Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf just got the gig of a lifetime. The Palestinian singer has been roped in to perform at the opening ceremony of the Fifa Congress, usually held as a run up to the football World Cup. The Congress’ opening ceremony this year is to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 10, two days before the grand opening on June 12. With this honour, Assaf, a former wedding singer from a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, will become the first Arab singer to perform at such a global event. Assaf, who has been touring the region following his win of the Arab Idol contest in June last year, will record the song in Dubai with the help of Grammy-winning producer Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, known for his work with Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Read More
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If you are looking for a colorful and entertaining theme for your event, you should consider a Brazilian theme. Brazil has a rich culture in terms of music, dance and wildlife. Let’s look at some entertainment options for a Brazilian-themed event: Dancers Doing “The Samba” If your event is Brazilian-themed, there is no better way to show it than to book Samba Dancers. Samba is the traditional dance of Brazil and is extremely popular. The dancers dress up in colorful attire. Moreover, their energetic dance moves will get your guests in the mood for enjoying their hearts out. Samba dancers are known to dance with such zeal that the guests are compelled to join in. Even the shy ones won’t be able to stay away. Samba Drummers Samba isn’t complete without a troupe of samba drummers. The traditional Brazilian dance is complimented by Bateria or Brazilian Drumming. The drummers can either begin an event with their enthusiastic beats or save the best for last. When you book a Bateria troupe for your event, you can be sure that it will be the centre of attention. Horse Costume The horse costume is also known as the Brazilian carnival […]
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Eighteen months after ESPN trumpeted a global expansion that doubled the number of its events – with first-ever summer X Games in Barcelona, Munich and Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil – the company has ended its international blitz. On Thursday the network announced it was nixing all international X Games events, including the four-year old Winter X Games in Tignes, France, and dropping the suddenly-dead “Global X” plan from six contests to two, with only Aspen and Austin remaining. In May 2012, the network announced a global expansion into three international cities, including its first-ever push into South America’s vibrant action-sports scene. The plan called for infusing cultural highlights into the contests, with music and film components aimed at overhauling the X Games brand. Read more: http://blogs.denverpost.com
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Club Med recently announced the relaunch of Rio das Pedras in Brazil after extensive renovations including upgrades to its convention center and the addition of a new adults-only quiet pool. Located southern Rio de Janeiro, this eco-resort is situated between the Mata Atlântica—one of the world’s most ecologically diverse rainforests—and nearly 2,000 feet of private beach. The transformation of Rio das Pedras includes a $4 million investment to completely renovate the convention center and main restaurant. With a capacity of 790 seats, the main restaurant is strategically located above the reception area and is divided into five thematic seating areas. The convention center, meanwhile, can accommodate 1,000 people. Read More
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The UK’s business travel market is likely to grow by 1.9 per cent this year to around $41 billion before picking up speed in 2014 and 2015, according to the latest forecast from GBTA The association is predicting that global spending on business travel will increase by 5.4 per cent to $1.12 trillion in 2013 compared to last year. The figures are included in its latest BTI Outlook – Annual Global Report & Forecast GBTA said that business travel spending was “stabilising” in 2013 before seeing stronger growth in the following four years with predictions of increases of 8.2 per cent in 2014 followed by 7.6 per cent in 2015, 7.2 per cent in 2016 and 7.1 per cent in 2017. This growth will mostly be driven by the continued economic strength of countries such as China, India and Brazil. For the UK, which saw spending of $40.2 billion in 2012, the association said that corporate travel spending would go up 3.7 per cent next year followed by 8.1 per cent in 2015 and then 7.5 per cent and 7.9 per cent in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Read More
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Here’s how key developing destinations such as China, Brazil, India are changing the landscape of the meetings industry. What constitutes an “emerging market”? By definition, it is a country whose economy is just beginning to grow. But as it pertains to the meetings industry, the term can apply to any of the following: • A destination that is just discovering how meetings, incentives and exhibitions can further boost its economy; • A country with a newly developed infrastructure (e.g., hotels, convention facilities, airports and destination management firms) for hosting events; and • A country that, due to its strong economy, is developing domestic meetings markets and even expanding its group business regionally and overseas. A number of nations have met some or all of these criteria in recent years, including China, India and Brazil, which leading hospitality companies such as Starwood Hotels and Resorts consider some of the fastest-growing hotel markets in the world. And where hotels sprout, meetings are sure to follow. China, for example, was cited as the most popular country in Asia for meetings, according to a fall 2012 research study conducted by Reed Travel Exhibitions, organizers of the annual China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition […]
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La 16e édition du Rio Boat Show, le plus grand salon nautique d’Amérique Latine a attiré près de 43.000 visiteurs du 25 avril au 1er mai derniers. Plus d’une centaine d’exposants, locaux et internationaux, se sont donnés rendez-vous au Rio Boat Show fin avril. Avec des infrastructures de 45.000 m2, le Rio Boat Show peut accueillir plus de 100 unités à flots, qu’elles soient à voile ou à moteur. Plusieurs nouveautés ont été présentées à flots ou à terre à Rio, dont le Schaefer 800 (plus grand yacht construit par Schaefer Yachts, basé Santa, Catarina ndlr), l’Intermarine 55 qui doit ses lignes modernes au BMW Group Designworks USA et le Bavaria Vision 46, primé par le magazine Cruising World. Nouveaux équipements et moteurs ont également été exposés à Rio, dont le 115 ProXS Optimax de Mercury, ou encore le Quatix de Garmin. Les grands chantiers internationaux tels que Bénéteau, Azimut, qui a présenté l’Azimut Grande 100, le plus grand bateau jamais exposé au salon, Bayliner, Sea Ray et Sessa Marine do Brasil, qui lancé le C40 connu sous le nom de C38 en Europe, ont eux aussi répondu présents, aux côtés des chantiers brésiliens Fibrafort, Ventura, Phoenix, Cimitarra et […]
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The data from HRG Brasil, a partner for Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), revealed double digit growth in Brasil, across corporate travel and events during 2012, with continued optimism for 2013 and beyond. Findings from the Brasilian Corporate Travel and Meetings Index, unveiled at HRG’s Second Latin American Forum in São Paulo, showed over 12% year on year growth in terms of corporate travel in 2012, while activity relating to meetings groups and events grew by 39%. The Index, prepared by analysing transactions in Brazil, revealed a number of significant activity spikes during 2012, including a 67% year on year growth in November 2012. Source: http://www.citmagazine.com
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FOOTBALL – Le stade a fêter sa réouverture ce samedi après deux ans et demi de travaux… Le mythique stade Maracana de Rio de Janeiro, le temple du football brésilien, a rouvert samedi dans une ambiance de fête après deux années et demi de travaux, avec un match-exhibition qui a servi de test avant la Coupe des Confédérations en juin et la Coupe du monde l’an prochain. Construit pour la Coupe du monde 1950 remportée par l’Uruguay, au grand dam de tout un peuple, le Maracana a fait l’objet d’une rénovation complète afin d’être prêt pour accueillir quatre matches de la Coupe des Confédérations en juin et sept matches de la Coupe du monde 2014, dont les finales des deux tournois. Samedi à 19h00 locales, des «amis» des anciennes stars Ronaldo et Bebeto, qui ont tous les deux gagné la Coupe du monde avec la Seleçao, se sont affrontés sur la pelouse toute neuve du stade mythique devant 25.000 spectateurs, parmi lesquels 21.000 ouvriers ayant participé aux travaux et leurs familles ainsi que la présidente du Brésil Dilma Rousseff et l’ancien président Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. «Show de bola» Les amis de Ronaldo l’ont finalement emporté […]
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