Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 22nd April 2026
Page 122

World’s first Okura Cruise sets sail in Bangkok

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The Okura Cruise's main hall on the lower deck arranged with seating for the kaiseki dinner experience; photo by AWC

The Okura Cruise – a joint venture between Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC) and Hotel Okura Co. – set sail on its first journey on December 20, 2024, adding to the city’s luxury cruise offerings.

As a floating events facility, the cruise is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and adaptable spaces accommodating up to 100 guests.

The Okura Cruise’s main hall on the lower deck arranged with seating for the kaiseki dinner experience; photo by AWC

The cruise launches from the Okura Reception at Asiatique The Riverfront, where guests are greeted pre-journey with Japanese tea and desserts in a Zen-inspired setting.

Culinary highlights include two meticulously-curated menus by the Yamazato restaurant, recipient of the Michelin Plate. The eight-course Kaiseki set menu (4,600++ baht (US$133) per pax), showcases seasonal ingredients and artistic presentation, while the Teppanyaki set (4,900++ baht per pax) is an immersive chef’s table experience.

The rooftop features a Sake Bar and a large, adaptable multipurpose open deck platform which can accommodate guests in both seating or standing formats.

The lower deck features a main hall with seating for kaiseki meals, and two connectable private rooms with teppanyaki bars for smaller groups, and a decorative Suiseki Zen Garden space with additional seating.

While the nightly route – from 19.00 to 22.30 hrs – runs from Asiatique The Riverfront to the Rama VIII Bridge, passing iconic river landmarks, exclusive charters and festive routes, such as bespoke routes for New Year’s Eve celebrations, are available.

“The Okura Cruise combines the spirit of omotenashi hospitality with traditional Japanese rituals such as origami for auspicious wishes,” stated Toshihiro Ogita, president of Hotel Okura Co., referring to the origami-inspired vessel design decorated in shimmering gold patterns.

“The Okura Cruise, part of the AWC River Journey project, offers a unique premium travel experience and services. It is available for private bookings on special occasions and charter bookings for memorable events such as weddings, private parties and corporate events in a spacious and elegant atmosphere,” added Wallapa Traisorat, CEO and president of AWC.

Singapore to host inaugural Business Aviation Asia Forum and Expo

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Changi Exhibition Centre

The Business Aviation Asia Forum and Expo (BAAFEx), organised by Experia Events, will be held for the first time at Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre from March 4-6, 2025.

The programme will comprise an exhibition, aircraft displays, networking opportunities, and a conference with expert panels and keynote speakers.

Changi Exhibition Centre

Major players in the aviation sector, including Boeing Business Jets, Lufthansa Technik, VistaJet, and Amber Aviation, have confirmed participation.

Other confirmed participants include aircraft management and maintenance company, Gama Aviation; aircraft regulatory body, Bermuda Aircraft Registry; satellite services provider, Viasat; and integrated travel risk management company MedAire.

Ian Moore, chief commercial officer at Vista, stated in a press release: “We have been waiting for half a decade to finally have a dedicated business aviation show back in Asia. Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing regions at Vista, and South-east Asia is playing a key role in Vista’s expansion in the region…”

VistaJet’s parent company, Vista, reported a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in total flights for 3Q2024. Southeast Asia, in particular, has been a hotspot for this growth, with its business jet fleet expanding by roughly five per cent annually in recent years.

Overall, the business aviation market in Asia Pacific is experiencing significant growth, driven by rising travel demand and regional investment. By the end of 2023, there were around 1,200 business jets based in the region, making it the world’s third-largest market after North America and Europe.

A night of tourism excellence

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The ASEANTA Excellence Awards was hosted on Monday, honouring 12 outstanding organisations for their contribution to South-east Asia’s travel and tourism industry.

Tourism leaders in South-east Asia are honoured at the ASEANTA Excellence Award on January 20; photo by Caleb Richard Lai

Winners included Sabah International Convention Centre, which won the Best ASEAN Convention Centre award; Parkroyal Collection Pickering hotel in Singapore, which took home the Best ASEAN Sustainability Program award; Resorts World Genting in Malaysia, which was awarded Best ASEAN New Tourism Attraction; Sunlight Air domestic boutique airline in the Philippines, which won Best ASEAN Airline Program; Suka Travel & Tours, which was named Best ASEAN Cruise Program, and more.

The celebratory event, held at Amari Johor Bahru, was graced by Chhay Sivlin, chairman of the ASEANTA Excellence Awards and Eddy Krismeidi, president of ASEANTA.

ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath advances to chair Events Industry Council

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The Events Industry Council (EIC) recently announced the election of officers and directors to its 2025 Board of Directors.

Following an expansion and restructuring, the Board now includes four directors, including a treasurer position that automatically advances to chair-elect. In addition to seven at-large association seats on the board, the slate will now include two at-large representatives from EIC’s corporate membership.

Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), has transitioned to chair of the EIC, having previously served as chair-elect.

