Asia/Singapore Sunday, 26th April 2026
Page 202

Collinson’s introduces LoungeKey Pass Storefront

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I.A.S.S Superior Lounge at Narita International Airport

Collinson, a provider of airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement solutions, and owner and operator of Priority Pass, has launched LoungeKey Pass Storefront, a new channel that enables businesses to increase ancillary revenue.

LoungeKey Pass Storefront is a B2B tool hat extends from LoungeKey Pass, a digital voucher that enables users to visit an airport lounge without the need for registration, physical cards or membership. Businesses can now offer direct purchase of LoungeKey Pass to their customers by linking to the co-branded user interface via their existing booking channels or customer journeys; in turn providing their business with immediate ancillary revenue.

I.A.S.S Superior Lounge at Narita International Airport

Besides boosting ancillary revenue, LoungeKey Pass Storefront offers businesses cost-effective brand differentiation through the ability to personalise the user interface with their logo and accessibility to the Storefront via their own ecosystem. Brands can further enhance their customer engagement proposition by incorporating LoungeKey Pass Storefront as part of their spend-based rewards or point redemption programmes.

Japan Airlines is the first brand globally to partner with Collinson to offer LoungeKey Pass to its customers, where JAL’s customers are now able to purchase LoungeKey Pass directly via JAL’s website.

Customers with a LoungeKey Pass can access over 1,500 airport lounges and travel experiences – dining not included – in over 700 airports in 145 countries.

According to Collinson’s The New Rules of Engagement: Customer Expectations Revealed research report, while most consumers in Asia Pacific (60 per cent) cite rational rewards, such as points or cashback, as preferred ways to engage with them, experiential benefits continue to increase in significance. Consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Zs, seek non-financial, experiential-driven rewards, such as airport lounge access, sleeping pods and gaming lounges; with these generational cohorts revealing that having access to airport lounges makes them feel valued and rewarded.

Todd Handcock, global chief commercial officer and Asia Pacific President, Collinson said: “Customer engagement and loyalty programmes that have travel-related benefits are highly popular among consumers of today. Almost half of the Asia Pacific-based respondents to our recent research survey said that brands who offer such rewards are highly effective in influencing their spending behaviour.

“In addition, consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z-ers, are more likely to join a new customer engagement programme if it offers travel-related rewards and benefits. By leveraging LoungeKey Pass Storefront, businesses can deepen their engagement with their consumers through making highly-valued experiences more easily accessible, while driving better commercial returns.”

Sustainable menus, cultural flair, feature in PPHG’s new meeting experiences

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Atrium Ballroom at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Singapore

Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) has rolled out Thoughtful Hospitality: Bespoke Meeting Experiences from now until December 31, 2024, for events held until February 28, 2025.

The Thoughtful Hospitality: Bespoke Meeting Experiences packages include curated touchpoints for each brand.

Atrium Ballroom at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Singapore

Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts orchestrates unforgettable event experiences, by indulging attendees with curated lunch menus designed by the hotel’s signature restaurants including Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo and modern Australian restaurant, Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen. Bespoke cocktail receptions and delectable canapes by the hotel’s bars, such as Plume, further elevate the event.

A dedicated event concierge will also be on hand to oversee every detail. Participating hotels include Pan Pacific Singapore, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur, Pan Pacific Melbourne, and Pan Pacific Yangon.

Next, Parkroyal Collection Hotels and Resorts curates event experiences that prioritise sustainability and well-being, allowing attendees to savour fresh, local flavours from Singapore and Malaysia with farm-to-table coffee break offerings, farm-to-bar welcome cocktail reception, and a conscious dining set lunch menu.

The package also provides wellness-centric teambuilding activities to foster collaboration, and inspiring sustainability tours that spotlight each hotel’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Participating hotels include Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Singapore, and Parkroyal Collection Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Parkroyal Hotels and Resorts invites attendees to delve into the richness of every local culture. From the streets of Yangon to the shores of Langkawi and Penang, attendees can venture into a world of cultural discovery with the package’s tours and workshops, and savour traditional flavours with coffee breaks and lunches infused with regional specialties.

Welcome cocktail receptions will feature locally-inspired drinks crafted by bartenders from dining experiences like Lancava, featuring Mediterranean flavours, and Enoteca Bar and Lounge’s South-east Asian flair. Participating hotels include Parkroyal Yangon, Parkroyal Langkawi Resort, Parkroyal Penang Resort, Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney, Parkroyal Parramatta, Parkroyal Monash Melbourne.

