The International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS) 2023 will return to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre next month, from May 25-27, 2023.
It will be held in Halls 4 & 5 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with trade and industry visitors the focus of the first two days, while the third and final day will be open to the public.
A previous edition of ICBS
Christopher McCuin, managing director of show organiser Montgomery Asia, shared: “We are proud to have already confirmed 90 per cent of our exhibitor targets and the demand for the remaining 10 per cent of space remains high. We are excited about the positive response to ICBS 2023 so far, with more than 250 brands exhibiting from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, The Netherlands and Italy.”
In addition to the exhibition, Montgomery Asia has again teamed up with the Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) to host the semi-finals and finals of the 8th edition of the Malaysia National Coffee Championship (MNCC). The ‘national champion’ baristas (in three categories – Gigi Coffee Malaysia Barista Championship 2023, Falcon Coffees Malaysia Brewers Cup 2023 and Gigi Coffee Malaysia Latte Art Championship 2023) will go on to represent Malaysia at the World Coffee Championships 2024.
Kelvin Ngow Wai Hng, president of MSCA, elaborated: “This year 76 baristas participated in the early stages of the MNCC. Twelve baristas in each of the three categories have advanced to the semi-finals, where they will be competing to become ‘national champions’ and represent Malaysia at the World Coffee Championships 2024.”
There will also be an educational series Cafe Talk @ ICBS 2023, which will involve 14 workshops and talks throughout the exhibition. This will include workshops from Barista Guild Asia, which will be hosting two courses – Introduction to Coffee, and So, you want to start a café?.
Dankoff Coffee Specialist will also be hosting their Sensory Room with DC Academy, where participants will learn what it takes to identify different coffee and tea flavours and aromas.
The Roasters Pavilion will also return this year, and is a cost-effective way for many smaller coffee roasters to showcase their unique coffee flavours. Visitors who visit the booth will be able to try innovative coffee roasts produced by more than 15 participating companies.
Wellington (pictured) continues to build its advocate programme
Wellington has added five new ambassadors across a range of disciplines to its Advocate Network, where the programme supports the city in bidding for attracting international conferences.
The five individuals are Jessica Mills, president, Psychosocial Oncology New Zealand; Nadia Pantidi – lecturer in interaction design at the School of Design Innovation, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University (VUW); Mark Lawrence, senior geologist, GNS Science; Lee Davidson, associate professor, Museum & Heritage Studies, VUW; and Paul Atkins, CEO of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.
Wellington (pictured) continues to build its advocate programme
“The internationally recognised expertise of these thought leaders and their organisations play a major role in attracting international conferences to Wellington and showcasing our research and innovation on the world stage,” said Business Events Wellington’s manager Irette Ferreira.
VUW’s Pantidi was instrumental in bidding for OzCHI 2023, the International Annual Conference on Computer Human Interaction. She pointed out: “This is an opportunity to bring people over and showcase the excellent and diverse research we do in the area of Human Computer Interaction, as well as what Aotearoa, New Zealand and specifically Wellington has to offer across several industries such as gaming, film, fine arts and tech startups.”
Meanwhile, Lee bid for and won the Conference of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) in 2026.
“The theme of the conference will be Whakapapa/Relationality, and how heritage connects people with each other, with the past and with the land. Delegates will be able to ground theory in practice through proximity to Wellington-based national organisations such as the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Ministry for Culture & Heritage, Heritage New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, Museums Aotearoa, and Creative New Zealand,” said Davidson.
UC Tumu Whakarae | vice-chancellor professor Cheryl de la Rey and IAMCR president Nico Carpentier formally signed the MoU and UC’s commitment to support the conference
New Zealand will host the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) conference in 2024, the first time in almost 30 years the event will take place in the Southern Hemisphere.
More than 1,000 international and national delegates are expected to convene in Ōtautahi Christchurch at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in July 2024, delivering an estimated NZ$1.6 million (US$1 million) to the local economy.
Seated at the table, from left: UC Tumu Whakarae | vice-chancellor professor Cheryl de la Rey and IAMCR president Nico Carpentier formally signed the MoU and UC’s commitment to support the conference
The conference will be hosted by Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) academics, putting Indigenous knowledge at the centre of communication research. UC’s bid for the conference was submitted in partnership with mana whenua (the local tribe), with the support of ChristchurchNZ and Tourism New Zealand.
The conference theme, Whiria te tangata | Weave the people together: Communicative projects of decolonising, engaging, and listening, invites reflection on the terms and models appropriate to describe contemporary communication, including the political and moral goals embedded in them.
