Not on the high seas but down a railroad around the Japanese island of Kyushu. The new Seven Stars luxury sleeper train, which offers seven carriages with 14 well-appointed and uniquely designed suites, showcases the best sights of the destination. Over two- or four-day courses, travellers can indulge in local cuisine, luxuriate in hot springs, feast on Kyushu’s natural scenery and learn about the island’s history and culture.
Dining on board the train is possible too, at Jupiter, which serves seasonal cuisine.
Prices start from 155,000 yen (US$1,513) per person for a two-day option, inclusive of all transportation costs incurred during the programme, meals, sightseeing, entertainment and accommodation.
Advance bookings are recommended. Visit www.cruisetrain-sevenstars.jp/en/ for more information.
A new suite of activities that invites corporate event delegates to celebrate the customs of indigenous Australia is now on offer at Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territories.
Indigenous Encounters, promoted by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, has been designed to cater to groups of all sizes. Activities include traditional Inma dance and welcome, dot painting workshops, aboriginal campfire tours, performances by cultural dancers, an indigenous dance workshop, traditional aboriginal games, a didgeridoo session, spear and boomerang throwing lessons, and a teambuilding session created around boomerang painting.
A two-hour round-robin teambuilding session that features any four of the above activities costs A$75 (US$67) per person.
Besides Indigenous Encounters, Ayers Rock Resort also offers an insightful 30- to 60-minute presentation on the Indigenous Training and Development activities that are conducted by both the National Indigenous Training Academy and Mutitjulu Foundation.
Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa on the Gold Coast has unveiled Pandanus, a new flexible boutique venue suitable for up to 200 delegates. Formerly the Rolls Nightclub, the venue offers 350m2 of indoor space, high speed Internet, built-in audiovisual systems and an outdoor terrace ideal for welcome gatherings and working lunches. Pandanus joins the resort’s extensive collection of event venues, which includes the Mirage Grand Ballroom for up to 1,000 guests in a reception setting.
Melburnians’ love for unique dining experiences have created many exciting gourmet enclaves in the city; Centre Place pictured above
As a city with a dance style named after it, Melbourne is so cool it can hot up corporate events with its quirky city tours, unique dining concepts and fun new attractions. Karen Yue dives in to find out more
The year 2014 may have only just begun, but it is set to be a stellar one for Melbourne. By the end of this year, the vibrant Australian city will have hosted 70 international conferences – and these are just those secured by Melbourne Convention Centre (MCB) – and welcomed 85,000 delegates.
MCB CEO, Karen Bolinger, said that in 2013 and 2014, the number of events had risen 37 per cent, delegate numbers by over half and economic impact by over a third compared to 2011 and 2012.
Soon after hosting the 22nd World Diabetes Congress last December, an event that drew an excess of 10,000 attendees from 140 countries and generated some A$63 million (US$56.3 million) for Victoria State’s economy, Melbourne will go on to welcome 9,000 delegates for the World Congress of Cardiology in May and 14,000 delegates for the 20th International AIDS Conference in July.
“As most major international conferences are held every two years at a minimum and are on a regional rotation with hundreds of cities to choose from, it is unlikely that other city in the world will ever be able to emulate this feat,” said Bolinger.
She quipped that Melbourne continues to be a hit with business event planners because it is always “evolving and thriving” and offers plenty of creative opportunities.
“(Planners) can hold events in a bubble in the sky (the new Melbourne Star Observation Wheel, see Need to know) or get their teams to test their musical flair at the new event space, Melbourne, Music & Me, at Mushroom Records Museum,” she suggested, adding that groups can even replicate the recent Australian Open Tennis Championships with an event at the Olympic Parks and have a local tennis star as the umpire.
Addressing 2014 AIME delegates at a breakfast reception, lord mayor Robert Doyle credited Melbourne’s success in MICE to its quality convention venues, strong industry partnership, creative people and unique city vibe.
“I say it all the time – Melbourne is the most livable city in the world (Economist Intelligence Unit Survey ranked it top spot from 2011 to 2013). To know the real Melbourne, you need to wander around…discover our street art, quirky cafes, art galleries,” Doyle said.
There are many ways for a business event to project the Melbourne vibe. MELTours (info@meltours.com.au) runs a variety of walking tours that spotlight exciting aspects of the city. The three-hour Melbourne Laneway Tour journeys into back alleys and laneways, offering participants a peek into the city’s street art, architecture, hidden shops and unknown tales that dwell in the depths of these areas.
Tipple lovers will enjoy MELTours’ excursions that explore the heady bar scenes of the city.
For groups that want to know how Melbourne came to be, MELTours’ Hidden Gems Of The Yarra Tour takes participants back in time and along the Yarra. Guides will regal participants with stories of early pioneers, treaties with the indigenous tribes and lunatic asylums.
