Langkawi will soon have a fresh attraction to draw travellers – the Dream Forest Langkawi, an integrated tourist destination comprising Dream Forest Immersive Park and Dream Forest Book Village.
Built at a cost of around 20 million ringgit (US$4.5 million), the project is conceptualised and developed by Enfiniti Group and led by creative powerhouse Tiara Jacquelina.
Tiara Jacquelina (centre) and her team at the preview of Dream Forest Langkawi
The first phase of the project, Dream Forest Immersive Park, is set to open in May at the foot of Gunung Raya mountain. It will feature a multi-sensory, immersive evening walk through a 1.2km trail in Langkawi’s lush rainforest, where local stories and legends of the island come alive through soundscape, illuminations and projection mapping on the trees and the ground. Some spaces are also interactive.
During the day, visitors can take nature walks and at night, the forest transforms into a 6.39 hectare-wide natural theatrical space.
At a recent press conference, Tiara said the project was four years in the making.
“It started in 2019 as a very different project, designed to be experienced as separate stories told through various mediums of technology in individual pavilions,” she said.
“This was part of a plan to revitalise and reinvigorate the beautiful, former Kampung Buku of Langkawi. We even had plans for a spectacular nightly performance in an outdoor theatre.
“By 2020, it was very clear that the tourism industry and attractions like the one we were creating needed to adapt to a new normal in tandem with Industrial Revolution 4.0. The world was changing, the way people travelled and consumed entertainment was changing.”
Realising this, Enfiniti Group had to rethink the concept and how the visitor’s journey could be enhanced through the use of technology and automation, while being responsible and respectful to the natural forest landscape.
The second phase, Dream Forest Book Village, will house an events space, F&B and retail outlets as well as picnic spots. There will also be regularly curated cultural-based pocket performances of music, dance and poetry readings around the gardens or at the 120-seat amphitheatre.
Queensland’s Gold Coast is being thrust into the literal limelight as developments in the city’s screen industry pick up speed, with at least two reputable industry gatherings secured recently.
In January, the Gold Coast was announced as host city for the next three editions of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, regarded as the Australian version of the Academy Awards.
The Village Roadshow Studios investment has boosted the Gold Coast’s standing in the movie-making industry (photo credit: villageroadshowstudios.com.au)
According to a press statement from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), the wins will see AACTA president Russell Crowe, vice president Nicole Kidman and ambassador Cate Blanchett leading a lineup of talent on the Gold Coast, generating A$3.4 million (US$2.3 million) for the visitor economy.
AACTA will also develop several initiatives, including the expansion of its ScreenFest programme, which will be presented on the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the AACTA Awards in February 2024. ScreenFest will feature a range of screen culture and creative development activities covering all aspects of film, television and digital content creation, including workshops, skills and employment seminars, masterclasses, and showcases of local and international work. These will sit alongside programmes that support and amplify First Nations storytelling.
Another win for Destination Gold Coast, business events stakeholders and the local screen industry is the three-year contract to host Screen Forever, a business event that brings together local and international screen industry leaders across all genres and disciplines. The Gold Coast successfully delivered the 2022 edition in March, and will welcome the next edition this May.
Karen Bolinger, the interim CEO of Destination Gold Coast, said the screen industry development brings more than just star power to the Gold Coast.
“It leads to job creation, knowledge exchange in the space of film production, innovation and talent, and attracts investors and entrepreneurs in this industry,” said Bolinger during her meeting with TTGmice at AIME 2023.
Destination Gold Coast’s head of business events, Selina Sinclair, added that few knew about the ongoing “massive screen development that is going on here”.
“Baz Luhrmann relocated his production company HQ to the Gold Coast to make his Elvis biopic. Village Roadshow, which has also made big investments in the Gold Coast, operates the Village Roadshow Studios in Oxenford. That is one of the largest studio lots in the Southern Hemisphere,” detailed Sinclair.
“Many of these studios are a product of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast – sporting infrastructure that has been converted for other uses,” she added.
It is estimated that Village Roadshow Studios alone has attracted about A$3.6 billion worth of film, reaffirming the city’s position as a movie-making heavyweight. Big-name movies to film in the city include Thor: Ragnarok; Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales; San Andreas; and The Shallows.
