Singapore-based meetings and events organiser The Agency Team set up its first overseas outpost, a local events agency in Bali called WonderMICE, in September 2024.
Patrick Lim, director at The Agency Team, told TTGmice on the sidelines of IT&CM Asia 2024: “After 15 years of executing so many corporate events all over Asia Pacific, we found that Bali offers a lot of unique cultural experiences that can be built into meetings. The destination also continues to be in demand internationally.”
For instance, the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih Rice Terraces north of Ubud, Lim pointed out. “WonderMICE is currently in the planning stages of creating several meaningful CSR programmes based in the area. CSR is a very big part of corporate meetings and the terraces are a fantastic place to base such programmes; there is so much open space.”
When asked if clients – usually based out of the four- and five-star international branded properties and convention venues in Sanur or Nusa Dua – would be willing to travel 1.5 hours for such an activity, Lim indicated that a full-day programme is “definitely doable”, as corporates these days do not “want to be stuck in a meeting room the whole day anyway”.
The setup of WonderMICE however, was not done alone, and Lim teamed up with Indonesian co-founder John K Purna, who has been in the tourism and events business since 1990.
“John has the local knowledge and know how, and we have the international experience and creative mindset. We are both looking forward to this new venture,” Lim enthused.
When asked how the maximum group size suitable for events in Bali, a maximum of a 1,000 people is possible for WonderMICE, said Lim. In fact, the agency is in the process of executing an event for 800 pax next year.
Lim saw a lack of creative PEOs with experience handling international clients in Bali, which led WonderMICE to choose the destination. Moreover, this was also a way to temper rising event costs.
“Clients these days are still willing to spend, but they want to spend more wisely. By holding an event in Bali, it could be 20 to 30 per cent cheaper. But sometimes it’s not about the costs. Crafting an event experience such as a gala dinner in a beach environment, buying out a beach club, or lunch on a cliff in Uluwatu, would make an event extremely memorable for delegates,” Lim said.
