News in Brief: Tuesday March 18

Strategy and innovation will be the focus at the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) 2014 Leaders Forum which will take place at Lilianfels Blue Mountains on April 8 and 9.
James O’Loghlin, host of ABC show ‘The New Inventors’, and founder of Business Coaching Systems, John Vamos, will lead two business sessions to encourage “new thinking”.
“Over the 36 hours of the event, participants get the chance to step outside their day-to-day pressures and think about new principles around strategy and innovation,” chief executive Joyce DiMascio said.
“The program is an intensive executive coaching-style event, highly interactive and with content that will challenge attendees to relook at their businesses.”
Registrations are now open for the event, priced at $1,300 for the all-inclusive conference package with a further $195 cost for accommodation including breakfast.
For more information, click here.
Stamford Hotels and Resorts has appointed Andrea Werner as group director of sales – MICE.
In her new role, Werner will take responsibility for Stamford’s portfolio of eight hotels across Australia and New Zealand, implementing MICE strategies across all market sectors and working on promotional campaigns.
“Having Andrea join our group is a great asset based on her extensive business network and experience across sales and marketing for consumer, business, corporate and MICE markets,” Stamford chief operating officer Thomas Ong said.
A close collaboration between Accor’s Sydney Olympic Park properties has boosted conference opportunities for the three hotels.
The hotel firm is also working closely with nearby venues such as Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Waterview, ANZ Stadium and Allphones Arena
The variety and flexibility of the venues has enabled the Pullman, Novotel and Ibis Sydney Olympic Park to expand and craft “unique experiences”, according to vice president operations Scott Boyes.
The Novotel Sydney Olympic Park recently hosted a Microsoft residential conference across four days with the 300 delegates accommodated across the Pullman and Novotel hotels.
A new memorandum of understanding will see Dubai offer assistance for the establishment of international non-profit, professional associations and trade bodies in the emirate.
The Dubai Association Centre is a joint initiative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and Dubai World Trade Centre.
It will allow for a formal environment where associations can form a membership-based community or open a regional representative office to conduct business in the UAE and beyond, president & chief executive of Dubai Chamber H.E. Buamim said.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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