Vibe Hotel Melbourne opens new rooftop event area

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Vibe Hotel Melbourne has transformed its Level 22 suites into Fleet, a rooftop bar and terrace, following the success of a pop-up bar last year.

The tallest rooftop bar on Melbourne’s Flinders Street can take up to 90 pax seated with existing furniture, or 80 pax in cocktail-style.

Fleet’s bar is stocked with more than 70 different rums from around the world. Award-winning mixologist, Grant Collins, has consulted and created a drinks list where local distillers JimmyRum, Boatrocker Distillery and Queensland’s Beenleigh Distiller sit alongside international rum producers from Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Cuba. A vintage and rare bottle collection, dating back to the 1930s, completes the rum offering.

Beyond rum, guests can also voyage through 50 different gins from international and local producers such as Four Pillars, Bass & Flinders, and Patient Wolf distilleries; whisky from around the world; local craft beers; and a selection of wines from the Yarra Valley, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula, and surrounds.

Meanwhile, chef Asish Kumar’s bar-snack menu includes shell seared scallops drizzled in lemon chili and butter topped with Yarra Valley caviar; grilled corn tostada; braised pork cheek croquettes; and grilled lamb tenderloin served with olive salsa, pickled fennel, and black garlic jus.

Menus can be customised according to a planner’s wishes.

Venue buyouts are available daily from Monday to Thursday evenings for a minimum spend of A$15,000 (US$9,610). Venue buyouts from midday are available each Monday to Thursday for a A$10,000 minimum spend. Both buyouts are for a four-hour block which includes canapes, food and drinks.

Attractions professionals to meet in Bangkok next month

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IAAPA Expo Asia 2023. Photo credit: IAAPA

IAAPA, the global association for amusement facilities and attractions, will gather its members for its annual IAAPA Expo Asia in Bangkok, Thailand from May 27-30, 2024, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

The event will carry the theme, Shape Your Evolution at IAAPA Expo Asia: Evolve your business into a leading market player, and feature education sessions across five main categories including Professional Development and Industry Insights, Operational Excellence and Maintenance; Guest Experience and Services; Revenue Diversification and Business Strategies; and Technology and Innovation.

IAAPA Expo Asia 2023. Photo credit: IAAPA

In addition to the education sessions, IAAPA Expo Asia 2024 will also feature exclusive EDUTours – an opportunity for attendees to go behind the scenes of Thailand’s amusement and water parks for a firsthand look at successful operations in action. There will also be plentiful networking opportunities.

Adaptability, wide-reaching impacts, to shape future of business events

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From left: BCD Meetings & Events' Sanjay Seth and Business Events Industry Aotearoa's Lisa Hopkins on stage. Photo credit: Rachel AJ Lee

Events’ impact on economies and their ability to develop innovative problem-solving methods and adapt to evolving demands are concepts shaping the future of the business events industry post-lockdown.

During the State of Play – Business Models for The Business Events Industry session at PCMA’s The Business of Events conference, held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on April 15, speakers Lisa Hopkins, CEO of Business Events Industry Aotearoa, and Sanjay Seth, managing director of Asia Pacific at BCD Meetings & Events, discussed how the pandemic forced the industry to adapt before thriving.‌

From left: BCD Meetings & Events’ Sanjay Seth and Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s Lisa Hopkins on stage. Photo credit: Rachel AJ Lee

Hopkins shared: “In New Zealand, we went for five solid months (August 2021 to December 2021) with no revenue. Our government provided support, but it never replaced pre-Covid earnings.”

Fortunately, the pandemic made the business events industry “very visible” and showed its “strong economic impact,” she noted.

“One of the helpful things that our government did was to put out a scheme where event organisers could claim back 95 per cent of unrecoverable costs should the country be shut down in case of another outbreak. This was one of the changes they made, from never underwriting an event, to changing their tune at the end,” said Hopkins.‌

Commenting on the increased importance of the business events sector to a country’s economy, Seth said: “Singapore’s events industry was pulled in for the first time to have strategic discussions with the government.

Hopkins opined: “Every event (moving forward) has to have some sort of impact on community, country, or people. In the past, we built schools and bikes, but I think it’s going to go deeper than that. (For example), Tourism New Zealand is very strategic about the kind of conferences coming into the country, (with a focus on) the positive impact they will have on its people.”

Meanwhile, Seth pointed out that organisers would require creative thinking and solutions-oriented approaches to deliver innovative and engaging experiences.‌ He added that the industry should also embrace data intelligence, as “data will affect strategy” and help organisations make informed decisions and measure impact.

