THE International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) is now represented in Malaysia with the entry of Kuala Lumpur-based AOS Conventions & Events into its membership.

Gonzalo Perez Constanzó, IAPCO president, said: “Malaysia is such an important meetings destination in Asia that it was always surprising that we were not represented there.

“(AOS Conventions & Events) will be a much appreciated addition to our Asian contingent which is consistently growing and becoming an influential sector of IAPCO.”

“By joining IAPCO, we will now be recognised as a company providing professional conference management services, accredited by IAPCO, a globally recognised organisation,” said Anthony Wong, president of AOS Conventions & Events.

“We believe that our company will enhance IAPCO’s global outreach with local solutions, including the sharing of knowledge regarding doing business in Malaysia.”

HYATT Regency Incheon is set to unveil its new West Tower, which will add 500 guestrooms, a 1,000-pax grand ballroom, a garden venue and two dining outlets to its existing hardware, by July 2014.

With the expansion, the five-star hotel, which celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year, will boast a total of 1,023 keys, making it the largest Hyatt property outside of North America.

While the hotel intends to bank on Incheon’s position as an international air hub and focus on attracting meeting, convention and exhibition business, it will also court domestic and international business travellers, honeymooners and holidaymakers.

Paul Wright, general manager of Hyatt Regency Incheon, said: “The 10^th anniversary is a wonderful milestone to achieve and reflect upon, as we look to expand and double the size of our hotel in 2014.

“With the opening of West Tower, we will offer twice the excitement to our guests and strive to strengthen our position as a leading hotel focused on authentic hospitality.”

ENCOURAGED by a growing interest among event planners in hosting activities at Chic Outlet Shopping retail villages, the group has developed a MICE strategy that will be led by a newly appointed hospitality expert.

Marnie Kovacs, who brings 18 years of experience representing high-profile businesses including CHI Hotels & Resorts, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Ian Schrager Hotels and The Dorchester Collection, steps into the role of head of MICE under Value Retail, the company that operates the nine Chic Outlet Shopping villages across Europe.

Through the new MICE strategy, Chic Outlet Shopping will offer shopping experiences, priority F&B reservations, VIP hospitality area access and attraction visits to convention and meeting groups; sponsorship branding and use of the village on a large group or sole-hire basis including private access to boutiques for special events; use of VIP lounges and other facilities for meetings; and gift cards and rewards for incentive winners.

It will partner corporate and agency organisations, venues, convention bureaus, congress centres and communication and brand experience agencies to host bespoke events, meetings and incentives at the villages.

The company aims to host around 800 events in 2014, up from the 280 events with 22,000 delegates seen so far this year. Twenty-five per cent of this year’s events were generated from corporates and half from event management companies and DMCs. One of the larger corporate gatherings included a 1,700-pax Indonesian incentive group.

Desirée Bollier, chief executive of Value Retail Management, said in a press release: “For business travellers, we have seen an increase in the demand for exciting itineraries and things to do while they are attending meetings or conferences in other countries. (They) will carve out an afternoon for sightseeing and shopping.”

The company’s tourism director, Ian Stazicker expects “good demand” for its new MICE products from both Europe and Asia.

KOREA Tourism Organization (KTO) Singapore Office has kicked off a new campaign that calls on corporates based in the city-state to create the most unique incentive programme in South Korea in order to win a pair of return economy class tickets to Seoul on Korean Air.

Open to all Singapore-based companies and organisations, participants must present their desired itinerary through a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation along with a mock costing sheet, and have these documents submitted to the NTO by October 31 through koreamice.singapore@gmail.com.

Explaining the objective behind the Master Planner Challenge campaign, Caitrin Moh, MICE manager of KTO Singapore Office, said: “We want to hear what incentive participants truly want to see, do and experience in South Korea. We realised that some incentive planners and MICE travel agencies often propose the same, old ideas for clients, such as kimchi-making classes or bulgogi group dinners, when there are so many other more exciting options. We hope that the submissions will educate incentive planners on what client really wants.

“Also, the campaign will encourage participants to research on unique activities and attractions in South Korea. We have been posting interesting activity and dining ideas for MICE on our Facebook page, so that’s one source of information participants can refer to.”

Moh said the itinerary could focus on a single city in the country or feature multiple destinations.

“As the incentive programme is not bound to a budget, participants can create the most luxurious itinerary or something simple that involves hiking through one of the many mountains in South Korea and temple stays for teambuilding. The winning entry must be original and unique,” she added.

Participants can also stand to win a Samsung Galaxy 4, Samsung camera and S$350 (US$279) worth of Korean restaurant vouchers.

Contact (65) 6533-0441/2 for more information.