JAPAN is holding a targeted roadshow for Singapore MICE buyers next month to showcase itself as an ideal meeting destination for international conventions.

In partnership with TTG Events, the Japan National Tourism Organization’s (JNTO) roadshow will see delegations from cities such as Chiba and Matsue holding presentations to update Singapore buyers on the cities’ latest infrastructure, facilities, and capabilities.

Some 40 Singapore buyers, comprised of association executives and board members, AMCs, meeting planners, PCOs, PEOs, and other MICE procurers, are expected.

The event will be held at Marina Bay Sands on October 3.

For more information, visit www.jnto.org.sg.

GAMIFICATION is a new buzzword in the business events industry, and meetings organisers and incentive planners can best leverage this concept to keep meetings audiences engaged and affect behaviour.

Jason Fox, Australian motivation design expert and author of The Game Changer, said gamification, which has been around for three years, has huge potential in the business events industry as a means to keep the audience interested.

He opined that meetings can be as engaging as online games if designed well, delegates would pay for good meeting experiences.

Thus, it falls on the meeting organiser to use “game thinking in non-game context”, he said, adding that gamification features rules, structures, and outcomes.

Fox was speaking as part of Malaysia Business Events Week (TTGmice e-Weekly, July 3, 2014), organised by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau.

Nigel Gaunt, vice president global business at BI Worldwide, a global engagement agency that uses the principles of behavioral economics to produce measurable results for clients, noted that with the qualifying period for some incentives stretching up to a year, some incentive houses use online games to keep participants engaged and earning additional points towards their final score throughout the period.

He added: “Online games should be relevant to the clients’ business. I would use a game involving cars for clients in the automobile industry.”

Andrea Lee, area director – Kuala Lumpur, Destination Asia, shared: “In the past, clients used to ask us about our background and used that to decide whether we get the business. Increasingly, they want us to give them inexpensive solutions to retain the attention of the audience as pharmaceutical meetings for medical professionals tend to be very scientific and dry.”

Lee gamifies the spelling of new drugs to help the audience and organises quick games to break up long meeting sessions and recharge the audience.

UCSI Communications’ managing director, Gracie Geikie, said the company created a running event with fees going towards the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to build a new shelter. “It would have been much more difficult to raise the same amount through the traditional means of asking the public to donate money for the cause.”

THE Indian government is making an effort to take its major meetings and conferences outside the national capital of New Delhi in order to give other India cities a chance to shine.

A source in India’s Ministry of External Affairs told TTGmice e-Weekly that prime minister Narendra Modi is keen to hold the government’s high-profile bilateral, multilateral, and centre-state meetings in other destinations.

The annual Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for non-resident nationals will take place next January in Ahmedabad as compared to New Delhi this year.

Modi’s first summit dialogue with Russian president Vladimir Putin will also be held outside New Delhi, though the destination has not yet been confirmed.

The third India-Africa Forum Summit, running from December 1-4, has likewise been shifted from New Delhi to the adjoining city of Gurgaon.

“The profile of a city is enhanced when a government event takes place there. This will give a good exposure to other smaller Indian cities like Pune for hosting meetings,” commented Monamita Sarkar, managing director, KW Conferences.

MK Ajit Kumar, president & CEO of Global Conference Management Group Chennai, said: “The government should also consider hosting its meetings in Tier Two cities which may not have the infrastructure for hosting large meetings and conferences but can host smaller ones. This will result in hotels investing in those cities and overall improving economy of such cities.”

THE American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) will bring its Great Ideas Conference to Asia next year.

Hong Kong has been chosen as the venue for the Washingon DC-based association’s first-ever Asian conference, which will see 150 to 200 association management practitioners from Asia-Pacific gathering.

ASAE’s Great Ideas Conference tackles creative approaches to everyday issues in association management and is traditionally held in the US. Orlando, Florida is scheduled to host it in March 2015.

Emy Chavez, president of Philipine Council for the Advancement of Association Executives (PCAAE), which is on the ASAE advisory board for the Great Ideas Conference 2015, said the upcoming Asia conference is a pilot event that could become annual if successful.

PCAAE will aim to host the 2016 conference if so, said Chavez.

THE Penang state government has unveiled the appointed of David Hall, senior partner at David Hall & Associates, as a consultant to set up the structure of Penang International Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PICEB).

Announced by Penang state minister for tourism development, Danny Law Heng Kiang, Hall’s new posting also tasks him with recommending a sustainable funding model and potential candidates to fill PICEB’s COO position.

