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Slide pack for main conference room
This document provides information about an assist travel conference, including a program with exhibitor slots and themes to be discussed. It also gives scenarios of travel mishaps and solutions, including running out of business cards overseas, losing a passport, flights being cancelled due to volcanic eruption, and being stranded due to an air traffic controller strike. Finally, it discusses London & Partners and their services as the official London convention bureau, including venue updates, new hotel developments, and an upcoming InterContinental hotel near The O2 arena.
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Similar to Slide pack for main conference room
Slide pack for main conference room
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- 3. Exhibitors 11.00am – 12pm:6 x 10 minute slots 1.30pm – 2.30pm: 3 x 10 minute slots 2.30pm – 3.30pm” 3 x 10 minute slots
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- 6. Assist Travel Themes •The importance of seamless travel • Travel best practice • Travel technology • Travel trends
- 9. Travel mishap scenarioone My boss visited Asia, and over there business cards are a 'must have' - people swap cards as proof they have been to a meeting, its like a ritual. My boss doesn't really use cards (being 2015 and all...) but I ordered him a box of 150 to take with him. He ran out of cards after three days. People were taking them like they were collectors items...He emailed me to see if i could somehow get some more cards to him for a meeting the next morning...
- 10. Travel mishap answerone I called our next day international courier to see if they could get some cards there on time. The answer was quite simply no... they needed 24 hours to get something to Singapore, not 12 hours. I thought perhaps his hotel might be able to help me. I called the Marriott and asked if they had printing facilities or a business centre in the hotel... THEY DID! I emailed them a PDF copy of the business cards, they had a box of cards printed up within 4 hours and left in his hotel room for him.
- 11. Travel mishap scenariotwo My boss decided to arrange some meetings in our office in France and then spend the weekend skiing. He was due to return on the Sunday to allow me to apply for his Indian visa on the Monday. As he got ready to disembark the plane, he realised that his passport had been thrown away with his breakfast dishes.
- 12. Travel mishap answertwo As he disembarked the plane (escorted by security), he called me, and I immediately emailed him a scanned copy of his passport to help him to get through security. He then took a taxi to the French embassy. I stayed on the phone to him while he was at the embassy, proved his identity using the scanned passport and by vouching for his identity. He was then issued with a temporary passport. Upon returning to the UK, the visa company refused to submit his temporary passport and documents to the Indian Embassy for his visa application, so I had to take a taxi to the emergency centre, asked my boss to meet me there, and he successfully received his visa the day before he was due to travel to India.
- 13. Travel mishap scenariothree A few years ago I had arranged an internal event for over 100 clients and colleagues travelling from all over Europe to our London office for a series of meetings and speeches with our Executive team. Everything was organised, hotels were booked and flights were paid for. Some delegates had arrived early and some were yet to make the trip when a volcano in Iceland decided to erupt causing all flights in Europe to be grounded for a week. My CEO wanted the talks to go ahead and set me the task of making it happen.
- 14. Travel mishap answerthree For the people that had made it to London I tried to extend their hotel rooms as much as possible. For those that had to vacate their hotel I found a serviced apartment provider that could put them up for a few nights. It was in East London but at least they had a roof over their heads until I could rearrange their flights back home. For those that didn't’t make it to London their flights were cancelled and they had to stay put. For the conference I hired a team that could stream the conference live and also provided video conferencing facilities for each of the breakout sessions. It cost a fortune but it meant the event could go ahead. Just virtually.
- 15. Travel mishap scenariofour After a few weeks working in the Geneva office my Executive was due to catch a flight to Barcelona for a week away with his family. Unfortunately the French air traffic controllers also decided to go on strike. My Executive decided to go to the airport and take the chance that his flight would be unaffected by the strike. After many hours of delays his Ryanair flight was finally cancelled leaving him stranded in Geneva without any help from Ryanair. He called me to try to get him a hotel for the night but everywhere was fully booked (he had left it really late). The last train out of Geneva had also left for the evening. He did not want to stay at the airport, he wanted to get to Barcelona a.s.a.p..
- 16. Travel mishap scenariofour Flights and trains were not an option. There were no hotels available even within the distance of a cab ride. There were still night buses taking people into France. He could get a bus from Geneva to Grenoble stay over night in a hotel next to the train station (actually not as bad as it sounds) and then get a train from Grenoble to Montpellier and Montpellier to Barcelona. It took the whole of the following day to get him to Barcelona but he managed to spend most of the week with his family. The air strikes lasted two more days so it was the best option in the end.
- 20. Streamlining your business travelplan In this session Amy will discuss exactly how Skyscanner streamlined business travel across the whole organisation.
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- 24. 454 UK employees 1950flights 1800 hotel nights
- 25. £ 1 200000
- 26. 4 flights 4 hotelnights £2,643 per person
- 27. 35 round tripflights 49 hotel nights £23,500 for him alone
- 28. 40 trips X 4.5 hoursper trip = 24 days spent only on him!!!
- 30. = 96 daysbooking travel
- 31. Request Source Flights Source Hotel Approve Submit Proposal IdentifyBook Report Add to Calendar Create Itinerary Check In
- 32. collaborated reviewed current process identifybottlenecks process requirements
- 33. Context Attachment Outbound Flight Event ReturnFlight Corporate Hotel Preferred Hotels Hotel Policy Office LocationHotels Context
- 34. Context Attachment Outbound Flight Event ReturnFlight Corporate Hotel Preferred Hotels Hotel Policy Office LocationHotels Context Less than 60 seconds Less than 10 taps
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- 37. Edinburgh Quartermile One 15 LauristonPlace Edinburgh EH3 9EN Glasgow 5th floor, 151-155 St Vincent St, Glasgow G2 5NW Singapore No. 08-01&04 & 09- 04 8th floor, Robinson Point, 39 Robinson Rd, Singapore Beijing Level 19, Tower E2, Oriental Plaza, No. 1 East Chang An Avenue, Dong Cheng District, Beijing 100738 Miami 1395 Brickell Ave, Suite 900, Miami, Florida 33131 Barcelona Torre NN, Calle Tarragona, 157, 4a Planta, Barcelona, 08014 Thank you
- 66. LONDON & PARTNERS DEBORAHKELLY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER - UK GETTING THE BEST OUT OF LONDON FOR INBOUND TRAVELLERS ASSIST TRAVEL CONFERENCE
- 67. AGENDA 1. INTRODUCTION TOLONDON & PARTNERS 2. LONDON’S OFFICIAL CONVENTION BUREAU 3. OUR BUSINESS RESOURCES 4. LONDON VENUE UPDATE AND DEVELOPMENTS 5. SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS AND PIPELINE
- 68. WHO WE ARE •Created in April 2011 when three Government agencies merged • Part-funded by a grant from the Mayor and from partnership fees • We work in partnership with organisation across the world to promote London as the best big city on Earth; focusing on maximising opportunities for the capital • London’s official convention bureau London & Partners is the official promotional company for London.
