Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives has promoted Krisztina Vaszjunyina to resort manager.
She has been with the resort since 2021, joining as director of rooms and later serving as director of operations, where she oversaw daily operations and multiple departments.
She has more than 15 years of experience, including roles at Cheval Blanc Randheli and Anassa Hotel.
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) held its largest-ever overseas MICE roadshow in Singapore yesterday (March 26), aiming to reach a milestone of one million Singaporean business events travellers by the end-2026.
This target marks a significant leap from the current annual average of 50,000 to 60,000 visitors from the island nation.
To achieve this, TCEB shone the spotlight on secondary destinations, and the roadshow delegation included first-time exhibitors from Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khao Yai), and Udon Thani – the latter of which is set to host the International Horticultural Expo 2026 (November 2026 to March 2027). The event is expected to draw four million visitors and will eventually benefit from high-speed rail links connecting the region with Singapore.
During a media roundtable, Supanich Thiansing, TCEB’s director of meetings and incentives, also shared that while the annual Thailand Incentive and Meeting Exchange showcase (June 19 to 24, 2026) will be held in Bangkok, the subsequent buyer familiarisation trip will be hosted in Khao Lak – a new destination – for the first time.
TCEB also highlighted two key strategic initiatives, led by the First Time Ever Campaign. This new programme provides dedicated support for conventions being held in Thailand for the first time, as well as for organisers opting for cities outside of Greater Bangkok. This is complemented by the ongoing Meet Well Campaign, which offers incentive groups access to 155 service providers across 10 categories, with a particular focus on the high-growth luxury wellness sector.
Addressing rising energy costs and its potential to disrupt industry momentum, TCEB’s president Supawan Teerarat noted: “We hope that we can control these pricings in the next two or three months, but beyond that, it will be a big challenge (for the sector).”
While the Thai government is currently managing consumer costs, TCEB is positioning Thailand’s infrastructure as a hedge against logistical inflation.
Within Bangkok, the bureau is heavily promoting the use of the rail system (MRT and BTS) to connect delegates with major venues like Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, and Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Rail-connected venues allow international delegates to bypass traffic congestion and rising coach costs.
However, Supawan noted that smaller, emerging destinations are already facing difficulties with larger passenger coaches. Due to government-mandated fuel allocations, she has observed a shift toward smaller vehicles – a trend she believes signals that the future of the trade will increasingly revolve around smaller groups and corporate meetings.
Regarding regional stability, Supawan noted that South-east Asia remains a “safe zone” for global commerce. While geopolitical tensions have impacted traditional hubs in the Middle East, Thailand is seeing a surge in interest.
“Business has to go on,” Supawan said, pointing to the upcoming Money20/20 Asia conference in Bangkok as an indicator of the market’s resilience. “I have spoken with the organisers, and they have a full line-up of speakers and a strong outlook for attendance. People want to participate because they recognise that face-to-face interaction is still the only way to conduct real business.”
To date, TCEB reports no major cancellations of large-scale international events, with high-profile gatherings such as Gastech 2026 in September, and the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings in October, remaining firmly on the calendar.
The global events industry is entering a high-growth phase with the arrival of several new convention centres in Asia-Pacific designed for a new era of connectivity.
From the New Zealand International Convention Centre to the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre, these landmarks aim to set new benchmarks in spatial versatility, technological infrastructure, and ESG-led design. We profile seven latest openings poised to reshape the international exhibition market.
Penang Waterfront Convention Centre
The Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC), opened in October 2025, is the largest convention and exhibition facility in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.
Situated within The Light City integrated development on Penang Island, the centre benefits from its vibrant surroundings, including The Waterfront Shoppes with 302 retail outlets, a waterfront promenade, and two international hotels, JdV by Hyatt and Galaxy Minyoun, offering a combined 459 rooms for convenient delegate access.
Developed by IJM Perennial Development and managed by KinMalaysia Management, PWCC delivers extensive event space designed for flexibility and scale.
“From the outset, PWCC was planned as a venue that could cater to everything from large-scale exhibitions to highly customised conferences, with flexibility built into every layer of the design,” said KinMalaysia Management’s CEO, Dominic Oh.
Its five exhibition halls span 7,318m² of column-free space, accommodating international exhibitions, tradeshows, and large conferences. The halls support up to 6,000 guests in banquet configuration or 10,000 in theatre-style seating, allowing organisers to tailor layouts to diverse event requirements.
PWCC currently offers 10 conference rooms, with nine additional rooms underway. Once completed, the 19 rooms will provide a total of 1,895m² of meeting space designed to host up to 1,000 delegates, across multiple breakout sessions.
