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  • Paralympics: Taking inclusion to the summit through social media

    Paralympics: Taking inclusion to the summit through social media

    The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Academy Campus will take place in Rio de Janeiro from 6-17 September 2016. The Social Media Partner of the Inclusion Summit at the IPC Academy Campus is AXSChat, an open online community of individuals dedicated to creating an inclusive world. Here, IPC Academy Campus speaks to AXSChat’s Co-Founder Neil Milliken, about how the community has leveraged social media to grow awareness of inclusivity issues.
    Why did you launch AXSChat?
    “We believe that accessibility is for everyone. Social media has a great power to connect people and we hope to accomplish and encourage in-depth discussions and spread knowledge about the work people are doing to enable greater access and inclusion through whatever means. We believe that AXSChat is a great example of how social media and communication tools allow people to come together and break down silos. We host weekly video interviews and twitter chats with people who are contributing to making the world a more inclusive place through technology or innovating to enable wider participation in society for people with disabilities.

    “We created AXSChat because we wanted to broaden the conversation about ways society can benefit from accessibility and inclusion of persons with impairments. In the beginning, myself and my fellow AXSChat co-founder Antonio Santos reached out to Debra Ruh to propose a partnership to create a weekly chat to help engage all stakeholders in conversations with a goal being to help break down barriers. People often consider accessibility to be a narrow technical issue and we know that it is much wider. Our goal was also to give persons with impairments a bigger voice on social media.
    “Each of the founders has personal stories that connect us to the community of persons with impairments, either physical or learning. Debra has a daughter with Down’s syndrome, parents that acquired physical impairments and two nephews with autism. I am dyslexic and have parents with acquired physical impairments. Meanwhile, Antonio has a wife with fibromyalgia. 

    “Consequently, we are personally connected with the community of persons with impairments and dedicated to raising the profile of talented individuals to ensure that their voices are heard all over the world. 
    “We pride ourselves on the fact that the inclusivity topics that we cover on AXSChat are very diverse, ranging from talks about innovation, employment, ICT accessibility, built barriers, digital divide, different types of impairments, accommodations and adaptions, laws, litigation, trends, media, marketing, politics and empowerment of all persons with impairments.”
    Why did AXSChat want to become the Social Media Partner of the IPC Academy Campus?
    “We know that the Paralympics puts a global focus on the capabilities of persons with physical impairments in a way that no other event can. We believe that participating in the IPC Academy Campus will help kick-start more great conversations that lead to collaborations and partnerships that result in a more inclusive world.”
    What will AXSChat be doing during the Inclusion Summit at the Campus to encourage debate?
    “We will be tweeting the proceedings and asking topic-related questions of the speakers which we will then share with a global audience using the #inclusionsummit hashtag.”
    How important is the subject of inclusivity to the sports industry and indeed other sectors?
    “Inclusivity has always been important, but awareness of its importance is growing. The London 2012 Paralympic Games were a watershed moment in terms of improving and increasing public perception and I hope that the Rio 2016 Games will build on that legacy.”
     
    Do you think people are getting better at embracing inclusivity generally? Is the sports industry better at being inclusive than other industry sectors in your opinion?
    “I think that sport is doing better than the mass media in some respects, there is a significant amount of sporting activity that is designed to be inclusive from grassroots to elite events. There is still work to be done in terms of access to stadia and understanding the widest variety of needs, but the situation is improving.”
    What would be your advice to organisations in any industry looking to improve their inclusivity policies and procedures?
    “Dialogue is important. Talk to customers with impairments and consult widely. Don’t think that accessibility and inclusion is a one-time deal, it’s a journey that we are all travelling on and one where even the most inclusive of us still have much to learn.”
    Neil Milliken is Co-Founder of AXSChat and also Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion at Atos
    About IPC Academy Campus
    The IPC Academy Campus will take place in Rio de Janeiro from 6-17 September 2016, giving stakeholders of major sports events the chance to learn from their peers during the Paralympic Games. Delivered by the IPC Academy – the educational division created in 2009 as a partnership between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) – the 2016 IPC Academy Campus is a unique event-based learning initiative that will include an Observers’ Programme, Games Experience Programme, Inclusion Summit and Closing Cocktail Reception. 
    The IPC Academy Campus’ Event Partners include the Adecco Group and the UK’s Department for International Trade. Its Media Partners are Sportcal (Intelligence Partner), Major Events International (Digest Partner), Around the Rings (Online Partner), Host City (Magazine Partner) and AXS Chat (Social Media Partner).
    For further information about the the IPC Academy Campus, please visit www.ipcacademycampus.com or contact Claire Bennett, Project Coordinator, World Academy of Sport cbennett@worldacademysport.com 
    Tweets can be shared using: #CampusRio2016  and/or #inclusionsummit

