Cairns Convention Centre has launched a new virtual tour experience that enables clients to experience its expansion from anywhere in the world.
The website platform allows clients to select the spaces they want to explore and move through the Cairns Convention Centre by selecting their own path, giving users a complete interactive experience.
Cairns Convention Centre’s exterior
The headset video gives an overview of the Centre’s main spaces and the offerings within the region.
The venue’s general manager, Janet Hamilton, said the new tool will showcase the stunning spaces within the new expansion and highlight the incredible views delegates will experience.
“We want to showcase our Centre in person to as many clients as possible, but that is not always possible. The interactive virtual tours allow clients to become immersed in the spaces within the Centre by using (virtual reality) headsets or jumping onto our website.”
“We can use headsets at tradeshows or clients can experience the Centre in their own time through the website tool,” Hamilton said.
The virtual tours were made possible by the support of Tourism Australia via its Business Events Advance Program which partners with industry on activity that aims to increase the number and value of international business events for Australia.
“We are grateful for the support from Tourism Australia on this project, and we look forward to providing more opportunities to showcase Australian business events opportunities and bring more events and delegates to Cairns,” added Hamilton.
Event brief
A key focus for IFES is the advancement of the industry and continuous development within the association.
“In addition to the content component, an essential part of this annual Summit is the opportunity for IFES members, potential partners and exhibitors from different countries to make contacts and find partners. Incorporating all the suggestions received will take IFES forward into the next 12 months with renewed impetus,” said IFES president Philippe Beille.
Themed Expanding Horizons, the programme comprised the annual general meeting, plenary presentations, breakout sessions, networking and social activities.
Event highlights
“Participants gained a deeper understanding of Asian markets, were inspired by the next generation, galvanised to bring sustainability into all exhibition and event-related business activities, and motivated to incorporate the metaverse, ChatGPT, augmented reality and omni-channel strategy into the exhibitions and events industry,” said IFES executive director Uta Goretzky.
Topics included the state of the Asian exhibition industry after Covid-19; understanding Asian consumers and cultures; and individual country spotlights on Australia, China, India and Singapore/South-east Asia.
Recognising that the younger generation will take the industry forward, IFES ran a campaign targeting them, such that over one-third of this year’s attendees were aged below 35. The newest members were also invited to share the challenges of working abroad, the values most important to them as association members, and contribute ideas they would like implemented.
The IFES talent team suggested ways to inspire and engage young professionals in the workplace.
On technological innovation, speakers explained how generative AI boosts productivity and sparks creativity, and when combined with the metaverse and AR, can enhance face-to-face events to meet the evolving needs of today’s B2B buyers.
The early-morning run/walk around Marina Bay drew some 100 delegates. Moreover, 30 members stayed an extra day for the Green Singapore Tourist Program to experience nature in north-eastern Singapore, biking through coastal forest and clearing plastic waste along the coast of Coney Island and Punggol waterways.
Challenges
While sustainability featured in presentations and panel discussions, it also posed a challenge: putting principles into practice. IFES made a conscious decision to be as sustainable as possible. Hence, accommodation and most events were concentrated at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay to avoid shuttling around.
The main convention area also featured reusable pull-up banners and LED back walls, instead of custom-made set pieces; while an event app replaced printed documents. Participants even walked to the Dinner in White – one of the event highlights – at Empress restaurant at the Asian Civilisations Museum one kilometre away.
The cost was a major concern, and organisers wondered how many international delegates would attend the longhaul, more-costly summit. However, the 2023 event became IFES’ first-ever completely sold-out Summit, with high-level delegates attending from around the world.
“We saved costs by locking in the venue and block-booking accommodation early. Aside from Kingsmen who acted on our behalf on the ground in Singapore, 22 other IFES members sponsored lunches, dinners, coffee breaks, photography services, compering and other essentials,” Goretzky shared.
Local suppliers were used for sponsored goodie bags and contents. The summit also received financial support under Singapore Tourism Board’s Business Events in Singapore scheme.
Sarah Chew, executive director at Kingsmen Exhibits, said with the company being an IFES member for almost 20 years, and the only Asian-based Board member located in Singapore, she worked closely with the IFES management team and board members to organise the summit.
She elaborated: “Our contribution included providing local knowledge and ground support, such as venue and accommodation sourcing, connection with local industry stakeholders, content and speakers’ line-up, curating the F&B experience, summit logistics and set-up, and hosting the delegates’ visit to Kingsmen Experience at Changi Business Park.”