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- 70. HOW WE CANHELP • Politics – helping you navigate the minefield that is London • People – acting as a broker and facilitating introductions • Product – unique product knowledge and database • Offer a free-of-charge venue finding service – assisting from enquiry through to booking stage • Suggestions are impartial and in line with your brief / concept • Able to assist with the development of proposals / bids when you put London forward as the city of choice & support potential business wins • Our Convention Bureau Services Team are London experts
- 71. OUR BUSINESS RESOURCES Onlineresources:- • conventionbureau.london website • Regular e-newsletters • Follow us on twitter: @London_CVB
- 72. 'LOVE THE EVENT& LOVE THE EXPERIENCE'
- 73. THE BRAIN TEST Whichside of your brain is more dominant? The 30-Second Brain Test
- 74. LONDON VENUE UPDATEAND DEVELOPMENTS
- 75. VENUE DEVELOPMENTS • Level42 at The Leadenhall Building • Brewer Street Car Park • Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street • ETC Venues, Marble Arch • The Paperworks • The Vaults • Science Museum • Lumiere London • Re-opening of The Wellcome Collection • The Piano Works • Event spaces at the National Gallery
- 76. VENUES COMING SOON •Museum of Brands • IET London: Savoy Place • The German Gymnasium • InterContinental London – The O2 • Savoy Pier • The Tate Modern Project
- 77. NEW HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS •Hilton London Bankside, 292 bedrooms • CitizenM Hotel Tower Bridge, 370 bedrooms • M by Montcalm Shoreditch London Tech City, 5* property with 269 bedrooms • Leicester House Hotel, boutique property with 17 bedrooms • The Mondrian at Sea Containers, 5* property with 359 bedrooms • Extensive refurbishment of The Lanesborough • The Regent Wing at The Langham • New events space, at the KH Suite at The Lodge Hotel, Putney • Additional 184 bedrooms at the Park Plaza Riverbank
- 78. UPCOMING HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS •InterContinental London – The O2, 453 bedrooms (opening late 2015) • Ganesvoort Hotel Shoreditch, 120 bedrooms (opening late 2015) • The Art’otel Shoreditch, 350 bedrooms (opening late 2015) • Park Plaza Park Royal, 168 bedrooms (opening late 2015) • Four Seasons Trinity Square, 98 bedrooms (opening 2016) • Starboard Hotel, 500 bedrooms (opening 2016) • Nobu Hotel, Shoreditch, 156 bedrooms (opening 2016) • Aloft London Tobacco Dock (opening late July 2017) • Tobacco Dock Hotel (opening late July 2017) • The Hoxton, Southwark, 192 bedrooms (opening 2018) • Peninsula Hotel, Hyde Park Corner (in planning stages, opening date TBC)
- 79. INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON –THE O2 • 453 bedrooms • 3,100 sqm ballroom will accommodate up to 3,000 guests at full capacity and offer pre- function space in excess of 1,500sqm over two floors • Supported by an additional 20 multi-functional meeting rooms • 18th floor Sky Bar boasting an uninterrupted, panoramic view across the water to Canary Wharf and beyond. Situated on the Greenwich Peninsula, the 18-storey hotel provides dramatic riverside views of The O2 and Canary Wharf.
- 80. RESTAURANTS & PRIVATEDINING • Hotel Chantelle • Percy & Founders • Ivy Chelsea Garden • Le Chabanais • Sesame • Duck + Rice • Percy and Founders • The Culpeper Kitchen • Chai Wu, Harrods • Jinjuu • Carousel • The Private Room at The Ivy, re- opened at the end of May
- 81. LATEST BARS &CLUBS • Lights of Soho • South Kensington Club • On The Roof with Vintage Salt, Selfridges • Roofnic • Kansas Smitty's Jazz Bar • Montezum Lounge & Nightclub • Dirty Martini, Clapham • The Botanist, Broadgate • Champagne +Fromage, Greenwich
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- 84. MAJOR CONGRESSES 2015 EVENTNAME NO. OF DELEGATES ECONOMIC BENEFIT GVA EWMA (Wound Management) 13–15 May 2015 3,000 £7.2m £1.1m ERA-EDTA (Renal Dialysis) 28–31 May 2015 12,000 £26.7m £5.2m EuroPerio8 (Dentistry) 3–6 June 2015 5,000 £7.7M £498,000 IEEE (Engineering) 8–12 June 2015 2,000 £4.1m £752,000 ESC (Cardiology) 29 Aug–2 Sept 2015 3,000 £80M £30m IOC/WFO (Orthodontics) 27–30 Sept 2015 9,000 £24m £4.6m HP (Hewlett-Packard) 30 Nov-4 Dec 2015 12,000 £32m £4.7m BOSTON CONSULTING 15-20 Nov 2015 2,000 £3.5m £1.2m TECH CRUNCH Disrupt 4-6 Dec 2015 2,000 £2.6m £700,000
- 85. 2016/17 AND OURPIPELINE EVENT NAME NO. OF DELEGATES ECONOMIC BENEFIT GVA EuroAnaesthesia (anaesthetics) 28–30 May 2016 6,000 £12m £2.3m EULAR (rheumatology) 8-11June 2016 6,000 £32m £8.3m New Scientist Live 22–25th Sept 2016 40,000 £20m £4m Alzheimer’s Society 15–20 July 2017 5,000 £16m £3.1m
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- 87. Assist Conference Friday 26thFebruary 2016 www.assistconference.com Discount code: Assisttravel20
Editor's Notes
- #2 Hello and welcome to the first ever Assist Travel. As you can imagine I am very excited to have you all here and finally get to say hello! Hilton brand new… I am going to be chairing the conference today so I will make sure the day runs smoothly and that you all get a chance to actively participate in the day’s proceedings. Before we get going with the conference I want to run through a few details with you. Assist events are a little different to the usual PA conference and so there are a few instructions to pass on to you all. NEXT SLIDE
- #3 I’m incredibly proud of the content we have put together for you today. I believe all of the sessions are relevant to you and to our industry and I hope that you will learn a lot from our fantastic speakers and panellists. If you have not brought a copy of the programme you can find it on the Assist Travel App. If you have not yet downloaded the app you can still do this on your phone if you have access to you emails. You should have received an email from Meet Hub with a unique code and this will give you access to the app. If you do not have access to your emails the programme is available on screens outside. The app also allows you to make 1.2.1 appointments with our exhibitors. Again you can still make appointments using the app today. If you do not have the app please do go up and speak to the exhibitors directly – they will be available throughout the day to talk to you all. NEXT SLIDE
- #4 We also have a fantastic group of exhibitors who are here to help with all of your business travel requirements. Some of you will have organised 1.2.1 meetings throughout the day and for the rest I do hope you spend time with each exhibitor and learn how they can help your organisation. I have added the 1.2.1 slot time to this slide so you can see when you might be in your meetings rather than in the conference and plan accordingly. I just want to say that In order for you to attend Assist Travel for free several suppliers have paid for the privilege of spending sometime with you. We do ask that you try to have three to five meetings with our suppliers across the day. NEXT SLIDE
- #5 I wanted to just talk you through the structure for today’s event. We have our first session ‘…and then what happened’ together in the main room. Following this you guys have a few options. You can stay in this room for the PA Panel or make your way to the breakout room for Clare’s session on Travel Technology or you can head up to the exhibition lounge for your 1.2.1 meetings and a look at the exhibition. At 11.30 we will repeat the two conference sessions so that you don’t miss out on any content and again you are able to do your 1.2.1 meetings. We will repeat the process again this afternoon for two more sessions before finally coming back together for our afternoon in the main room. We will have people helping guide you around the spaces so don’t worry if that sounds a little confusing right now! Next SLIDE
- #6 I have a few housekeeping instructions for you… Firstly - Wifi – the wifi code is Social media. We want you use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram as much as you can throughout the day. The hashtag is #assisttravel Take as many pictures as you want although if you are taking pictures of me please feel free to use as many filters as possible to make me look slimmer! We also want you to be really involved in the content so if you have a burning question for any of the speakers at the end of their presentations please do raise your hand to ask.
