The 2023 Menu Collection has breakfast, lunch, dinner, and canape dishes for clients to choose from, such as sago crisp cured salmon with avocado crème fraiche and espelette; green garlic prawns with crab; and new potato salad and sauce vierge.
Tākina Events’s new menu has sustainability at its heart
A crucial part of Tākina Events’ food philosophy is focused on collaborating with local suppliers. Servicing both Tākina and Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, the new menu will showcase a taste of the capital with 90 per cent of suppliers based in the Wellington Region.
“Our mission is to nourish people and ideas with local, sustainable, and delicious cuisine,” said executive chef Ilavarasu Rajendran. “With sustainability at its core, our menu has created diverse offerings that feature regional, seasonal ingredients which save on food miles.”
The Standard, Hua Hin, has made available its Village Villas – a cluster of design-led pool and tree-top beach villas – that can be booked for corporate events, teambuildings, and even incentive programmes.
Within the compound are four private zones, each with a cluster of up to seven pool and tree-house villas circling a leafy courtyard garden where guests can fire up the barbecue, throw an impromptu poolside party or a moonlit soiree, or celebrate with a private al fresco meal.
Village Villas at The Standard, Hua Hin
They can also opt to turn the private courtyard into a barbecue party with a personal chef, live grill station, salad corner and more for 2,500 baht (US$72.50) net per person.
The 82m2 Canopy Villas can accommodate two adults and a child – for those travelling with their young ones in tow – while the Standard Pool Villas range from 99m2 to 106m2, which is good for three adults and a child, or two adults and two children.
In addition to daily breakfast served at Lido, Village Villa guests are also entitled to Not Your Standard Cocktail Hour where they can enjoy complimentary cocktails and snacks served at Praça Beach Bar daily from 15.00 to 16.00.
The Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association (PIATA) recently inducted its officers and board of trustees for 2022-2024 led by president Maria Paz Alberto of Ark Travel Express; vice president Carlo Severino of Adventure International Tours; corporate secretary Gianina Dita Fortun-Plumley of Fiesta Tours and Travel; and treasurer Gene Velasquez of Mango Tours and Travel.
Also inducted to the board of trustees are Bea Berenguer Testa of Mondial Tours and Travel; Chal Lontoc-del Rosario of Jeron Travel and Tours; Mylene Monzon of Karilagan International Travel and Tours; and Kem Lim of International Journeys.
Their induction was postponed last year due to the pandemic.
China’s foreign ministry said today that it would restore the issuance of all types of visas from March 15 – signalling the country’s complete reopening to foreign tourists for the first time in three years since the pandemic.
Shenzhen, Guangdong (pictured) and other areas that were visa-free pre-pandemic will regain their accessibility
Areas in China that were visa-free pre-pandemic, such as Hainan and Guangdong (for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macau), will regain its accessibility.
The authorities also said it would honour visas issued before March 28, 2020 that are still within their validity dates.
A major milestone in the lead-up to the opening of Tākina was celebrated this week with Wellington City Council receiving the keys to the new convention centre.
The venue will officially open end of May, with the test events taking place earlier in the month.
Tākina’s exterior
Taranaki Whānui representatives, as mana whenua, attended the ceremony to officially bless the building prior to occupation.
Tākina, meaning ‘to invoke or encounter’, was gifted by Taranaki Whānui to reflect the building as a place people come together to connect and collaborate in the capital.
Wellington City Council’s focus is now on the internal technical fit-out to prepare the venue for its first conference and exhibition.
This week’s activities also opened the door for Tākina Events, the operator of the venue, to move in to start a rigorous schedule of testing and training.
“With more than 100 events on the calendar for the first year, the majority of which are multi-day conferences between 300 and 1,000 delegates, our team is excited to be on-site to get to know every square centimetre, bit of equipment and technology,” says Jake Downing, Te Papa’s director of commercial services.
Almost 500,000 people are expected to visit Tākina in its first year based on the line-up of conferences and events.
On June 3, 2023, the ground-floor public Exhibition Gallery will open with the LEGO interactive exhibition, Jurassic World by Brickman on display. The show is set to be the first of many touring exhibitions to take place in the centre and is the biggest ever put on by Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught, with more than six million LEGO bricks, including 2.5 million for visitors to show off their skills with.
From left: Ling Sit, and Michael Goh at the launch
On March 10, 2023, Resorts World One commenced her maiden voyage from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal for a weekend high-seas cruise, after arriving in Hong Kong on March 8, 2023.
The special celebratory event was attended by Resorts World Cruises’ (RWS) president Michael Goh and chief operating officer Raymond Lim, as well as more than 400 industry stakeholders and members of the media.
From left: Ling Sit, and Michael Goh at the launch
The 13-deck Resorts World One is the first cruise ship to restart cruises in Hong Kong with a year-round homeport deployment. There will be three sailings – a mixture of two-night and three-night journeys – a week until March 31. From April 2 to October 29, sailings will be expanded to four-day Hong Kong to Kaohsiung and Penghu.