Event IFES World Summit 2023 Organiser International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services Venue Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore Dates June 20-24, 2023 Attendance More than 180 pax
The Star Brisbane has announced it is now welcoming bookings for its state-of-the-art Event Centre, slated to welcome its first guests from April 2024.
Located at the heart of Brisbane’s A$3.6 billion (US$2.3 billion) Queen’s Wharf precinct, the expansive 3,500m2 Event Centre is anchored by Brisbane’s largest hotel ballroom. The pillarless ballroom, designed by Hassell and taking inspiration from Queensland’s subtropical landscape, has the capacity to host up to 2,000 guests, and can be split into five separate serviceable ballroom spaces.
A rendering of The Star Brisbane Event Centre
Kelvin Dodt, chief operating officer at The Star Brisbane, said the Event Centre will significantly bolster the region’s destination appeal ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Dodt said: “In designing this high-spec Event Centre, we’ve kept variety and flexibility front of mind, creating a series of transformational spaces to cater to events of all shapes and sizes. Whether you require a sit-down gala dinner for 1,400 guests, a 1,800-person cocktail soirée or a product launch, exhibition or tradeshow, the Event Centre at The Star Brisbane inspires big ideas and bold concepts and heralds a thrilling new era for events in Queensland.”
Event attendees will be greeted by a striking central glass atrium, and floor-to-ceiling windows which frame the Brisbane City skyline. There is also an outdoor terrace – which perfectly offers views across the city to the Story Bridge – for pre and post-event functions.
Six additional breakout rooms, a business centre and a conference secretariat round up the facilities. The Event Centre complements a range of unique event and entertainment spaces within The Star Brisbane and the broader 12-hectare Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct, including the signature showpiece Sky Deck, Brisbane’s verandah over the city.
Featuring a 250m rooftop runway of restaurants and bars floating 100m above the Brisbane River, Sky Deck will be where locals and visitors can meet and mingle, book private functions, or soak up 360-degree views.
The 12,000m2 open-air Leisure Deck also offers more event and entertainment opportunities and the equivalent of two football fields of mixed-use space. The Star Brisbane Event Centre will be serviced by four future luxury hotels including The Star’s signature five-star hotel, The Star Grand Brisbane, and connects via pedestrian link to Brisbane’s South Bank cultural precinct and the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Grand Hyatt Jakarta has appointed Adrian Hauenstein as executive chef, and he will be responsible for six restaurants and one bar, as well as the banquet kitchen and the Grand Club lounge.
Prior to his move to Jakarta, Hauenstein was executive chef at Alila Villas Uluwatu.
Hauenstein’s illustrious career has taken him to many properties around the world. In 2013, he was executive sous chef at Ayada Maldives, before he moved to Park Hotel Winterthur in Switzerland in 2014 as executive chef.
The Swiss chef then moved to South-east Asia in 2015, and spent a stint as executive chef at The Shop restaurants in Phnom Penh before moving to Santiburi Koh Samui Resort from 2017 to 2019 in the same capacity. In 2020, he moved to Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has appointed Nils-Arne Schroeder as the senior vice president of operations for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.
In his new role, he will be responsible for the operational performance of 18 hotels across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East as well as lead the expansion of the Fairmont portfolio across gateway cities with the debut of hotels such as Fairmont Dubai Skyline, Fairmont Shimla Fagu, Fairmont Udaipur, Fairmont Mumbai Sahar and Fairmont Agra.
With a wealth of experience in luxury hospitality which spans over three decades, he has held leadership roles in commercial, hotel operations and luxury brand management across five countries in three continents including the UAE, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
He joins Fairmont Hotels & Resorts from his position as vice president, luxury brands at Hilton, Asia-Pacific.
Ayana Komodo Waecicu Beach has named Dermot Birchall as its new general manager.
In his new role, he will work with the team to elevate the hotel’s reputation in Indonesia, as well as spearhead sustainability efforts in Labuan Bajo.
He has over 25 years’ experience in luxury hospitality, and was most recently general manager at Barcelo Mussanah Resort in Muscat, Oman.
Traditionally perceived as a honeymoon destination, the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) has been hard at work for the last three years in pushing to show the world that island nation is also suitable for business events with a touch of leisure.