- #7 And finally I want to go in to a little more detail about why I chose to run a business travel event. I know that a day out of the office for assistants is precious and finding the time to attend an event is difficult but as most of us organise business travel for our Executives and our colleagues we have to stay up to date on this area of our role. It is a huge part of our job and yet I don’t think this particular task is well served in terms of training. Which is a shame because it is one task that can go spectacularly wrong and when it does it is quite often out of our control. It is a task that will constantly change with new technology, new trends and better ways of working and lastly PAs are expected to manage complex travel itineraries to places they vary rarely get to go to themselves – making it even more difficult to get right. All of these points are summed up in our 4 key themes which our speakers will refer back to over the course of the day. If this is your first Practically Perfect PA event I hope you enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. I really want you to learn from each other as much as you learn from our speakers and exhibitors so please do make the most of getting to know each other today. We will have lots of networking opportunities starting with the next session. NEXT SLIDE .
- #8 Okay so let’s jump straight into our first session – this is going to be quite an interactive session so I would firstly like you to position yourselves into groups of 10. If you could just move your chairs around so that you can in your groups you can hear each other…. Okay, so as I was saying in my introduction – arranging business travel is a tricky tricky task – a lot can go wrong and it can often be completely out of our control. I want to show you a little video to demonstrate what I mean. NEXT SLIDE
- #9 Now to most people they would laugh and say this is so funny, who would put up with a boss like that! But to some assistants this film is like a documentary! Last week I asked the Practically Perfect PA readers to email me their worst travel nightmares and in your groups I would like you all to work through each example. I would like you to discuss amongst yourselves if this has happened to you, what you would do in this situation and how you would resolve each scenario. I’m going to give you each five minutes before I reveal what the assistant actually did. Okay here is the first scenario NEXT SLIDE
- #10 Read slide 5 minutes
- #18 In to stream sessions PA Panel Session in this room and Travel Technology with Clare Murphy in the breakout room. ACTION Move into breakout room – 1.2.1s??
- #22 Exec PA at Skyscanner, What I want to do today is share with you how the PAs at Skyscanner identify an issue, worked across the business to not only fix the travel process but save time and money, and how you can do this too Travel is the one area that can make the most humble Senior a bit of a diva. It’s complicated, time consuming and frustrating. As a travel company, you’d think that we’d be nailing our own travel, but that wasn’t the case. Our process was complicated, across lots of platforms / tools and was open to human error. Your process will most likely be similar, so I’m sure you’ll all agree when I say that… <click> BOOKING TRAVEL SUCKS…
- #24 Key figure for Skyscanner Travel What does this mean; SkyStats (Skyscanner stats)
- #25 skystats.
- #26 Not including expenses
- #27 Context; Average Joe
- #28 Filip isn’t average. Loves airplane food. And collecting hotel toiletries, evidently. X10
- #31 PA > 1:4 – x4 Filip's = 96 days (including weekends) Change
- #32 Think best case scenario process was convoluted, email ping pong. duplicate data entry waste of time and entry could lead to mistakes.
- #33 PAs, The Travel Administrator and the Corporate Travel Service pain points, what we wanted the process to look like, bottle neck, what third party apps we used to combat issues we wanted our process to be almost automated = centered around the calendar. calendar invite = travel. The process starts at this point. by doing our day job as normal. Show
- #34 shows that you can invite anyone outside the organisation and plan travel for them (interviewees) Shows you auto selecting Filip Picking flights Picking a hotel (from the preferred list) In the background it asks Filip for approval of the trip incase you don’t know if he likes it Performing the booking (either by you or someone in the company with a card) Skyscanner checking the cheapest flights TravelPro showing you Filip’s passport info to make the booking Saves the information for reporting proposes Automatically inputs all of the trip into his calendar so that its ready for him It also gives him all of his travel plans on a mobile app while he travels so he doesn’t have to check all of his confirmations etc.
- #36 24 days a year > 2.5 days a year. only 45 minutes. 84 days back Pas vast amount of invaluable knowledge. spending most of our time doing travel. TravelPro was an invaluable learning experience, we’ve created something really special. We have time back to focus on other projects and initiatives, even just taking that holiday, which is what Filip has suggested I do...I think he’s trying to get rid of me). Joking aside, we identified a problem > collaborated to change = easier process, saved biz money and now we can use our time to develop skills or help our execs more in other areas – better use of time.
- #38 Thank you very much for listening, I’ll be happy to take any questions that you have
- #41 Just to confirm this is the travel itinerary session This afternoon I will be speaking about how assistants can put together the ultimate travel itinerary or in other words how we can get our managers from A to B without any fuss! I will talk you through my travel itinerary template and also give you a few tips on business travel in general. But first I want to dispel a few myths that assistants might have when it comes to business travel. When you think about business travel do you picture glamorous locations, sipping cocktails with clients while the sun sets? NEXT SLIDE
- #42 Or do you think of a buzzing city, with great client entertainment – amazing restaurants, fantastic food and breathtaking views? I think there is a misconception that business travel is a glamorous undertaking. We think travel looks like this, it is exciting and a great opportunity especially when it is free! BUT in reality .... NEXT SLIDE
- #43 Business travel really looks like this ... yes the inside of a very dull office! When our managers travel for business they don’t get to relax, they don’t get to see the sights and they don’t get to work on their tan. It really isn’t like that. Usually they are traveling between airports, hotels and offices and they don’t really see anything of the city. Along with all the usual stresses associated with travel your boss also has to attend meetings and act professionally while: dealing with jetlag thinking about the continuous business activities back in the UK and - you know - also being away from their family Just think - on top of that, - they also have all of the bits of paper and information needed to travel without anything going wrong. This is where you – the lovely assistant - comes in! A fantastic travel itinerary constructed by you will help your boss massively. It will enable them to be organised when you can’t be there to do that for them. Before I talk about the travel itinerary itself I want to take a step back and talk about business travel and why it is so important for assistants to get this task right. NEXT SLIDE
- #44 Business travel is tricky for everyone involved. Our boss actually has to make the trip but we have to organise them remotely and sometimes in completely different timezones. There are so many aspects of a trip that can go wrong - from delays, to cancellations to misplaced booking confirmations and we are not there to support them through any of these problems. We have to plan every aspect of the trip with the hope that our manager can deal with any unexpected problems which - let’s face it – isn’t their strongest suit! There is a reason that most assistants are asked during an interview if they have organised business travel in previous roles – it is a challenging task. Let’s have a look at some different areas that assistants should clarify with their boss before they even start putting a travel itinerary together. NEXT SLIDE
