La Vie has appointed Justin Furkhanas as group manager – business support and hotel openings, Mely Liu as group business development manager, and Jacob Batt as business development manager.
Furkhan will lead the pre-opening and conversion processes for all new hotel openings. Boasting leadership experience across luxury brands such as The Fullerton and InterContinental, he will navigate the hotel opening operations, concentrating solely on spearheading the operational efforts.
From left: Justin Furkhanas, Mely Liu, and Jacob Batt
Liu has over a decade of experience across commercial operations, revenue management, reservations, events management and operations. Her new role is focused on developing new sales opportunities and building a robust sales platform while managing an assigned client base.
Batt brings with him a diverse background in hospitality and will be responsible for multiple Australian properties, optimising daily room revenue, maintaining the highest service standards, championing brand ascendancy and orchestrating occupancy surges to fortify each hotels’ vitality.
Paradox Singapore Merchant Court has named Christine Choo as its general manager. She will spearhead the overall strategic executive management and operations of the hotel.
An accomplished hotelier with over 10 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, Choo brings along her wealth of experience in operating resorts and hotels in destination-centric locations in Singapore since 2011.
She was most recently area general manager (Sentosa Cluster) at Far East Hospitality Singapore.
Stuart De San Nicolas has been appointed as the new cluster general manager for Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, Avani+ Fares Resort and NH Collection Maldives Havodda.
With over 30 years of hands-on industry experience, he joins Minor Hotels from Conrad Bora Bora Nui, where he helped to elevate the resort’s luxury offerings through his position as general manager.
Tourists walking along KL Tower's observation deck
The business events sector between Malaysia and China is poised for significant growth this year, thanks to a new reciprocal visa-free policy which commenced on December 1, 2023.
Malaysians can enjoy 15 days of visa-free entry to China for business, holidays, or visiting relatives and friends, reciprocated by Malaysia offering a 30-day visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. This positive development aligns with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Tourists walking along KL Tower’s observation deck
Industry stakeholders told TTGmice that the reciprocal visa-free policies are helping to foster tourism and benefitting both business events and leisure tourists in both countries.
Mint Leong, managing director of Sunflower Holidays, disclosed that her company has secured several significant incentive groups from China, each exceeding 1000 delegates, scheduled to visit Kuala Lumpur from March 2024 onwards.
Additionally, Sunflower Holidays has also received numerous incentive inquiries for group sizes averaging 500, to popular destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Genting, Penang, Langkawi, and Sabah.
She noted that these developments were a stark difference from last year, where “business events volume from China was slow, with only a few bookings received for group sizes averaging around 250 delegates”.
As for outbound groups to China, Leong shared that China’s weak renminbi and flight accessibility has generated interest from the Malaysian corporate sector for incentive travel, where corporates will start travelling from March onwards.
She added: “We are now seeking Chinese partners to promote off-the-beaten-track places such as Suzhou and Wuxi for both business events and leisure segments.”
Adam Kamal, general manager at Suka Travel & Tours, a specialist in the Muslim business events outbound segment, told TTGmice he has received numerous inquiries for incentives in China, where bookings are anticipated to materialise in May, following the Hari Raya celebrations in April.
At the state level, Penang Tourism and Creative Economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai shared that there were plans afoot to organise roadshows with Penang’s industry players in China this year, aiming to further promote Penang as a business events and leisure destination.
Abstract blurred photo of conference hall or seminar room with attendee background
With organisations looking to capitalise on the power of face-to-face connection, 2024 is expected to be a year of deeper engagements and gainful exchanges with an optimistic increase in the spate of small and large events likely to be planned across the business events industry.
Attendees and planners alike are looking forward to learning, socialising, and travelling. Amid challenges from inflation and staff shortages, the fervour to meet in person does not seem to ebb. Virtual and hybrid events will continue to play to their full potential through their advantage of enhancing reach and increasing event ROI.
2024 is expected to be a year of deeper engagements and gainful exchanges
Here is a sneak peek into the challenges, responses and outcomes shaping up the future of the meetings and events industry in the years to come.
