Ian Horne has been appointed by the Business Events Adelaide Board as chair, replacing Jim Kouts, who has held the position since 2017.
Horne has been a member of the Business Events Adelaide Board since 2014, most recently as deputy chair. The new deputy chair is independent director Catherine Cooper.
Kouts will remain as an independent director as part of a considered governance strategy.
Having been the recipient of the Tourism Industry Award for outstanding contribution by an individual in 2023, Horne is regarded as one of the State’s most experienced tourism and hospitality industry advocates. Since retiring from the Australian Hotels Association (South Australia) in mid-2023, he has been appointed to the Board of Tourism Australia, adding to his membership of the South Australian Tourism Commission Board, the Adelaide Venue Management Corporation and the South Australian Skills Commission.
W Singapore – Sentosa Cove has reopened its ballroom and meeting rooms, all of which have undergone extensive renovation.
The Great Room now boasts a giant LED panel of 5 x 14 metres, that can also be split into two LED screens of 5 x 7 metres, allowing guests to customise even further their events and experiences by displaying artwork, creative photos or corporate logos. To complement this new LED screen, the AV equipment has also undergone upgrading, and guests can make use of the video conferencing and live streaming capabilities.
W Singapore’s meeting spaces allow in natural light
The other key highlights of the renovation of the Great Room, Great Room Foyer, the four Studio Rooms and the Strategy Room all boast an upgraded flooring that enhances the overall aesthetic appeal, blending into the new marine colour tones of the property. The new floor is complemented by a new decor; the walls have been adorned with contemporary grey wallpaper, adding a touch of elegance to the meeting rooms. The selected designs create a visually pleasing environment that fosters creativity and productivity.
Adjacent to the Great Room, the Great Room foyer is a private space measuring 293m2 and connects to the outdoor Garden Terrace of 212m2, where the latter can be used as a outdoor pre- or post-function space.
All the property’s meeting rooms present naturally lit meeting facilities and high ceilings. Situated on the hotel’s second floor, they overlook lush resort grounds with views of the marina.
W Singapore – Sentosa Cove’s event and meeting rooms is supported by 240 guestrooms and suites, as well as four F&B outlets, some of them which have undergone recent transformation as well.
Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia, is providing an event organiser with the chance to jet off to Fiji.
To participate, event organisers have to book a conference, meeting, or social event at Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach to enter the draw. A minimum spend of A$25,000 per event applies, and events must be booked by March 31, 2024, and take place before March 31, 2024. Terms and conditions apply.
Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach offers event planners a mini resort experience
The prize is a trip to Fiji for two adults including two economy flights with Fijian Airways from elbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra, as well as three nights in a Beachfront or Lagoon View Suite at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa inclusive of Club InterContinental Access.
Club InterContinental Access includes private check-in and check-out, access to the Club InterContinental Lounge and infinity pool, breakfast in a choice of three venues, complimentary non-alcoholic mini bar, complimentary Wi-Fi, as well as drinks, afternoon tea, canapés and cocktails in the Club InterContinental Lounge.
Additionally, the prize includes one-hour of non-motorised water sports per person, per day and an introduction to a Diving Pool splash session.
The 209-key Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach offers 13 different event spaces, many of which offer floor-to-ceiling windows, and state-of-the-art AV equipment. The property also has a co-working space, The Studio, good for up to 12 people which can be booked by the hour or day for private meetings, workshops or dining. Facilities on-site include a heated pool, two on-site restaurants, karaoke room, tennis courts, and a gym.
Euromic members visited Kuala Lumpur and Singapore earlier this month
Euromic, a non-profit association of 52 DMCs, has revealed that it will launch a by-invitation-only client event in 2H2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“This inaugural event will invite around 80 MICE buyers from all over the world to meet our 52 member DMCs. It will be a two- or three-night event, and will be a substantial investment on our part. We are planning to hold such an event once every two years,” Huw Tuckett, executive director, Euromic, told TTGmice at a networking event in Singapore last week.
Euromic members visited Kuala Lumpur and Singapore earlier this month
When asked what was unique about this event, given that buyers already have access to Euromic members at tradeshows, Tuckett opined: “The relationship between buyers and DMCs at tradeshows is just one route to market. There are multiple other routes to market, beyond 15-minute meetings at tradeshows. Nothing beats close contact, and a demonstration of our capabilities on the ground.”
