Railbookers Group has appointed Nick Lim as vice president – Asia, strengthening its leadership presence in the region.
Lim brings more than 25 years of travel industry experience and most recently served as CEO, Asia at The Travel Corporation, where he spent over two decades.
He has also held the role of general manager, Asia at Norwegian Cruise Line, and has extensive experience building and expanding travel brands across the Asian market.
TTGmice’s e-news will be taking a break from February 16 to 18, 2026, for the Lunar New Year holidays. News will resume on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
From all of us at TTG Asia Media, we wish all of our readers good health, and a happy and prosperous Year of the Horse!
The official opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has ushered in a long-awaited milestone for New Zealand’s business events industry, finally delivering the scale required to compete for larger international congresses and corporate meetings.
Opening celebrations were led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in a traditional welcome for about 650 invited guests, grounding the occasion in Auckland’s cultural heritage. Performances by the Auckland Youth Choir and chart-topping band Six60 followed, with Six60 also becoming the first act to perform at NZICC’s new Te Paepae Theatre the next day.
Guests were also treated to an immersive culinary showcase, with live theatre-style food stations spotlighting premium New Zealand produce and reinforcing the venue’s focus on regional provenance.
Tourism and hospitality minister, Louise Upston, described the centre as transformational for the sector. “This opening today is a game changer for us as a country,” she said, noting its role in attracting high-spending international delegates and elevating New Zealand’s global standing.
Industry confidence is already evident. NZICC has secured 120 events to date, representing an estimated 33,000 additional international visitors. A preview of an upcoming report showed that multi-day business conferences generated NZ$925 million in economic and productivity benefits in 2025, before the centre had even opened. “So imagine what we’re going to do after that,” said Upston.
More than a decade in development, and following setbacks including a 2019 construction fire and pandemic delays, the opening of NZICC completes a trio of next-generation convention centres across New Zealand’s three largest cities.
Kutchan, a town in Western Hokkaido just two hours by car from Sapporo, is boosting its business event hosting capabilities with the opening of new accommodations and launch of new products and services.
Home to the main resorts of the Niseko area, Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Hanazono, Kutchan has long been renowned for snow sports, but business events stakeholders are intensifying efforts to enhance its appeal as a year-round destination, particularly to meetings and incentives.
Leading efforts is MICE Niseko, a DMO launched in 2020 to provide a one-stop service for business events, and Kutchan Tourism Association. Together, they aim to increase demand using a new framework that supports everything from facilities, activities and catering to entertainment, sustainability and guest speaker programmes.
“We are targeting incentive groups of 20 to 100 people and expect to see growth first from Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, North America and Hawaii,” said James Suzuki, director general of Kutchan Tourism Association, adding that Australia is a longer-term market, both for incentives, conferences, and conventions.
The association is also aiming for corporate management and shareholder meetings, as Kutchan offers high-end, yet competitively priced, accommodation as well as meeting rooms with impressive views of nature, explained Suzuki.
Luxury villa and chalet management provider Elite Havens hopes to welcome more business visitors to its six to eight person chalets in Hirafu and Niseko Village, which are clustered together.
“This setup offers an ideal balance for corporate groups – providing private spaces for relaxation and breakout sessions, while keeping the team connected and fostering collaboration,” said a spokesperson.
Hotel options, meanwhile, include the 87-key Chalet Ivy Weiss and the ski-in, ski-out Nikko Style Niseko Hanazono, which features a 122-seater all-day dining restaurant and a 136m2 banquet room that can accommodate 50 pax in banquet-style and 120 pax in theatre style.
Other new developments are also transforming Niseko Grand Hirafu as both a winter and summer destination.
Following the addition of a 10-seater gondola in the 2024/25 season, a six-seater chairlift is scheduled to be in operation by February 2026. Sanshoku, a restaurant and bar with 240 seats, opened in July 2025 for exclusive use by groups following a renovation, and two more F&B facilities, the 380-seat Nest813 and 270-seat Ace Center, were unveiled in December 2025.
At nearby Niseko Hanazono, two art installations by internationally renowned artist Bruce Munro have been added to the immersive outdoor artwork of 180,000 points of light, Mountain Lights, which is open from July to October.
Other new activities in the resort during Green Season range from high-octane ziplining and tree trekking to tranquil experiences such as afternoon tea by luxury pastry brand Pierre Hermé Paris, served in a boat on a lake.
Elsewhere, a performance called Fire Goddess introduces Ainu culture, which is native to Hokkaido, through dance, music and fireworks.
Suzuki hopes the activities, experiences and entertainment will appeal to groups seeking teambuilding and engagement with Japanese culture, while the year-round guest speaker programme comprising diverse speakers from 70 countries, is “ideal for education and insight” for corporate groups.
The private sector, too, is striving to increase arrivals during the warmer months.
“Collaboration is key to our Green Season strategy,” said the Elite Havens spokesperson. “We’re working closely with local partners, including tour operators and activity providers, to create compelling packages and seamless experiences for our guests throughout the warmer months.”
