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Focusing on Urban Renewal and Industry Transformation Shijingshan Events on CIFTIS 2022 Kicks off

BEIJING, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — From August 31st to September 5th, the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) will be held in Beijing.

Taking this platform, Shijingshan will give full play to the advantages as the host, seize the precious opportunities of the post Winter Olympics era and the “four revivals” of the new Shougang, and focus on creating a new landmark of urban revitalization of “Together for a Shared Future” initiative. With the theme of urban renewal and industry transformation, a series of summit forums, exhibitions, and business networking events will be carried out, integrating commercial resources, natural resources, industrial sites with summit forums, dedicated exhibitions, and various supporting events. Shijingshan will open up to the world and the world will see Shijingshan with a greater view.

Gather Global Intelligence and Exchange Insights on Urban Renewal and Industry Transformation

Urban renewal and industry transformation are the new trends and new priorities for urban development, and an important support for a city to achieve high-quality development.

As the core of the “1+N” summit forum, the 2022 Shijingshan Urban Renewal and Industry Transformation Forum will be held on the afternoon of September 2. With the theme of “Together for a Shared Future”, the forum is cohosted by People’s Government of Shijingshan District and Shougang Group and organized by ADG Expo. Leaders of the government, representatives of foreign embassies in Beijing and international organizations and enterprises, renowned experts and scholars in related fields, and other guest from home and abroad are invited. The forum will focus on topics such as planning and leadership, scientific and technological innovation, green and low carbon, consumption vitality, financial support. By examining these fields, the forum will attempt to interpret the development direction of urban renewal, explore the roadmap for industry transformation, and provide intellectual support for Shijingshan to build a new landmark of the capital revitalization in the new era, and strive to create a new chapter of establishing the west gate of the capital city. During the forum, an online live streaming platform will also be set up to fully upgrade the online and offline integration and create an immersive and fresh experience for the participants.

During CIFTIS, Shijingshan will also hold several parallel forums. The Qiaomengyuan Beijing Forum is jointly hosted by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, Beijing Returned Overseas Chinese Federation, and the People’s Government of Shijingshan District. With the theme of “Overseas Chinese Create a Common Future with Collective Intelligence”, the forum will discuss the strategies and pathways of how overseas Chinese enterprises and innovation can be integrated into the development of the capital city in the new era. The international forum, jointly hosted by Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, People’s Government of Shijingshan District, Beijing Association for Science and Technology, and Beijing NGO Network for International Exchanges, will focus on the development of emerging urban sports industries and urban revitalization with the theme of “Emerging Urban Sports Industry and Urban Revitalization”. The 2022 China International Finance Annual Forum, jointly hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance, the Operation Management Department of People’s Bank of China, Beijing Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau,  Beijing Securities Regulatory Bureau, People’s Government of Shijingshan District, People’s Government of Chaoyang District, and People’s Government of Shunyi District, aims to exchange ideas on open cooperation, green development, and digital transformation in the financial industry around the theme of “An Open, Integrated, and Green Future”. With the theme of “Guard the Economy and Promote the High-quality Development of the Insurance Industry”, the 2022 China Insurance Industry High-Quality Development Forum, co-hosted by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance, Insurance Association of China, and People’s Government of Shijingshan District, will exchange insights on trending topics such as the high-quality development of the insurance industry and insurance industry facilitating social governance. The first China Life Service Industry Development Conference, sponsored by People’s Government of Shijingshan District and hosted by China Chain Store & Franchise Association, with the theme of “Franchising and Digitalization Lighting Up a Better Life”, will unveil a heart-warming business dialogue on the upgrading of the life service industry, China’s economic development, and community services.

Integrate Multi-dimensional Resources and Build a Multi-disciplinary Platform

Shijingshan will give full play to the advantages as the host, integrating commercial resources, natural resources, industrial sites with dedicated exhibitions, and various supporting events to establish a large-scaled platform for exhibitions, exchanges, and cooperation for all parties in a multi-dimensional manner.

In terms of dedicated exhibitions, Shijingshan will demonstrate the all-round regional features and style. “The Promised land, Duo Olympics District in Western Beijing, a New Landmark of Urban Revitalization” cultural and tourism service exhibition will focus on the integrated development of cultural industry and cultural tourism, manifesting the achievements of the district’s transformation and development in recent years and its new image as the landmark of the capital city’s revitalization in the new era. Twelve cultural enterprises, including the Sky Limit Entertainment and Changyou.com (Sohu), will make a presence in the exhibition. The dedicated exhibition of financial and insurance services with the theme of “An Open, Integrated, and Green Future” will focus on the innovation achievements of Shijingshan as the national financial industry pilot zone and the development of Beijing Banking and Insurance Industry Park. China Everbright Bank Credit Card Center, Postal Savings Bank of China Credit Card Center, Huaxia Bank Credit Card Center, Sunshine Consumer Finance, Bob-Cardif Life Insurance Beijing Branch, and Guobao Life Insurance Beijing Branch will participate in the offline exhibition, and more than ten financial institutions will participate in the online exhibition. A special exhibition of sports services with the theme of “Shijingshan – the Duo Olympics District” will showcase the achievements of the Winter Olympics. Seven companies and representative organizations including SWIX, International Ski Federation (Switzerland) Beijing Liaison Office, and Tus Ice and Snow will participate in the exhibition.