  • Alisports and CSM connect with road running’s global growth

    Alisports and CSM connect with road running’s global growth

    Alisports (Alibaba Sports Group) has launched World Online Running Alliance (WORA) to tap into the growing popularity of road running through Apps, associations, events, sponsors and operators. The alliance seeks to unite running fans by integrating these five different elements. 
    According to DaZhong Zhang, CEO of Alisports, WORA is both a ‘trend-setter and game-changer’.
    Alisports has signed a contract with global sport and entertainment agency CSM, who will act as the global strategic partner of WORA. CSM says it will help bring more international events to China and assist WORA in becoming an international road running association.
    Road running is growing in popularity in China. In 2015, 134 marathon and related events were registered with the Chinese Athletic Association, representing a 160 per cent growth on the previous year. 84 per cent of provinces held one or more of these events.
    “It is this unquestioned popularity that Alisports is looking to seize upon through the implementation of WORA,” CSM says.
    100 million running enthusiasts had already signed up in July and WORA’s ambition is to increase this by 50 per cent. Helping achieve this target are the group of members which includes running Apps like Codoon, The Joy Run, Ledongli Hupu Running, Tenmini, Run Again and iHeHa. 
    WORA aims to deliver the most effective platform by attracting sponsors, funding and resources, through which it can provide more technical servers and operators. 
    “All of this helps Alisports deliver on its long-term objective of making sports accessible and enjoyable for all,” says CSM.
    A series of events called ‘WO.RUN’ (‘I Run’) began in July, aiming to integrate online and offline formats. More than 30 WO.RUN events are taking place across China, attended by 30 different Olympic champions including Ruolin Chen, Man Zhong and Liuyang Jiao. 
    Runners are able to log their runs online, either from one of the official events or a run of their own, and by doing so will be rewarded with points. These points will translate into savings on purchases made on Alibaba, which is China’s largest online retailer and the owner of Alisports.
     

