Prestige of Singapore’s F1 races continues to attract VIP corporate groups
Fifteen years on, the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024 continues to be a choice event for companies looking to charm and entertain their VIP partners in the city-state. Hotels located close to the race action and offering race-themed events and packages are benefiting most from the corporate hospitality demand.
Wong Kar Ling, chief strategy officer and managing director, Southeast Asia with The Ascott, told TTGmice that about 35 per cent of the company’s lodging reservations on the books for the race period are from the corporate segment while room nights across its Singapore properties are up 20 per cent this year over 2023.
“We also continue to see growth in the F&B, small meetings, and business events market. Ascott’s flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model, which caters to varying lengths of stays and customer segments, has positioned us well to capture these growth opportunities,” remarked Wong, adding that properties located closest to the track and the city centre are the most popular during the races.
She pointed to Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, Citadines Raffles Place Singapore, and lyf Funan Singapore as hot favourites while the new lyf Bugis Singapore, which opened in July, has also “benefited from the pick-up in inbound travel”.
Wong said: “At these prime city centre locations, guests can enjoy convenience and easier access to the event, as well as the opportunity to experience the bustling atmosphere. This aligns with a key trend we’re witnessing across guest preferences today, where guests increasingly gravitate towards experiential travel and look for immersive stay experiences.”
A spokesperson with Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) told TTGmice that Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay and Pan Pacific Singapore are the top two gainers from the annual night race due to their prime location.
Corporate hospitality take-up at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay remains consistent with last year in terms of room nights, venue rental, and offsite catering. The five-star hotel also continues to be engaged by the Singapore Grand Prix as one of the appointed caterers at the Sky Suites (Pit Straight).
While The Singapore Edition hotel is a distance from the Marina Bay street circuit, its curated packages for the F1 season have earned it corporate interest. According to Parveender Kaur, director of sales at The Singapore Edition, which opened in February this year, packages include premium accommodation and personalised catering services.
Hotels TTGmice spoke to have crafted packages to connect groups with the best of the race experience.
Citadines Raffles Place Singapore and The Robertson House by The Crest Collection both offer Singapore Night Race packages that come with special rates, curated entertainment, and exclusive merchandise.
PPHG has chosen to take a tasty route to the hearts of race fans. Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay’s Portman’s Bar feature a special race-themed cocktail menu with six Negroni variations, each inspired by iconic race circuits around the world. Edge Restaurant at Pan Pacific Singapore is serving a lavish Pit Stop Brunch on September 21 and 22.
Commenting on the continued draw of the Singapore night race, Kaur said: “F1’s global allure and distinctive night race format (in Singapore) make it a major draw for high-profile guests and corporate clients, and it significantly enhances the hotel’s revenue during race week by offering increased booking opportunities and greater visibility among both international and local corporate clients.”
Tapping the power of the prestigious motorsports event, The Ascott has built its second Ascott Privilege Signatures activation at the races. It will welcome top-tier Ascott Star Rewards loyalty members to the exclusive Ascott Privilege Signatures Lounge at the F1 race on September 20.
Destinations set up mpox precaution at border controls
Authorities in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, among others in the region, have established precautionary measures at borders against the import of mpox from abroad, following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of mpox a global public health emergency on August 14.
A WHO statement cited a surge in cases of the new mpox clade 1b strain in Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Singapore started from August 23 temperature and visual screening at both air and sea checkpoints. The city-state does not have direct flights between Singapore and any country with an mpox outbreak, stated the health ministry. National Centre for Infectious Diseases, National University Hospital, and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital are prepared to handle infected patients.
In Johor, the Malaysian state bordering Singapore, health authorities have stepped up public health screening activities at all international checkpoints – Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ), Sultan Abu Bakar Complex CIQ, Senai International Airport, and international ferry terminals.
Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 has also tightened screening procedures. While most travellers and crew will pass through thermal scanners, those arriving from high-risk country – or those showing symptoms of illness – will undergo more thorough screening at a centre near gate C22.