Shijingshan will also hold various supporting events during CIFTIS. On the evening of the main forum, themed investment networking sessions will be held, bringing together important guests and business representatives of CIFTIS to closed-door meetings with promotion presentations of industries, parks, projects, and companies. The Shijingshan Reception Room will select representatives of key exhibitors and internationally renowned enterprises to exchange ideas and to network for possible partnerships. The Business Visits will organize visits with different themes, such as overseas Chinese businessmen, cultural tourism, and investment promotion, targeting the key exhibitors. It aims to attract them “walking into Shijingshan” via accurately targeted presentations and investment promotions. “Metaverse” + consumption events will gather the commercial zones in the district to create a “Metaverse” virtual consumption scene with Shijingshan characteristics, such as Shougang “Duo Olympics” themed shopping event, Xishan Yongding River cultural shopping event, etc. It aims to build an integrated consumption ecology and improve the capacity of international consumption.

Shijingshan, the Promised Land in Western Beijing, with a Visionary Plan to the Future

The western part of Beijing shoulders the responsibility of industry transformation and urban revitalization. Driven by the Beijing Winter Olympics, Shijingshan has achieved a magnificent transformation from a traditional heavy industry zone to a green high-end city. Shijingshan has comprehensively promoted urban revitalization, led the overall revival, created a new landmark of urban revitalization of “Together for a Shared Future” initiative, and established the west gate of the capital at a high level.

As early as the end of 2018, the Shijingshan District Committee and the People’s Government of Shijingshan District formulated and issued a high-end and high-quality three-year action plan. Now a “1+3+1” high-end industry system has been established. It is strategically led by the modern financial industry, featured by the cultivation of the technology services industry, the digital innovation industry, and the new generation technology industry, and supported by relevant high-end business service industry.

In addition, the construction of “One Axis and Four Parks” in Shijingshan has been pushed forward with high quality. “Chang’an Golden Axis” has formed a new “Three Cards + Consumer Finance” pattern with the completion of 250,000 square meters industry base in North Xin’an. The planned completion rate of Beijing Banking and Insurance Industry Park exceeds 80%. National Financial IC Card Testing Center, China Banking Insurance Information Data Platform, and other key national financial infrastructures, as well as many subsidiaries of   banking tech companies have settled here, illustrating a “High-end, Green, and Exquisite” image of the park. Zhongguancun Shijingshan Park gathers more than 860 national high-tech enterprises, focusing on cultivating industries such as scientific and technological services, digital creativity, and the new-generation information technology. The construction of the new Shougang Park has been accelerated. Among them, more than 100 entities in the fields of “sports +”, cultural creativity, and artificial intelligence have settled in the southeast area, which has become China’s science fiction industry cluster and Metaverse. The development of the cultural and creative parks is another feature of the district. Beizhong Science and Technology Cultural and Creative Park has been included into the    municipal pilot project of “Old Factories into Cultural Space”; Shougang Park and Langyuan Park have been rated as municipal-level cultural industry parks, becoming one of the must-go spots in the west of Beijing. By 2025, it is expected that the revenue of high-end industries in Shijingshan will reach 345 billion yuan.

Shijingshan, the promised land of western Beijing, is looking forward to your visit. Let’s experience the new landmark of urban revitalization.

SOURCE Asia Digital Group

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According to Carats & Cake’s First B2B Survey, 87 Percent of Event Venues and Vendors are Optimistic About the State of their Industry Coming Out of the Pandemic

According to Carats & Cake’s First B2B Survey, 87 Percent of Event Venues and Vendors are Optimistic About the State of their Industry Coming Out of the Pandemic

NEW YORK–()–Carats & Cake, the financial operating system for the events industry, today announced findings from its first quantitative B2B survey of event venues and vendors. The results revealed that 2022 restored optimism for the events industry and the wedding market is not slowing down heading into 2023. The Carats & Cake B2B Study gathered intelligence from wedding and events industry venues and vendors to better understand the landscape and priorities coming out of the pandemic.

While the pandemic affected the wedding and events industry greatly, the survey results revealed that 87% of respondents are optimistic about the current state of the events industry. In fact, 67% of respondents are fully booked for 2022 and 78.6% are already booking up for 2023, further showing that this year’s wedding boom is not slowing down. 89.9% of respondents did note that they feel helping their customers manage their budgets is somewhat to very important, making flexible payment solutions of great value given rising inflation.

