Abu Dhabi takes over ICCA Congress baton for 2024

November 18, 2023

As Thailand rounds up its role as hospitable host for the 62^nd ICCA Congress on November 15, 2023, Abu Dhabi steps in to begin its welcome for the next edition, set for October 20 to 23, 2024.

The destination in the United Arab Emirates was first announced host of the 63^rd ICCA Congress this August, beating several other “extraordinary bids of the very highest standard”, according to a statement by the ICCA Board.

(From left) ICCA’s Senthil Gopinath and Marta Gomes, and Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s Mubarak Al Shamsi

The next congress will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and with the support of the Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition Bureau.

Addressing the ICCA community during the closing presentations last Wednesday, Mubarak Al Shamsi, director at the Abu Dhabi Convention & Exhibition, said: “Abu Dhabi has long been driven by the vision of being a hub for governance. As we make progress in our MICE sector, we provide world-class venues and facilities. More and more we understand the value of business events and their potential as a catalyst for economic growth.”

Mubarak said the business environment in Abu Dhabi is conducive for ideation and knowledge exchange. The destination’s appeal is reflected in its record of hosting more than 1,200 business events in 2022.

While programme details of the next congress have yet to come, ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath told TTGmice that the transformed content approach taken by this year’s edition, which reflects engagement, diversity and inclusion, will carry into the coming years.

Gopinath, along with Marta Gomes, president of ICCA Board, said “ICCA is truly becoming stronger than ever”.

According to Gopinath, discussions about content are already underway.

He said: “Just as how the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau had contributed very well to our content this year, by way of connecting top quality speakers with us, Abu Dhabi will also be a big part of our content design process.”

In the August statement on Abu Dhabi’s host city status, ICCA said the 63^rd ICCA Congress will contribute significantly to Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030, which sets out a clear strategy around sustainability, education, and career growth – the same areas of focus that young meetings professionals are passionate about.

The Arinex Group welcomes first chief revenue officer

By TTGmice

November 17, 2023

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The Arinex Group has appointed event technology expert Joe Ciliberto as its new chief revenue officer, a newly-created role.

Ciliberto will lead the continued growth of the full range of products and services that The Arinex Group will offer clients. This includes leading the rollout of the new Arinex event management platform, which has a new, revamped model that will be ready in early 2024.

Ciliberto joins The Arinex Group from EventsAir where he was global director for sales and marketing for five years, before taking on the chief revenue officer role in 2022.

Panglao to get new resort with event capability

By TTGmice

November 17, 2023

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Radisson Hotel Group and Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts have signed on the development of a 558-key hotel that will come with convention facilities and more.

Set to open in 2025, the new-build Crown Regency Grand Paradise Resort Bohol will span 2.9 hectares and command a serene lakeside setting, close to several stunning sandy beaches.

Crown Regency Grand Paradise Resort Bohol will open in 2025

With a large inventory of accommodation and extensive facilities, including a convention centre for 1,500 people, a ballroom and three smaller meeting rooms, the resort is expected to support the destination’s future growth in corporate events and international group segments.

Ramzy Fenianos, chief development officer, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are excited to sign this exceptional resort, which marks another important milestone in our expansion strategy in the Philippines. Panglao is a market with rich potential and holds an abundance of beach island destinations.

“Partnering with a renowned local developer like Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts is certainly a strong vote of confidence in our brands and this landmark project will contribute to the development of the island’s tourism sector as we continue to introduce market-relevant brands to support owners and developers.”

Susan Bernado, COO, Crown Regency Hotels & Resorts, added: “Radisson Hotel Group’s white-label opportunity allows us to retain the resort’s distinct local personality while also tapping into its strong global network and distribution to elevate our international presence.”

Seoul’s Coex strides towards a more eco-friendly future

By Anne Somanas

November 17, 2023

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Coex-AV-DROP-board-meeting — Coex's AV-DROP modular event backdrop system being used

Seoul’s Coex exhibition centre has launched the Good Plan, a sustainable event service brand that debuted at its open house event in August.

Solutions include fully reusable structures like the Coex AV-DROP modular system with aluminium frames and upcycled fabrics; the VOMO Smart modular lightweight exhibition wall system with a honeycomb core made of 100 per cent recycled waste paper; and the OSRAM LED lightbox system featuring efficient LED solutions to illuminate booth displays and walls.

Coex’s AV-DROP modular event backdrop system being used

The AV-DROP modular event backdrop system has already gained traction with 160 events served since its introduction two years ago, including the AWS Summit Seoul in May 2023 under Coex’s partnership with Amazon Web Services Korea to put on a sustainable event.

