Japan tightens border controls for Chinese arrivals
Spikes in local Covid-19 infections across Chinese cities have led Japan to tighten its border controls for travellers arriving from China from December 30.
All travellers from China, including Japanese citizens and residents, as well as those who have been to China within the previous seven days will be tested for Covid-19 upon their arrival in Japan. Positive cases will be directed to a seven-day quarantine at designated facilities. Asymptomatic cases may be allowed to serve a shorter five-day quarantine should they test negative on the fifth day.
The announcement from Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida on December 27 followed news of China’s decision to scrap quarantine for inbound travellers from January 8, 2023 – a move that will trigger travel for both foreigners and Chinese residents.
Flights from China will also be restricted, while arrivals from China, Hong Kong and Macau will only be permitted through Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Chubu international airports.
According to news reports, Kishida said the measure would only be temporary to prevent infections in Japan, and that the authorities would continue to monitor Covid-19 developments in China.
China to scrap Covid-19 quarantine for foreign arrivals from January 8
In a further move to loosen its strict zero-Covid regime, China will remove quarantine measures for foreign arrivals from January 8, requiring only a show of negative PCR test result obtained 48 hours ahead of entry to China.
The announcement was made by the National Health Commission online today.
The reopening is expected to inject fresh hopes of recovery into China’s business events industry, which has been severely disrupted by the authority’s zero-Covid strategy.
Cape Fahn Hotel, Koh Samui welcomes new GM
Cape & Kantary Hotels has appointed Urs Aebi as general manager of Cape Fahn Hotel, Koh Samui.
He joins Cape Fahn Hotel, Koh Samui from Selina Serenity Rawai Phuket where he was also general manager.
Armed with his skills in accounting and cash-flow management, Aebi looks forward to working with the local team and suppliers to offer unrivalled service and facilities, as well as maintain the high standards of the hotel.
La Vie Hotels & Resorts names new head of South & South-east Asia
La Vie Hotels & Resorts has appointed Shankar Sreekumar as its head of South & South-east Asia.
Based at La Vie’s regional office in Bangkok, Thailand, Shankar brings with him almost two-decades of experience in the hospitality industry, having held numerous operations-focused roles.
He was most recently director of IHG’s centre of excellence, new hotels, AMEA.
Rutjiret Ananphong helms as GM of Centara Ubon
Centara Hotels & Resorts has appointed Rutjiret Ananphong as general manager of Centara Ubon.
Having been a part of Centara Ubon’s pre-opening team since August 2022, she will continue to oversee and direct all aspects of operations when the hotel officially opens next year.
Bringing with her over 20 years of experience, she was previously general manager of COSI Krabi Ao Nang Beach.
HK MICE stakeholders laud relaxation of entry rules, but recovery conditions still not optimal
Business events stakeholders in Hong Kong have hailed the government’s decision to relax entry restrictions good news, having done away with the city’s 0+3 quarantine arrangements on December 14.
However, many other Covid-related limitations and rules are still in place, continuing to pose a challenge for stakeholders to sell the destination to overseas buyers.
According to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management)’s managing director, Monica Lee-Müller, this relaxation in measures is an important step the business events industry has been waiting for.
Similarly, general manager of DMC Momentous Asia Travel & Events, Doris Lam, called the relaxation “good news”.
Having just returned from IBTM World, Lam shared that her European clients have shown interest in visiting Hong Kong, but she does not have any solid leads on groups with intention to travel.
As such, she does not expect a surge in visitors over the next few months, and remains hopeful that in time, all Covid-related restrictions will be completely lifted.
Right now, her focus is on developing “new and interesting products”, as well as updating their lists as some attractions, like the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, no longer exist.
Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association’s chairman, Stuart Bailey, called the removal of the Amber code restriction a “big step forward that will help with the resumption of MICE activity”, and expects the convention and exhibition sectors to rebound by mid-2023.