- #45 Firstly Before you start planning the trip make sure that you both have the same expectations. I once received a phone call late at night from an Executive travelling in the States. He asked me to phone his hotel to get a spare toothbrush delivered to his room. He was actually in his room at the time! I was so shocked at his complete incompetence that I actually did phone the reception for him. So before you start booking a trip for your manager check a few things first. For example – Are they mental…? No not really…. Ask if they are expecting you to change the hours you work to coincide with the time difference? Make sure these questions are answered before they leave for their trip so that you are both on the same page. The last thing you want is to get unexpected phone calls in the middle of the night or while you are in a busy restaurant from a manager who is expecting you to answer! The point is that communication between you and your manager really is the key to a smooth business trip. NEXT SLIDE
- #46 I don’t know about you but I have had so many colleagues over the years comment on how easy my job is when my boss is out of the office. They think I sit there with my feet up on the desk, drinking pina coladas and taking the occasional nap. They have absolutely no idea that it is actually harder! At least while my boss is in the office I know where he is – and that he isn’t getting himself into any trouble! It is harder because we now have the task of running the office while our manager is on the road. We have to deal with their emails, their phone calls, their correspondence. We are constantly being asked where they are, what they are doing, who they are seeing and when they will be back. For assistants, we certainly don’t get the chance to relax while they are on business! It goes beyond that though – we also have to make sure everything runs smoothly so that our manager can concentrate on their business overseas. It is so important that we continue to keep distractions at bay and if possible delay any decisions that they have to make until they are back in the office. How do we do this? Well firstly we should have the confidence to deal with any questions that we know the answer to – or any tasks that we can do ourselves. If someone wants to speak to your manager try to delay them until your manager is back in the office or schedule a meeting for them a few days after your manager has returned. Anything that really is urgent should be communicated but try to control how your manager receives the information and there is a very simply way to do this. NEXT SLIDE
- #47 If you do keep in contact with your manger during their trip you should be able to notify them of any urgent matters using a controlled approach so that they are not totally distracted from the reason they are on their business trip. I would definitely recommend assistants keep in contact with their manager every day of the trip. If there is a large time difference write an email that reaches them at say 6pm their time summerising everything that has happened in the office that day. Now a days you can even keep in contact with them while they are on the flight. If there are any problems email your boss to let them know - they may have Wi-Fi access on the flight. You can update any arrangements before they land for example let the car hire company or chauffeur know they will be delayed. I think it is always good just to check in with them and let them know you are still supporting them remotely. NEXT SLIDE
- #48 Here is a good tip – If your manager is travelling to a local office ask another assistant that you know to keep an eye on your manager while they are visiting. I’m not suggesting you ask them to take over assistant duties but do ask that they introduce themselves and just be the friendly face in the office. Obviously offer to do the same for their Exec when they visit your office. Let your manager know that your colleague will be there to help if they can’t get in contact with you directly. NEXT SLIDE
- #49 Okay before we move on I’m aware that I’ve just thrown a whole load of information at you so - what I would like to do is highlight what I think are the three most important things about organizing business travel: Number 1. Communicate with your Executive prior to the trip so that you both have the same expectations 2. Keep distractions at bay – this means try your hardest to keep the office running smoothly while they are away 3. Make them feel like you are supporting them even though you are in different time zones. Now I’d like to spend 5 minutes talking about your preparation prior to putting together the ultimate travel itinerary. To organize a fantastic business trip assistants really do need to know their managers very well. NEXT SLIDE
- #50 You should have a meeting with your manager prior to their business trip and during that meeting you really should ask them a lot of questions. If you have booked many many business trips for your manager it still is probably worth running these types of questions past them every now and again – because quite often trips differ and what they need changes too. (Point 1) I always find out what the purpose of the trip is – because this will determine your whole itinerary. Are they meeting clients? Are they going to be working from a local office? If you only ask one question – this is the one to ask! (Point 2) Secondly – what are their flight and hotel preferences. In regards to the flight I actually came up with 15 questions you could ask your manager, which you can find on my website. – obviously 15 is a few too many to cover in this session so here are my top 5: 1. Do they always carry luggage on to the flight or do they prefer to check it in? If they always check their luggage, you will have to factor extra time at check in and this will impact their journey. 2. Do they have a preferred airline? This could be for a whole host of reasons, preferred food, preferred in flight entertainment, preferred air hostess – it is worth knowing so you can check the cost of that airline first 3. Do they care about the cost of the flight? Slightly controversial I know, but if they answer honestly, a lot of executives put their comfort over the cost of the flight. Perhaps a better way of wording this question is – how much lee way do you have with the company travel policy 4. Do they want to work on the flight? Do they need WiFi? WiFi on flights is a becoming much more common so that means there really will be no downtime for assistants! Just check if WiFI is available when booking the flight. 5. And lastly, Are they a member of any frequent flyer schemes? If not, they should be! But I’ll come on to this later. Don’t forget about the hotel either. Ask them what they prefer in a hotel, if they have a favourite hotel chain this can tell you a lot their general hotel preferences. (Point 3) I always like to get an idea about the pace at which my boss likes to travel, for example - do they want to get there and back asap. Will they take a red eye flight to make that happen? In terms of the pace of the trip itself - think about the time your manager is actually travelling. Do they arrive late or early? Will there be taxis easily available for them to get to the hotel or office? Think about the hotel - do they need to know if your Executive is arriving late or do they need to organise an early check in? I really can’t stress how important it is to speak to your manager and really clearly understand how they want to travel. I’ve found from experience business trips can go wrong with the smallest thing so don’t let it be something like their seat allocation! Once you have all of this information from your executive you can really start to picture how the business trip is going to work. Obviously you are not going to be on the trip with them so if you can get as much information to help you visual every step. Now let’s move on to the actual travel itinerary – the document that is going to pull all of this information together. I want to concentrate on the key components that make up an itinerary. I do think itineraries should change from trip to trip but here are the key components that will be in every one...