Coming out of the pandemic, consumers are more cautious as they plan for big events with 57.3% of survey respondents revealing that new contract terms around cancellations are becoming common. 79.1% of vendor and venue respondents have not canceled or rescheduled any 2022 weddings pointing to a renewed sense of stability and confidence in moving forward with large scale events.

The results also revealed that:

  • 87.4% of respondents are primarily booking events with over 75 guests
  • 67.3% of respondents are working on weddings with a combination of indoor and outdoor settings
  • 59.9% of respondents feel the wedding market is “very hot” right now
  • 41.2% of respondents added new service offerings in light of the pandemic

“It’s clear that large scale events are back and bigger than ever. In this market, however, consumers are being even more conscientious about how they spend their budgets and venues and vendors are stepping up to ensure they’re part of the solution,” said Jess Conroy, Founder and CEO, Carats & Cake. “Our venue partners and industry vendors are getting heavily booked and are busy years in advance. Our survey results show that couples, while more aware of potential risks and ways to mitigate them, are feeling confident with booking and making their events come to life.”

To access the full results of the Carats & Cake survey, please visit: https://caratsandcake.com/articles/2022-wedding-industry-survey

About Carats & Cake

Carats & Cake is the financial operating system for the events industry. Built by industry leaders, Carats & Cake has cultivated nearly a decade of trust with best-in-class businesses. Founded in 2013 and backed by 1Sharpe Ventures, Acrew Capital, Founders Fund, Moore Specialty Credit, Correlation Ventures, GMO VenturePartners, and others, Carats & Cake delivers purpose-built sales tools and financial solutions to transform the $100B events industry.

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Tourism Malaysia senior director: Music concert events gateway to revive Malaysian tourism industry

Tourism Malaysia senior director: Music concert events gateway to revive Malaysian tourism industry
South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander speaks during a press conference during the launch of his concert trailer at the JW Marriott Hotel, Putrajaya July 19, 2022. — Picture by Devan Manuel

South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander speaks during a press conference during the launch of his concert trailer at the JW Marriott Hotel, Putrajaya July 19, 2022. — Picture by Devan Manuel

Sunday, 24 Jul 2022 5:17 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Music tourism has now become a massive phenomenon around the world and Malaysia is slowly resuming this tourism product to revive the industry as the country moves to the endemic phase.

Downtown of Kuala Lumpur is the hub for many international music concerts this year especially from India, which include famous South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander; Tamil music’s prolific singer, songwriter and composer Yuvanshankar Raja; Indian playback singer Sid Sriram and the sensational singer Pradeep Rangaswamy Kumar.

Tourism Malaysia senior director (Strategic Planning Division) Syed Yahya Othman said entertainment especially concerts are among the elements to promote Malaysia’s tourism after two years hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic since 2020.

“Thus, Tourism Malaysia is supporting all concerts, local and foreign, being held here because the artistes will bring along their followers to Malaysia. So far we have four artistes from India.

“For example, for the upcoming ‘Anirudh’s Once Upon A Time’ music tour, on Sept 17 itself, we will receive three to four charter flights from India and Singapore. We have received concert applications from Indonesian and Korean artistes too,” he told Bernama recently.

Anirudh’s concert will be the first ‘glow in the dark’ concert ever done by an Indian artiste in Malaysia where all attendees will be given programmable LED wristbands designed to create a stunning light show during the event to further enhance the concert experience.

Anirudh said the concert to be held at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil has been themed such, taking inspiration from British rock band Coldplay’s previous performances.

“It is not very viable for Indian concerts but I want to give the Tamil music scene a try and my thanks to Tourism Malaysia and MC Entertainment for helping to make it happen now,” the 31-year-old music composer said.

Meanwhile, the organiser for ‘Naan Pradeep Kumar’ concert, Aakar Foundation’s Trustee Mathavan Muniandy, said around 6,000 tickets were sold for the two-day concert on July 23 and 24 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) Plenary Hall.

He said the response to the concert by the 36-year-old singer had been overwhelming which pushed the organiser to extend the concert for another day as initially it was planned to be a one-day show.

“This concert is to revive the local tourism and also to provide opportunities to people in the local entertainment sector to bounce back after pandemic. Thanks to Tourism Malaysia for supporting, “ he added.

Pradeep’s first step into singing was through the 2010 Tamil movie ‘Enthiran’ in which he sang the tunes of the soundtrack composed by A R Rahman. He also collaborated with music composer Santhosh Narayaan in the movies Attakathi and Pizza in 2013.

