The recently-concluded Singapore MICE Forum last Thursday featured a hospitality panel discussion titled Innovation, Collaboration and the Next Chapter in Asia Pacific’s Hospitality Experience, where the session offered insights into how establishments across the region continue to evolve.
Irene Lin, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), shared the evolution of the Marina Bay Precinct partnership.
She recalled the initial apprehension, or “baywatch against MBS,” from other hotels concerned about the new entrant. However, “the whole Bay area came alive,” Lin noted, leading to a shift in perspective.
Three years ago, several properties began to collaborate, now encompassing over 8,000 hotel rooms and 10 attractions around the bay. “We plan events together, we sell ourselves as a destination,” Lin added, citing jointly organised festivals and events as prime examples.
Tommy Lai, co-founder and CEO, Alyvate Hospitality, also offered a glimpse into the NEOM hotel development in Saudi Arabia.
He described the landscape in 2018 as “an empty canvas” without a clear 2030 vision. Situated in the mountains rather than the desert, they adopted a distinctive “experiential luxury” approach.
“We needed to engage three individual villages for guests to get an opportunity to experience local life in that new luxury,” Lai explained, highlighting the focus on authentic local engagement.
Willabelle Ong, founder, OME Living and managing director, W+R Creative, further presented examples that underscored the importance of tradition, craftsmanship, and emotional resonance.
She described the ITC Grand Chola in India, a hotel inspired by the heritage of the Chola dynasty, featuring some 400 hand-carved pillars at its entrance.
Ong praised brands that successfully honour tradition, heritage, and storytelling. She also emphasised craftsmanship, citing a quaint, homely hotel in Tokyo as an example. Her third point focused on emotional resonance, as exemplified by the new suites at MBS.