  • UK PM announces Yorkshire bid for 2019 UCI Road World Championship

    UK PM announces Yorkshire bid for 2019 UCI Road World Championship

    British Cycling, Welcome to Yorkshire and UK Sport have submitted a bid to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for Yorkshire to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.
    Announcing the bid formally in the Yorkshire Post, Prime Minister Theresa May commented: “Yorkshire’s beauty was brilliantly shown off to the world by cycling events like the Tour de France and the fantastic Tour de Yorkshire, led by Sir Gary Verity.
    “So today I can announce that we have backed a Yorkshire-led bid to bring cycling’s World Road Championships to Britain. This week, British Cycling’s bid to hold the event in Yorkshire was delivered to the sport’s governing body, the UCI.
    “The government will underwrite the event and back it with £24m of investment so that we can get even more people to visit the region. Our backing will include £15 million for cycling infrastructure projects, to encourage even greater participation in the sport and continue the proud legacy that has seen our athletes excel at the Rio Games.”
    Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity added: “It would be an absolute honour to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.
    “Yorkshire has everything a bike race could wish for. We can promise a gruelling but spectacular range of routes, huge crowds and the very warmest of welcomes.
    “Yorkshire is ready to embrace the championships. We’ve turned the county yellow once before, and now we want to see it swathed with those coveted rainbow bands.”
    The bid promises to not only deliver a world class cycle race but also a £15 million package of nationwide investment to further develop cycling facilities, inspiring the nation to get on bikes.
    British Cycling’s president, Bob Howden, said: “The UCI 2019 Road World Championships should find its natural home in Britain and in Yorkshire. Britain has proved that when it gets behind major cycling events, it really does the nation proud. Not only would Yorkshire deliver a cycling event to rival the scenes we saw in 2014 (during the Tour de France Grand Depart), it promises to build on our fantastic legacy of getting more people to discover the joys of life on two wheels.
    “Backed by substantial government investment, our bid promises not only to host the biggest UCI Road World Championships in history, it will secure new facilities across the country to ensure that even more people get to experience British Cycling programmes and opportunities to get on their bikes.
    “This bid represents a chance to set a new standard for an international sporting event. A country-wide investment in facilities ensures the participation legacy is not an add-on but built into the bid from the start and means the benefits will be felt far beyond the host region and for far longer than the eight days of the championships.
    “Working alongside UK Sport and Welcome to Yorkshire, we collectively stand ready to deliver both the event and the lasting legacy that will sit behind it.
    “We have the experience of hosting top class world cycling events, we have the structures in place to support a continued boom in interest in cycling, and we’re more ready than ever to truly show the world how passionate Britain is about one of its favourite sports.”

  • No regrets over hosting Games in Rio despite problems, says IOC President

    No regrets over hosting Games in Rio despite problems, says IOC President

    The light the Olympic Games casts on the host city can be harsh. Anyone who wasn’t already familiar with Rio’s issues with security, economics and the environment now has a much clearer picture. But such global attention is a good thing for the city in the long run, according to the International Olympic Committee.
    “These Games did not take place in a bubble. We chose a city that has its problems, which has a reality with many challenges,” IOC President Thomas Bach told a press conference on 20 August, the penultimate day of the Games.
    “The Rio 2016 Games took place within this context, which was positive as it allowed us to show that sport can help to address problems and bring people together. There are no regrets whatsoever,” he said.
    Bach cited advances in sports, education and urban mobility as great benefits for the future of the city. Rio has a rejuvenated Port Area, a new Olympic Training Centre, a new leisure area in Deodoro, new BRT lines, a subway, a VLT, new roads, more hotels, and a City Operations Centre.
    In recognition of these advances, he awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic Movement, to Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes on 22 August.
    The tourism industry could also continue to benefit from the Games. An estimated 500,000 overseas visitors came to Rio during the Olympic Games, 88 per cent of whom intend to come back to Brazil, according to a survey carried out by the ministry of tourism. To accommodate this influx, the number of hotel rooms has increased from 20,000 to 50,000, according to the Brazilian Hotel Industry Association.
    Speaking at the closing ceremony on 21 August, Bach said: “These Olympic Games are leaving a unique legacy for generations to come. History will talk about a Rio de Janeiro before and a much better Rio de Janeiro after the Olympic Games.”
    However, preparations for the Games took place amid a backdrop of economic and political crisis and the city during Games-time presented a tough environment. The impact of Rio 2016’s budgetary issues is now being felt by the International Paralympic Committee, which is facing the scenario of several national teams not being able participate as a result.
    “Clearly Brazil is in a far different position now to the one that it was in October 2009 when it won the right to stage the Games,” IPC President Sir Philip Craven said on 19 August.
    “The current economic and political climate has made preparations extremely challenging, especially for the Rio 2016 Organising Committee who we have partnered with for the last seven years.
    “This situation is difficult for everyone involved and, on top of bringing in extra revenues and making cuts, we need to sell more tickets.”
    But at the press conference, Bach was optimistic about attendance at the Paralympic Games. “At London 2012, ticket sales began slowly, but later picked up a lot. I hope the same will happen here.”

