Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore has appointed Daniel Khoo as its resident manager. He will be responsible for overseeing and managing the operational aspects and will support the resort’s general manager, Gavin Weightman.
Khoo brings with him 20 years of luxury hospitality experience from various international hotel chains across several destinations including China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore.
Art Boncato, Jr has joined the World Trade Center Metro Manila as chief operating officer and executive vice president.
He was previously the Philippine Department of Tourism undersecretary for tourism regulation, coordination and resource generation.
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has appointed two new members to its marketing & communications team, Noor Shalghen and Molly Thornberg, both of whom are based in the association’s headquarters office in Paris.
Noor joins UFI as marketing & communications coordinator. In this role, she coordinates with UFI regional directors and project managers to develop their international marketing and communication activities, as well as to help reach wider audiences.
She previously worked as an internal communication officer at BNP Paribas, as well as a content creator in numerous marketing agencies in the Middle East (UAE, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, etc.).
Thornberg joins UFI as social media & media relations coordinator. She is responsible for facilitating the dialogue between UFI and its global community on social media, as well as liaising with the association’s media and exhibition industry partners.
Originally from California, she has been working in the marketing and communications field in France for the past two years.
1. Hua Hin Jazz Festival
Bringing together local and international jazz artistes, the two-day event in Thailand will be performed across all three stages. This year, Thai contemporary jazz and hip-hop jazz are two of the featured musical genres. There will also be fringe activities such as a contest to unearth new jazz exponents, F&B stalls, and workshops. Event organisers are finalising the dates, with the festival expected to be staged in 2H2023 at Suan Son Pradipat Beach in front of the Sea Pines Recreation Centre.
2. Wild Dunedin Festival
Running for 10 days from April 14-23 in New Zealand’s Õtepoti Dunedin, the 2023 edition will focus on soil/earth. Around 100 events have been planned around this year’s festival, and include boat trips, garden visits, nature walks, community garden visits, and gin tastings at a local distillery. Additionally, Otago Museum will also host a Penguin Day, and Bug Day, while the Art Society will hold a special exhibition of works of art focused on soil and earth. Festival operators are able to customise tours and put together packages for private groups.
3. Rainforest World Music Festival
From June 23-25, the Sarawak Cultural Village will host a slew of ethnic musical performances from over 15 countries. Festivalgoers can also converse with musicians, and participate in music-focused workshops and activities. Organisers can contact Sarawak Tourism Board in advance to check if special arrangements can be made to meet with some of the artistes, or to have private jam sessions.
4. Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
This year celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. Taking place from October 18-22, Indonesia’s Ubud will be the meeting place for 150 of the world’s most exciting writers, thinkers, and performers. Alongside author in-conversations and panel discussions, the festival will also boast Indonesian dance performances, literary lunches, guided tours of Ubud, late-night comedy, as well as book launches. The Festival Package for business events will give access to discounted rates for group bookings.
5. Visa Wellington On a Plate
Situated in New Zealand’s cultural capital, many food events at Visa Wellington on a Plate sport elements of theatre and the arts. In 2022, Another Beast of a Feast was staged at the Wellington Zoo, which allowed dining in close proximity to some of New Zealand’s iconic wildlife. This well-received event will be repeated again this year. Festival attendees can expect a full programme of pop-up eateries, chef collaborations, and chef cook-offs. The first edition will be held from May 5-21, followed by a second from August 11-27.
6. Singapore International Film Festival
This is a highlight on Asia’s arts calendar and is highly regarded by movie critics and audiences for nurturing regional filmmaking talent. Visitors can rub shoulders with budding filmmakers at The Silver Screen Awards, attend exclusive movie screenings, or join in interactive masterclasses with filmmakers and actors. Exclusive screenings for corporate groups are possible. Dates for 2023 will soon be comfirmed, and will likely be in late November.
7. Vivid Sydney
While Vivid Sydney has yet to confirm its 2023 programme, visitors can expect a stunning visual display when Sydney’s most-recognisable tourist sites will be illuminated in kaleidoscopic colour thanks to spectacular light projections and art installations. Slated from May 26 to June 17, 2023, new this year is Vivid Food, a complementary fringe festival that is all about gourmet delights. This is in addition to Vivid Stage, Vivid Music, and Vivid Ideas.
