Convention centres in secondary destinations in Asia have united to form the first Asia Venue Alliance (AVA), where the alliance aims to advance event hosting standards and establish a strong regional brand that can shine on the global business events stage.
The alliance will also foster collaboration through the exchange of events, cross-promotion, and sharing valuable industry insights.
AVA’s five founding members – Ariyana Convention Centre Danang, Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, International Convention Centre Tainan, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, and Setia SPICE Convention Centre – officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation at Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Penang on December 7 in conjunction with the eighth edition of BE @ Penang 2023.
AVA’s chairman, Francis Teo, told TTGmice: “We aspire to capitalise on the collective strengths of our members and the burgeoning international business events market to generate robust business leads for rotating conferences and association meetings. Typically, at tradeshows, one considers oneself fortunate to secure 10 to 12 leads per event. Through this alliance, our aim is to significantly surpass this benchmark.”
On whether the destinations are competing against one another, Gentzsch Andre, general manager of Ariyana Tourism Complex, pointed out: “We don’t see ourselves as competing for business, but instead, we are cooperating. For us, this alliance is important in building our visibility as Vietnam does not have a convention bureau and has limited marketing for business events.”
Eric van Piggelen, CEO of Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, and Riyanthi Handayani, president director of Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, are also both thrilled to be part of the alliance.
“We are not just creating a network but we are building a community of premier event spaces committed to delivering unparalleled experiences. Our vision is to set the stage for extraordinary events that leave a lasting impact,” stated Riyanthi.
“Together, we will establish new standards for event excellence and position Asia as the go-to destination for world-class conventions and gatherings,” added Piggelen.
