SOME OF NEW ZEALAND’S leading meeting, incentive and event planners were given a taste of Melbourne recently, leaving with a greater appreciation of the southern city.
STORY BY BRAD FOSTER

The group were in town to attend Destination Marketing Services’ 5th Annual Workshop, which was held at Crown Towers, but they were given a real insight into the host city as well, courtesy of DMS, the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau, and supporting organisations. One of those major supporters was the DMC Managing Australian Destinations (M.A.D.) which created an exciting programme for the delegates’ three-day visit.

The itinerary perfectly showcased what is available to the MICE market in Melbourne, and exemplified the experiences M.A.D. can offer Australia-wide. The experience got off to a wonderful start courtesy of Emirates with participants upgraded to business class for the short flight over. The New Zealand group were thrilled to experience the hospitality of the stunning Park Hyatt and Grand Hyatt who kindly hosted them during their stay.

DMS’s New Zealand guests also sampled the sumptuous local cuisine, dining each evening courtesy of sponsors The Langham Hotel and Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (with catering by Peter Rowland at the Chapter House). The Park Hyatt Melbourne’s Emma Veale said while the property only had a short amount of time with the group they certainly showcased to them the best features of the hotel, particularly the accommodation rooms. “We welcomed them into Melbourne late in the night with inroom treats,” she said.

“The ladies had a Cleopatra milk bath waiting for them, the perfect nightcap. The milk whey has natural exfoliation properties that leave the skin soft, smooth and glowing. The oversized bathtubs in our gorgeous bathrooms are an amazing place to relax, with in-bathroom television providing entertainment and tea light candles for ambience. “The gentlemen were greeted with local Victorian beer on ice, to be enjoyed while reclining on their king bed or designer furniture, enjoying the views of Melbourne’s spectacular skyline and the neighbouring St Patrick’s Cathedral, lit up at night.

“Breakfast was served the next morning in Trilogy Garden. Park Hyatt Melbourne is lucky enough to have outdoor areas perfect for cocktail receptions and al fresco dining. Chef prepared a specially tailored breakfast menu, a lovely example of Hyatt’s award-winning cuisine.”

Following their attendance at the DMS workshop, which involved meetings with the many companies DMS represents around the world, delegates were given an opportunity to kick up their heels in Melbourne, with a little help from M.A.D. The first full morning was spent with an “Amazing Race” activity around the centre of Melbourne co-ordinated by the M.A.D. team.

The 12 participants were split into three teams and given a backpack, a series of clues and a camera. The results were described as “hilarious”, with participants agreeing it was a great way to see some of the hidden delights Melbourne has to offer. Following the Amazing Race the group were transported to the Yarra Valley for a picnic at the Tibbaburra Vineyard and an afternoon of wine tasting.

The weather was picture-perfect (as it was throughout the Melbourne Commonwealth Games). For the evening entertainment the group were hosted at a magnificent “grape gazing” dinner at the Langham Hotel following the workshop sessions, and at The Chapter House in St Paul’s Cathedral on the Saturday evening. Catering at this event was by Peter Rowland, one of Melbourne’s most awarded caterers.

New discoveries
One of the best parts for the group appears to be the fact that they saw and experienced places and attractions they never knew existed before. Team leader of APRevents, Birgit Adam, said the entire famil was great. “The one thing I really liked - and didn’t know existed - was the new AFL Hall of Fame and that whole centre,” she said. “I think that would be great for groups, especially from other countries as they don’t know much about the game. [It] sounds like groups can have a lot of fun there.

“Accommodation in Melbourne is of a very high standard and I was particularly impressed with the new conference floor at the Grand Hyatt - just superb! At present we have no firm groups planning to go to Melbourne, but we would have no hesitation to recommend Melbourne as a destination.” Director of Premium Incentive and Conference Management, Catherine Barwood who also participated in the trip believes Melbourne is a fantastic conference destination for New Zealand companies.

“It is close - only around three hours away, has a number of airlines servicing the route from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and the facilities are great,” she said. “The conference facilities available at the Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt and Langham that we saw were excellent. “It also offers much for partners programmes with the shopping, wine areas, etcetera, etcetera. As for an incentive destination, I would probably only use Melbourne when the incentive is combined with one of the many sporting events that Melbourne hosts.

These make Melbourne easy to sell to potential clients.” Groups and incentives manager at Atlas Travel, Celia Snedden, was equally impressed with what Melbourne has to offer. She said the M.A.D.-run “Amazing Race” was great fun and extremely worthwhile. “I’ve been to Melbourne many times however, this necessitated exploring the city. It made me realise how much I had missed in the past,” she said.

She was also highly complimentary of the DMS workshops. “I found it very worthwhile meeting a number of DMCs we are currently working with and had not met. The sample itineraries and costings the DMCs had on hand were new and innovative and were a good starting point, especially with countries and cities we’ve not visited or done incentives to before.

“The relationship with DMS is vital as we often require them as an intermediary, especially if responses aren’t as forthcoming as required and if, due to cultural differences, the DMC does not fully understand our requirements and our customers. As we have been working with their DMCs for a number of years, DMS understands our clients’ tastes and needs.”