TRAVELWEEK SAO PAULO Acquired by Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions has added to its growing portfolio of international luxury travel events.

Reed Exhibitions has just acquired Travelweek Sao Paulo. This is a high-end travel event that introduces select international travel suppliers to premium buyers from across Brazil and other Latin American countries.

Travelweek Sao Paulo, launched in 2011, attracted over 590 international exhibiting companies from more than 70 destinations, 600 travel specialists from 19 cities across Brazil and another 7 Latin America countries plus 2000 high-end Brazilian consumers during the 2013 edition. The show will be joining Reed Exhibitions’ growing portfolio of International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) events.

Reed Exhibitions UK, Chief Executive Officer, Richard Mortimore said: “Travelweek Sao Paulo, has established itself as the event for delivering quality business from the Brazilian and Latin American luxury travel sector. We are pleased to be welcoming the founder Carolina Perez and team into the globally recognised ILTM portfolio of leading, luxury, travel events.”

Juan Pablo De Vera, President, Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado continues: “This is an important step for our company in Brazil and reinforces our commitment to work with local markets. After more than 15 years of strategic growth in the country we continue to bring our expertise and international network to leverage the brightest local entrepreneurs and companies. Carolina and her team are a perfect example of this, with a clear focus on demonstrating value to the markets we serve and proved experience in delivering superior customer services.”

Carolina Perez, founder of Travelweek Sao Paulo commented: “I am very excited to be joining Reed Exhibitions and the ILTM team to steer Travelweek Sao Paulo to even greater success. I have always admired the marvellous success of ILTM and have a strong relationship with the ILTM team. We will be able to take advantage of ILTM’s established resources and global experience that will undoubtedly help to ensure we continue to surpass market expectations in delivering a show of exceptional quality every year. ”

Alison Gilmore, Senior Exhibition Director of ILTM Portfolio, said “Carolina Perez is a fantastic visionary, who has creatively developed an excellent event, in this exciting market sector and we are pleased to be welcoming her to the ILTM team. Travelweek Sao Paulo fits perfectly with the ILTM portfolio and will complement our other events in offering the luxury travel industry solutions to growing their business across specific markets.”

The fourth edition of Travelweek Sao Paulo will take place at the Bienal Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, 6 – 9 May 2014.

ILTM events open the doors to an established, global community of the luxury travel industry in a time-efficient format; introducing select suppliers through bespoke appointment programmes and networking sessions. Travelweek Sao Paulo joins the ILTM portfolio, which includes ILTM, ILTM Asia, ILTM Americas, ILTM Africa, ILTM Japan and ILTM Spa.

For further enquiries please contact:

Alison Gilmore
Senior Exhibition Director
Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7964
Email: alison.gilmore@reedexpo.co.uk

Simon Mayle
Head of Marketing
Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7868
Email: simon.mayle@reedexpo.co.uk

Qantas and Victoria Announce $12 Million Tourism Deal

Qantas and the Victorian government have signed a $12 million tourism cooperative agreement to market Victoria as a holiday destination internationally and within Australia.

Qantas International Chief Executive Officer Simon Hickey said he is extremely proud of this new partnership which will increase visitor numbers and tourism spending across Victoria.

"We are delighted to partner with the Victorian government and Tourism Victoria to promote the State to key international destinations and around Australia," Mr Hickey said.

"This three-year marketing agreement will encourage more people to visit Victoria and will be a valuable injection for the Victorian tourism industry, creating jobs and promoting investment and development."

"Our new partnership with Emirates will also increase visitors to Victoria, as the State is marketed to a bigger audience than ever before."

The joint marketing agreement will target visitors from the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, New Zealand and Australia.

The Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Louise Asher said the partnership takes Tourism Victoria and Qantas' existing collaborative activity to a new level and opens up a vast number of international and domestic opportunities to grow inbound visitors to Victoria.

"Qantas' status as one of Australia's most iconic brands and its exceptional visibility to international consumers is well aligned with Victoria's destination marketing strategy.

"This highlights Melbourne as a vibrant cosmopolitan city which offers many outstanding tourism experiences including an exciting events calendar, a world class culinary scene and many distinctive cultural attractions. It is also the gateway to many authentic and unforgettable experiences in regional Victoria," Ms Asher said.

