Nielsen banks on Shanghai event

The conference involved people from more than 40 nationalities, mostly Europeanbased,
in a series of seminars and workshops. The four-day event included an off-site dinner
in downtown Shanghai.

Challenges
“There was a very last-minute request to handle journalists, about two days before the event,”
says Richard Willis, chairman of S.K.Y. Travel.
Accommodation and transport had to be arranged for 50 members of the press and
equipment such as extra headsets was also required.
Schedule changes from the delegates also had to be taken into account, with corresponding changes in transport arrangements having to be made.
Entertainment programmes were planned six months beforehand. The off-site dinner on the second night was held at a historic state-owned restaurant.
“It’s tough to deal with stateowned venues,” Willis says.
For the farewell dinner on the final night, which featured a 1930s Shanghai theme, accessories such as head dresses and hats had to be provided for guests.
The out-of-town location also presented a challenge as the organisers had to ensure that all
equipment was available on site.

Execution
The programme included meetings, workshops and seminars for delegates throughout
the day. The off-site evening was spent downtown at the Yu Gardens.
Willis says the restaurant was transformed into an evening venue, complete with touches
such as bird cages on the tables. The chef and restaurant staff also presented themselves to
welcome their guests.
On the third night, the farewell dinner was held, featuring the 1930s Shanghai theme. This
was followed by an after-party that lasted until 3am.

Verdict
“Despite last-minute requests and schedule changes, everything went very smoothly,” Willis says. “The feedback has been fantastic. Everybody enjoyed themselves.”