A new walking tour was recently rolled out by Walk Melbourne Tours (questions@walkmelbourne.com.au). The Dumpling Discovery Walk tells the story of Melbourne’s Chinese community through the savoury flavours of Melburnians’ favourite Chinese treat.
Both companies can tailor tours for corporate groups.
Melbourne’s good food and creative dining culture can also be showcased at corporate functions. A great example of this was presented at the 2014 AIME Welcome Reception on Birrarung Marr, where more than 2,500 delegates tucked into an assortment of dishes from 11 of the city’s hottest food trucks as well as canapes, grazing dishes and desserts supplied by Epicure Catering, and were entertained by roving acts and DJs brought together by Creative Entertainment Concepts.
Olivia Dal Bo, event coordinator of Peter Jones Special Events, the event management company that produced the reception, explained the concept was a reflection of Melburnian life. “Food trucks are loved by the locals. We wanted to give international delegates a taste of what we have been enjoying. By bringing these food trucks together on a spectacular location like Birrarung Marr, set against the cityscape, and with roving entertainers, we gave our street food culture a new dimension.”
Peter Jones Special Events (reception@pjse.com.au) has produced several dining events in unique venues around Melbourne. It was behind a sit-down dinner in the iconic 19th century Block Arcade shopping mall in 2010, hosted by Oprah Winfrey, and a 500-pax gala fund-raising dinner for the Variety Club in Melbourne’s Mullum Mullum Tunnel, EastLink.
If dining at a single restaurant does not quite cut it for delegates who love to bond over good food, then how about a dine-around option?
Located on the south bank of the Yarra River and surrounded by restored heritage cargo sheds, the South Wharf Promenade boasts a collection of dining venues such as Akachochin, a Tokyo-style izakaya; Bangpop, a lively restaurant that specialises in Thai cuisine; and Plus 5, a cocktail and tapas bar. All restaurants can be hired for exclusive use. Those good for gatherings of up to 1,000 guests include Cargo Events Hall, Melbourne Public, Showtime Events Centre, The Boatbuilders Hut and The Bridge.
Cassandra Geneopoulos, business development & events manager of South Wharf Promenade, said: “Dine-around events here are very popular with corporate clients as it offers an interactive experience, indulging in a variety of activities around food, beverage, music, culture and education.”
The destination had “quite a few” such events in 2013, revealed Geneopoulos, who listed a 30-pax “corporate progressive” dinner as an example. “It started with a (mixology) session at Plus 5, live paella cooking stations at Bohemian, mains at Meat Market, and then desserts served on human tables outside Common Man overlooking the Yarra River,” she said.
She suggests four venues be used for groups with 30-50 pax, and three for larger gatherings of 200 guests.
Massive dine-around functions involving multiple merchants at South Wharf Promenade have been held for companies such as Optus (1,000 pax), Woolworths (3,000 pax) and Herald Sun (1,200 pax), as well as for events such as Cypriot Wine Festival (3,000pax) and British Lions Rugby (2,000 pax).
“We are in the process of working with large festivals and corporate welcome receptions of 10,000-15,000 guests,” she shared.
Last year, Kuala Lumpur-based ICEM Regional orchestrated a dine-around event at the South Wharf Promenade for Malaysia’s DiGi.Com. The 39-pax group started the evening with coffee and sweets at the industrial chic Charlie Lovett, moved on to tapas in a motorcycle workshop at the Italian-influenced Gasolina, and ended the evening with barbeque meats and drinks at Meat Market.
ICEM Regional also tapped Melbourne’s wealth of unique experiences to deliver an itinerary so memorable that the client has ordered the events specialist to focus on experiential aspects for future events, Lim told TTGmice.
“The itinerary was kept from the delegates, so every part of the journey was a surprise. The group had a city tour on roaring Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a fun dinner at Taxi Kitchen on Federation Square, a site visit of Apple office, a visit to a brewery and a full day of tasting, stomping and blending wine at Rochford Winery in Yarra Valley. When they exited the winery, eight helicopters were waiting to whisk them back to the city. “It was spectacular,” said Lim Pei Pei, head of sales at ICEM Regional.
For airport transfers on the last day in the city, a 25-seater stretch Hummer was deployed.
“Melbourne is such a creative city with creative people to help us execute ideas,” Lim said.
Poh Ching Huey, DiGi’s trade marketing – event and promotions, told the magazine: “It has been months since the event but it is still the talk of the town. The word that is going around the local telco industry is that the event was very exclusive, very impressive.”
Poh added that Melbourne is a true gourmet paradise: “We tried so many different meats, wines and beers on this trip, and everything was awesome!”
