The Murray, Hong Kong has appointed Dean Dimitriou as its new general manager, effective immediately.
With a career spanning over 20 years in the hospitality industry, Dimitriou will spearhead strategic development, drive commercial growth, and foster a culture of service excellence in his new role.
He was previously the general manager at Niccolo Chengdu in China.
Parrtjima – A Festival in Light will light up for 10 nights in Northern Territory’s Alice Springs Desert Park, featuring new illuminations, artworks, talks, music, and markets from April 12 to 21.
Organised by Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) and in partnership with Creative Directors Grumpy Sailor and events destination company We Are Gather, this free event will delight visitors under star-studded desert skies, celebrating the importance of interconnectedness across First Nations culture in Alice Springs (Mparntwe).
Parrtjima’s large-scale light installations includes the MacDonnell Ranges Light Show, which sees almost two kilometres of the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges come to life through a new, extended light and sound show, and the much-loved Grounded, which projects animated Indigenous art onto the red sands of Alice Springs Desert Park.
Other new light installations include The Arrernte, a series of illuminated cars which celebrate a collage of work across Eastern, Western and Central language groups; Honouring, an immersive passageway which will pay homage to the great Arrernte leader, the late MK Turner OAM; and Tjoritja Cockatoos, where the evocative artwork of artist and director of Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre, Vanessa Inkamala, is brought to life across three screens and represents the cyclical and seasonal work of country.
For the first time, expert puppeteers will bring to life the theatrical experience Arelhe Urrperle, standing at six-metres tall and weighing 600kg. Strolling through the festival sharing language and stories, Arelhe Urrperle represents the matriarchs and knowledge holders in Aboriginal cultures, recognising the influence and importance of the First Nations women, their strength and spirit, and their role as providers to the families connected to the Arrernte skin groups.
In another first, a three-night marketplace will offer art, bush medicine, jewellery and beauty products from local Aboriginal businesses and art centres from April 12 to 14.
Other highlights include appearances by singer-songwriter Shellie Morris, R&B artist Miiesha, Indigenous performers will be performing during the festival.
NTMEC CEO Suzana Bishop said: “Parrtjima not only brings together the world’s oldest living cultures with leading-edge technology, it brings together people from across the country to connect and engage with our First Nations people and cultures.
“It is also an event that makes a meaningful and positive impact on local communities, as well as the local economy.”
Incentive trips to China are making a comeback this year, buoyed by the relaxation of visa policies and the relative affordability of second-tier destinations.
Melvyn Nonis, director, MICE Matters, told TTGmice: “China was off the radar for a while, but it is back. Clients that have done South Korea and Japan, or those who find these countries relatively expensive, are opting for Tier Two Chinese cities such as Kunming, Chengdu, Xi’An, and Chongqing.”
In January this year, MICE Matters led a group of 60 pax to Kunming. Over the next few months, the event firm will bring three batches of clients to Chengdu – 800 pax in July, and 350 pax and 250 pax in October. Programmes would run for four days and three nights, and comprise a team bonding session, as well as a themed gala dinner.
Nonis added: “Our R&D team started to focus on China earlier this year to design incentive tour programmes with our local partner. We believe China has much to offer, and it’s a value-for-money MICE destination. We want to be at the forefront of this movement, as I believe China will be in demand for the next three years or so.”
Theresa Lee, director of M+i Journeys, has also noticed a slight increase in enquiries for Tier Two Chinese cities, such as Chongqing, Sanya, Xi’an and Chengdu, after March.
However, she said these destinations are not definitely cheaper than other options, as “domestic demand is still high”. Furthermore, connectivity challenges exist.
Demand is also up for Greater China, with FCM Meetings & Events reporting a 30 per cent increase in requests among its incentive travel clients.
Jingwen Wong, FCM Meetings & Events leader, South-east Asia and Greater China, said: “In China, business meetings are still taking place primarily in Shanghai and Beijing, but incentive trips are moving to Tier Two cities due to them being more affordable.”
Hong Kong and Macau are also attracting interest due to improving seat capacity and heightened tourism marketing initiatives, according to Wong.
To make the most of cost savings, Wong advises companies to book their trips six to nine months ahead, which could earn them more than 20 per cent savings in airfares. She added that full-service airfares could be comparable to low-cost fares when booked in advance.
