Asia/Singapore Monday, 22nd December 2025
Page 198

FCM’s car programme in India sees success

0
FCM Cars is equipped to manage ground transportation for different travel needs

FCM India started their customised corporate ground transportation solutions nine years ago with just 500 cars, which today has grown to more than 25,000 cars across 60 cities in India.

The car rental programme, which includes airport transfers, local in-city assignments, outstation assignments, corporate transportation, and long-term rentals, prioritises safety and duty of care.

FCM Cars is equipped to manage ground transportation for different travel needs

Recently, FCM India also announced that they have successfully chauffeured more than 50,000 corporate travellers within India, from various countries such as the US and Europe, with a customer satisfaction rate of 99 per cent.

“India has the second largest road network in the world on account of growing government initiatives to improve transportation infrastructure in the country. These initiatives are welcomed by business travellers as India’s extensive network ensures connectivity across various regions of the country. India most recently unveiled its longest sea bridge, Atal Setu, which now connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai to reduce travel time,” said Sunny Sodhi, managing director of FCM Travel India.

“We have established strategic alliances and trusted partnerships to ensure our travellers have a wide selection of cars to choose from. These partnerships are audited regularly to ensure statuary compliances, service, and comfort standards are met. Our mantra is to make the rides of business travellers a smooth one within India.”

FCM India is also one of the pioneers in women travelling safely for business in India, where the company not only have female drivers but a round-the-clock car desk that conducts safety checks on single women travellers from 19.00 to 07.00. Over 10,000 female travellers have been safely chauffeured.

“Understanding the expectations and requirements of businesses, we work very closely with FCM India’s Meetings & Events team when they get large event management and MICE transportation requests…,” added Sodhi.

A European winery escape in Tagaytay

0

The newly-minted Wine Gallery at Twin Lakes Hotel near Tagaytay, Philippines, offers a European winery-themed experience for medium-sized corporate groups.

Offering a breathtaking view of the terraced vineyard and yonder, greenery, endless skies and Taal Volcano when it’s not hiding in the clouds, the Twin Lakes Wine Gallery has seating for 65 pax across its lounge, bar, al fresco dining, and private room.

The lounge area. Photo: Rosa Ocampo

European aesthetics are mirrored in elegant furnishings and whimsical interiors, with artwork from the Fundador bodegas in Spain, and a huge clock framing the circular window that chimes every hour.

The venue boasts an exclusive collection of Harveys Sherry wines, including Harveys Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Fino, Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, Medium Dry, and the Very Old Rare Sherries (V.O.R.S.)

The well-curated and customisable menu complements the nuanced flavours of sherry with entrees including blackened salmon with mashed pumpkin, lamb chops, and appetisers like chorizos.

Twin Lakes Wine Gallery is also able to host immersive food and wine pairing classes led by experienced sommeliers and exclusive private discovery sessions, should corporate planners prefer.

Located at Lower Level 6, Vineyard Deck, Twin Lakes Wine Gallery is open every Thursday to Sunday, from 16.00 to 23.00.

HKTB appoints regional director of South-east Asia

0

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has named Liew Chian Jia as its regional director of South-east Asia. In her new role, she will lead the development and implementation of HKTB’s marketing strategies in the region.

Liew joined HKTB in 2017 and has been instrumental in driving the trade partnerships and marketing Hong Kong to the travel trade in South-east Asia.

Prior to this appointment, she was the HKTB’s director of trade marketing for the South-east Asia region.

Samual Machado joins Sabre as MD

0

Sabre has appointed Samual Machado as managing director, who will be based in Mumbai and will oversee Sabre’s agency business across India and South Asia.

With a wealth of technology experience and a proven record of success across the travel ecosystem, Machado previously joined Sabre Hospitality Solutions in 2011 as head of account management in India, progressing through varied roles before moving to Singapore to drive sales for the Asia-Pacific region.

He was most recently the senior vice president, business development, travel & hospitality (APAC), at Teleperformance, a global digital business services company.

FCM Travel India to host inaugural corporate travel summit

0
FCM Travel India will host their first FCM Corporate Travel Summit

FCM Travel India will host its first FCM Corporate Travel Summit in India, powered by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), on February 27, 2024, at the Grand Hyatt, BKC Mumbai.

This exclusive partnership with FCM brings GBTA’s presence back to India after seven years.

