SUNTEC Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre has thrown open its doors to MICE once again after year-long renovation works.

The rejuvenated convention centre now boasts a modernised façade including a three-storey interactive digital wall, and amenities such as free Wi-Fi throughout its premises.

Suntec Singapore hosted the closing of the 8^th Special Olympics Singapore National Games on June 3, and has since also hosted the Liver Symposium, APASL for 3,500 delegates; and a consumer show, the Singapore Book Fair.

Looking ahead, the convention centre has a calendar packed with events for the rest of 2013, including Spikes Asia 2013 and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s SME events.

TEAMBUILDING specialist Asia Ability strives to develop the skills and performance of participants and corporations through teambuilding activities that focus on the individual’s abilities.

Each of Asia Ability’s team programmes fall under one of eight abilities – Activeability, Businessability, Createability, Exploreability, Innovateability, Interactability, Responsability and Rhythmability.

For example, under Rhythmability, teambuilding is forged on a grand musical scale. Using the infectious rhythms of samba, Asia Ability transforms a group of individuals into a giant percussion band with each person playing their part, in time and on cue.

Under Exploreability, teams have to literally explore the city to research, script, rehearse and film a five-minute long travel documentary.

As for Innovateability, Asia Ability highlighted its latest programme, Rat Trap. Inspired by the board game Mousetrap, participants are transported into an atmosphere similar to a giant toyshop. The objective is to build a series of large contraptions which, when placed in the right sequence, perform a chain reaction of events.

Asia Ability managing director, David Powell, said: “Our programmes are very popular given that they require no travel and minimal preparation from the clients which is a highly efficient use of the delegates’ time.”

Time was a challenge the company faced in organising teambuilding sessions. “It is especially so if the client wishes to transport the group to an offsite venue,” he added.

“We have to then convince clients that teambuilding does not require a beach or even an outdoor venue – but can be totally integrated within a conference or meeting agenda.”

Asia Ability, established in 1996, currently has offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam, and also holds regular events in Australia, Hong Kong, China, Philippines and Indonesia.

THAILAND’S MICE and tourism industries were left bruised after the country’s bid to host World Expo 2020 was rejected due to a lack of government support.

No one has accepted responsibility for the failure, with the opposition Democrat party blaming the government, which in turn has pointed the finger at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) for dropping the ball.

The Paris-based Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), which oversees the world fair, told TTG Asia the reason why it rejected Ayutthaya as a potential host for the 2020 event was clear.

“The government did not reiterate its support for the bid,” said a BIE spokesman. “Without support for the bid there is no point in going ahead.”

TCEB declined several opportunities to comment on the matter. However, Sumate Sudasna, president of the Thailand Incentives and Conventions Association, who also sits on TCEB’s board, said the rejection would damage the country’s international standing.

“It’s a loss of credibility, of confidence (in Thailand),” he said, adding the decision could weaken Thailand’s chances of hosting other world-class events of a similar scale. “If we have the chance to do things (bid for major international events) in the future, whoever is putting the bid together will have to be more committed.”

Thailand’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying that TCEB was to blame for BIE’s decision, as the bureau had been unprepared and lacked information about proper bidding procedures.

A STANDALONE event venue by the beach will join Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort’s collection of function spaces by the end of July, along with the introduction of CSR activities themed around a new nature sanctuary.

The yet-to-be-named beachfront venue, once the site of the resort’s popular Barnacles Restaurant which has since been shifted to level three, will be able to accommodate 200 guests indoors and outdoors.

General manager Ben Bousnina told TTGmice e-Weekly that the restaurant’s move was necessary to allow the resort to accommodate the strong demand for beachfront event venues and also to provide greater convenience for guests during breakfast hours by centralising all restaurants on the dedicated dining floor, Dine on 3.

Bousnina said: “We also plan to build a sanctuary next to the new event centre, with plants and fruit trees to attract birds that were displaced by the construction on this island or even an orchid garden. We are also meeting with the team from the Butterfly Park (also located on Sentosa island) to see what we could do here.

“With this sanctuary, we will offer activities to resort guests and corporate groups that will satisfy their corporate social responsibility objectives.”

The sanctuary will complement the resort’s ongoing on-site garden tours that are conducted by the resident gardener, according to the resort’s spokesperson Tina Chia.

THE Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur has seen healthy interest from event planners since its opening last December.

Built in 1932 as Majestic Hotel and shut down in 1983, the iconic building celebrated a grand reopening last December following a refurbishment by YTL Hotels (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 10, 2012).

According to the luxury property’s director of sales & marketing, Anna Olsson, The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur has been the venue of choice for several events such as F1 Gala Dinner 2013, The BrandLaureate Awards 2013 and other functions organised by the private banking sector and high-end brands. It has also hosted local wedding dinners with 800 to 1,200 people.

Olsson noted that the bulk of business for residential meetings had come from Singapore and Hong Kong, with China showing growing interest, while Australia and New Zealand produced incentive bookings.

Meetings and incentives from the Middle East are also rising.

The property will work closely with The Leading Hotels of the World – it is the only hotel in the Malaysian capital to be included in the collection of properties under the luxury hospitality consortium – to attract more corporate interest and attend tradeshows such as IMEX to build further awareness of the hotel.

THE Lion City has emerged champion again in UIA’s latest ranking of top international meeting cities and countries for having hosted 952 meetings in 2012, up from 919 in 2011.

Japan has overtaken the US this year to claim second spot on the country chart with 731 meetings. Japan hosted 598 meetings in 2011 which placed it in third position.

South Korea and Australia, with 563 and 287 meetings respectively, are the other only Asian countries in the top 10 collection. South Korea takes fifth spot, up from sixth last year, while Australia holds its 10th position.

