MICE & Events | February - March 2011

THE DEFINITIVE MIDDLE EAST PUBLICATION FOR MEETINGS INCENTIVES CONFERENCES EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS www.memice.com

ISSUE 29 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

A MOTIVATE PUBLICATION

EASTERN PROMISE Oman flexes its MICE muscles

GLOBAL STAGE

Surge in Green-designed facilities

GEAR UP FOR GIBTM

Fifth show attracts new hosted buyers

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Issue 29 t February-March 2011 A Motivate Publication Editor-in-Chief Obaid Al Tayer Group Editor and Managing Partner Ian Fairservice Group Senior Editor Gina Johnson Group Editor Catherine Belbin Contributing Editor Dominic Ellis Editorial Coordinator Concessa D’Souza Art Director Tarak Parekh Senior Designer B Raveendran Designer Charlie Banalo Photographers Vikram Gawde, Farooq Salik General Manager Group Sales Anthony Milne Senior Advertisment Manager Abraham Koshy General Manager – Abu Dhabi Joe Marritt General Manager – Production and Circulation S Sasidharan Production Manager C Sudhakar Published by

Head Office: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE memicee@motivate.ae, motivate@motivate.ae www.memice.com Tel +971 4 282 4060; Fax +971 4 282 0428

This issue As the congresses and exhibitions stack up in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we turn our attention to Oman, which has now signalled its intentions to grab a larger slice of the MICE market following the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in January (page 22).

By the time the centre opens several years down the line, the Qatar Convention centre – due to open in October – will be in full swing, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi will doubtless be embarking on new projects to keep up with demand.

Coming late to the party isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Oman knows it will have to roll up its sleeves to ensure it can compete with its neighbours.

In an era of globalisation, those neighbours aren’t just the ones on its immediate doorstep; our global update feature (page 26) shows the scale of development and competition surrounding the sector internationally.

Increased competition is driving innovation, and we look at the physical and conceptual changes hoteliers are embracing to create points of difference (page 18), whether it’s laying fresh grass indoors or offering break-out head massages.

Don’t forget the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) is fast approaching at the end of March. This year’s show is poised to reap the benefits from the upturn in industry confidence, a region-wide sales push and commitment to attract fresh hosted buyers (page 7).

Next time you host a conference, why not see your audience as active participants rather than passive attendees? In a digital era, it’s all about communication and interaction, so explore the use of texting keypads (page 32).

Motivate Publishing FZ LLC 5th Floor, Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, UAE. Tel +971 4 390 3550; Fax +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, UAE, Tel +971 2 677 2005; Fax +971 2 677 0124 motivate-adh@motivate.ae London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK. motivateuk@motivate.ae

Motivate Publishing takes care to ensure that all facts published herein are correct. In the event of any inaccuracy, please contact the editor. The publisher does not accept responsibility for any error, omission or claims made in the magazine. Any opinion expressed is the honest belief of the author based on all available facts.

Comments and facts should not be relied upon by the reader in taking commercial, legal, financial or other decisions. Articles are by their nature general, and specialist advice should always be consulted before any action is taken.

Printed by IPP, Dubai

Cover: Meeting spaces are becoming less conventional.

Please send letters, comments and suggestions to memice@motivate.ae MEMICE.COM 3

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Contents

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

NEWS AND EXHIBITIONS

7 New buyers and sales push fuel GIBTM growth 8 Ritz-Carlton opens ‘largest SZR ballroom’ 10 Al Laith launches site services division 11 InHouse gears up for three Bike Week gigs

18 22

FEATURES

18 Changing spaces Hotels embrace creative concepts 22 Eastern promise Oman steps up MICE profile 26 All the world’s a stage Global round-up of new facilities REFERENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

32 Gadgets Texting keypads can boost audience interaction

33

33 Venue review Work and play at Pullman Dubai Mall of the Emirates CALENDAR

34 Exhibitions calendar Your essential guide to the coming months

26 MEMICE.COM 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF Steelfab 2011 attracted 202 exhibitors, up 10% on 2010.

The seventh edition served as a regional networking forum for the metal-working industry and enabled it to promote new machinery and automation solutions on the back of a recovering market.

The recently opened Mövenpick Hotel Deira in Dubai is offering a day delegate rate of Dhs175 per person which includes lunch and refreshments at two breakout sessions and for every 10 rooms booked, a 10-person delegate package is included at no extra cost, with free wifi thrown in. The 216-room property, which contains seven meetings rooms and can host private meetings and events for up to 90 people, is designed to fill a need for affordable upscale accommodation in downtown Deira, primarily targeting business travellers given its proximity to Dubai International Airport.

Double Oscar winner Kevin Spacey is returning to host the Laureus World Sports Awards for the second successive year at the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi on February 7. Award categories include ‘World Sportsman of the Year’, ‘World Sportswoman of the Year’, ‘World Team of the Year’, ‘World Breakthrough of the Year’, ‘World Comeback of the Year’ and ‘World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability.’

The winners are voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy. Former football stars will play in the inaugural Laureus Football Challenge before the ceremony.

Lloyd Kenyon

NEW BUYERS AND SALES PUSH FUEL GIBTM GROWTH The upcoming Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) is poised to reap the benefits from the upturn in industry confidence, a region-wide sales push and commitment by Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) to attract fresh hosted buyers.

The fifth annual show, which will be held at ADNEC between March 28-30, is set to draw 255 exhibitors, up 10% on last year, and sees a 16% increase in floor space. The target is 2,000 trade visitors and 300 hosted buyers, 39 more than last year.

The lion’s share of buyers will be from Europe (128), although the Middle East is not far behind (100), complemented by Asia Pacific (54), US (14) and Africa (four).

This is the first year GIBTM has been managed out of RTE’s Dubai office – previously it was handled out from the UK – and the switch has helped develop the show’s profile. A more intensive Middle Eastern sales tour also helped drive awareness across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

“The Middle East is still a very immature market,” said Lloyd Kenyon, Exhibition

Manager for GIBTM. “Our key objectives for the show are to increase awareness of the meetings industry, and identify Middle Eastern buyers – a lot of people don’t know there are buyers in the region.”

The case for Middle Eastern companies to exhibit is strong, believes Kenyon, given the influx of global buyers. “There are basically 300 people waiting to do business with you so it’s a great opportunity – and I’d say around 60% of them are new to the event, or haven’t been in the last two or three years.”