FCM Travel India will host their first FCM Corporate Travel Summit

The lineup of panellists and speakers will share on the latest travel trends, technology, meetings and events, and sustainability, where topics include the Evolution of Travel: Embracing Technology for Tomorrow’s Traveler, and Resurgence of Meetings & Events: Rediscovering the Power of Bringing People Together.

“Business travel in India is expected to reach US$49.5 billion in 2027 and the industry will witness some exciting developments…” said Sunny Sodhi, managing director of FCM India.

“Our mission has always been to bring the many voices of global business travel together to promote community and learning. APAC is a key market for GBTA, and we are delighted to support FCM on this event which will enable leaders in the market to reconnect, learn, and inspire one another to move the industry forward collectively,” Catherine Logan, regional senior vice president – EMEA and APAC, GBTA.

The by-invitation-only event also features Hyatt India Hotels, Amadeus, and Singapore Airlines as sponsors.

Beijing participates in key global MICE shows, signals shift in government attitude

0
The tradeshow participation signifies shift in how the Beijing government views business events as a contributor to the economy

The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau (BMCTB) has invited Beijing’s business events players to register for, and participate in, four key European and US tradeshows in 2024.

The announcement was made in 4Q2023 to members of the bureau’s WeChat group, comprising hotels, DMCs, venues and related service providers.

The tradeshow participation signifies a shift in how the Beijing government views business events as a contributor to the economy; Beijing pictured

Based on industry feedback, BMCTB has picked IMEX Frankfurt, May 14-16; IMEX America, October 8-10 in Las Vegas; IBTM World November 19-21 in Barcelona; and ICCA Congress October 20-23 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Industry veteran Liu Ping, founder and CEO, China Star, has confirmed she will be participating in the four tradeshows in the BMCTB-sponsored booth and expects more than 10 exhibitors, including several state-owned business events-related companies, to sign up.

Liu noted: “Beijing is the political centre and the sending of government officials to these events shows the international community the change in the government’s attitude.”

She added there is recognition at the government level that business events can help the Chinese economy and attract investment.

SITE China Chapter’s immediate-past president Violet Wang, based in Shanghai, commented China’s attitude towards business events is “very open and welcoming” and welcomed the lead Beijing was taking.

However, as municipalities are multi-layered, Wang said it will take time for the government to know and understand the international business events market. Meanwhile, the private sector could play a more active role when promoting China overseas.

Wang continued: “(BMCTB’s move) is a good sign but the government still has to evaluate the ROI and challenges to determine if what they are doing is the right strategy.”

Lisa Xu, managing director of East Star Event Management, the new SITE China Chapter president, based in Shanghai, added: “There are language barriers, cultural differences, as well as government compliance and protocols, that can weaken a bureau’s participation and exposure in international tradeshows and association events.

“Chinese MICE is young and growing fast, sometimes too fast for international marketing, and the strategy, representation structure and ROI of international destination marketing is being constantly evaluated and adjusted.”

Penang’s Northern Audio & Visual Show goes global

0
From left: Gryphon Production’s Wilson Teoh; Penang state exco for tourism and creative economy’s Wong Hon Wai; and PCEB's Ashwin Gunasekeran at the recent media event in Kuala Lumpur

The Northern Audio & Visual Show in Penang is gearing up to make its mark on the international stage this coming April with its second edition.

In tandem with its global expansion, the event has undergone a slight name modification, and is now known as the Northern International Audio & Visual Show to better encapsulate its newfound international dimension. It will also be an annual event moving forward.

From left: Gryphon Production’s Wilson Teoh; Penang state exco for tourism and creative economy’s Wong Hon Wai; and PCEB’s Ashwin Gunasekeran at the recent media event in Kuala Lumpur

Organised by Gryphon Production and supported by Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), this B2B2C exhibition covers various aspects of audio and visual experiences. This year’s edition will feature 25 exhibits encompassing home theatre systems, portable music equipment for high-quality tunes on the go, and a car audio show.

This year’s event will take place at Amari SPICE Penang, from April 26-28, and aside from the domestic market, exhibitors from South-east Asia and the US are expected to feature.

PCEB’s CEO, Ashwin Gunasekeran, said at a recent press conference in Kuala Lumpur, that the bureau is focused on attracting more B2B exhibitions and expanding the industry’s scale and scope.

“We aim to create a robust platform that not only showcases the latest advancements in various industries, but also attracts a diverse range of participants, thus fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and economic growth within the region,” he stated.

Moreover, with the anticipated opening of the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre in 1Q2025, the new convention centre will be able to handle a wider range of events from large-scale exhibitions to conferences.