On the other hand, Yuvanshankar Raja, the younger son of musician Ilaiyaraaja was delighted with the response to the two-day concert held last weekend (July 16 and 17) at the Axiata Arena and thanked all Malaysian fans.

“I was overwhelmed. #Yuvan25 KL will forever be special.Thank you for the love. You guys are awesome! I love you all,” the composer tweeted in acknowledging the warm response he received from fans during the concert.

It was reported that tickets for veteran Indonesian rock band Dewa concert, which will be held on Sept 9 and 10 at Axiata Arena were also sold out within an hour of release, while Sid Sriram Live in KL 2022 ‘s tickets were sold out for the first day (Aug 20) and after the organiser pushed for a second show (Aug 21) that too was a sell-out.

Tamil veteran music director who has composed over 8,500 songs, Maestro Ilaiyaraaja; Academy Award winning singer AR Rahman and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan are also scheduled to perform in Malaysia this year. — Bernama

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Nextech AR’s Map D Signs Multiple New Deals As Events Industry Accelerates Shift to Web 3.0

Nextech AR's Map D Signs Multiple New Deals As Events Industry Accelerates Shift to Web 3.0

Publishing date:

Jun 28, 2022  •  21 minutes ago  •  6 minute read  •  Join the conversation

  • Sees 70%+ Revenue Growth Rate in 2022
  • Sees Accelerating Sales in New Categories
  • New Web 3.0 Products Expected to Drive Accelerating Sales Growth in Second Half of 2022

TORONTO — Nextech AR Solutions Corp. (“Nextech” or the “Company”) (OTCQB: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: N29), a Metaverse Company and leading provider of augmented reality (“AR”) experience technologies and services is pleased to announce the signing of multiple deals in the events industry by the Map D division of Nextech AR for their self-serve event management software solution. The Map D software platform is experiencing an accelerating rate of growth, up 70% when compared to the first 6 months of 2021, and continues to expand rapidly with sales in new categories, combining integrations with Nextech’s Web3.0 technologies. The integration of these Web3.0 technologies is a game changer for the events industry and has led to a transformation of the Map D platform, accelerating its future revenue growth.

Nextech AR CEO Evan Gappelberg commented, “The Map D platform is transforming and shifting toward Web3.0 and seeing accelerating revenue growth with the integration of Nextech AR’s metaverse suite. By integrating Map D with ARitize Maps, ARitize 3D, and ARitize Holograms, we are able to maximize the potential revenue with each of our clients and offer immersive experiences that transform industries, including real estate, museums, sporting venues and more. He continues, “the Map D platform continues to grow, release new features, sign new clients, and generate accelerating revenue. Our aim is to upsell and cross sell Map D’s existing and new blue-chip clients by offering full end-to-end solutions, which provide engaging and immersive experiences that their customers want. The RC Show use case can be replicated for any event, tradeshow, convention or exhibitor hall across any industry, and incorporate 3D product visualizations, human holograms, augmented reality wayfinding, and more to wow guests and increase conversions, brand awareness, and engagement…which continues to drive strong revenue growth.”

The Company is also testing and seeing early success with a massive breakthrough in scaling the creation of spatial maps for events, and especially augmented reality (AR) wayfinding by using Map D technology for its ARitize Maps product. This technology will allow event show organizers to sell AR wayfinding to exhibitors as well as sponsorship opportunities to sponsors creating yet another source of revenue for Nextech.

Map D has fully embraced Nextech AR’s groundbreaking technologies, ARitize Maps, ARitize 3D and ARitize Holograms, providing the potential to take its events and associations clients into the metaverse with the Company’s spatial mapping, 3D modeling and hologram technology.

The new contracts signed by Map D represent accelerating growth opportunities for Nextech with the potential for spatial mapping, 3D models, holograms and more as they provide the Company dozens of additional clients for upsell and cross-sell opportunities. The ARitize Maps product has an unlimited number of use cases for augmenting physical spaces in the Metaverse, including events, conventions, trade shows, real estate, rental properties, sporting events, and more. With value propositions spanning multiple industries and use cases, this app opens Nextech’s 3D/AR technology solutions to new markets and provides a seamless integration with the events and association clients of Map D. For example, Apartment Associations can use Nextech’s ARitize Map’s wayfinding spatial mapping; Home Builders can show a new home completely in the metaverse in Web 3.0, showcasing not just the home itself, but 3D assets such as furniture and home appliances. The use cases are endless.

