April 2011Conference+Meetings World33PHOTOSConfex 'on the water' 2011A colourful entrance at London's Earls Court, exhibitors 'raising the bar', as well as a centralmarina feature, were the stand outs of International Confex 2011 for its management team.There was an Association Day, a full seminar programme and a student conference. ConfexPortfolio Director Jonny Sullens said visitor numbers were only slightly down and promised moreinvestment in the show when it moves to Excel London in 2012. Organiser UBM Live no longerruns its Event UK autumn show in Birmingham and says it will invest instead in Confex. Top left:A colourful welcome at Earls Court for International Confex. Top centre:CMWsister publication Conference News' stand helpeddrive the rhythym of the show.Top right:Interpreting for conferences was one of the many education sessions under the ConfexKnowledge hat. Middle, left to right:International cricketer Steve Finn helped boost the show's charity appeal; while new technology wasat the front of many business propositions, and the band played on...Bottom, left: Hamburg's meetings industry representatives were inparty mood on the German Convention Bureau stand. Bottom, centre: Hever Castle in Kent brought out Anne Boleyn to woo the buyers.Bottom, right: Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool's CEO Bob Prattey was reporting some big conference wins for his venue.

34www.c-mw.net Conference+Meetings WorldApril 2011PHOTO RANGEMeetings AfricaThe annual Meetings Africa exhibition took place at the Sandton Convention Centre at theend of February. CMWkeeps an eye on the action. See the full report on pages 17,18.