Darwin Convention Centre glows with gold
6 February 2012
2012 started well for the team at the Darwin Convention Centre - it was awarded by the AIPC with Gold Certification, the highest possible achievement in its Quality Standards Program!
Darwin Convention Centre successfully completed a rigorous external audit, joining a select group of only 18 AIPC convention facilities to have successfully achieved this certification to date.
Darwin Convention Centre General Manager Malu Barrios says the certification is a reflection of her team’s passion and commitment to put Darwin on the global map of business events.
“I’m extremely proud of our team who are driven to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients while almost oblivious that we are operating among the best in the world,” she said. “The certification honours everyone’s efforts to continually look for new ways to deliver excellence in all aspects of our operations”, she added.
AIPC President Edgar Hirt congratulated the Darwin Convention Centre for its successful accomplishment of the AIPC Quality Standards Certification particularly at the top level of achievement and said, “It demonstrates to owners, colleagues and clients that the Centre is addressing international standards of performance in their management procedures.”
The Darwin Convention Centre is a relatively young venue but has an enviable track record, establishing itself within
the league of the world’s best venues within three years of operation. In the last 18 months, it has been recognised with five prestigious industry awards including the esteemed 2010 and 2011 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards, and was a finalist at the 2011 AIPC Innovation Award.
Ayers Rock Resort develops world class conference centre
January 2011
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has launched a redevelopment project that will place Ayers Rock Resort Conference Centre at the top of every conference organisers' wish list. The multimillion dollar redevelopment, scheduled for opening in August 2012, will result in a world class Conference Centre, known as the Uluru Meeting Place, that will cater for up to 420 people.
Voyages Executive General Manager Ray Stone says, "We believe that the creation of a modern, state of the art Conference Centre - including the addition of a brand new ballroom that then doubles the size of the previous centre - will establish the Uluru Meeting Place as an important new option in Australia for meeting planners around the country. We have created a new website for PCOs that features a virtual tour of the new facility to assist with planning."
In addition to the virtual tour, the new www.ulurumeetingplace.com.au micro-site features conference, incentive and events itineraries, a range of experiences including sunrise, sunset and indigenous tours and full details about all the redeveloped conference venues, resorts and how to get there.
Voyages is offereing a range of incentives for new business booked before 31 July 2012. For further details, terms and conditions, visit the Uluru Meeting Place website.
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| The new-look Ayers Rock Resort Conference Centre (artist's impression) |
Darwin air access set to increase in 2012
January 2011
Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia have announced new international and domestic services to the Northern Territory, as part of their recently-approved alliance. Singapore Airlines’ regional full service airline, SilkAir, will commence a four-times-weekly service betweenSingapore and Darwin from 26 March 2012, and Virgin Australia will complement this with a daily service between Sydney and Darwin commencing 2 April 2012.
Virgin Australia also announced that it would open a lounge at Darwin Airport that would accommodate its own eligible guests and those of its alliance partners.
Scott Lovett, Director Business Tourism for the Northern Territory Convention Bureau said: “We’re delighted to learn that the NT’s accessibility for conference and incentive groups will be greatly enhanced in 2012. These dual class services will provide more travel options for event planners to consider, including a strong business class product as well as extensive international connections.”
The new international flights into the Darwin gateway will also open up increased opportunities for multi-destination incentives as well as satellite meetings from Asian and European markets, in combination with other NT destinations in Central Australia or those further afield.
NT Business Events industry prepares for AIME
January 2011
The Northern Territory Convention Bureau is leading a delegation of local operators to Melbourne for the annual business events industry trade show, AIME, February 21-22, 2012.
The selection of NT Exhibitors at AIME includes our two state of the art conference facilities, Alice Springs Convention Centre and Darwin Convention Centre, as well as a range of hotels, touring companies, and event support suppliers.
The objective of the NT presence at AIME is to promote the destination as a viable, desirable and capable option for creative business events with a difference, and to generate real business outcomes for local NT operators. During the two-day trade event, NT Exhibitors will meet with a variety of existing and potential new clients from incentive houses, associations, event management companies and professional conference organisers (PCOs) who are looking for ideal destinations for their next business events.
Following AIME, the NTCB will be hosting 20 Australian and international buyers on two famil trips to the Darwin and the Top End and Alice Springs and Central Australia.