Details have not been confirmed at press time, although Tuckett shared that the event will comprise a welcome event on the first evening, education opportunities, a meeting component, a gala dinner, as well as destination experiences.
“The plan is to break up the. buyers into smaller groups to experience what the destination has to offer, be it archery, whisky tasting, or even the Highland Games. This will not only allow buyers to experience Scotland, but also allow them to have fun, spend time with each other outside of the business environment, and build relationships that are beyond transactional,” he elaborated.
According to Rajeev Kohli, president of Euromic, and the joint managing director of India-based Creative Travel, members have been clamouring for such an event for a long time. Moreover, this self-organised event will allow Euromic to have “direct control on the quality and number of buyers” as compared to tradeshows.
Euromic also has a strong peer-to-peer mission, where all members consciously support each other by referring potential buyers, emphasised Rajeev.
Aside from this debut event, the rest of 2024 is shaping up to be quite “exciting”, shared Tuckett, with the opening of Euromic’s US office in 2023 taking up a bulk of the association’s attention in 1H2024. Plans are also afoot to open an office in Asia Pacific in 2024 or 2025, as the burgeoning region “cannot be ignored”.
The Rotary International Convention will be held at Marina Bay Sands
The Rotary International Convention to be held in Singapore from May 25-29 this year is projected to welcome around 13,000 attendees, way below the estimation of 25,000 when Singapore won the bid in November 2017.
“Due to a variety of global factors, we are projecting over 13,000 participants will attend our convention. As our event is participant-supported as opposed to a corporate-funded expense, the increase in travel costs means that our registrants must make cost assessments on a personal finance level and prioritise accordingly,” said Shannon Watson, director of meetings and events, Rotary International, when TTGmice enquired about the status of the event.
The Rotary International Convention will be held at Marina Bay Sands
To encourage sign-ups, organisers are using testimonials that provide members – especially those in the Asia-Pacific region – with an inside look into the experience of the convention. Organisers are also showcasing the variety of experiences Singapore offers.
In comparison to previous years, the 2023 convention in Melbourne had around 14,000 participants, while the 1999 convention in Singapore saw about 19,000 attendees.
Besides the reduced convention size, another surprise is the change in the main venue from Singapore Expo to Marina Bay Sands.
Watson explained: “For us, priority is given to the venue that best aligns with our programme and the needs of our attendees. The Sands Expo and Convention Centre is closer to most of our contracted hotels and offers more flexibility in terms of space, which is a better fit for our programme needs.”
Maritz Global Events is the housing partner managing hotel room blocks for the convention. At press time, many hotel allocations are already sold out, and high hotel rates may deter regional attendance. TTGmice understands that some delegations have also made direct bookings with hotels, or through OTAs.
Should there be a late surge in bookings, accommodation may be in short supply as there may be other business events happening in the city at the same time.
High passenger loads and concomitantly, airfares make travelling to Singapore costly, even for regional delegates. But unlike other major annual exhibitions and rotational congresses, there is no official airline or alliance appointed, with discounted airfares. When queried, national carrier Singapore Airlines deflected the question to Rotary International and Singapore Tourism Board, but both did not address the matter.
However, once in Singapore, various transport options will be available. Delegates will receive transport cards to encourage public transportation usage instead of shuttle buses causing traffic congestion, pollution, and negating environmental efforts.
Singapore usually does not publish data on economic value or contribution from individual business events. Nevertheless, abundant casual labour is required to handle an event of this size. The organisers have engaged local businesses to provide skilled labour and are confident they will be able to provide the necessary quality personnel to support the event.
“As with every convention, we have a diverse team of Rotary International volunteers stationed in the host country to oversee event-related tasks, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all,” Watson added.
“The Host Organising Committee is working tirelessly to curate interesting programmes outside the meetings for our overseas delegates. They will have an opportunity to enjoy a meal and entertainment with local Rotarians,” said Chew Ghim Bok, chair of the committee. “In addition, ASEAN countries are culturally rich, making pre- or post-holidays an attractive and convenient option.”
