THE Association for Inbound Golf Tourism Philippines (AIGTP) will bid to host the Asian Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) in 2016, president Connie Mamaril said.

As a prelude to the Philippines’ bid to host AGTC 2016, Mamaril said a golf fam tour for media and tour operators will be held from October 5 to 9 in Manila and Boracay.

Included in the list are golf media AIGTP is inviting from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Australia.

AIGTP was formed in June last year to sell the Philippines as destination to golf aficionados.

“With over 80 golf courses all over the Philippines and home to some of Asia’s finest golfing enclaves, we have a lot to offer,” said Mamaril.

The association has partnered Tourism Promotions Board and local governments to drum up marketing activities to bring in golfers from abroad, including the recent golf video on AIGTP’s website.

Mamaril said AIGTP is also lining up a Golf Festival in Cavite (date to be confirmed) while making its presence known to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).

“AIGTP’s mission is to unify all sectors in the golf tourism industry for the purpose of generating sustainable growth of golf tourism in the Philippines,” she said.

AIGTP has 24 members from golf courses, golf tour operators, resorts and hotels, golf magazines and golf accessories distributors, five of which are affiliated with IAGTO, which has an estimated 500 members.

IAGTO has awarded the 2015 convention to Indonesia. This year’s convention was held in Haikou, China in March.

RENAISSANCE Bangkok Ratchaprasong is charging 14 baht (US$0.40) for every other attendee after the first 10 paid delegates, at meetings held within the five-star hotel.

The deal is valid for new bookings made between now and September 30, 2014.

The hotel has a full-service business centre, production equipment, computers, printers, audiovisual equipment, two-way radios and stages, along with the services of skilled technicians, dedicated event managers, security personnel, decorators, electricians and photographers. Professional culinary staff can also cater meals to meet the specific needs of any gathering.

For more information on the 14-baht package and other deals, call (66) 2125 5060 or visit renaissancebangkok.com.

PHILIPPINE MICE planners are reporting cancellations for Thailand in the wake of a coup d’état and imposition of martial law, though the lifting of curfews in tourist destinations may help ease concerns.

Maricel Delfin, sales representative for Bangkok-based tour operator Trikaya that deals with Philippine businesses, said: “When the coup took place, our clients disappeared.”

Delfin observed that martial law itself was not a main worry. “What clients are worried about is if the airport in Bangkok will close.”

Maria Michelle Victoria, president, Golden Eagle Travel & Tours, who flew to Phuket via Bangkok in May, said that the situation had since stabilised. “But of course for tourism, it doesn’t look as good, publicity-wise…(and) because the situation isn’t so stable yet, it’s hard to market Thailand.”

However Bong Goyenechea, corporate sales officer at Ark Travel Express, said that even before news of the curfew being lifted had spread widely, he received a booking for 10 pax via KBS Travel last week. “People are still confident about doing business in Bangkok.”

On the other hand, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is beefing up support for planners. Vichaya Soonthomsaratoon, director for meetings, incentives, and conventions department, said that the CVB prepares Letters of Assurance to explain the country’s political situation to planners’ prospective clients and coordinates with tourism and police authorities to assist affected groups.

Vichaya remarked: “Normally we will urge the meeting planner to postpone – not to cancel – or to maybe to change (their activity to) another destination.”

Meanwhile, MICE traffic continues in Thailand with a 6,200-delegate Infinitus China trip in May having pushed through, a 15,000-pax Unicity Global Convention in Bangkok scheduled for October, and an L G Hausys incentive to Phuket for 850 in Dcember.

RELIANCE Conventions & Events Malaysia has started to branch into the AMC business with Malaysian Oil & Gas Services Council as its first client.

General manager KC Fu said many associations in Malaysia are “maturing” and need to focus on strategy rather than day-to-day management in order to add value to the organisation.

“Membership in associations is dwindling and the younger members do not want to see an archaic association structure. A lot of young medical doctors, for example, are visionary and dare to speak up. An old-school association is not appealing for them. The older members are becoming more receptive to the forces of change; they know if they can’t attract the younger members, their association will face a natural death.

“In terms of our AMC services, we don’t get into these strategic aspects, but we aim to take away the administrative and non-critical workload, so that the association is free to focus on strategy,” Fu said.

Among the services offered in its two-year contract with Malaysian Oil & Gas Services Council are managing the association’s membership database, automating billing of membership fees and renewals, and website content and social media management.

In a profit-sharing model with the council, Reliance is re-engineering the website so that its content will engage anyone seeking information on the oil and gas industry and not just the association’s members. The wider audience will then enable Reliance and the association to create advertising opportunities in the portal, thus giving the council a new revenue stream, said Reliance’s director of operations, Rahul Bharadwaj.

“If they were to do this themselves, it would involve a huge investment in technology, aside from the need to have the expertise/knowledge,” Bharadwaj pointed out.

“By appointing us, they save money as there is no longer the need to hire 10 to 20 administrators to run the association, they have a new revenue stream and they have the opportunity to build better content to share with their members as well as to attract a newer crowd.”

However, Fu said the PCO business is actually more lucrative than the AMC business. “That said, if you are working so closely with an association, you have the first right of refusal for managing its conferences or events. An AMC is like an extended arm of the association – we would know the people, the culture, the politics, etc, so it is easier to manage the expectations, unlike a PCO who comes in from the cold. By the time it understands the association, it’s close to conference time.

“So while it’s not as lucrative as PCO business, an AMC is a long-term, strategic move that will in the end reap benefits,” said Fu.

Meanwhile, the latest study by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers shows 44 per cent of its members are already offering AMC services.

REED Huabai Exhibitions is teaming up with China Commerce Association for General Merchandise to launch the first China Daily-Use Article Trade Fair (CDATF) in Wuhan, part of its strategy to boost its presence in China’s second-tier cities.

Previously exclusive to Shanghai, the inaugural Wuhan edition will be held from November 6-8, 2014 at Wuhan International Expo Center. The show will span a floor area of 15,000m2 and bring more than 10,000 trade visitors as well as buyers including representatives of major department stores across the cities and townships in Hubei province.

CDATF Wuhan will focus on kitchenware, dinnerware, household electrical appliances, home arts and crafts, fitness, outdoor and gardening products.

From its location in Wuhan, Central China, the tradeshow is also geographically placed to tap the markets of nine surrounding provinces ­– Hunan, Jiangxi, Henan, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei.

CDATF Wuhan is Reed Exhibitions Greater China’s (parent company of Reed Huabai Exhibitions) 10th show in its Gift & Homeware cluster to be held this year.

“Reed Exhibitions will set up formal and informal alliances with local governments and associations, based on our brand name, sales know-how, extensive databases, marketing expertise, strong networks and profound industry knowledge,” said the company’s vice president, Gary Liu.

“CDATF Wuhan enjoys great support from the Wuhan Commerce Bureau and Wuhan Commercial Federation. Wuhan International Expo Center is a great facilitating partner, providing comprehensive services and creating an environment that is conducive to brisk business and onsite comfort.”

The 108th CDATF is scheduled to be held in Shanghai at the end of July.