“However, there are still some hurdles to overcome. Issues that remain are the testing regime that remains in place for arrivals, and another test on day two. If found positive, visitors are quarantined to their hotel rooms for five days and cannot leave the city,” Bailey explained.
The other major issue is the prolonged closure of China’s border, where many trade exhibitions in Hong Kong are reliant on Chinese participants.
Still, Bailey remains optimistic that solutions can be found in due time, as the association is closely working with the government to remove the last remaining obstacles.
For Katerina Tam, director of International Conference Consultants, she expects business events groups to return to Hong Kong from 2Q2023. However, one “stumbling block” is that banquet group sizes are still limited, which she hopes to see it relaxed soon.
Travel Spark by TTG with the Philippines: Fab festivals and fresh tourism draws
Rounding up the Travel Spark by TTG’s 2022 video series is an episode centred on the Philippines’ festivals and tourism developments.
Arnold T Gonzales, acting head of the MICE department, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, fronts the episode. Not only does he detail the Philippines’ rich cultural tapestry and unique festivals that provide memorable discoveries for travellers, he also sheds light on the various new developments for tourism and business events taking shape across the Philippines, and introduces the support system in place for investors keen to play a part in the country’s tourism progress.
Travel Spark by TTG is a programme that aims to spark off travel and events ideas. Past episodes can be found on the TTG Asia Media channel.
TCEB to ensure AFECA 2023 AGM in Bangkok leaves a lasting legacy
The Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) will hold its 2023 AGM in Bangkok next November, in a gathering that will span four days including a full Experience Day focused on presenting some of Bangkok’s newest and most meaningful experiences to business events decision-makers.
The event will be hosted by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and supported by a host of critical local agencies and organisations including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand Incentive and Convention Association, Thai Exhibition Association, Airports of Thailand, Thai Hotels Association and Thai Airways.
In a private event today announcing the 2023 AGM, the federation’s president, Vincent Lim, who also leads the Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, said the meeting would be AFECA’s first face-to-face gathering since the start of the pandemic. Members have so far only been connecting online.
“We are delighted for Thailand to be the host for AFECA’s 2023 AGM, as it has always been an important business events destination in Asia and is at the forefront of (South-east Asian) MICE development. With TCEB’s support, the 2023 AGM will be a platform for MICE leaders and industry players to continue to raise the profile of Asian MICE industry on the global stage,” said Lim.
In an interview with TTGmice, TCEB’s Nichapa Yoswee, senior vice president – strategic marketing and business development said that while AFECA will determine the content of 2023 AGM, her bureau will support the full programme for it to establish a varied and lasting legacy for Thailand and Asia’s business events industry.
To this end, TCEB has proposed the inclusion of the inaugural Asia MICE Forum within the four-day event. According to Nichapa, the Asia MICE Forum is an evolved Thailand MICE Forum that will provide a platform for dialogue between private and public sector players for the greater good of the region’s business events industry. There will be business matching opportunities, presentation of new industry initiatives, and recognition of top performing Thai business events industry players through awards.
She also revealed intentions to launch Asia20 within the AFECA meeting, a by-invite conference that will bring high-level industry stakeholders and government agency representatives up to speed on important issues such as industry standards, new technology, sustainable practices and collaboration.
“We want content at the 2023 AGM to give attendees a glimpse of the future and inspire them to rethink the structure of the events ecosystem in their own country. We want government agencies to take home an understanding of what must be done to establish a healthy and supportive ecosystem that will further grow the region’s business events industry,” she emphasised.
Acknowledging the vast ambitions of the event, Nichapa said: “We want the AFECA meeting to be the sort of event that will change the future of our industry for the better – that’s the legacy we intend for it to leave behind.”
Nichapa added that the 2023 AGM is one of the “multiplier events” that her bureau is keen to bring to Thailand. She explained that such events involve decision-makers with the power to spin off even more valuable business activities that will benefit the industries they represent as well as the national economy.
