Asia/Singapore Friday, 1st May 2026
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Asia Performance Entertainment Expo celebrates successful show

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Industry leaders gathered to discuss key issues in the entertainment industry

The Asia-Pacific Live Performance Industry Association (APLPIA) marked a historic milestone with the successful run of the inaugural Asia Performance Entertainment Expo (APE Expo).

Held at Cotai Expo Hall D, The Venetian Macao, APE Expo ran from November 17-19, 2023. The event aimed to foster collaboration across the Asian live performance sector, and welcomed attendees from international and regional live entertainment realms, encompassing media, ticketing platforms, management companies, venue institutions, stage lighting and audio engineering.

Industry leaders gathered to discuss key issues in the entertainment industry

Noteworthy events during the expo included the screening of the critically-acclaimed musical The STORM SHOW Movie Premiere at The Venetian Theatre, as well as a panel discussion with industry luminaries.

APLPIA also curated a series of forums and seminars which addressed key issues in the entertainment industry. On November 18, the theme was Integration and Promotion of Culture and Performances in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while November 19 focused on Unveiling Emerging Technologies and Trends in the Performance and Entertainment Industry.

There were also approximately 200 exhibitors present, including industry giants such as Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Alibaba, and Sony Music.

APLPIA also entered into a Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation with Bank of China Macau Branch at APE Expo. This collaboration signified the launch of the Specialized Service Program for the Live Performance and Entertainment Industry, which sees the establishment of a funding pool to support APLPIA members in organising performances or related events in Macau.

The expo, endorsed by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, received support from the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Macao Government Tourism Office, and Education and Youth Development Bureau, with Sands China as the event sponsor.

Spicing up palates

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Event brief
LTB Philippines Chefs Association (LTB means Les Toques Blanches or Lyon White Hats) won the bid to host the Worldchefs’ Asian Presidents Forum 2023, the first time it has ever been held in Asia.

This was considered an impressive win as Paris-headquartered World Association of Chefs’ Societies is the largest international membership of culinary professionals with over 100 national chef society members. It only has one member per country, and LTB Philippines has been a member since 2012.

To pull off the international event, LTB Philippines collaborated extensively with the Department of Tourism (DoT) and its marketing arm, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), where the latter helped to defray the airfares and accommodation of foreign guests.

Event highlights
Carlo Miguel, the immediate past president of LTB Philippines Chefs Association (he completed his term a few weeks after the event), said they timed the Worldchefs Asian Presidents’ Forum with regular food-related events in Manila.

To save on travel costs and time, the Global Chefs Challenge Asia regional semi-finals from August 2-5, was co-organised with the 13th edition of the Philippine Culinary Cup and the World Food Expo (WOFEX).

The qualifying teams in the Asian regional semifinal rounds then advanced to compete in the Global Chefs Finals during the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2024 in Singapore.

The event also saw distinguished culinarians participating in keynote speakers and roundtable discussions on topics such as the latest gastronomical trends, sustainability practices, culinary education sessions, and the launch of a regional e-book.

Delegates got to taste chicken adobo, beef caldereta (beef stew), pansit (Filipino noodles), sinigang (a sour soup) and a medley of much-loved local desserts including halo-halo (a cold dessert) and turon (deep-fried bananas wrapped in spring roll wrappers). This helped to elevate Filipino cuisine on the world stage.

An important component of the event was the CSR activities. Delegates visited Baseco, an urban poor resettlement in Manila, where they provided meals and relief food packs to 700 families. It was such a successful outing that Worldchefs committed to a much larger outreach programme next year that will feed 20,000 families.

Miguel shared that Worldchefs Without Borders – which has been around a decade– usually provided monetary support during natural disasters in the Philippines, but the trip to Baseco was the first time that delegates witnessed the reality of the less fortunate.

Challenges
Organising the first Worldchefs’ Asian Presidents Forum would have been challenging for LTB Philippines if it were not for the support of TPB and PEP Tarsus (WOFEX’s event organiser). With their help, Miguel shared that the event ran smoothly with minimal hiccups.

