Meeting with business events stakeholders at the Italian Embassy in Singapore
On April 18, 2024, the Italian Embassy in Singapore transformed into a event venue where around 20 travel agents and business events specialists convened to delve into the topic of “Italy as a MICE destination”.
The event, hosted by ambassador Dante Brandi and convention bureau Italia director Tobia Salvadori, showcased Italy’s appeal as an ideal destination for business events.
Meeting with business events stakeholders at the Italian Embassy in Singapore
Three major destinations – Milan, Rome and Sicily – were featured, chosen for their unique venues and significant upcoming events such as the Vatican Jubilee in 2025 and 2026 Winter Olympic Games (in Milan).
And although Sicily has hosted G7 ministerial meetings, event planners may not know about its volcano and archaeology excursions, leisure activities and high-quality accommodation, said Fabio Conte, deputy head of mission, Embassy of Italy.
He added: “Singapore was targeted because it has a market strongly oriented towards MICE tourism, both outbound – owing to a service industry fabric and high per-capita income – and inbound, due to its receptivity, dynamism and connectivity.”
Huang Eu Chai, director of Ergo: Travel, which specialises in the Italian market, described Italy as an “incredibly varied country”.
“Incentive and business trips to Italy make up a small but growing market for us. Corporate groups usually range from around 10 to about 35 persons. Last year, we planned and arranged a trip for a property developer and its customers to visit a marble quarry near Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany,” shared Huang.
With Italy hosting many arts events and trade fairs throughout the year, business delegations and exhibitors can also enjoy pre- and post-event stays.
This Italian outreach was supported by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore and Turkish Airlines, which has many direct flights to Italy from Istanbul. Triumph Group International, a leading Italian PCO with a Singapore office, was also present.
DLG Benelux partners with ASSA to bring people together in the seaweed sector; Adelaide pictured
DLG Benelux, organisers of the Seagriculture Conferences, will debut the inaugural in-person Seagriculture Asia-Pacific in Adelaide from March 18-20, 2025.
This marks a pivotal moment for the Seagriculture Conferences venturing into a new region, bringing together participants from the Asia-Pacific region within the seaweed value chain. The addition of this edition complements the existing European and US conferences.
DLG Benelux partners with ASSA to bring people together in the seaweed sector; Adelaide pictured
The Second International Seaweed Conference Asia- Pacific will provide participants from around the world with a platform to learn about the diverse seaweed industry, and understand innovative approaches that contribute to sustainable development.
In addition to the conference, participants can join the site visit on March 18, 2025, to the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), an institution dedicated to increasing the productivity, adaptability, and economy of South Australia’s primary industries, enabling sustainable use of natural resources, addressing agricultural barriers and providing applied solutions.
Seagriculture Asia-Pacific made its debut in 2023 as an online edition. The First International Seaweed Conference Asia-Pacific saw over 180 participants from 31 countries joining in over two days of online conferencing.
Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA) CEO Lindsay Hermes said: “ASSA looks forward to ongoing collaboration with key partners the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), SARDI, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, our 11 ASSA members right around the country and other key stakeholders as we leverage this international opportunity to drive our high-tech, high growth and highly sustainable Australian seaweed industry forward.”
Australia’s southern coast has 1,500 species of seaweed, the second highest number in the world after Japan, with private and government investment in research and development leading to a fast-growing commercial seaweed industry.
The Australian Government has committed A$8 million (US$5.2 million) to the Developing Australia’s Seaweed Farming Program to support investment in the Australian seaweed industry and scale up the production of seaweed as a livestock feed supplement to reduce methane emissions, including funding to support ASSA. The Program is being delivered by the FRDC and ASSA to plan and co-ordinate research and development, biosecurity and the development of a national hatchery network.
Hannover Fairs Australia – part of Deutsche Messe and having operated in Australia since 2000 – will act as official representative for DLG Benelux in Australia. Hannover Fairs Australia and DLG currently have existing partnerships within the region.
The Government of South Australia, along with its Team Adelaide partners Business Events Adelaide and Adelaide Convention Centre, are sponsors of Seagriculture Asia-Pacific 2025.
The Singapore Expo introduced a Peranakan Courtyard at the 2024 edition of Food & Hotel Asia – Food & Beverage (FHA-Food & Beverage 2024).
The Peranakan-themed pop-up experience, which ran from April 23-26, welcomed more than 1,700 visitors across the three days – and was a highlight of Singapore Expo’s festivalisation-as-a-service offering, delivering a event experience complete with live music, fun activities, and Peranakan cuisine.
Peranakan Courtyard. Photo credit: Singapore EXPO
Conceptualised with Expo Advantage Program partner, The Intan, the pop-up allowed visitors to enjoy the various antiques on exhibition and learn more about Peranakan history and culture.
This was also the first time visitors were able to get a taste of the Gula Melaka Gateway Nitro beer specially crafted by District Brewers, a local brewery, for the venue’s 25th Year Anniversary – a milestone that the venue is celebrating this year.
The Peranakan Courtyard follows the success of Beer Yard @ FHA-Food & Beverage in 2023, which saw over 1,000 delegates utilising the space for networking outside event halls.
Singapore Expo’s bespoke festivalisation-as-a-service offering allows event organisers to craft a dynamic environment beyond traditional meeting rooms and event halls, enhancing the vibrancy of events like FHA-Food & Beverage and enriching the overall visitor experience.
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.
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.
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.