  • Olympic Channel launches with Toyota and Bridgestone as Founding Partners

    Olympic Channel launches with Toyota and Bridgestone as Founding Partners

    Worldwide Olympic Partner Toyota Motor Corporation and Bridgestone Corporation have this week become the first Founding Partners of the Olympic Channel – the IOC’s a new digital platform that launches on Sunday 21 August following the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
    The Founding Partner agreements have a four-year term extending through to the end of 2020.
    Bridgestone, the world’s largest tyre and rubber company, became the first Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel on Monday, having been a Worldwide TOP Partner since 2014.
    “Bridgestone has demonstrated its support for the Olympic Movement and belief in the Olympic values through its long-term commitment as a Worldwide TOP Partner, and through this new agreement we look forward to working closely with them to bring the Olympic Channel to fans around the world,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
    Toyota signed as a Worldwide TOP Partner in 2015 and the IOC announced company as a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel on Friday.
    “We are delighted that Toyota, our newest Worldwide TOP Partner, will also support the Olympic Channel as a Founding Partner,” said Bach. “We look forward to strengthening our partnership through the Olympic Channel.”
    The Founding Partners will support the development of the Olympic Channel to put content into the hands of fans anytime, anywhere, and on any device, according the IOC.
    Through the relationship, Toyota will receive exclusive advertising opportunities and will work with the Olympic Channel team to co-develop inspiring and exciting content, the IOC said.
    Bridgestone will serve as the presenting partner of the Olympic Channel’s “Against All Odds”, an eight-episode documentary series that demonstrates the very embodiment of the Olympic spirit and follows eight athletes. Each half-hour episode will focus on one athlete, offering a first-person account of a key turning point, and how personal will and determination helped them to overcome adversity and reach their goals. The first episode in the series will premiere on 21 August, when the Olympic Channel launches.
    “This is a very exciting time for Bridgestone as our Worldwide Olympic Partnership marks the first truly global marketing platform in our company’s history, and the Olympic Games Rio 2016 – the first ever in South America – are our first as a Worldwide TOP Partner. It is fitting that we also are the first Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel,” said Masaaki Tsuya, CEO and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation.
    “The Olympic Movement is universal and we continue to reaffirm Bridgestone’s longstanding support for sport and our belief that the core principles of Olympism – and the world’s greatest athletes – should be celebrated every day of the year.”
    As a TOP Partner, Bridgestone is strengthening its commitment to the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Channel mission, outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, to reach audiences around the world, beyond the Olympic Games period, 365 days a year.
    TOP Partner Toyota will support the organisers of future Olympic Games, the IOC and National Olympic Committees and their Olympic teams around the world. In line with Olympic Agenda 2020, with sustainability as one of its key pillars, Toyota will work with the Organising Committees through to 2024 to provide sustainable mobility solutions for the Games to help with safer, more efficient mobility, including intelligent transport systems, urban traffic systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems.
    The partnership will help deliver a mobility legacy in the host cities and countries, the IOC said.
     
    About the Olympic Channel
    The Olympic Channel is a digital-first, multiplatform global Olympic media entity, which aims to broadcast the Olympic Movement and its inherent values all year round, especially in the periods between the Olympic Games.  The primary objectives of the Olympic Channel are to provide a platform for the continuous exposure of Olympic sports and athletes beyond the Olympic Games period and to help create anticipation while providing opportunities to “re-live the experience” after the Games; continuously highlight the relevance of the Olympic Movement’s ideals to the challenges of today’s world; provide a platform for sharing the IOC’s very rich patrimonial assets and archives with the world and create additional value and content for the IOC archives; and engage the young generations around the world using methods that are relevant to them, building understanding, entertainment and education. At launch, the Olympic Channel will be a digital platform, with on-demand content available across the web, mobile, tablet and other connected devices where fans can experience the power of sport and Olympism 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Audiences will also be able to access content and engage through a variety of social media platforms as part of the Olympic Channel network. For more info, please visit olympicchannel.com.

