Avanti Events merge with MCI-Group

April 1st, 2011

MCI expands its Corporate and DMC offering

Avanti Events and sister company Pharma Events founded 15 years ago by David and Barbara Addison have joined the MCI-Group effective 1 April 2011 adding new strengths and skills in destination management, corporate conferences, incentives, meetings and special events to complement MCI’s existing association conference management business in Australia.

Ray Shaw, Managing Director of MCI Australia (formerly Event Planners) said that it was a perfect fit as it would enable MCI to expand into a range of complementary services offered by MCI in 21 other countries. The addition of David’s industry credibility, enviable track record and Avanti Events core event management team would take MCI to the next step in providing corporate clients access to the world’s largest globally integrated association, communication and event management agency and offer inbound clients access to DMC services throughout Australia.

David Addison will become a Director of MCI responsible for Corporate meetings and events and manage NSW and ACT regions. David was delighted with the merger saying that it allowed him to realise the potential within Avanti Events. “We had earned a great reputation for creative business events and incentives limited by a typical small business scenario unable to generate the critical mass we needed to expand” he said. “The strength of MCI allows us to immediately approach corporate clients, including tier 1 companies, offering them the benefits of a global event company”.

MCI is also recruiting business development and conference and event management staff to cater for a predicted spectacular growth in Sydney.

About MCI www.mci-group.com

MCI are thought-leaders in building community around brands, products and services. They help companies, governments and associations bring people together to create meaningful connections.

MCI commenced in Geneva in 1987 and has grown to become the largest integrated association conference, business meeting and events, DMC, AMC and Incentives Company with more than 1,000 staff in 44 offices in 22 countries.

MCI merged with multi-award winning conference management company Event Planners Australia in 2010. It has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart and plans to complete its national network and roll out a complete set of live event services for government, association and business clients. 

Contacts:

Ray Shaw:                  0419 702 660 ray.shaw@mci-group.com

David Addison:            0414 560 568 david@avantievents.com.au

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Kung Hei Fat Choi 恭喜發財

February 2nd, 2011

Wishing all our clients, suppliers and friends a very prosperous year of the rabbit and celebrations to welcome in the Chinese New Year 2011.

image courtesy of 123rf.com

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Destination Management : Avanti Events : Sydney Australia

January 30th, 2011

A valuable insight into the DMC was published in miceAsia.net in February 2008 www.btp.net.au/102/section.aspx/category/4/catalog/23/page/684

Avanti Events has a DMC status in Sydney exemplified in case studies.

www.avantievents.com.au/incentive_programs.htm and

www.avantievents.com.au/creative_events.htm

We greatly appreciate the experience and know-how of Destination Management Companies when we take guests overseas, the same should be true in Australia. To quote a definition : “a DMC is a specialised company that has a full understanding of the incentive and conference markets; an intimate knowledge of a destination; and is able to organise all aspects of incentive and conference and group travel. The services should be tailor-made to suit the individual needs of each of their clients, and their up-to-date knowledge of the local scene and professional expertise will assist the client in exploiting the resources of the destination in the most effective way.”  DMS 2008.

A DMC’s services should involve not only basic ground arrangements such as transfers, but also special arrangements such as dinners at private homes, private ballet performances, dinners at museums, entry to private golf courses, … to co-ordinate an entire program and make sure that all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

A DMC should be able to offer:
• Local Knowledge • Expertise
• Buying Power • Logistical Arrangements
• Contingency Plans • Site Inspections
• Value for Money • Tailored Programs
• Connections with Venues • Individualised Travel
• Personalised Service • Delivery and Quality Control
• Technical Visits • Flexibility

• and whatever it takes …

Our Avanti Events Vision as a DMC is about a passion for the destination, with an intimate knowledge of,

  • Products, and what works and what doesn’t
  • Infrastructure and logistics comprehension, choice and action
  • The particular nuances of the destination or experience of the moment, that je ne c’est quoi special something

The delivery of services needs to be more than an FIT or group-tour approach but fit the client to the destination, be discerning to their needs and wishes, offer value-add that meets the demographic and ethnicity of the group and most importantly the individual within the group.

A DMC must think outside the square, not be lost as a tour operator with an inbound travel and local transfer focus. The product does not need to be ‘cheap and cheerful’ rather an experiential incentive moment to relish for many years to come.

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NYE 2011

January 10th, 2011

In appreciation and recognition of all the event management colleagues who made New Years Eve 2011 a great success in Sydney and throughout Australia. Happy New Year to our Avanti Events’ clients, suppliers and colleagues. Our thoughts and support are extended to our colleagues and fellow Australians who are effected by the floods in Queensland. We wish them all the very best with the clean-up and hope the waters subside soon to allow them to return home.

We credit HY Ko who posted video of the Sydney NYE Fireworks 2011 on vimeo.com www.vimeo.com/18584778 and personally enjoyed the event at a wonderful vantage point atop St Aloysius’ College Kirribilli in full view of the Sydney Skyline, Opera and Bridge.  

We wish all a very safe, successful and healthy 2011 from Avanti Events.

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Strategic Meetings Management

December 31st, 2010

As part of our third pillar “Business Intelligence – Business Efficiency” we have been working with SMM, identifying opportunities for procurement managers when sourcing event management services. There has been tremendous progress in SMM methodology and technology and we have identified independent suppliers , including www.MeetingsAnalytics.com who are able to enhance the value of Avanti Events product and services. We look forward to working with procurement departments in the New Year to build better Strategic Meetings Management, to save resources and spend. Wishing you all a very good start to the 2011 year ahead from the team at Avanti Events.

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