Massive dine-aroound events are supported at South Wharf Promenade
In the valley’s embrace
The beautiful Rae’s Restaurant is suitable for private dining events and wine tasting sessions
Yarra Valley needs little introduction, its name synonymous with fine Australian wine. Its impressive stable of more than 80 award-winning wineries with cellar doors and restaurants that serve up stellar dishes using the freshest local produce, along with scenic views and myriad attractions and recreational activities have lured many domestic and international travellers into its embrace.
Corporate clients have also been charmed by what Yarra Valley could do for their events. The region offers a variety of unique venues and hotels and resorts with function rooms and supporting recreational facilities.
Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa in Yarra Glen, for instance, features 69 rooms, an events centre with four function spaces, Rae’s Restaurant which can seat a 180-pax banquet, two private dining rooms, a cellar door and a luxury spa.
RACV Healesville Country Club, nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, offers 80 keys, 14 function rooms (the largest being the ballroom for 300-pax cocktails) that are supported by breakout areas and grassed outdoor spaces with stunning views of the mountain ranges, an 18-hole golf course, a four-hole short course, and a bowling green and croquet lawn, among others.
The 102-key Yarra Valley Lodge offers 10 meeting rooms, with the largest being the Marmion Room for 400 pax in cocktail set-up, as well as Bella Restaurant, Lodge Bar, a day spa and two golf courses close by.
Rochford Wines provides two function rooms and Rochford Restaurant. For clients who prefer to take their gatherings outdoors, such as for teambuilding games, there is Courtyard, a shaded outdoor space, and expansive lawns that can support large events.
Besides partaking in wine tasting, delegates can also work up a sweat with a laser strike battle at the Hedgend Maze, or take it slow with a visit to The Big Bouquet where 60,000 gerberas bloom year-round and shop for quality craft at specialty shops like Indidjart Gallery and Cafe and Warratina Lavender Farm.
However, Yarra Valley’s fun appeal and proximity to Melbourne mean venues and accommodation are often booked out quickly.
Melanie Watson, Balgownie Estate conference & events sales executive, said: “Our venues are often completely booked out. For clients with large groups, we often advise an advance booking of six to eight weeks. Alternatively, we can work with clients to bring their delegates from the city to the estate for a day programme.”
Booking challenges at Yarra Valley are also a result of the lack of hotels and resorts with large room count.
Anthony LoGiusto, Yarra Valley Lodge’s general manager, said: “We have just 102 keys and 10 meeting rooms and are considered the largest residential conference facility here.”
Kylie Shorter, conference & events sales manager of RACV Club, which manages RACV Healesville Country Club, noted that weekend bookings are especially tricky for corporate groups: “Yarra is very popular with locals on weekends and as a country club, members get priority.”
To cater to large corporate groups that desire overnight programmes in the wine and gourmet destination, some sellers such as RACV Healesville Country Club, Château Yering and Balgownie Estate have banded together to manage overflow, on top of planning itineraries for clients.
Kiff Saunders, pilot of Global Ballooning which operates hot air balloon flights over the Yarra region and Melbourne city, said the company works closely with “all major accommodation and venues here” to plan programmes for conference groups.
“What we all want is holistic growth for Yarra,” Saunders said, adding that such collaboration among tourism sellers makes life easier for event clients. – Karen Yue
Ideas
Post-meeting day tour of Yarra Valley
Embark on an hour’s drive to Yarra Valley from your hotel in Melbourne city centre early in the morning. First stop, Rae’s Restaurant at Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa for a hearty breakfast of the freshest local produce, followed by a wine tasting session.
Next, pay a visit to Healesville Sanctuary where you will get to meet some of Australia’s indigenous wildlife, from kangaroos to dingoes. Catch a show of regal birds of prey and playful parrots, and stop by the Australian Wildlife Health Centre to learn what is being done to rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife.
Seglympics activities can be conducted on any area of private land, indoors and out
Later, get lost in the chocolate wonderland that is Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. Help yourself to free tastings, watch chocolate artisans at work and buy some of the sweet treats for loved ones back home.
Break for lunch at Yarra Valley Lodge’s Bella Restaurant, which overlooks the stunning Yarra Ranges. Proceed to Heritage Yarra Valley Day Spa within the property for a soothing foot therapy, then work off the post-lunch sleep bug with an energetic Seglympics series of teambuilding games on Segways, organised by Segway Victoria at the sprawling Rochford Winery.
Enjoy one last wine tasting experience at the Rochford Cellar Door before returning to Melbourne city. – Karen Yue
Need to know
New star arising in downtown Melbourne
See Melbourne in a new light on board the new Melbourne Star Observation Wheel which rises 120m into the sky with 21 fully enclosed air-conditioned glass cabins.
The new attraction in the city’s Docklands area also boasts a selection of function rooms that can cater to corporate gatherings of all sizes and styles.
The Star Room can entertain up to 400 guests for cocktails or 250 for a seated breakfast, lunch or dinner, and includes two boardrooms – Star and Constellation – that can function as breakout rooms.