Event Worldchefs Asian Presidents Forum 2023
Organiser LTB Philippines Chefs Association
Venue Conrad Manila Hotel
Dates July 31 to August 5, 2023
Attendees 100 delegates from 18 countries

Andaz Macau

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Macau Steps

Rooms
Andaz Macau is one of eight luxury hotels within the Galaxy Macau integrated resort, and the newest of the lot – it opened in late September on the heels of Raffles at Galaxy Macau, which soft-launched in August.

True to the Andaz brand, which means ‘personal style’ in Hindi and Urdu, this strapping new kid on the Cotai block gathers a bold collection of art and artefacts that remind guests of the destination’s renowned east-meets-west heritage. Expect to find mannequins draped in embroidered couture gowns heavy with Chinese details, scenes of local interactions immortalised by wrought iron rods, and a stunning vertical art gallery – named Macau Steps – which is a set of stairs surrounded by beautiful art pieces and videos depicting scenes of Macau across ages and locations.

There are 700 rooms and suites, and I scored an Andaz Studio, which takes in a functional living area, a king bed overlooking floor-to-ceiling windows, a generous bathroom with dual sinks, a bathtub and shower in a spacious glass enclosure, and a wardrobe nook in 58m2 of space.

The design is eclectic – a riot of colours expressed through paintings on the wall and plush carpets, and a mishmash of textures such as a leather-bound headboard, quilted mini-bar frame, and marble-topped desk. Expect contrasting visuals by way of a monochrome bathroom set against vibrant sleeping and living quarters.

I like the layout – work, play, clean and rest come together in a circular flow, with plenty of room to move about.

Extra points go to the heated toilet seat, bidet, vanity with front-facing lights, powerful hairdryer with three practical attachments, and the first set of complimentary minibar goodies.

There is another surprise in this bathroom, which I will leave you to discover yourself. That’s my lure for you to come and experience this hotel and room type.

MICE facilities
Andaz Macau is attached to the Galaxy International Convention Centre and Galaxy Arena, both new venues at Galaxy Macau. This makes the hotel great for residential meetings.

However, Galaxy International Convention Centre and Galaxy Arena are so versatile that they can do more than just meetings. Its past and upcoming line-up of conferences, exhibitions and mega concerts is proof.

Galaxy International Convention Centre features 40,000m2 of total flexible events space catering for up to 8,500 banquet guests or 16,000 cocktail party guests. Event venues are spread across the ground floor and level one, with plenty of open areas that can be transformed for supporting functions.

The all-wood auditorium here is worth mentioning – it is an elegant venue that can easily fit into an award presentation, keynote or musical performance design.

Galaxy Arena is the largest indoor venue of its kind in Macau, capable of packing in 16,000 people. It has eight luxurious hospitality suites that are superb for private social functions. Each comes with an indoor space with a bar and outdoor swivel seats from which guests can catch unblocked views of the main stage.

Other facilities
Anticipating the arrival of large event groups residing and meeting at the hotel, a dedicated mass check-in lounge with a beautifully furnished private waiting area was worked into the layout.

Elsewhere, there is the Andaz lounge where simple and complimentary refreshments are served, a bar, a restaurant that serves Portuguese, Macanese and Hong Kong favourites, a fitness centre, and an indoor pool.

Service
The hotel appears to have the luxury of many staff, all standing by to assist with arriving guests and to introduce them to available amenities.

Verdict
The hotel is fun to explore, and its blend of leisure and business amenities makes it ideal for the current generation of travellers who wants to combine work and play.

Contact details
andazmacau.com

Langham Hospitality Group opens Cordis, Xuzhou

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The Langham Hospitality Group has opened Cordis, Xuzhou, making it the sixth Cordis in Greater China and the seventh opening for the Brand internationally.

Nestled in the China Merchants Xuzhou Centre, the property offers conference facilities spanning over 1,000m2 with natural light and views over Dalong Lake. This includes the pillarless Grand Ballroom which can seat up to 390 guests banquet-style.

The hotel features 269 guestrooms and suites, ranging from 38m2 to 220m2, where some rooms provide a sweeping view of Dalong Lake and the cityscape of Xuzhou.

Located on the 20th floor, the Club Lounge offers extra privileges for guests staying in the hotel’s executive rooms including snacks, light refreshments, cocktails and a space to relax. Meanwhile, wellness facilities comprise a gym, and a 25-meter indoor heated swimming pool, framed with floor-to-ceiling windows.

