TAIWAN and Hawaii have been selected as host destinations for Amway China’s Leadership Seminars in 2013, and up to 17,000 top achievers are expected to head to Taiwan, the larger of the two events.
Michelle Ko, corporate and MICE manager of East Shanghai International Travel Service, which handles all travel procurement for Amway China’s incentive movements, said the two destinations were chosen for their ability to host group sizes of such scale, appeal and “freshness”.
She explained that both events were rewards for top achievers, although the smaller event – the one in Hawaii – was reserved for the highest echelon of incentive winners, who would also be guaranteed a slot in Taiwan.
Ko was speaking to TTGmice e-Weekly on the sidelines of the China Night gala dinner, a highlight of Amway China’s incentive programme to Laguna Phuket in April and May. The company flew more than 15,000 top achievers into the Thai leisure destination in daily batches over a one-month period, housing them in various hotels and resorts within the complex.
Ko said: “Amway China’s incentive programmes have been growing since they started six years ago. There were 7,000 participants at first, and this year there are 15,000.
“As China (its economy and its people’s purchasing power) is still so strong, we anticipate a bigger crowd next year despite higher sales targets being set.”
The mega incentive has effectively raised the Thai leisure island’s profile among Chinese travel companies and travellers.
Aaishah Bohari, director of sales & marketing, Angsana Laguna Phuket, said the resort was expecting a surge in Chinese guests during the upcoming Chinese New Year season.
“Because of the Amway China incentive, we have been getting a lot of calls from Chinese travel agencies that do not usually work with us. Many of these agencies have locked in room allotments for the festive season next year,” she said.
Ko added: “Amway China’s incentive in Phuket has been widely reported by Chinese media, and many Chinese companies are following the developments closely.”
“(These) companies want to see how well Phuket copes with such a huge event, to (help them) decide if they (should) bring their own events here in the future.”