The rest of UIA’s top international meeting country chart for 2012 comprises Belgium (in fourth place with 597 meetings), France (sixth; 494 meetings), Austria (seventh; 458), Spain (eighth; 449) and Germany (ninth; 373).

On the 2012 top meeting cities chart, Singapore is followed by Brussels (547 meetings), Vienna (326), Paris (276), Seoul (253), Tokyo (225), Barcelona (150), Copenhagen (150), Madrid (149) and London (119).

UIA’s International Meetings Statistics for the Year 2012 also reported a rise in the number of meetings captured in its database. Some 392,588 meetings were held in 2012, compared to 376,381 in 2011.

NEW Zealand will enhance its destination appeal to the business events community come mid/late 2017 when a new convention centre opens its doors in Auckland.

Designed, built and operated by Skycity Entertainment Group, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) will cost some NZ$315 million (US$249.6 million) to develop.

Located in Auckland’s central business district and within walking distance of more than 4,700 hotel rooms and numerous shopping and restaurant precincts, the venue will have public convention and exhibition space capable of accommodating 3,500 delegates at one time.

Tourism New Zealand’s chief executive, Kevin Bowler, said the development of NZICC would put Auckland and New Zealand firmly on the radar of conference organisers.

Bowler said: “Holding an event in New Zealand would exceed all visitor expectations. Where else in the world can you find world-class conferencing facilities close to crystal-clear waters, or explore a stunningly rugged rainforest one hour and sail on an America’s Cup yacht in a glorious harbour setting the next?

“All of this natural beauty, unspoilt by the country’s equally impressive cosmopolitan flavour makes New Zealand the perfect place for business and pure leisure.”

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development chief executive, Brett O’Riley, believes that Auckland will be poised to host large international conferences with NZICC, adding that the destination’s “people, places and conferencing facilities (will) make conference experiences not only magical, but memorable”.

MALAYSIA will host the 7^th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention 2013 (IAS 2013), said to be the largest scientific AIDS conference in Asia, from June 30 to July 3, 2013.

It is organised by the International AIDS Society (IAS) in partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA) and University of Malaya.

The conference is also supported by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau which helped with the bid presentation, subvention funding for event promotion and marketing, and liaison with the immigration department to facilitate immigration clearance for international delegates who require visa, said its general manager – sales & marketing, Ho Yoke Ping.

Anita Suleiman, senior principal assistant director (HIV), Ministry of Health, said: “Through the conference, we hope to learn from the important successes and challenges of our Asian colleagues. At the same time, we are glad to showcase the Malaysian success story on HIV especially on harm reduction programmes, Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission programme and provision of free antiretroviral drug to those eligible.

“The Ministry of Health…hopes that this conference will benefit everybody – the stakeholders, key affected populations, civil societies, corporate bodies and others. Through learning and sharing, we hope to strengthen the country’s responses to HIV/AIDS in the future.”

She added: “We believe that Malaysia has been chosen as host country for several reasons, notably the government’s commitment to provide free HIV treatment to all Malaysians in need of antiretroviral therapy, as well as its leadership in the area of HIV prevention for people who use drugs, with Malaysia now serving as a model for countries experiencing steep increases in HIV infections related to ineffective drug policy.”

The bid to host this conference was won in 2010 with Singapore, Hong Kong and India as strong contenders.

Held every two years, this conference is expected to bring more than 4,000 delegates into Malaysia and generate approximately RM55.8 million (US$18 million) in economic impact for the country.

MALAYSIA Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) have created the country’s first business events awards to recognise excellence, leadership, professional standards, innovation and best practices within the industry.

Set to take place this September, the RAWR Awards 2013 will also further establish Malaysia as Asia’s premiere business events destination in line with the country’s mission under the Economic Transformation Programme.

Explaining the meaning behind the name of the awards, Jonathan Kan, MACEOS president, said: “RAWR Awards is symbolic for Recognising Award Winning Results within the business events industry. RAWR (which sounds like) ‘roar’ is also associated with the growing voice and recognition of the business events sector…as a key contributor to the Malaysian economy.”

RAWR Awards will have 27 award categories including Best International Conference Award, Best Trade Exhibition, Best Incentive Programme, Best Environmental Initiative Award and Best Event, which altogether covers the four main components of the business events industry – meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.

Speaking at the press conference, Ho Yoke Ping, general manager of sales and marketing, MyCEB, said: “It is our aim to honour the industry’s most groundbreaking work, judged by the industry’s most elite talents from around the region. The idea is to give due recognition of industry professionalism and best business practices.”

The awards are open to business event products and suppliers that are members of either MyCEB and/or MACEOS, as well as event owners such as national associations or corporations that may not be members of either organisations.

Applicants must be Malaysian registered companies operating in the country and apply to events and/or business activities that took place between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012.

Submission of nominations are being accepted until July 31 this year.

BEST Western International has launched its first hotel in Kuwait, an 18-storey property that comes equipped with two floors of conference and banqueting space.

The Best Western Mahboula in Kuwait City offers 96 rooms and suites with views of the Arabian Gulf, a collection of ballrooms and meeting rooms, a business centre, as well as several dining establishments, a swimming pool and gym.

Commenting on the hotel’s launch, Glenn de Souza, Best Western’s vice president of international operations – Asia & the Middle East, said it marked the latest stage in the company’s rapid Middle Eastern expansion plan.

“The…region is offers tremendous opportunities for Best Western and we are delighted to be launching our world-renowned brand in another exciting market,” said de Souza.

With Best Western Mahboula in operation, Best Western International now operates a portfolio of nine hotels in seven Middle Eastern countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel. The company’s property count is expected to hit 22 in the next few years.