From left: Gryphon Production’s Wilson Teoh; Penang state exco for tourism and creative economy’s Wong Hon Wai; and PCEB’s Ashwin Gunasekeran at the recent media event in Kuala Lumpur

China Tourism Association launches China Business Travel Association

0
CBTA aims to propel China's business travel industry forward

On January 5, 2024, the China Tourism Association (CTA) announced the inauguration of the China Business Travel Association (CBTA) under the CTA.

The inauguration ceremony was held at Empark Grand Hotel Beijing, where nearly 100 people, including leaders from the CTA Secretariat, director and member unit representatives of the CBTA and industry, were in attendance. Xiaoyin She, deputy secretary-general of the CTA, chaired the meeting.

CBTA aims to propel China’s business travel industry forward

As a non-profit industry association focused on China’s business travel sector, CBTA will promote business travel growth by hosting both online and offline forums and sessions to standardise understanding and practices in business travel services.

Charlie Li, CEO of TravelDaily China, has been appointed as director of CBTA.

Initiated by TravelDaily China (the parent company of China Travel News), the CBTA’s founding members include industry players such as CWT China, Trip.biz, Zhejiang Geely Business Travel Services, China Air Service, Yiqifei.com, Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels, and Hainan Airlines.

The global business travel market is rebounding significantly and GBTA predicts the industry will surpass its pre-pandemic spending level of US$1.4 trillion this year. China is expected to recover back to being the number one business travel market in the world, and its spending in 2024 is projected to rise to more than US$406 billion.

In a rapidly digitalising world, the business travel industry’s growth is vital for promoting commercial exchanges and cooperation across sectors. Approved for establishment on November 3, 2023, the CBTA is a testament to CTA’s commitment to propelling the industry forward.

Ex-China heads of leading DMCs forge new paths

0
From left: Violet Wang; and Linda Wang

Two former China heads of pioneering Asian global DMCs are helming new entities, one forming a strategic partnership with a state-owned enterprise (SOE), while the other is pushing boundaries to reach far-flung destinations.

Shanghai-based Violet Wang was China head before Pacific World ceased operations globally in November 2020 and is now managing director of Realm.

From left: Violet Wang; and Linda Wang

Violet Wang told TTGmice that Realm is strong in the English-, French- and German-speaking markets, and is currently working on a partnership with a large SOE in the service industry where both companies can leverage each other’s capabilities.

Violet Wang, who started planning roadshows at the start of 2023, commented: “Realm is growing fast, focusing on industries such as finance, technology and automotive and international events – with between 200 and 400 participants, where around 40 per cent were from overseas – began returning in May last year.

“Realm is growing 2024 on a good base having started earlier than others in different markets to pitch for inbound business and the outlook this year is a 10 to 20 per cent increase.”

Beijing-based Linda Wang, founder and owner, Asia Concierge, who was China head of Destination Asia, has been scoring success with business delegations from Latin America, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

Linda Wang added incentives made up around 85 per cent of business in 2023 and with sales offices in Bangkok, Sydney, Japan, the US and UK, Asia Concierge was well represented at international trade shows over the last few years.

“Airfares in the first 11 months of 2023 were very, very high. But carriers such as Delta Air Lines and Air China have increased flights and prices have moderated. It is much cheaper to fly to Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an.”

One Global Travel chooses Travelport as preferred GDS Partner

0
Travelport will deliver a range of travel content and technology tools

Travelport has been chosen as the preferred Global Distribution System (GDS) partner by One Global Travel, an international network of independent TMCs established by World Travel Inc. and Clarity Business Travel Management.

Through the Travelport+ platform, One Global TMCs will gain access to retail-ready content and advanced search, shopping, and servicing features.

Additionally, Travelport will offer One Global TMCs its complete New Distribution Capability (NDC) solution. This solution enables agents and travel managers to effortlessly compare offers and manage NDC bookings for their travellers.

Paul Broughton, director of business development, EMEA and APAC at Travelport, emphasised the changing landscape of business travel and the need for quick, easy, and more controlled booking and management.

He added: “Our partnership with One Global will propel modern retailing in the corporate travel sector, offering TMCs, their clients, and business travellers greater personalisation, convenience, and truly modern experiences.”

Reviews

Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown

A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.

A versatile powerhouse

Arena @ Expo, a multipurpose concert hall at the Singapore Expo is a flexible space for high octane concerts and lifestyle events.

Amari Bangkok

The five-star property excels in backing its expansive facilities with seamless service and personalised attention, setting the benchmark for luxury in Bangkok.