There are also several F&B options – Ming Court, a Cantonese restaurant that is a a sister to the renowned Michelin-star restaurants in Shanghai and Hong Kong; Cordis Market for international fare; and the Lobby Lounge for cocktails or afternoon tea.

BEIA welcomes new board chair

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Martin Snedden has been named the new independent chair of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA).

He takes on the position previously held by Steve Armitage, who is now CEO of Hospitality New Zealand.

Snedden has held a variety of governance roles, where his previous role was board chair of New Zealand Cricket.

Prior to that, he spent time as CEO of Rugby World Cup 2011, and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association during 2012 and 2013.

Hilton Singapore Orchard names new GM

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Hilton has appointed Rupert Hallam as general manager for Hilton Singapore Orchard, Hilton’s largest hotel in Asia-Pacific.

With over three decades of hospitality experience, of which 21 years were spent with Hilton, Hallam will oversee day-to-day operations of the hotel, including guests services, culinary concepts, as well as business and wedding offerings in his new role.

He previously served as the general manager of Hilton Adelaide for nearly five years.

Korean Air appoints Cambodia country manager

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Korean Air has named Hoyeon (Chris) Chang as country manager for Cambodia.

Having been with the SkyTeam Alliance carrier for 17 years, Chang will move to Phnom Penh for his new role. He was previously based at the airline’s headquarters in Seoul where he was in charge of marketing for Europe and South-east Asia.

Rajesh Chakraborty helms as GM of Taj Hotel and Convention Centre Agra

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Taj Hotel and Convention Centre Agra has named Rajesh Chakraborty as its new general manager.

With over 26 years of dedicated service within the Indian Hotels Company Limited, Chakraborty has held pivotal positions across various hotels in India and internationally, with his most recent title as general manager of Vivanta By Taj Aurangabad Maharashtra.

In his new role, he will leverage his extensive experience to further enhance guest experiences and elevate the hotel’s reputation.

Ascott makes key appointments to South-east Asia leadership team

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The Ascott Limited has appointed David Cumming as regional general manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, and Kanit Sangmookda as country general manager for Thailand and Laos.

Cumming will oversee a portfolio of over 40 properties, where more than half are slated to open over the next three years. He joins Ascott with over two decades of global hospitality industry experience across the UK, Egypt, the UAE, Oman, and most recently Thailand.

As for Sangmookda, he will manage a portfolio of over 30 properties where over a third are expected to open over the next three years. With over two decades of experience in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, he brings with him strong operational and commercial expertise from the past management of large hotel portfolios under leading hotel chains such as Marriott International, Minor Hotels and the former Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Stakeholders propose the formation of a carbon-related international organisation

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Panellists tossed around ideas how implementing innovative sustainability practices and solutions

During the session titled Technology-enabled Sustainability Practices in Venue Operations at the 62nd ICCA Congress in Bangkok last week, speakers passionately advocated for the establishment of an international organisation entrusted with the critical task of crafting universally-recognised standards for targets and measurements related to carbon neutrality.

Chua Wee Phong, group CEO of Constellar Venues, asserted that the creation of such an organisation is pivotal for the industry’s evolution. He emphasised that by delineating standardised benchmarks and measurement methodologies, this organisation would seamlessly guide the implementation of robust environmental practices.

Panellists tossed around ideas on how to implement innovative sustainability practices and solutions

Chua believes that a standardised framework is essential for fostering a collective commitment among event organisers to reduce carbon footprints. Such standardisation, he argued, is integral to advancing the shared industry-wide goal of mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

Jon Bruno, the executive director of The International Ecotourism Society, asserted that the path to sustainability does not lie in the establishment of a singular, rigid metric. Instead, he advocated for the development of an evolving metric, a dynamic tool capable of adapting to the diverse contexts of different destinations.

According to Bruno, it is not merely about setting a benchmark, but about designing a flexible metric language that accommodates the unique characteristics and challenges of various locations. This adaptability, he contended, is key to ensuring that the standards set are not only effective but also practical and applicable across the global landscape of events.

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