The partnership will include campaigns in key international markets including advertising special airfares and promotions around major events and activities.

The agreement will also have a strong focus on digital platforms including online and social media.

The first joint marketing campaign under the partnership will kick off on Wednesday 9 October, promoting Melbourne like never before and encouraging visitors to "Go before you go".

The announcement follows similar deals between Qantas and New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory and takes the total joint investment in tourism to $72 million over three years.

Qantas operates over 1200 flights in and out of Melbourne each week, making Qantas the largest airline to service the city.

VisitPITTSBURGH Recognized for Service

VisitPITTSBURGH received the 2013 Gold Service Award from Meetings & Conventions magazine for providing quality service to clients in the meetings and convention industry.

Meetings & Conventions’ readers, representing the elite in both the corporate and association markets, made their selections based on key criteria, including: professionalism of staff; support on hotels and site inspections; assistance with ground transportation planning; guidance on local attractions; and liaison with local vendors and services.

In recognizing VisitPITTSBURGH, a 19-year winner of the Gold Service Award, Meetings & Conventions states: “The 2013 Gold Service winners impressed the M&C’s demanding experienced readers as they excelled in many valuable areas of service and commitment.”

“VisitPITTSBURGH prides itself on providing top-level service to meeting planners and conventioneers. This award is noteworthy because it comes directly from the convention trade publication’s readers who are choosing the best of the best,” said Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH.

VisitPITTSBURGH is featured in Meetings & Conventions’ Gold Awards issue published in November.

As the official tourism promotion agency for Allegheny County, VisitPITTSBURGH is dedicated to generating convention, trade show and leisure travel business for the Pittsburgh region.

BridgeClimb's first ever Mardi Gras Disco Climb

From 18 November 2013, supporters of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival can purchase tickets for BridgeClimb's first ever Mardi Gras Disco Climb, running between 17 February and 6 March 2014.

The Mardi Gras Disco Climb offers climbers the chance to dance-off with their friends on a stage like no other, the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This fun and original climb is in celebration of 2014's Mardi Gras Festival and is a chance to fully participate in the internationally renowned festival while enjoying one of Australia's most popular experiences.

BridgeClimb CEO, Todd Coates, said, "The team at BridgeClimb are thrilled to be part of the celebration of this iconic event. We greatly appreciate the history and connection the city has to the annual Mardi Gras festival since it began in 1978.

"We strive to make heroes of every climber, and we're very excited to welcome Mardi Gras supporters seeking a lifetime memory of the Bridge to add to their Sydney Mardi Gras experience".

Mardi Gras climbers ascend 1,002 steps, whilst passionate Climb Leaders share stories about Sydney. They can then showcase their best dance moves to a disco beat, all captured on a complimentary eight-second video.

The 3.5-hour route takes climbers through the heart of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's massive structure before summiting to the very top of the Bridge, 134 metres above sea level, where they are rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree view of the city.

BridgeClimb offers a truly memorable experience, perfect for special occasions, family adventures, team building and corporate events.

For more information, please visit www.bridgeclimb.com or call (02) 8274 7777.

Colombia tourism to shine with International Arts Congress in 2014

International personalities will attend the 28th Congress of the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), which in its 2014 edition will take place, for the first time, in Colombia.

According to a note from the Ministry of Culture, from April 7 to 12, Bogota will host the event, which in the past has taken place in cities such as Sydney, Berlin, Paris, Hong Kong, London and Sao Paulo.

The annual Congress seeks to consolidate an international network of leaders within the sector of the performing arts and allow the host cities to open spaces for exchange, projection and visibility of their cultural efforts, adds the source.

Under the slogan “What Arts Move” the meeting, to be held parallel to the Iberoamerican Theater Festival, will be attended by over 350 guests. The national delegation includes, among others, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogota.

The Society, founded in New York, is an international non-profit organisation that brings together exponents of the performing arts, united by the desire to promote the arts internationally by building leadership skills, recognition and discussion of issues related to this field.

