Prince Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong has completed its refurbishment programme, arming it with updated guestrooms, suites and club lounge as well as other new guest facilities.

All 393 guestrooms and suites have been given new carpets, curtains, upholstery and art pieces, while some are equipped with spacious shower facilities.

The Continental Club Lounge also promises improved guest experience.

New additions to the hotel include a gym with state-of-the-art exercise machines and fitness equipment, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

These improvements follow Prince Hotel’s May 2012 launch of a new all-day dining establishment, add@Prince.

THE Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has linked arms with eight key government and private organisations in Chiang Mai to develop a framework to further raise the city’s profile as a MICE destination.

The five-year Chiang Mai MICE Destination master plan will be rolled out in three parts.

The first phase will be implemented throughout 2013, focusing on the development of the domestic MICE segment as well as infrastructure improvements. MICE education campaigns will also be introduced.

In the second phase, from 2014 to 2015, destination promotions will focus on regional cooperation blocks, such as the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Finally, in 2016 and 2017, efforts will be made to promote Chiang Mai as a global MICE city, one which is capable of hosting international mega events.

According to a press statement from TCEB, the framework will be submitted to the Cabinet for acknowledgement.

Thanin Supasaen, Chiang Mai governor, said, “Despite (Chiang Mai’s) huge economic potential, most people only know it as a cultural destination. As a result, the province’s economy relies on the travel season. A concrete master plan and clear strategy to make Chiang Mai a MICE destination will encourage development in all areas and generate greater income for business operators and the locals throughout the year.”

Narong Kongprasert, president of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, believes that the “rapid development of regional cooperation framework” such as ASEAN and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation will lift demand for business events in member countries, benefiting Chiang Mai which sits “in the centre of the region”.

The development of the Chiang Mai MICE Destination master plan is recognised as a “significant strategic move for the country” by Thongchai Sridama, acting TCEB president.

He said: “Lessons learned from other countries show that the success of a MICE city is driven by its people and administration, and with the support of the central government. So, Chiang Mai is on the right track.”

Today, Chiang Mai has more than 33,000 hotel rooms and its international airport is Thailand’s third largest, after Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in Bangkok.

In 2012, the total value of Chiang Mai’s MICE industry reached 3.9 billion baht (US$129.7 million). Of this amount, 3.8 billion baht was contributed by 46,826 foreign MICE travellers.

TOURISM Northern Territory (NT) is pursuing aggressive growth in the Singapore market by stepping up its marketing in 2013 and appealing to culture- and adventure-loving leisure travellers, as well as corporate incentives.

A Tourism NT delegation comprising CEO, Tony Mayell, and state tourism minister, Matt Conlan, was in Singapore on Tuesday for a roadshow to meet the local media and travel trade.

Mayell said: “We may have painted ourselves into a corner (by selling ourselves as an adventure travel spot). It’s not a bad corner to be in, but we want to re-identify what is unique to the Territory and sets us apart from the rest of Australia, then spread awareness of that.

“As a mature market, Singaporeans are also more interested in art and culture now. So we want to broaden the approach in Singapore by adding another layer, focusing on cultural products such as aboriginal art.”

In 2012, Singaporean visitors to the Territory only numbered 6,000 out of more than 300,000 arrivals to Australia. The goal is to increase arrivals from the market by 30 per cent this year.

Mayell cited the city-state’s 82 per cent repeat visitor rate as one reason for interest in Australia’s sixth-largest source market.

“Awareness is a main obstacle in Singapore. This year, we will continue to educate consumers and the trade about what NT has to offer, as well as taking marketing efforts onto a digital platform,” said Grace Tong, general manager of Pacific Leisure Marketing, Tourism NT’s marketing representative in the country.

“Destination training is an ongoing activity, which we organise at the request of travel consultants, either in house at their offices or in collaboration with the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore,” she said.

This year, Tourism NT will also launch bi-monthly email updates for travel consultants to keep them informed on the latest developments in the Territory. Interested parties may subscribe to it at singapore.tourismnt@nt.gov.au.