- #51 Here are the 4 most important parts of a travel itinerary... we have date and location of travel: I would include the length of the flight and the time differences confirmation details For everything that has been booked as part of the trip. Flights, car hire, hotels. Basically any information that will help if for any reason the company can not find the booking address and phone numbers for every place visited: I had one manager that was notorious for his bad sense of direction and would get lost all the time. It was so important that I included all the addresses of everywhere he was going and if he got lost he had the phone numbers to call for help. Basically in the end I made him promise to always get a cab! contact info the people they are meeting If anything goes wrong or your director is running late they know they the have information on the itinerary and do not need to look at their phone or through old emails Along with these four key components I also include a section that I like to call... NEXT SLIDE
- #52 Firstly - do prepare for the worst. I know, I know this is a fairly negative approach to take but if you have thought of all of the possible outcomes prior to the trip you will be much better prepared to deal with anything that occurs. I had one manager in New York while I was on holiday a few years ago, he had major major problems getting back to London including trying to get from Newark to JFK to catch any flight leaving for the UK as they were mostly delayed or cancelled at Newark. He tried to get in touch with me but I was lying on a beach somewhere. But I had drilled it in to him that the itinerary was there to help when I couldn't - he found all of the information he needed in case of emergency and was able to cope without me on that occasion. So I had included the following: - the out of hours telephone number for the travel agent these travel agents cost a fortune so use them, the travel agent was able to book his flight while he was still making his way to JFK - the telephone number and address for the local embassy my directors have never phoned a local embassy but they have never had a really emergency. If their passport gets stolen or they are in an accident the embassy really can help so well worth noting down - the airline emergency and customer service numbers If your director can’t get in touch with you or the agent they can at least call the airline directly and it stops them flaffing about with the airline website which is usually rubbish. air miles / exec club membership details These are worth their weight in gold if your manager is stuck in an airport. they can wait in the lounge, they will have priority seats and they will probably get home quicker than everyone else. If your boss travels frequently and doesn’t have a membership card I strongly suggest you get them one. NEXT SLIDE
- #53 So now I’m afraid I want you all to talk to each other! If you read my blog you will know that I am quite big on PA networking and I can’t have a group of assistants sitting in here without you at least saying hello to each other! What I would like you to do is spend the next 5 minutes discussing the travel itineraries you use in your roles. I definitely don’t have all the answers and I’m sure there are loads of other assistants in the room that have great examples to share So with the person next to you can you please discuss the following: - Do you use travel itineraries? - Do you use the 4 key components that I mentioned earlier? - If not, what do you leave out? And Is there anything your would add? Also if you have any great business travel related horror stories please feel free to discuss those too! I’m not going to ask you to feedback I just want you to chat and mingle for 5 minutes and I will call you back by waving my hands and shouting so you can all see me! So everyone – headphones off! NEXT SLIDE – ITNERARY COMPONENTS
- #54 Great, I’m sure some of you have come up with things that I also add to travel packs and I will share some examples with you now: NEXT SLIDE
- #55 Now you might think this is over kill but... I once was able to get my director all the way around Korea, all the way around china, and all the way around Japan and then she got lost going from Heathrow to an evening reception. I just assumed she had a sat nav in her car - she didn’t and I got told off! So now I always include maps and directions! Also if they have a number of meetings in the city I do tend to include details on how to get from one meeting to the next so they know how long it takes and the best way to get there (by cab or public transport NEXT SLIDE
- #56 Local tourism is all the rage at the moment. It is all about feeling like a local in a foreign land. In other words knowing the best places to go to and those hidden gems not many visitors know about. If you add a small list of good restaurants in the city your manager is staying in, this information will give them a great chance to show off their local knowledge with clients (even if they don’t have any local knowledge) Also it suggests that your director knows how to treat his clients well If your manager is eating on their own it means they won’t have to wander around looking for somewhere nice to eat. You’ve given then a list of options. Some of you might be wondering how you get that local knowledge - ask your network, ask your colleagues in that country, there are loads of websites and some brilliant blogs that can help – I have added a few hotel and restaurant reviews on Practically Perfect PA so it is worth checking those out too! NEXT SLIDE
- #57 A local weather guide for each of the countries the director is visiting is so helpful. One of my directors travelled from Sydney to Tokyo on the same trip. Sydney was experiencing a heat wave and Tokyo forecasted heavy rain and gusty winds. If I hadn’t of checked that before hand she would of been wearing the most inappropriate of outfits. This is my most critical point, creating the ultimate travel itinerary will mean that your director is prepared before the trip, they are stress free and organised during the trip so that they can concentrate on business and they are happy on their return to the office. In this case, my director was very conscious of what she wore so it was important that she packed the right clothes and a weather guide really helped her with that. NEXT SLIDE
- #58 Now I know most of our directors do not get downtime but when they do it is usually spent in their hotel A list of the hotel amenities are again important for your manager to have prior to the trip so they can plan ahead. Do they need to pack a hair dryer, does the hotel have free wi-fi, can they pack their gym stuff? Now me if I have down time in a hotel I like to sit about in a dress gown and watch rubbish TV but some people including one of my old managers was a real gym fanatic and expected every hotel he was staying to have a really good gym - so I always checked what hotel amenities there were even if I haven’t booked the hotel myself. Once your boss is settled into the hotel send them a reminder email detailing the hotel amenities, include opening hours of the amenities and also the times for breakfast are really helpful. NEXT SLIDE
- #59 Some people get jet lag really bad and some people don’t but you can construct the itinerary in a way that can really help your manager cope with any jet lag they may experience. Firstly try to add a little recovery time once they arrive into their destination, even if they are only able to get to the hotel and freshen up before heading to the office or to their meetings. Think about the time they will be at their best – if they are in the States they may be more awake in the morning than in the early evening so schedule their most important meetings at that time. Once they are back home move all of their meetings to the day after they return. If they do insist on coming into the office ensure they have a very light schedule that day. NEXT SLIDE
- #60 As I said early do check the time your manager is arriving into their destination – if they arrive in the middle of rush hour they will probably be caught in traffic. So just make them aware on the itinerary there may be some delays. Also if they are arriving during the day it may take longer for them to get through customs, particularly in busy airports so do factor this in too. A great tool to help you with this is the airline’s app. They are all free so if your manager travels on one airline frequently it is well worth downloading their app. Most will have details on flight times, on-board entertainment, electronic ticketing and lots of other useful information. Lets have a look at a few more apps that might be useful for you NEXT SLIDE
- #61 There is so much information on travel via the internet and apps and I would really recommend you embrace it. Online city guide apps are great they are packed full of useful information on the city and can be used without wi-fi. Here are a few more of my favorites. Wifi Finder is free and a really useful app for Executives that think WiFi should be added to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. This app locates Wifi hotspots in your area and it works all over the world and gives you directions too! Seat Guru is also free. This is great if your manager is fussy with their airline seat! You can type the airline, the flight number and the date and the app will tell you which is the best seat on the plane. GateGuru is one of my absolute favorite apps. It Is like Trip Advisor but for an airport. It is great if you have time to kill at the airport and want to know where to eat, where the shops are and other services like cash points. If your manager needs to pick up a souvenir for their kids this app will tell them (or you!) where exactly they need to go in the airport. GateGuru can estimate how long you have to wait at a TSA checkpoints and it also provide flight status updates. Packing Pro is £1.99. This app is great for assistants that love writing lists! And to date I haven’t meant one that doesn’t. Pick a template based on the type of trip and then help your manager list everything they need for their business trip. This app will decrease the chance of your manager calling you to source a spare toothbrush in New York while you are in London! XE Currency is free or £1.49 for the pro version. It can convert every world currency while you are on the go. I use the website all the time, not just for planning travel but also for expenses and so it is helpful having the app on my phone. Smart Layover is Free and suggests loads of activities that your manager can do while waiting for a connecting flight, such as day-use hotels and landmarks that are close to the airport. The list is endless and again I have a load more on website if you want to have a look. It is well worth embracing apps as they can be so helpful for your manager and for you too!