New Generation Catamaran to Join Captain Cook Cruises Sydney Harbour Fleet

SeaLink Travel Group’s new $2.6 million state-of-the-art catamaran, Elizabeth Cook was launched this week in Sydney, the latest vessel to join Captain Cook Cruises Sydney Harbour Fleet.

The new generation, 24-metre Rocket catamaran, was designed to be eco-friendly and more fuel efficient and is equipped with the latest technologies that will help reduce her carbon footprint.

The Elizabeth Cook, named after Captain James Cook’s wife, is the first true multi-purpose boat bringing Sydney Harbour into the 21st century and the design will balance efficiency with ruggedness, allowing her to operate in all corners of Sydney Harbour.

Managing Director, SeaLink Travel Group, Jeff Ellison said the company was very excited to have built a new vessel for Sydney Harbour.

“We believe this is a prototype for the future. As well as being eco-friendly and cost efficient Elizabeth Cook offers a new level of comfort including large windows, a professional marine interior and a 360-degree viewing sundeck,” Mr Ellison said.

Elizabeth Cook will operate as a ferry, transfer service, and host sightseeing cruises especially the popular Hop On Hop Off service almost immediately. She will also be used to host very important charters and corporate events.

The catamaran features two levels including a main passenger cabin with seats for 116 passengers and a further 31 seats located on the lower outside deck. Upstairs an open upper deck has seating for 51 passengers, with ample space for passengers to stand and view the sights.

Elizabeth Cook will be certified to carry 127 passengers in coastal operation and 198 passengers in harbour operation.

Elizabeth Cook was first blessed by Father Dooley before Lucy Hughes Turnbull, Chair - The Committee for Sydney, officially launched Elizabeth Cook in the traditional maritime way, breaking a champagne bottle across the bow.

For further information and bookings, please contact Captain Cook Cruises on T: +61-2-9206 1111 or visit www.captaincook.com.au

Summer Months Brought A Growing Demand To Tuscany Tourism

A recent survey has reported an increase in numbers of visitors over the summer to Tuscany, Italy. Tourism in the region is said to owe its improvement to the demand from abroad, as well as, in part, to the increase in the number of Italian tourists.

The survey further revealed that visitors to the area were choosing their accommodation based on price rather than on the service provided. There showed an increase in those travellers booking last minute holidays to Tuscany online and luxury accommodation was the most popular accommodation choice.

August proved the most successful month for tourism showing a significant 3% increase in foreign visitors. Cultural tourism continues to increase and during August has registered an all time peak for foreign guests. Villas like those offered by To Tuscany reported a 0.7% increase in guests booking for more than one night and a 0.5% increase in overnight visitors. August’s influx of visitors helped to significantly recover the decrease generated in the early summer months.

The influx of visitors to the region comes as a welcome sight to companies like To Tuscany that specialise in self-catering villas. The growing number of tourists reflects the region’s popularity in the summer months and bodes well for next year.

The biggest increase of foreign visitors to the region was from German arrivals, whilst guests from Belgium, The Netherlands, Scandinavia and France also increased in numbers. Visitors from the UK, Austria and Switzerland remained constant.

New Fact Sheet: Aboriginal Tourism NSW

Destination NSW has released a new fact sheet on Aboriginal Tourism in NSW.

The fact sheet reports on international and domestic tourism participation in Aboriginal tourism in NSW, including where they are from and which Aboriginal activities attract high levels of participation.

Key findings were that for year ended June 2013, NSW received 1.35 million visitors who participated in an Aboriginal activity, more than any other State in Australia. In the last five years, the total number of Aboriginal tourism participants visiting NSW has fluctuated between 1.1 million and 1.4 million.

While the number of domestic visitors who engaged in Aboriginal tourism is slightly higher than international visitors, the latter had a much higher participation rate (21%, in comparison to 3% of domestic visitors). Western markets are the primary source of international Aboriginal tourism visitors to NSW and Australia.

NSW has considerable opportunities to increase its profile and the range of experiences in this sector.

The resource is now available on the website at Destination NSW

Melbourne versus Sydney

Tram, Tourist Ambassadors,
Flinders Street Station

Sydney is the capital city of NSW. Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria. here has been friendly rivalry between these two cities for many years. Which is the better city - Melbourne or Sydney?

