross-sector conservation initiatives that involve massive energy efficiency implementation throughout both cities. Working in tandem with the Cities of Boston, Cambridge and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau is committed to sustainable practices. As a result, the GBCVB are able to promote the sustainable efforts of area hotels, restaurants and convention centres making the region very green.

Other highlights of sustainability practices include working with the MBTA (T) to promote the use of public transportation to and from events, as well as the commitment to providing digital and online resources for delegates and planners, thereby reducing printing costs.

For example, the GBCVB now offers an iPhone app for as the Official Visitors Guide to Boston, allowing users to find Great Deals, search the Event Calendar and purchase tickets to many Boston attractions. To help visitors and convention delegates connect with local events, deals and discounts, this iPhone app showcases Boston-area attractions and allows meeting attendees to search “what to do” while they are in town, as well as have the ability to purchase tickets in advance to many of Boston’s great tours, cruises, excursions, museums, the Red Sox and more using their handheld devices.  Delegates can purchase tickets on their mobile device and simply show the page for electronic entry to a number of attractions.

It’s clear that this American city has it all. Whether it’s great dining, world-class shopping, or the vibrant arts and cultural community, it’s easy to see why Boston is the ideal place for any meeting or event.

For more information please contact; Stephanie Pappas; spappas@bostonusa.com; Tel: 001-617-867-8222

Planning meetings in Berlin

Posted on by Ben Debski

Steeped in its evocative history and the rapid changes that have taken place over the past two decades, Berlin today exerts its own particular fascination. More than twenty years after the fall of the Wall and the reunification of Germany, the capital projects itself as a young, dynamic and cosmopolitan city at the heart of Europe which is constantly re-inventing itself. Boasting everything from art exhibitions to theatre productions the city is also home to three opera houses, around 180 museums and 150 theatres and stages. All in all, more than 1,500 events are staged each day.

Variety is guaranteed, but visitors also come for rest and relaxation. Whether in Tiergarten or on the field of former Tempelhof airport – every district has its ‘green oasis’, which improves the quality of living and allows guests to take a short break.

International event planners especially appreciate the offerings as a convention destination. Berlin boasts Europe’s most up-to-date hotel landscape, excellent travel connections and good value for money. And the city is always changing; railway stations are turned into museums, wall remains into an open air gallery and old factories into multifunctional venues. The choice of special locations ranges from the 368-metre-high television tower to the hangar of former Tempelhof Airport accommodating 5,000 guests. To put it in a nutshell: the German capital convinces as a perfect meeting and convention host.

The congress city
The Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin is initiator of the congress statistics. This initiative was launched in 2001 as a pilot project and has since provided sound data on the development of the meeting and convention market Berlin. On a half-yearly basis the data is collected and evaluated by an independent market research company in order to serve as a basis for future planning. The specialised collection of all Berlin convention and meeting business data shows excellent event and participant numbers for 2011. A total of 115,700 events took place in the metropolis on the River Spree (+2%). These attracted 9.7 million guests to Berlin (+7%).

Berlin’s hotel landscape convinces through an excellent service quality and high quality standards. This is particularly appreciated by meeting and convention participants and 6.05 million room nights from this group of Berlin guests were counted in 2011. This corresponds to a nine percent increase versus the comparable prior year period. The role of the meeting hotels of the German capital remains strong. A total of 101,000 events were staged (+6%) and 5.9 million participants were catered for (+7%).

On a worldwide level Germany’s capital is amongst the four major locations for association meetings. This is confirmed by the statistics of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) for 2010. With 138 events of international associations the German capital left metropolises like Singapore, London and Sidney behind. The leading destinations in the ranking are Vienna (154), Barcelona (148) and Paris (147).

Future-proof event location
The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will be opening on 3rd June 2012. From this day onwards, the entire air traffic for the capital city region will be concentrated in the southeast of Berlin. The new capital city airport is located in the heart of Europe. A starting capacity of up to 27 million passengers per year is planned, but depending on how things develop, the airport can be expanded to cater for as many as 45 million passengers. BER will provide Berlin with many new nonstop connections to destinations within Europe and also worldwide. Lufthansa, for example, plans to increase the number of its nonstop flights from Berlin to 38 from June 2012 – including new direct routes to Birmingham, Manchester, Valencia, Bologna and Geneva. The new airport will provide airberlin with a new home. With its partners, the airline will be offering around 70 nonstop flights and up to 9,500 departures per day from BER Airport, including five long haul connections to the USA and Asia.

Therefore Germany’s capital will become even more attractive for international event planners.

The airport’s infrastructure is characterised by the principle of short distances: this means that the six-storey terminal is located centrally between the launch runway and the landing runway; and the railway station is located directly under the terminal building. Using public transport, the journey to Berlin city-centre takes 30 minutes. As well as S-Bahn (tram) services every 10 minutes and regional train connections, Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) will be offering various long distance connections from day one. Bus connections and a dedicated junction on the A113 Motorway guarantee rapid access.

The German capital also continues to gain in attractiveness as a location for large-scale events. By the end of 2013 a new congress and trade fair centre – the CityCube Berlin – will be built on the site of the former Deutschland Halle. Between 2014 and 2016 it will replace the International Congress Centrum ICC Berlin, which will be completely closed and refurbished during that time. With the re-opening of the ICC Berlin, Messe Berlin will then have almost the double convention capacities. At present more than 438 events with around 161,250 participants per year are taking place in the congress area of Messe Berlin.

Berlin Convention Office
During the past eleven years the Berlin Convention Office (BCO) of visitBerlin has offered competent support at the organisation of conventions, meetings and incentives. Customers benefit from the experienced team, a broad network of contacts and the free-of-charge agency in addition to reservation services for hotel allotments.