The Star Deck is perfect for private receptions before or after a flight on the observation wheel.
The Star Cabins can also be used for intimate gatherings of 14 for cocktails or eight for board meetings.
The landscaped alfresco Star Piazza can take more than 1,500 guests, making it the largest function space in Melbourne.
Catering is provided exclusively by Peter Rowland Catering.
Visit www.melbournestar.com for more information.
New venues at Melbourne’s Pullman
Pullman Melbourne Albert Park has unveiled two new meeting venues after the completion of an A$20 million (US$18 million) renovation. The new Victoria and Albert rooms and adjoining pre-function space are ideal for meetings for up to 50 people or as additional breakout rooms for large residential conferences.
With the addition of these venues, the hotel now offers 31 event spaces totalling 2,600m², making it the largest and most comprehensive residential event venue in Melbourne.
Pullman Melbourne Albert Park shares a common building on Queens Road with Mercure Melbourne Albert Park, offering a total accommodation inventory of 379 rooms.
Plan it better in 3D
Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has a new service that allows clients to work with its technology team to create 3D floorplans of function spaces.
Visualisation Studio, as the new service is called, is built on MA3D, a German-made programme and enables event organisations to try out various lighting effects, layouts and positioning of projectors and screens, etc to see how the space would look in reality. It is offered free to clients who book venues at MCEC.
Walk in The Park
Set within Melbourne’s iconic Albert Park and overlooking the crisp Albert Park Lake, The Park is a flexible venue that allows planners the freedom to create unique events.
Owned by Publican Group, The Park works closely with Design Depot to bring in furniture and decoration that best suit the client’s desired theme. It is supported by an in-house caterer, but is able to work with others.
It can accommodate a 1,000-pax standing reception indoors and another 280 on its sheltered balcony.
The Park must be hired entirely. Visit www.theparkmelbourne.com.au or email info@melbourneeventsgroup.com.au.
Under the sea, under the sea
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium (www.melbourneaquarium.com.au) was relaunched last September, following major renovations. It now offers fresh venues for corporate events of various sizes.
The circular Coral Atoll, which boasts a large, stunning aquarium as its centrepiece, is good for a 400-pax sit-down banquet or a 600-pax cocktail function. Guests can also network under the sea in the Fish Bowl room, as sharks, stingrays and sea turtles circle around in the 2.2 million-litre oceanarium.
The Upper Deck, with its interior themed after the Australian rainforest, makes a unique venue too. It can take 70 guests for a sit-down dinner.
For breakfast meetings with a difference, choose the chilly Antarctica room, where King and Gentoo penguins hang out behind a glass enclosure.
Conferences can be held in the Yarra Room, which can accommodate 120 pax theatre-style.
View from the top
The best way to take in Yarra Valley’s sprawling vineywards, rolling hills and scenic mountain ranges is from high above. To get a great view from the top, contact Global Ballooning, which has over 15 years of experience in corporate hospitality. It offers tailor-made programmes that include a scenic flight over grape vines in a hot air balloon. Pair the experience with a champagne breakfast at Rochford Winery. Free pick-ups are provided from selected Yarra Valley accommodation. Email balloon@globalballooning.com.au for more information.
The Royal Albatross, hailed as the first luxury tall ship in Asia, has reached the shores of Singapore and will begin operations from the middle of this year.
To be berthed at Resorts World Sentosa’s waterfront for the next three years, this 47m long, four-mast ship can be chartered for private and corporate events.
It has five cabins, two bars and spacious open decks with a maximum passenger capacity of 200 when docked, up to 149 guests for day or evening cruises, and up to 10 for overnight voyages.
Peter L Pela, Tall Ship Adventure’s owner and managing director, said: “The Royal Albatross is targeted at discerning high-wealth private charter or senior executives for corporate charter and is ready to take on their events.”
To create tailored experiences “on a scale unlike any other”, Pela said the ship, which is fully equipped with audiovisual equipment for presentations and satellite communications, offers the romance of a magnificent tall ship with historical and traditional elegance.
Pela pointed out that the multifunction Grand Salon which contains a bar will appeal particularly to corporate guests. This space can hold approximately 60 guests in a fully air-conditioned environment and has built in audiovisual systems and customisable lighting.
Depending on the client’s needs and requirements, they can opt for an alongside charter – where the ship is docked throughout the event – or a cruise voyage where the ship will sail around Singapore. – Paige Lee Pei Qi
Popular Hong Kong attraction Ngong Ping 360 is gaining a new lease of life with a sensory tourism programme to debut this year, including fresh performances and MICE space.
The Monkey Theatre at Ngong Ping Village will be relaunched in 2Q with a 3D theatre and a live theatre for action-packed performances themed on classic Hong Kong movies. By the end of the year, additional themed activities such as movie stunt demonstrations will commence at the Village.