The Le Grand Bleu Terrace – which can accommodate up to 3,000 people – provides an elevated venue for cocktail receptions and dinners, featuring panoramic sea views, and the Penang Bridge as a dramatic backdrop.
In terms of technology, high-speed connectivity and modern technical systems ensure organisers have access to reliable solutions for exhibitions, conferences, and hybrid event needs.
PWCC is also equipped with a Building Management System that semi-automates lighting and air-conditioning operations to ensure optimal energy use during event and non-event periods. Other sustainability features include solar panel installations to power cooling system operations, and a rainwater harvesting system to support landscape irrigation.
Oh shared: “Sustainability and operational efficiency are integral to how the venue is run, from energy management to long-term cost optimisation. We focus on balancing operational performance with responsible venue management.”
Upcoming events include the Penang Autoshow 2026, MedHealth Pharma Expo 2026, Smart Kiddies Expo 2026, and MyAnaesthesia 2026. – S Puvaneswary
Pohang International Exhibition and Convention Center
Known for decades as the grey industrial backbone of South Korea, the seaside city of Pohang is undergoing a transformation. With the scheduled 2027 opening of POEX, the city is signalling its evolution into a sustainable business events hub that leverages its industrial DNA.
The five-storey POEX is being built near the beach, connecting directly to Duho Park and offering delegates views of the East Sea. Its second floor houses a 7,183m² Exhibition Hall with a 14-metre ceiling height, capable of accommodating up to 10,000 visitors.
For plenary sessions, the fourth floor offers a 2,128m² Grand Convention Hall with a 2,000-person capacity, complemented by a suite of 11 meeting rooms across the third and fourth floors that seat between 60 and 220 attendees. The facility is further supported by a rooftop restaurant, an observatory, and a parking infrastructure designed for 838 vehicles.
POEX plans to leverage Pohang’s status as Korea’s “Battery Capital” – home to industry giants like POSCO and EcoPro – to bridge the gap between heavy manufacturing and eco-friendly innovation through specialised technical seminars and industrial tours.
The facility also solves a long-standing capacity issue for the city’s academic sector. While world-class researchers at POSTECH university were previously limited to small-scale hotel venues, they can now scale their high-level international conferences to host up to 2,000 attendees at the new centre.
Pohang is also aiming to become a green policy leader through the World Green Growth Forum (WGGF), a flagship event that successfully debuted in May 2025. This summit gathers global leaders from organisations like the Global Green Growth Institute and industry giants such as POSCO to discuss carbon neutrality and industrial transition. With WGGF 2026 already scheduled for July, the city plans to move this annual summit to POEX upon its 2027 completion.
POEX’s green credentials will be exemplified by its hosting of the 2027 ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) World Congress, a global summit focused on carbon-neutral urban development. This prestigious event marks a turning point for the city as it demonstrates how industrial infrastructure can coexist with nature, specifically through the centre’s integration with Yeongildae Beach, and the “GreenWay” urban forest network.
To support the upcoming convention centre, Pohang is expanding its hospitality infrastructure with over 1,000 new rooms in the pipeline. This includes a 200-room four-star luxury hotel at the Yeongildae Waterfront opening alongside POEX in 2027, followed by a 300-room property in Hwanho Park by 2028, and a 150-room hotel in the former Pohang Station District by 2030. – Rachel AJ Lee
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort has promoted Jean-Louis Angulo to chef de cuisine of La Maison 1888, the only Michelin-star restaurant in Central Vietnam.
Angulo, who served as the establishment’s sous chef for the past two years, succeeds a lineage of culinary icons including Michel Roux and Pierre Gagnaire. He will lead the kitchen under the direction of chef Christian Le Squer, his long-time mentor, and the three-Michelin-star veteran of Le Cinq at Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris.
Born in France to Peruvian parents and trained in Paris, Angulo’s career includes high-pressure roles at L’Espadon at the Ritz Paris and Gordon Ramsay au Trianon in Versailles.
In his new role, Angulo will manage the restaurant’s “haute couture” culinary operations in collaboration with head sommelier Amedeo Bellini.
Kuoni Tumlare has strengthened its global reach by bringing its Sydney and Auckland offices into full alignment with its international network.
The expansion arrives at a critical juncture; as the Middle East conflict disrupts established travel patterns, the DMC is pivoting resources toward Oceania to meet growing demand for stability and logistical certainty.
This integration, part of Phase Two of Kuoni Tumlare’s growth plan, sees the full absorption of parent company JTB’s destination management offices in Australia and New Zealand. By bringing these teams into the global fold, the DMC leverages a regional legacy dating back to 1962 in Australia and 1998 in New Zealand.