Bolinger: the Gold Coast is a magnet for screen businesses and talents
The big screen development resonates with Destination Gold Coast’s new brand, The imagination capital of Australia, which was unveiled in 2022 to spotlight the strength of the city’s health, innovation, education, screen and arts, and sports industries.
“There tends to be a one-dimensional view of the Gold Coast, as a place for sun, sand and surf. But the Gold Coast is not one dimensional,” asserted Bolinger.
Event owners that have to answer to stakeholders demanding “different outcomes from their events” will discover many positive aspects of the Gold Coast that will spur commercial achievements.
To emphasise the power and presence of the Gold Coast’s intelligent community, Destination Gold Coast launched a new ebook, The Imagination Collective, at AIME 2023. It comprises stories about the people, the industries and the growing pool of knowledge in the city.
The Next Generation Leadership grant programme is in its seventh year
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, is inviting talented industry professionals from around the world to apply for the 2023 edition of its Next Generation Leadership grant programme.
The goal of the UFI Next Generation Leadership (NGL) Grant is to foster next-generation leaders in the exhibition industry and promote talented professionals who demonstrate clear initiative in driving change and innovation in their area of activity.
The Next Generation Leadership grant programme is in its seventh year
NGL Grant applicants are asked to focus on a mission that tackles a critical topic facing the exhibition industry. This year, the mission calls for applicants to write a new blueprint on how to operate events that help industries evolve, and help businesses to trade and learn.
The NGL Grant will be awarded to up to five winners, who will be picked by an international jury chaired by UFI president Michael Duck. The winners will work with the team at the UFI headquarters in Paris and receive support from the NGL alumni community, as well as present their findings in a special session at the 90th UFI Global Congress taking place from November 1-4, 2023 in Las Vegas, US. The grant covers the travel and accommodation needed to attend the event, as well as to attend the UFI European Conference in Maastricht, The Netherlands from June 13-14, 2023.
This grant is open to anyone who works full-time in the exhibition industry for no longer than 10 years. It will begin in May 2023 and is spread over eight months, allowing the grant winners to participate while also continuing to fulfil their daily work obligations.
The Sabah Tourism Board has introduced an incentive support programme toattract more business events to the state, and continues to support the development of human capital for the business events industry through several initiatives.
Organisers who bring in a minimum of 30 national or international delegates per business event are eligible for the incentive support which is known as Sabah BE Here For You. The support is on a reimbursement basis and the maximum support per event is RM100,000 (US$21,274).
Sabah (pictured) is ready for business events
In 2022, a total of 53 events were supported, which included the 2nd Asia Parks Congress in May; 24th Family Medicine Scientific Conference in September; and the 6th World Tourism Conference in November.
Meanwhile, capability building and knowledge upgrading initiatves included a four-day Congress Certification Program 1.0 in December 2021, as well as subsiding the cost of The CCP 2.0 Advance Masterclass. Topics covered topics such as budget preparation, digital marketing application, event technology, nd digital event strategies.
Such activities also contribute to the nation’s economic recovery and growth under the 12th Malaysia Plan and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.
The Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), a waterfront purpose-built conference, exhibition and entertainment facility in Kota Kinabalu, is also doing its part by hosting educational programmes for local associations to understand more about the business events industry, and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to bid for regional and international meetings and conferences.
Elsewhere in the business events ecosystem, Borneo Trails Tours & Travel has created new incentive packages for the European market, which were promoted at World Travel Market in London last November.
The 10 to 12 day nature and culture packages combined state capital Kota Kinabalu with Sandakan, a hotspot for wildlife sightings. The company is also working with local organisations on CSR programmes in remote areas, as European clients tend to incorporate a CSR component into their itineraries.
MCEC (pictured) brings both the events and aviation sectors together in this latest win
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and Startup Victoria have established a new partnership that connects the start-up community, experts and entrepreneurs with the events industry.
This partnership is a strategic alignment that will strengthen industry relationships, provide a forum for sharing experiences and expertise, and inform potential products and services to help shape the MCEC customer experience.
MCEC and Startup Victoria aim to foster innovation and entrepreneurship
Natalie O’Brien, CEO of MCEC, said the partnership can help MCEC progress the innovation journey it has embarked on over recent years. “We have lots of ideas to explore and we want to embed creativity, innovation and an entrepreneur mindset into our business,” O’Brien said.
