PAHANG’S Mutiara Taman Negara resort has expanded its customer mix to include small-sized incentive groups following the completion of its RM6 million (US$1.91 million) refurbishment in mid-2013.

General manager Nathan Vaithi said incentive groups would enable the resort to increase its yield.

He noted that leisure guests tended to spend three days and two nights at the resort on half-board arrangements, while incentive groups stayed an average of four days and three nights with full-board requirements.

The Malaysian resort will target domestic companies and incentive groups from Singapore and Europe.

Besides spotting refreshed public spaces and guest rooms, the 23-year-old Malaysian resort has also equipped itself with a revamped website that provides details on its meeting and banquet facilities and guests activities, among other things.

THE Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) has had a flying start to the 2013/14 financial year with 10 major international conference wins for the Australian city.

These international conferences, which include International Feng Shui Convention (November 2014), Annual Conference on Global Economic Analysis (June 2015), Annual World Conference on Carbon (July 2017) and World Engineers’ Convention (November 2019), will inject an estimated A$55 million (US$52 million) into the Victorian economy and attract more than 10,500 delegates over the next five years.

MCB’s CEO Karen Bolinger said winning these conferences is testament to the strength of Victoria’s priority sectors of medicine, science and the environment, technology and engineering, and business and education.

“Winning events in these sectors exposes our scientists and industry leaders to international best practice, boosts the skills and experience of our local workforce, and increases access for Victorian industries to international markets,” Bolinger said.

“In addition, business events create positive flow on benefits for small to medium businesses throughout the state by creating significant revenue opportunities for hotels, restaurants and other service providers.

“The competition to attract these valuable international conferences from other states in Australia and countries across the globe is fierce, so it is essential that MCB takes a strategic approach to win these bids; researching, planning and bidding for business events as far out as 2028, and it’s fantastic to see it all pay off.”

Eight out of these 10 meetings will be held at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

BEVERLEY Parker, executive director, sales and marketing, Dockside Group and Shelley Roberts, executive director, aviation services, Sydney Airport have been elected to the positions of Members’ Directors of Business Events Sydney (BESydney) by their peers.

BESydney Chairman, Col Hughes, said: “We are delighted to welcome Shelley and Beverley to our Board. Our nine directors bring unique energy and perspectives, along with diverse industry and commercial knowledge, to the table. Together they will actively contribute to the strategy and direction of the company and we look forward to working with them, now and into the future.”

The board will also see the exit of two directors, Kate Smith and Gary Daly.

BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, highlighted the importance of strong industry leaders to guide the company’s future success.

“The business events market both globally and locally is changing. We need to evolve to ensure we are best placed to tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Under the guidance of our highly-respected and connected Board of Directors, both past and present, BESydney is leading the way as a global destination of choice for business events.”

THE Oakwood Residence Prestige Whitefield Bangalore has opened in the Silicon Valley of India, offering 143 units overlooking the scenic Varthur Lake.

Led by resident manager Varun Sharma, Oakwood Residence Prestige Whitefield Bangalore is one of the largest serviced residences in the city. Strategically located in the IT hub of Bangalore and atop the popular Forum Value Mall at Whitefield, the property offers guests easy access to the International Tech Park Bangalore and a variety of entertainment, dining and shopping options.

Ideal for both long and short stays, guests can choose from a selection of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. Each private residence boasts a state-of-the-art home entertainment system, modern kitchen, fully automated washer and dryer, Wi-Fi, rain shower and other amenities.

Facilities include the all-day dining Oakleaf Restaurant and Bar, a fitness centre, an outdoor pool, meeting facilities and more.

“India, being one of the world’s fastest growing economies and favoured destinations for global investment, continues to be a key market as we look to expand in the region,” said PG Mathew, managing director for Oakwood’s collection of 26 serviced apartments in Asia-Pacific.

“We are especially excited to see the opening of our fifth property in India which reinforces our position as an industry leader and the largest global serviced apartment operator in the country.”

Three additional properties are slated to join Oakwood’s India portfolio by 2016.

Vientiane-based DMC, Laos Mood Travel, is hauling in a good catch of business leads and enquiries following the recent hosting of its first familiarisation trip for Belgian MICE planners and business travel media, an activity jointly organised and sponsored by Thai Airways International Belgium.

The familiarisation trip, which ran from September 21 to 28 and covered Thailand’s Golden Triangle, Pakbeng, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, put participants on a smartphone-based scavenger hunt, a tuk-tuk self-drive contest, a speedboat ride down upper Mekong, an elephant greeting at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, street food dining, and many other experiences.

