Here's TTGmice's weekly round-up of MICE developments outside of Asia-Pacific.
Hawaii eyes more SE-Asian incentives, global conferences
Following on its success in attracting incentive groups from Asia-Pacific, Hawaii has stepped up efforts in growing numbers specifically from South-east Asia as well as in scoring more global conferences.
Priscilla Texeira, managing director, Hawaii Tourism Authority Global MCI, described South-east Asia as a “new” and “lucrative” market for Hawaii’s business events sector. To achieve its goal, Hawaii opened a South-east Asian office two years ago to serve Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Supporting Hawaii’s South-east Asian ambition is a number of new flights launched in the region – Scoot’s Singapore-Osaka-Honolulu service and AirAsia’s Kuala Lumpur-Osaka-Honolulu service.
“Flights are a very large factor when it comes to getting corporate groups over,” Texeira pointed out, adding this is something the destination is constantly working on.
The destination is also aiming to attract more global business events.
AlohaConnects – a Meet Hawaii marketing and sales initiative – debuted two years ago to put the country on the world stage as a competitive destination for world congresses and international conferences. AlohaConnects helps to emphasise Hawaii’s strategic location, relevant industries and Hawaii Tourism Authority’s extensive activities in the business events space.
“Global business events – world congresses, associations, regional conventions, meetings and conferences – is a fairly new market for us. We go after conferences that have relevancy to Hawaii, for example scientific, medical, earth and ocean (environmental), cultural, and technology (IEEE),” she shared.
The initiative has seen success, scoring Hawaii hosting rights to the Association for Computing Machinery in 2020 which will attract over 3,000 people, as well as the Rotary International in 2020, with over 10,000 attendees expected.
Texeira said Hawaii’s membership at ICESAP will allow it to “garner a stronger presence in the Asia-Pacific market”.
“Now that PCMA has bought ICESAP, we feel that we can be the bridge for US companies or associations that want to increase their attendance from Asia-Pacific (at their events),” she explained, adding that the destination will also “capitalise on our strategic location as the connection between the East and West” to attract business events. – Rachel AJ Lee
Marriott debuts in West Africa
Marriott International has opened the 208-room Accra Marriot Hotel, standing just opposite of the Kotoka International Airport. Amenities on-site include three F&B venues, 800m2 of meeting space, a pool, and a gym.
Set in the heart of Airport City, a burgeoning urban development, the Accra Marriott Hotel is also located a few kilometres outside of the CBD providing easy access to major corporate businesses, government entities and well-known city landmarks.
New venue to rise in Scotland
Plans have been approved for a £4.5million (US$6 million) venue development in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Impact Centre will contain a 1,000-seat auditorium, along with a 200-seat rehearsal space, cafe, bar and dedicated educational spaces.
As well as being the home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the centre, when it opens in 2021, will be used for music performances, talks, conferences and as a venue for the Edinburgh Festival during August.