The seminar and education theatre has been moved to the exhibition floor this year, in a bid to create more awareness and increase attendance. Speakers from industry associations MPI, SITE and ICCA will make presentations on Trends and Personal Development; Incentive Travel; Event Management; Technology and Finance; Sales and Marketing; and Social Media.

Two networking events are planned, a welcome reception for Hosted Buyers and exhibitors, and Gala Dinner for exhibitors, hosted buyers and visitors on the second night (March 29).

MEMICE.COM 7

NEWS

BOOKERS ENTICED WITH KEYS TO THE GATE The Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate has launched a Dhs6m Unlock The Gate promotion which offers food and drink prizes as well as discounts and hotel stays until May 11.

To be eligible, consumers must obtain a gold key from the hotel’s concierge team or any of the restaurants, and spend Dhs 250.

Keys will also be given to those who pass certain productivity thresholds in

conference, events or room bookings.

Those who spend more than Dhs5,000 at the hotel can become platinum key holders – and 2,000 of them will be entered into a grand draw in which the prize is a one- or twobedroom apartment for one year at the Residences at Ibn Battuta Gate.

The company plans to open two properties on Palm Jumeirah in the coming year.

Al Laith offers complete package with Site Services division Dubai-based Al Laith Group has launched a Site Services division, complementing its scaffolding and event services operations.

Headed by Paul Richardson, the division will work closely with event services, supplying toilets, offices and general purpose cabins for all events.

Site Services now enables Al Laith to offer a complete site infrastructure package to its clients, including roofing, staging, grandstand seating, structures, stands and barriers.

8 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

Featuring the latest toilet technology, with recycling flush and single stand-alone ‘portaloos’, the cabins are designed to stay fresh for days, and dispel the myths of the infamous old-style ‘thunderbox’.

There are also 55 units of new smaller modular toilet blocks, 20ft long and 8ft wide, male one side and female the other, which can be transported during daytime without the need of a special wide-load escort and accompanying administration.

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NEWS

INHOUSE GEARS UP FOR THREE BIKE WEEK GIGS InHouse is pulling out all the stops for the three Gulf Bike Week concerts, with performances by Amy Winehouse, Pharrell Williams and his band NERD, and Mike Posner (February 10-12, Dubai Festival City) expected to draw up to 14,000 people. InHouse will take charge of site management and other logistics.

“We are grateful to the promoters Done Events for giving us this opportunity,” added Groves. “Production will be challenge, as each act has different demands and technical requirements, but with our experience and our great team we are sure each concert will be a huge success.”

InHouse has spent $3.5 million on audio-visual equipment, enabling the company pitch for more major events and productions.

Founder and Director said Nick Groves said the investment coincides with a shift in business focus.

“We’ve had great success as a production company and the next step was to expand our business to be in a position to meet our clients’ needs in terms of technical equipment,” said Groves. “However, we will continue to work with a range of suppliers as we have before.”

Amy Winehouse

Dalian conference centre wins Wallpaper award Coop Himmel-b(l)au’s Dalian International Conference Center in China has scooped the ‘Best Building Sites’ category in the Wallpaper Design Award.

The eight-floor facility, encased by a shell-liked roof, contains a flexible conference hall which can host 2,500 visitors and an 1,800-seat theatre and opera house at its centre.

Wolf D. Prix, Design Principal of Coop Himmel-b(l)au, said the 10 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

building was planned according to sustainable energy-saving principles, which includes the use of sea water for cooling.

Dalian is an important port, industry, commercial and tourism centre in southern LiaodongPeninsula, in the Chinese province of Laoning.

Wallpaper magazine is considered a trendsetter in the architecture, design and creative industries.

GULF PICS

NEWS

EATS AND BEATS AT ALL-ENCOMPASSING TASTE OF DUBAI Taste of Dubai 2011, due to be held at The Amphitheatre, Dubai Media City, between March 3-5, will have a stronger musical and entertainment emphasis this year to appeal to a broader range of people and ages.

Reduced ticket prices, cash or credit card payment for everything on site and longer

session times (12pm-midnight) are also on the menu for the three-day festival.

Fine-dining restaurants, luxury eateries and bars will be dotted around Taste of Dubai to create a more cosmopolitan feel and festival atmosphere.

The Kids Zone will offer plenty of

entertaining activities to keeplittle ones out of mischief, while the Chefs’ Theatre and Philips Cookery School celebrity chefs will share culinary secrets through live demonstrations on stage and encourage crowd participation. The event is sponsored

by Philips.

Ritz-Carlton DIFC opens ‘largest ballroom on Sheikh Zayed Road’ The newly opened Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) contains a 1,400sqm ground floor ballroom, which is reportedly the largest on Sheikh Zayed Road and third largest in the city.

The five-star business hotel, which opened January 12, also contains seven meeting rooms on the Mezzanine level. Bar No.5, whose large terrace adjoins the DIFC, is likely to prove a popular after-hours networking spot.

“I think we’re arriving at the right time, we can see the market is picking up,” said General Manager Lothar Quarz. “When we start operating a hotel, its attracts new business and we see this in many cases, and we anticipate strong Asian and European interest.”

Upscale F&B options include Center Cut, a modern twist on the Steakhouse, the signature Blue Rain Thai restaurant and Can Can, a French all-day brasserie.

MEMICE.COM 11

NEWS

GEARHOUSE GIG BOWLS OVER SA CRICKET FANS Gearhouse South Africa oversaw the production design for the New Age Friendship concert following the South Africa v India international in Durban which was attended by a record 40,000 fans.

The stage, set, visual and lighting design were created by Tim Dunn who fused classic architectural shapes with

cultural symbols from India and Africa, and provided a colourful spectacle set against the stadium’s distinctive 105metre-high arch, which formed an impressive backdrop.

A large LED centre screen on stage was complemented by five chevronshaped LED columns either side. The structure, fully loaded with all the

technical equipment, including LED, lights and PA, weighed about 150 tonnes.

Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Anil and Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra entertained concert-goers on the 26m-wide stage, in a three-hour gig which included a speech by South African President, Jacob Zuma.

Light work for stock-taking HSL

HSL MD Simon Stuart 12 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

UK lighting rental company HSL has invested another £2.5 million in the last two months to service its current workload.

The purchases include 300 of the latest Robe moving lights, including the first 60 x LED Wash 600s off the production line in the Czech Republic; 100 x Robe 600 spots and 100 x Robe 600 washes, plus an additional

40 Robin Beam 300 and Beam 700 units; 12 Robert Juliat Lancelot 4K Arena followspots, supplied by Robert Juliat’s distributor in the UK, White Light; 60 x Liteware Chrome high output LED up lighters supplied by GDS, which are battery powered and ideal for corporate events and fast deployment in venues with

tight get-in times.