Stella Kwan, head of commerce for the attraction, said the revamp of Monkey Theatre costs more than HK$30 million (US$3.9 million).
Part of the Ngong Ping 360 terminal will be converted into a new, 310m2 MICE venue from 3Q, called 360 Dialogue.
“Our team started approaching corporates in recent months to market our new one-day MICE programme, combining a half-day Dining In Silence session for food appreciation and interaction in total silence, with optional activities such as hiking and visits to Tai O,” said Kwan.
Other programmes to begin in the second half of 2014 include the Aerial Wire Experience, while it will offer accommodation packages and aftenoon tea tours for the first time.
Ngong Ping 360 has also implemented a new online ticketing system allowing mobile ticketing and reservation of return trip tickets. A new audio guide can be downloaded via WeChat. – Prudence Lui
Stretch those limbs after a meeting and learn to move like K-pop idols at DEF Dance Studio Picture by DEF Dance Studio
After years of successful courtship with global congresses, Seoul is now flaunting more of its fun side to garner more incentive wins. By Karen Yue
In a marketplace where competition for international congresses is intensifying by the minute, South Korea’s capital city has managed to retain fifth spot on UIA’s ranking of top international meetings cities for three years running – in 2010, 2011 and 2012 – while raising its count of qualified meetings from 201 in 2010 to 253 in 2012.
Now that it has developed a forte in hosting international congresses, Seoul is eager to boost its performance in another events sector.
Maureen O’Crowley, vice president of Seoul Convention Bureau at the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), said: “It is time for us to shift our focus onto incentives. The great thing about incentives is that they materialise much faster than conventions and exhibitions which take years to prepare and happen.”
In general, Seoul Convention Bureau is strengthening communications and cooperation with DMCs and incentive professionals to garner more incentive wins.
Since intensifying its courtship of incentive clients last year, Seoul Convention Bureau has supported 66 corporate meetings/incentives in 2013, compared to 45 in 2012.
One of these events was a teambuilding programme for 200 members of McDonald’s Singapore in May. Activities were an interpretation of Running Man, a popular Korean TV game show, in Lotte World amusement park. Another was a 1,000-pax Nuskin Japan gathering in July.
“We also had many small-sized incentive groups,” said O’Crowley.
The number of meeting/incentive footfalls in Seoul registered an even more spectacular jump – from 5,265 in 2012 to 18,665 in 2013.
“Much of this can be attributed to the expanded support programme we offer to DMCs,” she explained.
The enhanced support by the bureau included its first-ever financial subvention. To qualify for this, groups must have at least 50 international attendees who stay a minimum of two consecutive nights in Seoul. The scheme provides 20,000 Korean won (US$18.70) per delegate, up to a maximum of 20,000,000 Korean won, as well as souvenirs, welcome events at the airport, ground transfers, banquets, performances and city tours.
The financial portion of the scheme is dispensed in two ways: a financial credit of 10,000 Korean won plus a small gift, or a premium gift valued at 20,000 Korean won.
The financial credit goes to the local organiser who will use it to cover certain expenses incurred in Seoul, such as transport, dinner and performances, O’Crowley explained.
“We have also created new programmes to support our DMCs through workshops, newsletters and advertisements,” she added, pointing to a soon-to-release 38-page Incentive Guide as an example of the bureau’s initiatives.
The guide will spotlight existing products and venues in Seoul that can up the fun factor for incentive programmes. Event planners will be presented with ideas that feature traditional venues, cultural experiences, technology and medical tours.
“It is important to work creatively with what the city already offers,” she said. “It is very interesting how groups are coming up with great ideas themselves. Last April a pharmaceutical company in China got its participants to take photos that captured determination, confidence and passion – the three key traits of Korean businessmen that the company’s CEO liked.”
The bureau also assists incentive planners in customising programmes with the help of its Seoul MICE Alliance, which now boasts 144 members including unique venues, hotels, convention centres, PCOs, transportation specialists, travel agencies, entertainment providers, shopping centres and other suppliers.
The bureau will focus its marketing efforts on incentive buyers in Asia-Pacific – China and South-east Asia in particular – due to proximity, ease of air access and familiarity with Seoul as a destination.
O’Crowley credited the Korean pop – or K-pop – culture for helping to establish great incentive interest from China and South-east Asia, and said Seoul’s new Klive – said to be the world’s first dedicated K-pop hologram performance hall – would get delegates from those regions excited.
Located in Lotte FITIN building, a new shopping mall in Dongdaemun, Klive (www.klive.co.kr) utilises state-of-the-art technology and K-pop content to create a fantasy world where visitors can go in search of Psy and catch idol bands in action.