Malaysian health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said symptoms to watch for include high temperature, blistered skin, or swollen glands. People with these symptoms would be given a health alert card and referred to the nearest healthcare facility.
In Thailand, authorities now require people travelling from high-risk areas to register in the Thai Health Pass system, which will collect entry and exit dates and times to aid contact tracing where necessary.
International arrivals at Indonesia’s major ports of entry such as Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali will pass through thermal scanners and are required to fill out an online health declaration form. Symptomatic passengers will undergo checks in a private facility upon arrival.
During a press conference earlier this week, Singapore health minister Ong Ye Kung emphasised that “Mpox is a troublesome virus which we can manage”.
He noted that the new mpox strain was less transmissible than respiratory viruses such as influenza and Covid-19. An mpox infected person can spread it to an average of 1.3 persons, while the rate of infection is five for Covid-19 (Omicron) and 10 for measles.
As such, Ong said the state of disruption resulting from Covid-19 would unlikely occur with mpox.
Benjamin Lehmann takes charge as GM at Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas
Benjamin Lehmann has been appointed as general manager of Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Having lived in Asia for 12 years, Lehmann has held senior roles with luxury brands in Thailand and Cambodia. He will be in charge of managing hotel operations and will also oversee the Shinta Mani Foundation that works with local villagers on the pillars of education, health, micro loans and direct assistance.
Prior to joining Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas, he was the pre-opening general manager for Mercure Bangkok Surawong.
BESarawak and UNIMAS collaborate on first Impact Studies in Malaysia
Sarawak’s business events legacy takes a significant step forward as Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) combine forces to develop the first economic and legacy impact study of its kind in Malaysia.
The partnership between BESarawak and UNIMAS will see two key projects implemented – an Economic Impact Study; and a Legacy Impact Study and Legacy Impact Measurement System.
Led by Rossazana Binti Ab Rahim from UNIMAS, the Economic Impact Study will develop a comprehensive economic framework for business events that records and reports data such as visitor arrivals and revenue generation.
The economic study will use the new Sarawak-level economic measurements based on the six key economic sectors (manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, forestry, mining, and services) of the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030. The study is aligned with the PCDS 2030’s aspiration for business events and tourism to increase visitor arrivals by 7.5 per cent per annum and contribute 11 per cent to Sarawak’s gross domestic product by 2030.
Meanwhile, the Legacy Impact Study and Legacy Impact Measurement System will be headed by Lo May Chiun from UNIMAS, the legacy impact study analyses the wider impact of conferences and exhibitions such as community development, social responsibility, policy influence, and investment opportunities.
The study coincides with the development of Malaysia’s first state-of-the-art dashboard system to monitor, validate, report, and capture the impact and legacies of business events held in Sarawak.
The system will enable business event planners to track their impact and provide a holistic picture of their contributions to Sarawak and beyond. The development of the legacy measurement system – to be launched in 1Q2025 – is supported by Wang Yin Chai, from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology at UNIMAS. Wang brings over 24 years of experience in research and development, with expertise in artificial intelligence, image processing, and Geographic Information System analysis.
“We are in the second year of the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan 2023–2025 and this stage is about measuring and verifying event legacies. With the research and findings from UNIMAS, we are going to improve our legacy measurements and be ready for the reporting and communication phase through the dashboard next year,” said Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak.
“The Tribe Legacy Sarawak campaign is important to the Sarawak government and business events industry. The tagline Driving Impact Together is our brand promise that we can drive impact together and measure it. Sarawak will soon be capable of fulfilling this promise for all business event planners.”
This emphasis on legacy proved successful when Sarawak was selected to host the International Water Association World Water Congress and Exhibition 2028. By 2030, legacy impact will become a natural process when organising business events and Sarawak will be positioned as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo, the minister added.
In 2023, the Premier of Sarawak announced his intention to establish Sarawak as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo. This will be driven by the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan 2023–2025 where data and innovation play key roles in attracting high-profile legacy events and ESG-centric international partnerships.
