Teambuilding fun in the Sun(way)

The solidarity displayed during TTG Asia Media’s teambuilding was mirrored in the organising of the trip by Penang’s travel industry players.

TTG teambuilding event

Event brief
The staff at TTG Asia Media Singapore office recently went to Penang Island for teambuilding. 

Shirley Tan, senior business manager at TTG Asia Media had approached Ben Ho, general manager at both Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Sunway Hotel Seberang Jaya in May, who had agreed to put an itinerary together and provide hosting for the group.

TTG teambuilding event

The hotel coordinated activities on the ground and liaised with Penang State Tourism Development & Culture, Penang Global Tourism and Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau to sponsor some meals.

Sunway Hotel Georgetown also sought sponsorship from double decked tour bus company, Penang Hop-On Hop-Off for a unique mode of transportation while skilled guides from Penang Tourist Guides Association offered their services and various product owners in Penang showcased their unique offerings.

Challenges
Ho said one main challenge was to get the buy-in from various sponsors.

Another was to keep everyone in the loop to ensure a seamless flow, and that they were aware of last minute changes in the itinerary.

One such instance of a last minute hiccup involved a sponsor pulling out, leaving the Sunway team to find a quick yet unique replacement for entertainment and a meal.

Solutions
Ho received support from TTG’s office in Singapore, which provided information on the various publications and its readership to facilitate the sponsorship deals. It also helped that Ho personally knew key tourism players in Penang in both the public and private sectors, making it easier to approach them for sponsorship. 

To ensure the programme ran smoothly, both internal and external communications and coordination were vital to keep everyone abreast with the latest developments and changes in the itinerary.

Sunway Hotel Georgetown also engaged an experienced company, Metro Bike, to organise a half-day Georgetown Heritage treasure hunt to forge team spirit while also showcasing the local culture and street food that Penang is famous for. During the activity, participants had hands-on experience of making roti canai, pulling tea and tying a garland.

Key takeaways
Ho recalled that the chief success of the event was having contacts and partners in the tourism industry who were willing to collaborate. 

He said: “So many people chipped in and made this event possible as they believed in the importance of promoting Penang as a destination and what we can offer tourists or MICE (delegates), rather than promoting individual products.”

Event: TTG Teambuilding Event
Organiser: Sunway Hotel Georgetown
Venue: Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Penang Island
Date: July 3-5, 2016
Number of participants: 38 people

Sponsored Post