Mercure Tokyu Stay Osaka Namba is slated to open on December 1, 2022
Accor will introduce its first dual-branded hotel to Japan with Mercure Tokyu Stay Osaka Namba, slated to open on December 1 this year.
In partnership with Japanese real estate company Tokyu Resorts & Stays, the property will offer the best of both companies – Accor’s global reach and international loyalty programme Accor Live Limitless (ALL), and Tokyu Stays’ domestic network and hotel facilities.
Mercure Tokyu Stay Osaka Namba is slated to open on December 1, 2022
The 288 guestrooms are ideal for short-stay and long-stay guests, with a portion of guestrooms offering washer-dryers and kitchenettes, one of the signature features of Tokyu Stay properties. There is also an all-day Italian dining restaurant on site.
The hotel is within a four-minute walk from Namba station which offers a direct train line to Kansai International Airport. Local landmarks like Shinsaibashi shopping district and “America Town” are also easily accessible.
Garth Simmons, CEO, Accor Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea said: “This property offers the perfect setting for local and international visitors to explore the local scene whether they are in town for business or leisure, and enjoy the warm hospitality that is unique to this region.”
“(The hotel’s location) will continue to attract attention as a sightseeing base for Kansai in the future. We anticipate that guests will discover a new charm of Osaka Namba at this sophisticated dual-branded hotel,” said Toshihiro Awatsuji, president & CEO, Tokyu Resorts & Stays.
The three winners delivered change delivering change from the heart of their geographical and cultural communities
The International Congress & Conference Association (ICCA) and BestCities Global Alliance are celebrating three outstanding Associations that are winners of The Incredible Impacts Programme.
The Incredible Impacts Programme is a joint initiative by ICCA and BestCities Global Alliance that is committed to legacy building. The winning Associations have set the industry standard in the last 12 months and driven real change through passion, education, creativity, and fun.
The three winners delivered change delivering change from the heart of their geographical and cultural communities
Aside from being awarded US$7,500 for future projects, the winners will also get the chance to speak about their initiatives and experiences at the ICCA 61st Congress in Krakow from November 6-9, 2022.
The winners are:
International Society for Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, where the association planned a series of interactive city-wide events in Glasglow, which brought together experts, artists, students, and the general public. Children were also encouraged to build brains, and everyone was encouraged to explore brain installations, empowering them to become advocates for brain health and lead healthier, smarter lives.
International Water Resources Association (IWRA), where the association sought out five global ambassadors to represent their local communities operating on the front line of water security issues to share their stories during the IWRA World Water Congress. Topics included sanitation and homebuilding in the Dominican Republic; safe access to surface and groundwater in New Delhi and Nepal; and water access rights in Zimbabwe to agrochemical pollution on The West Bank.
The University of the Faroe Islands, where the association hosted a Football is Medicine event that showcased the many benefits of playing soccer. Experts from all aspects of sports medicine, nutrition, and training delivered a compelling programme detailing how football can be used to enhance and enrich the lives of people everywhere.
GWTS 2022 will be held at Parkroyal on Beach Road (pictured)
Global Women’s Trade Summit (GWTS) 2022 Singapore, an international summit connecting businesswomen across the globe to explore business and market potential, will be welcoming female business leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals from September 13-14, 2022 at Parkroyal on Beach Road.
Themed Business Sustainability & Resilience, GWTS 2022 will address the topics of business sustainability and resilience during the two-day summit through panel discussions, workshops, and trade exhibits, along with matching and networking opportunities.
GWTS 2022 will be held at Parkroyal on Beach Road (pictured)
The summit will witness the participation of more than 200 registered delegates from 14 countries, and will feature over 20 leading speakers covering topics around technology, branding, risk management, business culture, keys to business sustainability, and more.
As the fifth annual instalment, GWTS 2022 is organised by the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI) Singapore, a global non-profit and non-government organisation established to support women entering the business and developing trade across the globe, and is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board.
The event will also be graced by Guest of Honour Amy Khor, senior minister of state, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment & Ministry of Transport; The Honourable William Hodgman, Australian High Commissioner To Singapore, country ambassadors, and presidents of the 12 IWFCI chapters.
Diana Abruzzi, founder of IWFCI, said: “Having survived the pandemic, businesses have awakened to a more complicated and fast-changing world. IWFCI, throughout its global chapters, has continued to support our members to assist, navigate and adapt to these changes.
“This is why IWFCI is committed more so than ever to holding our Global Women’s Trade Summit in a time such as this.”
To further their endeavours with the annual event, GWTS will host its upcoming 2023 edition in Japan, and its 2024 edition in Indonesia.
The soon-to-open Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre
Business Events Wellington has secured another two international conferences for New Zealand’s capital city.
The Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)’s will be heading to Wellington for their Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in October 2024.
