> Attractive and open to the world> 24/7 Customer focused service> Top-class business environment> 27,500 Hotel rooms> Exciting and charming city> 1,250 Restaurants> Rich cultural program> 106 Theatres and museums> Lively night lifeYOU'RE AN ORGANISER. CREATE AN IMPACT WITH YOUR EVENT.PLANNING, MARKETING AND OPERATIONS ARE KEY PRINCIPLES REQUIRED TO REACH YOUR GOALS. HOWEVER, TO ACHIEVE ASSURED SUCCESS YOU NEED TO ADD REAL VALUE. TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND RAISE YOUR EVENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.AMSTERDAM RAI CONVENTION CENTRE. WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR CITY.SUCCESS FORMULA FOR A GREATER IMPACTADDED VALUE > HOSPITALITYContact us for more information at +31 20 549 12 12, welcome@rai.nl or visit www.rai.nl

WELCOMEwww.exhibition-world.net Issue 2 | 20125 EDITORIALMANAGING EDITORNadia Cameronncameron@mashmedia.netEDITORAntony Reeve-Crookarc@mashmedia.netSENIOR REPORTERDomenic Donatantonio domenicd@mashmedia.netDIGITALONLINE EDITORSarah O'Donnellsarah@mashmedia.netSALESINTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGERJames Nathan jnathan@mashmedia.netADVERTISING EXECUTIVECraig Nickeas cnickeas@mashmedia.netSandra Chau schau@mashmedia.net PUBLISHER Liz AgostiniPRODUCTION AND DESIGNPRODUCTION MANAGER Luke SpaldingDESIGNERSarah GarlandPRODUCTION ASSISTANTJulia BallCONTACT USSUBSCRIPTIONS020 8971 8269EDITORIAL020 8971 8292SALES020 8971 8265PRODUCTION020 8971 8272Exhibition World is published by Mash Media, 4th Floor, Sterling House, 6-10 St Georges Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4DP. tel: +44 (0)20 8971 8292fax: +44 (0)20 8971 8283email: info@mashmedia.netViews expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publishers.Printed by Pensord Press Ltd.As the UK's former Olympics minister Tessa Jowell famously said, winning the right to stage the 2012 Games was actually the easy bit, far greater was the responsibility of having to host them.London becomes home to the world's greatest show in July, a 16-day showcase of sporting prowess and civic pride, and crucially for the exhibition industry in the UK, a platform for the capital's ability to host events for thousands of international visitors.And while the London mayor's aspiration to deliver the 'greenest Games' in history may be altruistic (it's certainly not the most inspiring catchline) the greater message the Games will send out is that London is a leading events destination.The capital will have the eye of the world's media and that means big business. It will be interesting to see how, if at all, we can capitalise on this once the Olympic torch leaves London.But this is where the city's own fl ame for organisers of international events begins to wane. London has just two truly international venues: Excel in the east and Earls Court in the west, and the Government doesn't appear to be actively promoting either of them. Excel was built by private enterprise and Earls Court is likely to fall to make way for residential and retail units, under a plan supported by the mayor's offi ce. Clearly the Government can see the benefi ts major international events bring to a city. But if it will support an event like the Olympics, then why won't it throw its weight behind a more sustainable venture like the exhibition industry? What use is new transport infrastructure, urban beautifi cation and service sector development without more showpieces in place to support?While civic pride in the Olympics is fl eeting, there is scope to use this huge event to greater lasting effect for the capital's business events.London's infrastructure projects are nothing compared with those unfolding in Hong Kong. The already well-organised and vibrant Asian exhibition destination is the centrepiece in a major development plan being rolled out by China that seeks to unite it with Macau and turn the Pearl River Delta into one of the world's most lucrative industrial regions. The world's biggest bridge; a high-speed train link to the Chinese mainland and, internally, a cultural district that could do much to enrich Hong Kong's appeal to organisers of international events are all in the pipeline. Perhaps it won't be long before it receives an international convention centre to complement its exhibition facilities.London and Hong Kong aside, the venue theme runs throughout this edition of EW with new airport venues presenting fresh options for organisers, and further redevelopment in Sydney and Cape Town. It's as good a time as ever for someone to reveal the secret to a successful venue, which JWC's Jochen Witt and Dr Gerd Weber set out to do on page 22. For London's venues right now I can tell you the trend is that soft chairs are in and fl ags are out.EDITOR ANTONY REEVE-CROOK arc@mashmedia.netTwitter: ExhibitionWorldAntony Reeve-CrookLONDON HAS THE WORLD'S EYE AND THAT MEANS BIG BUSINESS