THE Brisbane Event Planner, an online city directory for the conventions and events industry, has undergone a significant revamp to mark its first birthday.

Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau director, Annabel Sullivan, said the online tool was now packed with even more useful features to assist event planners.

“We’ve refreshed the layout and design of the website and enhanced the search engine to make it easier to locate venues, accommodation and other services. There is also a live Twitter feed along with other social media tools and marketing collateral to assist with delegate boosting and attendance,” Sullivan said.

The Brisbane Event Planner, which is also accessible on iPhone and iPad, has attracted more than 19,300 unique users since its launch in July 2012.

The Brisbane Event Planner can be found at www.BrisbaneEventPlanner.com.au

Complementing the rejuvenated Brisbane Event Planner is the Convention Support Toolkit which organisers can use to source event planning tools, marketing collateral templates, image and copy libraries, Brisbane mobile apps, pre- and post-event tours and complimentary onsite support including visitor guides and maps.

CROWNE Plaza Hotels and Resorts has lanched Business Energiser, a series of activities that help business travellers to stay motivated, focused and and in top form when they are on the road for work.

Running from July 8 to 29 in six Crowne Plaza hotels across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Business Energiser aims to help MICE groups and solo business travellers get the most out of their day.

Participating properties include Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Singapore, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island and Crowne Plaza Canberra in Australia.

The programme consists of three key elements: Morning Energiser in-room wake-up guides, Morning Warrior wake-up exercise classes, and Meet Aerobics exercises which are conducted while participants are seated during meetings.

Theresa Sidhu, director brand management of Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Asia, Middle East and Africa, said in a press statement: “At Crowne Plaza we know staying healthy and energised when travelling for work is essential to our guests’ business success and our aim is to provide (them) with all the tools they need to achieve their business goals.

“We already offer our guests the facilities and services they need to get ahead but for the next three weeks Business Energiser will be providing guests with an added level of support to take them to hero status at work.”

ASIA is growing in importance as a business events source market for Dubai, according to the local MICE bureau, accounting for an estimated 40 per cent of the destination’s total MICE market and taking second place after top market Europe which has almost 60 per cent of market share.

Tariq Abdullah Al Hashimi, senior executive, congress development of government-owned Dubai Convention Bureau, attributes the strength of the Asian source market to the bureau’s incentive programme for MICE buyers.

Support from the programme, which is upgraded every year, varies according to the size of the group. Incentives include welcome kits, a 10 per cent discount at shopping malls, museum tickets and city tours.

Al Hashimi added that the city was tax-free, which meant savings on hotel and restaurant bills.

He said: “MICE is now increasing for Dubai, especially from Asia (and specifically from) China, Malaysia and Singapore. (These travellers) want to have at least two to three days in Dubai.”

He noted that 60 per cent of MICE business from Asia was made up of incentive travel, 20 per cent corporate clients and 20 per cent associations.

Some of the major events coming up in Dubai include an Amway incentive group from Taiwan with 1,000 participants this September; Asian Pacific Dental Congress with 2,000 delegates in June 2014; and a Newscan meeting for 6,000 delegates from China, Malaysia and Hong Kong in April next year.

THE Adelaide Convention Bureau has in recent months secured the hosting rights for six international conferences which will earn the Australian destination an estimated A$18.3 million (US$17 million) in economic benefit.

Damien Kitto, CEO of Adelaide Convention Bureau, said: “These six conference bid wins are an exceptional result for the bureau, especially considering the increasing resources our national and international competitors have access to.

“To win the right for Adelaide to host these six events (during such challenging times when we have reduced resources) is testament to the strategic direction and sheer hard work being undertaken by the convention bureau team, Team Adelaide industry partners and our Conventions Adelaide Ambassadors.”

Slated to take place between 2014 and 2017, the six confirmed events include the five-day Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition for 600 attendees in October 2014; the four-day International Convention of Asian Scholars with 1,250 delegates in August 2015; and the four-day International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer for 1,500 delegates in June 2016.

THAILAND’s robust economic outlook, coupled with strong post-flood industrial recovery and a relatively peaceful political scene, has buoyed corporate and MICE business for Pattaya’s hospitality sector, according to hoteliers that TTGmice e-Weekly spoke to.

“Since the flooding in Ayutthaya and Central Thailand two years ago, there has been a big wave of change for new investors to invest in the Eastern Seaboard instead,” remarked Chatchawal Supachayanont, general manager of Dusit Thani Pattaya.

“The new Amata City Industrial Estate (in Rayong province) has opened new factories and companies, driving a lot of overseas business travellers to this area (Eastern Seaboard) and benefiting hotels in Pattaya.”

These international corporate travellers usually stay for “a good length of time” of about a week or two at Dusit Thani Pattaya, with some taking root for months, according to Chatachawal.

He added: “We have seen very strong growth in the MICE sector in the first half of 2013; corporate business has grown by 15 per cent while MICE business has grown 25 per cent year to date.”

Similarly, Pullman Pattaya Hotel G has also recorded a surge in MICE and corporate business driven by booming industrial development along the Eastern Seaboard, according to general manager Sophon Vongchatchainont.

He said: “MICE business has increased from five per cent to 15 per cent within the span of six months this year. The corporate sector now makes up around 10-20 per cent of our guests.

“We used to turn away a lot of MICE customers due to the strong leisure demand, but we have identified the MICE segment as a focus for our hotel from this year onward,” Sophon shared, adding that the hotel has signed more contracts with MICE clients this year.

Meanwhile, hoteliers are expecting MICE and business travel demand to stay positive for 2H2013.

Said Chatchawal: “The third quarter usually sees the least MICE business compared to the rest of year, but we’re already seeing good signs of advance bookings for October and November. Business in the second half of 2013 will definitely be better than last year.”