NT businesses exhibiting on the NT Stand at AIME are:
AAT Kings
Alice Springs Convention Centre
Crocosaurus Cove
Darwin Charters & Shuttle
Darwin Convention Centre
Darwin Harbour Cruises
Fusion Exhibition & Hire Services
InterContinental Hotel Group - NT
Northern Gateway / Dreamedia
SKYCITY Darwin
Tailormade Tours
Territory Discoveries
NT proves a Dream Destination
November 2011
The Northern Territory was showcased to over 70 international business events buyers at Dreamtime, Tourism Australia's premier incentive trade activity, featuring Australia's most outstanding incentive experiences and expertise in event delivery.
Two earlier earlier targeted familiarisations with different groups, to Darwin and Alice Springs, have yielded good results. On this occasion, Tourism NT and Voyages Ayers Rock Resort hosted eight trade and media delegates from North America for a spectacular familiarisation trip to Uluru which included a cultural festival, fins dining under the stars, and a cattle station visit. The gruop then headed to Sydney to share their experiences with other delegates from around the world, where the NT Convention Bureau also showcased the rest of the Territory during business networking sessions.
This short video includes some footage of the events at Uluru, as well as some great feedback.
NT Musters New Business Around the Country
October 2011
The Northern Territory Convention Bureau’s inaugural NT Meetings Muster ’11 has been deemed a resounding success with more than 185 guests attending events in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in late October. Attendees included Professional Conference Organisers, Incentive Houses, Destination Management Companies, event planners, in-house meeting organisers, associations and corporate decision makers.
The event not only provided event planners with an opportunity to update their knowledge of the NT and meet with 10 NT industry operators but also enabled a generous donation of $5000 to be made to the Conways Kids Trust Fund, which supports educational opportunities for Aboriginal children in the Kings Canyon region of the NT. The donation was made by NTCB and its industry partners in lieu of promotional gifts being provided to attendees at the various events around the country and showed the concept of CSR being put into action. Conways Kids Trust Fund is one of 13 not-for-profit organisations identified by NTCB as providing potential CSR opportunities for conference and incentive groups coming to the NT.
Scott Lovett, Director of Business Tourism for Tourism NT said “NT Meetings Muster was a great opportunity to bring the NT to our valued clients around Australia. The 10 operators representing convention centres, accommodation, touring and the full range of event services demonstrated the capacity of NT to deliver world-class events. We engaged with new clients who may not have previously considered NT for their events and initial feedback suggests some very positive business outcomes.”
Guest feed-back also indicated that the event was a very worthwhile exercise. Deb Saunders from ENCORE summed it up by saying “Many thanks to you all for putting on such a great “Meetings Muster” last week and showcasing all the Northern Territory has to offer. There is so much to offer our clients when they meet in the Territory and I found the “Meetings Muster” just the place to learn even more!”
The grand prize of a trip for two to the NT was won by John Kerrigan of The Kerrigan Group in Pyrmont, NSW. John’s prize includes return airfares, two nights in both Darwin and Alice Springs, a Gold Class journey on The Ghan, the legendary train journey through the heart of Australia and a private visit to Paspaley Pearls in Darwin. Prizes have been provided by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Great Southern Rail, Alice Springs Convention Centre, Paspaley Pearls and the Northern Territory Convention Bureau (NTCB).
Back Row (L-R): Richard Schoonraad (NTCB); Sharnel Bor (Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia); Rebecca McCaig, Leanne Paige (NTCB); Shandelle Judd (Fusions Exhibition & Hire Services); Scott Lovett (NTCB); Kylie Mansfield, Ian Solomon (Alice Springs Convention Centre); David Pearson, Nilus Vigona (InterContinental Hotels Group)
Front Row (L-R): Jos Stead, Katrina Turner (Darwin Convention Centre); Sharon Mitchell (Muk Muk Fine Arts); Marlene Nolan (Territory Discoveries); Pina Sommerville (Darwin Turf Club); Victoria Turnbull (Great Southern Rail); Jill Morris (SKYCITY Darwin).
NT Musters for Meetings with the Market
September 2011
The Northern Territory Convention Bureau (NTCB) will be mustering its
top meeting and event suppliers on an extensive road trip when it launches the inaugural
NT Meetings Muster ‘11.
