Karstens

28/05/2025

I’m excited to share that Karstens Adelaide has opened following a full three-month renovation. Conveniently located in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD—just a short walk from Central Station, bus routes, and tram lines—our new venue offers easy access for all guests.
Please also join me in welcoming our new Adelaide Operations Manager, Scott Cioffi. A proud Adelaide local, Scott brings a wealth of experience from working across a range of hotels and venues, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.
To learn more about our stunning new space, please contact Harriet Cox at 1300 008 710 or email [email protected].

22/12/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Karstens

It's that time of the year again!

The Karstens team wishes you and your family a Merry Christmas and a safe, happy and successful new year 2024. Our teams in each venue have been celebrating a successful year together, and we look forward to organising and looking after your events in the new year!

Please note Karstens venues and offices are closed from Saturday 23rd December. The venues reopen on the below dates:

Monday 8th January (Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland),

Thursday 11th January (Perth),

Monday 15th January (Brisbane)

Hendrik Karsten
Managing Director

13/06/2023

IACC latest meeting room of the future report is a great read for event bookers and venue operators. Please click below link for insights

The 2020 IACC Meeting Room of the Future™ report brings together insights from meeting and conference venues, hotels and urban day centers, as well as industry experts across 5 continents to evaluate trends in the meetings and events industry. Suppliers including global meeting space designers, ar...

08/06/2023

IACC eyes up membership growth with launch of enhanced Global Standards of Brilliance

IACC (International Association for Conference Centres) has updated and relaunched its Global Standards of Brilliance as part of a drive to redefine excellence in the events industry and grow membership through greater engagement with small and medium-sized business event venues operating within the industry. IACC currently has ambitious plans for growth, as it continues to strive to represents the top 1% of small to midsize conference and meeting venues globally.

The enhanced Standards came about because of a significant increase in enquiries about membership from convention hotels - larger hotels focused on conferences and meetings, which can accommodate larger groups, yet are focused on groups of 250 attendees or less. In addition, the membership community will welcome shared workspace meeting venues and small specialist boutique venues.

IACC is committed to building and developing the global community of business event hotels and venues, and over the past few years we have grown some areas of our communities where venues fall just outside of the IACC member venue footprint. Rather than excluding outstanding venues who live by our high standards, we decided to deep dive into the pillars of requirement for membership and look at how we can better serve such an innovative industry.
Mark Cooper, CEO, IACC
“To accommodate this and enable a broader spectrum of venues to apply for members, the enhanced Standards of Brilliance shift the focus from meeting space size to group size, allowing more venues to apply for membership.”

The Global Standards of Brilliance set out the minimum level of qualities IACC seeks for membership; by becoming a member of IACC and adhering to these standards, venues can benefit from training and professional leadership development opportunities and marketing support from IACC, as well as access to the expensive IACC network.

Criteria under the new global standards include: ‘Conference Room Design' which focuses on the quality and functionality of the space; ‘Conference & Business Service’ which relates to effective meeting room set-ups, special event planning, and conference technology (AV/IT) equipment; 'Food and Beverage,' which appreciates high quality nutritious food and flexible catering in terms of dietary requirements; ‘Technology’; ‘Staff’ which relates to clearly defined roles and professional development; and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’, an affirmation that the venue is engaged in a holistic sustainable environmental endeavour that is woven into the fabric of the business.

We are thrilled to unveil the new Global Standards of Brilliance which aim to represent a more diverse spectrum of venues, and champion those specific and unique venues that deserve to be recognised. The new standards aren’t an expansion link to meet a certain membership goal; it is to embrace the changing needs of communities on the periphery of some of our core venues. These new standards have also built in the demanding innovation of technology, and we've also embraced what IACC stands for in terms of corporate social responsibility around people, community, accessibility and climate. Our chapters around the world have now adopted those changes and will embrace the opportunity to welcome new members. Our recent review not only opens doors for new members who will be onboarded under the new global standards, but also enriches the offering to our current members, allowing for collaboration, networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities with new types and sizes of venues across the global community.
Nancy Lindemer, Global President Elect, IACC
About IACC
Founded in 1981, IACC is dedicated to representing the best meeting venues globally and is, by definition, the future of the meetings industry realised. The association brings together the brightest, most innovative minds from around the globe. IACC elevates the meeting experience by creating a unique point of entry that is inclusive of the best-in-class meeting venues internationally. IACC membership is a symbol of meeting excellence and exceptional connections amongst the best in the meeting industry. This exclusiveness makes IACC's members part of an elite group representing the most innovative, forward-thinking, and results-driven meeting venues globally.

All members meet a set of stringent Quality Standards and agree to a Code of Ethics. IACC includes over 400-member conference venues from Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Wales, Canada, and the United States.

The IACC Mission Statement: "To bring together the brightest industry minds to promote the best meeting venues, which deliver exceptional meeting experiences. There are meetings... And then there are IACC Meetings".

The IACC Vision: "IACC is a global community of passionate people and organisations delivering innovative and exceptional meeting experiences."

27/04/2023

Karstens is thrilled to be sponsoring AIOP’s celebration event for industry leaders on Office Professionals Day, Friday the 5th of May. This event will be run across the country in all of Karstens CBD locations. To register: https://aiop.com.au/event-5070818

08/03/2023

Today, we’re proudly celebrating Karstens clients across the country have enjoyed a delicious IWD morning tea.

We and have welcomed and facilitated a workplace that is diverse, inclusive and equitable.
Let's continue to break barriers, shatter stereotypes and empower each other.

