Malaysia is seeing improved incentive travel demand from regional markets this year, but large gatherings numbering into the thousands are still rare, say inbound operators.
At press time, Malaysia’s largest incentive group scheduled for 2023 is a 3,000 pax gathering led by Taiwan’s WOW Prime Corporation, with staggered arrivals from March 26 until September 28.
Inbound operators told TTGmice that air connectivity is to blame. Although capacity is improving, it has yet to recover to 2019 levels.
Mint Leong, managing director of DMC Sunflower Holidays, is confident that her regular client since 2010, China-based health and wellness company, Perfect China, will return to Malaysia in the third or final quarter.
Sunflower Holidays has handled Perfect China’s incentives annually since 2010, but activities were halted for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Leong, discussions are ongoing with the management to bring the incentive back to Malaysia.
However, Leong doubted that attendance would match pre-pandemic levels, where group sizes averaged 6,000 to 8,000 delegates. In 2016, it peaked to 12,000 delegates.
She said: “Flight connectivity as well as high airfares remain the two biggest challenges. We are working on persuading them to return to Malaysia this year with staggered arrivals.”
Sunflower Holidays is currently handling a proposal for a 1,000-pax incentive travel group from Taiwan for a five-day/four-night programme in Kuala Lumpur and its surroundings. Should this project be confirmed, the trip will take place in 3Q2023.
Tourland Travel has secured an Indian incentive travel group from a multi-level marketing company for 8,000 qualifiers this October, with programmes in Kuala Lumpur and a day trip to Genting. Managing director A Aruldas said participants will arrive in batches over 10 days.
He believe that as air accessibility between Malaysia and India improves further, it will be easier to promote the destination in 2024.
Arokia Das Anthony, executive director of The Essence of Asia Tours & Travel, has had enquiries from India for corporate incentive events since August 2022. Group sizes range from 800 to 5,000 people.
“These big groups are interested in Kuala Lumpur,” shared Arokia.
While interest is strong, glitches in Malaysia’s e-visa process for Indian travellers last year had left a sour taste in the mouths of many Indian agents. Glitches on the website had caused many applications to get rejected, disappointing those who had purchased air tickets but could not travel.
Significant improvements have materialised, but Arokia said the damage had been done and many Indian agents are reluctant to sell Malaysia.
She has over 20 years of experience with the Cathay Pacific Group, and was previously general manager inflight service delivery.
Prior to joining Brij Hotels, he served as the director of sales and marketing for the Gujarat region at The Leela Palace Hotels and Resorts.
Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s (BEIA) 27th MEETINGS 2023 this June 21 and 22 is gunning for the Toitū net carbon-zero certification as a Certified Event Operation – an achievement that will make the edition the most sustainable yet.
BEIA chief executive, Lisa Hopkins expressed excitement over this commitment as well as the pursuit of further sustainability goals for MEETINGS 2023.
“As the business events industry’s peak body, it is our role to lead the way in sustainability practices and make them core to everything we do,” she said in a press statement.
“Working with Toitū to achieve this certification means all emissions associated with the planning and operations of MEETINGS 2023 will be measured, audited in alignment with strict world-leading criteria, and then offset via quality assessed carbon credits.
“Not only will this show our exhibitors and buyers we are committed to reducing environmental impact, but also it will give us the platform to work towards continual reduction of carbon emissions for MEETINGS year-on-year,” Hopkins added.
MEETINGS 2023’s sustainability efforts include a sensible venue selection. It will be held at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, which holds a 5-Star Green Design certification from the New Zealand Green Building Council. Features of Tākina include high performance double glazing, automatically controlled LED lighting, heat pumps to reduce fossil fuels, ventilation and water efficient fittings and rainwater harvesting, energy efficiency signage options, and environmentally-friendly materials sourced from sustainable forestry.
Other initiatives for MEETINGS 2023 include carbon-offsetting hosted buyers air travel with Air New Zealand’s FlyNeutral programme, reducing printed material, eliminating satchels, and partnering with local charities Kibosh Food Rescue, Gillies McIndoe Research and Wellington Zoo to make donations on behalf of every hosted buyer.
“We know our 200 plus hosted buyers, who come from far and wide across New Zealand and Australia, are the lifeblood of MEETINGS. We also know that getting here comes at a cost to the environment, so BEIA will be offsetting carbon emissions from all hosted buyer flights from Australia and around New Zealand,” she said.
Hopkins acknowledged that successful sustainability initiatives require collaborative efforts, and is therefore encouraging event participants to play their part in reducing footprint.
Exhibitors can help by offsetting carbon emissions from travel and freight to Wellington if possible, using sustainable packaging, reducing waste from one-time items by creating reusable generic signage or digital signage options, and bringing reusable coffee cups and water bottles.
“We are also encouraging exhibitors to use sustainable, eco-friendly and biodegradable giveaway items, and arrange for plants used on stands to be donated or re-planted,” she said.
Hosted buyers can make a difference by bringing reusable coffee cups, water bottles, and bags, and by using the MEETINGS App, recycling name badges, walking to the venue if staying locally, and choosing one of three charities for BEIA to donate to.