BERJAYA Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur will add a new junior ballroom to its collection of event spaces by November 1 in a bid to cope with growing demand from corporate event planners.

Located on the 14^th floor alongside seven existing function rooms, the new junior ballroom will be able to accommodate 350 guests. It can also be divided into three smaller rooms.

Mondi Mecja, general manager of Berjaya Times Square Hotel, said: “Our events business is quite substantial. We have to expand our event space because as it is, we cannot cope with the demand. We had to turn away some clients this year.

“By adding a junior ballroom that can be converted into three smaller function rooms, we will be able to cater to clients’ need for more breakout rooms at the hotel.”

According to Mecja, the hotel is popular with meeting and event organisers, especially those from India, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and China, as it has one of Kuala Lumpur’s largest ballrooms. The Manhattan Ballroom can seat 2,000 guests theatre-style or host a 1,400-pax banquet. Recent large-scale events held at the hotel include the 10^thCrystal Dancesport Championships on August 26 and the 9^th Asia-Pacific Harmonica Festival from August 3-6, both of which drew more than 1,000 participants.

Mecja said the hotel’s location – in the heart of the capital city and is linked to the Berjaya Times Square mall – and affordable rates had also endeared the property to corporate meeting and incentive planners.

He added: “Apart from us, Shangri-La Hotel and Mandarin Oriental Hotel are the only hotels in Kuala Lumpur with such large ballrooms. So there’s them, and there’s us – a local five-star hotel with affordable rates. There are clients who prefer to spend their money on more activities for the delegates, instead of paying for (pricier) rooms and spaces. We cater well to mid-budget clients, and have earned several loyal clients this way. Prudential Indonesia, for instance, has taken its meeting and incentive events to us several times now.”

GLOBALINDO Holidays Indonesia is planning to create a series of religious conferences and events in Indonesia that will target India’s large Hindu population.

The company’s business development manager for India and Sri Lanka, Sanjay David, said the events would potentially draw an attendance of 3,000 to 4,000 Hindu followers.

“This is an untapped niche segment that few other MICE organisers are willing to take on. Naturally, due to the size of these events, there are a number of logistical challenges, including the need for a vast number of guestrooms to accommodate delegates, and the provision of food options which meet strict religious dietary requirements,” said David.

In addition to large-scale religious events, Globalindo Holidays is also looking at the feasibility of running incentive programmes with a Hindu theme for Indian companies. These programmes will incorporate visits to renowned Hindu landmarks around Indonesia, such as the ancient temples of Borobudur and Prambanan.

THE INTERNATIONAL Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) has elected Aloysius Arlando, CEO of Singex Group, to its Board of Directors.

According to a press statement issued by AIPC, Arlando’s nomination as the first Asian to the AIPC Board of Directors reflects the organisation’s growing membership and interest in the Asian marketplace, which now hosts more than one fifth of the world’s meetings.

“We are delighted that someone of Arlando’s standing and capabilities has agreed to serve on the AIPC board,” said AIPC president, Edgar Hirt.

“He manages a facility with an excellent reputation and we are confident that he will not only represent our Asian members well, but also provide good governance for the association as a whole.”

FOLLOWING the completion of its extensive renovations in April, the 317-room Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, Vietnam has launched two corporate promotions to capture stronger interest from event planners.

The hotel’s Exclusive Corporate Package and Residential Meeting Package are said to spotlight the property’s updated meeting areas, luxury accommodation and business services, and are designed to enhance business trips and simplify MICE events for international groups.

Priced at US$125++ per person, the Residential Meeting Package offers a full-day rental of one of the hotel’s refreshed function rooms, access to the latest audiovisual equipment, accommodation with breakfast, five-star catering in the form of coffee breaks and lunch, stationery and complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access.

Unlimited use of the hotel’s fitness centre and all-weather swimming pool, a complimentary buffet breakfast and in-room French amenities are some of the perks offered by the Exclusive Corporate Package, which is based on single occupancy in a Luxury Room.