Brought to you by Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur
Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur
Event planners looking at interesting venue options in the capital of Malaysia can consider Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur.
Strategically located at KL Sentral, the nation’s transportation hub, the hotel is easily accessible through a network of integrated rail connections including the LRT, Monorail and KTM trains.
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is less than half an hour away via the KLIA Express, while budget terminal, KLIA 2, is a 35-minute ride from the hotel – offering ease of commute for both international and local event attendees.
Upon arrival, delegates will find the lobby concept, inspired by Le Méridien’s global cultural curator, Jerome Sans, captivating as it provides overseas guests and locals alike a space to foster ideas and promote conversations.
Taking the lift up to level 6, visitors will be greeted by Metropolis, an extensive conference and meeting facility.
Perfect for meetings, presentations and performances, the Clarke Ballroom can be utilised for seminars, comfortably seating 250 delegates, or for a theatre set-up for 500 guests.
Stylish and vibrant with a contemporary twist, the pillarless ballroom can also accommodate up to 300 guests for an unforgettable wedding dinner or social event, made more impressive with its state-of-the-art facilities and architectural lighting.
Overlooking the picturesque Lake Gardens, the adjoining spacious pre-function foyer area is suitable for cocktail affairs. Aptly named Sentral 1 & 2, they represent the heart of Metropolis, giving delegates the extra space to network pre-event and during their breaks.
Corporates can even enhance their event success with ample breakout rooms and a staffed business centre.
With two interactive kitchen stations strategically located in the foyer, event attendees will be able to witness the hotel’s culinary team in action, and indulge in an engaging gastronomic experience while they savour a range of international and local dishes.
Spanning a total of 1,214m2, the Clarke Ballroom and nine other function rooms have all been fitted with state-of-the-art high-tech capabilities, including high-speed Wi-Fi, to ensure that line-ups proceed seamlessly.
Le Méridien Petaling Jaya
Located in the Kelana Jaya residential area, Le Méridien Petaling Jaya offers five-star services and boasts a contemporary design philosophy melded with tradition.
It is easily accessible in West Kuala Lumpur along a major highway connecting the greater part of Klang Valley to Petaling Jaya City. The hotel houses nine meeting rooms, three ballrooms, a grand ballroom and a gallery – totalling 14 meetings and conference spaces sprawling over an expansive area of 2,000m2.
Ideal for meetings and events of varying sizes, planners can capitalise on the well-lit, pillar-free venue spaces, complete with built-in AV equipment, high-speed internet and ambience lighting to tailor creative and original programmes suited to their needs.
For event organisers planning a wedding or social gathering, the standalone grand ballroom offers a touch of grandeur with its dedicated entrance. Cost savings are also available for block-booking of hotel rooms for guests so they can all stay within close proximity at Le Méridien Petaling Jaya.
Start planning your meetings and events at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya.
For enquiries, please email:
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur at lemeridien.kualalumpur@lemeridien.com
Le Meridien Petaling Jaya at marketing@lemeridienpj.com
Goco Hospitality has named Nicholas Clayton as its president. In this newly created role, Clayton will support and guide the expansion of Goco projects.
He has decades of experience in leadership roles at luxury global hotel groups, and previously managed the operations of multiple hotel properties within the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Minor Hotels has named Paul Stocker as the new vice president of operations in South-east Asia.
With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Stocker will help take Minor Hotels to the next phase of growth by driving operational excellence, and overseeing commercial processes across the group’s portfolio in South-east Asia.
He joins Minor Hotels from Oakwood Worldwide Asia, where he held a vice president role from 2019.
Brought to you by Singapore Tourism Board
With over 12,000 from the local and overseas design community congregating in Singapore for three days, the successful staging of the first edition of FIND – Design Fair Asia last year placed Singapore on the map for global design events.
As the anchor trade event of Singapore Design Week 2022 and among the first in-person global design fairs to take place since the pandemic, it also debuted EMERGE @ FIND, a new exhibition platform for up-and-coming designers, alongside established creators from South-east Asia.
More than 80 per cent of exhibitors and visitors plan to return for the next edition in 2023, Marcus Magee, vice president, Asia, of co-organiser dmg events, told TTGmice.
