Luxurique, a hospitality and event management company, and Dentsu Live, a major player in event space development, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at addressing the burgeoning needs of Japan’s inbound tourism market.
This collaboration, named “INBOUND CREATIVE SOLUTION,” is poised to contribute to the government’s target of attracting 60 million inbound travellers and achieving 15 trillion yen (US$95.7 billion) in inbound tourism spending by 2030.
A screenshot of the Luxurique website
The key objectives of the INBOUND CREATIVE SOLUTION project include consulting services to curate luxury experiences, including conferences and events in the business events domain; as well as the creation of packages that combine entertainment, dining, merchandise, and more to invigorate the night-time economy in urban areas.
Unique venues and specialised services to craft tailor-made experiences, and the collaboration with local communities to develop and promote tourism resources in rural areas are also objectives.
The initiative comes at a time when Japan is experiencing a significant resurgence in inbound travel. In 2023 alone, Japan welcomed 25 million inbound travellers, with expenditures amounting to 5,292.3 billion yen, as reported by the Japan Tourism Agency under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The Peninsula Excelsior Singapore, a Wyndham Hotel, has named Juliana Yeo as the new director of sales and marketing.
Leading the sales and marketing team, she has also been tasked to rebrand and reposition the four-star Peninsula Excelsior Singapore to an international upscale Wyndham Singapore.
She has over 19 years of experience as a director of sales and marketing, and was part of the team to relaunch and rebrand the renovated Mandarin Oriental Singapore.
FCM, the flagship corporate division of the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), has appointed Siddharth Mehta as vice president of supply for India.
Mehta has over 25 years of experience, having held senior positions across TMCs, global distribution systems like Amadeus, airlines like Virgin Atlantic, and OTAs such as Bookings Holdings (Priceline and Agoda).
Armed with stronger buying power, top achievers are treating themselves to retail therapy while in Japan; Osaka pictured
Asian event planners are fielding more enquiries on Japan as the yen continues its slide, standing at a 34-year low this month, which now grants clients the ability to pick better ground experiences for their attendees.
Fioren Cahyadi, travel services manager with Destination Tour in Indonesia, told TTGmice that Japan requests are up, and the stronger buying power has allowed the agency to deliver greater value to their clients. Clients are also upgrading their programme with better hotel stays and more local experiences.
Armed with stronger buying power, top achievers are treating themselves to retail therapy while in Japan; Osaka pictured
Malaysia’s MEP Meeting & Exhibition Planners has observed extended stays among its clients, with many going for additional sight-seeing, shopping, and exploration beyond the city.
The agency’s events marketing and communications director, Jonathan Ng Hann-Tung, also told TTGmice that a “cheaper” Japan has motivated event attendees to splurge on “big ticket and luxury items for themselves at premium outlets” and clients to subscribe to “premium experiences such as private dining in restaurants and boat rides”.
Ng shared that luxury bags and watches, as well as vintage items, are commonly snapped up by top achievers on their shopping spree.
MEP will take an 80-plus-pax group to the Kansai region for a week this October. “They have chosen to be hosted in Kobe, where there is more affordable accommodation, in order to shift their budget to shopping in Osaka and exploration of the outskirts of Kyoto and Nara,” Ng detailed.
Jessie Heng, regional director with Singapore-based MICE Maestro, said the favourable exchange rate against the Singapore dollar could result in 15 to 20 per cent savings on activities and accommodation in Japan.
However, these savings would have to be channelled to pricey airfares between Singapore and Japan, which have more than doubled since the post-lockdown reopening.
“While there is intense interest in taking their events to Japan, the reality of high airfares is a strong deterrent for some of our clients,” said Heng.
For clients who are determined to reward their top achievers with a Japan experience, Heng encourages travel during low seasons when airfares are more affordable.
She added: “Clients who can be flexible with their event dates have been able to maintain their initial budgets for Japan.”
While recognising that the Singapore-Japan airfare spike is a hot topic now, Roger Ong, director, client management and M&I, travel services with Singapore-based Plover Trip, said clients could ease the price pinch by choosing to fly with LCCs or take indirect flights.
