Northstar

News From MICE to millions SINGAPORE – Hilton Worldwide kicks off this month with a new MICE campaign – From MICE to Millions, in Asia Pacifi c, involving more than 90 regional hotels and resorts. Regional bookers who take part in the challenge will stand a chance to win up to 2 million Hilton HHonors points. With a total of 7 million Hilton HHonors points up for grabs, top bookers from Asia Pacifi c who organise meetings on behalf of their companies, will be able to use these points for free nights at Hilton Worldwide's portfolio of hotels or redeem a wide range of productivity tools for themselves or their companies, such as laptop computers, mobile phones and printers from the HHonors global mall. Aimed at recognising and rewarding top bookers, From MICE to Millions provides even more incentives for bookers to hold meetings and events at Hilton Worldwide's portfolio of hotels and resorts across the region. To qualify for the challenge, bookers have to make a booking between August 1 and December 31, 2012, to hold a meeting or event between August 1, 2012 to February 28, 2013 at any of the more than 90 participating hotels and resorts in Hilton Worldwide's portfolio in Asia Pacifi c. At the end of the campaign, the overall top booker in Asia Pacifi c, based on highest cumulative revenue generated throughout the campaign, will be awarded 2 million Hilton HHonors points. In addition to the overall campaign winner, there will also be a regional challenge where the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, China (c) 2012 Hilton Worldwide top bookers from fi ve Asia Pacifi c regions – Australasia; Greater China; South and Southeast Asia; India; Japan, Korea and Micronesia - will be awarded 1 million Hilton HHonors points. Events PATA Youth Forum connects industry leaders and students BANGKOK – The Pacifi c Asia Travel Association (PATA) Education and Training Committee, Taylor's University and Lyceum of the Philippines University will be organising the Manila Youth Forum to offer tourism and hospitality students a unique opportunity to meet and hear from industry leaders as well as visit PATA Travel Mart 2012. The forum will be held at the Lyceum of the Philippines University on September 27, 2012 and at SMX Convention Center in Manila, Philippines from September 25 to 28, as part of PATA Travel Mart 2012. Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO, said Students at the Lyceum of the Philippines University "We are proud to have The Manila Youth Forum as part of PATA's goals to usher in the Next Gen of travel and tourism leaders. This forum is about bringing together today's industry- wide professionals with the tourism and hospitality students of tomorrow to engage, analyse and innovate for the future of the travel and tourism industry." Confi rmed speakers are Mr Martin J Craigs, PATA CEO; Ms Ivy Chee, PATA Regional Director-East Asia; Mr Peter Semone, Chairman, PATA Education and Training Committee; Mr Jens Thraenhart, Dragon Trail Co-Founder and President; Mr Bert Van Walbeek, Founder and Managing Director The Winning Edge; and Dr Perry Hobson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Taylor's University. Events Tokyo is host city for 20th IMS in 2017 TOKYO – Come March 25th, 2017, Tokyo will be the hotspot for international musicians. This is because the city has recently been chose to play host to the 19th International Congress of the International Musicological Society (IMS). This will be the fi rst IMS congress to be held in Asia since the society's establishment back in 1927. As the fi rst Asian city to host the IMS congress, it is anticipated that more than 1,000 participants will travel to Tokyo from all over the world, where they will gather at Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku). In addition to round-tables, keynote and free-paper sessions, concerts will alsotake place at the university's Sogakudo Concert Hall which has the capacity for 1,100 viewers. "Great access from around the world was one of the reasons for Tokyo to be chosen," said Dr Ryuichi Higuchi of Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo (vice-president, IMS) who will serve as chair of the preparatory committee. He also noted that, "Considering that the majority of IMS members are from Europe, if the only consideration were the cost of transportation, it could have been expected that a European city would be chosen to host the next congress. However, even with the extra cost and time considerations factored in, Tokyo proved an attractive prospect as the host city, resulting in a decision by the IMS General Assembly that will see the international congress being held in Asia for the fi rst time in IMS history." Events 3 August 2012

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