Event planners are spoilt for choice, as Asia-Pacific is welcoming a host of new and upcoming convention centres
AUSTRALIA
Sunshine Coast Convention Centre
Located on a beach in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Convention Centre (SCCC) offers a conferencing venue that inspires plenty of ideas and possibilities with its immediate connection to nature.
The centre is situated at the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort, which means events can be hosted in spaces that provide more of a resort feel than a closed-in conference room.
When combined with the resort’s facilities, seven areas are offered for meetings and events, including the main Minyama room which caters for 1,500 delegates in a theatre setup or 1,100 for a gala dinner.
The Minyama room itself is divisible into four rooms. A second main conference space is the Wandiny Room, designed for large scale plenary, trade and gala functions and seats up to 1,200 delegates theatre-style.
Few convention centres can rival SSCC’s outdoor offerings. They include a sandy beach on a lagoon for 400 banquet-style, a bush venue with a bonfire for 200 in a cocktail-setting, or a lagoon experience where 180 guests can dine floating across the water. – Adelaine Ng
CHINA
Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center
Shenzhen World is located in the city’s Baoan District, close to Shenzhen Airport, and is within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
With the completion of its Phase 1 at the end of last year, the venue offers 400,000m2 of flexible exhibition and meeting space. Event planners can take their pick of 16 20,000m2 column-free exhibition halls; three speciality halls, one of which can hold 12,500 people; and more than 130 meeting rooms. There is also a 35,000m2 outdoor exhibition space on the South Plaza.
Once Phase 2 is complete, the venue will boast a total of 500,000m2 of exhibition space, making it the largest in the world.
Built with sustainable green principles – think largest rainwater collection system and efficient energy consumption – there are also four rooftop gardens with views of the city that can be booked by event organisers.
Other facilities include restaurants, convenience stores and coffee shops. – Caroline Boey
JAPAN
Nara Prefectural Convention Center
Designed to bring tourism and exchange to the heart of Nara, this new facility is located in the centre of the city on its two main roads.
It is surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage buildings as well as popular tourism sites, including Todaji Temple and Nara Park to the east, and Heijo Palace and Yakushiji Temple to the west.
At 2,100m2, the centre’s Convention Hall can accommodate 2,000 pax in theatre-style, while 14 small- and medium-sized conference rooms span the first and second floors.
Tempyo Square, a roofed, multipurpose outdoor space, offers flexible, tiered seating for concerts or other performances. Nearby is the Tourism Promotion Building, which features a multipurpose hall suitable for 500 pax, as well as F&B outlets and stores.
A bus centre is located on the west side of the facility, from where it is a 90-minute ride to Kansai International Airport. – Kathryn Wortley
Pacifico Yokohama North
At 22km from Tokyo International Airport and 100km from Narita International Airport, Pacifico Yokohama North is highly accessible.
It is located in the popular waterside district of Yokohama, a city famed for its bustling Chinatown and cultural blend of East and West.
Pacifico Yokohama North’s 6,300m2 multipurpose hall is the largest of its kind in Japan. Column-free and carpeted, it can accommodate 6,000 pax in theatre-setup, or 2,000 pax for a seated banquet.
There are 42 meeting rooms totalling 6,185m2, which can be separated or joined for various-sized conferences, seminars and parties. Four waiting rooms on the first floor are also available.
The new complex is connected to the Exhibition Hall and Annex Hall of Pacifico Yokohama by a second-floor pedestrian deck. The facilities of Pacifico Yokohama North and Pacifico Yokohama can be used concurrently for large-scale events. – Kathryn Wortley
NEW ZEALAND
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Christchurch’s most anticipated new convention centre is scheduled to open in early 2021, more than nine years after the city’s devastating earthquake in 2011.
Part of the ASM Global group, Te Pae sits in the heart of Christchurch CBD in the centre of New Zealand’s South Island, surrounded by much of the country’s famed natural beauty. It’s also just 20 minutes from Christchurch International Airport.
The boutique-style centre features a 1,400-seat auditorium that can be evenly divided to offer two theatres, 24 meeting rooms and a 200 booth exhibition hall. It can accommodate up to 1,800 for banquet-style dining, and offers a 1,000-seat banquet space that overlooks the Õtãkaro Avon River.
Te Pae’s architectural design was inspired by the region’s natural landscape echoing the local rivers and mountains.
Initially scheduled to open in October this year, Te Pae postponed its launch due to government-imposed lockdown restrictions on construction activity to manage the spread of Covid-19. – Adelaine Ng
MALAYSIA
Sabah International Convention Centre
Located in the heart of Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) is a 20-minute drive from Kota Kinabalu International Airport. It sits on a six-hectare plot, with a gross built-up area of 60,504m2.
The multifunctional complex is spread over five levels and set against a backdrop that is the South China Sea.
Its floorplan comprises exhibition halls 1, 2 and 3 on the second level with 5,200m2 of space, and direct access to the loading docks. VIP rooms and luxurious VVIP lounges are situated on Level 3, leading to the grand foyer of the state’s first, world-class Performing Arts Hall.
On Level 4 sits an expansive column-free convention hall which is divisible into three halls. When combined, it offers 5,200m2 of flexible space and can seat 4,000 people in theatre style comfortably.
Lastly, the topmost floor is dedicated to 12 state-of-the art meeting rooms and an Executive Meeting Suite. A 7,000m2 outdoor plaza is also available for hire, and that is connected to the main lobby. – S Puvaneswary