Despite the industry’s revival, the quest to attract fresh talent remains a challenge. Veemal Gungadin, CEO of Gevme, who was among the audience, opined: “This industry isn’t attractive and may not appeal to the younger generation. Fortunately, we’re hearing from educational institutions in Singapore and Malaysia that cohorts for tourism and hospitality are increasing in numbers.”

As such, Seth pointed out it was necessary to “evangelise the industry better because no one else is going to do that for us”, as it boils down to those currently in the industry to “want to change that perception”.

TTG Conversations: Five Questions with Ong Wee Min, Marina Bay Sands Singapore

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Event sustainability has become a major point of interest among event organisers and owners, with many approaching venue partners with their own stringent checklist, observes Ong Wee Min, vice president of sales and MICE with Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

With this advancement in attitudes towards sustainable and responsible events, venue operators can no longer use green features and promises as unique selling points.

Instead, a venue’s sustainable strategy ought to be baseline offerings.

In this new episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions video news series, Ong also talks about the reasons behind the positive shifts in attitudes and acceptance of responsible and sustainable events, expectations event attendees have with regards to responsible events, who should shoulder the responsibility of sustainable events, and more.

Switzerland readies for Asian showcase this Friday

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Some 67 event planners from around Asia will begin their once-in-a-lifetime fam tour of Switzerland starting this Friday, as the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau kicks off its annual destination showcase, this time covering Geneva, Lausanne, and Gstaad.

According to Barbra Albrecht, head of meetings & incentives worldwide and member of the Management Board with the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, the 9th Asia Trophy 2024 is a study trip to position “Switzerland as a year-round meeting destination with a proven commitment to sustainability”.

A cruise down Lake Geneva awaits participants of the 9th Asia Trophy 2024

Through use of public transport systems, the tour will demonstrate the destination’s short travel distances between places of interest and ease of access. Attendees can also see for themselves “a wealth of authentic experiences in cities and spectacular natural landscapes; state-of-the-art facilities; security and political stability in Switzerland; and the destination’s excellent environmental credentials and commitment to sustainability”, remarked Albrecht.

Besides opportunities to interact with professional and reliable business partners in Switzerland, the 9th Asia Trophy 2024 also features fun rally challenges that will provide event planners with new ideas and venue options.

Elaborating on the format, Albrecht told TTGmice: “The format is very interactive, combining the top attractions and hidden gems in the mountains, cities, and the country side while using top public transportation, from trains and postal cars to cable ways and mountain railways. Along the way, bits and pieces (of information) will be found, meeting and incentive possibilities, as well as gala dinner venues will be discovered, and team spirit activities will be experienced. Attendees will pass through different control points where challenges await.”

Highlighted destinations are determined through a bid, and the bureau makes an effort to spotlight different locations across mountain, city and resort areas every year.

This year, attendees can expect to cruise down Lake Geneva, discover Lausanne’s Olympic Museum and the 16th-century Lavaux Vineyards, and take the GoldenPass Express via Montreux before arriving at Glacier 3000 for fun in the snow.

Commenting on the agency representation, Dominique Oi, MICE manager Southeast Asia with the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, said participants hailed from a good spread of Asian markets – Singapore (three), Malaysia (six), Indonesia (three), the Philippines (three), Vietnam (five), Thailand (11), Japan (seven), South Korea (five), China (nine), Taiwan (three), and India (12).

The 9th Asia Trophy 2024 is highly regarded in the Asian event planner community, as an event planner can only participate in it once in their lifetime.

When asked if the size of attendance reflected the importance of the source market to the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, Oi said all Asian markets were extremely valuable, especially for corporate incentive travel, and the allotment for planners tended to differ year to year.

The Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau was involved in 315 corporate incentive movements from Asia in 2023, out of 1,099 that included European and North America groups. The figures excluded events handled solely by private organisations.

Besides the annual Asia Trophy, the bureau also supports event planners with visa process assistance, networking events, and information via its e-news network and LinkedIn.

Taipei opens applications for MICE sponsorship programme

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Taipei (pictured) wants to attract more business events with a new sponsorship programme

To encourage international conferences, exhibitions, and incentive travel groups to choose Taipei, the Taipei City Government has launched a sponsorship programme.

The sponsorship programme provides a range of options, including funding and access to tourist attractions through admission tickets. Applicants must fulfil specific criteria for foreign attendees and applications will be evaluated based on its scale and social impact.

Taipei (pictured) wants to attract more business events with a new sponsorship programme

Using a domestic service enterprise or travel agency is required as part of the criteria. Additional subsidies will be considered if local sightseeing is combined.