Exact dates for the meeting are still being deliberated, and Bangkok’s hosting of the 62nd annual ICCA Congress in the same month, from November 12 to 15, will be taken into account.
While two major association meetings in November would result in a buzzing period for Bangkok’s hospitality industry, Nichapa does not think that resources would be stretched.
“Bangkok has a wide variety of hotel accommodation across price and service points. In terms of manpower needs, I expect the many graduates of our MICE Academy will step up to support the meetings. Students who are still on course could join one of the various events as supporting staff, and earn valuable real-life lessons about the business as well as gain important contacts along the way,” she told TTGmice.
UFI Asia Pacific Conference returns to Malaysia in 2023
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, will hold its 16th UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from March 2-3, 2023.
Open to all exhibition industry professionals, this is the first time since March 2019 that the UFI Asia Pacific Conference is back as an in-person event.
The UFI Asia Pacific Conference features two days of content, networking and learning. There will be plenty of hot topics to discuss as the Asia exhibition industry looks to shake-off the damage from Covid-19 and begins to work towards recovery and growth.
Pre-registration is available here.
Over 300 delegates from 22 countries and regions attended the 2019 edition of the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Tokyo, making it the biggest of its kind in the event’s history.
Reviews
The Slate Phuket
Just 10 minutes from Phuket International Airport on the serene northern coast, this 178-key, Bill Bensley-designed resort offers delegates a quiet, tropical paradise steeped in Phuket’s tin-mining heritage
The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok
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
Mama Shelter Zurich
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
China’s resumption of travel is lifting spirits across Hong Kong’s tourism sector, but players are urging China for more details to help them better plan their operations.
Fanny Yeung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council (TIC), told TTGmice that the announcement this week took the industry by surprise.
“It’s vital that we are able to cope with inbound traffic (from China). With more details from the Central Government, such as daily arrival quota, we can better plan ahead,” she said, adding that Hong Kong has a severe manpower obstacle to overcome due to a talent bleed-out over the past three disrupted years.
She said businesses would need to “offer competitive salaries” to lure people back.
“I reckon it may take us three to four months to ramp up manpower to meet the needs (of returning Chinese travellers),” said Yeung.
However, if all goes well, Yeung expects Hong Kong tourism business to return to pre-pandemic levels in 3Q2023.
TIC’s chairman Gianna Hsu is less worried about the immediate future, as China’s travel resumption will coincide with the Chinese New Year holidays starting January 22, 2023. This is typically a low travel season for group tours from China, and that buys Hong Kong some time to prepare for the market’s return.
Luc Bollen, general manager of The Park Lane Hong Kong – A Pullman Hotel, is upbeat. “According to recent studies (by Trip.com), Hong Kong remains the top-three most popular destination for all Chinese tourists,” he said.
Bollen said his team is well prepared to welcome guests from China. Together with Accor’s regional office, the hotel launched in late-December several room packages aimed at the Chinese.
He expects Chinese guests to combine business and leisure when they return to Hong Kong for their first trip in three years.
Industry players have expressed concerns about the return of sufficient air capacity to support China’s reopening.
Yeung hopes that China’s latest announcement will motivate airlines to accelerate their plans to return to service.
A spokesman with homegrown Greater Bay Airlines said the company would “keep monitoring the market situation and work closely with respective stakeholders to get prepared as appropriate”.
Greater Bay Airlines is current serving only Bangkok and Taipei.
Cathay Pacific has also shed little details on service plans following the December 27 announcement, only saying it would “continue to communicate with relevant authorities and to increase our passenger capacity to and from the Chinese Mainland as much as possible”.
Cathay Pacific is operating at about 30 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity and has some weekly services between Hong Kong and select Chinese cities, like Beijing and Chengdu, scheduled for January.
In order to keep pace with China’s reopening, Hong Kong will also remove all mandatory PCR test requirements for inbound travellers, quarantine orders and the use of the Vaccine Pass from December 29.