In an email interview with TTGmice e-Weekly, Laurent Granier, co-founder and general manager of Laos Mood Travel, said his team is presently creating programmes for Belgian incentive houses, with some of the events due to take place in 2014.

Granier explained that Belgium was targeted due to available air access, provided by THAI’s Brussels-Bangkok flights and a new daily direct Bangkok-Luang Prabang service.

He added: “Belgium is a small and dynamic country, while its capital Brussels (is home to many) corporate headquarters. Moreover, Belgians travel frequently abroad and are bon vivants. Laos and Belgium are both francophone nations and their people favour relaxed lifestyles.

“(Our initiation of this familiarisation trip) is in line with our continuous efforts to promote MICE in Laos,” he said, adding that he is keen to “target emerging markets with (huge) potential, especially from East and North Europe”.

However, Granier said such familiarisation trips were only possible with the support of airlines and pointed out that the presence of “Nordic and Middle Eastern airlines” that fly into Asia have “(brought) Laos closer to their country of origin”.

A COLLABORATION between COMEXPOSIUM Group, its subsidiary SIAL Group and the Philippines’ leading food show MAFBEX has resulted in the creation of SIAL ASEAN.

To be held next year from June 11 to 13 in Manila, the new food exhibition is expected to attract 800 exhibitors – half of whom will be from across the world – and 15,000 professional visitors.

SIAL ASEAN joins SIAL Group’s current portfolio of food exhibitions including SIAL China, SIAL Middle East, SIAL Canada, SIAL Paris and SIAL Brazil.

Renaud Hamaide, managing director of COMEXPOSIUM Group, said the development of SIAL ASEAN “fits perfectly into the global strategy” of the company which constantly seeks out opportunities “principally in areas of the world that post significant economic growth”.

SOME 1,500 of the world’s leading melanoma and skin cancer experts will gather in Brisbane in October 2017, following the Australian city’s successful bid for the 9^th World Congress of Melanoma.

The event, which will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), was a result of a joint effort involving Brisbane’s key convention partners, led by a team from the host venue, as well as Cancer Council Queensland and two of Brisbane’s leading melanoma specialists. It is expected to deliver an A$3.6 million (US$3.5 million) boost to the Queensland economy.

Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Marketing also played significant roles in securing the four-day congress.

The World Congress of Melanoma’s return to Australia for the second time in 20 years is regarded as “testimony to Brisbane’s world class research reputation and active engagement in the area of melanoma and melanoma management and will provide an opportunity to showcase the ground breaking work of Queensland based researchers and clinicians”, said a press release from BCEC.

The main architects of the bid, co-convenors and BCEC Convention Advocates, H Peter Soyer and Mark Smithers, believe the high calibre of the multidisciplinary Australian Steering Committee and the successful hosting of the Dermoscopy World Congress at the venue last year were factors in the success of the Brisbane bid.

BCEC general manager, Bob O’Keeffe, said the win was further affirmation of Brisbane’s reputation and track record for hosting major international events and its appeal to the international scientific and research sectors.

THE Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has turned its attention on corporate incentive travel from the Philippines after market research showed that the sector has more promise than meetings, conventions and exhibitions.

“Incentive travel is steady and fast-growing not only to South Korea but also to other countries,” said Sangyong Zhu, director of KTO’s Manila office.

Encouraged by its market research results, KTO hosted the MICE Travel Mart in May, which saw the participation of almost 150 corporations in cooperation with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to Zhu, the Manila office also works closely with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association in promoting the destination for incentive trips.

KTO is also investing in advertising and newspaper campaigns to promote MICE tourism.

Incentive arrivals from the Philippines today are a tiny percentage of the total footfalls from the market. The tourism bureau supported 971 people from 20 incentive groups from the Philippines between January and October 3 this year, while total arrivals in the first eight months of the year were 280,711.

Zhu explained that the numbers were small because KTO’s Manila office was only formed a year and a half ago and the incentive trip campaign was rolled out last May.

“This is just the beginning. The Philippines has big potential,” he said.

“(South) Korea isn’t cheap. It’s a little more expensive than other Asian countries but Filipinos still go there because of the robust Philippine economy and the stronger buying power of the middle class,” he explained.

Filipinos’ fascination with the Korean wave adds to the destination’s popularity, while South Korea’s offer of multiple-entry visa for South-east Asians since September has enhanced accessibility.