Incentive winners can also ride the K-pop wave at DEF Dance Studio (www.defcompany.com), which can customise content for corporate groups. It has two dance studios which can each take up to 40 trainees. Exclusive use of a dance studio costs 20,000 Korean won per pax per hour, and clients can choose their preferred song to dance to.
South Korean cosmetics have also garnered a strong following worldwide, the effectiveness of these products promoted by the country’s numerous beautiful celebrities. Incentive delegates keen to learn about the history and development of South Korean cosmetics can visit Space C (www.spacec.co.kr), a venue managed by Coreana, a local cosmetics company.
Coreana Cosmetics Museum within the building displays more than 5,300 beauty-related items used by women in the Joseon Dynasty, as well as plants that provide crucial ingredients for beauty products. At the end of the learning journey, top achievers can adjorn to The Beauty Space where a therapist at the skin clinic will prescribe various indulgent body treatments.
Appreciate South Korea’s love for fashion and creativity at Simone Handbag Museum Picture by Simone Handbag Museum
Alternatively, feature Kwangdong Traditional Medicine Hospital (english@ekwangdong.co.kr) in Gangnam, where visitors can learn about traditional health treatments that have withstood the sands of time.
Beside granting sufficient time for delegates to comb the myriad shops in downtown Seoul, incentive planners can include Simone Handbag Museum (simonehandbagmuseum.co.kr) in the itinerary. A reflection of South Korean’s passion for fashion, the museum carries a collection of 300 bags, some dating back to 1550.
When delegates have gotten their fill of the big city, whisk them off to scenic Namsangol Hanok Village which showcases five traditional houses from the Joseon Dynasty as well as traditional activities such as archery and performances.
Need to know
Hot, new stay in Seoul’s fashion enclave
The 170-room JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul has opened, making it the first international luxury business hotel to be located in the heart of the city’s popular fashion district.
Featuring a stylish urban facade and elegant interiors, the property offers five meeting rooms over 972m2 of space. The grand ballroom can accommodate up to 750 guests.
F&B offerings include BLT Steak, an internationally renowned New York steakhouse; Tavolo 24, a casual all-day dining restaurant featuring live cooking stations; The Lounge, which specialises in artisan chocolates, martinis and afternoon tea; Seoul Baking Company, which serves fresh cakes and pastries from its open kitchen; and the roof-top Griffin Bar overlooking the East Gate.
Eat your way through Seoul
O’ngo Food Communications organises a series of food-themed tours in several destinations across South Korea.
In Seoul, it serves up a variety of tours such as the Korean Street Food and BBQ Tour that combs through seven classic shops, street stalls and restaurants; the Korean Night Dining Tour that celebrates good food and imparts local eating and drinking customs to participants; and The Great Korean Pub Crawl that focuses on traditional pubs and new watering holes.
Tours are led by English, Spanish, or Japanese speaking guides. Private tours are available. Contact ongofood@ongofood.com for details.
Artistic souls
The Naksan Art Project in Dongsung-dong district features a range of art installations and more than 70 beautiful murals, decorated walls and houses, and more, making it a fun place to explore as part of a pre/post-meeting tour.
Indulge in a visual feast
Occupying a black and white building with clean lines in a neighbourhood of international embassies, Si Wha Dam positions itself as a sophisticated gallery that specialises in fine-dining cuisine. Dishes celebrate traditional Korean cooking styles and ingredients, but are presented in artistic forms, offering diners a feast for both the eyes and palate.
Set lunch and dinner options carry beautiful names, such as A Lyric Poem, A Beautiful Painting and Pleasant Story. Dishes featured under A Beautiful Painting set dinner include an artistic interpretation of the humble rice cake sandwich, among others.
Advance reservation is necessary. Visit www.siwhadam.com or call (82-02) 798-3350.
Bond may prefer his martini shaken, but celebrated cocktail master Javier de las Muelas shows that a stirred martini – a dry martini to be exact – can be as remarkable. In fact, if Bond was real, he would have to admit that de las Muelas’ gin and vermouth concoction was the most remarkable liquid to ever pass his lips – the master had spent 35 years to perfect this cocktail after all.
To take a swig of de las Muelas’ dry martini, one no longer need to travel miles from Asia to his award-winning Dry Martini bar in Barcelona. One only has to strut down to Four Seasons Singapore’s One-Ninety Bar by Javier de las Muelas.
Tucked away in a quiet corner on the hotel’s ground floor, the rejuvenated bar offers a handsome indoor space that is furnished with a long marble bar, plush seats and bottle-lined shelves, as well as Terraza, a lush outdoor seating area and cigar bar. The sophisticated setting makes it perfect for intimate business gatherings and celebrations, although full private hire is not allowed.
One-Ninety Bar by Javier de las Muelas also seduces patrons with a selection of classic and signature cocktails, such as the refreshing Frozen Apple Martini. Tantalising bar bites such as crispy calamari with lime and chipotle aioli and mini Wagyu sliders complete the whole experience.