  • More VIP speakers announced for Host City 2016

    More VIP speakers announced for Host City 2016

    Host City 2016 is delighted to announce exciting additions to this year’s speaker line-up.
    In addition to representatives from Glasgow, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Brussels, city leaders that have recently confirmed their participation include: Adriaan Visser, Vice Mayor of Rotterdam and Alderman for Sports, Rotterdam; Ronnie Hansen, General Manager, Experience Economy, City of Odense; and Devorah Blumberg, Head, New Zealand Major Events.
    News and updates on panels and speakers:

    Simon Clegg CBE, Chief Operating Officer, World Expo Dubai 2020 – the world’s biggest non-sports event – is set to attend and speak at Host City 2016.
    Ann Delmiche, Director of Meetings and Events Department, International Association of Public Transport (UITP) will join other leaders on the panel “Business Events and Economic Development”, moderated by Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.
    A panel discussing “How Cities Can Be Secure Hosts” will feature Karen Eyre-White, Chief Executive of the Sports Ground Safety Authority and Patrick Vajda, Sports and Events Consultant for Marsh – the Global Leader in Insurance Broking and Risk Management.
    A discussion dedicated to finding practical ways of “Making Event Infrastructure More Sustainable” will now feature Mark Breitenmoser, Head of Strategy, NUSSLI Group and moderator Daniel Cordey, Chairman, Association of Global Event Suppliers.
    In addition 25+ confirmed VIP speakers have confirmed attendance at Host City 2016. View the full speaker line-up on the Host City website.

    Host City 2016 is an event that you don’t want to miss! Get your pass today to attend the leading meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events in Glasgow on 21-22 November. Register online
    A limited number of speaking opportunities remain. For opportunities please contact Ben Avison on +44 (0) 7876 682072 or ben.avison@hostcity.net
     

  • Belek prepares for the second edition of Gloria Ironman 70.3 Turkey

    Belek prepares for the second edition of Gloria Ironman 70.3 Turkey

    In just less than two months the second Ironman 70.3 starts in Turkey under the patronage of the brand Gloria: On 23rd October 2016 more than 2.500 athletes from over 60 nations are expected to Belek. The second edition of the Gloria Ironman 70.3 Turkey will be held in the memory of Nuri Özalt?n, Özalt?n Holding Chairman and Owner of the Gloria Hotels & Resorts, which sadly passed away a few weeks ago. Start and final is once again in the beautiful premises of the Gloria Hotels & Resorts: While swimming starts at the beach of Gloria Serenity Resort the finish line awaits the athletes at the Gloria Sports Arena, the largest sports facility of the country.
    This race gives 20 qualifying slots for the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. In 2015 the premiere of the Gloria Ironman 70.3.Turkey attracted 1.224 triathletes from over 60 countries, among them 25 percent of women. Thus, Gloria Hotels & Resorts could write a piece of history. More than 1.000 volunteers supported the event on 25th October in all areas. Together with the Gloria-Team more than 5.000 spectators shared the excitement onsite, while whole Turkey could follow the event on CNNTürk live.  
    “This year we dedicate the second edition of Gloria Ironman 70.3 Turkey to our Nuri Özaltin, who sadly passed away a few weeks ago. His contribution to tourism and sports in the country is significant”, says Mutlu Sagsözlü, Head of Sales & Marketing of the Gloria hotel group. “It is clear enough that sports is the best way to connect cultures and we will continue to work on this branch.”
    Again this year Gloria is promoting these four disciplines: “Swim, Bike, Run, and Holiday”. Gloria Hotels & Resorts target athletes, who not only want to train on-site for the triathlon, but also want to enjoy a relaxing holiday with the family after the challenging event. With its Five-Star resorts Gloria provides a wide choice of accommodation: The bed capacity of all four hotels alone (Gloria Sports Arena Hotel, Gloria Golf Resort, Gloria Serenity Resort, and Gloria Verde Resort) amounts to 3.000. Moreover, there are numerous hotels around the premises of Gloria, which have profited from the event last year clear enough.  
    The courses of Gloria Ironman 70.3 Turkey
    The Ironman-Triathlon in Antalya and Belek will once again be challenging: The swim will start at the beautiful sandy beach of the Gloria Serenity Resort with a 1,9k one loop course in the calm and crystal clear water of the Turkish Riviera. From there the bike will be on a 90k one loop course, parallel to the Mediterranean, taking past the Expo 2016-area – this course has been optimized for this year´s event – and ends at the Gloria Serenity Resort. A 21,1k loop run course leads the athletes on two rounds through the picturesque landscape of the 45-hole Gloria golf course and through the streets of Belek centre back to the finishing line at the Gloria Sports Arena. 
    Packages in the Gloria Sports Arena
    The Gloria Sports Arena offers the ideal platform for athletes, who want to prepare for the triathlon. Diverse packages are available for young and old, among them complete packages for top athletes or for targeted individual training. Balance tests, gait analysis, Speedcourt training, ICELAB-units and more can be booked.  
    Gloria Sports Arena – the largest sports facility in Turkey
    It is 105.000 sq. large – the merely two years old Gloria Sports Arena, Europe´s most comprehensive privately financed sports arena, being the largest facility of Turkey for more than 50 sports disciplines. Next to a track and field stadium for 1.600 spectators, it houses an Olympic Aquatic Centre, a sports science and performance center and further indoor and outdoor areas for trainings of all kinds. There is also a sports hotel with 100 rooms, motivating to high performances with their direct view onto the stadium. The Gloria Sports Arena also convinces with its accessibility. The international airport Antalya is only 30 kilometres away and ideally connected from all important airports of the world. With the Gloria Sports Arena the owners Özaltin Holding have started a project, that is said to be a new landmark for the country´s sport tourism. 
    Information and registration: www.ironman.com/turkey70.3
    hotel bookings via www.gloria.com.tr.      