To be staged once again in Singapore from September 21 to 23 at Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo & Convention Centre, this year’s event will unveil the best in furniture, interiors and design from the global marketplace and upcoming trends. It is also expected to attract over 500 global brands and 15,000 attendees.
In the final instalment of the Say yes to Singapore series, Magee explained why Singapore’s winning qualities made it the ideal destination of choice to host the regional and global architecture and design community for the definitive platform for design in Asia.
What are some of the highlights at your event last year in Singapore?
FIND – Design Fair Asia intended to put Singapore on the map for global design events, which we absolutely achieved, with over 12,000 architects, designers, contractors, developers, agents and distributors as well as the international design community convening at the inaugural three-day event.
It was also strategically designed to showcase the influence and convergence of both East and West design philosophies.
Highlights included the Italian Design Futures Capsule designed by world-renowned Stefano Boeri Interiors and sponsored by the Italian Trade Agency. The exhibition set-up was characterised by a concentric circular system designed to replace the traditional grid layout to allow free flow inside the pavilion, as well as ensure fair visibility for all exhibitors.
Also noteworthy was the Compasso d’Oro Award Showcase presented in collaboration with Milan-based ADI Design Museum to honour design visionaries, as well as the EMERGE @ FIND exhibition presented by FIND – Design Fair Asia and DesignSingapore Council, which spotlighted up-and-coming talents of South-east Asia design.
The budding designers included Karyn Lim, Robert Sukrachand, Hoang Anh Vu and Jim Zarate-Torres from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines respectively. Inspired by their roots and streamlining materiality, they gave their unique takes on how existing materials can preserve South-east Asian culture while paying tribute to social reality and environments.
The Urban Living Showcase, presented by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, featured sustainable cardboard modules fitted together to form cave structures, complete with decorative foliage where key products and posters are nestled.
Another major draw was the FIND – Global Summit which was curated by the event’s content chair, Tony Chambers and co-chair, Yoko Choy.
Featuring more than 60 prominent and highly experienced practitioners and key opinion leaders in the design industry, the discussions and masterclasses centred around six key pillars: sustainable development; post-pandemic hospitality; biophilic design movement; the future of wellness; designing the metaverse; as well as creativity, commerce & communication.
What aspects of Singapore made you choose it for your event, and why are these considerations important to host destination selection?
Singapore’s status as a regional design hub in South-east Asia and its commitment to forward-thinking design makes it undisputedly the ideal location to host the regional and global architecture and design community.
Its access to the Asian market and the ASEAN free trade zone, and international connectivity, make it Asia’s top business destination and a regional financial hub.
Singapore, with over 10,000 furniture, interiors, and design brands, is also home to consumers with a taste for upscale home furnishings and decor, offering strong opportunities for the domestic interiors market.
As an anchor event of the Singapore Design Week – one of Asia’s premier design festivals, FIND – Design Fair Asia, collaborates closely with the DesignSingapore Council to bring together the best of design in a showcase of global interior brands, key opinion leaders, designers, and content from the East and West.
How would you describe your experience working with MICE professionals in Singapore?
The business events industry in Singapore is mature and professional, with a strong focus on solution generation, making it a very positive experience overall.
Despite the challenges on various fronts that were encountered for the launch of FIND – Design Fair Asia against a backdrop of the world transitioning to a new normal with Covid-19, I was very pleased that our local organising team soldiered on and delivered a successful inaugural edition that created countless opportunities for the community to connect in-person and discover the latest trends and innovations that will shape the future of the furniture, interiors and design industry.
How likely would you return to Singapore for future events?
We are stoked that 83 per cent of exhibitors and 87 per cent of visitors plan to return to the next edition of FIND – Design Fair Asia. We will continue to build momentum and further establish FIND as the preeminent meeting place in Asia for the entire regional architecture and design community.
The upcoming edition is set to return with a bigger bang from September 21-23, 2023, at the iconic Marina Bay Sands Exhibition Centre with over 500 global brands and 15,000 attendees expected. Planning for new initiatives that will spark fresh conversations and inspiration are also well underway.
For example, novel technologies such as 3D visualisation and smart home solutions will be unveiled at the all-new innovation zone at FIND – Design Fair Asia 2023.
