Royal visit at the ANA
A large crowd of enthusiastic onlookers were keen to catch a glimpse
of Japan's Royal couple as they graced the red carpet before being
escorted to the ANA Harbour Grand's finest suite by Acting General
Manager, David Hopcroft.
Late last year His Imperial
Highness, the Crown Prince
Naruhito and his wife, Her
Imperial Highness, the Crown
Princess Masako arrived at the
ANA Harbour Grand Hotel
Sydney by official motorcade.
During the official two day
Sydney visit, the Royal couple's itinerary consisted of a consular
reception at the residence of Japan's consul general, Mr
Shigenobu Kato on the evening of their arrival, followed by a
busy day of official engagements which included a very special
visit to Sydney's Taronga Park Zoo where HIH Crown Princess
Masako was photographed cuddling a baby wombat.
Back at the hotel, to enhance the couple's Australian
experience, executive chef, Jacky Ternisien's special Royal
Breakfast Menu consisted of premium Australian cheeses,
seasonal stone fruits and the very best free range eggs, cooked to
the royal couple's liking. Throughout the day as the Crown
Prince, Naruhito and the Crown Princess Masako fulfilled their
busy schedule which included four official external engagements,
they made a point of taking the time speak with guests, fans and
onlookers as they moved through the hotel's lobby.
98 mice.net
SYDNEY
Centre expands
As reported in our one minute mice.net electronic
newsletter in December 2002, the Sydney Convention &
Exhibition Centre will increase exhibition space by
10,000 square metres.
Centre chief executive, Ton van Amerongen says
the expansions will make the SCEC "far and away the
biggest venue for conferences and exhibitions in
Australia and one of the largest in the Southern
Hemisphere, adding significantly to our appeal as a
destination for major international meetings as well as
local exhibitions."
He added that more than two-thirds of all international
conventions now included an exhibition component.
"The extra exhibition space will enable us to
accommodate all the needs of these conventions while still
catering for the many national and local organisations
that wish to hold their exhibition at our venue."
The announcement of the extra exhibition space
was made by the NSW Government at the Exhibition
and Event Association of Australia's annual conference
at the Centre on December 3.
There will be a limited design competition to prepare
exhibition space expected to be open for business in
2005.