Business Events Industry Aotearoa will launch its 11th annual BE Mentored programme this week, designed to nurture and develop emerging talent in the industry.
The BE Mentored programme runs from April to November, with mentors and mentees meeting six to eight times during that period. Throughout the programme, BEIA will be on hand for support and advice. There will be 19 mentor-mentee pairings, with experienced mentors from previous years returning in 2024.
On April 10, Sally Doherty from Sallyd & Co will facilitate the online launch session with an ice-breaker and teambuilding sessions hosted by Team Up Events.
BE Mentored will conclude with a recognition event held during the BEIA Annual Conference on November 25, 2024, in New Plymouth.
This year, for the first time, the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) is sponsoring the programme.
BEIA chief executive, Lisa Hopkins said that the development of new talent is crucial to boosting the sector’s growth.
“Over the past decade, we have seen the positive impact BE Mentored has had on mentees in developing their careers, building valuable relationships and broadening their experience within the business events industry. Our mentees receive a personal support system to help both professionally and personally, while our mentors have the chance to share and demonstrate their knowledge, experience and personal skills.”
More than 1,800 entrepreneurs from 65 countries will gather in Singapore for an event organised and hosted by the global non-profit membership network, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).
The gathering will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, from April 22-24, 2024, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board.
The theme for this year’s Global Leadership Conference is Shine: Illuminate the Future, with a learning programme designed to help each entrepreneur harness their greater potential for service, growth and impact.
Ten guest speakers will take the stage for keynotes or conversations throughout the event. Among them are: Formula One trailblazers Mark Gallagher and Jacques Villenueve; AI and Smart Cities expert Ayesha Khanna; former Nike, Revlon, and Elizabeth Arden marketer, Swan Sit; self-made Thai entrepreneur, martial artist and ONE founder, Chatri Sityodtong; and podcaster, bestselling author and past Google [X] chief business officer, Mo Gawdat. EO’s global board chair, Lynn Anstett (US) and chair-elect, Jamie Pujara (Kenya), will also address the members gathered.
There will also be a series of nine custom-designed excursions to Singapore businesses, the majority of which are owned by EO entrepreneurs. During these outings, called ‘Learn Arounds’, groups of entrepreneurs will gain special behind-the-scenes access to such local enterprises as Creative Eateries, Lionsbot, and Brass Lion Distillery, while learning about succession planning in a family business, challenges and solutions in local manufacturing, operational efficiency and resource management, and innovative technologies in robotics.
EO’s local chapter, EO Singapore will also provide planning support, while marking its 28th anniversary of serving Singapore-based business owners.
Locally, more than 190 entrepreneurs are members of EO Singapore, with businesses across varied sectors including F&B, education and training, apparel and retail, health or medical services, manufacturing, and computer software.
The event is exclusive to EO members and their spouses or life partners. A record number of EO entrepreneurs have registered for the event, positioning it to be the largest gathering of members in the organisation’s 36-year history. More than 50 language interpreters will be providing simultaneous translations in Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish for entrepreneurs arriving from all around the world.
Hotels in Malaysia have experienced a notable uptick in the Chinese business events sector, partly due to the introduction of the 30-day visa-free travel to Malaysia which started on December 1, 2023.
Improved air connectivity, driven by the launch of new direct routes by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia Malaysia, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, has also played a key role in fuelling this trend. Presently, there are 327 weekly flights connecting China and Malaysia.
Ramesh Jackson, the area vice president for Indonesia and Malaysia at Marriott International, foresees a further surge in bookings in 2H2024, particularly from Chinese organisers located in Tier One and Tier Two cities in China.
An emerging trend is the growing focus on sustainability among Chinese bookers. Ramesh explained: “They are increasingly concerned about sustainability practices at the property level, carbon footprint, and food sourcing.”
Bleisure travel has also made a resurgence. To accommodate this trend, Marriott Concierge teams are equipped with local knowledge to share hidden gems in the area, ensuring a memorable and enriching experience for guests.
Ramesh also noted a significant decrease in lead times for bookings, now averaging 45 days compared to three months before the pandemic.
As for Jeanne Chan, director of Commercial Sunway Resort Hotel, Sunway Pyramid Hotel, and Sunway Lagoon Hotel, she observed that with the visa-free requirements, last-minute delegate numbers for business events are higher than initial estimates from Chinese organisers.