David Hall & Associates is an Adelaide-based specialist in the convention and visitor bureau (CVB) industry, and also consults during the formation of Sarawak Convention Bureau.

PICEB, which will be a division under Penang Global Tourism, will be set up by end of the year but may only begin operations in early 2015.

Ooi Geok Ling, managing director, Penang Global Tourism, said the long delay in the setting up of PICEB was due to a stalemate in deciding on a funding model (TTGmice e-Weekly, May 29, 2014), which led to Hall’s engagement.

Hall will be in Penang later this month to meet with local players in the business events industry.

Zulkefli Sharif, CEO of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau opined that the new CVB would complement the federal bureau’s work. He said: “It makes our work easier because when we secure events for Malaysia and Penang is part of the itinerary, we can arrange visits to Penang and there will be PICEB staff on the ground to take them around.”

ICCA Malaysia has nominated Ho Yoke Ping and Fu Kei Cheong to lead the charge in strengthening Malaysia’s profile as a business events destination as chair and deputy chair respectively.

Ho is general manager – sales and marketing at Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, while Fu is the general manager of Reliance Conventions & Events.

The nine members of ICCA Malaysia met last week to pick its leaders through an election.

Speaking after her appointment, Ho said: “It is timely to form a Malaysia committee so we can strengthen the Malaysian business events industry. As the host of ICCA Congress 2016, which will be held in Kuching, we want to showcase Malaysia’s capability and lift the profile of the Malaysia business events industry.

“We will focus on working with students, the government, national associations and the trade to further strengthen the business events industry in Malaysia.”

ICCA Malaysia member, Anthony Wong, said setting up the committee was a step in the right direction.

“We need to have formal gatherings so we can work closely as a team and strengthen the industry further by pooling resources and working closely with academia and government,” he commented.

KUALA Lumpur’s reputation as a culinary haven has been reaffirmed with its winning bid to host the Worldchefs Congress in 2018.

Organised by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies, also known as Worldchefs, the prestigious event will rotate to South-east Asia for the second time in its 86-year history. It will gather culinary heavyweights from around the world to discuss developments in the culinary field, while a trade show component will be offered to showcase the latest products in the food and beverage industry.

According to Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Worldchefs Congress is expected to generate an estimated RM11 million (US$3.4 million) in economic impact for the country and draw an approximate attendance of 1,000 delegates.

Zulkefli Sharif, CEO of MyCEB said: “In line with our goals to attract international business events, we are honoured that the World Association of Chefs’ Societies has selected Kuala Lumpur as the venue for its Worldchefs Congress in 2018. This is also a testament to Malaysia’s vibrant and diverse culinary scene.”

According to Worldchefs, Malaysia’s bid was successful not only because it met the event’s requirements, but also because it was able to whet delegates’ appetites.

Rick Stephen, Worldchefs continental director, Asia, explained that the committee was “impressed by the presentation and the culinary diversity available in Malaysia”.

Chern Chee Hoong, president of the Chefs Association of Malaysia, said: “Our members are ecstatic that Worldchefs has selected Malaysia for its 2018 congress. We look forward to showcasing the best of Malaysia’s culinary offerings when the delegates visit in 2018.”

Malaysia was the only country in Asia to have submitted a bid, having outbid Hong Kong to become the continent’s representative in an earlier round. Besides Norway, countries that have most recently played host to the congress include South Korea, Chile, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and Ireland.

The 2016 edition will be hosted in Athens, Greece.

EAGER to attract more Philippine-based association attendance at two upcoming trade shows in Bangkok, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) joined forces with Reed Tradex and Impact Exhibitions to run a roadshow in Manila last week.

Representatives of Philippine Health and Wellness Society (PHWS) and the Chamber of Cosmetic Industries of the Philippines (CCIP) were introduced to Beyond Beauty ASEAN Bangkok (September 18 to 20), led by Impact Exhibitions, while Philippine Die and Mold Association members heard from both Reed Tradex and Thailand Tool and Die Industry Association about METALEX 2014.

The roadshow also saw Reed Tradex and Impact Exhibitions dishing out benefits to entice participation in the highlighted events.

PHWS and CCIP members were offered a 15 per cent discount on exhibitor signups and two nights of free accommodation, while Reed Tradex dangled free twin-room stays for two nights for at least three qualified trade visitors who will be able to attend networking events, meet pre-qualified exhibitors and join an exclusive Toyota car factory visit.

