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.
Members of Adelaide Convention Centre's Sustainability Management Committee and Green Team celebrate achieving EarthCheck Master status
Adelaide Convention Centre has become the world’s first convention centre to secure EarthCheck’s coveted Master status – a 15-year commitment to best practices in business and environmental sustainability.
EarthCheck is the world’s leading business advisory group specialising in sustainability and destination management for the travel and tourism industry. Adelaide Convention Centre has actively participated in the global EarthCheck programme since 2007, consistently performing at above best practices in several key areas of social and environmental actions.
Members of Adelaide Convention Centre’s Sustainability Management Committee and Green Team celebrate achieving EarthCheck Master status
The venue’s 2022/2023 EarthCheck audit highlights included:
Adelaide Convention Centre achieved a greater than 99 per cent diversion from landfill rate, the highest recorded rate of any convention centre in Australia;
Adelaide Convention Centre’s average Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions are 72 per cent lower than the Australian convention centre average, and more significantly, 60 per cent lower than the next best-recorded competitor within the Australian region; and,
Adelaide Convention Centre’s average potable water consumption was measured at 73 per cent lower than the Australian convention centre regional average, and 47per cent lower than all other recorded convention centres in Australia.
The venue also recently installed Adelaide’s first WasteMaster – an innovative on-site food and organic waste recycling system, which converts food waste to high-value uses, including energy production, fertiliser and compost. Since the WasteMaster’s May 2023 installation, it has processed more than 43 tonnes of organic waste and produced more than 15 tonnes of nutrient-rich fertiliser.
Adelaide Convention Centre also operates a comprehensive food redistribution programme, which has seen the venue donate more than 200,000 unused meals to support local community organisations OzHarvest, Foodbank and Faithworks.
Adelaide Convention Centre’s sustainability efforts extend to supporting local producers, with 97 per cent of produce sourced from South Australian suppliers. Partnerships with local First Nations producers to plant, grow and supply native ingredients specifically for the venue’s Honest Goodness menu have also been cultivated.
Since 2018, the Adelaide Convention Centre’s energy consumption has been reduced by more than 40 per cent, thanks to a variety of different activities, including a staged transition to LED lighting. Currently, 70 per cent of lighting fixtures across the venue are LED, with a target to achieve 100% LED lighting by 2027.
Martin Radcliffe, general manager of Adelaide Convention Centre, added that a “dedicated ESG manager” has recently been employed to oversee the delivery and implementation of our sustainability strategy.
Chua: the more we get rid of carbon now will ensure climate stability for the future
Events planners should look at including a carbon expert during the event planning process as part of their decarbonisation efforts.
“From the planning standpoint, although we (take measures to) reduce the amount of carbon in the air, there will always be carbon. As planners, we have to work with carbon experts (to properly offset an event’s carbon),” stressed Daniel Chua, co-founder of MICEcarbon.
Chua: the more we get rid of carbon now will ensure climate stability for the future
One way the business events industry can offset carbon for their events is through verified projects. A solar project in Mongolia, which use solar panels to generate heat and electricity – in place of coal or wood – is an example.
“Mongolia has an abundance of sunshine, many grasslands, and very few trees, so tapping on the power of the sun to generate electricity also means zero emissions,” he elaborated.
However, Chua reminded that solar panels also have a lifespan too, where the panels are usually rated to last for 10 years. They will then need to be disposed of sustainably too.
According to Chua, carbon has different prices too, depending on the quality.
“The cheapest carbon can be bought for US$11 a tonne, (such as) a forestry project in Africa. It can also be very expensive, more than US$100 a tonne, like the project in Mongolia because it involves technology,” he said.
This is why a carbon expert, who understands the many different aspects of carbon offsetting, needs to be included in the event planning process.
“When event planners purchase carbon offsets on behalf of their clients, if possible, they should (also consider) going beyond 100 per cent,” Chua added.
Entrance to the 10 Courts of Hell. Photos: Gerardine Donough-Tan
Billed as the world’s first museum on death and the afterlife, Hell’s Museum at Haw Par Villa (HPV) – once called Tiger Balm Gardens – is split into stations across an indoor gallery and partially covered sculpture garden.
The one-hour guided tour began with an introduction to the world’s major religions and cyclical and linear perspectives of life. After guide Michelle Ng explained the Chinese practice of ancestral worship, we visited a ‘grave’ and looked at a Taoist ‘wake’ with symbolic offerings.
A rock formation with gory heads read in Chinese: “The sea of bitterness has no bounds; repent and you will reach the shore.” This and the diorama of fearsome workers in the Taoist netherworld served as a prelude to the highlight, 10 Courts of Hell.
The current rendition reflects elements of Taoist, Confucian, Buddhist and Hindu beliefs, but is predominantly Chinese in the amalgamation of the judiciary and penal systems.
For instance, in Court 1, the king assesses the deceased’s good and bad deeds. The good cross the bridge to become immortals or are reborn as human beings with good lives. Sinners undergo further judgment and punishment in the Courts.
Punishment depictions are stark: In Court 3, one’s chest is sliced open and heart extricated, or the sinner is tied to a pillar and grilled alive; in Court 4, the sinner is pounded by a mallet or ground by a large stone.
Other attractions include a round tower called “Karmic Kaleidoscope” with 18 tableaux, a village temple and outdoor rural-life dioramas.
MICE application The tour can be customised for business events groups of 20 pax upwards, with larger numbers split into multiple groups. F&B catering may be requested, including banquet-style, pop-up bar and live stations.
Journeys to Hell, a two-hour twilight tour of the park and museum can also be arranged. It includes a narrative on the founding Aw family, sculptures and dioramas in the park and highlights of Hell’s Museum.
Verdict An absorbing tour presenting various cultural and religious beliefs on death and the afterlife, gazing at effigies – some artistic, others scary, while contemplating the meaning of life and its transience. For group tours, give attendees time to explore further, read panel texts and take lots of photos.
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.
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.