She added that the hotel group has attracted incentive travel groups from multi-level marketing and insurance companies based in China’s Tier One cities. However, many other Chinese companies are still recovering from the recent pandemic and are cautious with their spending.
Onyx Hospitality Group has expanded its Shama brand with the unveiling Shama Rayong, the first Shama in Thailand outside of Bangkok.
The signing ceremony took place on April 1, 2024, at Amari Bangkok, with the new property expected to welcome its first guests from 1Q2026.
The serviced apartment will feature over 150 room keys encompassing Studio, One-Bedroom and Two-Bedroom apartments, a restaurant, a swimming pool, a gym and meeting rooms. Rayong city centre is a 30-minute drive away, and business parks like WHA Rayong 36 and CPGC are within a 20-minute drive radius.
Onyx Hospitality Group currently operates 16 Shama properties in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Hangzhou, Changchun, and Daqing, with another five properties under construction. Additional upcoming openings include Shama Medini and Shama Suasana Johor Bahru in Malaysia; Shama Hub Metro South in Hong Kong; Shama Hub Qiantang Hangzhou in China; and Shama Rayong in Thailand.
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) has introduced a newly refurbished meeting space, complemented by a dedicated solutions package known as SmartConnect@301.
The room features a smart office system, occupancy sensors, an expansive 136-inch LED screen and an 86-inch interactive screen. These in-built technologies facilitate seamless connection of multiple devices, content casting, energy conservation and paperless meetings. The space also boasts a private balcony overlooking the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers and the 20-hectare KLCC Park.
Offered with SmartConnect@301, a solutions package that includes a dedicated F&B and a technical specialist, the room’s versatility allows it to transform for any event, from corporate board meetings to social gatherings.
John Burke, general manager of the Centre, said this refurbishment is the latest phase in its ongoing efforts to ensure the venue remains competitive. Ongoing upgrades are also being planned for the future.
SmartConnect@301 package is now available for booking at an introductory price of RM301+ (US$63.30) per person until July 31, 2024.
SITA’s Biometrics White Paper, Face the Future, acknowledged that the global demand for travel is rising, and biometrics is at the forefront of this transformation.
The white paper also discussed how the surge in air traveller numbers places extraordinary pressure on existing and new airports, national borders, and airline resources.
According to the CAPA-Centre for Aviation, 425 major construction projects (worth around US$450 billion) have already been put underway at existing global airports, along with 225 new airport investment projects in 2022.
However, SITA stated that “existing paper-based and manual travel infrastructure and legacy processes simply won’t be able to cope”, and that brick and mortar infrastructure is only part of the solution. Airlines and airports will struggle to manage passenger numbers, affecting the quality of the travel experience they are able to deliver.
The solution, explained SITA, is in harnessing the power of facial and fingerprint biometrics to create a safer and seamless air transport experience. By applying advanced technological solutions, SITA will also solve other industry challenges, like space constraints, specialist staff shortages, and evolving passenger wants and needs.
The white paper outlined more solutions using advanced biometrics technology, including SITA Flex, a common-use passenger processing platform, and SITA Border Management, which covers border control, risk intelligence, and travel authorisation. Both solutions are well recognised in the industry and used by more than 40 airports globally.
It also breaks down SITA’s Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) solution, a verifiable digital identity shared before arrival (with the passenger’s consent) for seamless border crossing.
Additionally, Face the Future also showcased successful case studies like the Star Alliance Biometric initiative and the Indian government’s DigiYatra programme – both cases use the end-to-end biometric passenger processing solution, SITA Smart Path.
“SITA Smart Path biometrically enables every step of the passenger journey, from mobile enrolment to aircraft boarding and every point in between and beyond,” shared Stefan Schaffner, vice president of airports at SITA.
“With facial recognition across as many airport touch points as you need, it lets passengers manage their identity across their whole journey, in a unique and touchless way. The final result is a radically improved travel experience.”
Changi Airport Group (CAG) has named Yam Kum Weng as the new CEO.
He will take over the reins from Lee Seow Hiang, who has served as CEO for the past 15 years – Lee will also step down as a director on the CAG Board and as chairman of the boards of Changi Airports International (CAI) and Jewel Changi Airport Devt.
He currently serves as CAG’s executive vice president, airport development, leading the Changi East project including Terminal 5.