Terms and conditions apply.

THE PULI Hotel and Spa in Shanghai is offering promotional meeting deals for events held between now and December 31.

A half-day meeting deal is priced at RMB588 (US$93) per person per day, and includes four hours of meeting room usage, a three-course set lunch, morning or afternoon tea/coffee break, and standard meeting equipment.

The full-day arrangement is priced at RMB628 per person per day, and includes use of a meeting room for eight hours, a three-course set lunch, morning and afternoon tea/coffee breaks, and standard meeting equipment.

Prices exclude a 15 per cent surcharge.

The offer is applicable to new bookings that are made on or before September 17. Terms and conditions apply.

ONE World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia has appointed Shona Pang director of conventions and events. Pang will lead and provide strategic guidance to the hotel’s conventions and events team.

She brings with her more than 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to this appointment, she was assistant director of catering and conventions at The Westin Kuala Lumpur. During her tenure at The Westin, she implemented key sales and marketing strategies that were critical to the achievement of the hotel’s overall market positioning and revenue objectives.

THE KOREA Tourism Organization (KTO) Singapore Office has launched a campaign which seeks to obtain experiences of Singaporeans who had attended or are going on MICE-related events in South Korea between September 2011 and October 2012.

Participants in the Inspiring & Sharing campaign are required to share their MICE experiences gained from incentive programmes, meetings, seminars, conferences, exhibitions or industrial visits in South Korea through a photo story or video format. Entries will be judged on uniqueness and creativity, and the best entry will win one return economy class air ticket to Seoul by Korean Air, two nights’ stay in a deluxe room at the Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Times Square, and breakfast.

Prizes are also offered to the second and third best entries, as well as seven consolation winners.

Entries must be submitted to koreamice.singapore@gmail.com by October 31, and winners will be announced by November 16. Conditions apply.

To further engage MICE travellers from Singapore, the KTO Singapore Office will publish updates and information on MICE products and facilities on its Facebook page and other promotional vehicles throughout the eight-week campaign.

HILTON New Delhi/Janakpuri Hotel, located 20 minutes from central Delhi, is offering an all-inclusive meeting package for Rs7,000 (US$125) for single occupancy and Rs9,000 for double occupancy.

The package includes a day’s accommodation with Wi-Fi access, one complimentary room upgrade during the meeting duration, use of a meeting venue from 09:00 to 18:00, standard conference stationery, two coffee/tea breaks, business lunch and dinner on the day of check-in and buffet breakfast, among other perks.

Meeting planners are also offered discounts on business centre services, audiovisual facilities, laundry services and F&B services in the hotel.

This offer is valid till September 30.

Terms and conditions apply.

AMERICAN Express Business Travel has appointed Andi Budd vice president and general manager for Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.

Budd brings with him close to two decades of experience working across a spectrum of roles in business travel and corporate payments within American Express. Since joining the company in 1992, Budd has held various senior executive positions including president of the American Express Nippon Travel Agency, the business travel joint-venture between American Express and Nippon Travel Agency, in Japan from 2004 to 2007.

He has also lived in the UK, India, Australia and most recently Singapore.

AGORA Hospitalities has opened the 175-room Hotel Agora Osaka Morugichi in Osaka, Japan, bringing with it 15 meeting facilities of various sizes.

The hotel’s meeting rooms are said to be ideal for small private dinners, company events, workshops and meetings, and can accommodate 20 to 500 guests. The grand ballroom can cater to events with 460 people in theatre style or 210 in banquet style.

As a result of its extensive meeting and F&B facilities – six dining outlets in all, the hotel will target business travellers and corporate guests.

According to Agora Hospitalities CEO and president, Aya Aso, the hotel’s main target markets are North Asia and attention is being paid to pharmaceutical, academic, finance, IT and medical industries.

The hotel is located at 10-5 Kawahara-cho, Moriguchi, 40 minutes by train from Osaka International Airport.