More than $1 million has been invested in acquiring Vari*Lites this year, giving HSL a large stock of VL3500 and VL3000 Spots, VL3500 Washes, VL1000 Arc ERSs and VL1000 Tungsten ERSs. MD Simon Stuart says its has experienced “extraordinary and sustained growth in every sector”.

NEWS

JUMEIRAH TO MANAGE CARIBBEAN RESORT Jumeirah has signed a management agreement with Conch Bay Development to operate a luxury resort hotel and residences on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, British West Indies.

The Jumeirah Anguilla Resort project will consist of a 140-room Jumeirah luxury hotel with a spacious spa, conference facilities and beach clubs, as well as 460 residential units, which will also be managed by Jumeirah. The resort is being built on 370 acres of beachfront on the south of the island.

Renowned golf course designer Jack Nicklaus is creating a championship 18-hole ‘Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course’ for the Jumeirah Anguilla Resort.

His Signature Course will run along a stretch of oceanfront property with several holes playing to or along the water. The course will offer views across the sea to the peaks of St. Maarten.

Deep pockets What do you buy the sporty man who has everything? One option might be the Blacklight designer billiard table, which will be unveiled at the Big Boys Toys Exhibition at ADNEC (March 16-19).

14 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

Billiards Toulet and MIMG French Design’s chic model, available in more than 30 colours, can be converted into a dining table and boasts the Atoa audio system – which can plug in to MP3 players.

If you really want to get the pool party started, there’s also a DiscoLight system which synchronises music and lighting.

Yours for €32,640 without options, rising to €56,832 for luxury version, with all the bells and whistles.

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

SHERATON COMING TO SHARJAH

The 36th Arab Health exhibition attracted 2,800 companies from 60 countries.

In attendance were 300 new exhibitors and 30 country pavilions, with Argentina, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Portugal making their show debuts. Around 6,000 delegates attended the Arab Health Congress which featured 18 continuing medical education (CME) accredited conference streams, including new ones on chronic respiratory disease, multiple sclerosis and oncology.

An all-female cast of patissiers will add flavour to the 16-day Gourmet Abu Dhabi between February 2-17. The women-only line-up, comprising half a dozen of the world’s leading pastry chefs, will conduct a Chocolate & Pastry Brunch at the Yas Island Rotana on February 12, before linking again the following day for a one-off Chocolate and Pastry Workshop at the Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel. The third edition of Gourmet Abu Dhabi has attracted 17 International Masterchefs who boast 22 Michelin-stars between them.

In February, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage (ADACH) is organising a ‘Dawn of History’ exhibition next to the Al Jahili Fort in Al-Ain City to highlight a historic excavation by Danish archaeologists in Abu Dhabi between 1958-1972, which is jointly produced by ADACH and Moesgård Museum.

16 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

GULF PICS

The seventh Dubai International Horse Fair will be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre between March 17-19.

The show expects strong overseas participation, particularly from Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Luxembourg and the US. Around 200 exhibitors from 35 countries will participate, with new companies including innoHorse and Royal Wood Shavings.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to manage its first hotel in Sharjah by early 2013. The 343-room Sheraton hotel, which will contain 48 suites, is earmarked for Al Muntazah Beach in the north of the Emirate, around 10km from Sharjah

International Airport. Business facilities will include a suite of six meeting rooms, and two ballrooms, one of which at 850sqm will be the largest hotel ballroom in the emirate. The hotel will also feature Link@SheratonSM technology.

Qatar speeds into motoring arena Qatar has raised the automotive exhibition stakes regionally after it hosted the first International Edition of the Qatar Motor Show at the Doha Exhibitions Center.

The show was organised

by Qatar Tourism Authority in partnership with q.media events and GL Events.

The Middle East Automotive Summit saw global industry leaders debate the future of mobility and the transformation of the industry with a focus on intelligent transport systems, urban infrastructure planning, meeting mobility demands and their implications for the Middle East.

New launches included the world debuts of the Volkswagen XL1 prototype,

the Race Touareg 3 Qatar and Touareg Gold Edition and regional launches included five Audi models, an exclusive Porsche Panamera 4S Middle East edition and award-winning Ford Taurus, among others.

Complementing indoor activities were simulators, Grand Turismo 5 PS3, exhibitor contests and giveaways, and outdoor show with professional rally driver Abdo Feghali demonstrating

Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar

his drifting skills.

Over 55 exhibitors featuring more than 135 cars participated in the four-day show, which was fully booked six months prior to opening, and their presence covered the entire 15,000sqm centre.

Qatar’s arrival provides further fuel to the automotive events scene, given that Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah all have established motor shows.

DRAG YOURSELF TO ABU DHABI The second round of the Pro Drag Racing Series, organised by the Yas Drag Racing Centre, takes place March 4-5.

Yas Drag Racing Centre is offering AED1.4 million in prizes throughout the 2011 Pro Drag Racing Series, whose first round took place at the end of January.

Spectators will witness leading drivers from across the GCC going head-to-

head in the ultimate test of speed, across seven classes of professional racing including Pro Modified; Outlaw 10.5; Super Eliminator (7.50 Index); Pro Bike; Super Street Bike; Pro 6; and Super Street 8.

Rashid Al Qubaisi, Head of the Yas Drag Racing Centre, said: “Pro Drag Racing Series is a significant and exciting beginning to the 2011 season – as ever, we are looking forward to welcoming many spectators to the centre to enjoy a weekend of exhilarating motorsports and entertainment.”

Themed from the travels of 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta, this five-star luxury hotel in the heart of New Dubai is an ideal venue for business meetings. Fully equipped with a range of rooms, state of the art technology, luxury suites and fine dining choices, Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel is the perfect gateway to business. Stay with us and we will provide a full meeting package, including venue, lunch and coffee breaks - absolutely free!* To find out more or to make a reservation, please contact the hotel directly on: +971 4 444 0440, hotel.dubai.ibnbattuta@moevenpick.com or contact your travel agent. Call toll free from: the UAE 800 4934, Bahrain 8000 1991, KSA 800 124 2929, Kuwait 2 225 3228, Qatar 800 2001 and quote ‘Meet for Free’. *Terms and conditions apply.

Stay with us and meet for free.