Domestic incentive travel in Malaysia takes a hit
Travel operators from Malaysia are reporting a decline in the domestic incentive travel market, due to competition from secondary international destinations and post-pandemic financial pressures.
Adam Kamal, director of Suka Travel & Tours, highlighted that the cost of conducting an incentive trip to secondary destinations like Phu Quoc, Danang, Medan, Bandung, or Phuket is often comparable to, or even cheaper than, travelling domestically to Penang or Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur.
This disparity grows further for air travel to East Malaysia, which tends to be even more expensive when compared to airfares from Kuala Lumpur to West Malaysian states.
He added: “Moreover, the government no longer offers tax breaks to Malaysians holidaying domestically. So, there’s little incentive to hold events locally when you could go abroad, explore new places, and have new experiences.”
Zulkifli Rahman, director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, told TTGmice that while the property welcomed incentive groups from the local financial and multi-level marketing sectors in 2023, the number of such groups has significantly decreased this year
However, small, high-level management teams are still travelling. He also noted that with international airfares and hotel rates stabilising this year, overseas travel has become more attractive.
Although domestic business events at the property are on the decline, The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, has seen an increase in incentive groups from Australia, Singapore, and China, whose higher spending levels surpass those of domestic corporates.
This could be because the lingering financial effects of the pandemic have forced many to tighten their budgets, resulting in cuts to incentive travel spending.
Hasniza Suid, director of sales at Langkawi MICE Holidays & Tours, pointed out that small and medium-sized businesses are still grappling with the economic fallout from the pandemic.
“For those opting for domestic incentive travel, cost-cutting measures have become common. This includes choosing cheaper accommodations, transport, and foregoing themed dinners in favour of private dining,” she said.
Wellington doubles down on conferences
Hundreds of electricians, plumbers and Internet experts are converging in Wellington this week, as the New Zealand city gears up to host two large conferences at the same time.
The conferences are held at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, and will provide a valuable economic boost to the city’s hospitality, accommodation and retail sectors.
The Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) meeting brings together Internet and networking expert government representatives, industry leaders, and others from around the world to learn, share ideas and develop policies related to Internet operations.
Meanwhile, The Advantage Conference 2024, run by New Zealand’s Laser Plumbing & Electrical and Australia’s O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing Group, is the first combined conference for the group since the pandemic. This conference will also celebrate a centenary of experience and expertise for O’Brien.
Wellington will also benefit from two legacy projects being offered by the conference organisers. APNIC has a goal to bring more young people into the IT industry and has worked to create a conference programme that caters for them.
Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington is sponsoring 20 IT students to attend the conference, enabling them to connect with people in the IT industry. They will hear keynote speakers including Robyn Kamira, managing director of Paua Interface, whose topic is Telecommunications stories from the Frontline; and Jon Brewer, consulting engineer at Telco2 talking about the process of delivering broadband to rural Aotearoa.
Meanwhile, The Advantage Conference 2024 is continuing its heritage of giving back to local communities. About 80 delegates are expected to participate in a project to provide much-needed electrical and plumbing upgrades to the Life Flight Trust – Westpac Rescue Helicopter’s Wellington base.
Business Events Wellington manager Irette Ferreira indicated that it is fantastic to see Wellington hosting two sizeable international conferences concurrently – something the city was unable to do before Tākina opened.
“We are delighted to welcome both conferences to the capital and value the efforts both organisations have made to create positive impacts for our city.”
AIME unveils 2025 Knowledge Program theme and advisory board
The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) has announced the theme and advisory committee for its 2025 Knowledge Program, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) in February.
The theme for 2025, We Matter! seeks to highlight and celebrate the global business events industry as a powerful catalyst for economic growth.
Hosted and curated by BEAM’s founder El Kwang, the Knowledge Program will launch on February 10, 2025, with keynote speakers from AIME’s speaker bureau partners, along with industry business leaders and renowned professionals.
Guiding the development of the Knowledge Program topics and speakers under the 2025 theme is the Knowledge Program Advisory Committee, which consists of eight leaders from the Asia Pacific meetings and events industry, who together guide the curation of the Knowledge Program.