“With initiatives like the Net Zero Carbon Events by 2050 commitment driving major players in the industry, being green and sustainable has been never more essential for our business as a venue operator. Our vision is to lead the way in sustainable event production by investing directly in eco-friendly event systems,” shared Steven Kim, executive director of Coex.

Coex is undergoing significant developments, including the December 2023 launch of The Platz, a 2,224m² venue. In October 2024, Coex Magok Lewest, Seoul’s largest MICE complex, boasting a 7,452m² exhibition hall and hotel, will open.

Coex, which is also a professional venue management and exhibition company, will manage and operate Coex Magok Lewest for 10 years.

Royal Caribbrean welcomes new APAC sales director

By TTGmice

November 16, 2023

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Royal Caribbean has appointed Diane Chiang as its new sales director for Asia-Pacific.

Having joined the organisation in 2007, she has played a pivotal role in collaborating with local government authorities as well as Royal Caribbean’s global operations team to plan and execute the safe resumption of cruise operations in Singapore.

In her new position, Chiang will lead the sales team to drive growth of Royal Caribbean’s business not only in Singapore but across the entire region.

Industry leaders embrace mistakes as pathways to growth

By Rachel AJ Lee

November 16, 2023

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Mistakes_panel-ICCA-Congress — From left: Destinations International's Jane Cunningham was the moderator; and speakers were Cartagena De Indias Convention Center's Diana Rodriguez; Kenes Group's Ori Lahav; ICC World Chamber of Commerce's Stephanie Vielledent; and Destination DC's Melissa Riley

Mistakes hold invaluable potential as stepping stones towards progress and learning, especially in a landscape as diverse and dynamic as the global business community, discussed industry leaders at The Power of Mistakes: Everybody Makes Them, Everybody Can Learn From Them session at the ICCA Congress 2023 in Bangkok earlier this week.

Stephanie Vielledent, head of chamber relations at ICC World Chamber of Commerce, shed light on the fallacy of assumptions in international collaborations. She recounted instances where assumed understanding led to discrepancies in expectations with PCOs and delegates when organising events.

From left: Destinations International’s Jane Cunningham was the moderator; while the speakers were Cartagena De Indias Convention Center’s Diana Rodriguez; Kenes Group’s Ori Lahav; ICC World Chamber of Commerce’s Stephanie Vielledent; and Destination DC’s Melissa Riley

On bidding for events, Diana Rodriguez, general manager of Cartagena De Indias Convention Center, shared about a failed ICCA Congress bid in 2017, and how the team learnt from it.

“We lost the bid in 2017, but we won it in 2020 after getting (and working on) feedback from board members. We also shared the feedback with the rest of the team, documented it, and made many other changes before another bid.

“This industry is about connections, people, and trust, and (at the failed bid), not everyone was there. But during our successful bid, the team was physically present, they were clear about what the value proposition was, and each member had an important part to play,” she said.

The conversation then encompassed global perspectives from Melissa Riley, senior vice president of convention sales and services at Destination DC. Drawing from international encounters, Riley underlined the significance of cultural awareness in business. Mistakes stemming from cultural misinterpretations, even in seemingly trivial matters, can lead to profound repercussions.

She related how KFC’s market share is larger than McDonalds’ in China, because when both fast food chains entered the market, fried chicken was more universal than hamburgers at that time. This propelled KFC to become more recognisable, while McDonalds had to adapt its menu to market tastes.

Similarly, understanding the small nuances of different cultures is a pivotal element in fostering success, Riley posited, especially in a landscape as dynamic as the global business community.

Ori Lahav, CEO of Kenes Group, contributed a perspective on leadership, and the significance of acknowledging mistakes. He emphasised that leaders should set an example by not avoiding conflict and providing honest feedback, to cultivate a working culture that values mistakes as learning opportunities.

Sarawak becomes Seed Grant Contributor, advocates legacy impact at ICCA Congress

By TTGmice

November 15, 2023

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Sarawak-delegation-and-ICCA-decision-makers — Sarawak delegation standing alongside ICCA decision makers

At the recently-concluded ICCA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) revealed that Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) has become the exclusive Seed Grant Contributor for the first legacy impact certification programme – Association Impact Masterclass.

The Association Impact Masterclass is co-created by ICCA, GainingEdge and Meet4Impact. ICCA’s goal is to elevate the business events standards and make it inclusive for everyone, from juniors to leaders, to become world-class professionals. The Association Impact Masterclass will also empower the industry to maximise all opportunities in business events by having professional training aligned with ICCASkills Certification.