  • UNODC and ICSS launch guide to tackling “crooked practices” in sport

    UNODC and ICSS launch guide to tackling “crooked practices” in sport

    The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (ONODC) and the International Centre for Sports Security (ICSS) have launched a new resource guide to help law enforcement and sports organisations better detect and investigate match-fixing and cases of sports-results manipulation.
    “The joy that sports bring to billions of fans around the world can so easily be marred by crooked practices such as match-fixing,” writes Yuri Fedotov, Executive Director of the UNODC in the foreword to the guide. “The best way to tackle these threats is through a multi stakeholder approach.”
    The Resource Guide on Good Practices in the Investigation of Match-Fixing was launched on Tuesday alongside a meeting of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption, attended by representatives of the 178 States parties to the United Nations Convention against corruption.
    “The problem of match-fixing is such that it undermines integrity in sport with the significant illicit profits it generates allowing organized crime and corruption to thrive,” John Brandolino, UNODC Director for Treaty Affairs said at the launch of the resource guide.
    “In addition, the investigative skills of both law enforcement agencies and sports organizations around the world which are needed to identify and apprehend those responsible, are relatively underdeveloped.
    “The Resource Guide represents UNODC’s and ICSS’s efforts to address this shortage in skill among investigators in both law enforcement and sports organizations and to raise awareness among policy makers about the threat of match-fixing. It serves as an important tool for those seeking to understand the problem and to learn how to effectively investigate it.”
    More than 40 experts contributed to the development of the resource guide, including officials from FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, INTERPOL, the European Commission, Hong Kong Jockey Club, World Snooker, Council of Europe, Ministries of Justice from France and the Republic of Korea, and EUROPOL.
    “This handbook provides a comprehensive range of case studies, investigation techniques and approaches to combat match-fixing as well as providing valuable guidance on how to disrupt the international organized crime syndicates that now operate in sport,” said Mohammed Hanzab, President of ICSS.
    “As the ICSS looks to build on this launch and work alongside the UNODC to develop a series of workshops and training courses in this area, this handbook will hopefully provide sport federations and law enforcement agencies with an important go-to-guide to detecting, investigating and prosecuting match-fixers and organized crime.”
    The full Resource Guide can be read and downloaded on the UNODC website.