That is why Redefining MICE, Maldives’ global business events campaign launched in 2021, did not focus on merely event venues. Instead, it also played up Maldives’ natural beauty and activities, such as snorkelling with manta rays, to demonstrate the breadth of possible event ideas that offer planners a seamless transition between work and play.
Soneva Jani
“Redefining MICE has helped to raise awareness about MICE in the Maldives. Crossroads Maldives (an integrated entertainment destination developed and operated by S Hotels and Resorts) and other resorts with MICE facilities have enjoyed an increase in events since 2022,” Crossroads Maldives’ cluster director of sales & marketing, David Arul Pragasam, told TTGmice.
He is “confident that this positive trend will continue”, evident as “plenty of enquiries and quotes are being provided for 2024 and 2025”.
CEO of Soneva, Sonu Shivdasani, has also observed a growing interest among corporate clients for its two properties in the Maldives – Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.
He said: “We have seen a healthy surge of 40 to 50 per cent in enquiries and bookings specifically related to MICE from shorthaul markets such as Singapore, India and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), and look forward to watching the segment grow further.”
Soneva is no stranger to large-scale events, as it runs JLF Soneva Fushi, a 10-day festival celebrating literature, art, culture and live performances.
“While this does not fall under MICE, events like these provide us with invaluable experience in hosting large-scale gatherings. The insights and expertise from efficiently managing logistics and delivering exceptional hospitality… strengthen our ability to handle large MICE groups effectively,” Shivdasani remarked.
Helen Bolton, director of sales and marketing, Mihiri Island Resort, is also seeing incentive requests filtering through to her property. She has put together targeted marketing plans to encourage island buyouts during the low season between May and October.
“Traditionally, our markets are Germany, Austria and Switzerland. But this year, we’re really focusing on Asia-Pacific, such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand,” Bolton shared.
An outdoor gala dinner at Crossroads Maldives
Shivdasani added: “During the low season, we focus on attracting MICE-related business. We have designed three- to five-night packages that combine business and leisure, which includes F&B, wellness programmes, and excursions to showcase Maldives’ natural beauty.”
Suresh Dissanayake, assistant vice president – sales & marketing at Heritance Aarah & Adaaran Resorts, is similarly targeting Asia-Pacific groups and events.
“People may not travel all the way from Europe to Maldives for a conference. We’re focused on South-east Asia, where there are direct flights within a four- to five-hour radius, making it convenient for them to fly to the Maldives for a corporate event, and have leisure time,” he elaborated.
To get the word out, Dissanayake actively participates in tradeshows such as IMEX Frankfurt.
“It’s a big investment for us but we have to look at the long run. Companies don’t decide immediately whether they will hold an event in the Maldives, it usually takes six months. But we are patient, and I plan to grow the MICE segment,” he shared.
Crossroads Maldives has also joined forces with MMPRC to participate in key tradeshows like IMEX and ITB Asia, and uses business events lead generation tools such as 1000Meetings, Cvent and Meeting Broker.
“Having a strong presence at major tradeshows is crucial,” Shivdasani stressed.
But for the Maldives to establish itself as a recognised business events destination, Shivdasani said government support is vital.
He added: “It is also necessary to collaborate with renowned MICE associations like ICCA and MPI (Meeting Professionals International), as well as professional MICE chapters, DMCs, and event management companies. These collaborations can provide valuable expertise, resources, and networks that cater specifically to the needs of business events.”
Two Muslim women visiting temples in Bangkok, Thailand
Asia is becoming an increasingly dynamic and highly-desired destination for corporate clients from predominantly Muslim countries, especially for those seeking short and medium-haul destinations.
The growing interest in Asia for incentive travel also lies in air accessibility and favourable ground costs, as companies are still recovering from the pandemic.
Two Muslim women visiting temples in Bangkok, Thailand
Destination management companies specialising in incentive travel for Muslims said they often find it easy to accommodate the unique faith-based needs of their clients in Asia.
The absence of halal food, especially in secondary destinations with limited or no Muslim populations, does not present a hindrance when selecting a destination for an incentive travel programme.
Humaid Al Mujaini, general manager of Tourism at Golden Tours Oman, elaborated that he relies on his local partners to proactively address the group’s dietary requirements.
He added that the destination’s immediate provision of halal or Muslim-friendly cuisine is not a mandatory requirement when corporates, and small or medium-sized enterprises, select an Asian location for their incentive programmes. Instead, greater importance is placed on factors such as health and safety, hotel amenities, and the attractions available in the chosen destination. He also noted that Omanis are particularly drawn to destinations such as Thailand that offer a wealth of natural beauty and cultural experiences.