“The partnership with Startup Victoria will help us navigate the large and complex start-up ecosystem and connect with people who can help us achieve our innovation goals.”
Meanwhile, Dickie Currer, head of partnerships at Startup Victoria, looks forward to connecting with “CEC’s people and community partners and tapping into the expertise and influence of its Club Melbourne ambassadors and thought leaders”.
The first Startup Victoria event to be supported by MCEC as a venue partner is the Health & Wellbeing Pitch Night. The pitch night on February 28 will showcase startups that are making the world a better place by improving health and well-being in innovative ways. Further pitch nights will be held throughout the year.
Looking forward, MCEC is preparing to host the Global Entrepreneurs Congress when it comes to Melbourne for the first time in September 2023. This event will bring together more than 2,500 delegates from 170 countries to share success stories and foster collaboration.
Trip.Biz finds that there is a significant demand for sustainable travel, which can now be met at a corporate level
Trip.Biz, Trip.com Group’s corporate travel arm, has become the first corporate travel platform to use the Travalyst Aviation Framework to provide transparent flight carbon emissions data to corporate bookers.
Trip.Biz is the second Trip.com Group brand to fully integrate the Travalyst Aviation Framework on emission reporting, following the successful integration for consumers on Skyscanner.
Trip.Biz finds that there is a significant demand for sustainable travel, which can now be met at a corporate level
Last year, Travalyst announced that its coalition of top travel brands had aligned on a shared framework to collect and display flight emissions data, providing consumers with essential information on flight emissions before booking.
Trip.com Group is a Founding Partner of Travalyst, the not-for-profit sustainable travel coalition, founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
Steven Zhang, CEO of Trip.Biz, said: “Corporate bookers are increasingly looking for providers offering sustainable travel options for business travellers.
“Since corporate ESG policies are more routinely considered when making travel bookings, Trip.Biz now ensures corporate travel bookers are equipped with the relevant data to make informed, more sustainable travel decisions.”
Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst, added: “It is encouraging to see Trip.Biz adopting the Travalyst framework. This is an important step in moving towards industry-wide alignment in the decarbonisation of the aviation sector.”
The Travalyst framework consists of a set of shared principles and preferred methodology for estimating carbon emissions from air travel, agreed upon and committed to by all Travalyst travel distribution partners.
In addition to displaying emissions data on individual flight routes, Trip.Biz also provides its corporate clients with an overview of the total flight count and estimated accumulated emissions – giving clients a complete picture of their aviation emissions.
Trip.Biz currently provides travel management services to 14,000 large enterprises and 730,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, among which over 300 are Fortune 500 companies and over 10,000 are Sino-foreign joint venture businesses.
BCD Travel will leverage Amadeus’ technology, travel expertise, content, and global footprint
BCD Travel has expanded its agreement with Amadeus to partner on multiple initiatives, each designed to provide BCD Travel with a platform for growth, productivity improvement, and technological innovation.
This includes incorporating Amadeus’ industry-leading NDC content and end-to-end workflow capabilities. For Amadeus, the new agreement also means increased business with a leading global TMC, including opportunities in the UK, Ireland, and North America.
BCD Travel will leverage Amadeus’ technology, travel expertise, content, and global footprintB
“BCD is delighted to be expanding our long-standing partnership with Amadeus,” said BCD Travel’s president and CEO John Snyder. “This agreement allows us to engage on deeper technology collaboration and deliver high-value services through the Amadeus Travel Platform. The expansion of our partnership will provide our corporate clients with more content options, including bringing NDC to life at scale, while streamlining and simplifying our distribution technology footprint and infrastructure.”
Decius Valmorbida, president, travel, Amadeus, added: “The new agreement presents significant potential for mutual growth, and we look forward to partnering with BCD Travel on initiatives to address future challenges and opportunities in the business travel space.”
Regal Hotels International has opened the Regala Skycity Hotel in Hong Kong, the first property under the group’s Regala brand.
The 1,208-room hotel is located within the Skycity development next to the Hong Kong International Airport, and is directly connected to the AsiaWorld-Expo convention and exhibition facility.
Regala Skycity Hotel’s Banquet Hall
The hotel also offers 2,800m2 of meeting and events space, including two banquet halls and the Regala Grand Ballroom.