- #62 Last buy not least Remember to print off the itinerary and additional documents. I always put the papers in an A5 plastic wallet so they can keep everything together, they can put their passports and room keys etc in there too and it all fits easily into a bag or briefcase. I send a copy to any colleagues that need to know their whereabouts (saves them asking me) and also any of their family that need the information as well. In addition to emailing everything to them as one PDF I suggest you upload the documents to an online management website, either your company system or Dropbox just in case anything gets misplaced they can print it all again from where ever they are. Don’t make additional work for yourself. If your manager is working from another local office and having their meetings there I just ask them to use outlook as I normally would if they were in the UK and I don’t include any meeting details in their itinerary. Have duplicates of everything and keep the paper work together in a file on your desk for easy access. Arrange a catch up meeting once your manager returns to the office so that you can update them on everything while they have been away. NEXT SLIDE
- #63 So in conclusion my final take away for you is that I do think it is worth spending a bit more time on creating the ultimate travel itinerary because: 1. your manager will be well prepared before the trip and they will know what to expect 2. during the trip they will be stress free and able to concentrate on business rather than getting around 3. and finally they will be happy on their return to the office and hopefully they will have bought you something from duty free to say thanks for all your hard work! And ultimately that makes us very happy assistants! I just want to let you know I have a travel itinerary template up on Practically Perfect PA. SLIDE
- #64 Right now, we are going to stop for a refreshment break and we will be back in the main room for our afternoon sessions. Enjoy your break and your 1.2.1 meetings. It is also your final chance to do the speed typing challenge…
- #73 London, the city that redefines convention. A global stage for your event, you’ll come to expect more than a conference, meeting or trade show. In this thriving capital it will be an experience. Make connections, make history, make it happen in London. YouTube link to film:- https://www.youtube.com/user/londonandpartnersCVB
- #74 How do you decide the location for your next event? At London & Partners, we realise it's not just the facts and figures which inform your decision making, but the culture, history and creative features of a destination play a part too. We want to help you unlock your creative and rational side, so you can experience all that London has to offer. Take this test and discover which side of the brain you use – are you more rational or creative? http://conventionbureau.london/braintest
- #76 Level 42 at The Leadenhall Building (main image):- The Leadenhall Building is a brand new sky-scraper which contains the newest event space in the heart of the City that is due to open early September. The venue has breathtaking views of the river and the City skyline. Situated on the 42nd floor of this stunning new building, also known as The Cheesegrater, the space can be accessed by the fastest scenic lifts in Europe and can be reached in just 30 seconds from entry level to Level 42. Brewer Street Car Park:- Brewer Street Car Park has long been recognised as an iconic building in the heart of London but now it's fast becoming Soho's most dynamic creative space - home to a public programme of audio-visual shows, events and installations curated by The Vinyl Factory. From September 2015, it will be home to London Fashion Week. Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street:- The much-anticipated rooftop dining destination at 20 Fenchurch Street opened at the start of the year. Originally scheduled to open summer 2014, the venue will occupies the top three floors of the building, also known as the Walkie Talkie, and will be operated by event caterer Rhubarb. In addition to a landscaped garden, bar, viewing area, two restaurants and café it will boast a private dining room and three event spaces with a total capacity for 540 people including staff. The garden has been installed by the same team behind the Olympic Park’s green spaces with the help of experts from Kew Gardens and, once open, will become the highest rooftop garden in the capital. The Paperworks:- Developed by Corsica Studios and located 5 minutes from Borough Tube Station, The Paperworks is a venue that can accommodate anything from large-scale events, private hires, screenings and cabarets to small intimate gatherings or medium scale parties. The space can take a maximum of 1,000 guests standing for receptions / parties. Science Museum:- The Science Museum is further enhancing its events offer with a new space available for a limited time only. The Wellcome Wing Gallery is available to hire until the end of October 2015 and can be used to host product launches, fashion shows, exhibitions and experiential events. The new conference and events space has capacity for 450 guests standing and is situated in the same section as the IMAX theatre. The two spaces can be used in conjunction with each other offering a separate area for break outs, exhibitions and drinks receptions alongside a main conference or event. Lumiere London:- A unique, versatile Victorian loft space with original features, this blank canvas studio venue is perfect for corporate events, product launches, celebratory dining experiences and fashion shoots. Lumiere's atmospheric screening space, complete with fully-equipped Wifi, audio & visual equipment, flip-charts & Smart plasma TVs, deliver an event ready conference space for up to 120 delegates. Just a five minute walk from Southwark underground station, this unique studio can host various types of events including dinners and parties for 80 – 150 guests. The Piano Works:- Located in the basement of a warehouse in Faringdon, is a ‘blank canvas’ venue, able to accommodate a range of events including parties and business functions. Holding up to 400 delegates for a reception, 180 seated or 80 theatre-style, the Chicago-inspired space is set to specialise in entertainment, with live musicians and a jukebox. In addition the venue is home to a separate private function room, which can accommodate up to 100 delegates standing. Event spaces at the National Gallery:- In the process of opening up their spaces for private hire outside of their corporate membership scheme (some spaces with remain as premium spaces through this scheme). They have even got permission to use the terrace overlooking Trafalgar Square (250 standing reception).
- #77 Museum of Brands:- London's Museum of Brands will move to new larger premises in Lancaster Road this October, doubling its capacity to host events. The museum, which chronicles the history of consumer culture through design, packaging and advertising, has outgrown its current base at Colville Mews in Notting Hill. The museum will be located at the London Lighthouse building, also in Notting Hill, formerly owned by the Terrence Higgins Trust. The new premises will offer a modern conference space with breakout areas available for daytime hire for around 120 delegates, a large high-ceilinged space within the museum for evening hire for approximately 250 guests and its own garden. IET London: Savoy Place:- Two lecture theatres- 451 guests and 187 guests (streaming allowed between the two) Various size break out spaces New room- Heritage Library seating up to 150 dinner Riverside Room capacity up to 330 dinner Amazing roof top terrace connected to the Riverside Room with up to 200 capacity for reception and BBQ The German Gymnasium:- In the autumn of 2015, D&D London will open the German Gymnasium in Kings Cross. The former home to the German Gymnastics Society in London is being redeveloped to create a ground floor 150-cover brasserie and bar with outdoor terraces. There will also be a smaller restaurant and private dining area on a mezzanine level. InterContinental London – The O2:- Dedicated slide and more information coming up Savoy Pier:- The new savoy pier opening early 2016, will be a stunning new venue and home to the Woods’ Silver Fleet. Permission has recently been granted to build the most luxurious and ecological private pier on the River Thames. Against a backdrop of the iconic Savoy Hotel and flanked on either side by Cleopatra’s Needle and Waterloo Bridge, this visionary construction could not be positioned in better company. Guests will be offered a VIP concierge escort from the River Entrance of The Savoy, through the original Savoy Place Garden gates to Savoy Pier – the park being exclusively opened after dusk for the occasion. The Tate Modern Project:- A new development project to the south of the existing building which will transform Tate Modern. This new development will transform Tate Modern. An iconic new building will be added at the south of the existing gallery. It will create more spaces for displaying the collection, performance and installation art and learning, all allowing visitors to engage more deeply with art, as well as creating more social spaces for visitors to unwind and relax in the gallery. Capacities for the new event spaces are to be confirmed in Autumn 2015 and the new building is due to open in the second half of 2016.
