Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 8th April 2026
Page 173

Centara Hotels & Resorts appoints GM for Maldives, Samui

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Andrew Jansson has been named cluster general manager of the soon-to-be opened Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives and Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives, while Neil Li joins is the new general manager of Centara Reserve Samui.

In his new role, Jansson will oversee the pre-opening and strategic development of Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives and Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives. With nearly 30 years as a seasoned hospitality professional, Jansson has held leadership roles in 14 countries with renowned hotel chains such as Hyatt and Shangri-La.

From left: Andrew Jansson and Neil Li

Li brings over a decade of hotel management experience from top international five-star hotels in Shanghai, China. He was previously serving as assistant vice president at Shangri-La Circle.

Gateway Narita unveils plans for an R&D centre, conference facilities

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A new 456,000m2 multipurpose complex catering to business events and leisure travellers is set to open a three-minute drive from Narita International Airport in 2027.

The landmark facility of Gateway Narita will be the DigiDome, a high-specification arena designed for entertainment and business use. In addition to a 6,000m2 screen, top-class audio-visual capabilities and seating for 5,000 pax, the dome will have showrooms and other spaces designed to host international meetings.

An aerial rendering of the new development

Another core aspect of the development will be a food technology R&D centre that aims to develop and promote Japanese food culture. Modelled on Food Valley, a region in the Netherlands where food companies and research institutes drive innovation in F&B, the centre aims to attract leading domestic and international food tech companies that can help grow the popularity of Japanese cuisine overseas by building a cold chain and expanding Japanese F&B exports.

The centre will house an international exhibition centre, an international conference centre and a kitchen studio – facilities that developers hope will be particularly attractive to business events and meetings related to F&B.

There will also be a test marketing restaurant where business and leisure visitors can try new dishes created by the food tech companies based at the centre before they are sold globally.

To support domestic and international visitors, Gateway Narita will also feature a hotel, whose rooms will be equipped with large screens displaying content from the DigiDome, and a large bus terminal designed to strengthen transport connections to stations nearby and to central Tokyo.

BEIA launches fresh website with planning tool

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A screenshot of the new website

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) has launched a new website for members and clients which includes a comprehensive digital planning tool.

Lisa Hopkins, BEIA chief executive said organisers will be able find everything they need to know about planning a business event in New Zealand.

A screenshot of the new website

For instance, event planners can find and select regions and suppliers based on their individual requirements.

Membership information, regional insights, news updates, events and programmes, industry stats and other useful resources can also be easily accessed via the new site.

This online planning tool replaces the printed Event Planners’ Guide, which has been produced for 30 years.

BEIA is inviting feedback on the new planning tool. Anyone interested in more information can contact BEIA’s member relationship manager, Nicky Tilsley.

Malaysia Airlines hosts inaugural summit

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Izham: commited to driving growth both domestically and globally

Malaysia Airlines recently hosted the largest airline trade event ever held in Malaysia, the first Malaysia Airlines Trade Elevation Summit 2024, in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, and the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB).

This inaugural event, from June 24-26, 2024, brought together 300 delegates to Kuala Lumpur, including over 200 international attendees from 48 cities and 21 countries.

Izham: commited to driving growth both domestically and globally

The summit marked a significant milestone for Malaysia Airlines as it advances the goals of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, and positions Kuala Lumpur as a gateway for Asia and beyond, establishing Malaysia as a true South-east Asian tourism and aviation hub.

This event also underscored Malaysia Airlines’ commitment to leveraging its role as the national carrier to support national tourism objectives.

Group managing director of Malaysia Aviation Group (the parent company of Malaysia Airlines), captain Izham Ismail, commented that the group will continue to advance tourism objectives through strategic alliances, collaborate with travel agents worldwide, and local stakeholders like Tourism Malaysia and MyCEB.

The summit also featured the prestigious Golden Wau Awards, the first of its kind hand-made with the Golden Wau for top performing sales agents who demonstrated exceptional achievements in driving revenue.

By introducing this award, Malaysia Airlines aims to set new industry standards and inspire excellence among all trade partners, thereby significantly contributing to Malaysia Airlines’ growth and enhancing Malaysia’s presence on the global tourism stage.

Maximum engagement

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Event brief
Encore Event Technologies recently redefined personalised event experiences with a cutting-edge incentive programme for Asian Paints India, spanning across Australia and New Zealand.

The programme, which was the largest back-to-back activity event Encore has ever managed, served 700 top sellers from Asian Paints India with 16 hours of activities each day over a period of 10 days.

Event highlights
The mammoth event spanned from April 18 to May 2, 2024, taking place across multiple venues in Queenstown and Auckland, New Zealand, and included a special extension to Sydney in Australia for a select VIP group.

Over these two weeks, participants enjoyed a curated lineup of more than 32 events across 17 different venues, designed to immerse and ignite all the senses in unforgettable experiences tied to the theme of Unstoppable.

Participants were flown in two waves and treated to nine-day programmes that included team-building exercises, high teas, and themed gala dinners. These events were strategically aligned with the company’s objectives of celebration, brand engagement, and motivation for future sales achievements.

