Asia/Singapore Monday, 27th April 2026
Page 144

ATG taps Patsy Khoo to lead APAC business development

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Netherlands-headquartered travel management company company ATG Travel Worldwide, has appointed Patsy Khoo as sales & business management director for the Asia-Pacific region.

Khoo reports to Tammy Krings, ATG’s founder and CEO.

Based in Singapore, Khoo’s role is to serve ATG’s APAC clients as their primary contact, focused on building and managing each clients’ Global Business Plan which outlines the activities, tasks and resources required to achieve mutual goals and performance of the Service Level Agreement.

Khoo also ensures ATG’s technology and service offerings are tailored to the requirements of the APAC market.

She holds extensive experience in business travel management, having spent 30 years between three TMCs, including Rosenbluth International, where she reached the general manager level.

New Sabah Convention Bureau lets the games begin at ICCA Congress 2024

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The newly-established Sabah Convention Bureau is determined to engage more with ICCA, and has made its first move to sponsor the Challenge Night at this year’s 63rd ICCA Congress in Abu Dhabi.

CEO Noredah Othman, who has more than three decades of experience in the tourism industry and was previously CEO of Sabah Tourism Board before taking on the leadership role at Sabah Convention Bureau at the start of 2024, told TTGmice that “this is our debut appearance at the ICCA Congress”.

Noredah: immense learning opportunities at ICCA events

“This is an opportunity for us to introduce the convention bureau officially to the industry. Sponsoring the Challenge Night at the Warner Bros Abu Dhabi theme park tonight is ideal for Sabah, as we are such a fun destination that is itself a nature theme park. We hope that all Congress delegates will not only have lots of fun, but also discover what Sabah Convention Bureau and our destination are all about,” said Noredah.

Sabah Convention Bureau is a non-profit agency under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environment Sabah. It takes over the responsibility of advancing Sabah’s business event industry from the Sabah Tourism Board.

This transition, according to Noredah, will allow her team to be more active in ICCA activities. She shared that the bureau is presently exploring the possibility of supporting ICCA programmes such as ICCASkills and Masterclass.

“We brought the Sabah state minister of tourism to the Congress this week, to show her what ICCA is all about. It opened her eyes and made her realise the extensive learning opportunities this event offers to industry members. We hope that with her seeing the value of engaging with ICCA, our future proposals for ICCA activities will be supported,” she said.

Going forward Noredah hopes to motivate more business event organisations and players in the Malaysian state to join ICCA to lift their capabilities and expand their network. Only the bureau and Sabah International Convention Centre are ICCA members today.

“We need more local players to elevate themselves to be able to support our industry and improve the competitiveness of Sabah Convention Bureau when we make our bids for meetings,” she added.

Sabah has been a popular choice for various national associations meetings, and the bureau hopes to expand this pool of gatherings to regional and international ones. It will not only court meetings that are aligned with the Sabah state’s three key economic pillars of agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, but also events related to conservation. Sabah is home to a UNESCO triple crown site title – Kinabalu National Geopark is recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark (recognised in May 2023), UNESCO Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (recognised in June 2014), and UNESCO World Heritage Site (recognised in December 2000).

David Martens leads as Centara Karon Resort Phuket’s VP operations and GM

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Centara Hotels & Resorts has named David Martens as vice president of operations and general manager of Centara Karon Resort Phuket.

The Australian has over 30 years of hospitality experience and has been an integral part of the Centara family since 2012.

He most recently served as senior director of operations and general manager at the same property.

AIME 2025 reveals two keynote speakers for Knowledge Program

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Knowledge Program at AIME 2024

The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced two keynote speakers for the 2025 Knowledge Program, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from February 10-12.

This year’s Knowledge Program theme, We Matter!, focuses on the global business events industry as a powerful driver of economic growth.

Knowledge Program at AIME 2024

The first keynote speaker, Kristy Goodwin, a renowned neuro-performance scientist and author, will deliver her session entitled Powered-Up Performers: The Neuroscience of Sustainable Peak Performance in a Digital Age.

Sponsored by speaker bureau Ovations!, Goodwin will explore how neuroscience and technology can be harnessed to improve performance and well-being in today’s digital world, as well as share practical strategies to enhance productivity, manage stress, and maximise energy, empowering attendees to thrive in the fast-paced and demanding digital age.

Next, Gus Balbontin, former executive director and CTO of Lonely Planet will take a disruptive approach to innovation in his session titled, Adapt, sponsored by ICMI. Balbontin will challenge attendees to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for breakthrough ideas to inspire them to think outside the box.

Expected to draw more than 1,500 global event professionals to the opening day of AIME 2025, the Knowledge Program is hosted and curated by BEAMexperience founder El Kwang.

Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road introduces new GM

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Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road has named Nicolas Mercier as its general manager.

The French national has amassed over 20 years of experience in South-east Asia’s international luxury hospitality landscape, and was most recently the hotel manager at InterContinental Hotel & Residences Jakarta Pondok Indah.

Mercier will work on developing creating guest experiences, keeping sustainability goals and responsibility towards the community, as well as strengthening the hotel’s position in the competitive Bangkok market, such as culinary experiences.

Langham Hospitality Group names new senior VP – finance

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India’s G20 presidency fuels surge in inbound MICE events

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Bharat Mandapam (pictured) is an exhibition hall located within the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi

India’s successful G20 presidency, which concluded on November 30, 2023, has left a lasting impact on the country’s business events industry, where stakeholders in the inbound business events sector report a surge in demand.

“The exposure that India received after its G20 presidency has helped in the positioning of the country as an inbound MICE destination. We have started to see MICE demand coming from longhaul markets like Europe and the US,” said Naveen Rizvi, executive director, Incentive, Conference & Event Management.