- #78 Hilton London Bankside:- The Hilton London Bankside is moments from Tate Modern close to Borough Market, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The hotel will have 292 contemporary rooms and suites, exquisite dining which includes a restaurant with show kitchen and 10 meeting and event rooms. The Grand Ballroom is pillar free and holds 360 guests for dinner or 580 theatre style. With extensive gym facilities and swimming pool the Hilton London Bankside will be the destination for leisure and corporate travellers. CitizenM Tower of London:- Opening soon, the nine storey CitizenM Tower of London hotel will offer 370 bedrooms over eight floors above the exit hall of the Tower Hill London Underground station. A ground floor cafe and gallery, bar, living room spaces and a SocietyM business club on the eighth and ninth levels complete the package. Directly connected to the tube station below, there's step free access routes and lifts to the station platforms from the hotel. Overlooking the world heritage site of the Tower of London, the hotel has the remains of an ancient Roman wall running past it M by Montcalm Shoreditch London Tech City (main image):- Discover a brand new luxury venue in the heart of London. M by Montcalm Shoreditch London Tech City is situated off the ‘Silicon Roundabout’ and offers state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces featuring cutting-edge technology. Iconic architectural design and unparalleled guest experience is complemented by creative catering from Searcys. M by Montcalm is the perfect place to host meetings and special events in the heart of London’s Tech City. Event space for conferences, receptions & dinners (up to 140 guests) 6 private dining rooms ideal for meetings and dining (up to 24 guests) In-built state-of-the-art audio visual equipment Day Delegate Rates from £60.00 + Vat Reception packages from £65.00 + Vat Dinner packages from £79.00 + Vat Private room hire from £150.00 + Vat Leicester House Hotel:- Set in a five-storey Georgian building, Leicester House provides food, drinks, and rooms. Located in the heart of bustling Chinatown, our friendly yet professional staff will provide you traditional hospitality at its best. With 14 guest rooms and 3 suites, Leicester House is your new stop-off when in London and the Hotel is surrounded by the vibrant areas of Chinatown and Soho. The Mondrian at Sea Containers:- Mondrian London at Sea Containers brings a bold new energy to London, blending the style and sophistication of the boutique brand with Southbank's eclectic vibe. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in the famed Sea Containers building, Mondrian London uniquely offers river view balcony suites directly on the Thames. Working with Design Research Studio under the creative direction of renowned British designer Tom Dixon, the hotel captures the essence of the original building, exuding 1920s cruise ship glamour integrated with the modern twists and sophisticated design for which the Mondrian brand is known. The Lanesborough:- Following an extensive renovation project throughout 2014, The Lanesborough reopened its doors in February 2015 as London's finest residence. The designs by world renowned interior designer Alberto Pinto have enhanced all guest rooms and public areas, providing our guests with unrivalled facilities and services. The renovation has honored the building's architectural heritage as one of London's most revered Regency landmarks. The project embodies the signature style that has become synonymous with The Lanesborough, whilst incorporating the latest in contemporary luxury and technological innovations. The Regent Wing at The Langham:- As The Langham celebrates its 150th anniversary, it now unveils The Regent Wing, with newly renovated Grand Executive Rooms and suites aimed at guests who prefer the feeling of a private residence. The Regent Wing evokes the feeling of a boutique hotel, with a new style of comfort that captures the essence of the Regency period. The option of a private apartment occupying an entire floor with up to four bedrooms, a sitting room and kitchen, is perfect for VIP parties. Group bookers may reserve The Regent Wing on an exclusive buy-out basis for the ultimate in privacy. KH Suite at The Lodge Hotel, Putney:- Opening in July, the new KH Suite will be a versatile, 167sqm meetings and events space, with private boardroom and outdoor terrace, capable of hosting up to 200 delegates for a reception. The venue also offers The Library, a smaller space ideal for board meetings or private dining for up to 20 guests. Park Plaza Riverbank:- Construction has started on the extension and reconfiguration of Park Plaza Riverbank London. The room count is expected to increase by an additional 184 rooms, taking the total number of rooms to 645. The extension is expected to be completed in late 2015.
- #79 InterContinental London – The O2:- Full details on next slide. Gansevoort Hotel Group:- The Gansevoort Hotel Group will open its first London property in Shoreditch and will feature 120 bedrooms, restaurant, bar, rooftop pool and lounge, plus 6,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Expected to open towards the end of 2015. The Art’otel Shoreditch:- The first London Art’otel will have 350 bedrooms across 18-storeys when it opens in 2015. It will offer a modern top floor restaurant and bar, spa and a public art gallery with space for video artists and photographic studios. Park Plaza Park Royal:- The 15 million pound Park Plaza Hotel on Western Avenue, Park Royal, in west London, the conversion of a former office building into a 168-room hotel is expected to open in 2015. Occupying a two-acre site opposite Park Royal underground station, the 6,750 square metre hotel offers four star accommodation over six storeys. On the ground floor there's a bar, restaurant, gym and conference facilities while rooms above have been designed and built off site before being stacked together to form the building. Sister hotel Park Plaza Riverbank London is also undergoing construction work with a 98-room extension expected to be completed in 2015. Four Seasons Trinity Square:- Following a meticulous restoration by a team of experts commissioned by Reignwood, the former Port of London Authority building has been redeveloped as part of a vision to establish one of the most exclusive addresses in London. With 98 guestrooms and suites, the site of Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square will also include 41 private residences Starboard Hotel:- The new 18-storey hotel with up to 500 bedrooms will overlook the former London 2012 Athletes’ Village, now known as East Village. It will be directly adjacent to Westfield Stratford City, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Stratford International station, providing hotel guests with a unique retail, leisure, entertainment and workplace destination benefiting from unrivalled access to the City, West End and Canary Wharf. Tobacco Dock Hotel :- Tobacco Dock Hotel will include 242 fully serviced hotel rooms and 63 apartments, a hotel bar, restaurant and cafe facing a publicly accessible piazza. The design features a dramatic six storey entrance atrium and uses materials in keeping with the history of the site - traditional brick detailing, metal windows and terracotta cladding. Interiors also reference the docks' original use as a warehouse for tobacco, wines, wool, and animal skins in the 1800s. The Hoxton, Southwark:- The Hoxton, Southwark will have 192 rooms and a meeting and events space known as The Apartment. It will also feature a rooftop bar and two restaurants. The 14-storey development will be the third London hotel in The Hoxton series and is due to open in 2018.
- #80 The O2, opening Autumn/Winter 2015, including an impressive 3,000sqm pillar-free ballroom that will rival many of Europe’s largest single event spaces. Located at the core of the hotels’ purpose-built conference centre, the 3,100 sqm ballroom with a ceiling height of 7m will accommodate up to 3,000 guests at full capacity and offer pre-function space in excess of 1,500sqm over two floors, attracting large-scale conferences, congresses, exhibitions, banquets and award ceremonies to this vibrant regenerated part of the capital. Designed with flexible sound-proofed breakdown walls to be used in a number of configurations, the ballroom is supported by an additional 20 multi-functional meeting rooms and dedicated entrance to allow for complete privatisation of bespoke events. Situated on the Greenwich Peninsula, the 18-storey hotel provides dramatic riverside views of The O2 and Canary Wharf, visible from floor-to-ceiling glass windows within the pre-function area, mezzanine level meeting rooms and many of its 453 luxurious guestrooms.