Map D Business is gaining sales momentum in multiple categories as seen below in the large number of contracts signed with Apartment Associations, Home Builders and many others. See a breakdown of the 2022 signings in each segment below:

Sampling of New Signed With Apartment Associations Including:

  • Apartment Association of Greater Dallas, Apartment Association of Greater Memphis, Apartment Association of Kansas City, Apartment Association of Metro Denver, Apartment Association of Nebraska, Apartment Association of Orange County, Apartment Association of Southern Colorado, Apartment Association of Tarrant County, Atlanta Apartment Association, Bay Area Apartment Association, Chicagoland Apartment Association, Connecticut Apartment Association, Delaware Apartment Association, First Coast Apartment Association, Houston Apartment Association, Indiana Apartment Association, New Jersey Apartment Association, Pennsylvania Apartment Association, San Antonio Apartment Association, Southeast Florida Apartment Association

Sampling of New Signed Contracts Home Builders Associations including:

  • Florida Home Builders Association, Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders, Greater Peoria HBA, Greenville HBA, HBA of Central New York, HBA of Marion & Polk Counties, HBA of Western Michigan, Hilton Head Area HBA, Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga, Huntsville-Madison HBA, Rochester Area Home Builders, Southern Utah Home Builders Association, Upper Cumberland Home Builders Association

Other Notable Contracts Recently Signed:

About Map D

Map D is a self-serve event management software solution. Map D provides clients with an extensive set of features and tools for managing almost any kind of event you can imagine. Whether someone is looking for an easy way to sell floor plan space or services at trade shows, expos, or festivals or to manage speaker and schedule details during conferences or meetings, Map D does it all and updates in real time to make it easier to communicate with event goers. Map D is a tool that makes an event manager’s job easier by automating or crowd sourcing complicated logistics while simplifying the sales processes and adding new revenue opportunities. Most clients spend 2-4 hours on setting up their event in Map D, then the rest is automated so they can sit back and collect sales, or point event participants to a single web address for all the information they may need. Map D also can provide a companion native mobile app which in the future will double as a AR wayfinding app, for in-person events or serve as a self-contained virtual venue for attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, or anyone else participating in an event.

To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.Nextechar.com.

About Nextech AR

Nextech AR Solutions is the engine accelerating the growth of the Metaverse. Using breakthrough AI, Nextech AR is able to quickly, easily and affordably ARitize (transform) vast quantities and varieties of existing assets at scale making products, people and places ready for interactive 3D use, giving creators at every level all the essential tools they need to build out their digital AR vision in the Metaverse. Our platform agnostic tools allow brands, educators, students, manufacturers, creators, and technologists to create immersive, interactive and the most photo-realistic 3D assets and digital environments, compose AR experiences, and publish them omnichannel. With a full suite of end-to-end AR solutions in 3D Commerce, Education, Events, and Industrial Manufacturing, Nextech AR is in a unique position to meet the needs of the world’s biggest brands and all Metaverse contributors.

Nextech funds the development of its AR and Metaverse growth initiatives through its e-Commerce platforms, which currently generate most of its revenue. Nextech’s e-commerce platforms include: vacuumcleanermarket.com (“VCM”), infinitepetlife.com (“IPL”) and Trulyfesupplements.com (“TruLyfe”). VCM and product sales of residential vacuums, supplies and parts, and small home appliances sold on Amazon. These e-commerce platforms serve as an incubator for developing and testing Nextech’s leading edge AR, AI and machine learning applications for powering next-generation e-commerce technology.

Forward-looking Statements

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute “forward-looking information” under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, “will be” or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “will” occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220628005520/en/

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Contacts

Investor Relations
Lindsay Betts
investor.relations@Nextechar.com
866-ARITIZE (274-8493) Ext 7201

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Big events and staff shortages put strain on Edmonton hotel industry | CBC News

Big events and staff shortages put strain on Edmonton hotel industry | CBC News

A confluence of large events like concerts returning to the city and staffing shortages is putting pressure on the Edmonton hotel industry.

Country singer Garth Brooks brings his latest tour to the city with shows tonight and Saturday. The Edmonton Pride Festival is also hosting a range of events in the city this weekend.

That is presenting staffing challenges for hotels that see low booking numbers during the week, but experience a surge on the weekends. 

“We have to be creative,” Manendra Sharma, general manager of Sandman Signature Edmonton Downtown, said Friday.

“The consistency of business isn’t there and there is a shortage in the workforce, especially in an industry like [hospitality].”

Staff are being trained in multiple roles which allows for them to maintain steady hours, Sharma said, adding that it helps fill different positions during events when occupancy soars.

Dave Kaiser, president of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association, said the industry lost staff due to layoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic and many are not returning.

“We scramble to find people to manage it,” Kaiser said. 

“We’re still in a place where occupancy and rates together aren’t strong enough.”

People with luggage stand near the front of a hotel.
Hotels like the Sandman Signature in downtown need creativity to cope with bookings that ebb and flow, general manager Manendra Sharma says. (Trevor Wilson/CBC)

Travel Alberta data shows that April was the first time hotel occupancy hit 53 per cent since 2019.