The 2025 Advisory Committee comprises head of events & connections, workplace experience at Atlassian, Paul Boustani; Charter Hall Events’ manager Ashleigh Cooper; MCI Australia’s account director Maggie Diasinos; and Events Travel Asia Group’s founder and CEO Max Jantasuwan.
Joining them are business events strategist at Think Event By Think Tank Productions Ronald Lim; ICMS CEO Sarah Markey-Hamm; Australian Dental Industry Association’s director of events Denise Sorrell; and Felicity Zadro, founder and managing director of Zadro.
The Knowledge Program is a ticketed event for Hosted Buyers, Hosted Media and Exhibitors. Visitor Buyers may purchase an upgrade to attend.
AIME 2025 will have an expanded footprint accommodating more than 600 exhibitors, 650 hosted buyers and the 20,000 meetings that are set to take place on the showfloor. Next year’s three-day event will be held February 10-12 . In 2025 for the first time, the global exhibitions association UFI will co-locate its 2025 Asia-Pacific Conference with AIME at MCEC, with its event to follow on February 13-14, 2025.
Bhutan to host inaugural Innovation Forum next month
King Jigme of Bhutan has announced that the inaugural Bhutan Innovation Forum will take place from October 1-3, 2024, at the Dungkar Dzong in Paro.
This event will bring together global thought leaders to explore the intersections of mindfulness, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability as Bhutan embarks on creating the world’s first Mindfulness City.
The Mindfulness City, a project rooted in the principles of Gross National Happiness first introduced by the monarch in December 2023, will integrate green technologies and mindful innovation to build a harmonious, well-being-focused community.
More than 80 distinguished speakers are expected, covering diverse topics such as integrating mindfulness into education and leadership, leveraging blockchain for knowledge economies, utilising AI in digital services and governance, promoting ESG investments for climate resilience, and developing carbon markets for sustainable growth.
Speakers include Evan Spiegel, the co-founder and CEO of Snapchat; Joseph E Stiglitz, economist and Nobel Laureate; Nicholas Stern, economist and member of the UK House of Lords and Nobel Laureate; Richard J Roberts, molecular biologist and Nobel Laureate; Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, a Buddhist scholar, author and filmmaker; Juan Manuel Santos, the former President of Columbia; Anil Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Group; Bjarke Ingels, the founding partner & creative director of igG; Matthieu Ricard, a philosopher and Buddhist monk; among others.
Lanson Place Causeway Bay unveils six luxury penthouses
Lanson Place Causeway Bay, a recently renovated luxury hotel in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay district, has launched six new penthouse residences.
Designed by renowned French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, the six penthouses offer one-bedroom or two-bedroom configurations, with sizes starting from 84m2. Regardless, all six boast an open-plan living and dining area, bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes and daylight-flooded space through oversized windows that capture views of the city.
These luxurious residences have been furnished with a fully-equipped kitchenette with an induction cooker, microwave oven, dishwasher and a standard-sized refrigerator, along with a washer-dryer machine.
An Extended Stay Package is available for the Penthouses and various room categories with flexible lease periods. The package comes with a range of benefits including daily housekeeping service with the linens changed three times a week, access to the 24-hour Fitness Centre, participation in wellness classes twice a week, Grab & Go Continental Breakfast on weekdays, and preferential rates for dining and laundry services, among others.
Monthly rent for the penthouses begins at HK$97,800 (US$12,540). Other room types, from 42m2, are available starting at HKD45,000 per month. Guests who make a reservation for selected room types by December 31, 2024, can enjoy a six-month stay for five months’ rent or a 12-month stay for 10 months’ rent. Monthly rates are inclusive of service charge.
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Conrad Chongqing is designed with both business and leisure guests in mind, offering 275 rooms and suites, three dining venues, almost 3,000m2 of pillarless meetings and event spaces, and a 780m2 outdoor sky garden.
A team of event experts are on hand to assist corporate clients.
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