MEMICE.COM 17

FEATURE

Changing spaces From the practical to the unique, Mark Atkinson looks at some of the emerging trends in meeting and conferencing areas.

L

ast summer InterContinental Hotels Group laid fresh grass in the conference rooms of several of its UK hotels.

Quite appropriate perhaps, in a country where the weather outside is anything but consistent. Delegates were encouraged to feel the grass between their toes and let their creativity flow.

“Research has shown that by the age of 25, as much as 98 per cent of our creativity has vanished,” said a spokesperson at the time. “The look and feel of the grass is said to remind guests of their childhood and 18 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

therefore free them of societal barriers that restrict creativity. Everybody should kick off their shoes once in a while and walk barefoot on the grass to rekindle the creativity that was allowed to flow freely in childhood before too many rules got in the way.”

The Crowne Plaza ‘grass carpet’ is just one example of how some venues are moving away from more traditional meeting spaces, not only in terms of design, but increasingly in the recreational facilities they offer alongside.

The recently opened Pullman Hotel Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, offers quick

head and shoulder massages and a chill out room between meetings. As well as sofas, armchairs, TV and Internet connection, Wii games are also on offer.

“The chill out room is a comfortable area where clients can find the furniture atmosphere of their own homes,” explains Laurent Chaudet, the hotel’s general manager. “At the GM Conference that we recently hosted for 30 general managers internationally, the delegates organised a Wii competition in the chill-out room. It went down really well and helped clear the mind

Crowne Plaza went for a natural look in order to stand out from the crowd (left), while Hotel JAL Tower Dubai opted for some innovative origami-themed meeting rooms.

between meetings.” Delegates can also pop down to the kitchen, where they can have a culinary lesson from the chef.

The Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi also claims some unique offerings, with conference packages that include access to the numerous facilities on Yas Island – a drive on Yas Circuit, a visit to Ferrari World Theme Park, or a round of golf on the championship course. Along with the many adrenaline filled rides on offer – including the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the hotel promises business travellers an insight into some uniquely Arabian culture around the city.

For the jet-lagged business traveller, the Metropod, an aromatherapy and relaxation machine in the hotel spa,

allegedly provides the equivalent of eight hours’ sleep in just 30 minutes.

A key aspect of The Yas Hotel offering, offers Russell Loughland, Director of Sales and Marketing, is the ability to offer tailor-made conference packages.

“What venues sometimes forget is what the client is trying to achieve”, he asserts.

“As an example, are they entertaining customers or motivating staff?”

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa, due to open on March 1, plans to take the tailor-made concept a step further with its ‘inspired meeting’ concept.

“You get inspired with something and we make it happen,” claims general manager, Guy Poujoulat. The hotel will start literally from a blank sheet, working

The Crowne Plaza ‘grass carpet’ is just one example of how some venues are moving away from more traditional meeting spaces.

directly alongside companies to produce exactly the event they require, and has a full team in place to make the client’s concept a reality.

Like the Pullman Dubai, it will also have spa treatments and a relaxation room as part of its wider conference appeal. “Packages will also include beach games if required,” he said.

Innovations or gimmicks?

Stiff competition in the MICE market constantly drives hoteliers to up their game. In terms of design also, venues continue to strive for the most striking and original. The JAL Hotel in Dubai boasts an Origami-shaped convention centre, positioned its entrance. Inside are electric moveable partitions to convert the space to suit the event – meeting room, ballroom or auditorium. Upstairs on the sixth floor are a variety of different sized meeting rooms to accommodate between six to 20 people, and a central communal area to encourage networking.

MEMICE.COM 19

FEATURE

Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi.

In office design too, meeting areas have become much more than a boardroom with a telephone. According to Isabel Pintado, associate partner at architectural and interior design firm, Godwin Austen Johnson, the requirements of her clients vary enormously, from the more traditional to the unique, with some quite quirky results. “We have clients asking for giant beanbags, stuffed toys and PlayStations inside their meeting rooms – like adult play areas,” she observes.

“There is also a growing trend towards office ‘cafés’ with large kitchen counters for informal meetings, where you can warm yourself some food, or make yourself an espresso.”

Flexibility is increasingly the name of the game. In the same office space, there may be more traditional closed-off meeting rooms, combined with breakout spaces in open plan and kitchen areas, to suit the particular situation. Other firms prefer the ‘home-away-from-home’ – now something of a hotel cliché – to their meeting areas, or replicatingthe same luxurious feel as a hotel lobby. One particular client requested chandeliers, recalls Pintado.

In the experience of Rachel Savage

however, design manager of interior design firm, CitySpace, not all clients are enamoured with the more quirky.

“Our corporate clients do not generally venture into the ‘gimmicky’,” she counters.

“In general, the brief would be a good ergonomic design that creates a flexible and comfortable space for all types of meetings. Important questions at the design stage would be who will use the space – employees and/or customers?”

How often the space will be used, whether it needs to be confidential or open, and how long the meetings will last are other important considerations.

Technology talk A preferable option for many business travellers is not to have to travel at all – or at least keep it to a minimum.

Hence, the growing popularity of remote conferencing. For many conference venues, such facilities are now standard fixtures. Online sites, such as www. gotomeeting.com, have served to make remote conferencing even more accessible – particularly as a more affordable option for small businesses.

In terms of technology design, things

We have clients asking for giant beanbags, stuffed toys and PlayStations inside their meeting rooms – like adult play areas.

20 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

are also changing from having it visibly on show as was the case a few years ago, feels Pintado of Godwin Austen Johnson: “While technology in meeting rooms is fundamental to any large company or conference venue, we try to do it in an unobtrusive way as possible.”

Savage notes that there still doesn’t seem to be much conversion to fully wireless environments even though the technology has been around for a while. “Hence, cable management systems are a must.”

This may not be the case for much longer. Some premises in the UK are already being built with network cabling embedded into the walls meaning that, with the developments in ultra-thin display technology, entire walls will outdate projector screens and computer monitors as viewing screens. In terms of décor also, will be the option to change the ‘wallpaper’ design or colour at the click of a mouse.

Pintado also encourages clients to think ‘green’, using natural rubber floorings for example, which are 100 per cent recyclable, contain no PVCs, and look good to match. “We as designers always propose sustainable materials all the time,” she says. “Encouragingly, 90 per cent of our clients take it very seriously.”

Ultimately the market can accommodate all tastes, shapes and sizes. The fundamentals for designers are acoustics, through the use of hard (reflective) and soft (absorbent) materials, the design of zoned and adjustable lighting controls, the use of natural light and air circulation, the quality and ergonomics of furniture, and technology.