The FIND – Global Summit curated (once again) by China editor of Wallpaper* magazine, Choy, and leading industry insiders, along with masterclasses hosted by INTERNI and experts will also be held in the imaginative Italian Design Futures Capsule by multi-disciplinary star studio Stefano Boeri Interiors.
Stay tuned and we look forward to staging many more successful editions of FIND – Design Fair Asia in Singapore in 2023 and beyond!
All images are to be credited to FIND – Design Fair Asia.
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Accor has announced its new commercial executive committee across three key regional centres: Singapore, Dubai and Sydney.
The committee will be led by Kerry Healy, chief commercial officer for premium, midscale & economy brands in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Asia-Pacific, who is based in Singapore.
Having been a part of the Accor family since 2011, Healy previously served as chief commercial officer for South-east Asia, Japan & South Korea since 2020. With over 25 years of experience, she will oversee the commercial functions for a diverse region which comprises nearly 1,000 hotels across 42 countries.
Other committee members based in Singapore include Victoria Sertic, senior vice president of brand, marketing & loyalty, and Antony Meguerdijian, senior vice president of sales.
Those in the Dubai office comprise Amro Khoudeir, vice president of digital & distribution, and Sarah Fernandez, vice president of PR & communications.
The new senior vice president of topline performance & business intelligence, Kent Warren, will be based in Sydney.
Rising prices in Singapore and strong regional competition are causing major business events to seek alternative destinations in Asia-Pacific.
After five successful years in Singapore, USANA Health Sciences announced in 2019 that the Asia Pacific Convention would move to South Korea. Herbalife will also hold its last Asia Pacific Extravaganza in Singapore this May – at least for the next few years.
Back in 2019, USANA said rapid growth and increasing attendance at its Asia Pacific Convention, projected to reach 11,000 delegates (from 6,000 pax), necessitated a search for other host cities. The 2020 event was postponed and will now take place from May 4-6, 2023, in Gyeonggi.
Venue size is unlikely a constraint, as the Singapore EXPO has successfully hosted some 22,000 pax at large-scale MLM events, such as the Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza.
A regular attendee of the Herbalife event, who declined to be identified, shared with TTGmice that the main reason was high costs.
“Hotel rates are way too high in comparison with countries around the region. F&B catering is restricted and pricey but of poor quality. Singapore is losing its competitive edge as neighbouring countries will be able to offer better deals.
“At direct selling conventions, expenses such as airfare, hotel accommodation and even tickets to attend the event are borne by delegates although they are top achievers. While winners may enjoy coming to Singapore, overall costs are becoming too high,” the source added.
That is why large-scale incentives seem to be heading elsewhere, where convention bureaus are dishing out subventions to defray costs.
Established track record
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) maintains that the country’s value proposition remains compelling.
“The fundamentals that make us a key MICE hub and attractive location for business and leisure events hold strong. They put us in good stead to partner with international companies and support them as they grow their Asian footprint,” said STB’s Edward Koh, executive director, conventions, meetings & incentive travel.
He added: “It is not uncommon for organisations to rotate their events to other countries, to build and maximise engagements with members, agents, and associates from other parts of the world. The competition for MICE should not be viewed as a zero-sum game.”
Indeed, apart from the more price-sensitive incentive travel programmes, international exhibitions look secure. Many are anchored in Singapore, supported by government agencies and other organisations with vested interests; think of the various “weeks” – water, energy, maritime, aviation, fintech and other key economic sectors.
The new SILMO Singapore (April 12 to 14) exhibition has committed to three years here. Meanwhile, Vinexposium announced in 2022 that its flagship event, Vinexpo Asia, would relocate from Hong Kong to Singapore, and run at Marina Bay Sands from May 23-25.
Some stalwarts are also scaling up. FHA-F&B has gone from biennial to annual this year while maintaining its size.
Some PEOs, however, are divesting – Convention & Exhibition Management Services has sold its café & restaurant and jewellery shows to the Italian Exhibition Group.
The flux in Singapore’s business events industry bears watching.
But with several big international exhibitions and conferences scheduled over the next few years, Koh said: “The robust line-up of events demonstrates the industry’s confidence in Singapore’s ability to deliver high-quality events.”