Stop by from 08.00 to 01.00 or call (65) 6831 7671 for reservations.
Gili Trawangan, a small island off Lombok island, is an emerging MICE destination
With better infrastructure and connectivity, secondary cities are making headways in capturing the MICE market. By Mimi Hudoyo
A s demand for meetings and incentives increase on the back of a growing economy and improving accessibility from neighbouring countries, secondary destinations in Indonesia such as Jogjakarta, Lombok and Padang are now putting more focus on developing the MICE market.
In cooperation with MICE Centre, an Indonesian MICE research and development, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has finalised mapping and rating 16 cities/islands it is focused on developing and promoting as MICE destinations, according to Achyar Rudin, director of MICE and special interest development at the ministry’s directorate general of destination development.
“The mapping tells us the strengths and weaknesses of each destination. Not every destination is ready to accommodate all MICE sectors,” Achyar said. Based on the ministry’s criteria, Jakarta and Bali are rated as “existing” destinations, Jogjakarta is a “potential” destination, while Lombok and Padang fit in the “emerging” destinations category.
Corporate and association meetings combining incentive or leisure components are a major market for Jogjakarta, according to ATA Travel Service director, Malia Sayuti.
Said Bagus Dewa Karuniawan, director of sales and marketing at Royal Ambarrukmo Hotel, where MICE contributed 30 per cent of business last year: “The city has lost a number of businesses to other (Indonesian) destinations because we did not have a big convention facility.”
To meet the growing MICE demand in Jogjakarta, Royal Ambarrukmo Hotel has added the 2,000-pax Kasultanan Ballroom – currently the biggest venue in the city – to its existing 1,000-pax Kraton Ballroom.
The new 193-room Eastparc Hotel Yogyakarta, with a ballroom of 1,000 pax capacity plus 20 breakout rooms, was built to cater for MICE. The hotel’s general manager, Erny Kusmastuti, explained: “With MICE, there are a lot of segments to sell, from the rooms and meeting facilities to F&B and dinner celebrations.”
Lombok, in eastern Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province, has enjoyed the steady growth of domestic MICE in recent years, thanks to aggressive promotion efforts by the regional government in the last decade. In 2013, NTB recorded over 1.3 million arrivals, increasing 22 per cent from 2012.
“Of this number, some 900,000 arrivals were from Indonesia, of which meetings and incentive contributed 55 per cent,” said Awan Aswinabawa, chairman of NTB Tourism Promotion Board.
Gili Trawangan, a small island near Lombok, has gained popularity with MICE groups as its remoteness enable clients to have fruitful and effective meetings by staying within self-contained resorts, according to Imam Wahyudi, general manager of Villa Ombak and Ombak Sunset on Gili Trawangan.
Christina Rudatin, advisor of MICE Centre, said: “Lombok is a promising destination, but venues, the people’s readiness to be hosts and the availability of vendors to provide things MICE organisers need are among the things it needs to improve.”
In West Sumatra, Padang’s burgeoning room supply and air connections, including 28 daily flights from Jakarta and direct links with Medan, Batam, Pekanbaru and Kuala Lumpur, are “start-up capital” for Padang to develop its MICE sector, said Yusran, who is also chairman of Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association West Sumatra Chapter.
Minangkabau International Convention Centre (MICC) is due to open mid this year with a 4,500m² convention hall. Maulana Yusran, board member of Sungai Tanang Sinergi, which owns MICC, has noted “the development of new hotels in Padang following the 2009 earthquake”.
Padang’s inventory grew from 1,500 rooms before the earthquake to 2,800 rooms at end-2013, with several hundred more rooms expected to enter the market this year, he added.
Having recently organised Tourism Indonesia Mart and Expo (TIME) 2013 in Padang, the destination has the potential to host regional events of about 1,000 participants although facilities and human resources need to be improved, noted Pacto Convex president director, Susilowani Daud.
Christina agreed: “There are many things the destination needs to improve to catch up with other cities.” she added that while it was natural for Padang to rely on PCOs from mature destinations like Jakarta or Bali, the destination needs to develop skilled manpower at the operational level.
Ideas
One-day outing in Jogjakarta
MORNING
Take a cycling or walking tour of Kotagede, a historic neighbourhood which in the 16th century was the capital of the Mataram kingdom. Wander around the narrow lanes lined with century-old houses showcasing traditional Javanese wooden houses combined with elements of Dutch brick architecture. These houses were homes of rich merchants during the colonial era. If you are lucky, some owners might be willing to open their houses for guests to go in and take a closer look at the unique architecture and living traditions.
Visit the remains of the Mataram kingdom including the royal mosque, royal cemetery, defensive walls and moats.
Kotagede is known for its silverware, so do not miss the opportunity to drop in to one of the smith shops to see the jewellery making and take home some souvenirs.