The sponsorship program is open for applications from now until April 30, 2024, where events held between July to December 2024 will be considered. For more information, contact Taipei MICE One-stop Service.

Cathay Pacific enhances inflight experience

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The all-new Premium Economy class onboard Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific has unveiled its all-new Premium Economy cabin experience, which will be available in its retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft this year.

The new Premium Economy seat features a leather headrest and customised seat cushions, privacy wings with a reading light next to the headrest, a 15.6-inch 4K ultra-high-definition screen with 4K on demand and Bluetooth audio streaming, as well as clever storage solutions for personal devices.

The all-new Premium Economy class onboard Cathay Pacific

New, exclusive Premium Economy lavatories on each side of the cabin offer touch-free features to ensure minimal contact.

Other enhancements include the collaboration with acclaimed local restaurants and brands for the inflight menu. Customers can delight in reimagined French classics from JIA Group’s Michelin-star French restaurant Louise, and an all-new selection of Hong Kong Flavours” developed in collaboration with Cantonese fine-dining institution Duddell’s.

Meanwhile, guests at the airline’s The Pier, First class lounge at Hong Kong International Airport can delight in tasting menus developed together with Rosewood Hong Kong’s much fêted dining establishments.

Cathay Pacific will also serve a new, exclusive selection of fine Chinese wines, such as the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite’s (DBR Lafite) Domaine de Long Dai 2020 from Qiu Shan Valley in Shandong Province, to First and Business classes for a limited time.

An all-new, intuitive graphical user interface onboard the airline’s A350s will also be progressively introduced to other aircraft types. In every seat is a 4K ultra-high-definition screens, a 4K video-on-demand experience, as well as Bluetooth audio streaming.

Ground control

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Delegates at Miqat Dhul Hulaifah Mosque in Abyār Alī Medina

Event brief
A prominent commercial vehicle manufacturer in Malaysia engaged Kuala Lumpur-based destination management company specialising in Muslim tours, Tripfez Travel & Tours, to organise a 12D10N incentive trip for their top Muslim sales personnel to Saudi Arabia.

Tripfez’s itinerary for the 153-pax group included an Umrah pilgrimage and guided sightseeing tours in the sacred cities of Medina and Jeddah.

Event highlights
For many delegates, this was their first visit to Saudi Arabia. The group commenced their journey from Kuala Lumpur to Medina aboard Saudia Airlines.

Upon arrival at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport, the group were welcomed by a representative from Tripfez and transferred to Medina city by bus. The first day was a free and easy day with a group dinner at a local restaurant.

The next three days featured guided city tours of Medina. Among the places visited were historic mosques closely linked with Islamic history. The three mosques are Abu Bakr Al-Saddique, Ghamamah Mosque, and the courtyard of Nabawi Mosque where the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad lies.

Delegates also explored Mount Uhud, the historical site of the pivotal battle that occurred on March 19, 625CE, between the Prophet and his small Muslim army and the larger Meccan army led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb.

On the fifth day, the group travelled to Mecca by train. In Mecca, they visited mosques and historical sites such as the Cave of Hira, where Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation, and Jabal al-Rahmah, a mountain in Arafat where the Prophet delivered his last sermon in 623AD.

The highlight of the seventh day was performing the Umrah, also known as a minor Hajj, at Al Masjid Al Haram (Holy Mosque) and circling the Kaaba which is also housed at the Holy Mosque.

Challenges
Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO of Tripfez Travel & Tours, recounted his client’s specific request for the entire group to travel together from Kuala Lumpur to Saudi Arabia, emphasising the importance of maintaining group unity by taking the same flights.

A significant challenge they encountered was securing the required airline seats within a tight timeframe of less than three weeks before the departure date. To meet demand, Tripfez Travel promptly obtained all available seats directly from Saudia Airlines and worked diligently with numerous partner agents of Saudia to secure the remaining seats for the group.

Moreover, Tripfez Travel efficiently planned the programme itinerary and managed flight and ground arrangements within a tight timeframe of just two months.

During the programme itself, a critical challenge was to maintain the punctuality of the itinerary and ensure that the four buses adhered to the schedule. To tackle this, daily briefings were held for the tour leaders, bus drivers, and ground handler partners.

Faeez said: “These briefings played a crucial role in keeping all stakeholders informed about the day’s programme and preventing any errors in the early stages of the trip. The proactive communication strategy was pivotal in maintaining a smooth and well-coordinated travel experience throughout the entire journey.”

Event Umra Incentive trip 2023
Organiser Tripfez Travel & Tours
Venue Medina and Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Dates October 26 to November 5, 2023
Attendees 153

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