“For instance, groups can consider a South Korea and Japan incentive trip combo, flying from Singapore with budget carrier T’way to Seoul and then onwards to Japan on another LCC,” suggested Ong.
Meanwhile, Fioren has brushed off the airfare woe, saying that clients have already gotten used to the new normal of flying after two years.
“Furthermore, land tour prices are better now, and that makes up for the higher airfares,” she added.
In response to TTGmice’s queries about the impact of the weakened yen on events demand, a spokesperson from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Singapore MICE Team said “Japan’s appeal as a destination is not greatly affected by exchange rates”.
The spokesperson reasoned that Japan has always held strong appeal among event groups, due to its “special experiences and high-quality services for incentive travel, and unique venues utilising traditional Japanese architecture”.
“Japan has been increasingly featured on the bucket list of incentive travel organisers,” added the spokesperson.
According to the JNTO Singapore MICE Team, B2B meetings hosted in 2023 to connect incentive travel partners with planners from seven Asian markets attracted some 200 companies, indicating “Japan’s growing popularity as a destination for business events in Asia”.
However, the spokesperson acknowledged that a weaker yen was impetus for planners to tick Japan off their bucket list.
The tourism bureau will continue to spur interest among Asian event planners through face-to-face engagements in coming months, with two seminars planned in 3Q2024 – one aimed at incentive travel agencies, and another at association leadership and meeting organisers. Both events will present opportunities to connect with Japanese suppliers. Planners will also be invited to attend the annual Visit Japan MICE Mart in September 2024 and a fam trip that will be determined later on.
ASM Global has been contracted to operate ICC Sydney for a further 10 years of the 25-year Public Private Partnership at International Convention Centre Sydney, following 10 years of delivering extraordinary results for the Darling Harbour Live consortium and New South Wales (NSW) Government.
With a target to deliver A$5 billion (US$3.3 billion) in economic benefit over the 25-year period of the Public Private Partnership at ICC Sydney, through the delivery of 3,665 core events, 6.4 million attendees have spent A$3.9 billion in the local economy in just under seven years of operation.
ICC Sydney
ASM Global (APAC) chairman and chief executive, Harvey Lister said: “It is gratifying to see how ASM Global’s venue management framework has helped ICC Sydney drive economic contribution, exceeding the initial A$3.4 billion investment into the transformation of Darling Harbour.
“It is with great delight that we celebrate 10 years of delivering extraordinary results at ICC Sydney across three years of pre-opening brand establishment, marketing, sales and operational planning, followed by seven years of eventful venue management. That’s 10 years of driving outcomes by making a difference for Sydney and NSW.”
ASM Global’s ICC Sydney management team opened the venue in December 2016 with more than 500 events confirmed, and has since welcomed 500,000 international, some 1.5 million interstate and 4.4 million local event attendees through its doors. Throughout the period, ICC Sydney has maintained an average 98 per cent client satisfaction rating and 97 per cent delegate satisfaction rating (as measured by EY Sweeney) and has strong relationships with Business Events Sydney, and other destination marketing organisations such as Destination NSW and Tourism Australia.
ICC Sydney CEO and group director – convention centres, ASM Global (APAC), Geoff Donaghy said that the far-reaching financial benefits have also run deeply through the venue’s long supply chain and regional NSW food and wine producers, creative arts and community partners.
“ICC Sydney’s mission continues to be to make a difference for greater Sydney and NSW residents, visitors and businesses. Our extensive calendar of events has already contributed to 7.2 million hotel room nights and the creation of 21,395 jobs in the local economy. The venue has also spent A$370 million with local suppliers, including A$65 million spent directly with NSW food and beverage suppliers,” Donaghy said.
The venue team’s outlook includes 1,126 events already in the calendar to 2034 which will draw an estimated 4.7 million attendees.
A NSW Government project, ICC Sydney was delivered in partnership with Darling Harbour Live, comprising Capella Capital, ASM Global, Lendlease, Hostplus, Aware Super and Spotless.
Burgess: APG Network is committed to diversifying its event locations across the globe
The 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the APG Network was hosted at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur from April 23-25, 2024, marking a significant milestone as it is the first time the AGM convened in the Asia Pacific region.