Being a member of international associations and organisations is a successful way of promoting Berlin and having access to up-to-date data on the worldwide congress market. Therefore the BCO is networked with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), MPI (Meeting Professionals International), Site global, European Cities Marketing, the leading British trade organization EVENTIA and the German Convention Bureau.

On the BCO website, convention.visitBerlin.com, Germany’s leading congress destination is presented in a comprehensive, structured and interactive manner. Page visitors also find an innovative compass for incentive travels there. The generator ‘BerlinCentives‘ informs about extraordinary Berlin experiences and helps select the perfect event.  n

For more information email: convention@visitBerlin.de; Tel: +49 (0)30 26 39 183; www.convention.visitBerlin.com

Thrilling Bodrum views

Posted on by Ben Debski

In Bodrum, on a piece of land sprung from heaven, with a unique concept, incredible views and The Marmara quality, lies a travel destination that redefines the holiday experience: The Marmara Bodrum.  The Marmara Group’s first ‘concept hotel’, The Marmara Bodrum opened in 1998 in Turkey, and in a short time its dedication to excellence and experienced staff have brought, and continue to bring, its select clientele the superior quality and service they deserve. Inspired by Bodrum Castle and the antique theatre, this hotel is a gracious addition to the Bodrum skyline. The Marmara Bodrum has been meticulously designed to make you feel at home while providing all the comforts and amenities of a world-class hotel.

Among the World’s Top 500 Hotels
With unrivalled natural beauty and a rich historical fabric, The Marmara Bodrum was voted one of the ‘World’s Top 500 Hotels’ by Travel & Leisure magazine readers – it was also the first member in Turkey of ‘Small Luxury Hotels’. The Marmara Bodrum is also a recipient of one of the tourism industry’s most prestigious honours, the ‘5 Star Diamond Award’, presented by The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

The Marmara Bodrum is a world-class boutique hotel. Its modern architecture and the decoration reflects an essential simplicity with a modern inspiration and is derived from local flavours. These lovingly crafted details are applied with care throughout; from the rooms and the lobby to the corridors which are decorated with paintings of Mevlüt Akyıldız, Bente Christensen, Ned Pamphilon.

Aside from its artistically decorated 89 rooms and seven suites with fascinating views of the historical Bodrum Castle, The Marmara Bodrum also contains a raft of business and leisure facilities. These include Tuti Restaurant, serving Mediterranean cuisine, two bars offering light snacks, one meeting room (cap. 130 pax), an outdoor semi-Olympic swimming pool and an outdoor pool, fitness centre, Turkish bath, sauna, jacuzzi and a spectacular spa, tennis and squash courts. All of these allow The Marmara Bodrum to cater to an upscale clientele with distinctive tastes and requirements, and the hotel will even allow the staying of pets.

Spa treatments and programmes
The Marmara Bodrum Spa is an oasis of tranquillity that offers a wide range of natural therapies and treatments by first-class therapists. The Marmara Bodrum Spa offers a range of treatments. There are healing body massages including; pure relaxation, holistic aromatherapy, sports massages, deep tissue massage, half body massage, shiatsu.

The Marmara Bodrum New Suites
The Marmara Bodrum Dolce Vita Suite offers guests a spacious 300sq m area from the living room to the terrace. ‘Dolce Vita/The Good Life’ Suite name embodies the room’s minimalist luxury and redefines the vacation experience in Bodrum. Embodying the minimalistic design and décor of its name, the Dolce Vita Suite treats guests to a truly bohemian atmosphere which is secluded yet at the heart of all the fun!

For more information visit: email: bodrum-info@themarmarahotels.com
www.themarmaracollection.com

Top Swiss lodgings

Posted on by Ben Debski

Johannes Baur was always ahead of his time. The fabled hotel entrepreneur was already at pains to combine superlative style and consummate comfort with cutting-edge technology 170 years ago. Today, extensive renovation and modernisation of all rooms, suites and public spaces upholds the time-honoured tradition of progress at the Savoy Baur en Ville.

When Johannes Baur opened his hotel Baur in 1838, he was in effect heralding the transition from traditional inns and guesthouses to the modern hotel industry. Travellers in the past had not been too fussy about the accommodation that awaited them. That, however, all changed with the triumph of the railroad. Modern travellers were far more demanding than their predecessors, who had customarily arrived in horse-drawn carriages. All of a sudden, only the newest and best was good enough. Over the years, the tradition of hostelry thus sprouted a new branch, referred to as hoteliery that grew to become one of the most important lines of business in the Swiss economy.

Since 1985, Manfred and Christina Hörger have suffused the Savoy Baur en Ville with their own very personal style. Thanks to their efforts, the Savoy has carved out a regular slot among the ranks of Switzerland‘s leading luxury hotels. Investments in the millions have been channelled into renovating the Restaurant Baur and the Savoy Bar en Ville – the place to meet in the heart of the city. The magnificent ballroom has also been given a fresh face, and the lobby completely redesigned. And, by mid-2011, the exhaustive modernisation of all rooms and suites  was completed.

The luxurious five-star Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville commands a privileged central location right on the Paradeplatz, home to Switzerland‘s leading banks and flanked by the world‘s most exclusive jewellers, boutiques and confectioners all conveniently along the famous and exclusive  Bahnhofstrasse.

Restaurants at the Savoy
Superb cuisine and courteous service have won the esteem of both locals and genuine globetrotters for the Restaurant Baur – a privileged location at the heart of Zurich‘s financial district. Ristorante Orsini, with its powerfully evocative Tuscan flair, ranks as one of the city‘s best Italian offerings. At lunchtime and in the evenings, the Savoy Bar en Ville becomes the beating heart of Zurich‘s business community.