Bharat Mandapam (pictured) is an exhibition hall located within the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi

Amaresh Tiwari, managing director, A T & Seasons Vacations Travel, agreed with this observation: “New venues such as the Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, and Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata – all of which opened during India’s G20 presidency – have helped to attract more international business events.”

Rizvi added that the opening of these new large-scale venues has also enabled the country to bid for major international conferences in sectors such as telecommunications and renewable energy.

Tiwari highlighted that the G20 presidency also provided opportunities for diverse destinations across India to host related events, boosting confidence among tourism stakeholders and local authorities in their ability to attract more international business events.

“The presidency has also helped position smaller Indian cities as viable destinations for inbound MICE events, expanding beyond traditional markets like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad,” Rizvi shared.

For instance, destinations like Kumarakom in Kerala – traditionally a leisure destination – has also received attention from the business events sector, he noted.

Chander Mansharamani, managing director of Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences Management, opined: “To compete with Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand and Singapore, India needs to introduce more attractive incentives for international MICE groups. Without such measures, we risk losing valuable business opportunities.”

India’s G20 presidency attracted over 100,000 participants from 135 nationalities, making it one of the largest in-person gatherings for the forum. In total, there were more than 200 meetings hosted across 60 cities, alongside 300 cultural events which showcased local and national art forms.

Cathay Pacific unveils new Aria Suite

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Cathay Pacific has unveiled of its all-new Business class, Aria Suite, together with its new Premium Economy and refreshed Economy onboard its retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. ​

​The aircraft debuted on its Hong Kong-Beijing route on October 18, and will be progressively deployed on other regional and longhaul routes.

Cathay Pacific’s new Business class, Aria Suite, provides passengers with comfort, privacy and a sense of personal space

Soon to follow will be a new First Class experience onboard the airline’s 777-9s, and a brand-new flat-bed Business class product on its Airbus A330s.

Aria Suite passengers will be able to enjoy a holistic and immersive experience where comfort, privacy and a sense of personal space are completely reimagined.

Cathay Group chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau said: “To solidify our role in both the industry and the community, we’ve committed a significant investment of over HK$100 billion over the next seven years into our fleet, cabin products, lounges, and digital and sustainability leadership, reflecting our confidence in Hong Kong’s long-term growth and its position as a key player in global aviation.”

BCD M&E unveils 2025 industry trends report

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BCD’s latest study delves into the key themes that will drive the industry forward in the coming year

BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E) has released its eighth annual What’s Trending 2025 report, which delves into how geopolitical influences, the need for personalisation, sustainability goals and evolving technologies impact an organisation’s approach to their M&E programmes.

Master The Market is a deep dive into key trends that are shaping the industry with expert analysis and advice on what will matter most in 2025, while the Global Intelligence section will provide a global and regional perspective on emerging trends, examining how they will shape the meetings and events landscape.

BCD’s latest study delves into the key themes that will drive the industry forward in the coming year

In addition to industry-wide trends, the report also highlights five standout destinations that are particularly well-suited for incentive travel. These destinations offer unique experiences and opportunities for companies looking to reward and motivate their top performers.

“Looking ahead to 2025, the meetings and events industry is set for strong growth, but we can’t ignore the geopolitical and economic landscape shaping strategies,” said Bruce Morgan, global president. “There is a continued need for cost control while delivering creative and impactful solutions.”

The full report can be found here.

The Agency Team sets up Bali outpost on 15th anniversary

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Patrick Lim and John K Purna attending IT&CM Asia 2024; photo by Rachel AJ Lee

Singapore-based meetings and events organiser The Agency Team set up its first overseas outpost, a local events agency in Bali called WonderMICE, in September 2024.

Patrick Lim, director at The Agency Team, told TTGmice on the sidelines of IT&CM Asia 2024: “After 15 years of executing so many corporate events all over Asia Pacific, we found that Bali offers a lot of unique cultural experiences that can be built into meetings. The destination also continues to be in demand internationally.”

Patrick Lim and John K Purna attending IT&CM Asia 2024; photo by Rachel AJ Lee

For instance, the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih Rice Terraces north of Ubud, Lim pointed out. “WonderMICE is currently in the planning stages of creating several meaningful CSR programmes based in the area. CSR is a very big part of corporate meetings and the terraces are a fantastic place to base such programmes; there is so much open space.”

When asked if clients – usually based out of the four- and five-star international branded properties and convention venues in Sanur or Nusa Dua – would be willing to travel 1.5 hours for such an activity, Lim indicated that a full-day programme is “definitely doable”, as corporates these days do not “want to be stuck in a meeting room the whole day anyway”.

The setup of WonderMICE however, was not done alone, and Lim teamed up with Indonesian co-founder John K Purna, who has been in the tourism and events business since 1990.

“John has the local knowledge and know how, and we have the international experience and creative mindset. We are both looking forward to this new venture,” Lim enthused.

When asked how the maximum group size suitable for events in Bali, a maximum of a 1,000 people is possible for WonderMICE, said Lim. In fact, the agency is in the process of executing an event for 800 pax next year.

Lim saw a lack of creative PEOs with experience handling international clients in Bali, which led WonderMICE to choose the destination. Moreover, this was also a way to temper rising event costs.

“Clients these days are still willing to spend, but they want to spend more wisely. By holding an event in Bali, it could be 20 to 30 per cent cheaper. But sometimes it’s not about the costs. Crafting an event experience such as a gala dinner in a beach environment, buying out a beach club, or lunch on a cliff in Uluwatu, would make an event extremely memorable for delegates,” Lim said.

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