Anna Marie Anastacio, CCIP president, said her members valued such opportunities and revealed that the perks had led to Bioessence, a local spa and skin care brand, to sign up “on the spot” as an exhibitor at Beyond Beauty ASEAN Bangkok.

TCEB also took the chance to introduce its new Connect Businesses campaign to Philippine MICE consultants. An improvement on the earlier 100-A-Head campaign, Connect Businesses offers an incentive worth US$100 for each delegate, presented in the form of a refund. To qualify, events held in Thailand must have no less than 10 delegates attending at least 30 business matching meetings and staying in the country for a minimum of three days/two nights.

An additional Big Bonus promotion on the revised campaign was offered to Philippine MICE players, allowing events to qualify for the incentive with only half the minimum visitor and business meeting requirement.

Commenting on the Philippine market as a source of business event footfalls, TCEB president Nopparat Maytheeveekulchai, said: “(It) is a priority market, (contributing) 25,555 MICE visitors overall in 2013 and ranking ninth in Asia (in terms of) visitors numbers at exhibitions (in Thailand).”

Nopparat added that an MoU established last year with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands “had helped drive MICE growth into Thailand”.

IN ORDER to mark the launch of its newly renovated Grand Ballroom and function rooms, JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok has come up with a special meeting package.

From 5,999++ baht (US$190++), the hotel offers accommodation in a single occupancy superior deluxe room, daily international buffet breakfast at Marriott Café, full- or half-day meeting package, and high-speed Internet access for the entire stay.

The package is available for events held between September 1 and December 31, 2014. For bookings calls (66) 2656 7700 ext. 4406.

The hotel’s 1,521m2 event space on the third floor, which comprises the grand ballroom and nine meeting rooms, will be equipped with the latest technology, LED lighting, audiovisual arrangements and Wi-Fi connectivity (TTGmice e-Weekly, July 23, 2014).

PRESSURED event budgets and funding for medical society events, along with stricter requirements on compliance with pharmaceutical codes that impact meetings, are some of the key challenges facing healthcare event owners and planners today, found a quick poll conducted with attendees of the Healthcare Meetings Forum Asia last Friday.

In such a climate, venues will fare well if they “spoke the language” of healthcare event clients, said Mark Handforth, founding director of UK-based Compliant Venues, which assesses venues to support them in meeting the needs of healthcare meetings and provides skills-based training to help venues be “appropriate and truthful”.

“Marketing of venues is quite linear, covering many sectors and event types. However, the healthcare sector is very specific and sometimes the marketing messages may be misleading for this market. We help venues and their staff understand that, which will in turn give them greater confidence in interacting with domestic and international healthcare event clients,” Handforth said.

Explaining the meaning of “appropriate language”, Handforth said: “A hotel or venue’s operation personnel or salesperson will not just be talking to healthcare event clients about F&B, they will have to be ready to discuss their capability to support transparency reporting and event compliance (to pharmaceutical codes).”

“Many hotels and convention centres want a piece of the (healthcare events business), but if the director of sales, for example, lacks the right language of this sector, he or she can very quickly be pushed aside by a client who needs to work with an educated partner.”

Compliant Venues publishes online independent reviews of venues that are worded with healthcare event clients in mind. Clients may then use the information to “speed up their venue decision-making process”.

Currently the company only reviews venues in Europe, although there are plans to expand its reach to Asia.

While Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre does not yet carry such accreditation, its CEO, Arun Madhok, said the venue is already seeing much success with medical and healthcare meetings and events.

Suntec Singapore has a dedicated sales team familiar with regulations affecting such business functions, a specialisation that Madhok believes has benefited the venue.

Madhok said: “Today, although medical and healthcare events represent 30 per cent of the key events we’ve hosted, we still see significant growth opportunities in this area. We are regarded as the venue of choice in Singapore for medical and healthcare events and they form a key part of our business strategy.”

Understanding the legal and budget constraints faced by medical and healthcare associations and companies is important, opined Madhok, who said his team “not only comprehends a large portion of the pharmaceutical codes but also offers solutions to help reduce event costs for healthcare event clients”.

Examples of options include flexible function spaces that allow clients to hire less space and bento lunch boxes which are convenient for “time-strapped doctors who often need to eat while watching a presentation”.

Madhok favours the idea of being accredited as a healthcare event compliant venue by “preferred third-party partners”.

Meanwhile, Handforth is also keen to support education programmes in Asia to improve awareness and understanding of pharmaceutical codes that impact events, among corporate event planners, venue owners and event agencies.