Sarawak delegation standing alongside the ICCA team at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center

Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, said: “Being the exclusive contributor will help us to position Sarawak better. However, what is important is growing the human capital with highly qualified legacy impact association members. ICCA has been supporting our efforts to change the narrative of business events for the past six years. Our long-term collaboration is with associations who are vital stakeholders with a pivotal role in developing our key economic sectors in Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.”

More details on the Association Impact Masterclass will be revealed at IBTM World in Barcelona this November.

During the ICCA Congress, Sarawak also stepped out of the delegate role and joined as key speakers for the first time.

The delegation was led by Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts Sarawak, who spoke at a session entitled Igniting Destination Growth in Unleashing the Power of Association Meetings. During the session, leaders and stakeholders dove into the business events industry’s pivotal role in driving change, and shared strategies for the industry to successfully interact with senior officials.

“What you will see from business events is one of the highest levels of advocacy and awareness of critical topics. And when there is advocacy, there is awareness. You will build support from those who believe in what you are trying to do,” said Abdul. “Sarawak and ICCA are advocating for the same thing – legacy impact.”

Deputy state secretary in the Department of the Premier of Sarawak and BESarawak’s deputy chairman, Hii Chang Kee, was also the lead speaker for the exclusive CEO of the Future workshop. The workshop was designed for C-suite and senior leaders to do a deep dive into critical topics facing the industry and elevate their leadership to meet future challenges.

“Unprecedented challenges have taught the industry that leaders need to have a long-term vision or risk falling behind,” expressed Hii. “While we focus on immediate progress and results, we need a balanced approach by thinking further into the future that can sustain success and resilience in today’s highly competitive business space. It will inspire innovation, accelerate growth and enable the industry to stand out in their respective regions. It may seem farfetched to strategise the next 10 or 200 years but it is necessary for sustainable growth.”

Other partners who joined the Sarawak delegation include the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching led by CEO, Eric Van Piggelen, and Sarawak Trade & Tourism Office Singapore led by CEO, Chew Chang Guan.

On November 12, 2023, at the ICCA Asia Pacific Chapter Meeting, Sarawak was also awarded the Certificate of Achievement in recognition of Sarawak’s contribution to the global business events industry.

APAC shines brightly for association meetings

By Marissa Carruthers

November 15, 2023

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Conference organisers across the globe are increasingly eyeing Asia-Pacific as a key destination for events, as the region continues to develop at a rapid pace.

Speaking at The Asia Pacific Meetings Industry Journey in the Global Arena session on November 13, 2023, Dee Dee Quah, director of Medical Conference Partners, said in the last decade, the region has grown economically, with huge investment pumped into infrastructure. Currently, 300 convention centres are under construction regionwide.

The panel discussed how strong economic performance and infrastructure boom in Asia-Pacific are raising the region’s appeal

Gareth Martin, CEO, Business Events Perth, added: “It’s the fastest growth opportunity for civic chapters and membership in international associations. This provides a wonderful opportunity for business events in the region.”

Robin Mack, executive general manager of commercial and business events Australia at Tourism Australia, said it is essential that destinations have the tools associations seek, such as accommodation, top-class business facilities, and service delivery.

However, more is needed to stand out. In 2018, Tourism Australia launched the Bid Fund Program to deliver conversion of business for Australia in situations where the destination bids against international competitors. Since then, Australia has won 118 bids, adding AS$873 million (US$556.8 million) to the visitor economy.

Quah recommended that international associations looking to hold a conference in Asia-Pacific engage with local associations or their local chapter, as well as local organisers to help make the process “a lot less painful”, especially as timeframes shorten.

“The times are getting shorter and shorter, so we need to start planning earlier. Then, when you start throwing in things like sustainability, we really need to get ahead of the ball,” she said.

Shibo Jiang, conference secretary of the International Joint Conferences on AI Organisation, said another key element when searching for a destination is the political landscape.

“We plan years in advance and we don’t know what a country will be like in five years, so we always prefer to choose a stable country,” he explained.

Adelaide makes great impression as Dreamtime city

By Adelaine Ng

November 15, 2023

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Adelaide_Convention_Bureau_CEO_Damien_Kitto_takes_the_ball_as_Dreamtime_delegates_walk_onto_the_Adelaide_Oval_for_breakfast — Adelaide_Convention_Bureau's Damien Kitto taking the ball as Dreamtime delegates walk onto the Adelaide Oval for breakfast

Adelaide has made the most of its opportunity to showcase its finest to international incentive planners as the host city for Dreamtime, Tourism Australia’s premier incentives event.

About 80 international buyers experienced some of the boutique city’s show-stopping events, including breakfast on the Adelaide Oval with a tunnel walk through to the field, fireworks and a choir singing from the roof.