Stephanie Harris, president of the Incentive Research Foundation, was elected chair-elect and will assume the chair position in 2026. Jason Dunn, CEO of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, was elected treasurer and will succeed Harris in 2027.

Ana María Viscasillas, board liaison for COCAL, will serve as past-chair on the 2025 Board.

The seven at-large association officers serving two-year terms that began on January 1, 2025 are Marsha Flanagan, president & CEO, IAEE; Ben Goedegebuure, chief global strategy officer, Maritz; Sherrif Karamat, president & CEO, PCMA; Natasha Richards, director of impact & industry relations, IMEX; Tina Wehmeir, president & CEO, AMCI; and Don Welsh, president & CEO, Destinations International.

Meanwhile, officers continuing their two-year term ending December 31, 2025 are Michelle Mason, president & CEO, ASAE; and Vincent Polito, CEO, SISO.

The 2025 Board will guide the organisation through a year with numerous milestones. These include the release of the Futures Landscape Study, a report examining the emerging trends likely to shape the business events industry developed with input from EIC’s 60+ member organisations; the update to the CMP International Standards; and revisions to the EIC Sustainable Event Standards

Dubai secures record 437 business events in 2024

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Dubai booth at IMEX Frankfurt 2024

Dubai solidified its position as a leading global business events hub in 2024, securing a record 437 conferences, congresses, and incentive programmes.

This represents a 20 per cent year-on-year increase, driven by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau.

Dubai booth at IMEX Frankfurt 2024

These events are expected to attract over 210,000 delegates to Dubai, boosting the city’s tourism sector and contributing significantly to the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

Notable congress wins include the 2025 WFNS World Congress of Neurosurgery (4,000 delegates); 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayor Summit (1,200 delegates); and 2026 Global Symposium on Health System Research, with 3,000 delegates.

The city will also welcome corporate and incentive event groups, such as the 2025 Oppo Guangdong Incentive (4,000 delegates); 2025 Loyal Connect Global (3,000 delegates); and 2026 Forever Living Global Rally (12,000 delegates).

In further support of growing Dubai’s business events landscape and under its strategic remit, DBE will continue to engage with meetings industry professionals tradeshows including IMEX Frankfurt and IBTM World, as well as through a year-round calendar of sales missions, study missions, and site inspections.

Other key initiatives included the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, as well as partnerships with key industry bodies including the BestCities Global Alliance, International Association of Professional Congress Organizers, Professional Convention Management Association; and International Congress and Convention Association.

Asia-Pacific airports among top 10 world’s busiest airports

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The strength of Asia-Pacific airports has shone through in OAG’s ranking of the world’s busiest airports in 2024.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) maintains its position as the third busiest airport worldwide, with a 4.8 per cent year-on-year capacity growth, reaching 55.2 million seats.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the fastest-growing airport in OAG’s global top 10 busiest airport in 2024

Guangzhou’s Baiyun International and Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport take seventh and ninth places respectively. The latter rose from the 15th to ninth spot in just a year, driven by a 29 per cent year-on-year capacity growth and making it the fastest-growing airport in the global top 10.

The full ranking of the world’s busiest airports by seats comprises Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in first place; Dubai International Airport in second place; Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) in third; London Heathrow Airport in fourth; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in fifth; Denver International Airport in sixth; Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in seventh; Istanbul Airport in eighth; Shanghai Pudong International Airport in ninth; and Chicago O’Hare International Airport in 10th.

In terms of international seat capacity, Seoul’s Incheon International Airport is the highest ranked Asia-Pacific airport, handling 41.6 million international seats and climbing from seventh place in 2023 to third in 2024.

Singapore’s Changi Airport emerges as a close contender in fourth position with 41.5 million scheduled seats, followed by Hong Kong International Airport (in ninth) with 34.6 million seats, showcasing an impressive 40 per cent year-on-year capacity growth. Both hubs remain powerhouses for connectivity and serve as key transit hubs in the region.

The full ranking of busiest international airports by seats is topped by Dubai International Airport in first place, followed by London Heathrow Airport and Incheon International Airport.

OAG’s head of Asia Pacific, Mayur Patel said: “Our latest rankings confirm the strength of the Asian market recovery through 2024, with Shanghai Pudong the fastest growing among the top ten entrants and Guangzhou Baiyun International entering the list for the first time. The strength of hubs like Seoul Incheon, Singapore Changi, and Hong Kong highlights the region’s critical role in global connectivity and catering to evolving traveller demands.”

Oliver Eller assumes GM role at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

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Oliver Eller has joined The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands as general manager.

Throughout his 32-year career, Eller has held prominent leadership positions with some of the most well-known hospitality brands across the globe.

In addition, Eller has been part of the Ritz-Carlton journey, having served as the opening general manager for The Ritz-Carlton properties in Moscow, Wolfsburg, and Schloss Hotel, Berlin. He also brought his expertise to the pre-opening committees for several Ritz-Carlton properties, including Berlin, New Orleans, Sharm El Sheikh, and Buckhead.