APG is the world’s largest airline representation network, boasting over 100 offices globally and partnerships with over 200 airline clients worldwide.
Burgess: APG Network is committed to diversifying its event locations across the globe
Over 100 delegates representing Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific, were present
Explaining the choice of Kuala Lumpur for the 31st AGM, Richard Burgess, president of the APG Network, highlighted the strategic importance of the Asia Pacific region, particularly due to the network’s close collaborations with airlines from the region, which included Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air Malaysia, both of which have hubs in Kuala Lumpur.
Geographically, Kuala Lumpur’s central location and excellent airline connectivity also made it an ideal choice. Additionally, the presence of Tunku Iskandar, APG Network’s APAC regional vice president based in Malaysia, further facilitated the decision, noted Burgess.
During the AGM, attendees were informed that 2023 was a highly successful year for the APG Network, surpassing profitability results from 2019. Moreover, roughly 25 per cent of APG Network’s income turnover is derived from the Asia Pacific region, showcasing the region’s substantial contribution to the network’s overall financial performance.
A notable aspect of this year’s AGM was the thematic mini forum – a new concept, indicated Burgess – titled Aviation & Tourism: The Intrinsic Link, hosted by Tourism Malaysia.
The forum commenced following the opening speech by Malaysia’s Deputy minister of tourism, arts & culture, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan. Presentations during the forum were delivered by Shahrin Mokhtar, director of strategic planning at Tourism Malaysia; Mayur Patel, head of Asia at OAG Aviation; and Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents.
Hyatt Hotels has opened the Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai, marking the first full-service, Hyatt Centric branded hotel in Shanghai and the fourth Hyatt Centric in Greater China.
For business events, the property offers a range of venues, such as the 400m² ballroom with a capacity for up to 250 people. Six function rooms ranging from 46m² to 240m² with a maximum capacity of 120 people are also available. All event venues are well-equipped with the latest high-tech audiovisual systems, supported by a professional event team.
Park view twin
There are 262 rooms including 11 suites in total, where each room features floor-to-ceiling windows featuring the city or the park. Guestroom amenities include a 55-inch flat-screen HDTV, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, a minifridge, Bluetooth speaker, and coffee & tea making facility.
Business travellers will also have access to a 24-hour gym, outdoor swimming pool, and an all-day restaurant SCENARIO 1555.
Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has appointed John Girard as general manager operations for Hong Kong, where he will oversee PPG’s operations at its hometown, Hong Kong International Airport, in his new role.
A veteran global hotel executive with deep experience in Hong Kong, Girard has an extensive hospitality career, including over three decades in leadership positions at Hong Kong hotels, most recently as area general manager and vice president of development at Regal Hotels International where he managed the 1,200-room Regal Airport Hotel.
From left: Darren Tan, Tara Tan, and Tan Chee Chye of World Express
One of Singapore’s longest-standing DMCs, World Express, has unveiled a brand refresh as it celebrates 55 years in the business. It now sports a modernised logo – a geometric sequence of five rectangles forming an abstract W – and positioning as The Local Insider to reflect its commitment to offering guests authentic and immersive experiences curated by local experts.
Aligned with the brand refresh, the company’s website has also taken on a new look and streamlined navigation across its core leisure, cruise and business events services.
From left: Darren Tan, Tara Tan, and Tan Chee Chye of World Express
The rebranding exercise is a culmination of efforts to review its business focus following the pandemic disruption, which included consolidating internal processes and the closure of two companies within the group – Sita World Travel and Singapore Sightseeing.
Darren Tan, managing director of World Express, told TTGmice that coming out of the pandemic, the management had asked themselves several “soul-searching” questions, like “what is it we really do, what our focus is, and how we can crystallise our focus”.
“Moving ahead, we want to focus on our DMC services forte,” he said.
He shared that the brand refresh campaign was initiated by his eldest daughter, Tara Tan, who curated and led the communications efforts. With Tara’s involvement, the DMC now has third-generation hands on deck.
World Express was founded in 1969 by Darren’s father, Tan Chee Chye, who now holds the chairman position.