Restaurant Baur Im Savoy
A privileged location right in the heart of Zurich‘s financial district: Superb cuisine, courteous service and subtle elegance have won the Restaurant Baur the esteem of Zurich‘s high society. A distinguished venue for business lunches and dinners, overlooking the famous Bahnhofstrasse, here you can experience lunch time in the special flair of the Swiss financial centre experienced first-hand.

Furthermore, the quality of the cuisine is unrivalled in the city, with the expert chefs taking every care to preserve the aromas of the fine seasonal ingredients used. The menu is based on modern interpretations of French cuisine and Swiss specialities, while the Zurich Gschnetzelte is always a favourite with locals and foreign visitors alike.

Inside the restaurant, guests are greeted with the soothing harmony of luxurious materials laid out in tasteful colour schemes. Dutifully watched over by patrons Manfred and Christina Hoerger, no detail has been neglected in providing the very finest carpets, curtains and valuable chandeliers to ensure that guests can dine in effortless opulence.

Ristorante Orsini
One of the city‘s best Italians, locals and international visitors are unanimously agreed in their positive verdict on the Ristorante Orsini. Here guests can experience a world of culinary marvels amid an authentic Tuscan ambiance – an odyssey your taste buds will never forget.

The historic house between Orsini and Münstercuisine is considered one of the top names in Zurich. This has time and time again been proven from the testimony of international guests who have in time become regulars at this fine restaurant, situated in the centre of prestigious Savoy Baur en Ville.

Under the aegis of the five-star hotel in the centre of the city resides the Orsini Ristorante – a continuing success story for many years, it is testimony to Manfred and Christina Hoerger’s uncompromising sense of quality. The expert kitchen crew are famed for creations such as ‘ravioli de la nonna‘ – which always win the hearts of diners and is the dish of choice for the hotel‘s most esteemed guests.

The restaurant interior is sheer cool elegance and has recently undergone a light refurbishment to keep it looking at the height of sophistication. These include the addition of a new woven carpet, which takes design inspiration from a trio of poppy colours. This décor allows guests to immerse themselves in the illusion of the Tuscan countryside, where all the authentic, sights, sounds and smells are there to behold. Additionally, a well-stocked and expertly chosen wine cellar featuring the very best Italian wines will surely not fail to impress even the most discerning connoisseur.

Savoy Bar en Ville
At lunchtime and in the evenings, the Savoy Bar en Ville becomes the beating heart of Zurich‘s business community. In need of a quick business lunch with a touch of class? Around lunchtime, the Savoy Bar en Ville becomes a vibrant and energetic meetings venue, perfect for high-powered lunches and quick stopovers. Later in the evening, guests can enjoy an aperitif while the pianist gently brings your mind down a gear for the start of some relaxing down time. Whatever the time; this is the perfect place to get to know Zurich from the inside. The Savoy Baur en Ville is also fully equipped to cater for business meetings and private gatherings in tasteful and discreet rooms. The newly revamped banquet hall is also the ideal venue to host conferences and festive occasions.

For more information visit: www.savoy-baurenville.ch/

Frankfurt’s cutting edge hospitality

Posted on by Ben Debski

Whether it is meetings in Frankfurt’s business district, luxury shopping in Goethestrasse or a visit to the Old Town, Jumeirah Frankfurt is the ideal destination for a relaxed break in a luxurious atmosphere. It is the first property in Germany for the Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, which also signs for the famous Burj Al Arab. It is therefore not surprising that the Jumeirah Frankfurt also impresses with an exclusive design and elegant comfort throughout.

With a minimum size of 35 square metres, the modern, glazed tower has the largest average hotel room size in Frankfurt. The 218 rooms and suites extend from the sixth to the 25th floor and offer spectacular views of the silhouette of Frankfurt and the nearby Taunus. Guests in search of exclusivity will feel right at home in the select interior of the 215-square-metre Presidential Suite with its two bedrooms, dining room and sauna on the 24th floor.

Timeless design with historic references, this best describes the style of the Jumeirah Frankfurt. The theme of the rooms is inspired by the historical connection with the neighbouring Thurn und Taxis Palais, which has been hosting the headquarters of the Thurn und Taxis post for many years. Peter Silling incorporated numerous details evoking the ancient postal service, such as the elegant retro-style secretaries that shall encourage the revival of the beautiful tradition of the handwritten, personal letter. Many rooms feature an open bathroom concept, providing generous spaces through a smooth transition to the living area. The highlight of each room is an original painting by acclaimed German artist Hartwig Ebersbach.

Standards are not only set by the design, but also the innovative equipment found at the Jumeirah Frankfurt. With its state-of-the-art equipment throughout the hotel, Jumeirah Frankfurt brings hotel technology to the next level. Instead of using conventional air-conditioning technology, the hotel features a hybrid room tempering system that utilises body heat detectors and motion sensors to regulate all in-room energy consumption efficiently and sustainably.

Lighting and climate control in rooms and suites can easily be controlled via a central touch panel. Business travellers, too, can look forward to state-of-the-art technology in the five conference rooms available on a total of 730sq m. A glamorous ballroom with a ceiling of sparkling crystals is perfect for opulent parties and glittering events.

Talise, Jumeirah’s signature spa, offers holistic rejuvenation and relaxation amidst completely tranquil settings. Boasting two saunas, dedicated relaxation areas and seven treatment rooms, guests can enjoy an extensive range of tailor-made experiences.

Jumeirah Frankfurt’s Talise has a European flavour and occupies 400sq m. The spa is designed to dispel the discomforts that so often accumulate after long haul flights and constant travelling, and to revive and energise after a round of long meetings. High-quality cosmetics and therapeutic products, the healing energy of water and the stimulating effects of the crystals all help to re-establish the inner balance of guests.