  • Ten sports join Olympic Channel

    Ten sports join Olympic Channel

    Ten international sports federations (IFs) have agreed to broadcast their events on the IOC’s new Olympic Channel. 35 events hosted in all regions of the world will be broadcast in 2016, ranging from Olympic qualifiers, world championships, world cups, grand prix and more.
    Racket sports feature prominently on the schedule, which includes 18 badminton and six table tennis events. The other eight sports represented are basketball, fencing, canoe, ice hockey, shooting, triathlon, wrestling and archery.
    “We have received excellent feedback from broadcasters on archery’s coverage at Rio 2016,” said Tom Dielen, Secretary General of World Archery.
    “The Olympic Channel gives an opportunity to build on the wide exposure Rio offered, even though the Olympics are over.”
    According to the International Sports Press Association, such collaborations aim to complement the IFs’ current broadcast and distribution arrangements.
    The Odense 2016 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final, for example, will also be broadcast on World Archery’s YouTube Channel and via selected broadcasters worldwide.
    The Olympic Channel is working with the IFs to create innovative partnerships including event coverage, highlights, magazine shows, news coverage and original programming, with further announcements expected in the autumn.
    “We look forward to working with our IF partners to help distribute their events and extend their reach to fans around the world. Placing a spotlight on Olympic sports and athletes outside of the Games themselves is one of the key priorities of the Olympic Channel,” said Mark Parkman, General Manager of the Olympic Channel.
    “Launching the Olympic Channel with this event programming already in place ensures that fans will be able to continue their excitement of Rio and the Olympic Games all year long.”
    The Olympic Channel is a new digital platform where fans can engage with Olympic sports all year round via mobile apps for Android and iOS devices and at olympicchannel.com. The channel launched on 21 August following the Closing Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

  • Simpleview opens EU office to digitise convention bureaus and DMOs

    Simpleview opens EU office to digitise convention bureaus and DMOs

    Simpleview, the US-based provider of digital strategy and technological sales and marketing solutions for destination marketing organisations (DMOs), has added a European office to address the needs of the company’s expanding international clientele. 
    “We are excited about our business prospects in Europe and we also recognise the importance of establishing an office to serve our current clients in the region” said Rich Reasons, President of Simpleview. 
    The new office in Oslo, Norway is the first to open outside the US for Simpleview, which has offices in Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and California.
    The move will support the company’s growing customer base in Europe, which includes existing clients Prague Convention Bureau, The Hague Convention Bureau, Edinburgh Convention Bureau and Innovation Norway.
    The new office will be led by Rolf Senstad as Simpleview’s General Manager in Europe. His first task will be to collaborate with European DMOs, Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs), National Tourist Boards (NTBs) and Convention Bureaus (CBs) to determine what technology, training, support and marketing tools they need to succeed.
    “With Rolf leading the way, we will be able to identify the unique needs and requirements of European Convention Bureaus and Destination Marketing Organizations so we can continue to innovate and evolve our business models and industry best practices in the areas of sales, marketing, research, bidding, reporting and other mission critical disciplines,”  said Seasons.
    Senstad previously worked with Innovation Norway as project leader when Simpleview was awarded a contract to deploy a Content Management System, Customer Relationship Management platform and supporting technologies for VisitNorway.com, a website that reaches more than 20 million visitors annually.
    Simpleview provides client relationship management (CRM) and content management systems (CMS), website design, search marketing, revenue generation, and mobile technologies for destination marketing organisations.
    Opening the European office will support the company’s growth worldwide. Of the more than 400 DMOs that Simpleview works with, more than 50 are outside the US, including Melbourne, Australia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Macau, China, South Africa Tourism, Sarawak, Malaysia, Guadalajara, Mexico and Meet in Reykjavik.
    For more information visit www.simpleviewinc.com