Key meetings and events industry trends for 2024
Costs are expected to continue to rise. According to the 2023 Cvent Planner Sourcing Report for Asia, 80 per cent of event planners expected costs to increase in 2024. Similar regional reports state the figures at 88 per cent for Australia, 85 per cent for MEA (the Middle East and Africa) and 80 per cent for India. Planners are finding new and unique ways to meet these tight budget goals. They are looking at various partners such as destinations and hotels to increase their events’ value and return on experience.
In 2024, hybrid work won’t just mean splitting time between home and the office. People now work from the beach, city balconies, and mountain chalets, opening new revenue opportunities for hotels to accommodate hybrid work needs. American Express Global Business Travel and CULTIQUE found that 61 per cent of travellers said they would like a policy that supports a mix of personal and work travel and allows extended stays and family members or significant others to join.
As artificial intelligence evolves, companies are leveraging it to offer better customer service to provide deeper customisation that meets a buyer’s needs. With its predictive modelling analysis capabilities, AI can also help predict future demand, allowing venues to improve the planner and guest experience, win more business and increase revenue.
Environmental sustainability is essential in the planning and execution of meetings and events, and sustainable venues will better attract planners and win more business from companies also looking to reduce their environmental impact. According to the Expedia Sustainable Travel Study, 90 per cent of consumers seek sustainable travel options currently. Areas of focus for hotels and venues should include energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and sourcing and purchasing ethically.
Staffing shortages are slowly improving, but a shifting workforce and increased demand are putting pressure on hotels and venues to rebuild planner relationships. Venues should be proactive about building and strengthening these connections, as open communication and greater transparency typically result in increased and repeat bookings.
Savvy hoteliers and event professionals will use technology to be more effective and productive. The right technology frees up more time for building meaningful relationships and clears up any confusion between parties. Event planners expect visual and interactive content – such as room diagrams and immersive floorplans – to help them make intelligent decisions. Virtual and augmented reality are thus becoming standard practices in online hotel profiles.
Sandeep Nagpal currently vice president of marketing at Cvent. In his current role, he is responsible for managing Cvent’s international marketing & global demand centre, located in Gurgaon, India. With over 25 years of diverse industry experience, he is an accomplished marketing professional with expertise in the ever-evolving realm of technology-driven marketing.
Prior to Cvent, he held several senior leadership positions in organisations such as Canon, Microsoft, Nokia, and SAP.
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) concluded 2023 on a high note, having hosted 1,724 events for the year, and is looking forward to achieving more in 2024.
This was the highest number since 2014 and a major bounce back for the venue which hosted just 300 events in 2021, at the height of the pandemic.
The Centre’s team celebrating a successful 2023
In addition to hosting these 1,724 events, the Centre, also welcomed more than 1.3 million delegates to the venue throughout 2023. These visitors, both international and Malaysian, helped the Centre generate an estimated RM656 million (US$141.6 million) in economic impact for Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia – well over double the figure generated in 2022.
Ravindran Sathiamoorthy, the Centre’s director of sales, elaborated on the results: “In terms of our 2023 revenues, Conventions contributed 26 per cent, Exhibitions 28 per cent per cent while the Corporate segment (which includes banquets and functions; meetings and events) generated 46 per cent. During 2023 we hosted 29 entertainment events, many featuring international acts – the most we have ever hosted in a single year. Conventions and Exhibitions combined contributed 54 per cent of our revenue, but we aim to increase that to 60 per cent in the future. We are looking forward to a very positive 2024, having already secured 65 per cent of our targeted revenue for the year through advance bookings.
“We have 47 exhibitions and 32 conventions (26 of which are international) confirmed over the next 12 months and expect to add more over the course of the year,” he continued.
Major events the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre will be hosting include the International Surgical Week 2024; European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology meets Asia 2024, 12th World Federation of Chiropractic Global Education Conference 2024, and the International Union of Architects International Forum 2024.
In addition to its strong business performance, 2023 saw the Centre achieve success in many other areas. This included its continued commitment to many ESG initiatives, such as various waste reduction initiatives, extensive recycling programmes, food waste minimisation efforts, investment in food composting technologies, development of sustainable sourcing practices, and more.