Reto Kaufmann, chief marketing officer and senior vice president for South & South-east Asia and the Middle East, told TTGmice that the expansion is a direct response to a “clear client preference” for a single, end-to-end service provider.
“Beyond any short-term developments, it was important for us to ensure that we can continue to host our clients’ business with the same level of quality and service beyond our traditional core regions in Europe,” Kaufmann said.
As Middle East tensions complicate longhaul travel from Asia to Europe and vice versa, Kaufmann indicated there is a clear “uplift in demand” for alternative destinations. For example, Japan remains a dominant force for the remainder of 2026, supported by a favourable exchange rate and strong connectivity. Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand are seeing increased interest from corporate incentive groups looking for stability and seasonal appeal.
Despite higher fuel prices, Kaufmann dismissed the idea of a return to the era of virtual-only meetings.
“Face-to-face interaction remains essential. For programmes already committed, corporates are generally proceeding as scheduled, even if it means stretching budgets to accommodate higher costs. These trips are seen as vital investments in employee engagement,” Kaufmann opined.
To mitigate rising costs, Kaufmann identifies two primary client strategies: regional re-routing toward short- and mid-haul destinations within APAC and Oceania to reduce fuel surcharges, and logistical optimisation for European travel, which leverages Kuoni’s scale and long-standing supplier relationships to incorporate rail solutions and secondary city hubs.
“Europe remains a core destination for our Asian client base, with consistently strong demand and proven revenue potential, and our objective is to support our partners in maintaining momentum in this important region,” he stated.
While owned offices in Australia and New Zealand provide a physical anchor, Kuoni Tumlare is also proactively expanding its Global Affiliate Programme. Launched in the wake of the pandemic, the programme has become a vital expansion pillar, particularly in fast-moving markets such as Singapore and Malaysia.
The programme operates on an invitation-only basis, selecting local DMCs to act as exclusive representatives. According to Kaufmann, the benefits are mutual. Local partners gain access to a global sales engine, while Kuoni Tumlare gains deep, on-the-ground expertise without the overhead of a full-service office.
Overall, Kaufmann remains optimistic about the sector’s ability to weather the current storm.
“I have seen many crises come and go. Each brings its own challenges, but also valuable learnings. For the MICE industry, resilience has always been a defining characteristic. History shows that our industry adapts quickly and recovers strongly,” he concluded.
Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, a dual-brand integrated resort incorporating the Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore’s civic district, is expecting a busy year on the business events front, following on from an eventful 2025.
William J Haandrikman, managing director of both Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, shared that both the Fairmont and Swissôtel brands, as well as a convenient blend of 2,000 guestrooms, 10,000m2 of meetings space and numerous F&B outlets have helped to attract high-end events to his complex.
Some notable events held at the integrated resort in 2025 included Cvent Accelerate Singapore 2025, which Haandrikman regarded as an important gathering for the events industry, private events hosted by major banks and consultancy agencies, and association congresses.
“The last quarter of 2025 was especially strong for us,” said Haandrikman, who added that corporate bookings are now coming in with short lead times of several months.
“We are still hearing from companies wanting to do their events in September. These are large events. In the past, events of similar scale would book two or three years ahead,” he reflected.
He noted that few companies are comfortable with planning events far ahead due to the current volatile macro environment.
Associations, however, are still planning years ahead and have placed bookings for 2028 to 2030.
Corporate bookings and meetings are strong for 2H2026 even though current geopolitical tensions are disrupting longhaul travel into Asia, and creating uncertainty in business for the coming months.
Haandrikman remains optimistic that a “bright side” remains.
“People who planned trips to and through the Middle East are now diverting to Asia,” he remarked, adding that Singapore has an opportunity to capture more longhaul transits and international visitors now, especially as the island nation is regarded as a “safe and stable” destination while Asia offers “great opportunities” for businesses.
Although Fairmont Singapore, Swissôtel The Stamford and Raffles City Convention Centre are able to offer business and social programming under one roof, Haandrikman said delegates would only make the best memories when they ventured out. As such, his team is “drawing on our strong connections with Singapore’s tourism players” to recommend and create a memorable destination connection.
“Last year, we brought in 50 sidecars for a conference, and delegates went out for a downtown ride. The attendees posted photos everywhere, forming a great memory of the event and Singapore,” he said.
Haandrikman sees more creative opportunities for the business events sector. His team is now working on several experiential ideas that would not only attract leisure guests, but also offer creative social ideas to meetings and events. These activations would also allow the property to better utilise its meeting spaces and hotel facilities throughout the year.