Efforts are already paying off, as Kutchan will welcome several international events in 2026 including Swatch Nines Snow, an action-packed snow sports event that will debut in Asia at Niskeo Grand Hirafu over April 6 to 11, and the UCI Gran Fondo World Series Championships, which will welcome amateur cyclists from around the world to Niseko in August.
Hyatt has expanded its Asia Pacific Meetings & Events Alliance to nine properties with the addition of Grand Hyatt Seoul.
The programme streamlines regional business events planning by offering corporate organisers a centralised, collaborative approach to multi-city and multi-year events. Planners accessing the Alliance benefit from a single point of contact, simplified contracting, and coordinated service delivery across key business hubs.
Under the “Together by Hyatt” philosophy, the Alliance focuses on operational consistency and tailored incentives for multi-destination programmes. The participating network now comprises Grand Hyatt properties in Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, Bali, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila, alongside Hyatt Regency Sydney.
The Philippines has launched a specialised MICE Guidebook covering seven key destinations to showcase the country’s readiness for high-stakes business events.
A collaboration between PACEOS (Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers) and the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), the Philippine MICE Guidebook: A Comprehensive Guide for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions streamlines the planning process by detailing venues, accommodations, and service providers across seven key hubs: Manila, Clark, Boracay, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, and Davao.
Beyond directories, the resource features regional event calendars, local expertise, and unique destination offerings to assist global organisers.
Supported by the Department of Tourism and its marketing arm, Tourism Promotions Board, the Philippine MICE Guidebook was launched at the Philippine Travel Agencies Association’s Travel Trade Expo last week.
TCP’s president James Montenegro stated that the guidebook’s documentation of unique local offerings and best practices serves as an invaluable resource to boost the country’s visibility and appeal in international markets.
Meanwhile, Marisa Nallana, board member of PACEOS, told TTGmice that the guide provides the global market with a clear overview of the Philippines’ business events facilities, with the potential for expanded content in future editions.
“As the MICE industry continues to evolve, it is essential that we prioritise responsible tourism that benefits both local communities and the environment. By promoting eco-friendly and socially responsible practices, the Guidebook will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the industry,” Montenegro said.
Thailand is shifting the focus from tourism revenue to investing in long-term urban development for its business events sector.
At the recent TCEB Strategic Direction 2026 briefing, Suratsa Thongmee, senior vice president of domestic marketing at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), unveiled a new vision where events serve as a “stamp of trust” for investors.
She indicated that successfully hosting mega-events proves a city’s management capability and infrastructure readiness, signalling that the destination can support long-term industrial investment.
“MICE is not about organising events or tourism; it is a critical investment mechanism that builds trust and confidence in a destination’s ability to support industry and economic growth,” Suratsa stated.
That is because business events are able to validate a city’s capacity to handle complex logistics and large population flows.
“If a mega-event MICE project is held in a certain area, it shows the city has the management to create change,” Suratsa explained.
This capability, she noted, creates a belief among investors that if a city can support mass gatherings, it can also support new businesses and industries.
To execute this vision, TCEB is employing a comprehensive MICE 4D strategy designed to shift the industry’s focus from quantity to quality.
A key component of this strategic direction involves “Strategic Area Profiling”, which maps specific “Future Focus” industries to Thailand’s diverse regions.
For instance, the north will focus on creative cultural industries, the north-east on medical wellness, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) on advanced manufacturing and mobility, the central region on food security and biotechnology, and the south on premium wellness markets.
This regional specificity allows cities to develop International Property (IP) based on local identities, moving beyond generic tourism to specialised business hubs.
“Beyond immediate revenue, MICE creates jobs and fosters a sense of ownership among residents, ultimately encouraging the new generation to remain in their home cities rather than migrating,” she emphasised.
Spain has identified corporate incentive travel as its primary growth driver for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand emerging as the priority outbound markets.
While Europe and the US traditionally dominate large-scale conventions, Raul Guerra, director of APAC for the Catalonia Tourism Board, noted that the APAC market is heavily driven by the incentive segment.
Guerra estimates that corporate incentives represent approximately 10 per cent of all arrivals to Catalonia. While segregated data for APAC is difficult to track, he shared that the region’s share of incentives is likely “higher than average” compared to other global markets.
A surprising shift in the region’s hierarchy was noted by the Spain Tourism Board, which revealed that Thailand has recently surpassed Singapore in terms of incentive volume to Spain.
“For leisure travellers, Singapore is still the top inbound market for South-east Asia. But within the MICE sector, it has not been the case for the past year,” Irene Valencia, market analyst and trade manager of the Spain Tourism Board, told TTGmice. “Last year, Thailand surpassed Singapore because they have held several large events in Spain. It also helps that connectivity is improving, including the direct flight between Bangkok and Madrid on Iberojet.”