To be conducted progressively from 17-21 October through Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, NT Meetings Muster ‘11 will reveal the reasons why the NT offers such great opportunities for the staging of conferences, incentives, meetings, exhibitions or product launches. This event replaces the previous NT road-show event known as Conventions on Tour.
DATES & VENUES
Brisbane - Brisbane Powerhouse - 17 October
Canberra - National Gallery of Australia - 18 October
Sydney - The Sun Room at the Ivy - 19 October
Melbourne - Alto Event Space - 20 October
Adelaide - Adelaide Oval Committee Rooms - 21 October
Guests will be invited to discover, connect and be inspired as they meet with suppliers from throughout the NT. The event is open to attendance by Professional Conference Organisers, Destination Management Companies, event planners, in-house meeting organisers, associations and corporate decision makers in each city. All guests attending will have the chance to win some fantastic door prizes plus be entered in the draw to win a trip for two to the NT.
To learn more or register to attend in your city,
click here.
Bamurru Plains and Peter Evans
Peter Evans, celebrity chef, owner of the Hugo’s Group of restaurants, cookbook author and star of Channel Seven’s My Kitchen Rules, will host two Food and Fishing Safaris at Bamurru Plains luxury safari camp in February, 2011.
Located in the midst of a buffalo farming enterprise, Swim Creek Station, the Bamurru property teems with birdlife and a myriad of wildlife that flock to its wetlands, and the lumbering, docile buffalo, who make themselves well at home at the resort. The Mary River, which runs through the property, is the perfect location to snag one of the most prized game fish, the Barramundi.
Over three and a half days, Evans will be heading out with keen anglers to fish the floodplains – with the rare opportunity of fishing from an airboat.
“I love going to the Top End: the fishing and natural wildlife are truly amazing. It really makes you appreciate the very simple idea of fresh is best, sea to plate,” he said.
Both fishing and non-fishing guests are included in Peter Evans’s interactive Fish Cooking Master Class, which covers preparation, cooking techniques and recipes. He’ll host a dinner party using the fresh catch, as well as a cocktail party – recipes included.
Darwin Airport expansion and additional flights
Darwin International Airport and Jetstar Airways have reached an agreement which will see the expansion of the Darwin airport terminal and will assist in the development of Darwin as an aviation hub.
The announcement, made on 11 October, also included news of Jetstar providing additional flights from Darwin to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Denpasar, while Qantas has added a Cityflyer from Melbourne to Darwin. Jetstar has also announced a new Darwin to Manila serivce to start in the near future.
Charles Darwin arrives
Darwin Harbour Cruises has been delivering sunset dinner cruises on the Alfred Nobel and Tumlaren for some time and now add to that offering with the arrival of Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin is a 25 metre catamaran catering for up to 300 guests over three levels, two of which are airconditioned plus an open deck.
The vessell will be available for sole use charters or smaller groups can book a deck to suit. The Captains Deck seats up to 120 guests for dinner, the Bridge Deck takes 60 guests including a dance floor and the Sun Deck is an outdoor area capable of hosting another 80 guests.
Catering is by Sydney chef Neil Pass, who was previously worked on major events at Luna Park.
New restaurant brings a bit of old Italy to Darwin
Italian for beach, ‘il Lido’ is the latest addition to the famous Jimmy Shu stable. It spans three dining spaces and can accommodate 350 guests.
Darwin’s own celebrity chef, Shu opened the doors of his brand new restaurant last week, at the world-class Darwin Waterfront precinct. While Shu is normally associated with Thai, Indian and Nonya cuisine, his new venture focuses on Italian traditions. Shu recruited master chef, Ivo Perrotta to carefully craft il Lido’s authentic Italian menu, which has been paired with Australian and Italian wines by qualified sommelier, Paul Grater.
il Lido is home to Darwin’s first and only salumi bar that displays hand-picked varieties of traditional salami and other impressive ingredients imported directly from Italy, such as luscious Sicilian olives.
“This is about bringing a little bit of old Italy to Darwin’s waterfront,” said Shu, who has gained a reputation as culinary master with his restaurants throughout Australia and Asia.
“il Lido is a place for everyone – families, friends, visitors, business people – to come together and share food and flavours in a different dining experience.”
il Lido is open from 6.30am to 2.00am and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. For more information log onto http://www.illidodarwin.com.au/