The national average is 63 per cent, about seven per cent below 2019 levels, according to a recent Smith Travel Research report. That report showed the lowest occupancy was reported in Edmonton.

A Google search shows that Edmonton hotel rates in most categories are higher than is typical. (Google)

Traci Bednard, chief executive officer of Explore Edmonton, said a lack of international travellers is slowing the recovery.

“They’re the folks that stay the longest and also spend the most most money,” she said. 

Explore Edmonton data shows that internet searches for Alberta and specifically Edmonton are up compared to this time last year.

Bednard believes that is a positive sign that visitors are looking to return. 

“In some ways this is our chance to really get out and experience and enjoy Edmonton … we have more festivals than we do weekends.”

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Glasgow Research & Consulting shares expertise at industry events

Glasgow Research & Consulting shares expertise at industry events

Glasgow Research & Consulting recently showcased its expertise at two industry events for leaders in the automotive and transport & logistics sectors.

At the Truck & Fleet Middle East Conference, Vishal Pandey, a partner at UAE-based Glasgow Research & Consulting, delivered a keynote presentation, sharing industry insights and key takeaways from new research the boutique released in the run-up to the event.

During his keynote, Pandey walked visitors through the current state of the automotive market in the region, and some of the key drivers of growth for the coming years.

Vishal Pandey at Automechanika

The commercial vehicles segment is one area where strong growth is anticipated, with demand in 2026 forecasted to be 30% higher than the current level. “The majority of the demand will be for mid-level and high-end commercial vehicles,” said Pandey during his keynote, earmarking sectors such as construction, trade, and manufacturing as best positioned to lift demand.

Meanwhile, at the Automechanika Sustainability Event, Pandey delivered a presentation and was part of an expert panel that spoke about the future of automotive and the impact of sustainability. Together with the other panelists, Pandey discussed and analysed how the automotive and aftermarket industry is stepping up sustainability efforts both from a business and environmental standpoint.

Key takeaways of the discussion included: Sustainability has risen to the top of the agenda for players in the industry; much attention is going to the development of electrical vehicles and its related infrastructure; sustainability can be achieved only through collaborative efforts of the entire automotive value chain.

Glasgow Research & Consulting is an award-winning strategic research and advisory services firm, with core expertise in market intelligence, market entry and trade development. The firm was founded in 2010, and previously operated as Glasgow Consulting Group.

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Capped venue capacity makes hosting events unviable, says SA conference industry | Fin24

The events industry in Africa is expected to only recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
The events industry in Africa is expected to only recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.


The events industry in Africa is expected to only recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.

  • The current cap of 50% on venue capacity is making it hard to host economically viable events in SA, according to the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry.
  • It means the cost remains the same as it would for a full capacity event, but the organiser may only use half of the venue space.
  • The events industry has, therefore, called on government to use the 50% venue cap only as a guideline and allow local governments to have oversight on the hosting of large events. 

The ongoing 50% cap on venue capacity is making South African events and exhibitions economically unviable, says Glenton de Kock, CEO of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI). 

While it allows for business events and exhibitions such as Meeting Africa, Propack, WTM Africa, the Mama Magic Baby Expo, and most recently the Mining Indaba to take place, venues and attendees are capped due to the restrictions.

“This means the cost remains the same as it would for a full capacity event, but the organiser may only use half of the venue space. Also, attendees are required to produce proof of vaccination, which makes the events industry the only mandated vaccinated economic sector by the South African government,” De Kock told Fin24.

SAACI has urged the government to consider the negative economic and employment impact of keeping this regulation in place and has made proposals on what a more sustainable approach might be.

In SAACI’s view, it may be best to have the regulations as guidelines and allow the events industry, which is already regulated by the Safety at Sports and Recreation Events Act, to self-regulate. The organisation proposes oversight can be placed with local authorities about allowing large business events and exhibitions.

“We need to understand that the events industry is the engine room for powering the recovery of the economy,” says De Kock. “We still need to get a push from the private sector, which has kept their business or incentive meetings to a minimum.”

READ | Room rates, occupancy nearly double as Cape Town tourism bounces back

During a recent briefing to the events industry hosted by Deputy Tourism Minister Fish Mahlalela at the Century City Convention Centre in Cape Town, he said government remained committed to growing the business events industry and is steadfast with its efforts and investment in this regard.

He said the events industry in Africa is expected to only recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.

Both Mahlalela and SA Tourism’s chief convention bureau officer Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo emphasised that key to fully realising the growth of the events industry will be collaborations with various role players in the South African and greater African business events sector.

Data from the latest SA Tourism business events industry performance outlook indicates that the value of the South African business events industry dropped from $6.9 billion in 2019 (therefore, pre-pandemic) to $1.6 billion in 2020. However, projections indicate the value could reach $7.4 billion by 2024 and $10.2 billion by 2028.

