CASE STUDIES
Managing a high-stakes travel conference
EVENT
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit 2024
DATES
08.10.2024 – 10.10.2024
LOCATION
Perth / Australia
Background
WTTC’s annual Global Summit is the most influential travel and tourism event on the calendar, and in 2024 industry leaders gathered with key government representatives to continue aligning efforts to support the travel sector and move beyond to a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.
challenge
Hosting such an important event with limitless flow-on potential for the tourism industry was a high-stakes game for Tourism Western Australia, Business Events Perth and Business Events Australia. The event needed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event with attention to detail a key priority, to help cement Perth’s place as a leading global tourism destination.
solutions
Arinex was appointed for specialist services, managing transport, volunteer management, signage, exhibition management, onsite staffing and risk management.
Transport:
An integral piece of the Global Summit and initial touch point for delegates arriving into Perth – Arinex developed a comprehensive transport manifest spanning almost two weeks to cover a variety of arrivals into Perth – WTTC staff and suppliers, delegates, Media and VIPs. Arrivals were greeted by the Arinex team and volunteers stationed across the domestic and international airport terminals, providing a warm welcome and support with directions and information about the Summit. Shuttle buses were utilised for delegate transfers, and VIPs were carefully coordinated with a luxury vehicle hire company. The number of last minute amendments to VIP transfers required more support than initially anticipated, and Arinex brought in an additional specialist team member to support onsite due to the complex management of all of the transport components. Arinex also provided transport support with offsite tours and social events, and for WTTC Members requiring access to vehicles throughout the Summit.
Volunteer management:
We assisted with the appointment and management of 50+ volunteers through a finely tuned process, including expressions of interest, shortlisting, selection, uniform management and onsite training and management.
Signage:
Utilising multiple venues and hotels, wayfinding signage was critical – in addition to proudly representing Western Australia and meeting branding requirements from multiple stakeholders and partners. A comprehensive signage plan mapped was developed with graphics and imagery reflecting the beautiful and dramatic landscapes of WA, whilst colours complemented the various areas of Crown Perth. Arinex engaged a sustainable supplier, Coleman Group, to design print and deliver the signage, exceeding all expectations.
Exhibition management:
Arinex engaged with Perth Expo to manage exhibition logistics and coordinate the delivery and execution onsite for confirmed packages. Arinex coordinated all graphic design and furniture arrangements, in addition to arranging media interview booths for press interviews and photo opportunities. Photo opportunities took place with keynote speakers including former Secretary of State of the United States John Kerry and wildlife warrior Robert Irwin – meaning timing was everything!
Professional Onsite Staffing:
Due to the high profile delegation, Arinex engaged senior team members from across the organisation to perform roles onsite including management of hospitality and information desks, registration staff, management of the VIP/Members Lounge, support with stage production logistics and volunteer / staff coordination.
Risk Management, Health and Safety:
We developed a risk assessment of the Summit adhering to ISO31000 guidelines, in addition to developing health and safety protocols to comply with Australian OHS regulations and venue requirements. This required input from all stakeholders and suppliers to ensure all potential risks were identified and solutions in place to mitigate these, a true collaborative effort.
outcomes
More than 975 registrants attended the Summit, with 11 Arinex staff managing onsite to ensure the 3-day event ran like clockwork.
Transport: Delegates and speakers received a warm welcome to Perth and were smoothly transported to their accommodation. Arinex was able to advise organisers reduce the number of vehicles booked without any impact to hotel transfers, which helped save a large portion of the transfers budget.
Volunteers: A strong volunteer presence ensured smooth operations, with volunteers also enjoying the opportunity to attend sessions outside their shifts. Overstaffing was used as a proactive measure to manage no-shows, maintaining seamless support throughout. Uniforms were supplied by an Aboriginal-owned business, adding a meaningful cultural touch.
Signage: A sustainable signage printer was appointed to produce the onsite signage, reducing carbon emissions for the Summit. The WTTC letters were particularly popular for delegate photo opportunities.
Their work on signage and sponsor booth development, production and installation exceeded expectations, presenting the Global Summit brand in a polished, cohesive way that was impactful for delegates and stakeholders. The team also controlled event transportation and staffing with precision, which contributed to the smooth flow of the event.
Their approach to managing the logistics onsite Summit logistics is to be commended, balancing flexibility with timely delivery. Arinex’s proactive communication and ability to work on a fast paced and ever evolving scenarios allowed our Summit to run smoothly. Any issue that arose, Arinex presented to us with a thorough solution that was easy to implement.
Arinex strongly aligned with the values and goals that Tourism WA and WTTC’s had set out for this event and did everything they could to help us achieve them. I believe their involvement has set a new standard for the Summit moving forward and helped us showcase that Western Australia is a global player in the business events space.”
WTTC Global Summit