- #81 Hotel Chantelle:- Hotel Chantelle launches in London in July 2015. The 100 seat restaurant takes its names from a French World War II safe house whilst the design is inspired by a New York rooftop dining space. London guests will be step off Orchard Street and will be transported to a Parisian garden haven via Manhattan. Inside frosty white glass tiles will adorn the ceiling to create a natural lit sky whilst beneath it will be park benches, lamppost lighting and draping floral greeneries creating an oasis in one of the worlds’ busiest cities. Oh and in true New York style they’ll be live jazz performances during brunch! Percy & Founders:- A relaxed all-day bar and restaurant located on the former site of the old Middlesex Hospital, at the junction of Mortimer and Berners Street. All spaces are available for private hire. A private dining room located on the lower ground floor with space for up to 22 guests is available from July 2015. Ivy Chelsea Garden (main image):- Opened March 2015. After many years of only having one outpost in London, the Ivy is stretching its legs and continuing to expand across London. Only late last year they launched the Ivy Market Grill in Covent Garden and now they're heading west to the King's Road for the very alfresco-y Ivy Chelsea Garden. Le Chabanais:- Opened March 2015. Inaki Aizpitarte, well-known in France for his Paris bistro Le Chateaubriand, will open Le Chabanais on Mount Street in Mayfair in the spring. The Chef is credited to revolutionize Parisian restaurants, with his vagabond cuisine that aims to do away with stiff atmosphere of some Michelin starred dining in favor of cheaper, more relaxed destinations. Sesame:- Designed to replicate the vibrant colours and flavours of a bustling Mediterranean market, Sesame has opened its doors in Covent Garden. The brainchild of Noam Bar, of Ottolenghi fame, it’s a celebration of the dedication and tradition intrinsic to the Middle Eastern food that Noam knew as a child growing up in Israel. Sesame hopes to make quality food easily accessible, and so you can find it open Monday-Saturday from 7am. Duck + Rice:- Opened April 2015. Alan Yau, founder of Wagamama, Yauatcha and Hakkasan has opened a long awaited Chinese Gastropub in Berwick Street. With an extensive food and drink menu, smaller ‘pub snacks’ are available downstairs, and a formal restaurant with more luxurious offerings is situated upstairs. Percy and Founders:- The latest from the Open House who opened the huge restaurant seating 200 people in the newly revamped Fitzroy Square in Fitzrovia in April. It also has three separate bar areas and serve food with "locally, sustainably sourced and artisan-prepared ingredients and will be run by Diego Cardoso, the former Head Chef of Murano. The Culpeper Kitchen:- The team behind the Princess Alice in Spitalfields have created their latest venture with Sandy Jarvis, former chef at Terriors off Trafalgar Square. The trio, dedicated to transforming buildings for their better enjoyment and relevance have used high windows, distinctive colour choices and a connecting light well to create a chic space that still reflects Spitalfields’ East End roots. The daily changing menu also includes three main courses for sharing in the first floor restaurant, and smaller bar food options on the ground floor. Come summer the roof top will be growing herbs leaves, and vegetables, and the greenhouse dining room will be open as well as five bedrooms. Chai Wu:- New modern Chinese restaurant, Chai Wu, opened on the fifth floor of world-famous luxury department store Harrods at the start of the year. The restaurant concept and interior design will be inspired by the five elements in Chinese philosophy: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. A theatrical charcoal grill providse the main focal point in the centre of the venue, with guests able to sit at the dining bar surrounding the grill for a prime view of the chefs at work.Natural materials such as marble, leather and timber will be used to showcase both traditional and contemporary Chinese design. The restaurant is available to hire out exclusively for events and seats up to 90 guests. Jinjuu:- The venue is available for exclusive hire and is split over two floors; the upstairs serving as a bar area where guests can sample Soju cocktails and Asian beer, and the basement level functioning as the restaurant with an open kitchen grill. The entire space seats up to 85 people and showcase’s Joo's interpretation of Korean food and flavours, including her signature dish of KFC - Korean fried chicken. Carousel:- The stylish three- storey venue is home to a unique and varied programme of food, art and cultural events and located in the heart of Marylebone. Choose from an attractive hospitality package or create your own bespoke experience. The event space is split across three carefully designed, ultra- flexible floors and it can accommodate events of all different shapes and sizes. The Ivy’s Private Room:- Following a five month closure and extensive refurbishment, The Private Room at The Ivy re-opened in late May. The refurbishment will bring a fresh new look to The Private Room, which has been fashioned by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio - showcasing new soft furnishings and exquisite decor, whilst remaining true to The Ivy roots with harlequin stained glass windows and oak panelling. There is space for up to 60 guests, with 32 on one long oval table, or up to 60 guests on six round tables. The whole private room has a capacity of 100 for cocktail and canapé receptions. German Gymnasium:- In the autumn of 2015, D&D London will open the German Gymnasium in Kings Cross. The former home to the German Gymnastics Society in London is being redeveloped to create a ground floor 150-cover brasserie and bar with outdoor terraces. There will also be a smaller restaurant and private dining area on a mezzanine level.
- #82 Lights of Soho (main image):- London’s newest art gallery and member’s lounge opened in late May, and operates as a cultural hub for Soho’s creative community and the global home of creative neon and light art formats. Located on Brewer Street, will offer food and drink, a member’s lounge and an online art shop. Lights of Soho will bring together established and next generation artists as well as a programme of film, fashion and music events for its members. Roofnic:- Launching just in time for summer, Roofnic is a beautiful and scenic garden located on Oxford Street , where city dwellers can enjoy lunch, picnics and the ever present after work drinks. There will be a menu of tasty small plate treats on offer. On The Roof with Vintage Salt:- With a bespoke G&T bar and beach huts and a separate spot for by-the-glass wines to drink in deck chairs, Vintage Salt is an informal turn for the On the Roof series; yearning to recreate a sort of Fifties frivolity atop London’s mighty department store, Selfridges. Kansas Smitty's Jazz Bar:- Kansas Smitty’s, a relaxed jazz bar named after the house band that also founded the bar. Eight types of botanical juleps are served to drink, which are their speciality, and there’s local artisan beers too. Smitty’s have performed at Shoreditch House and the Royal Albert Hall and now in their local, they turn jazz back to a normalized crowd. Montezum Lounge & Nightclub:- The concept of Montezuma is simple, they want to inject the London club scene with a little bit of luxury and glamour and for it to be the ultimate VIP cocktail bar and club. Located in Kensington and open Monday to Thursday as a cocktail lounge and come Friday and Saturday as a club. Dirty Martini, Clapham:- Dirty Martini is expanding its empire with the arrival of their 6th bar, this time they’re heading south of the river (for the first time) to Clapham High Street and taking over the site which was formerly The Loft and just in time for summer. The Botanist, Broadgate:- A new location within the Broadgate Circle development in the City. The new Russell Sage Studio designed space will be split over two levels with a ground floor bar and restaurant and the Soda Room in the basement for late night revelry. On ground there’s a raised dining area, bar and al fresco terrace with central feature bar, botany-inspired flora and fauna artwork and taxidermy display cases. Sit at brass-edged tables with reclaimed café style chairs and mid-century leather armchairs and banquettes with a patchwork of gold, bronze and green leather. Champage + Fromage:- Champagne + Fromage, the French-style bistro and delicatessen from Champagne grower and supplier French Bubbles, is to open on Church Street in Greenwich, London, in June.
- #84 London Technology Week is a week long event which had its inaugural year in 2014, there were over 200 events, 40,000 delegates, 125 different venues. The founding partners are UBM (a FTSE 250 conference/events company), L&P, ExCeL and Tech London Advocates.The flagship event was a UBM show called Internet World (now called Interop) at ExCeL. In 2015 LTW will run from 15 – 21 June, and we are hoping to replicate the success of year 1 and showcase to the world the fantastic things happening in London tech.
- #88 CLOSE CONFERENCE And that ladies and gentlemen brings us to the close of the very first Assist Travel. We already have a date in the diary for next year’s Assist Travel so please do visit the website again to book your free place now. We also have the Assist Conference coming up in February next year and we have a 20% discount code for all the Assist Travel attendees. Thank you all for choosing to be here today. I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did and I hope that you all take what you have learnt back to the office and forward in your career. We now have a drinks reception back in the exhibition lounge so please do stay, enjoy the hotel and have a few glasses of wine Thank you!