In the view of the SANCB, Africa is poised to be one of the fastest-growing business event regions, with Namibia and Ghana set to be the fastest-growing events destinations on the continent between 2021 and 2028.

The incentives component of the events industry is expected to show the fastest growth on the continent. The SANCB believes this presents substantial opportunities for corporate meetings and company incentives.

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Event Management Software Industry Worth $14+ Billion by 2026 | Global Market Research Report, 2022 | Gamification of Events to Engage a Larger Audience – ResearchAndMarkets.com

Event Management Software Industry Worth $14+ Billion by 2026 | Global Market Research Report, 2022 | Gamification of Events to Engage a Larger Audience - ResearchAndMarkets.com

DUBLIN–()–The “Event Management Software Market with COVID-19 Impact, by Component (Software (Event Registration and Ticketing, Content Management) and Services), Deployment Mode, Organization Size, End User and Region – Global Forecast to 2026” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Global Event Management Software Market is forecast to grow from USD 7 billion in 2021 to USD 14.1 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.9% during the forecast period.

Event management software helps organizations keep track of all of their event’s moving parts to help their event run more smoothly. It also facilitates organizations to automate various processes, including sourcing, coordination, event planning, venue management, expense tracking, marketing, and data analysis, throughout the life cycle of their events. This helps enterprises manage these processes from a centralized platform, enabling them to improve their operational processes and increase their marketing leads from events.

By Component, the Services segment to grow at the higher CAGR during the forecast period

By Component, the Services segment is expected to grow at a higher growth rate during the forecast period. Services are necessary for easy deployment, integration, and proper functioning of the software. The services segment has been further segmented into professional services and managed services. Rising pressure on event management service providers to stay competitive in the market leads to improved quality of service being provided to the customers.

By Services, the Professional Services segment to hold the larger market size

The Professional Services segment is expected to hold a larger market size. These services include deployment and integration, consulting, and support and maintenance services. The professional services provide an expert level of deployment, integration, consulting, and support and maintenance services for the proper installation of a specific software either on-premises or over the cloud.

By Deployment Mode, Cloud segment to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The Cloud segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Cloud-based solutions are provided directly through cloud-deployed network connectivity. These solutions help reduce the overall costs while providing highly flexible and scalable access to event management solutions through the IT infrastructure hosted by cloud service providers.

Research Coverage

The Event Management Software Market is segmented by Component, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, End-user, and Region. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been undertaken to provide insights into their business overviews; solutions and services; key strategies; new product launches and product enhancements; partnerships, acquisitions, and mergers; agreements and business expansions; and competitive landscape associated within the Event Management Software Market.

The following key vendors are profiled in the report:

  • Cvent (US)
  • Aventri (US)
  • Eventbrite (US)
  • Ungerboeck (US)
  • Hopin (UK)
  • XING Events (Germany)
  • Bizzabo (US)
  • Certain (US)
  • RainFocus (US)
  • ACTIVE Network (US)
  • Eventzilla (US)
  • Meeting Evolution (US)
  • EventMobi (Canada)
  • Zoho (India)
  • Regpack (US)
  • EventBooking (US)
  • Bitrix24 (US)
  • Arlo (UK)
  • webMOBI (US)
  • Tripleseat (US)
  • Hubilo (US)
  • Circa (US)
  • Hubb (US)
  • Accelevents (US)
  • Glue Up (US)
  • idloom (Belgium)
  • Eventdex (US)
  • Event Temple (Canada)
  • Whova (US)
  • Airmeet (US)

Market Dynamics

  • Drivers

    • COVID-19: A Catalyst to Accelerate the Adoption of Virtual Events
    • Rise in Demand to Manage Large Volumes of Data and Automate Event Management Tasks
    • Compelling Need to Save Time and Money with Real-Time Data Analysis
    • Increase in Demand to Capture Actionable Business Insights from Events
    • Growth in the Use of Social Media for Event Marketing
  • Restraints

    • Difficulty in Integrating Event Management Software with Business Systems
    • High Initial Cost Associated with Event Management Software
  • Opportunities

    • Gamification of Events to Engage a Larger Audience
    • Growth in Inclination Toward Adoption of AI and ML in Event Management
  • Challenges

    • Wide Gap Between Organizers’ Offerings and Attendees’ Needs
    • Lack of Awareness of Event Management Software

Case Study Analysis

  • NEC Corporation Showcasing Proven SaaS Solutions to Customers Through Virtual Events on the Cvent Platform
  • HLB Designed a Virtual Event with Aventri Virtual Event Platform
  • Glassdoor Used Hopin for Its First Fully Virtual Sales Kickoff
  • Acronis Scales Their Hybrid Event Strategy with Bizzabo