One of the main goals of Dagmar Woodward, General Manager of Jumeirah Frankfurt, is to turn the hotel into a gastronomical destination. Executive Chef Martin Steiner and his team are following this ambitious goal by enriching Frankfurt’s culinary scene thanks to the hotel’s signature restaurant, Max on One. Ember Lounge & Bar and French inspired café Le Petit Palais on the ground floor are also pleasant meeting places for guests and all those that appreciate unusual design and cosmopolitan flair. Another nice culinary touch is the hotel’s own bee colony located on the roof of the building. This produces delicious city honey, free from artificial additives, high above the roofs of Frankfurt.

For more information please visit: jumeirah.com/frankfurt; tel: +49 (0)69 297 237 0

Executive accommodation in Austria

Posted on by Ben Debski

A city steeped in tradition, Vienna is a pulsating international metropolis at the heart of Europe, where east meets west. No other European city can look back on such a long history as a melting pot for so many different cultures. Vienna, more than any other city, has successfully integrated a diversity of cultural, artistic and architectural contributions into its own lifestyle.

Vienna is a city where the modern towers of the UNO city blend harmoniously with the Gothic Stephansdom cathedral, where an eventful past meets with a pulsating present
and where business life goes hand in hand with leisure time – Vienna occupies a firm place in the heart and memory of every visitor.

The Vienna Hilton, Austria’s biggest congress hotel is situated in the heart of the city. The Airport of Vienna can be reached within 16 minutes by City Airport Train from the terminal opposite the hotel.

The outstanding location of the hotel offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in all the sights and sounds of Vienna and enjoy a pleasant and relaxing stay in the Austrian capital’s optimal surroundings. Furthermore, many of the city’s must-see attractions are only a few minutes’ walk away.

Art and design
On the 17th of May 2004 the Hilton Vienna reopened after 18 months of reconstruction.

Based on the architectural plans of Prof. Hans Hollein, Austrian’s largest congress hotel
has been completely renovated and rebuilt, with total investment of G61m.

Hilton International is looking at new ways of furnishing hotels in the future. Austrian artists have exclusively completed the contemporary design of the interior decoration. The bright and open feeling is continued throughout the hotel, not least through the use of Canadian Maplewood, cream coloured stone, black granite and lamb’s wool carpets.

Rooms and amenities
Today, the Hilton Vienna offers 579 modern guest rooms, including 23 comfortable suites. Guests can expect the highest luxury in the five penthouse suites and enjoy breathtaking views overlooking Vienna. All rooms are equipped with individually controllable air-conditioning, minibar, cable TV, pay TV, video-on-demand, MP3 radios and high speed internet access.

Additionally, Executive room and Suite guests gain access to the Executive Lounge located on the 12th floor with fabulous views over the green Stadtpark. Here guests are spoiled with breakfast, full bar, pastries and hors d’oeuvres.

The historical Klimt Ball Room, with eight Gustav Klimt-style paintings and Murano chandeliers, gives the perfect location and has the right atmosphere for Celebrations and Gala Dinners. The ballroom can also be used for meetings of all kinds.

Conferences
With its Park Congress Centre the Hilton Vienna is the largest congress hotel in Austria, situated in the heart of Vienna. The new building along the Stadtpark with its ample foyer is ideal for all kinds of events with up to 840 people on an area of 1,256sq m. All banqueting and conference facilities are of top international quality and are centrally located on two floors for easy and efficient use.

The facilities range from small meeting rooms to the Park Congress Centre, which is equipped with a simultaneous translation system as well as a comprehensive package of cutting-edge technical equipment. The 17 conference rooms can accommodate up to 1,800 delegates and the largest suite, which extends to 825sq m, and holds up to 840 delegates.

Additionally, the Business Centre offers computer workstations, internet access and colour printers. The experienced team is available at any time to assist and advise.

For frequent meetings and event planners it is easy to earn HHonors bonus points and airlines miles through the Hilton HHonors scheme, which opens a world of free travel with free nights or fantastic holiday packages for you to enjoy.

Leisure time
The S’PARKS restaurant offers guests the ultimate dining indulgence experience, from signature Hilton Breakfast, local dishes from around the country, buffet and à la carte menus, all tossed with tempting tastes and textures, and exciting twists and turns. The menu is both comprehensive and alluring, encompassing both the traditional as well as the latest trends of Austrian cuisine and wines.

For a more informal setting the meeting point Lobby Bar & Lounge provides guests with an enjoyable and approachable atmosphere that is refreshingly unpretentious. Here you can indulge in the finest selection of national and international delicacies as well as classic and local snacks, such as world-famous Austrian cakes and Vienna’s fine coffee. In the evening, it is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail to unwind after a long day.

The healthclub is complimentary to all hotel guests and open for 24 hours. Equipped with the latest work out machines, all sportive guests can keep in shape during their stay.  n

For more information visit: www.hiltonaustria.com

Air travel in Oman

Posted on by Ben Debski

As a relatively young carrier, Oman Air’s challenge in recent years has been to create an airline that reflects the Sultanate of Oman’s culture of warm hospitality and attracts visitors to this dramatically beautiful destination. It has also needed to project a unique personality which differentiates it from the many other airlines that operate across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. Focusing on details has been a vital part of achieving these aims and, when combined with both luxury and value, it is easy to see why Oman Air’s star shines as bright as it now does.

The launch in October 2009 of Oman Air’s new fleet of Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft enabled it to operate many more long haul flights than before, from its base in the Omani capital of Muscat. It also offered the opportunity to unveil new first class, business class and economy class cabins which feature the highest standards of comfort and space, and which provide the perfect setting for a demonstration of Oman Air’s attention to detail.