Features include the landscaped rooftop Sky Deck with cocktail bar, fitness centre and jogging track, as well as an outdoor swimming pool, all-day dining international restaurant Petra, Vivace bar and grill, and Chinese restaurant Jade.
Regala Skycity Hotel joins Regal’s portfolio of 16 properties across its Regal Hotels, Regala and Iclub brands, with locations in Dezhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Xi’an.
BESydney has welcomed a new independent director, Amy Glancey, to the strategic event bidding organisation’s board, for a three-year term.
As chief of staff at Atlassian since 2018, Glancey was responsible for leading the agenda of the co-founders/co-CEOs, and the office of the CEO.
Joining Atlassian in 2016 as the director of communications for Asia-Pacific (APAC), Glancey expanded her remit to director of communications for global markets covering APAC & EMEA footprints.
Prior to Atlassian, Glancey spent four years at Groupon where she led the communications team across 14 markets in APAC. She has also held various roles across the US, UK, and APAC in both the private and public sectors.
New Zealand’s capital city, best known for being compact and collaborative, has now set a bigger ambition to create even more impact.
Wellington is developing an attitude of change where climate change, natural habitat restoration, research, education and innovation form part of the city’s aggressive agenda.
Capitalising on strategic advantages in its key industries, the vibrant capital is capturing international attention by hosting conferences and events that address these concerns.
Those events, in turn, help to support New Zealand as a whole, and accelerate its thriving sectors in research, science, environment and innovation.
Wellington, as the political and geographical heart, is also where decision-makers congregate and home to most of the country’s central government agencies and many industry associations.
Wellington’s creative, environmental appeal Also known as New Zealand’s creative capital and recognised by UNESCO as a City of Film for its rich and diverse screen activities, Wellington has long been featured on the international big screen for film and television projects such as the latest Avatar: The Way of the Water, Avatar and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Wellington is well-known as New Zealand’s creative capital and recognised by UNESCO as a City of Film
With an environmental emphasis from every angle, Wellington has also long been a leader in climate change and is already the lowest carbon city per person in Australasia.
That came off the back of Wellington City Council’s decision in 2019 to adopt Te Atakura–First to Zero, a blueprint to make the city a zero carbon capital by 2050.
Named the most liveable city for two years in a row (2017 & 2018), Wellington is also ranked first globally for environmental security (2021).
Anchor venue for influential conferences It’s not surprising that associations and corporates looking to create positive change bring their conferences to the city, described as a sophisticated hub of industry and culture.
For the recent New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA) conference, the capital provided the perfect platform to showcase its offering to the world.
It incorporated the film, screen and interactive media sectors alongside its traditional gaming content for the very first time, all part of a recently-inked multi-year partnership between NZGDA and the city.
NZGDA has now anchored its annual conference in Wellington, with an additional focus on the emerging field of virtual production where gaming, film and screen capabilities are converging.
The over-arching goal is to improve cross-industry collaborations, co-productions and direct investment within those industries, and strengthen Wellington’s position as a world leader in those sectors.
Another upcoming conference with Wellington as the venue destination of choice and destined to create positive change in 2023 is the inaugural Life Sciences Summit taking place in March.
The summit provides a platform for discussion on the challenges New Zealand and the world are facing — from climate emissions, gene editing, scaling New Zealand technology for the world, venture capital funding trends, talent attraction and Aotearoa’s competitive advantages.
The new conference will unite New Zealand’s life sciences and biotechnology communities across all sectors, including agriculture, environment, industrial as well as human and animal health, and is expected to impact future government policies and regulations.
New purpose-built conference centre Tākina Meanwhile, association and conference organisers will have yet another venue to consider when they look to hold their events in Wellington in the future.
The new conference and exhibition centre in Wellington, Tākina, boasts 10,000m2 of flexible space and is suitable for plenaries of 1,600 delegates
The new purpose-built conference and exhibition centre, Tākina, opens in June. Situated in Wellington’s cultural precinct, Tākina boasts 10,000m2 of flexible space, is suitable for plenaries of 1,600 delegates and designed with an immersive experience in mind.
Keen to organise your next event at the brand-new Tākina? The Business Events Wellington team is excited to share more on this stunning new venue.
To lock in your dates for Tākina or to learn more about bringing your conference to Wellington,
contact BusinessEvents@WellingtonNZ.com, +64 49161219
visitBusiness Events Wellington
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