25/02/2023

Hybrid Meetings versus Face-to-Face Meetings,
Positives & Negatives
The debate if hybrid meetings are here to stay is an easy one, they are here to stay.
The question is, “is the blended version of hybrid meetings with face-to-face meetings here to stay”?
Let’s have a look at the positives and negatives for each:
Hybrid Meeting:
Positives:
• More flexibility and convenience, as participants can join remotely from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Can be more inclusive, allowing people who might not have been able to attend in person to participate.
• Can be more cost effective, as there is no need to travel and related expenses.
• Can reduce the environmental impact of travel
Negatives:
• Can be challenging to balance the needs of participants who are present in person with those who are joining remotely
• Technical issues, such as poor internet connections or malfunctioning equipment, can disrupt the meeting and reduce effectiveness.
• Nonverbal communication may be more limited, which can make it harder to establish rapport or build trust.
• May not be as effective for collaboration and creative brainstorming, as ideas may not flow as easily without the in-person interaction.
Face-to-Face Meetings:
Positives:
• Relationship building; Meeting in person allows for more personal and meaningful interactions, which can help build stronger relationships and trust.
• Non-verbal communication: In-person meetings allow for the exchange of non-verbal cues like facial expressions and body language, which can help in better understanding others emotions and reactions.
• Better engagement: Participants are more likely to stay engaged during in-person meetings as they are less likely to be distracted by digital devices or other tasks.
• More effective problem-solving: In-person meetings allow faster decision making and can lead to more effective problem solving through real time discussions and brain storming.

Negatives:
• Cost and logistics: Face-to-face meetings can be more expansive due to travel and accommodation costs, and require more time and effort to plan and organize.
• Time constraints: in person meetings may require participants to take time off work or rearrange their schedules, which can be challenging for some people.
• Geographical limitations In-person meetings are restricted by geographical limitations, making it difficult for people who are located far away from the meeting venue to attend.
• Health and safety concerns: Face-to-face meetings can increase the risk of exposure to illnesses or other health concerns, especially during times of pandemics or outbreaks.
In summary, both Face-to-face meeting and hybrid meetings have their own positives and negatives, and the choice between them will depend on the specific goals and needs of the interaction. In some cases a combination of both may be the most effective approach, allowing participants to take advantage of the benefits of each format.
Written by Hendrik Karsten, CEO and founder of Karstens conference & Training venues, President of IACC AAP (International Association for Conference centres).

09/02/2023

This week we had a wonderful time taking part in the IACC Study Tour in Sydney. The tour showcased the biggest and best of Sydney's training and conferencing venues, conference chefs competed in the Copper Skillet challenge, and to top it all off a tour at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in the picturesque Hunter Valley. It's been an absolute pleasure to be in a room full of people who love events as much as us!

We're looking forward to hosting your event with us this year, to book with us please call 1300 008 710 or email [email protected]

See you then!

23/10/2022

With the third quarter of 2022 behind us and heading into the warmer months; we have noticed that businesses are increasing their face to face meetings. With only 10 weeks before we go into Christmas (can’t believe it will be that time of the year again!), businesses are booking their training and conferences before year end.

We are expecting a busy few months before finishing the year and we have noticed that companies are already booking their 2023 calendar of events. It is great to see that confidence and appetite for face to face meetings has returned!

At Karstens we have added a new service to our offering:
ORGANISE YOUR HYBRID ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AT KARSTENS!
Karstens Conference Centres has expanded its services to help you more easily run Hybrid AGM’s this reporting season.

During the pandemic, most AGM’s were conducted virtually. However, we believe that in the future, Hybrid AGM’s will become the norm. Some of your shareholders will want to go back to the old way of personally attending your AGM.

Equally, your reach is greatly extended if you are able to offer the option to enable your shareholders attend the AGM remotely.

As you know, Karstens has excellent conference facilities in most capital cities in Australia (and Auckland). We are very pleased to announce we have partnered with the best technology partners to make it much easier for you to schedule and organise your next Hybrid AGM.

In conjunction with our Technology Partners, we will provide a “one stop shop” service to make it easier for you to make the following arrangements:

• The choice of a large number of rooms of different sizes that can be arranged to your requirements. We can supply small rooms through to our extra-large rooms that can accommodate up to 150 people.
• Ability to manage more than one physical AGM meeting location at the same time (e.g. Melbourne and Sydney)
• A configurable stage to accommodate up to 10 seated directors.
• A speaker’s lectern.
• Large communal break-out areas and a wide selection of catering options.
• Technology services that include voter registrations, video and audio management, recording and streaming the AGM, vote management, management of shareholders’ questions (in the room and remote) and playback of the AGM.

So if you are planning to run a Hybrid AGM, Extraordinary General Meeting or any meeting that requires shareholder voting – please visit our new web page at https://www.karstens.com.au/services/hybrid-agm

09/09/2022

Celebrating R U OK? Day at Karstens

Yesterday we celebrated R U OK? Day at Karstens Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Perth venues. We surprised our clients with a themed cupcake as part of their morning or afternoon tea to acknowledge this day.

Everyone goes through stressful times, and ongoing stress can impact both your personal life and work life. It is important to look out for each other and ask the question “Are you Okay?”, as sometimes a conversation can change a life. We at Karstens always support each other and encourage everyone to listen and check in if we notice someone is not their usual self.

For more information and tips on how to approach a conversation, please visit the R U OK website: https://www.ruok.org.au/every-day-resources

It’s okay, to not be okay.

28/07/2022

Great article in yesterday's AFR

18/06/2022

Thank you Caroline for your lovely feedback, great to hear that you enjoyed Karstens Brisbane hospitality.