Guerra added that the Philippines is another South-east Asian market to watch. While currently dominated by leisure tourists, it has growing potential for incentive groups.
For 2026, Valencia plans to cultivate closer relationships with regional event planners through highly personalised engagement and “MICE-specific fam trips”. In 2025, the Spain Tourism Board organised two such trips – one specifically for Thai planners and another for other South-east Asian planners – to showcase the country firsthand.
Valencia believes that personal experience is the only way to build trust with the trade. “If they don’t know the country, they cannot sell it. We really want them to experience it for themselves, because a presentation is not the same as being on location.”
Beyond the major gateways of Madrid and Barcelona, she pointed out that cities like Malaga, Seville, and Valencia are making “huge efforts to position themselves as great options for MICE”. These secondary cities offer high-speed rail connectivity, and unique cultural assets while being less crowded than the primary hubs.
Despite global economic shifts, Guerra stated he has not yet noticed shrinking budgets among the trade. “I think corporates realise that incentive trips bring far more value (than their cost), as travel is something people appreciate more now after Covid,” he opined.
To sweeten the deal, Guerra highlighted several “off-the-catalogue” experiences that cater to the APAC market’s desire for exclusivity. These include gala dinners in UNESCO-listed heritage sites like the Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona, and bespoke corporate events involving iconic global brands like FC Barcelona.
Strategic partnerships are the primary driver for destination competitiveness and event scalability. However, industry experts warn that these alliances must be structured with formal frameworks and clear KPIs, rather than relying on informal goodwill.
That was the message from panellists speaking at the Limitless Horizon: How strategic partnerships define the future of business events session, held during the 3rd International Business Events Forum – BE in Sabah 2026.
Mahir Abdulkarim Julfar, executive vice president of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), stressed that partnerships must be anchored in long-term intent, not short-term wins.
He shared: “It’s not about the outcome of this year or next year only, but about how we are going to grow together.”
Mahir highlighted how DWTC works with organisers on three-year business plans that map out projected growth by industry, sub-sector and geography. These plans are reviewed annually, allowing both parties to assess whether assumptions made earlier still hold true in a fast-changing market, and to recalibrate resources, capacity and strategy accordingly.
“Every year, we review where we said we would be and where we are actually heading,” Mahir explained, positioning partnership planning as an ongoing performance exercise rather than a static agreement.
Martin Balmer, account director at Northstar Meetings Group, pointed to the need for clarity and alignment. Effective partnerships, he said, begin with shared objectives, clearly defined roles and agreed KPIs.
Meanwhile, Reza Soltani, president, Institute of Tourism in Belgium, noted that collaborations rarely fail because of misaligned goals. Instead, they break down due to unspoken expectations and an absence of shared understanding when conditions deteriorate.
Soltani stressed that while organisations often focus on credentials, scale and capability during partner selection, these factors offer limited insight into how a partnership will hold up under pressure.
He said: “Understanding how a partner reacts in difficult situations is just as important as assessing technical expertise or market reach.”
Bona Nahyun Lee, CEO of BornTiger, and a seasoned business events strategist, emphasised that differences between partners are not the problem, but ambiguity is. She argued that partnerships break down not because organisations have different goals or philosophies, but because those differences are never made explicit at the outset.
Lee indicated that when partners are clear about where they align and where they diverge, including how each defines success, differences can become a source of complementary value rather than tension.
UPGroup Asia and The MasterPlan LLP (The MasterPlan) have entered into a strategic partnership, formalising a collaboration designed to streamline event delivery and integrated experience design across the Asia-Pacific region.
While both companies will continue to operate independently, the partnership marks a deliberate move toward joint pitching and execution. Speaking to TTGmice in an exclusive interview, Jasmine Ho, founder and managing partner of The MasterPlan, noted the significance of the alliance.
“It has been a while since the industry has seen local smaller businesses partnering officially rather than competing. I’ve tried partnering in the past, but I don’t think I had the right experience or network then. After my time with SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers) and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, I found the ‘missing puzzle piece’ in a partner who shares the same values and leadership direction,” she explained.
The partnership will have a clear division of expertise. The MasterPlan leads in programme strategy, hospitality, and stakeholder management, while UPGroup Asia provides production depth and regional infrastructure.
Adam Piperdy, founder and CEO of UPGroup Asia, noted: “Our clients are looking for integrated support. By aligning our teams from the start, we eliminate coordination gaps and duplication for the client.”
This synergy is vital to UPGroup Asia’s ongoing regional expansion. Since March 2025, the group has grown its regional team to 12 members, sharpening its focus on high-growth markets in Bangkok, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The partnership with The MasterPlan will extend into these markets, allowing Singapore-based programmes to scale regionally with “consistency, speed, and confidence”, said Piperdy.
Over the coming months, the two firms will showcase their combined approach through industry initiatives in Singapore. When asked if a formal joint venture is on the horizon, Ho expressed: “We’d love to eventually offer clients a true one-stop solution. It’s always on my mind to expand.”