John Burke, the Centre’s general manager was also elected to the prestigious UFI Board of Directors for a three-year term.
“It is important to continue to connect and engage with industry professionals and, when possible, give them a firsthand experience of Malaysian capabilities and hospitality. While 2023 has been a great success for us as a venue there is still a lot to do to position Malaysia as the best business events destination in the region. Malaysia offers fantastic value for money and an English fluency which sets it apart from many of its competitors in the region. It is important that we leverage these advantages to create more international awareness of Malaysia’s unique benefits,” John added.
Despite its success, the Centre is not sitting on its laurels. The past year saw a variety of enhancements and upgrades to the venue and its facilities, with more planned for rollout in 2024.
This year’s upgrades included a new look and feel for the Centre’s popular Ten on Call (TOC – small meetings) area. This included new carpets, furniture, and a layout which was designed to bring people together.
Developments for 2024 include, among others, the introduction of revamped meeting rooms and interactive meeting control technologies that will facilitate better experiences and events for delegates and organisers.
Burke concluded: Looking ahead to 2024, we stand on the cusp of another remarkable year, with 65 per cent of our revenue target already secured… We are excited about the prospects that lie ahead and the opportunity to continue contributing to the global events landscape.”
Event brief In its 3rd edition, IDEC 2023 centred around the theme The Transformation of Dental Health Resiliency. It was held from September 15-17, 2023.
Covering 5,000m2 at the Jakarta Convention Center, the event featured 350 exhibitors from 14 countries, including national pavilions from China, Germany, and South Korea. These exhibitors covered diverse business sectors, from dental instruments and practice equipment to furnishings, materials, and accessories.
IDEC also served as a strategic platform, offering 26 scientific seminars by 29 expert speakers from various countries, enabling participants to acquire new skills and knowledge for future-proofing their expertise.
Event highlights
Key IDEC highlights encompassed cutting-edge dental technology exhibitions, educational conferences, and networking opportunities for professionals. Notably, the event boasted an international character with 73 international exhibitors, fostering global connections and knowledge exchange within the Indonesian dental industry.
Mathias Kuepper, managing director and vice president Asia Pacific at Koelnmesse, highlighted IDEC 2023’s substantial growth. The show saw a 20 per cent increase in size from 2019, and featured 65 new companies and three national pavilions. Visitor numbers also saw a 22 per cent increase compared to the previous edition in 2019.
Challenges
Organising IDEC 2023 after the pandemic posed challenges due to rapid technological evolution and changing expectations. To tackle this, organisers Koelnmesse and Traya Eksibisi Internasional embraced a comprehensive digital transformation.
One initiative was the introduction of an AI-driven digital platform for business matching, connecting exhibitors with potential clients based on their interests and goals. The event also implemented a seamless online registration and ticketing system, optimising operations and enhancing the overall attendee experience.
Event Indonesia Dental Exhibition & Conference 2023 Organiser Koelnmesse Venue Jakarta Convention Center Dates September 15-17 2023 Attendance 5,110 Visitors from 26 Countries
The InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping has risen in Chiang Mai’s historic district, marking the first milestone in a strategic partnership between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Thailand’s real-estate group, Asset World Corporation (AWC).
The property stands next to Wat Chang Kong, a beautifully preserved 600-year-old stupa built by a local gong-making community. The manicured lawn in front of the temple will host regular dance shows and performances as part of the resort’s cultural programming.
King guestroom with a city view
Event planners will have several event venues to choose from, such as the Grand Ballroom, five smaller event rooms, or the temple’s central lawn.
There are 240 rooms and suites available, facing the old town or Doi Suthep mountain. Guests staying in Premium Rooms and suites will enjoy Club InterContinental benefits, including a deluxe breakfast served in a private zone, daily afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
Leisure facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, and The li Spa, while F&B venues aim to showcase northern Thailand’s rich flavours.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Gad Lanna evokes a traditional market with seasonal, organic ingredients spun into comforting northern dishes using traditional cooking methods. Overlooking the hotel’s main pool, Kam Lobby Lounge brings the spirit of Yi Peng Lantern Festival alive through its décor, while the menu offers light meals, coffee and organic Monsoon Tea produced in the mountains of Northern Thailand, with expertly crafted cocktails served after dark to a soundtrack of live jazz.