UC’s formal partnership with local iwi Ngāi Tūāhuriri also contributed to the successful bid. UC is also home to the country’s first journalism school and is the only institution in the country to offer a Māori communications major.
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has appointed Anna Lawrence as the association’s new programme manager, overseeing UFI’s Educational programmes and Working Groups.
As programme manager for Education, Lawrence will liaise with UFI members and partners to continue assessing the needs of the industry and develop UFI’s educational offerings. She is also in charge of coordinating and looking after the activities of UFI’s Working Groups.
She brings many years of experience in both education and project management. Throughout her career in various sectors, such as medical education and congresses but also training in the aircraft industry, she managed educational projects always with the same goal of addressing the needs and expectations of the learners, participants and stakeholders.
Lawrence takes over the role from Angela Herberholz, who left UFI at the end of March to pursue other interests.
International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), managed by ASM Global, has appointed Adam Smith as the venue’s new director of building services.
Smith joins ICC Sydney’s leadership team with more than 20 years of experience in ensuring the success of major events and leading large, multi-disciplinary teams.
Smith joins the venue following a long tenure at the Australian Turf Club as general manager where he oversaw security, transport, traffic management and construction projects, as well as major events.
‘Doing business and powering industry growth sit at the heart of our show’
Global exhibitors announce major launches
The wide variety of suppliers lined up to exhibit span the world and include: Europe – Germany, France, Spain and Croatia; North & South America – Peru along with Boston and Georgia (both of which are increasing their presence); Asia – Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Sarawak, the largest of Malaysia’s 13 states, will have its own stand for the first time and will also be joined by the region’s Tourism Minister. Hotel groups Accor, IHG Hotels & Resorts, NH Hotels and Radisson are among the exhibitors expanding their presence along with destinations – Boston, Georgia, Los Cabos and Morocco.
Despite bumpy economic headwinds, demand for in-person events is strong and many parts of the global market have responded with investment in refurbishments, new properties, product innovations, new technologies and enhanced attendee experiences. IMEX Frankfurt will be the stage for several important news announcements including Cairns Convention Centre, which is set to re-open this spring following a major refurbishment and expansion. The Asia Convention Alliance will hold their inaugural event during IMEX while Cvent are among several suppliers presenting new research.
Evergreen meets Human Nature
Education programming centres on IMEX’s 2023 Talking Point – ‘Human Nature’ – which gives attendees the chance to learn and embrace skills such as public speaking, experiential design, emotional intelligence as a leadership skill, focused attention and more. IMEX Frankfurt 2023 also makes allowance for sessions of evergreen interest including contract negotiations, talent acquisition and management, incentive programming and food and beverage planning.
An extensive, free programme of 150 educational and networking events starts with education for specialist audiences the day before the show, on Monday 22 May, followed by six tracks of general learning that run Tuesday to Thursday on the show floor’s Inspiration Hub.
Technology and innovation: Here attendees can delve into new technologies or learn how to increase their use and variety of technology to enhance, measure and improve their events. At the More than Experience Lab, DRPG and Maritz will offer up-to-the-minute tech-focused, design-thinking sessions.
Trends and research: Industry-leading organisations and associations – including SITE, EIC, MMGY and AMEX – are set to release new or updated research and offer guidance on what it means for the future of events.
People and planet: IMEX’s People & Planet Village is home to best practice, activations and advice from those at the forefront of sustainability. Education and discovery sessions include a close look at UN Sustainable Development Goal no 6 – water – plus a panel on which Mariela McIlwraith from Meeting Change examines the future of air travel with aerospace experts.
Business practices: Planners currently need fresh insights and ideas for navigating change including how to manage inflationary pressures, attract new talent and motivate remote teams. According to Eszter Mattiassich-Aszody from Siemens Healthineers and international crisis leader Thomas Lahnthaler, these leadership and life lessons can come from surprising sources, such as children. Eszter explains: ““It’s interesting to observe the sheer flexibility of their minds….there are no barriers.”
Experience design: Creating an enduring sense of belonging or engaging a dispersed community ranks high on list for many event planners. In his case study presentation, Brian Allan, founder of Rock Your Business, will reveal what it took to bring together Ukrainian refugee children through his Choral Singing Workshops. To date he has conducted workshops for over 10,000 children to raise funds to open weekend centres around Poland where children can receive musical therapy via choir and music workshops.
Event marketing: “We live in a neuroscience-based world where understanding the values participants bring to an event can power its success,” says David Allison. Allison will be joined by Google’s Megan Henshall and founder of Storycraft Lab, Naomi Clare, in How to measure and manifest belonging for events ; A collaboration between Valuegraphics and the Google Experience Institute (Xi).