Nevertheless, the more traditional Arabic way of doing business remains strong. Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which has played host to some of the world’s top dignitaries, is equally renowned for the billion-dollar deals negotiated over an Arabic coffee in the lobby. But even Al Faisaliah Hotel has its more quirky side. Its column-free ballroom, the largest in Saudi Arabia, has also been used as a practice venue for the Saudi Arabia soccer team during the summer months.

Like the InterContinental grass carpet, at Al Faisaliah Hotel the distinction between outdoors and in is not always what it seems. ■

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OMAN OMAN

Eastern promise

Ground was recently broken at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) – a clear sign that the Sultanate is eager to bolster its MICE profile. Glenn Freeman reports.

22 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

O

man hasn’t had an arresting MICE profile to match its varied topography and abundant history, but now that ground has broken on the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, perhaps that’s all set to change. In truth, the proposed exhibition space isn’t going to revolutionise the regional conference map – at 25,000sqm, it will be 11,000sqm less than Dubai Airport Expo and will probably fit into a few halls of the 1m sqm Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre – but it’s an interesting move nonetheless for the Sultanate and signifies its intention to grab a larger slice of the MICE cake.

Oman tourism

Curiously, the project – due for completion in four years – appears more office oriented, with 85,000sqm assigned for commercial space, which may be overly ambitious given the current surfeit of supply regionally.

But in terms of the conference offering, the central 3,000-seat auditorium will undoubtedly serve as a magnet for local business and the cross-class mix of hotels is welcome, with four hotels (one 250room five star, two 250-room four stars

It’s no secret that Oman wants to grow its travel industry in line with the Government’s 2020 vision, and to attract more than 12 million visitors during the next decade. and one 250-room three star) on the anvil, which will appeal to all budgets.

So why the MICE focus now? It’s no secret that Oman wants to grow its travel industry in line with the

Government’s 2020 vision, in which it aims to attract more than 12 million visitors during the next decade – around four times the current rate. Currently, travel remains tiny in the grand scheme MEMICE.COM 23

OMAN

Projects are stacking up with new airports earmarked for Al Duqm, Sohar, Ras Al Hadd and Adam, which will provide revenuegenerating impetus for the regions. of things, contributing 1.5 per cent of GDP in 2010.

The underlying catalyst is a recognition of the need to further diversify away from oil and gas revenues – in this respect, they’re already on the right track as energy currently accounts for less than 50 per cent of GDP, ranking it among the most diversified economies of the GCC, according to a recent MEED Economic Report.

Mirroring the new centre’s plans, Oman’s main focus is infrastructure, with spending projected to top $18.5 billion in 2010. It’s not just concentrated in Muscat either – projects are stacking up 24 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

from Sohar to Salalah as the countrywide upgrade continues. New airports are earmarked for Al Duqm, Sohar, Ras Al Hadd and Adam, which will provide revenue-generating impetus for the regions, which in turn will create enhanced connections with Muscat Airport – which itself is receiving a $3.2 billion investment fillip.

Oman Air, which recently started flights to Milan, has also been ramping up its operations. Its fleet grew by 28 per cent in 2010 with the addition of 10 new planes.

Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Hill said the northern Italian city

marks its 41st destination and over the last year, the carrier has introduced “state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment, including live satellite TV, and pioneering in-flight mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity”.

Salalah Airport, located just outside the main city within the southern Dhofar region, is undergoing a $700 million upgrade. This will include a new passenger terminal with a capacity of one million passengers, along with a new 4km runway able to handle A380s.

Developments are taking shape on the ground too, with the five-star Salalah Marriott Resort, which opened last March, complementing Salalah’s other five-star hotels, the Hilton and the Crowne Plaza.

Ahmed El Meligui, the resort’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said while its initial focus has predominantly been retail guests, particularly those from within the Gulf region, it is gradually expanding its geographical reach.

“Oman is focusing very much on the inbound tourism business, with a lot of development in various regions and areas, not just the capital, and we are proof of this, with the first Marriott in Oman being set up here in the south,” says El Meligui.

He said the property has been working closely with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, which has provided strong support as part of its master plan to develop the rest of Oman.

“With Oman growing as a destination, many activities have been revolving around Muscat, but going forward, we’re looking to promote other areas of the sultanate too,” adds El Meligui.

He believes the calm, tranquil natural environment of the beachside location makes it an ideal setting for corporate events, particularly product launches and meetings.

“We have an entire floor of meeting and conference facilities, so we have started to work on attracting MICE and corporates,” he said. “So far we have succeeded locally and we are working on further international promotion.” Part of this strategy will include involvement

with international trade shows and exhibitions, including some in Germany and Spain along with the UAE regional trade shows.

For business visitors, Salalah Marriott provides a boardroom catering for as many as 300 people, along with two breakout rooms, seating 150 and 60 people respectively. It also provides executive rooms featuring executive lounges. An additional benefit is complimentary wireless internet access, along with a full suite of AV equipment.

He says that as it grows exponentially, competition is also becoming more intense.

“Dubai is just 40 minutes away by air, it’s one of our main direct competitors, but at the same time, it is quite distinct from us,” he adds. “In Oman, we have a number of drawcards including beautiful nature, cultural sights and excellent diving and also, many people have already done Dubai, they want a change. In the MICE market, people are always hungry for new destinations, so Oman benefit.”

Tour operators are designing more MICE-specific packages to attract corporate spending. Gulf Dunes, recently taken over by Kuoni, with offices in Dubai and also Oman, is one of these, with the majority of its clientele coming from the corporate sector. According to Samaan Nouri, business development manager in Gulf Dunes’ Muscat office, MICE accounts for around 80 per cent of its business.

“We were one of Oman’s pioneers of the MICE Lobby area,segment, Marina. which is quite new here, having really only taken off around three or four years ago,” said Nouri.

“Oman itself is also relatively new as a destination, having really only emerged within the last six years.”

He believes that the opening of the Shangri La Hotel in Muscat and the renovation of the Al Bustan Palace were ‘watershed’ moments for the market.

“Now, with the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre this will definitely provide an added boost to business tourism, and this will obviously help the segment,” says Nouri.

Among the most popular incentives

getty images

Opera House hits right cultural note

The Royal Opera House Muscat provides another string to Oman’s cultural bow. Concerts have been staged since September as part of a ‘pre-launch’ season and the flexible 1,100-seat auditorium can accommodate symphony concerts, recitals, chamber music, as well as

fully staged productions of opera, dance, musicals and popular entertainment.