Premium Insights

  • Growing Demand for Event Management Software Solutions Would Tackle High Demand from Event Organizers and Planners
  • Software to Account for a Larger Market Share During the Forecast Period
  • The Support and Maintenance Segment to be the Largest Market During the Forecast Period
  • On-Premises Deployment to Account for a Larger Market Share During the Forecast Period
  • Large Enterprise Segment to Account for a Larger Market Share During the Forecast Period
  • Event Organizers and Planners Segment to Account for the Largest Market Share During the Forecast Period
  • Asia-Pacific to Emerge as the Best Market for Investments in the Next Five Years

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lnsgqz

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Key Global Leaders to Discuss Industry Innovations and Energy Transition at the Annual Global Energy Show in Calgary

Key Global Leaders to Discuss Industry Innovations and Energy Transition at the Annual Global Energy Show in Calgary

The Global Energy Show is the largest B2B exhibition and conference in North America showcasing the next generation of leaders from the global energy sector discussing global challenges and developing real-world solutions. At the centre of the event is the Global Energy Conference featuring more than 100 senior, national and international ministerial, and CEO speakers discussing key topics including energy security, challenges of meeting global energy demand, net zero by 2050 targets, and many other important insights into the future of the industry. A panel with female energy leaders from Cenovus Energy, Suncor, Canadian Natural Resources, and Imperial will be held on June 8 and will focus on the Oil Sands Pathway to Net Zero Alliance.

“The Global Energy Show is the only fully-integrated energy event in North America, and we are thrilled to welcome back energy leaders to Calgary,” said Nick Samain, Vice President, dmg events. “Now more than ever, it’s important to showcase Canada’s capabilities in supplying energy to the world including sustainably-produced oil and gas; low-cost hydrogen; renewables including wind, solar, and geothermal; and exciting new technology like Small Modular Reactors (SMR). The Global Energy Show is proud to be facilitating these global discussions and further position Canada as the global supplier of choice for responsibly-produced energy.”

This year’s event is hosted by award winning journalist and media personality Larysa Harapyn from the National Post/Financial Post, and has an unprecedented line-up of exciting speakers including the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; Governor Rick Perry, former Energy Secretary of the US Department of Energy and former Governor of Texas; Greg Grant, President, Natural Gas Pipelines of TC Energy; Nancy Southern, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of ATCO Ltd. and Canadian Utilities Limited; Susannah Pierce, President and Country Chair General Manager, Renewables and Energy Solutions of Shell; Martha Hall Findlay, Chief Climate Officer of Suncor; and many more. A full list of speakers can be found on the Global Energy Show website.

Cenovus, the Canadian-based integrated oil and natural gas producer, is co-hosting the Global Energy Show. Through its membership in the Pathways Alliance, and its own ambitious environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets, Cenvous is committed to a sustainable future for Canadian oil and gas. That includes the company’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050.

“Collaboration and partnership are critical for the oil and gas industry to help meet the world’s growing demand for secure, affordable, and sustainably-produced energy,” says Alex Pourbaix, Cenovus President & Chief Executive Officer. “Industry events like the Global Energy Show provide a great forum to share knowledge and showcase technologies and innovations to address the climate challenges and help reduce our impacts on air, land, and water resources.” Mr. Pourbaix is a featured speaker at the Strategic Conference portion of this year’s event.

The three-day Global Energy Technical Conference will see energy professionals present and discuss the latest technologies and showcase innovations leading the way towards low or zero emission energy systems. This year’s technical conference will feature three new presentations on Hydrogen, Methane Emission Reduction, and Renewables. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet representatives from key international companies from global markets including the Middle East, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. In addition to the conference, the BMO Centre will host over 460,000 square feet of exhibition space for the Global Energy Show, showcasing the greatest solutions to today’s complex issues in the energy value chain.

Hosted on June 8, the Global Energy Show Awards will recognize leaders and innovators who are disrupting and leading the energy sector with their contributions.

For information on participating or to register, visit www.globalenergyshow.com.

About dmg events:

dmg events is a leading organizer of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines. They aim to keep businesses informed and connect them with relevant communities to create vibrant marketplaces and to accelerate their business through face-to-face events.

dmg events organizes more than 80 events across 25 countries, attracting over 425,000 attendees and delegates every year. The company’s portfolio of products includes many industry-leading events in the energy, construction, hospitality and design, coatings and transportation sectors. ADIPEC, Global Energy Show, Gastech, EGYPS, The Hotel Show and INDEX are the company’s flagship events. For more information visit www.dmgevents.com.

SOURCE dmg events

For further information: Global Energy Show Media Contact: Edelman on behalf of Global Energy Show, Sandhya Patel, [email protected], Cell: 587-580-9495; Narmina Rafiyeva, Marketing Director, dmg events, [email protected], Cell: 403-512-1213