As for the MICE market, Mayell said: “We have facilities for small meetings and incentives. We’ve seen groups book out the entire Wildman Wilderness Lodge for three days for such events.”

He also revealed that the state NTO was in the midst of working with SilkAir on a number of MICE campaigns. “We’re into our second year with SilkAir, who has been a fantastic partner. While we and SilkAir are keen to increase (flight) capacity, we have first got to ensure the yield is there.”

Looking ahead, Mayell said Tourism NT was still studying the interests of different regional markets. India and South Korea are on the radar, while there are plans to break into China within 12 months.

PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore opened yesterday with several corporate meetings and weddings already on the books.

While the hotel’s general manager, David Sullivan, was unable to quantify the number of corporate events secured to-date, which included a “major VIP event for 350 guests nine days after the opening”, he told TTGmice e-Weekly that 52 weddings would take place at the hotel this year and 10 more had been confirmed for 2014.

Despite having several events in the bag ahead of opening, Sullivan said it was a “slow start” for the hotel due to “the time of the year”.

He explained: “Corporate clients usually go on vacation from the middle of December to mid-January. So although we got some bookings on the books in mid-December, it was only in the last week and a half that business started kicking into gear. And we are really gaining speed. We picked up three per cent occupancy in a single day (on Monday). It is a matter of time before we hit the 90 per cent range.”

The visually stunning 367-room hotel is a masterpiece of acclaimed architectural firm WOHA. Marketed as a hotel-in-a-garden and boasting extensive landscaping and environment-friendly features, the hotel opened with 200 guestrooms, as well as its signature all-day dining restaurant, Lime, an infinity-edge pool on the fifth floor, a luxurious residence-styled executive lounge and rooftop terrace on the 16^th floor, and a collection of meeting and event venues on the second floor.

Remaining guestrooms will be rolled out gradually.

Sullivan said the hotel’s business mix would comprise 55 to 60 per cent corporate business, largely due to the property’s location in the central business district (CBD).

“From Sunday to Thursday we will be primarily a corporate hotel and transition into a leisure hotel over the weekend. Some hotels in the (centre of the) CBD really suffer on weekends because it is difficult to get any leisure travellers. Nobody wants to walk out of a hotel and onto empty streets. But here, we have Chinatown just behind us, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and the Singapore River in front, and Marina Square and Marina Bay Sands in close proximity. Guests can also walk to Club Street where there are many interesting restaurants and bars,” he said.

Parkroyal Hotels & Resorts also operates two other hotels in Singapore – Parkroyal on Beach Road and Parkroyal on Kitchener Road – as well as the Parkroyal Serviced Suites Singapore.

THE new 323-key Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East is celebrating its opening last week with several promotions, including a meeting offer.

Besides offering bonus points to Marriott Rewards members and free buffet breakfast for guests who book two consecutive nights’ stay, the hotel has made available a full-day meeting package from RMB488 (US$78.50) per pax, excluding a 15 per cent service charge.

Valid from now until August 31, the meeting package includes standard meeting amenities; use of a flipchart or white board, audiovisual system with two microphones, and an LCD projector and built-in screen; morning and afternoon refreshments; and a working lunch with free-flow of non-alcoholic beverages.

Located in the heart of Pudong, Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East is equipped with a 655m² divisible and pillar-free grand ballroom, 10 function rooms, an executive lounge on the 21^st floor and a signature Chinese restaurant with several private dining rooms, among other facilities.

THE five-star One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia has started the New Year with a refreshed series of meeting deals.

Valid for the whole year, meeting packages with lunch are available at RM175++ (US$58) and RM165++ for full-day and half-day arrangements respectively. Meeting packages without lunch cost RM140++ for a full day and RM130++ for half a day.

Meeting planners will also enjoy standard meeting amenities, personalised stationery for delegates, complimentary Internet access for one user per day (eight hours) in the meeting room, and complimentary use of an LCD TV for signage, among other perks.

THE ICCA Forum for Young Professionals (FYP), to be held alongside AIME next month, will feature more industry speakers, additional case studies, as well as a chance for participants to compete for an attendance at the ICCA Congress 2013 in Shanghai.