As part of the Royal Opera House Development, a mall will provide approximately 6,500 square meters of commercial space. Spread over two floors, the 60 shops and restaurant units will be complemented by car parking.

requested by Gulf Dunes’ clientele are its four or five-night package deals, ranging between those that cater for younger groups and older audiences.

“We do quite a lot of tourism excursions, taking in the ocean, beaches and desert areas. The younger clients generally want the adventure activities, while the older groups are after the more relaxed tours with more traditional cultural and historical elements,” he says.

Many of its MICE bookings come from businesses that are considering sending staff to Oman as part of a corporate reward program. Nouri adds that it focuses particularly on tailormade packages: “Clients want something different or unusual, with a ‘wow’ factor.

You need to know the profile of each client and understand what they’re looking for. It is also quite good value for money here, you can do quite a bit in Oman, regardless of your budget.”

Interestingly, the vast majority of Gulf Dunes’ customer base comes from outside the Gulf, helped by Oman’s close proximity to Europe and the UK – just seven hours flying time away. The growing number of international carriers flying direct to Oman, along with the expanding international route map of Oman Air, is also helping.

“Globally, our main clientele is the European market, including the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. That’s priority number one for us at the moment,” says Nouri.

“That’s followed closely by the US and South America, then Asia. India is also opening up, but more for leisure than for MICE.” Oman’s Ministry of Tourism will continue to beat the MICE drum at the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM) Exhibition between March 29-31 at ADNEC. n memice.com 25

Oman.indd 25

2/7/11 4:26:08 PM

GLOBAL UPDATE

All the world’s a stage

There’s no slowdown in the roll-out of conference space regionally and internationally – and many of the newcomers are raising the bar of sustainable design. Dominic Ellis reports

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre 26 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

MIDDLE EAST The Qatar National Convention Centre, believed to be the first of its kind built to Gold LEED certification, is forecast to open in October.

Featuring 40,000sqm of exhibition space, the conference hall will be able to hold 4,000 delegates and a 2,300-seat lyric-style theatre will be on site, alongside three additional tiered auditoriums and a total 57 meeting rooms. QNCC is located alongside universities, research and technology institutions in Education City, and 20 minutes away from the central business district.

Construction has started on a striking 320m canopy that will arch above the existing roof of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre grandstand and link to the new Capital Gate Tower – which will house the five-star Hyatt Capital Gate hotel, as well as premium office s pace, on completion this year.

Oman formally broke ground on the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in January.

The key components of the centre include an auditorium with total seating capacity for 3,000 people, exhibition halls with 25,000sqm exhibition space and with the ability to seat 10,000 people in the first phase. The development will also have banquet halls, meeting space, 85,000 sqm of office

Qatar National Convention Centre

The key components of the Oman Centre include an auditorium with total seating capacity for 3,000 people, exhibition halls with 25,000sqm exhibition space and with the ability to seat 10,000 people in the first phase.

MEMICE.COM 27

GLOBAL UPDATE space in a grade-A business park, four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms and a large shopping mall.

In order to cater for the increasing demand and positive growth in the region’s events sector, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) unveiled Sheikh Saeed Halls which includes the UAE’s largest indoor events space – The Trade Centre Arena. Additionally, plans for DWTC’s imminent multi-story car park expansion that will add over 1,000 spaces and facilitate parking and access to the venue during major exhibitions.

This year sees a number of new congresses hosted at DWTC including UITP (International Public Transport), the Human Genome Congress and the International Bar Association Congress, Aloft Hotel Marina Bay Sands Singapore

among others, that will bring over 70,000 global delegates to Dubai.

Hilton Worldwide took over the management reins of Jordan’s Dead Sea King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, one of the largest convention centre’s in the region, last September. The reflagged convention centre, which has almost 5,000sqm of meeting space and 25 conference and meeting rooms, now operates under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

Jordan is keen to capture more MICE business, and the convention centre will host the World Economic Forum in May, as well as local and regional conferences, workshops and exhibitions.

SINGAPORE Marina Bay Sands continues to create a stir in ‘the Lion City’ – and this year looks set to be the one when it really digs its claws into the international market too.

The Sands Expo and Convention Centre offers a whopping 1.3m sq ft of meeting space, making it one of the largest in Asia, and its ballroom alone can host up to 11,000 delegates. With five floors of exhibition and convention space, the facility can 28 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

handle up to 45,000 delegates overall.

Marina Bay Sands’ corporate offering doesn’t end there though, with an array of other corporatefriendly venues on hand, including the Sands SkyPark® for cocktail parties or intimate dinner receptions; Event Plaza for large-scale outdoor carnivals or festivals; theatres for product launches, presentations or conferences; celebrity chef restaurants for cocktail parties, dinner receptions or exclusive launches; and a museum for opening ceremonies or keynote addresses.

High-profile events lined up for this year include Zee Cine Awards, Cruise Shipping Asia, Industrial Fabrics Association Expo Asia and Art Stage Singapore (2011 and 2012).

UK Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has officially inaugurated the second phase expansion of ExCeL London, signalling a new chapter in ADNEC’s emergence as a rising star of the global events industry.

ExCeL London’s AED 900 million (GBP 165 million) expansion was inaugurated las year, and the latest expansion creates a world class ICC

Dublin Convention Centre

(International Convention Centre) for the UK capital with additional 32,500sqm of flat-floor event space, a 5,000-seater auditorium, breakout area for 2,500 delegates and London’s largest banqueting hall with a 3,000-seat capacity as well as 20 conference/ meeting rooms (raising total to 65 break out/ meeting rooms). Other on site developments include the 252-room Aloft Hotel, due to open in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

A 4,000sqm office building and conference centre is due to be handed over in Daventry, Northants, this spring. The building’s environmental features include timber frame

construction, passive ventilation system, efficient heat recovery systems and use of phase-change materials to limit overheating. The building will achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and will use less than 15 Kg of CO2 per sqm per year.

IRELAND Ireland’s economic woes have been well documented – perhaps less well known is that the Emerald Isle has a new 8,000-capacity Convention Centre in Dublin, and there are high hopes that the facility will bring in much-needed international revenues in 2011, its first full year. Billing itself as the world’s first carbon neutral convention centre, the CCD certainly looks pleasing on the eye, with 475 panes of different-sized curved glass panels spanning the length of the building. Inside are 22 multifunctional, flexible rooms suitable for meetings, conferences and exhibitions of all shapes and sizes.