In business class, the clearest demonstration of this is the award-winning seat. Originally designed as a first class seat (and often still mistaken for one), it is fitted in a 1-2-1 configuration that ensures every business class passenger has direct aisle access. Not only is it wide and comfortably upholstered, but it converts to become a fully lie-flat bed that can comfortably accommodate the tallest of passengers. Indeed, when Sarah McKay, the Great Britain international basketball player, tried the seat, she described it as: “Great – I have never been able to stretch out in an airline seat before.” And, at more than two metres tall, she is in a good position to judge.

The seat’s size and comfort set it apart from the competition, but it delivers the knock-out punch with the range of additional amenities that it offers. The 44cm personal monitor screens an impressive range of the latest movies, music and games, as well as a choice of live TV channels, recorded TV shows and flight information – and the rapid rise of personal communications devices means that in-flight entertainment can now be truly personalised. To that end, Oman Air has fitted iPod and Ethernet sockets to the seat, so that passengers can plug in their own technology and watch their favourite movies, play their favourite games or even review their holiday photos on the extra-large monitor.

Stay connected
Surfing the internet or checking emails is also now possible, thanks to Oman Air’s pioneering of complete connectivity – in-flight Wi-Fi and mobile phone connectivity which ensures that staying in touch at 40,000 feet is as easy as it is on the ground. Mini hand-held keyboards are installed in the seat’s arms, but many travellers choose to plug in their laptops or tablet PCs and use the controls with which they are most familiar. This is clearly a boon for many business travellers, who are now able to arrive at their destination without having to face a backlog of emails and phone messages, and for those who would rather use their flights as ‘down-time’, passengers are requested on take-off to ensure that their ring-tones are turned down or phones switched to vibrate.

Rachael Simpson, a lawyer who regularly travels with Oman Air from the UK to the Middle East and Asia, is one of the many who have welcomed the airline’s innovation. “Working across different time zones means I get phone calls and emails at all times of the day and night,” she says. “Being able to deal with them uninterrupted as I fly means that I can arrive at my destination in control, fully prepared and ready for my first appointment – it’s invaluable.”

Hospitality in the sky
As invaluable, perhaps, as the cabin service, which sees Oman Air’s flight attendants, each attired in Balenciaga-designed uniforms, serving everything from snacks and coffee to a la carte meals and champagne. With menus specially designed to suit the tastes of travellers from around the globe and changed four times a year, full-size china place settings and drinks served in crystal glasses, Oman Air’s premium service is returning fine dining to the skies.

Of course, flight attendants offer much more than just table service and Oman Air’s intensive training programme underpins an approach that is both attentive and discreet, ensuring that every one of the business class cabin’s 20 occupants receives impeccable hospitality.

That hospitality is also reflected on the ground, where Oman Air’s new airport lounges at Muscat International and Bangkok airports provide the ultimate in pre-flight relaxation. Business Class and First Class lounges at Muscat were opened early in 2011 and proved an instant success with passengers, including Rachael Simpson. “The old Business Class lounge at Muscat was fine, but the new one is on a different level altogether,” she says. “It is calm, relaxing, comfortable and very elegant, and its facilities are outstanding. I am particularly fond of the Chedi Spa treatments and, of course, the food, which is delicious. I am slightly jealous of the lounge-to-aircraft limo service that First Class passengers can enjoy, but the only real problem with the lounge is that it is so calming that I find it difficult to motivate myself to do some work. When I do get going, though, I can avoid balancing my laptop on my knees by using one of the computers in the lounge’s business centre.” The Muscat lounges have provided a blueprint for Oman Air’s lounges elsewhere, the latest of which opened in Bangkok in late 2011 – to rave reviews.

Commitment to detail
Whilst he is new to the post of Chief Executive Officer at Oman Air, Wayne Pearce is committed to continuing the airline’s focus on getting the details right, insisting that: “Taking care of every aspect of the passenger experience is crucial to our success, from web booking and online check-in to the quality of our wine list – even our amenity kits have won awards for two years running”, he says.

“And that approach applies not just to our A330 long haul fleet, but on all our aircraft and on every one of our 41 international routes. In fact, we have launched Embraer 175 regional jets on our Middle East routes and they offer extraordinary levels of comfort on flights that may well last less than an hour.

“Oman Air is all about quality. We have no intention of going head-to-head with the airline giants in terms of size, but where we can – and do – make our presence felt is where we combine luxury and value to offer a unique experience. Our fares are highly competitive and our levels of comfort, service and attention remain, I believe, unbeaten by any other airline.”

Oman Air’s customers appear to agree – passenger numbers increased by 16 percent last year and 38 percent the year before, leading Wayne Pearce to conclude, “Oman Air is not trying to keep up with the competition; we are leading the way and I am convinced that we are heralding a new age of air travel.”

For more information please contact: Tel: +968 2453 1111, www.omanair.com

Denmark’s best business hotel

Posted on by Ben Debski

Since its opening in 2001, the Hilton Copenhagen Airport has been dedicated to excellence and the success of this mission has been greatly acknowledged by local as well as international guests. In this hotel you are welcomed to luxury rooms, upscale meeting facilities, an exclusive Asian-inspired spa, top-floor Executive Lounge and an un-paralleled service-level; features which have contributed in making the Hilton Copenhagen Airport one of the most award-winning and renowned hotels in Copenhagen.

The hotel is an ideal place for any type of visit. Guests are pleasantly surprised by the unique and very convenient location of the hotel. It is also the only hotel situated right next to Copenhagen Airport – a central hub in the Nordic region – and is directly connected to the Terminal 3 via a covered walkway. Furthermore, the city centre is just 12 minutes by frequent train or Metro services. The city of Malmoe is right on the other side of the impressive Oresund Bridge and it takes only ten minutes to reach major congress facilities at the Bella Centre.