Meanwhile, Rezaul Ekram, CEO of Entourage Tours based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, expressed that although a significant number of Bangladeshis practice moderate Islam where most abstain from consuming pork, his corporate clients are generally not rigid about establishments having halal certification.
He stressed that the significance of the halal aspect often takes a back seat, when compared to visa challenges for example, particularly in destinations like Hong Kong and Taiwan, where visa approval times can be protracted.
Post-lockdown, Ekram has observed an increased interest in Thailand for incentive travel due to the Kingdom’s affordability, diverse attractions and the widespread availability of Indian restaurants serving halal food.
Adam Kamal, director, Suka Travel & Tours based in Malaysia shared that in destinations where it is difficult to get halal restaurants for groups such as Danang and Dalat in Vietnam, special catering arrangements will be made in advance.
Destinations like Hong Kong also pose catering challenges, Kamal stated, but these destinations are popular with the Muslim market from Malaysia as they have much to offer in terms of shopping and sightseeing. And with the weakened ringgit, Asia offers more value-for-money experiences as compared to longhaul destinations.
The 2025 UFI AP Conference will take place after AIME; Melbourne pictured
Flight bookings between Asia and Australia soared in the previous quarter when compared to 2022, according to new statistics released by FCM, the flagship large market corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group
Figures showed that bookings between July 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, versus the same time last year between China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia took off by a whopping 83 per cent – a near doubling of demand between the two continents.
Train departing Flinders St Station with Federation Square and Melbourne city skyline in the background
According to the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the trade interests are inextricably linked. Australia’s two-way trade with South-east Asia is greater than their trade with Japan or the US, passing A$178 billion (US$113 billion) in 2022.
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are also in Australia’s top 15 trading partners for 2022. In any match-up of economic complementarity with growth potential, the greatest trade, and economic opportunities for Australia over the next 30 years lie in the South-east Asian region.
Bertrand Saillet, FCM managing director for Asia, said: “It’s no coincidence that the growth in the number of bookings coincides with airline capacity coming back and more seats being offered. Singapore Airlines and Qantas have swapped out smaller aircraft for A380s to key cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.”
“Another trend that we’re seeing is corporate travellers extending their longhaul stay to take advantage of holiday destinations and Australia is the perfect place to do this.
“Meetings, events, and conferences have also come back strong in the last three months and that’s reflected in these increased booking numbers. Businesses are valuing face-to-face meetings now more than ever as the euphoria of Zoom and Teams fades away in favour of in-person occasions.”
The Rocks and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo credit: Destination NSW
Business Events Sydney (BESydney) has unveiled its new Change Starts Here strategic agenda, aimed at sharing the depth of possibilities for powerful global change when hosting business events in Sydney.
After years of research demonstrating the knowledge and economic value of business events above and beyond tourism direct expenditure, BESydney is expanding its research programme to include Social Impacts. The programme is designed to co-create and then measure the social impact or legacy of business events held in Sydney – from environmental changes, government legislation, delegate development to health improvements.
The Rocks and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo credit: Destination NSW
The Change Starts Here programme highlights the changemakers and industries in Sydney that have the power to influence global change for good in Health & Life Science, Technology & Innovation, Finance & Professional Services, and will extend to Science & Engineering and Defence & Aerospace.
For Associations and corporations in these sectors, a new suite of downloadable eBooks puts a spotlight on Sydney’s credentials and the opportunities that exist by hosting business events in Sydney. More information is also available in a new video series and website content.
BESydney’s CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said: “Business events are a powerful platform for tackling and solving the difficult problems in our world through the exchange of knowledge and ideas, the pooling of resources and solutions that come from collaboration between a diverse range of global participants.
“BESydney wants to be part of the solution and we know that Sydney offers a unique environment that is welcoming, inclusive, safe, sustainably focused and delivers solutions through innovation.”
BESydney’s social impact programme behind this strategy has already enjoyed early recognition by taking the inaugural Global Destination Sustainability Movement Impact Award for destination management organisations committed to legacy and impact through business events in October 2023.
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With a wealth of experience in luxury hospitality which spans over three decades, he has held leadership roles in commercial, hotel operations and luxury brand management across five countries in three continents including the UAE, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
He has over 25 years’ experience in luxury hospitality, and was most recently general manager at Barcelo Mussanah Resort in Muscat, Oman.