Sheraton Milan

ITALY Sheraton has nailed its convention colours to the northern Italian mast, with the recent opening of the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel & Conference Center, which is directly linked to the airport’s Terminal 1. The facility contains 2,000sqm of meeting space, AV technology and the StarMeeting Concierge(SM) for 30 meeting rooms.

Billing itself as the world’s first carbon neutral convention centre, the Convention Centre in Dublin certainly looks pleasing on the eye, with 475 panes of different-sized curved glass panels spanning the length of the building.

GERMANY Hilton Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Primrose Capital (UK) to open the first new build Waldorf Astoria hotel in Europe. The Waldorf Astoria Berlin in Germany, anticipated to open towards the end of 2011, will feature 242 luxury guest rooms and suites.

Situated in a prime position in the western part of Germany’s capital city – near Bahnof Zoo train station and adjacent to a metro station – the Waldorf Astoria Berlin will be located close to

many of Berlin’s attractions, including the popular Kurfürstendamm shopping district.

The 31-storey hotel will feature over 1,100 square metres of dedicated conference and meeting facilities, in addition to a lavish spa and wellness area, a stylish restaurant and bar and on-site parking. It is anticipated that the hotel’s central location combined with excellent transport links to rail, bus and airports, will be a key appeal for both business and leisure visitors.

The battle for the city’s conference business

Waldorf Astoria Berlin

looks set to intensify with Chamartín Meermann Immobilien signing up Arabella Hospitality Group for its new hotel at Berlin’s main station, the Sheraton Berlin Hotel, which will be operated by the joint venture ArabellaStarwood Hotels & Resorts.

The opening of the first Sheraton in the capital, which will contain a stylish conference centre with a total floor space of 2,000sqm, 464 rooms, including 47 suites and a president suite, two restaurants and spa area, is planned for 2012.

Berlin’s main station is said to be the largest and most modern crossing stations in Europe, offering direct access to the new Berlin Brandenburg MEMICE.COM 29

GLOBAL UPDATE

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Ottawa, and ample indoor parking. In keeping with other newcomers, the new Centre will feature an environmentally friendly design and aims to set new standards for sustainable practices.

Ottawa Convention Centre

International airport. Thus, air travellers will be able to reach the new Sheraton Hotel in the heart of Berlin in only 18 minutes on the airport rail express.

square feet throughout the property. Scheduled to be completed in April, the conference center addition will increase total seating capacity by 828.

US The Island Resort & Casino in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has broken ground on a new $2 million conference center to attract more corporate golf outings and meetings. The resort – which owns and operates award-winning Sweetgrass Golf Club – started the 8,000 square-foot expansion project this fall. Located adjacent to the Sweetgrass pro shop, it will nearly double private function space to 17,400

CANADA Scheduled to open in April, the new Ottawa Convention Centre is being built on the site of the former Ottawa Congress Centre in the heart of downtown overlooking the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site and steps from major Ottawa attractions, hotels, restaurants and shopping. The facility will be directly linked to the 180-store Rideau Centre, the 495-room Westin

30 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

AUSTRALIA The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is being expanded, with the 12,000sqm exhibition space set to be integrated with both the existing 30,000 sqm Melbourne Exhibition Centre and the Melbourne Convention Centre, which opened in 2009. The new flexible event space will have a range of environmental features in keeping with the MCEC’s commitment to green design, including the use of solar panels, a level of water harvesting and the provision of natural light within the halls.

Work will start next year, for completion in 2014.

JAMAICA Renowned for its cricket and cruising, Jamaica now has high hopes for convention business too. With more than 60,000sq ft of exhibition and meeting space, the Montego Bay Convention Centre, whose first phase is due to open in April, is the largest meeting facility in the English-speaking Caribbean. ■

HOW TO GUIDE

Turn conferences on their head Don’t see your audience as passive attendees but active participants The idea for an ‘unconference’ came to me while sitting backstage, waiting for someone to say something intelligent, not self-serving or boring. It struck me that the sum of the expertise of the people in the audience is greater than the sum of expertise of the people on stage.

This observation may turn out to be the Fundamental Law of Conventional Conferences.

It’s probably much worse than that.

My guess is that if you swapped the people on stage with an equal number chosen at random from the audience, the new panellists would effectively be smarter, because they didn’t have the time to get nervous, to prepare PowerPoint slides, to make lists of things they must remember to say, or have overly grandiose ideas about their market recognition. In other words, putting someone on stage and telling them they’re boss probably makes them dumber. In any case, it often makes them more boring.

So how do you turn things around so that we can harness the expertise we just discovered and get a discussion moving efficiently and spontaneously without forcing the interesting conversations into the coffee break? I wanted to see if there was a way to get the coffee break ideas to

32 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

come back into the meeting room. It turns out there was.

First, you take the people who used to be the audience and give them a promotion. They’re now active participants. Their job is to participate, not just to listen and at the end to ask questions. To do this, you give each participant a texting keypad (such as the IML communicator www.iml.co.uk) This wonderful device allows participants to send messages directly to the screen (filtered for content backstage first of course!).

These messages form a dialogue with the moderator thus forcing a two-way flow of information and greater delegate involvement. The absence of microphones removes the vocal minority who want to hear their voice and have nothing to say whilst engaging everyone in the room.

The result is a dialogue not a monologue, duplex not simplex, engagement not boredom, and democracy not autocracy.

Once you’re in you’re spoiled. I’ve heard it said many times, by people who had a real unconference experience, that they can never sit in a dark room, with their hands folded, waiting for the Q&A period, listening to a PowerPoint presenter drone on and on, while the heads bob up and down and a dull roar of enthusiastic discussion can be heard in the distance, in the coffee room.

This year, most of us will go to conferences that make minimal use of the

experience of the people who participate.

It’s a shame. A big revolution is possible. here, one as big as the changes that have been brought about by blogging and podcasting. It turns out the exact same principles can be applied to face-to-face conferences, with outstanding results.

Put presentations first It costs a lot of money to organize a conference, from the cost of the venue, to the travel and entertainment.

It’s surprising that every detail of a conference is planned – covering rooms, bands, right down to the menus – except for the presentations. But the typical conference presentation has no input from organisers – even at a company conference.

There may be a conference PowerPoint template to use, but each presenter types their own presentations, incorporating their own slides and bullet points. Yet surely the presentations are the reason for having the conference?

