On February 1, 2012, Luc Hendrickx joined Kenes Group as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Global Operations. Hendrickx will also serve as member of the Executive Board. He will be responsible for the operational development of the regional and national offices (Kenes Asia, Kenes India, Kenes Turkey, Kenes UK, Tilesa-Kenes Spain, JZ Kenes Brazil and Kenes Latin America) and for corporate governance.

London's promotional agency London & Partners and the Vancouver Economic Commission have signed a memorandum of understanding  which will allow the two Olympic cities to share lessons and knowledge about hosting an Olympic Games with a particular focus on future opportunities surrounding economic and business development.

The agreement signed at an Olympic Legacy gala was part of the overall Cities Summit 2012, hosted by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and the Vancouver Economic Commission. The memorandum was officially signed by Lee Malleau, CEO- Vancouver Economic Commission and Gordon Innes, CEO London & Partners, where Innes’ was speaking on a panel entitled: The Next Edge: the 21st Century City’s Economic Advantage.

The City of Vancouver (Canada) hosted the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (2010 Winter Games) and London is set to host this year’s 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games July 27 to August 12 and August 29 to September 9, 2012.

As well as sharing knowledge between the two organisations, the memorandum stipulates that the two cities will exchange ideas on fostering legacy projects as well as hosting future major events. The agreement also encourages the exchange of learning and experience in different fields including sustainable development, social development, accessibility, education, science and technology, culture, urban planning, tourism and more.

Nikolaus Berlakovich, Austria’s Minister for the Environment, has awarded the VCB the Austrian Green Meetings EcoLogo. This means that the bureau is now licensed to certify as Green Meetings conferences whose organisers take climate protection, regional value-added and social compatibility into account.

“Congresses of any size make an impact on the environment, whether it be due to their energy consumption, waste production, or CO2 emissions. The Vienna Convention Bureau has set itself the task of raising awareness of sustainable action in the conference industry, and supports initiatives and projects involving the themes of green meetings, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. As a licensee of the Austrian EcoLogo, we are not only pointing the way, but also aiming to enhance the competitiveness of Vienna as a congress city in the long term,” said Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau.

The Green Meetings EcoLogo was created in the year 2009 by the Austrian Ministry of Life and the Consumers’ Association of Austria. In order to obtain certification, an organiser needs a licensee such as the Vienna Convention Bureau, who can not only handle the formal certification process, but is also bound by strict environmental protection regulations.

• Austropa/Interconvention
• RAM Consulting
• Hannah’s Plan
• Hotel Modul

euromic, the oldest international consortium of companies specialising in MICE travel has admitted three new members into its invitation-only association: Colours of Malta, Portugal Travel Team and Paloma Tours of Romania. The destination management companies were officially inducted at euromic’s 2012 Annual General Meeting, which was held in early January in Aqaba, Jordan.

“We are thrilled to welcome Colours of Malta, Portugal Travel Team and Paloma Tours as euromic members,” said Giancarlo Carrera, President of euromic. “It is a privilege to have these experienced and imaginative companies as a part of our organisation.”

"Super Bowl XLVI, taking place this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis, will generate approximately $150 million in spending..."

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In January 2012, Andrea Bisping, head of the ICM – Internationales Congress Center München – took the chair of the marketing cooperation SevenCenters of Germany for one year. The marketing cooperation of the seven largest convention centres with a direct connection to an exhibition centre celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. As chairperson and speaker, Bisping accounts for the implementation of all marketing targets approved by the members.

Bisping commented: "For the past ten years, SevenCenters have been upholding their success story as important representatives of the German convention business on an international level. It is my personal aim in the jubilee year to meet this cooperation’s marketing tasks with conventions and big events in such a way as to influence positively the perception of Germany as a meeting destination in Europe and above all worldwide."