On sustainability concerns, Watson said: “From our conventions in both Melbourne and Singapore, two very sustainably-focused cities, we will develop a new baseline from which to grow and improve environmental sustainability for future conventions.”
MEETINGS 2024 will open applications for hosted buyers on January 31, where the event will be held from June 19-20 at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre.
Fully-hosted buyers can book 26 appointments over two days from a choice of up to 200 exhibiting organisations.
MEETINGS 2023 was held at at Tākina Wellington
Hosted buyers receive complimentary transport to Rotorua courtesy of Air New Zealand and Johnston’s Coachlines, as well as accommodation at one of eight host hotels and tickets to social events. They can also look forward to a welcome event on June 18, at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre, as well as a special Matariki dinner on June 19, courtesy of RotoruaNZ.
MEETINGS has partnered with Hobbiton Movie Set Tours to offer pre- and post-visits where buyers can experience the brand-new Bagshot Row development. Host city Rotorua is also offering a destination fam on June 18, and hosted buyers can choose to join post-MEETINGS fams in the nearby regions of Waikato and Taupō.
For New Zealand business event organisers, both one- and two-day hosted buyer options are available. This year, day buyer registrations are opening in mid-February to ensure day buyers have plenty of time to plan their trip to Rotorua.
Complimentary shuttle buses will run from Rotorua Airport to the venue for key inbound and outbound flights, and complimentary return coach transport will be available each day from Auckland to Rotorua courtesy of Johnston’s Coachlines.
This year’s programme will see additional time for buyers to explore the showfloor during appointment-free periods, to enable greater networking and interaction with exhibitors.
Day buyers can add extra options to their registrations to enhance the value of their attendance. These include a speaker programme on June 19 and a range of educational sessions during lunch on June 20.
Hilton for Business offers a comprehensive booking platform, discounts, loyalty rewards and seamless program management tools
Hilton has debuted Hilton for Business, a new travel programme to help small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) simplify travel management while enhancing rewards and discounts for their loyalty.
SMEs that join Hilton for Business gain access to discounted rates across Hilton’s global portfolio of nearly 7,400 properties both on the website and on the Hilton Honors app.
Hilton for Business offers a comprehensive booking platform, discounts, loyalty rewards and seamless program management tools
Through this programme, companies that enrol in Hilton for Business will receive 7,500 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after any programme member completes their first hotel stay.
After every 10 nights stayed by a programme member, the company receives 5,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points. Those Bonus Points are housed within the business’ company account and can be distributed to themselves and/or any member of their Hilton for Business program.
Individual travellers, including both owners and employees, will continue to earn their personal Hilton Honors Points and benefits each time they stay.
SME business owners or travel administrators can register themselves and their companies, through their own Hilton Honors account, to gain access to the self-service travel booking and management system.
Once registered, the customer and their employees gain access to the booking website and other benefits. At that stage, individual travellers will also be able to create separate personal and business travel profiles within their own Hilton Honors account, enabling seamless differentiation and management between the two profiles.
In addition to enabling any traveller at a company to easily book discounted rates, business owners have full control and can delegate programme management to any number of administrators. Businesses can also track their upcoming spend, as well as review historical spend.
The newly-opened luxury Visama Mae Chan tented camp in northern Thailand is now available for corporate buyouts ranging from strategic planning retreats to incentive reward bookings.
The five-star tented camp, which opened in December 2023, offers 10 safari tents ranging from 48m2 to 80m2, including a verandah, on five hectares of land. Amenities include air conditioning, French press coffee pots, Wi-Fi, rainshowers, refrigerator, bathtub, large balconies and an evening turndown service. These tents were imported from South Africa and adapted for northern Thailand.
Guided cycling trips are possible
Other facilities include a lounge area, as well as an on-site restaurant where the culinary team can prepare a wide selection of Asian, Western, Thai and northern Thai options.
Companies will have exclusive use of the camp during the duration of the stay, and each group will have a dedicated in-house event manager to make sure proceedings go smoothly.
The property also offers a range of activities both inside the tented camp and in its surroundings, such as guided hiking and biking trips, cooking classes, spa therapy, yoga, Tai Chi, archery, painting and pottery classes. Day trips further afield to nearby temples and villages can also be arranged.