A transformational design
Entering the premises, you are met by a stylish, contemporary Scandinavian ambiance; the DNA of the interior design of the hotel. This is evident in all areas: In the lobby, where the astounding pieces of  artwork adornng the walls are made by renowned Danish artists from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, in the guest Lounge with the cosy fireplace, and of course in all 382 guest rooms.

This year, however, the hotel is embarking on a new and innovative project – the transformation of the guest room design. This new initiative, with the slogan ‘Room for the new’, is part of the continuous development of the hotel. And it is not just about a new look – it is an ambition.

Claus Steiner, General Manager, Hilton Copenhagen Airport, explained: “We have chosen to call the new venture ‘Room for the new’ to illustrate that it is the beginning of a new stage in the hotel’s 10-year history. We are passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences, and with ‘Room for the new’, we are developing the physical environment of the hotel, so that it meets our guests’ personal requirements in the future.” Room for the new is designed to give customers a complete experience during their visit, so they can concentrate on the essentials and simply enjoy the pleasant environment.

To travel is to live…
The new room design has now been launched on the 9th to the 12th floor, including all Executive and Deluxe Rooms and has already been highly appraised by the guests, who are excited about the new design. The new rooms are spacious – from 33sq m for Deluxe Rooms to 45sq m for Executive Plus Rooms, and 66sq m for the new Executive Suites offering the ideal base for both business and family stays.

Interior designer Marianne Fryland, who was also part of the original design team when the hotel opened, has created a welcoming decor in warm colours which upholds the Danish expression but also added the international touch. The masterpiece of the room is the clean, white bed with the impressive head-board. Inspired by the Danish fairy tale writer, poet and gifted artist, Hans Christian Andersen, whose famous motto was “to travel is to live”, the head-board illustrates one of Andersen’s amazing paper cuttings.

All Executive and Deluxe rooms are fitted with new designer furniture and in all rooms throughout the hotel you will find huge soundproofed floor-to-ceiling windows offer natural daylight and great views of the airport, the city or the sea.

On the 12th floor is the popular and stylish Executive Lounge – an area exclusively for guests staying in Executive rooms, providing extra comfort and service such as complimentary breakfasts and evening drinks, snacks and canapés. It aims to provide a home away from home; a place to sit back in front of the open fireplace with an international newspaper and relax from the day. A dedicated Executive Floor Manager is present all day to assist guests.

When visiting, do not miss out on restaurants ‘Horizon All Day’ and ‘Hamlet Nordic Dining’, which both cater to delicious culinary experiences. Horizon All Day is the informal restaurant, providing a lavish breakfast buffet as well as a popular weekend ‘taste of Europe’ dinner buffet and the best Sunday brunch in town. While the architectural beauty, Hamlet, offers Nordic dining in a setting that’s perfect for more formal business dinners as well as romantic evenings.

For the ultimate luxury experience, indulge in a visit to the Ni’mat Spa. This Asian inspired spa offers a wide range of relaxing massages and exclusive treatments. Take a quiet moment in the aroma steam bath accompanied by the ‘Ice Buddha’, float in the heated salt-water pool, or powernap in the Golden Egg – a unique universe designed to de-stress in less than 15 minutes. Ni’mat Spa also offers special packages like the ‘Refresh Yourself’ – a break away from the daily pace for the busy business traveller.

Flexible meetings
Hilton Copenhagen Airport is offering the global meeting concept Hilton Meetings and a total of 29 modern meeting rooms to suit any occasion. All are with natural daylight, 14 of these rooms, alongside an additional Business Centre, are  conveniently located at Terminal 3 of Copenhagen Airport. During the summer, a similar ‘Room for the new’ modernisation of the Business Centre and all Hilton Meetings rooms on the second floor of the hotel will be taking place turning the meeting facilities into a state- of-the-art venue for business people.

Flexibility and service are key values at this Hilton. The Hilton Meetings Team, led by the Hilton Meetings Manager, in the Business Centre is at the visitors’ disposal to ensure all those important details are in place to guarantee a successful meeting.

For large events the elegant Ellehammer Ballroom, located on the hotel’s ground floor, accommodates up to 500 people and also offers a large foyer suitable for coffee breaks. A unique feature of the ballroom is the direct access from the outside through three-metre wide flexible doors, making the room ideal for events such as car launches.

Valued guests
Hospitality is at the core of the Hilton Copenhagen Airport and all guests are welcome to join and benefit from Hilton HHonors – the global rewards programme. It is a fantastic option for business travellers offering more value to each stay in a Hilton hotel. Members visiting the hotel in Copenhagen are rewarded for their loyalty by receiving a personalised service and special privileges.

Giving back to the community
For many years, the hotel has worked determinedly to safeguard the environment. General Manager Claus Steiner has led the hotel to its first international certification with the eco-label the ‘Green Key.’ Even the Hilton Meetings concept now has a green approach, with meeting collateral reduced and made recyclable.

But the Hilton Copenhagen Airport is not all about business. The hotel and team members also engage in the local community and in a great number of charity activities. In 2011, the hotel initiated several campaigns in the name of the ‘Hilton in the Community Foundation’, Hilton’s global charity organisation. These prestigious charity events hosted by the hotel raised more than £55,000 for local organisations supporting children in need.

The strong enthusiasm of the team towards the green commitment and charity work continues in 2012 with new, exciting projects.

