The İGA Istanbul Airport has become the first airport in the world to be accredited under Airports Council International (ACI) World’s new Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme.
Launched earlier this year, the first-of-its-kind programme was designed to help airports measure, evaluate, and improve their accessibility management and culture, providing a continuous path of improvement in the area of accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
The air travel system should be equitable, inclusive and accessible to all travellers
The accreditation was developed as a collaboration between accessibility advocacy groups, airports, industry partners, and ACI.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, world director general, ACI said: “Air travel accessibility continues to be a priority for the industry, and this has been reflected in our recent advocacy work with governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as well as the resources we are developing for airports.
“The input from the accessibility community was absolutely crucial for this programme as we work to make an air travel system for all people – one that is equitable, inclusive and accessible. We hope to welcome more airports in the coming year.”
Kadri Samsunlu, CEO, İGA Istanbul Airport said: “We view accessibility as a fundamental human right.
“We are proud of being the first airport in the world to be accredited with the ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme and we will continue to improve accessibility on an ongoing basis, stand in solidarity with all local and international disability communities and advocate inclusivity and accessibility.”
The Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) has won the bid to host the World Franchise Council (WFC) meeting in October next year.
It will be held alongside the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation (APFC) meeting and the Franchise Asia Philippines Expo and meeting, Philippine Franchise Association president, Chris Lim, told TTGmice.
Lim: huge turnout for event expected
As the WFC has over 40 national franchise associations around the globe, Lim is expecting to welcome a huge turnout of foreign delegates. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation has members in 16 countries including Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, UAE and Turkey.
In addition, the largest franchise show in Asia, the Franchise Asia Philippines Expo, will be on a bigger scale next year, shared Lim. It will be held at the SMX Convention Center Manila, while the adjacent Conrad Manila Hotel will be the venue for the WFC and APFC meetings.
The Philippines is the seventh largest franchise market in the world, contributing 8.7 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and employing, directly and indirectly, over two million people.
As part of the programme, delegates will also have the opportunity to explore attractions outside Metro Manila.
“We will partner with the Department of Tourism to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination (to these delegates),” stated Lim.
The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, Thailand chapter or SITE Thailand, in collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and College of Innovation Thammasat University (CITU) recently concluded the SITE Thailand M&I Sustainability Advocate Project 2022.
The project challenged 150 young leaders aged 17 to 25 to come up with sustainability practice ideas for the meetings and incentive travel sector. In total, there were 11 teams of young leaders incubating 11 ideas for sustainable practices in incentive trips to 10 MICE cities.
A screenshot from the virtual event
These young ambassadors were then invited to present their ideas virtually at the M&I Sustainability Forum.
Max Boontawee Jantasuwan, SITE Thailand president said that this project is one of SITE Thailand’s legacies to remind the new generation in the business events industry to cultivate a greater awareness of sustainability.
Orachon Wongpan-ngam, director of MICE Capabilities Development Department, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), added: “Currently, most corporates are looking for a destination and business partners who have a solid background in sustainability practices in organising sustainable events. TCEB (aims to) empower the younger generation to step up and create new solutions for our industry.”
Christmas tree light-up moment at the West Kowloon Cultural District
From November 25-28, 2022, Hong Kong hosted an incentive group from Thailand’s beauty brand IB Skincare, following the relaxation of restrictions for inbound travellers.
Aside from wining and dining on local specialities such as Hong Kong-style roast goose rice, the group’s itinerary included a tour of the brand-new Hong Kong Palace Museum, temple-hopping, and an exclusive Christmas tree light-up moment at Hong Kong WinterFest at the West Kowloon Cultural District, the city’s new flagship art and cultural quarter.
The group participated in the Christmas tree light-up at the West Kowloon Cultural District
Kenneth Wong, general manager, MICE & cruise, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said: “We’re delighted to welcome our friends from Thailand to Hong Kong again. This group marked the very first of our line-up of incentive groups from shorthaul markets, with even more coming in the future.
“It indicates encouraging overseas demand for motivational incentive programmes to Hong Kong, especially after the recent implementation of favourable arrangements for inbound tour groups.”
Inbound tour groups received by licensed travel agents, and have pre-registered itineraries, are permitted to enter tourist attractions and dine in designated premises.