Recently I visited Melbourne for a few days. This was after an absence of 25 since I last lived there. After completing my schooling in Albury I went to a Uni in Melbourne and worked in my first job at Hawthorn. I was the Manager of a Job Creation Work Co-op for unemployed people housed in an old ice-woks factory. This building is now demolished and has a park in its place.

Rainy Melbourne?
Art in Shopping Centre

Sydney has the beauty of the Sydney Harbour, Melbourne has the beauty if the Yarra River, which is still a brown murky waterway meandering its way through Melbourne on its way to Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne had the wisdom to retain and extend its tram network, while the last tram in Sydney made its journey in 1961.

Melbourne loves its sport, with 100,000 turning up to a game, whereas Sydney struggles to get 10,000 to turn up. Being further south, Melbourne has cooler winters, but this does not stop people cheering on their favourite team.

Bourke Street Mall

Sydney has lots of franchise retail stores in shopping centres that look like each other. Melbourne has a glorious mix of unique boutique shops, fashion stores and specialty stores in streets, malls, laneways, and shopping centres.

Melbourne has a flourishing live music and theatre scene. Many of Sydneys old theatres have been demolished, and the surviving ones struggle to entice audiences.

Melbourne Town Hall

Melbourne has its Melbourne Visitor Centre in the centre of the city opposite Flinders Street Station, a smaller one at the Southern Cross Station, and a Visitor Booth in the Bourke Street Mall. Sydney has no Tourist Information Centres in the Centre of the city or the Pitt Street Mall - you have to walk to the Tourist Information Centres at Darling Harbour or The Rocks.

Melbourne has volunteer Tourism Ambassadors roaming the streets. These have grown from 3 people 25 years ago to more than 360 now. Sydney has none.

Gog and Magog in Royal Arcade

Melbourne has its annual Moomba Festival and parade, which will return for its 60th year in 2014. Sydney since 1977 has its Sydney Festival, an arts festival with no parade.

Melbourne has its The Royal Exhibition Building completed in 1880, its Exhibition Centre opened in 1996 and its Convention Centre opened in 2009. Sydney has no Royal Exhibition building and its Convention & Exhibition Centre that opened in 1988 is being demolished to build a new one.

Shot Tower in Melbourne
Central Shopping Centre

Melbourne has no Monorail. Sydney had a Monorail from 1988 to 2013.

The verdict? Melbourne is not better than Sydney or vice-versa. They are both unique cities and each have pluses and minuses. They are both worth visiting and exploring for leisure or business purposes.

Tourist Information

Melbourne: http://www.visitmelbourne.com/
Sydney:  http://www.sydney.com/

Luxperience 2014 Exhibitor Earlybirds Close in 5 Days

Luxperience will help market your company to a highly targeted group of buyers twelve months a year through our Luxperience Community. That’s not all, we’ll help you engage and retain existing clients, strengthen relationships with prospects, develop new business relationships and build awareness for your brand.

As an exhibitor at Luxperience 2014, you will be offered:

• 3 days of face to face appointments
• Access to the highest quality of high end travel buyers from across the globe
• Use of LuxConnect, our exclusive online platform
• Exclusive social networking functions
• The chance to connect with media editors from renowned luxury travel publications
• Access to our LuxCoach who can help with strategic planning, business and personal development, leadership and management

The exhibitors are some of the world’s most unique and inspiring suppliers selected to attend. Click here for a sample of the 2013 EXHIBITORS.

For more information regarding Exhibiting, Sponsorship and Partnership opportunities, please contact us.

Contacts:

Address:
Suite 1, 445 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 AUSTRALIA
Phone: + 61 2 8584 1777
Fax:+ 61 2 8584 1799
Website: http://www.luxperience.com.au/
Postal Address:
PO Box 445, Broadway NSW 2007

Lindy Andrews, CEO
lindy.andrews@luxperience.com.au
Michelle Papas, Director of Marketing and Buyer Relations
michelle.papas@luxperience.com.au
Eric Lewanavanua, Director of Sales and Partner Alliances
eric.lewanavanua@luxperience.com.au
Portia Brown, Director of Operations
portia.brown@luxperience.com.au
Nick Zogopolous, Creative Director
beinspired@luxperience.com.au