Tel: +45 32 501 501; Email: cb.copenhagen-airport@hilton.com; www.hilton.co.uk/copenhagen

Europe’s best FBO

Posted on by Ben Debski

In 2012, the Costa Smeralda, renowned as one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations celebrates its 50th anniversary. And now Eccelsa Aviation’s new terminal lies at its very heart. Just two kilometres away is the brand new Marina di Olbia, which accommodates yachts of all sizes and provides superbly discreet transfers to and from the airport. This is a unique plus as it is the only structure in the Mediterranean area offering the possibility to start your holiday on the Costa within a few minutes of touching down with no long drives in cars or helicopter hops.

Officially opened in June 2009, the new Eccelsa terminal is an architectural masterpiece in its own right; its clean, sleek lines seem to swoop skyward like giant wings. Relaxing in the cocoon-like comfort of the terminal your eyes will be drawn to its elegant lines and the beautifully designed natural and artificial lighting, which creates a sense of profound intimacy and relaxation. It’s a strange sensation indeed in an airport that caters for more than 40,000 passengers, who are all bound for what is often referred to as the world’s most beautiful sea.

Eccelsa Aviation really has embraced its role in this regard, combining sheer professionalism with that touch of special charm that comes from dealing with a constant flow of discerning, often celebrity clients. The highly efficient team headed by General Manager Francesco Cossu deals with a variety of ‘high demanding’ requests generated by in excess of 14,000 private jets movements every year. “Since the company was founded in 2002, our passenger numbers and plane movements have doubled, and with that the sheer variety of requests we find ourselves having to satisfy,” explains Cossu with a smile.

Numbers of a highly select kind of visitor to the Costa Smeralda are booming. These are folk that come here to chill out on super yachts or in the dreamily exclusive villas along the shore. The result of this discreet influx has been the building of the new terminal which now includes no less than 4,000sq m of retail heaven, including a plethora of luxury boutiques ranging from Royal Cashmere to luxury eye-wear brands, the best selection of typical Sardinian and Italian products, De Grisogono, Star Dusts jewellery and Ermenigildo Zegna.

At Eccelsa time is kept by Rolex and their beautiful watches can be seen on the walls.

Passengers too are thoroughly assisted by the Eccelsa Team and can cover distances between terminals in a sleek and superb Audi.

There’s also a quality restaurant, coffee shop, Crew Resting room and a conference hall. All glass and glittering design, the air terminal has one feature that makes it absolutely unique in Europe: a formidable outer wing that allows guests to enter and exit the terminal directly from their aircraft. This giant wing will provide shelter even to the big executive B737s and A319 and A320s. These are the nearest thing there is to an airborne villa you’ll find with hundreds of square metres of cabin space that can include three bedrooms, four or five bathrooms, a lounge and office.

The Olbia General Aviation was founded in 1989 by the Olbia Airport Management Company, Geasar, and virtually became an autonomous entity in 2003. Over the last eight years, it has doubled movements from less than 7,000 to over 14,000 aircraft per year. Naturally enough, July and August are the busiest months in the skies over Costa Smeralda.

Privacy and security are two of the qualities private aircraft passengers most appreciate about Eccelsa Aviation, winner of Business Destinations’ own Service Award. It’s just a very quick hop too by helicopter to any superyacht with a helipad from the Olbia terminal and many other passengers will also choose this way to travel to their villas or hotels. The whole process works like clockwork thanks to the undisputed skills and efficiency of Eccelsa’s highly motivated 40-strong team.

The terminal’s own concierge service will organise everything you’ll need to make your stay a perfect one: horse trekking, aircraft or helicopters, Ferrari or Aston Martin rentals, yacht charters, bare-boat or with a skipper and crew to do the work. Eccelsa will also provide in-flight catering offering a menu of 100 dishes ranging from simple sandwiches to mouth-watering lobster.

Needless to say, a wonderful and carefully selected array of local Sardinian and Italian foods and wines are available. The Meridiana Maintenance Team also offers first-class technical assistance on the ground and there are also integrated services for flight crews.

Air taxi companies and their crews are well catered for to boot, as these now make up quite a considerable proportion of the traffic coming into Olbia Costa Smeralda – up to 50 percent at times. Eccelsa Aviation is one of the reasons why people that want to holiday in a genuinely special place come back to Sardinia again and again. A place where friendliness, quality and a first-class service are all part of our nature.

For more information visit www.eccelsa.com

The Middle East’s ‘best airport’

Posted on by Ben Debski

It was Chinese general Sun Tzu writing in The Art of War in 400 BC who said “Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.” This couldn’t be truer for Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), having been in existence for just three years, but well on its way to success by planning for the next twenty.

Established in 2008, BAC may be wholly owned by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, but it operates as a commercial entity. This gives it the transparency and a commitment to build on the airport’s status as a major international airport in the region and the best airport for Bahrain.

Backed by world-class infrastructure, facilities and services, BAC spearheads with a single-minded focus to create an aviation hub by unifying the goals of the entities which make up the Bahrain International Airport (BIA). This will benefit airlines, travellers, stakeholders and staff, in a facility that is future-ready.

Since taking over the management of Bahrain International Airport in March 2010, Bahrain Airport Company has endeavoured to lay the foundations for change by drawing up plans for a multiple-phased expansion of the Airport and also exploring and pursuing new ways to deliver improved services. All of this is geared towards maximising clients’ and operators’ working experience and passengers’ travelling experience. This includes boosting passenger and aircraft as well as cargo capacities and services.

Bahrain’s open skies policy, its naturally convenient location, and its welcoming culture work in the company’s favour as it aims to sustain and build on BIA’s position as an attractive hub to access the world for airlines and passengers alike.

The blueprint for success of BAC’s plan to expand and develop Bahrain International Airport hinges on it having taken into consideration the trajectory national carriers like Gulf Air and Bahrain Air are aiming to take. After all, its airlines success will be BIA’s success and will ultimately add to the revenue generating capabilities of a sustainable world class aviation hub.