On the 16th floor, its signature restaurant Hong’s Chinese Restaurant & Sky Bar pays homage to the historic Lanna-Chinese trade links in the décor and on the menu featuring fiery Sichuan, Cantonese and Taiwanese dishes.
In-depth experiences that would work for incentive groups range from tea blending workshops and local chocolate tasting to adrenaline-filled activities such as white-water rafting, jungle walks and hot-air ballooning followed by a lakeside Champagne picnic. The hotel will also be hosting rotating art exhibitions and music performances curated by the hotel’s Concierge team in partnership with The Center for the Promotion of Arts and Culture of Chiang Mai University.
For business travellers with their young ones in tow, Planet Trekkers programme for the young will offer such activities as clay figurine marking, banana leaf folding and coconut shell crafts.
About 100 flights flying into and out of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport are expected to be cancelled today as a result of an airplane collision on the runway on Jan 2 afternoon.
Flight cancellations at Haneda Airport will impact 19,000 passengers
The accident between a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger jet arriving from Hokkaido and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft left five coast guards dead and the JAL aircraft in raging flames. All 379 passengers onboard the JAL jet were able to escape to safety.
The flight cancellations are expected to affect 19,000 passengers, said an NHK report.
Central Japan Railway Company will provide additional bullet train services on Wednesday to support affected domestic connections.
Thirty-four different businesses including hotels, commercial facilities, and event halls have come together to form DMO Osaka Umeda, in a bid to attract more business events to Osaka’s Umeda area.
To kick things off, the DMO plans to leverage the upcoming Expo 2025, as well as massive development projects in the pipeline, such as Grand Green Osaka and an integrated resort, slated to come online in 2024 and 2030 respectively.
Osaka Japan cityscape in the Umeda District.
Currently in the second phase of its redevelopment project, Grand Green Osaka will boast luxury hotels, conference facilities, and a large park, apt for large corporate events, said Akihiko Kondo, secretary general of DMO Osaka Umeda.
When asked what were some of the DMO’s priorities, Kondo told TTGmice: “As there are no large-scale conference or exhibition facilities in Umeda, our initial strategy is to attract medium-sized international conferences, especially those related to the promotion of innovation and life sciences.”
DMO Osaka Umeda will also promote itself as a base for incentive tours to the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region. Primary target markets in this case, stated Kondo, are countries in East Asia and South-east Asia, as they are geographically close.
“Many business travellers or tourists from these countries already visit Osaka, but they tend to pass through Umeda and head to Minami in the city centre, or to surrounding areas like Kyoto. (By forming the DMO, we) want to showcase the charms of the Umeda area to visitors,” said Kondo.
Looking beyond the Expo in the medium- to long-term, the organisation plans to attract large-scale business events of about 100,000 attendees, which will be able to utilise the various new public spaces brought about by Expo 2025 and Grand Green Osaka, he added.
“To build the Osaka brand further, the DMO – where its formation was supported by the City of Osaka and the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau – will also collaborate closely with relevant authorities,” Kondo noted.
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.
Sandeep Nagpal currently vice president of marketing at Cvent. In his current role, he is responsible for managing Cvent’s international marketing & global demand centre, located in Gurgaon, India. With over 25 years of diverse industry experience, he is an accomplished marketing professional with expertise in the ever-evolving realm of technology-driven marketing.
About 100 flights flying into and out of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport are expected to be cancelled today as a result of an airplane collision on the runway on Jan 2 afternoon.
The accident between a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger jet arriving from Hokkaido and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft left five coast guards dead and the JAL aircraft in raging flames. All 379 passengers onboard the JAL jet were able to escape to safety.
The flight cancellations are expected to affect 19,000 passengers, said an NHK report.
Central Japan Railway Company will provide additional bullet train services on Wednesday to support affected domestic connections.