Darren pointed out that World Express is going from strength to strength, having boosted its team post-lockdown with “new people who are true veterans in the business”.
Kathryn Loh, who previously held leadership positions at Safe2Travel, SingExpress Travel, and Tour East Singapore, is now director of MICE and corporate development at World Express; Valencia Ang, who has more than 20 years of experience in tourism, is now director of cruise; and Eunice Chua, previously regional director of MICE at Tour East Singapore, is now an advisor at World Express.
“We also enjoyed incredibly busy years after the pandemic, and soon we will be bringing into Singapore a 3,500-pax incentive travel event,” said Darren.
Looking ahead, World Express will step up its commitment to sustainability through deeper understanding of clients’ expectations and identifying and working with suppliers that offer sustainable products.
River cruising has a lot more potential to grow among Asian travellers, said Henry Yu, managing director, Asia, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
In an interview with TTGmice, he added that there was increasing awareness of river cruising and the Uniworld brand.
Uniworld S.S.Victoria’s Royal Suite
“If they travel with us this year, 70 per cent of our customers will return within the next three years, and bring more customers back,” he said.
He observed that customers were also making bookings earlier. Meanwhile, its Rhine and Danube river cruises remain the most popular cruises, although there is growing interest in its southern France and Bordeaux itineraries.
This year, Uniworld’s new Super Ship, the S.S. Victoria, set sail in March, starting from Amsterdam on an eight-day Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time cruise, then on to an eight-day Castles Along the Rhine trip from Basel to Amsterdam, before cruising along the Magnificent Moselle and Rhine itinerary for 10 days.
The ship, with 55 suites and staterooms, can accommodate up to 110 guests. The biggest Royal Suite is a sizeable 47m2, while the suites range from 22m2 to 23.5m2.
Launching in 2025 will be the S.S. Elisabeth, the sister ship to S.S. Victoria, which boasts two Royal Suites at 47m2 that can be combined with an adjoining suite next door to create an even bigger 70.5m2.
Uniworld has also launched new themed cruises this year, which includes sailing with Michelin-star celebrity chefs, Robert van Rijsbergen, Uniworld’s culinary director, and Taiwanese chef Thomas Chien.
There is also a Pearl Wedding Anniversary sailing with Chinese news anchor, Ho Rong, in November on an eight-day Enchanting Danube itinerary from Budapest to Passau.
Holiday season cruises are also open for booking, with seven itineraries on the Rhine and Danube rivers, taking passengers to various Christmas markets across Western and Central Europe.
Yu emphasised that Uniworld can provide all the necessary logistical arrangements, including transfers, food and beverage, and activities for charters.
For corporate charters, venues and function rooms are also available, with places such as the lounge, bar, restaurant and sun deck that can be utilised as meeting venues.
The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok anchors the One Bangkok development with cosmopolitan elegance. Featuring the city's largest ballroom and a spectacular new penthouse suite, it delivers exceptional hardware and deeply authentic, soulful service for business and leisure travellers alike
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
She has over 19 years of experience as a director of sales and marketing, and was part of the team to relaunch and rebrand the renovated Mandarin Oriental Singapore.
A veteran global hotel executive with deep experience in Hong Kong, Girard has an extensive hospitality career, including over three decades in leadership positions at Hong Kong hotels, most recently as area general manager and vice president of development at Regal Hotels International where he managed the 1,200-room Regal Airport Hotel.
Hyatt Hotels has opened the Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai, marking the first full-service, Hyatt Centric branded hotel in Shanghai and the fourth Hyatt Centric in Greater China.
For business events, the property offers a range of venues, such as the 400m² ballroom with a capacity for up to 250 people. Six function rooms ranging from 46m² to 240m² with a maximum capacity of 120 people are also available. All event venues are well-equipped with the latest high-tech audiovisual systems, supported by a professional event team.
There are 262 rooms including 11 suites in total, where each room features floor-to-ceiling windows featuring the city or the park. Guestroom amenities include a 55-inch flat-screen HDTV, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, a minifridge, Bluetooth speaker, and coffee & tea making facility.
Business travellers will also have access to a 24-hour gym, outdoor swimming pool, and an all-day restaurant SCENARIO 1555.