“While doing business and powering industry growth sit at the heart of our forthcoming show, IMEX Frankfurt is designed to deliver an enriching, broad experience that ripples further than the eye can see. We recognise that creating experiences, not events, is more important than ever and that people in our global industry also want to feel connected, revived and re-inspired. We’re happy to lead the way and play our part,” sums up Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.
IMEX Frankfurt evolves every year, and this latest edition is no exception. This time around, however, attendees can expect a few surprises – the IMEX Group is set for change, with details to be revealed onsite.
IMEX Frankfurt takes place 23 – 25 May 2023 at Messe Frankfurt. You can register to attend – for free – by clicking here.
Travel and accommodation details – including new hotel booking discounts – can be found here.
The rising cost of operations in expensive Singapore has created a window of opportunity for convention centres in neighbouring Malaysia, where prices are recognised as being relatively lower.
In December 2022, Economist Intelligence Unit identified Singapore as the world’s most expensive city to live in, in a tie with New York. More recently, ECA International’s Top Ten Most Expensive Locations For Business Travel ranked Singapore in second place in Asia and 19th worldwide.
More organisers are keen to move or rotate their Singapore shows to Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur pictured
Francis Teo, head of Setia Convention Centres in Malaysia, told TTGmice that some exhibition organisers have expressed interest in moving their shows to Setia’s venues in Greater Kuala Lumpur and Penang, or to establish new shows, in 4Q2023 or early 2024.
Teo said the associated costs of organising an exhibition in Malaysia, such as venue rental, manpower hire, construction of exhibition stands, transportation and accommodation, are roughly 30 to 40 per cent less than in Singapore.
Malaysia’s affordability is a plus point, but the country has many other winning factors, stated John Burke, general manager of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
“Malaysia has a positive global reputation, leading in industries like oil and gas, medical and healthcare, banking and finance, education, construction, technology and innovation. There are also a lot of opportunities for import/export, business matchings and investment.
“We leverage on these strengths and look at the relevance and potential for growth when we talk to organisers about bringing their exhibitions here. We also work very closely with exhibition organisers to explore and tap into new market opportunities as more industry sectors like transportation, wholesale and retail, food and beverage, technology and innovation develop and boom here,” Burke told TTGmice.
Burke’s team is actively exploring opportunities to bring in more exhibitions, and he noted that the recent UFI Asia Pacific Conference held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre had fired up “great interest” in the venue among South-east Asian attendees, including those from Singapore.
The UFI gathering also had a welcome reception at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), the largest exhibition venue in the country with 11 massive halls.
Winnee Lim, general manager – business development at MITEC), said some Singapore exhibition organisers were keen to rotate their shows to Malaysia, after having a chance to view MITEC’s offerings up close.
Lim is aware that materialisation of business from Singapore will depend largely on exhibition organisers’ assessment of Malaysia’s trade suitability. And she believes that Malaysia can give Singapore a good run for its money.
“Malaysia is a value-for-money destination. We have a bigger market size compared with Singapore, and we have many options in terms of accommodation. We also have a very supportive federal convention bureau that provides support and incentives to event organisers,” she stated.
Seeing these advantages, Lim plans to promote MITEC to exhibition organisers in Singapore.
Ascott is giving out bonus points as part of a new campaign to celebrate the fourth anniversary of its loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR).
Members can earn 25 per cent bonus points when they book and stay at any of Ascott’s ASR participating properties from April 15 to May 31.
Members can earn extra bonus points when they book and stay at any of Ascott’s ASR participating properties; Somerset Rama 9 Bangkok, pictured
This also includes Oakwood and The Unlimited Collection brands, which were acquired by Ascott in July last year. All bookings made for stays at participating properties across the Oakwood and The Unlimited Collection brands will further entitle members to added double points for the same period. These include properties in Australia, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
ASR points earned can be fully redeemed for stays at participating properties spanning 14 brands globally. Alternatively, points can also be exchanged for rewards with Ascott partners or channelled towards a good cause.
Guests holding elite memberships from other hospitality loyalty programmes will also benefit from an equivalent status-match when they sign up for an ASR membership.
With the next phase of growth, the ASR programme will progressively be elevated with value-add experiences for all members, including a complimentary one-year Wall Street Journal subscription for eligible Platinum members who have booked and completed a stay during the campaign period.
Tan Bee Leng, Ascott’s managing director for brand & marketing, said: “We launched the ASR programme back in 2019 with a commitment to develop it as one of the strongest hospitality rewards programmes. Four years on and in spite of the challenges as a result of the pandemic, we are proud to continue upholding this ambition.