Imagine a conference where messages are considered as a whole. Now, by using the latest audience response systems to engage the delegates, you can improve memory retention of your message.

Contributed by John Quinn of SatelliteVisual Communication.

VENUE REVIEW

Pullman Dubai Mall of the Emirates Pullman Dubai Mall of the Emirates is a contemporary five-star hotel whose executive facilities span an entire floor (four). It offers a wide choice of eventspace possibilities with nine function rooms, over 850 square meters of indoor conference and banquet space – as well as an extensive outdoor function space including a terrace and a pool lounge.

The 481-room hotel, officially inaugurated in December, is the regional flagship property of Accor’s upscale brand.

Total number of meeting rooms: 9 Meeting room details: Each of the main rooms (Mosaic 1, 2 and 3) can accommodate at least 75 people, theatre style. When combined, these three rooms are suitable for any occasion, from a simple conference to a gala dinner. Floor-toceiling glass windows provide natural lighting for both seminar settings and formal gatherings (total surface area 420sqm).

Suitable for smaller seminars or as break-out space for larger events, the Phoenix room can accommodate 40 people, theatre style. Similar to most of the meeting rooms on this floor, a ceiling-tofloor window is available providing natural daylight. This room is situated next to the Chill Out Space, where ‘innovative breaks’ (eg culinary, quick massages, use of Wii console) are available and other services included wide-screen TV, internet connection, sofas, armchairs and coffee tables (total Surface area 53sqm).

Firefox is located opposite the banquet halls and shares a connecting door with Phoenix Room. Nine people can gather around a conference table in padded chairs.

This space is ideal for smaller meetings, interviews, and committees or to be used as antechamber for meetings held in the Phoenix Room (total surface area 35sqm).

Explorer is a smaller room located on the left side of the meeting floor lobby,

suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner meetings and receptions for informal or formal events. Windows along the east wall provide natural lighting and afternoon sunsets (total surface area 56sqm).

The Linux Room has its own prefunction area and can accommodate up to 30 people, cocktail style. With a view that overlooks the lake, free-style set up and situated on the floor corner; this meeting room is idyllic for a more intimate function (total surface area 59sqm).

Safari is a medium-sized meeting room featuring multi-purpose lighting for seminar settings.

This room is a popular location with large picture windows facing the lake and has its own pre-function area (total surface area 101sqm). Located on the right side of the meeting floor,

this traditional boardroom setting features a large boardroom table for 24 people. The Boardroom is furnished with 24 oversized comfortable executive chairs, built-in projector and remotecontrolled window blinds (total surface area 80sqm).

Technical / AV equipment: Auto projectors, remote controlled facilities.

Other services: An Event Manager is on hand to organise and run meetings, along with an IT Solutions Manager to resolve any potential techno glitches.

The Event Manager will provide a program and timetable as well as coordinate services.

Contact: email: h7337@accor.com; reservations tel: (04) 7028000 MEMICE.COM 33

EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS CALENDAR GCC REGION February 2011 Dubai International Jazz Festival Feb 1-18 Venue: The Walk, Jumeirah Organisers: Chill Out Productions Omega Dubai Desert Classic Feb 7-13 Venue: Emirates Golf Club Organisers: Golf in Dubai Gulf Industry Fair 2011 Feb 8-10 Venue: Bahrain International Exhibition Centre Organisers: Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions CABSAT Middle East Feb 8-10 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: World Class Events Gulf Bike Expo 2011 Feb 10-12 Venue: Dubai Festival City Organisers: Mecom Forums Bride Show Abu Dhabi Feb 10-13 Venue: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Organisers: IIR Middle East Middle East Exclusive 2011 (8th duty free, travel retail and luxury goods exhibition) Feb 20-22 Venue: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre Organisers: Channels Exhibition Gulfood Exhibition 2011 Feb 27-2 March Venue: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre Organisers: Dubai World Trade Centre

March 2011 Dubai International Boat Show at the Dubai International Marine Club Mar 1-5 Venue: Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi Organisers: Dubai World Trade Centre Festivalworld Middle East Mar 7-9 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Messe Frankfurt ME

34 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2011

Paperworld Middle East Mar 7-9 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Epoc Messe Frankfurt GmbH

The 4th Annual Middle East Risk Management Forum 2011 Mar 14-15 Venue: The Gulf Hotel, Bahrain Organisers: Fleming Gulf Conferences

Playworld ME Mar 7-9 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Messe Frankfurt ME

Franchise Middle East Exhibition Mar 14-16 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: World Class Events

Festivalworld ME Mar 7-9 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Epoc Messe Frankfurt ME

Gulf Pack and Gulf Print Exhibition Mar 14-17 Venue: Airport Expo Dubai Organisers: Fairs & Exhibitions Limited

Arablab Exhibition Mar 7-10 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Arablab Group

Dubai International Horse Fair Mar 17-19 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organiser: Dubai World Trade Centre

Interiors UAE Mar 8-10 Venue: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Organisers: Channels Exhibitions

Careers UAE 2011 Mar 21-23 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Dubai World Trade Centre

Commercial Vehicles Middle East Mar 14-16 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Streamline Marketing

Motexha Exhibition Mar 29-31 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: IIR

17th Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference Mar 13-17 Venue: Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Manama Organisers: Arabian Exhibition Management

April 2011 Dubai Entertainment, Amusement & Leisure Expo (DEAL) Apr 4-6 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: World Class Events

Dubai International Wood & Wood Machinery Show Apr 4-6 Venue: Airport Expo Dubai Organisers: World Class Events Saudi Medicare 2011 Apr 10-13 Venue: Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre Organisers: Riyadh Exhibition Company Gulf Education & Training Exhibition and Global Education Technology & Equipment Supply Exhibition Apr 14-16 Venue: The Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) Organisers: World Class Events Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2011 Apr 17-20 Venue: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Organisers: IIR

May 2011 Photoworld Dubai May 2-4 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Channels Exhibitions 18th Arabian Travel Market Exhibition May 3-6 Venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organisers: Reed Exhibitions

Pullman Dubai Mall of the Emirates Your new business hotel in Dubai

Experience successful events with our Co-Meeting promise.

Discover innovative breaks from playing Wii to a relaxing massage.

Benefit from the expertise of a dedicated Event Manager.

Select from 9 function rooms offering over 850m² of banquet space.

New attitude hotels for business travelers.

Yo u r l o y a l t y p r o g r a m

www.pullmanhotels.com

For further information, please contact us: +971 4 702 8000