Technologically, the events showcased groundbreaking applications including advanced hologram animations, expansive LED screens over 30 meters, kabuki drops, and dynamic pyrotechnics, emphasising Encore’s expertise in global creative and event production.

Scott Nodsle, managing director international at Encore Event Technologies, commented on the event’s success: “This event truly exemplified how innovative technology and strategic event design can transform a standard corporate retreat into an unforgettable experience and beautifully showcases the host city’s culture and capabilities.”

Challenges
Coordinating such an extensive programme across multiple locations and two countries posed significant logistical challenges. To address this, Encore leveraged strong collaboration with local suppliers and resources, tapping into New Zealand’s rich culture and effectively rooting the event in the local environment.

The success of the event was by strategic partnerships with local culinary talents, bringing in 24 chefs from India and Dubai to ensure that food offerings were both comforting and delicious, as well as maintaining a taste of home with traditional flavours.

Event Encore Event Technologies Incentive Program for Asian Paints India
Organiser Encore Event Technologies
Venue Multiple venues in Queenstown, Auckland, and Sydney
Dates April 18 to May 2, 2024
Attendees 700

Amara Singapore ushers in a new era of meeting possibilities

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Amara Singapore’s new foyer

Amara Singapore has unveiled its refreshed meeting and event spaces on Level 3, comprising a Grand Ballroom, four function rooms, and an elegant foyer that anchors the meeting spaces together.

This transformation was crafted in collaboration with renowned hospitality design firm Studio HBA, a division of Hirsch Bedner Associates.

Amara Singapore’s new foyer

The crown jewel of the property is the Grand Ballroom, a column-free space featuring a 38-metre-long aisle, accommodating up to 500 guests. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, while a 7.6-metre-long LED video wall ensures attendees can view the screen from every corner.

Adjacent to the Grand Ballroom, are four Breakout rooms named Connection, ranging from 74m2 to 108m2. Each room is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual amenities, flexible seating arrangements and customisable layouts.

Central to the Grand Ballroom and Breakout rooms is a contemporary Foyer, which has built-in amenity counters and a modular seating element with a configuration that can be tailored for any event. The foyer is also adaptable for exhibitions, equipped with versatile ambient lights. At the heart of the conference area stands ‘The Locale’ bar which can provide everything from coffee to after-event cocktails.

On Level 17 of the property, The Parlor provides a more intimate setting for business events seeking a more versatile space, whether it be for product launches or business meetings. With a floor area of 63m2, The Parlor can seat up to 20 guests within a space irradiated by ample natural daylight.

Photo of the day: MITEC shines at Perfect China’s 30th Anniversary celebration

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The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) has set a record by hosting and serving 10,000 guests at a full-day conference, featuring an eight-course Chinese set menu.

The 2024 Perfect China International Convention and 30th Anniversary celebration, supported by Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), attracted delegates from the Asia-Pacific region, including key markets like Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

The event generated an estimated economic impact of RM118.7 million (US$25.2 million) for Malaysia.

With a dedicated core team of 80 professionals, MITEC managed over 1,500 casual staff to ensure the event’s success. Locally-sourced ingredients – such as two tons of whole chickens, 1,200kg of pomfret fish, and 500kg of prawns – were also served.

“We are incredibly proud of the team at MITEC and the seamless execution of this monumental event,” said Jessie Tan, managing director at MITEC. “This accomplishment is a testament to MITEC’s dedication to providing world-class service and creating unforgettable experiences for clients and their guests.”

Mercure Singapore Bugis welcomes new GM

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Mercure Singapore Bugis has named Dino Lim as its new general manager. He will be responsible for the overall strategic management and operations of the property, spearheading the corporate acquisitions, operational initiatives and long-term growth in his new role.

With over 27 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Lim was previously the general manager of Momentus Hospitality, where he took charge of the entire Momentus portfolio including Momentus Hotel Alexandra and Momentus Serviced Residences Novena.

Olivia Yeji Jeung takes the helm at Discova Japan

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Discova has appointed Olivia Yeji Jeung as the country manager for Japan.

She will be responsible for the on-ground, day-to-day development and execution of Discova’s business in Japan.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Jeung has lived in Japan for over 15 years and has held several leadership roles in international firms like American Express, Booking.com, and Expedia during her career.

Hurtigruten Group expands in Asia-Pacific with new hires

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Hurtigruten Group has made new key appointments across its sales, marketing, PR and customer service teams.

Kirsty Fruin joins the Asia-Pacific commercial team as regional sales manager of Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. Based in Brisbane, she has accrued a wealth of cruise and travel knowledge through her previous roles, including in the UK at Fred Olsen Travel.

From left: Kirsty Fruin and Christina Koullas

Christina Koullas is the new PR & communications manager – APAC at Hurtigruten Group’s Melbourne office, bringing with her 20 over years of travel PR experience include working with Spirit of Tasmania, DMCs in Europe and running her own PR agency.

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