One such experiential idea stems from a collaboration with luxury fragrance house, Amouage and Luxasia, to offer an exclusive fragrance discovery experience for guests of Fairmont Singapore.
The two hotels have also started the ball rolling on Singapore Grand Prix race day specials. Hospitality suite packages for both Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford are now on sale for October 9 to 11, 2026.
Prices start from S$38,000++ (US$29,795++) for two days in Fairmont Singapore’s Deluxe Marina Bay Suite, and from S$40,000 two days in Swissôtel The Stamford’s Swiss Marina Bay Suite. Both are suitable for watch parties for up to 15 guests.
The ACT Government has reached a key milestone in planning the new Convention and Entertainment Centre Precinct, a project the Canberra Convention Bureau (CCB) indicates will finally allow the capital to host major international events and large-scale exhibitions.
While the project is moving forward, officials confirmed that no official completion date is currently available. A full business case is not expected until mid-2028, leaving the final timeline for the A$750 million (US$532 million) development fluid as it enters the detailed design phase.
The precinct will enable Canberra to host multiple concurrent conferences and major 8,000-seat arena events. The plan also includes a new aquatic facility at Commonwealth Park to replace the ageing Canberra Olympic Pool.
The site will sit close to the new UNSW Canberra City Campus, creating a centralised hub for education, business, and tourism.
CCB’s CEO Michael Matthews noted strong existing interest from organisers, stating the infrastructure is vital to meet “unprecedented” demand.
He added: “This is about much more than conferences and events, however. It’s about creating more activity in the city, attracting new visitors, supporting local businesses and generating jobs across hospitality, tourism and the broader events sector.”
Artificial intelligence is evolving from an operational luxury into a primary revenue driver for the exhibition industry, according to Kevin Ng, head of commercial, Asia-Pacific for Jublia AI, speaking at the TEA InnoTech Talk #2 in Bangkok.
Hosted by the Thailand Exhibition Association (TEA) and Expopass at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, the session outlined how organisers are moving past simple automation to leverage the “hidden” market demands revealed by attendee data.
The most immediate application involves automating the heavy lifting of hosted buyer programmes. AI eliminates the tedious logistical work of manual scheduling by instantly pairing buyers and exhibitors based on mutual commercial interests and platform behaviour.
“Without a system like ours, it will be very tedious. You have 300 buyers, then you create an Excel sheet, and you need to update it every time ,” Ng said.
By deploying intelligent matchmaking platforms, organisers can now process thousands of profiles simultaneously, ensuring pairings are based on actual user actions rather than just static registration data.
Beyond operational efficiency, these tools provide a clear roadmap for future exhibition space sales. By tracking digital footprints – such as search queries, profile bookmarks, and meeting requests – sales teams can strategically target high-yield exhibitor demographics that were previously invisible.
Ng pointed to the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) as a prime example. Backend analytics during the event revealed massive delegate interest in Japanese companies, despite that demographic making up only two per cent of total registrations.
“If you know that Japan was the second most popular country, that will allow your sales team to sell to more Japanese exhibitors. Event managers can utilise this intelligence to direct their commercial teams toward high-yield markets that attendees actively seek,” Ng explained.
Business Events Adelaide kicks off the 22nd annual Destination South Australia (DSA) today, where the three-day showcase welcomes 35 high-level business event decision-makers and media to the state.
This year’s itinerary includes a dedicated tradeshow for pre-scheduled appointments with local venues and suppliers, alongside immersive regional visits to the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale to highlight the state’s unique character and accessibility.
The showcase follows a recent A$10 million (US$7 million) boost to the Business Events Bid Fund by the Malinauskas Government.
Business Events Adelaide’s CEO Damien Kitto noted that the event provides first-hand insight into the state’s collaborative approach and strong economic credentials. “There is forward momentum being generated – be it through infrastructure development or the acquisition of major events. I hope DSA delegates feel the energy,” said Kitto.
The DSA initiative remains a significant economic driver, with last year’s programme securing over A$36 million in future business.
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) has become the first purpose-built venue in Malaysia to earn the ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management certification.
The international standard, presented by BSI Malaysia’s managing director Evelyn Chye to the Centre’s general manager John Burke, provides a formal framework for resource efficiency, waste management, and ethical sourcing within the global events industry.
For event organisers and delegates, the Centre’s ISO 20121 status ensures that event delivery is backed by measurable sustainability outcomes and responsible operational governance.
This milestone follows the venue’s recent PM Hibiscus Award for Sustainable Convention and Exhibition Centres.