A previous edition of the Young Talents Escoffier competition
Singapore will be hosting the Young Talents Escoffier (YTE) Asia Competition 2023 from April 25-28 at the Singapore Expo, in partnership with FHA-Food & Beverage.
Organised by Disciples Escoffier Asia, YTE Asia will be hosted by Singapore, with effect from 2023. Previously held in Hong Kong in 2017 and 2018, and Bali in 2022, the 2023 edition will also be the first time the competition will be hosted in Singapore.
A previous edition of the Young Talents Escoffier competition
Chefs below 25, and Escoffier presidents, hailing from 13 countries (Australia, Tahiti, New Caledonia, China, Macau, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Singapore), are expected to participate in the event next year.
Previous Singaporean alumni are Koh Han Jie, current head chef of Ce Soir and Under der Linden; and Neo Jun Hao, current head chef of HUE restaurant.
Koh was the winner of the 2017 YTE Asia, and champion of the 2018 YTE World competition in Zurich; while Neo won the 2018 YTE Asia, and took second place at the 2019 YTE World competition in Bordeaux.
The Mazda Motor Corporation has unveiled a newly-renovated museum at its Hiroshima headquarters to mark a century of operations.
The facility showcases the history of Mazda, from its early days in the 1920s when it produced cork to its shift into manufacturing two- and three-wheeled vehicles and eventual evolution to become a general automobile manufacturer.
Mazda Museum
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Exhibits cover the company’s expansion to become a national and global brand, as well as its move into motorsports and efforts towards achieving greater human-centric design. There are also displays outlining the company’s vision for the next 100 years and its plans to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainability.
A key component of Hiroshima City’s industrial tourism, the renewed space is designed to attract motoring enthusiasts and business events groups interested in learning from this giant of Japanese manufacturing. Visitors can discover how Mazda approached Japan’s iconic style of manufacturing (monotsukuri), combined traditional craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology over time and developed global business practices.
More than 50 full-size vintage and iconic models from the past 100 years bring Mazda’s operational timeline to life, along with displays of special engines and other car parts. A special exhibit features a full-size model of the Mazda 787B, which became the first Japanese motorsport car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1991.
Another highlight of the museum is the introduction to the mixed model production assembly line, where Mazda uses scheduled sequential production to increase efficiency. Visitors can walk through the factory floor on a raised platform that provides a real-time, birds-eye view of the staff and their operations.
Alongside the renewal, Mazda has also launched a virtual museum that introduces exhibits via a guided online tour. Users can follow the story of Mazda via detailed explanations and immersive drone footage of the facility.
Outrigger Resorts & Hotels has appointed Rory Campbell as director of sales and marketing and Michael Gaarde-Nielsen as general manager for Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort.
In his new role, Campbell will be responsible for the development and implementation of internal and external sales and marketing strategies and related plans to maximise the resort’s revenue market share and optimise profitability for all source markets.
From left: Rory Campbell and Michael Gaarde-Nielsen
He was recently area director of sales and marketing for the former Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach and Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resorts.
Gaarde-Nielsen has extensive resort leadership experience in Europe, the Middle East and South-east Asia, and will be responsible for all aspects of Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort operations.
He was previously general manager at Centara Hotels and Resorts in Phuket and Krabi.
Event brief
Organisers dmg events and Fiera Milano sought to make the event a meeting point for the future of design. Fiera Milano, the first Italian PEO to set up its regional headquarters in Singapore, saw FIND as a channel for companies to expand their business beyond Europe. As a debut event, FIND had to make its mark. With that in mind, they teamed up with Dubai-headquartered dmg events, which organises more than 80 events worldwide.
“We worked hard to bring a broad variety of products from regional and international brands that would showcase a mix of innovative designs across furniture, lighting, textiles, bath, kitchen and more,” said Marcus Magee, vice president – Asia, dmg events.
The organisers also secured support from the Italian Trade Agency for the Italian Design Futures as the centrestage for panel discussions on sustainability, craftsmanship and design in the post-pandemic era, with leading Italian brands displayed concentrically.
Aside from Singapore, international exhibitors from Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam were also brought in to showcase their products on the global stage.
Event highlights
The circular Italian Design Futures Capsule featured exhibits such as bespoke faucets manufactured from high-purity 3D print metal, a wide assortment of paint varieties, intriguing wood and fabric furniture, lighting and glass ornaments.
