DATELINE MONDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 2016

Sunny , dry but Chilly good morning greetings from London W10 and welcome to the last few days of November which of course means we are all counting down towards the end of the year. Some will be counting down to a few days off over the end of year BANK HOLIDAY, others will be counting down towards Chanukah but the majority will be looking forward to Christmas yes Christmas, there I have said it Christmas is almost upon us, only 28 more days to go and they will, as ever, pass by with incredible speed. But before Christmas we have a few more things to tick off the list, IBTM in Barcelona, a trip to The Christmas Markets in Frankfurt with Eva and the team from Germanyinsight Frankfurt office is another oh and the third and fourth is the Justin Bieber concert (Leyla’s 14th birthday treat) and seeing Billy Connolly on stage is another. Just the way I like it busy, busy, busy.

DMC News* MM and Company News * Destination News* IBTM BARCELONA 29th November – 1st December 2016 OMG it starts tomorrow

STOP PRESS!! Brad Glenn, Managing Director of The Inside Edge South Africa has told me he will be at IBTM. He does not have a stand but I’m reliably informed by Brad that he knows some excellent restaurants and bars. Brad is coming over specifically to IBTM to meet up with clients and friends, present and past, I know he would like to meet up with you. If you are attending IBTM and you have a lunch time or evening to spare please let me or Brad know on Bradg@ie.co.za

So far the declared DMC runners and riders that MM and Company represent who will be attending IBTM Barcelona are as follows;

+39 Italy – Stand K22 Connections Mauritius – Stand O50 Enjoy Slovakia – Stand D15 please make time to meet our experienced team of DMC professionals based in Slovakia, the latest signing to MM and Company Honeywell Cyprus – Stand B45 Microcosmos Budapest – Stand G20 Nordic Visitor – Stand E10 Quetzal Motivo – Stand M80 Hocine will be attending and discussing what the Central America are offering for incentive groups TA Spain & TA Portugal – Stand B75 Visit Morocco – Stand J80 The J Team – Stand H80 ASK JAMES ABOUT THE GRAND HYATT TOKYO

Hocine of Quetzal Motivo our DMC in Panama, Costa Rica and Central America sooo wants to meet up with you at IBTM he has sent some amazing images to tease you into visiting him on the PANAMA booth M80

Japan James Kent and the team from The J Team together with Sylvia Smith from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts have both told us about an amazing offer that the Grand Hyatt Tokyo has in the conference and incentive market place, Grand Hyatt Tokyo had announced an awesome great value Winter Group Rate;

From: 11th November 2016 – 25th March 2017 (Blocked out dates: 31st December 2016 – 3rd January 2017 and 20th February 2017 – 24th February 2017) Room: Grand Room (42m2/ non smoking) Special Offer: JPY 34,000 (single occupancy/ JPY 37,000 (double occupancy)

The above rates are quoted on per room and per night, including full breakfast and service charge and commissionable. That above rates are exclusive of 8% consumption tax per room and JPY200 nightly accommodation tax per person. Please indicate “Winter Special Group Rate” when making your booking requests. The above rates are applicable only for new group bookings of more than 10 rooms under 30 rooms per day, subject to availability during the specified promotion periods. Check-in time 5.00pm (earlier check-in may be accepted based on availability) Check- out time 12.00 Advanced deposit by bank transfer will be required prior to group’s arrival date

This offer proves that Japan as a conference and incentive destination, is very affordable, not only is it affordable but it’s a very unique destination. Whenever I’m talking to a client about Japan I mention ten words that sum up the destination; Cherry Blossom, Sushi, Bonzai, Saki, Bullet train, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Geisha, Sumo and Samurai enough said!

Miami Clementine Moore of C Florida Hospitality has told us about Faena, probably the most Instagrammed hotel lobby of 2016, thanks to the presence of Damien Hirst’s gilded woolly mammoth skeleton, the Faena is the second project for Argentine hotelier Alan Faena. It’s a much grander affair than his Buenos Aires original, with opulent gold leaf columns and hand-painted botanical murals by artist Juan Gatti at the entrance as well as dramatic interiors designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin in the hotel’s signature teal and crimson palette. No time for a sleepover? Faena also boasts an oceanfront spa, two standout restaurants; Los Fuegos, which serves casual asado-style cuisine, and the more upscale Pao by Paul Qui, as well as a beautiful cabaret space for theatre and live music.

Want something to do in Miami, check out the Wynwood Art Walks, each walk lasts from 60 to 90 minutes and offers a snapshot of Miami’s thriving art scene. For more info contact Clem or us at sales@mm-and-company.co.uk

Leyla and Hannah’s twitter and witter bit of the Monday morning e mail

Last week I managed to get tickets to see Ellie Goulding she was headlining a charity concert at The Royal Albert Hall I took the girls there for their birthday treat as both of them have birthdays around the same time Hannah 12th birthday was on Saturday 26th November and Leyla’s 14th birthday is tomorrow 29th November. This was the girls’ first pop/rock concert not a bad venue for their first concert. Ellie Goulding was terrific she has got quite a good song book so far by the time the encore started Hannah had curled up with her head on my lap her thumb in her mouth and she was sound asleep. How lovely to be able to sleep with all that noise going on.

I am naturally very proud of my daughters, finally Leyla has realised that fighting the school system does not work. OK she does not like Maths therefore the Maths teacher is a servant of Satan serving up Satan’s messages but Leyla has now, well at least for the time being, understood that disrupting the Maths lessons gets her nowhere in fact its gets her somewhere and that destination is “in trouble” Leyla has accepted she has to do what is required and life is a little better for her in double maths on a Tuesday.

Hannah has only been at JFS, her new senior school since September and is loving it. We were told that Hannah has achieved 25 achievement points in SIMS Learning Gateway. Yes these days pupils are called students and students are INCENTIVISED, ( just love that word) to work hard and behave well. Hannah will now be able to ‘cash in’ her hard earned achievement points with the rewards on offer in the JFS Rewards Catalogue, she can be access them via the JFS website under Student Rewards. Eeeeeeeee it weren’t like that it my day. This is a positive achievement and, I know, reflects Hannah’s commitment to her learning across a number of subjects. That’s my girl, I do, do, do, hope it lasts.

Well that’s it you are now up to date enjoy the end of November and the start of December, the last month of 2016.