Over February 25 and 26, some 18 speakers, including a record eight from overseas – up from four last year, will address participants who are under 30 years old and/or have been in the meetings industry for less than three years on a full-time basis.

The event aims to expose new meetings industry members to the latest trade issues and offer learning points from global experts.

Elizabeth Rich, manager of ICCA FYP at AIME 2013, told TTGmice e-Weekly that “this year seems to be an especially good one for securing overseas speakers”.

Rich added that FYP never had trouble sourcing for speakers. “I’ve always found meetings industry (practitioners) especially collegial in their approach, particularly generous in sharing their experiences to educate others.”

Meanwhile, MeetTaiwan’s Shake to Share event networking programme now joins other industry case studies which will be presented on February 25.

Rich expects ICCA FYP at AIME 2013 to draw the same number of participants as past editions.

She said: “We usually have 30 to 35 pax – most of them are from Australia and a handful from Asia. Last year we had 35 participants, of which 10 were from Asia. This year’s registrations are still streaming in, but already we have participants from South Africa, Malaysia, South Korea and Australia. It is generally a mix of staff from bureaus, centres, PCOs, hotels and occasionally some in-house meetings managers. Young employees of ICCA members predominate since it is a benefit of their membership.”

Rich recognises that staff retention is a problem, but has observed that “the young ones who (attend FYP) go away with a much heightened appreciation of the breadth of the industry…and are enthused with the potential of what they can achieve”.

When asked if FYP has helped the meetings industry to retain young professionals in its 13-year history, Rich said: “While I haven’t actually done any quantitative research of this, I have watched some of my ‘students’ go onto great success in their careers.”

FYP is organised twice a year by ICCA, and the next one will be held in conjunction with EIBTM in Barcelona.

COEX will launch a concurrent event, Packaging World, alongside its annual Automation World exhibition in Seoul this March, a move that is expected to boost trade buyers’ interest and show experience.

According to Susan Kim, Coex overseas marketing manager, the new event “allows visitors to experience the entire factory automation process, from production and machinery to packaging”.

Visitors to Automation World 2013 will gain free access to Packaging World, and vice versa.

“We hope this concurrent event will widen the reach of Automation World and attract further businesses interested in (various) aspects of the automation industry,” said Kim.

Coex said in a press statement that South Korea’s automation industry is valued at more than US$15 billion, making it the eighth largest automation market in the world, and that the opportunity to meet local buyers is consistently ranked as the leading reason companies from around the world choose to exhibit at Automation World every year.

An estimated US$29.4 million in business deals were arranged at Automation World 2012.

COEX expects the exhibition, which is slated for March 13-16 at the Coex Convention and Exhibition Center, to draw 30,000 visitors this year – a 25 per cent year-on-year increase. A stronger seller representation is expected too, with exhibiting companies projected to grow 10 per cent to reach 300, and the number of booths to rise 18 per cent to 900.

Kim hopes to grow European and American representation at the show which is now dominated by Asian sellers. Approximately 75 per cent of exhibitors in 2012 were from Asia.

YOKOHAMA Convention & Visitors Bureau has won bids for two major trade events – Goldschmidt Conference and 17th International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste ISOT – which will take place in 2016.

The bid for the Goldschmidt Conference, to be hosted by the Geochemical Society, European Association of Geochemistry and the Geochemical Society of Japan, was secured by the MICE bureau and venue PACIFICO Yokohama.

The conference is expected to draw 2,500 delegates.

Harue Masuda, head of the local council that leads the site selection, recognised the capability of PACIFICO Yokohama as an all-in-one venue that provides easy access from international and domestic cities and offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants nearby.

The Japanese city was also selected to host ISOT in June 2016, a chemosensory sciences event that is held once every four years. The last ISOT was held in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2012.

Yuzo Ninomiya, chair of the Japan Host Committee, said in a press statement that Yokohama would make an ideal site for ISOT, as the city was home to the first Japanese port that opened to the world, thus making the destination the birthplace of modern Japanese culture.