Ambitious as it may sound, Bahrain Airport Company’s ultimate objective to be self-financing and to pay for itself by reinvesting its entire profit in the Airport. This thinking is typical of the sound planning and clear strategy at the core of the company.

The milestones on BAC’s growth curve signify its journey as a company delivering the right infrastructure, providing improved operations and creating maximum convenience.

Attracting and supporting airlines and delivering great passenger service are, therefore, at the heart of everything Bahrain Airport Company does. This has created an image of the company as being friendly – open to partnerships – and always future ready.

As a company operating in a very dynamic environment, it is important that it is prepared for and can capitalise on change. And if like Bahrain Airport Company, one has also clearly identified, not only ones competitive advantages, but ones challenges and constraints, there is little room for doubt that it is well on its way to shaping the Best Airport for Bahrain, to serving as a key contributor in GDP, and to uplifting aviation as a one of the major economic sectors in the Kingdom.

For more information visit www.bac.bh

Chinese hotel market lacking demand

Posted on by Ben Debski

The Chinese hotel market was the fastest growing in the world in the early years of the new century. In the decade prior to 2008 the number of star rated hotels grew by over 10,000, an increase of 15 percent annually. International hotel chains flocked to the country and the luxury end of the market saw particularly impressive growth. However, there have been indications that the rate of expansion was unsustainable and disconcerting signs appeared in 2009 and 2010. Occupancy rates for hotels in Europe and North America average around 75-80 percent. In China they average only a little over 60 percent. In the city of Tianjin occupancy rates have been as low as 45 percent. A popular industry performance measure of revenue per available room also indicates trouble for the industry, dipping by just over two percent in 2010 compared to the previous year. In some cases, such as in Shanghai, the fall was severe, with revenue per available room falling by 28 percent in October 2010. With new hotels still being planned and built there appears to be a developing problem of oversupply in the market.

The failure of demand to keep up with the expanding supply can be partly attributed to the end of major events such as the Beijing Olympics and the Shanghai World Expo, as well as the impact of the financial crisis. However, the problem is more widespread than that and demand side shocks do not explain why hoteliers are still expanding the supply of hotels.

Some of this is due to foreign firms seeking to establish strategic positions in the Chinese market, so to some extent they are indifferent to short-term returns. However, much of the problem relates to how real estate is developed. This is usually done in mixed use parcels of land. Local authorities often insist on a hotel being added for reasons of prestige rather than commercial sense, and developers are not overly concerned with the profitability of the hotel as it is bundled up with commercial and residential properties that they can make money on if the hotel fails. The incentives for containing over-supply are poor.

China’s hotel market has been compared by some commentators to Dubai’s, which also enjoyed a long boom but is now stuck in a terrible and stubborn bust. However, this comparison is unfair and most industry analysts are more optimistic, arguing that in the long term China’s prospects are still bright. It has a wider range of attractions than Dubai and projected visitors are expected to increase. China also has a potentially massive domestic market as it continues to grow economically and its middle and upper classes expand. Some hotel chains have already recognised this. The InterContinental Hotels Group has set up the Hualuxe brand, which is focused on providing a Chinese rather than a Western hotel experience. Growth may not be as rapid as it was during the first decade of the century, but the outlook for the industry is still good.

Transport Canada takes heavy criticism

Posted on by Ben Debski

Emile Therien joins the growing number of critics speaking out against Ottawa’s rail system. Following the recent fatal derailment in the southwest of Ontario, many have spoken out against the current infrastructure.

The former president of the Canadian Safety Council is of the opinion that Ottawa has handed over its regulatory control functions to individual companies, thereby making it unsafe to travel on Ottawa’s trains.

Therien said: “Transport Canada is no longer in the game of being a regulator.” He claims that the rail agency effectively ceded responsibility 13 years ago when the Railway Safety Act was amended, putting the responsibility of monitoring themselves into the hands of the railway companies.

Therien’s remarks came after a Via Rail passenger train left the tracks near Burlington recently, when it was approaching a switch point. The train’s first six cars overturned and hit a building, and the rest of the train was left lying zigzagged across the railway line. Two engineers and a trainee were fatally injured in the accident, the cause of which is, as yet, unknown. Forty-six other passengers were injured, some seriously.

Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the accident. These types of accident are fairly uncommon in the Canadian passenger train service. According to the transportation safety board there were more than 1,000 train accidents in 2010, but most of them involved freight trains.

Therien is happy to concede that the accident that occurred at the end of February is not an everyday occurrence for Via Rail but he is, nevertheless, of the opinion that what happened uncovered a problem in the monitoring systems of Canada’s railroads.

Transport Canada started to set up regulations for Railway Safety Management Systems in 2001, an arrangement that requires employees of the rail company to evaluate safety systems on a daily basis. The agency says the aim of this is to bring about a reduction in the number of injuries, deaths and damage to infrastructure, by establishing an environment where everyone accepts responsibility for safety.

The logic behind this way of thinking is that an employee of the railway company is in a better position to spot a dangerous situation than Federal inspectors who do not carry out daily inspections. These employees are then expected to report the concerns, which will in turn be passed up the ranks.

Transport Canada is adamant that the self-regulating system does not mean it is shirking its responsibility. The organisation says that infrastructure inspections and safety audits still occur regularly.

A statement on the agency’s website reads that: “SMS is not self-regulation and the railway’s SMS regulations do not replace any regulations, rules or standards.”

One has to say, however, that the Railway Association of Canada has been defending the self-monitoring system for many years. Canadian Pacific, CN and Via Rail all belong to the group with its 50-plus members.

In Therien’s eyes, however, the self-monitoring guidelines have allowed Transport Canada to shirk its responsibility and pass it on to the railway companies.