ICC Sydney recruits record number to AV Graduate Programme
Event Tech News
CWT expands central payment solution in China
G lobal travel management agency CWT ’ s customers in China can now book , pay , and reconcile travel expenses for flights , hotels , and rail tickets from a central account , which the agency claims will improve travel policy compliance , and save time and effort on expense reconciliation . The new payment solution for China was developed in partnership with corporate payments specialist AirPlus , and is integrated into the myCWT platform . It covers all types of hotel content including CWT business rates and client negotiated rates .
When a traveller books a hotel , their company ’ s payment information is captured at the time of booking to cover the room rate and deposit . The traveller doesn ’ t need to provide a credit card at check-in , make any payment at check-out , or keep track of invoices from their stay to get reimbursed by their company . The company receives a
consolidated monthly statement for all their travellers ’ bookings , with a single , itemised invoice that facilitates easy VAT reclaim and expense management .
“ This new solution will address several major pain-points for our customers ,” said Albert Zhong , general manager , China , CWT ( left ). “ The adoption of corporate credit cards and virtual cards in China is relatively low compared to many other markets around the world . Business travellers here usually first pay for travel expenses out of their own pocket , and then submit tax invoices for all these expenses to get reimbursed . A central payments solution creates a much better experience for travellers .”
CWT says an energy company and a company from the life sciences sector were the first customers to sign up to use central payments for their hotel bookings and says that in the three months since making the switch they have already seen their hotel attachment rates improve by 50 percentage points .
Web Summit ’ s debut in MENA sets records
The world ’ s largest tech event ’ s debut in the Middle East and Africa , Web Summit Qatar 2024 , held over four days at the end of February at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center , hosted 15,453 attendees from 118 countries .
Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani , director of the Government Communications Office ( GCO ) and chairman of the Web Summit Qatar 2024 Organising Committee , said : “ The huge turnout we have recorded for a first-year edition showcases our country ’ s capacity to further its role as a leading destination for technology and innovation in the region .”
The summit was attended by officials from Meta , Google , Microsoft , YouTube , Snapchat and Shell .
ICC Sydney recruits record number to AV Graduate Programme
International Convention Centre Sydney ( ICC Sydney ), managed by ASM Global , has activated its Audio Visual ( AV ) Graduate Programme for the fifth time with seven recruits .
ICC Sydney CEO and group director – convention centres , ASM Global ( APAC ), Geoff Donaghy , said the programme provided candidates with a fast-tracked gateway into the dynamic world of events .
“ They gain invaluable experience delivering exciting events to best practice , grow their careers as they are mentored by seasoned AV professionals – while helping us to future proof events of tomorrow ,” Donaghy said .
New recruit Alexia Testa said of her selection : “ The ICC Sydney AV Graduate Programme is one of the best entry-level professional development programmes in the country . I ’ m looking forward to absorbing all the knowledge the team shares with me and grasping opportunities ahead as I work within each discipline of the AV department .” Through the year-long initiative , the graduates can work across AV and production services spanning audio , lighting , vision , rigging , staging and digital event solutions .
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