Lunch at a local restaurant that serves traditional Jogjakarta food.
AFTERNOON
After lunch, drive north to Kaliurang, a small town on the southern slopes of Mount Merapi and take a four-wheel Jeep Tour (three pax per jeep) to visit villages, fields, bridges and roads destroyed by the lava and hot clouds during the 2010 eruption. Cold lava covering creeks, heaps of sands and boulders still remain, bearing witness to the devastating eruption.
Meanwhile, the majestic Mount Merapi itself is a beautiful backdrop for photoshoots while the off-road ride on the old Willys Jeep is an experience in itself.
Off-road ride on an old Willys Jeep is an experience on its own
Need to know
BICC sports refreshed meeting facilities
Following a recent full refurbishment, the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC) has updated its meeting facilities.
The renovated facility now boasts 26 revitalised meeting rooms and two VIP holding rooms to accommodate heads of states, in addition to the Mangupura Hall, a spacious 2000m², 10m-high venue that can accommodate up to 2,500 pax in a theatre style set up, and the 506-seat auditorium with a built-in stage – the only tiered theatre of its kind in Bali.
A brand-new facility is The Lounge, located on the second floor with full-length windows, a fully-stocked bar and an assortment of table settings.
BICC also incorporates accessible hallways, wide doors and elevators, making it a wheelchair-friendly venue.
Website: www.baliconvention.com
Experience local living
Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is currently working with villages across the country to develop and showcase themselves as unique cultural destinations.
International travellers to these destinations can observe villagers’ daily lives and take part in their activities, while MICE travellers can also conduct CSR programmes. Activities offered include
learning to play the gamelan (a traditional musical ensemble), rice field ploughing, coconut picking and cooking classes.
In Jogjakarta, these villages include Desa Wisata (Tourism Village) Pentingsari, Brayut, Sambi and Tembi. More information available at http://desawisatasleman.wordpress.com
Transformation completed
The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali has unveiled new additions as part of its multi-million revitalisation project last year.
In the Premier Wing, each of the 99 rooms and suites boast contemporary decor adorned with Balinese artistic elements, a balcony and a spacious bathroom. The new wing also has its own swimming pool.
The Heavenly Spa by Westin, the first in Indonesia, features 16 treatment rooms and a hair spa. There are separate thermal facilities for male and female guests, including hydro-pools, salt-wall saunas and steam rooms, plus an inner relaxation lounge for snacks and drinks before or after treatments.
Prego is the new Italian restaurant, offering an open-plan kitchen and convivial atmosphere.
Website: www.westinnusaduabali.com
New adventure hub in Ubud
Bali Adventure Tours has opened the Ubud Adventure Centre, a 4000m², four-storey complex overlooking the Ayung River gorge in Kedewatan, Ubud.
The destination is also home to nine separate leisure facilities, including restaurants, cafes, gift shops and a rooftop function area, plus two Adventure Suites with a private outdoor dining pavilion and swimming pool. It also serves as the new check-in facility and finish point for the company’s white water rafting operations.
Website: www.baliadventuretours.com
Wider MICE perspective
Hilton Bandung has rolled out Panorama, a multi-purpose, integrated rooftop event space.
Panorama combines an open-air area consisting of the outdoor Fresco restaurant featuring an open kitchen concept, next to which is the 181m2 contemporarily designed indoor meeting room, which with its floor-to-ceiling glass sides overlooking the swimming pool, also offers meeting planners “in the pool” long table meetings and dining options.
Altogether, Hilton Bandung has 13 adaptable meeting rooms, including Panorama and the pillar-less ballroom.
Event planners looking to host gatherings in historical Kyoto will get a new option. UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, Nijo Castle, in central Kyoto, will welcome business events from April and has appointed 12 coordinators to market and promote events on site.
Ovation Global DMC’s strategic partner in Japan, The J Team DMC, is the only specialist DMC on the list, which comprises local hotel, media, event, travel and catering companies.
James Kent, sales and marketing manager, The J Team DMC, told TTGmice: “Our bid included a wide range of ideas that covered teambuilding, reward and award, workshops and training, as well as parties. I see potential for smaller, tailored events at the castle.”
Kent said Nijo Castle was included in a couple of proposals for autumn, and it is possible for a piece of business to materialise by spring or summer.
The castle’s exterior space is available for gala dinners for up to several thousands of people depending on the size of the marquee, while an indoor area can be booked for meetings with about 200 guests.
The primary concern is damage to the property, so no catering is allowed within the castle building and proper preparations in marquee set-ups are needed.
Kent said: “One of the reasons Nijo Castle is opening up to MICE events is to help raise funds for its current restoration projects. This is a fantastic opportunity for CSR-minded companies to make a valuable contribution to the preservation of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site by donating to the fund, and receiving recognition for it.”
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