For corporate groups to give back, Visama Mae Chan has a partnership with the neighbouring Friends of Thai Daughters Foundation. Three young women university graduates are already working at the resort, thanks to the foundation. There are opportunities for companies to support the charity’s work while at the camp.
Visama Mae Chan is a 40-minute transfer from Chiang Rai International Airport, which is a 90-minute flight from Bangkok or a 130-minute flight from Phuket.
Here are 7 great reasons to bring your business event to the Gold Coast.
1. Range of accommodation
From five-star luxury to relaxed coastal charm, the Gold Coast has every style of accommodation covered. Newcomer The Langham Gold Coast, features luxurious beachfront sophistication, while RACV Royal Pines has recently been refreshed. The city offers more than 21,000 accommodation rooms, with a Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis still to come – arriving in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
2. Wellness experiences
Connect mind, body and spirit with a multi-day reset at Eden Health Retreat, or reward your team with an indulgent day spa experience at the Gold Coast’s newest luxury wellness destination, Spa by JW. Alternatively, enter a new era of wellness at Native State located in the heart of Kirra Beach. This peaceful sanctuary comes complete with an infrared sauna, heated vitality pool, cold plunge pool, steam room, traditional cedar sauna and meditation lounge.
3. Indigenous experiences
Exposing team members to new cultures and ideas can help break down barriers and promote innovative thinking. Team members can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of a different culture with fishing, yabby pumping and mud crab catching on the Tweed River or experience a guided beachside rainforest walk along the magical Jellurgal mountain, led by a local Indigenous guide.
4. Unique venues
Take hosting to new levels with a venue that transforms your event into an experience of a lifetime. Wherever you gather on the Gold Coast, you can be assured of an electric atmosphere. From Gala Dinners on Main Street at Movie World to themed extravaganzas at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and lavish welcome dinners aboard YOT Club – the World’s first Super Yacht entertainment venue – there’s a show-stopping option for every occasion.
5. Water experiences
Hit the Gold Coast waterways in a luxury sports-designed water-propelled jetcar, Arro Jet Boats, the city’s newest and most exhilarating jet boat adventure or dive into the Pacific Ocean and visit Wonder Reef, the world’s first floating reef, rich with fish, coral and a cornucopia of Australia’s marine life. End the day with front row seats to the best waterfront and sunset views on the coast, as the city lights set a backdrop for your celebrations with Sailing In Paradise’s private charters. It really is all about the water in the Sunshine State and there’s something for absolutely everyone!
6. Dining options
Eat your way around the world, without leaving the Gold Coast. International cuisines abound across the city, with halal options widely available. Looking for an extraordinary seafood experience? Make your way to Broadbeach’s new kid on the block – Blowfish Ocean Grill + Bar. Succulent lobster, tender salmon and mouth-watering oysters are just part of the allure of this world-class dining experience. Or, for a gastronomic journey of ‘fire-kissed’ dishes, make your way to Kōst Bar and Grill for whole lobsters, dry-aged steaks, whole market fish and champagne trolleys. This is your chance to taste the very best of the Gold Coast.
7. Shopping
Christian Louboutin, Gucci and Hermes are just a few of the big names joining Australia’s Zimmerman and Camilla to draw shoppers to the largest shopping centre in Queensland and the fourth largest in Australia – Pacific Fair. Alternatively, for big brands and even bigger sales, Harbour Town Premium Outlets (also Australia’s largest outlet shopping centre) is the place to be.
Ready for a business event that ticks every box? Whether you’re looking for an intimate creative space to inspire and ignite ideas or want to deliver experiences that wow and excite your delegates, we can help. We’re here to share our intimate local knowledge of the Gold Coast and introduce you to our network of over 500 venues and suppliers.
Hilton has appointed Candice D’Cruz as vice president of luxury brands for Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, she is responsible for leading Hilton’s luxury brands, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, across Asia-Pacific.
With over two decades of experience, Candice joins Hilton from Marriott International, where she most recently served as vice president of luxury brand management and marketing for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Her experience includes roles in Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Emaar, overseeing various aspects of brand, marketing and communications in diverse markets.
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.