Adelaide Convention Bureau’s Damien Kitto taking the ball as Dreamtime delegates walk onto the Adelaide Oval for breakfast

This comes as it works to rebuild relationships with planners in an ultra-competitive incentives industry post-lockdown.

“The incentives market is starting to build up and we’re seeing more interest in Adelaide, so hopefully we’re showing rather than just telling people what we can do here at Dreamtime,” Adelaide Convention Bureau’s general manager for strategy and public affairs, Tony Saulters, told TTGmice.

Of the international hosted buyers, 23 hailed from China, 10 from India, 11 from New Zealand, while the remainder came from other parts of Asia, as well as North America and UK.

Hosted buyers had a day to experience some of the city’s incentive offerings, including wine tastings in the Barossa Valley, and a tour of the iconic d’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale.

Media members also experienced what was gastronomically possible in Adelaide with an innovative degustation of local ingredients and flavours at Restaurant Botanic in Adelaide Botanic Garden, awarded Australia’s Restaurant of the Year 2022.

Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of commercial & Business Events Australia, Robin Mack, said it was timely for Adelaide to shine.

“The last time Dreamtime was hosted in Adelaide was in 2015,” said Mack. “So much has happened since that time around the country, but none more so than in Adelaide.”

Fresh infrastructure additions include the Sofitel Adelaide, Adelaide Oval Hotel and Eos by SkyCity, and soon-to-launch Adelaide’s first Marriott Hotel.

Visiting Australia for the first time from China, Bravolinks Integrated Marketing’s executive general manager, marketing and strategic cooperation department, Jessica Zhang, said Dreamtime in Adelaide exceeded her expectations.

“I know that events organised by Australia are of a very high standard but Dreamtime was really good. The highlight for me was the choir singing from the Adelaide Oval roof, which I thought was very imaginative and would be an emotional experience for my incentive clients,” she said.

International hosted buyers also spent three days on extended familiarisations to other destinations around Australia to get a fuller taste of the country’s incentive destination offerings.

Bahrain experiences a big glow-up

By Karen Yue

November 15, 2023

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Nasser_Qaedi_640 — Nasser: Bahrain is developing at an aggressive pace

Bahrain has been transforming itself as a destination for meetings and events, with the opening of what is said to be the Middle East’s largest exhibition centre, and the ongoing development of a tourism and events infrastructure cluster.

Nasser Qaedi, CEO of Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority, told TTGmice that the destination in the Gulf is building its business events dreams from a position of strength.

Nasser: Bahrain is developing at an aggressive pace

“Bahrain has historically been a very important epicentre of business and trade activities in the Middle East, and we have a long-standing civilisation of over 5,000 years old. We have positioned ourselves as a melting pot of different cultures, activities and trade, while translating our heritage, history and affluence into a modern setting of development,” said Nasser.

These advantages are bolstered by various hardware investments. Exhibition World Bahrain, managed by ASM Global and a subsidiary of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority, boasts 95,000m² of exhibition space, 94 meeting rooms, a Grand Hall with 4,000-seat capacity, and more, is expected to attract “any type of events globally”.

Exhibition World Bahrain is next to a Formula One circuit and a purpose-built amphitheatre.

“Hopefully next year we will break ground on the new sports city, which will be part of that huge cluster. Bahrain will be one of the few places in the world where you have world-class facilities clustered together, and is ready and willing to host global events,” he added.

The destination has also launched seven new hotels over the past year, and 15 more are expected to open in the next eight to 12 months. All are four- or five-star brands like Conrad and Marriott.

Air accessibility is improving as well. National carrier Gulf Air will commence flights to China’s Shanghai and Guangzhou, and more direct flights will come as Bahrain partners with more airlines.

Nasser said Bahrain is attracting an increasing number of meetings as destination brand awareness grows. Associations will appreciate Bahrain’s compact size, which “means that things can be done quickly”, the newness of its events and hospitality infrastructure, affordability relative to other modern cities, and the tourism authority’s commitment to supporting inbound meetings.

Abu Dhabi takes over ICCA Congress baton for 2024

The Arinex Group welcomes first chief revenue officer

Panglao to get new resort with event capability

Seoul’s Coex strides towards a more eco-friendly future

Royal Caribbrean welcomes new APAC sales director

Industry leaders embrace mistakes as pathways to growth

Sarawak becomes Seed Grant Contributor, advocates legacy impact at ICCA Congress

APAC shines brightly for association meetings

Adelaide makes great impression as Dreamtime city

Bahrain experiences a big glow-up

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