When asked about the return of business events onboard, Goh shared that they have engaged with several companies in the Greater Bay Area and introduced the ship as a possible venue for corporate meetings and incentives. He is upbeat about the response, stating that a similar ship deployment in Singapore hosted corporate groups totalling around 600 pax.
As a result of their efforts, the company is currently fielding enquiries from the Hong Kong and China market, RWS’ assistant vice president sales Ling Sit, shared.
The AV Graduate Program supports the next generation of technical professionals to access vocational training and development opportunities
The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), managed by ASM Global, has activated its Audio Visual (AV) Graduate Program for the fourth time, with five AV professionals joining the venue’s ranks following the completion of their tertiary education courses.
Through the year-long initiative, the graduates will gain exposure to a calendar of events, live entertainment events, exhibitions and conventions, working across all areas of ICC Sydney’s leading AV and production services including audio, lighting, vision, rigging, staging and digital event solutions.
The AV Graduate Program supports the next generation of technical professionals to access vocational training and development opportunities
ICC Sydney CEO and group director – convention centres, ASM Global (APAC), Geoff Donaghy said: “We believe in creating careers, not simply jobs.”
As such, the programme will provide candidates with an opportunity to gain experience working at ICC Sydney, as well as gain access to industry leaders and professionals to mentor and provide best practice training as they rotate through each division of the AV department.
ICC Sydney director of AV services, Brian Nash, shared that previous professional development programmes have nurtured and developed a total of 18 audiovisual professionals.
“In the past we’ve retained 100 per cent of the graduates, progressing them through to casual and permanent roles. It is through programmes such as this that ICC Sydney is future-proofing its event delivery services by investing in the next generation of AV technicians…,” Nash said.
ICC Sydney’s AV Graduate Program is one of several professional development programmes offered by the AV Services department, including the Professional Growth Traineeship Program which recently saw the participation of seven AV trainees, the digital media cadetship and the two-week practicum placement as part of the National Institute of Dramatic Art’s ‘Live Production’ certification.
ICC Sydney is committed to investing in professional development, and team members are given the opportunity to participate in over 2,000 courses through the venue’s Academy of Extraordinary, and in conjunction with external providers such as the Australian Institute of Management, International Association of Convention Centres and the Venue Management Association.
A ballroom within the Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay
Filipino-owned Chroma Hospitality – comprising three brands Crimson Hotels & Resorts, Quest Hotels, and Timberland Highlands Resorts – has launched a new campaign entitled The Time is Now: Meaningful Meetings to encourage planners to hold their business events in the Philippines.
Carmela H Bocanegra, told TTGmice at ITB Berlin: “Planners who book 30 days in advance or more with any Chroma property, will be able to benefit from perks such as room upgrades and complimentary cocktail sessions, depending on the size of the group.”
A ballroom within the Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay
This one-year offer spans all seven of Chroma’s properties, where all of them already feature existing business event capabilities ranging from a conference centre to meeting halls, Bocanegra shared.
So far, the campaign has gotten good traction in Manila, and “corporate accounts have started to come back”. For instance, the Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay hosted a 700-pax telecommunications conference end-2022.
“We are also seeing some incentives booked from mid-2023 to end-2023. This is good, because (the campaign) aims to encourage groups to meet in person,” she said.
Moving forward, Chroma will continue to bid for both government events, as well as international events, some of which are through the Department of Tourism.
Bocanegra added: “For now, the focus is on domestic MICE and it has been recovering strongly. But of course, I want to attract international groups, from markets like Singapore, back as well. That is why we will be joining tradeshows like IT&CM Asia.”
Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is the latest property to join the Ascott portfolio.
Offering 135 keys, the serviced apartment is located in Rochester Commons, and occupies levels four to seven of the integrated development. Short- or long-stay guests can choose from a studio unit, a premier unit with a kitchenette and washer-dryer, or a deluxe unit with added garden access.
Facilities include a lounge, an F&B option, a swimming pool, a gym, and a self-serve coffee kiosk in the lobby on level two. There is also a Shared Executive Learning Centre, Catapult, a first of its kind in South-east Asia, which provides guests with the opportunity to sign up for courses, as well as a shared space to work and learn.
At Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore, guests will also be able to participate in yoga or networking sessions, as well as opt for curated programmes to explore in the neighbourhood, such as cycling, or running along the green corridor trail.
Novotel Phuket Kata Avista Resort & Spa has appointed Carlyle Rebello’s appointment as executive chef.
With over 16 years of experience in the industry, Rebello joins the resort from the Bab Al Qasr Hotel and Residences, Millennium and Copthorne Hotels in Adu Dhabi where he held the position of chef de cuisine, and prior to that, sous chef for four years.
He has also held the positions of sous chef at Al Hamra Residences and Hotel, Steigenberger Hotels in UAE, and Sofitel The Palm Resort & Spa in Dubai.
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.
