Buffalo Events makes headway in Asia

It has been 18 months since Hanoi-headquartered DMC Buffalo Tours branched out into the business events segment with a dedicated business events team.

Buffalo Events’ regional MICE sales executive, Wanwisa Namwisate, shared: “We’re 18 months old, but during our first year of operation we were busy doing preparations and (staff) training. Beginning in late October at ITB Asia was when we first started our sales calls, and organising our pricing and structure.”

Wanwisa: optimistic for the region’s meetings and incentives market

From October 2017 to January 2018, Buffalo Events has handled six groups that have gone to Bangkok and Phuket for meetings and teambuilding sessions. Average group sizes hailing from Singapore are between 100 and 200 pax, while the smallest group had eight people.

Buffalo Events has also sent a few groups numbering 80 to 150 pax to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Wanwisa cited these destinations as examples as the company is “strong in Thailand and Vietnam”.

When asked what her plans were for 2018, Wanwisa revealed that Buffalo Events will conduct sales calls, participate in relevant tradeshows, and arrange their own marketing activities. Fam trips are also in the pipeline to promote destinations and their activities.

She told TTGmice that her target markets are Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Roadshows to Malaysia and Singapore to meet with buyers were conducted in the past week, while a stop in Hong Kong will come up next month.

“I’m also looking at South Korea, but there is nothing concrete (for that market) yet,” she added.

Wanwisa is confident about Buffalo Events’ future prospects in the corporate segment.

“While the first part of the year has been slow, I’m optimistic that more meetings and incentive trips will happen in the second half of this year. My target number of groups for the whole of 2018 is 50 to Thailand and 25 to Vietnam,” she said.

Currently, confirmed groups from January to June 2018 to Thailand number at 20, while there will be more than 10 groups heading to Vietnam.

“Next year, I plan to double the numbers,” she concluded.

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