Charis Yim takes on additional role at Nina Hospitality

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Nina Hospitality has appointed Charis Yim as the new general manager of Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, while concurrently continuing her role as group deputy general manager – commercial.

With over 30 years of extensive experience in international luxury hotel management, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her new position.

Yim joined Nina Hospitality in 2020, bringing with her a strong background from senior leadership positions at several prestigious international hotel brands, including The Peninsula Hong Kong, InterContinental Hong Kong, Mandarin Oriental Macau, JW Marriott Hong Kong, and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

During her tenure as group deputy general manager – commercial, Charis successfully introduced various new initiatives, such as diversifying the hotel’s customer segments, at Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West. She also played a pivotal role in establishing the lounge facility and communal space, Nina Communal.

Direct air connectivity catapults MICE demand from India to Penang

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PCEB’s Ashwin Gunasekeran (second from right) is confident that the direct flight will will significantly enhance Penang's appeal to Indian corporates

The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) anticipates a surge in business events from India, following the launch of daily direct flights between Penang and Chennai by Indian carrier IndiGo in November 2024.

This is the first direct air connection between Penang and any Indian city, a milestone that PCEB has been pursuing for nearly seven years.

PCEB’s Ashwin Gunasekeran (second from right) is confident that the direct flight will significantly enhance Penang’s appeal to Indian corporates

“Previously, Indian MICE travellers had to fly via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to reach Penang, which created a bottleneck and limited our ability to fully tap into the Indian market. The new direct flights have already started yielding results, with a surge in demand from India,” Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO of PCEB, told TTGmice on the sidelines of the 8th Edition of the Penang Roadshow to India 2025.

During an interview in New Delhi on January 15, Gunasekeran further revealed that over 3,000 Indian delegates are expected to visit Penang in June 2025 for a conference, underscoring the growing interest in the Malaysian state.

Malaysia has also officially extended its visa exemption for Indian nationals until December 31, 2026. This exemption allows Indian visitors to enter Malaysia visa-free for up to 30 days, significantly simplifying the travel process.

PCEB is currently in talks with IndiGo to open another direct air route connecting Penang to northern India. “We can see India among our top five international source markets for MICE in the next year,” said Gunasekeran.

Apart from New Delhi, PCEB stopped in Mumbai (January 13), Kolkata (January 17), and Chennai (January 20) as part of the roadshow. Each destination drew an attendance of approximately 200 buyers and 30 media representatives.

Of the 300,000 international delegates who visited Penang in 2024, an estimated 10 to 15 per cent hailed from India. These delegates participated in a wide range of international conferences across sectors like medicine, pharmaceuticals, science, and finance. Additionally, the island experienced a surge in incentive travel, particularly driven by multi-level marketing companies in India organising achievement programmes for their top performers.

Singapore corporate gatherings up this Lunar New Year

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Photo caption: Yuè@Aloft Chinese restaurant at Aloft Singapore Novena seats 190 pax and is an option for corporate Lunar New Year gatherings

Hotels in Singapore are reporting a vibrant start to their banquet business this coming Year of the Snake, as corporate event bookings spike for the festive period starting January 29.

Aloft Singapore Novena, which has five function rooms and two on-site restaurants, has seen a “significant increase in CNY-related dining event bookings”, with demand for private dining arrangements and bespoke catering options higher compared to 2024.

Photo caption: Yuè@Aloft Chinese restaurant at Aloft Singapore Novena seats 190 pax indoors and 48 pax out, and is an option for corporate Lunar New Year gatherings

Hotel general manager, Tan Kim Seng, told TTGmice: “The booking pace has kicked in much earlier this year as well, with enquiries still flowing in, indicating that we are on track to surpass our 2024 records. This surge reflects the growing recognition of Aloft as a vibrant venue for memorable celebrations, further boosting our overall sales performance during this festive period.”

The hotel’s Yuè@Aloft Chinese restaurant and 21 on Rajah halal-certified buffet restaurant are running their own festive promotions and spread, with the latter making corporate celebrations more welcoming for Muslim guests.

Corporate bookings for Lunar New Year celebrations are up 20 per cent over 2024 at dual-branded hotel complex, Novotel and Mercure Singapore on Stevens.

The two hotels have six meetings rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate a 300-pax banquet alongside two restaurants with festive menus that are suitable for groups.

Spokesperson Elsa Kimy Yue attributed the good performance to the hotel’s early bird promotion, which slashed 10 per cent off bookings made before December 31, 2024. The promotion includes a complimentary lion dance performance for bookings with more than 200 guests.

“The enhanced package has been particularly well-received, highlighting the importance of value-added offerings for corporate clients,” said Yue.

Yue expects bookings to rise further “as the season progresses”, adding that last-minute bookings have become common in recent years.

Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore, which has been a hit with corporate event bookers since its launch in 2021, said business is “trending better than last year in terms of Chinese New Year-related corporate event bookings”, shared its spokesperson.

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