Other stands included fittings, 3D renderings, laminates, furniture and fabrics, wall coverings, Czech crystal and glassware that piqued the curiosity and generated much discussion between visitors and exhibitors.
Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), the organiser of the three-decade-long International Furniture Fair Singapore until 2019, presented Urban Living Showcase, its vision for the local furniture industry. Housed under the artistic, reusable cardboard dome structure were collections from the Design Innovation Programme which promoted new urban living concepts and innovative designs for urban lifestyles around the world.
Meanwhile, the large EMERGE @ FIND space afforded good exposure to young South-east Asian designers, some of whom presented interesting takes on sustainability in recycled materials for furniture and accessories.
Visitors on the showfloor. Photo: Gerardine Donough-Tan
Challenges
While dmg events is a leading event organiser with some of the biggest events in the energy sector, it is less well-known in the design world. “This meant some companies and organisations were hesitant to invest, and instead chose to wait and see how the first edition went,” said Magee.
Nevertheless, the team worked hard to secure leading world designers like Paola Navone to speak at the FIND Global Summit, and attracted more than 250 companies, brands, product designers, distributors and retailers to exhibit their exquisite collections at FIND.
As the event was happening before the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, this meant that travel to Singapore and accommodations were more expensive, which deterred a number of foreign participants. Despite that, 21 per cent of the total attendance were overseas visitors.
While some displays had copious space, the popular SFIC section was congested at times as visitors had to manoeuvre around the creative arrangement of exhibits.
Event FIND – Design Fair Asia Organisers dmg events and Fiera Milano Venue Sands Expo and Convention Centre Date September 22-24, 2022 Attendance 12,347, including exhibitors and speakers
Amex GBT aims to power economic, social and environmental progress through travel
American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has been awarded a platinum EcoVadis medal for its environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.
Platinum status is the highest accolade awarded by EcoVadis and this places Amex GBT among the top one per cent of independently assessed companies across the world.
Amex GBT aims to power economic, social and environmental progress through travel
EcoVadis is a provider of business sustainability ratings with a global network of more than 100,000 rated companies across many industries. A rating is derived from an evaluation of non-financial management systems, including environmental, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement practices. The independent evaluation methodology is based on global standards and guided by the international scientific community.
The EcoVadis platinum medal rounds off a year of ESG initiatives for Amex GBT. In June, Amex GBT with Shell and Accenture launched Avelia, one of the world’s first blockchain-powered book-and-claim digital platforms for sustainable aviation fuel. In October, Amex GBT became the first travel management company to join the World Economic Forum.
Avelia = American Express Meetings and Events – a division of Amex GBT – has also signed the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) pledge, a joint commitment across the events industry to achieve the targets laid out in the Paris Climate Accord. The NZCE pledge, which has the support of UNFCCC Secretariat (United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change), was launched at the UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.
The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) will co-organise the world’s first green travel mart from March 29 to April 2, 2023 in Silang, Cavite, the Philippines.
The International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM) is a historic assembly and world festival that pushes ecotourism for the good of the environment and local community. It is co-presented by the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN) and the International School for Sustainable Tourism (ISST).
Gabor: IETM’s goal is protecting the natural environment while uplifting local community welfare
The event is expected to attract buyers and sellers of ecotourism packages from at least 21 countries; companies specialising in ecotourism-related and sustainability-advancing products; participants, speakers and panellists for IETM’s two-day forum and certificate course; and the general public.
Masaru Takayama, president of AEN, said the event would offer attendees a great opportunity to learn and network across cultures.
IETM participants will also gain crucial information through resource speakers on best practices involving ASEAN heritage parks and protected sites, including their experiences on the pathway to recovery after two years of pandemic.
Mina Gabor, chair and president of ISST, stated that ACB’s vital contribution to IETM fast-tracks the event’s goal of protecting the natural environment while uplifting local community welfare.
Mundita Lim, ACB executive director, added that the event “elevates tourism as a leader in promoting the balance between economic development and harnessing nature as a means to overcome current challenges”.
“With IETM 2023, we hope to help jumpstart sustainable economic recovery in the region with the promotion of a greener and biodiversity-conscious tourism industry. We see opportunities for greater participation of local communities, empowerment of local cultures, and enhancing windows for sustainability and continuity,” said Lim.
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