“Flexibility, convenience and stay benefits are just some of the offerings to empower our guests to make the most out of their stay with us. As consumer travel demand evolves, we strive to continue building customer loyalty by ensuring that our offerings remain relevant and compelling enough to meet the increasing expectations of an attractive loyalty programme.”
The Westin Manila has named Alexander Dietzsch as its general manager, who was also the pre-opening consultant of the hotel.
Before joining The Westin Manila, Dietzsch oversaw F&B operations at NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu. He has also worked in various capacities at The Westin properties in Bangkok and Bali.
From left: Alexander Dietzsch and Meegee Yap
Meanwhile, Meegee Yap is the new director of sales and marketing at The Westin Manila. She was previously at Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa with the same title.
Cebu is poised to retain its position as a key business events destination in the Philippines, with newly-minted hotels and resorts coming online to fill the gap for small events.
Moreover, soon to join the fray will be two new convention centres that are much needed for mid-sized events.
Aerial view of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Bridge which connects Cebu with Mactan Island
“Cebu has all the attributes of a good MICE destination, except that it does not have a convention centre,” said Afro Asian World Events president, Angel Ramos Bognot.
But the city’s fortunes are about to change later this year.
Nustar Resort and Casino, Cebu’s first integrated resort, is set to open the 2,000-pax Nustar Convention Center in 2Q2023. It will have “versatile event spaces, state of the art amenities and stunning sea views,” shared Jun Cordova, director of sales and marketing at Robinsons Hotels and Resorts/Nustar Resort and Casino.
“Later in the year, we also expect to open the ballroom at NUSTAR’s Fili Hotel that can cater to 310 pax. Complementing these new venues are Fili Hotel’s 379 rooms and suites,” Cordova said.
In two years’ time, the Megaworld Hotels and Resort will also be opening the Mactan New Town Convention Center, with a capacity for 1,500 guests banquet-style. The venue will be situated between the 550-key Belmont Hotel and 547-key Savoy Hotel in Mactan.
Jericha T Escriva, Belmont Hotel Mactan assistant director of sales, opined that the Mactan New Town Convention Center will be able to address the shortage of venues in Cebu for large corporate groups.
The Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort is Marriott International’s first resort in the Philippines; one of its meeting rooms pictured
Mactan Island has also welcomed several top-tier hotels and resorts recently, lured by its proximity to the domestic and international airport and beaches.
The most luxurious of them is the Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort. The property offers eight indoor meeting venues, the largest being the 727m2 Grand Ballroom that can hold 540 pax for banquets. There are also three meeting rooms, a boardroom, and a pre-function area. All of the indoor spaces have been built to make the most out of the sea view, and allow in natural light.
Other unique spaces on the beach, in the gardens, or in open spaces tastefully dotted with Kenneth Cobonpue installations welcome corporate gatherings too. There is also a roof deck on the 12th floor of the main building that can be transformed into an outdoor events venue.
Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort’s general manager Dottie Wurgler-Cronin is keen to attract the bleisure – or blended travel – market, seeing how the property is armed with excellent leisure and business facilities.
“Cebu has always been a good destination for leisure and business events”, with a number of Korean and Japanese businesses, as well as the presence of call centres and other industries, located here, Wurgler-Cronin pointed out.
After the hiatus wrought by the pandemic, business events are returning to Cebu, noted Escriva, with a number of local and international events scheduled this year.
The future also looks promising, as Cebu’s provincial government is actively promoting the destination, together with Palawan and Boracay. There are also reports that the provincial government has bought a site in Mandaue meant for a convention centre.
Colliers Philippines associate director, Joey Roi Bondoc, opined: “Cebu is definitely among the major Philippine destinations that will capture gains from revenge travel, (and) retain its stature as a key business and leisure destination.”
Cebu’s need for more hotels and bigger venues are evident from a local medical convention that Shangri-La Resort Mactan will be hosting in July. The resort is unable to accommodate the 1,700 pax, so a number of delegates will have to stay at the nearby Belmont and Savoy.
Bondoc noted: “Colliers Philippines believes that now is an opportune time for developers to consider bringing in foreign hotel brands. Hotel operators should also continue to innovate with their services and tap technology in enhancing the customer experience”.
Bruce Winton, multi-property vice president Philippines of Marriott International, pointed out that another of Cebu’s plus points was the continuous improvement of its infrastructure, such as the building and completion of Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway which reduces the travel time between mainland Cebu and Mactan Island.
He added that the new infrastructure helps to improve lives all around, and urged the industry to “keep going”, and “focus on projects that benefit tourism”.
“(With all these developments happening,) surely the Cebu MICE landscape just got more interesting, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Cebu,” Cordova concluded.
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