The soon-to-open Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre will be fully utilised by the 900 delegates expected to descend on the city for the four-day event.
The event will be held in New Zealand for the first time in seven years.
Another major conference Business Events Welllington has secured is the Trans-Tasman Member’s Choice Symposium to be held in partnership between the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and New Zealand Psychological Society. Taking place in May 2023, it will be the first event held in Tākina – even before its official opening the following month.
This is the first time the event will be held in person having launched in 2021 with record virtual attendee numbers.
APS is the largest professional body representing psychologists in Australia with over 30,000 members. The event is expected to bring more than 600 delegates to Wellington.
El Kwang has been appointed chief commercial officer at The Venues Collection in Australia.
Based in Sydney, Kwang brings communications and content creation skills to his new role and will lead a team of 40 at The Venues Collection.
A strong advocate for industry collaboration, Kwang recently led the programme for the Forces of Change Leadership Series with Marina Bay Sands, he was instrumental in the Singapore MICE Forum and was the co-chair of the Rome and Bangkok editions of the SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) Global Conference.
Having lived in South-east Asia for more than a decade, Kwang also recently finished a three-year stint as vice president finance and development on the SITE Global Board of Directors.
Centara Korat Hotel in north-east Thailand opened a new restaurant, House of Kin, on September 13, 2022.
Suitable for incentive groups and meeting delegates, the all-day dining restaurant offers buffets and a la carte dining featuring seafood, Korat cuisine, alongside Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes.
House of Kin
There will also be a candy wall along with a special candy shop offering ice cream, chocolate and pralines, cakes and brownies.
Buffet options include Classic (690++ baht or US$26.50++), Premium (1,190++ baht) and Grand (1,490++ baht).
An iconic landmark in the heart of downtown Bangkok, the newly-renovated Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) is set to be “The Ultimate Inspiring World-Class Event Platform for All”.
The new QSNCC is expected to attract over 13 million visitors annually, more than double the six million visitors per year prior to the renovation. Beyond MICE offerings, it can now also accommodate lifestyle events ranging from concerts, fashion shows, arts & craft, to gaming and e-sports.
More than 160 activities are already lined up to take place at QSNCC by 2023, in a show of confidence for the new platform.
The number of visitors to QSNCC is expected to be over 13 million annually, more than double the six million per year prior to the renovation
Some major high-profile events include APEC Economic Leaders’ Week and South-east Asia’s biggest gaming expo, Thailand Game Show.
New event types are also keen to come onboard too.
They range from the world’s leading leather trade fair, Asia-Pacific Leather Fair (APLF); Asia’s international fruit and vegetable trade fair, Asia Fruit Logistica; to Jewellery & Gem ASEAN Bangkok. They were previously held in Hong Kong and Singapore.
According to Grace Lee, event director of APLF, since the ASEAN bloc re-opened for business, and with Bangkok located at its centre, the capital became its commercial hub and restart point to woo Asia-Pacific buyers back.
She said: “The newly-renovated QSNCC, equipped with world-class exhibition facilities, is situated in central Bangkok. It is well-connected by all modes of transport and will be a highly convenient place to welcome international buyers and business travellers.”
David Axiotis, executive director, Global Produce Events (HK) Limited, who chose QSNCC for Asia Fruit Logistica, also believed that the venue “will be an ideal event platform to showcase innovation and to provide business opportunities for all exhibitors.”
He explained: “Thailand is a hub for Asia’s fast-growing fresh fruit and vegetable business and the new QSNCC is well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, strategic location, technology and services.”
Sanchai Noombunnam, country general manager – Thailand, Informa Markets, who is organising the Jewellery & Gem ASEAN Bangkok, concurred: “The new QSNCC is situated at the heart of Bangkok and as a city centre, easy to access for all transportation. It allows exhibitors and visitors a hassle-free commute to the venue. QSNCC is at the forefront of sustainability and is mindful of our impact on the environment and community – which align with Informa Markets’ business and show commitments.”
Besides for the first time, QSNCC will host the T-Pop Concert Fest, headlining leading Thai pop artists such as PP x Billkin, 4EVE and Bowkylion.
Phatrapreechakul added: “We are convinced that there will be all kinds of event hosts and exhibitors who will choose QSNCC as their venue. This will enhance QSNCC’s reputation as an industry pioneer for both Thai and Asian event venues.”
Discover the new experience of “The Ultimate Inspiring World-Class Event Platform for All” at QSNCC here.
For event organisers and planners keen to explore QSNCC as a venue, reach out to us here.
In order to jumpstart tourism recovery in the Philippines, Philippine tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has emphasised the urgent need for the government to adapt to prevailing global health practices – and is backing the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’s (IATF-EID) recommendation to make mask-wearing optional for outdoors.
The IATF-EID has recommended that mask-wearing outdoors is made voluntary across the country, while senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals are highly encouraged to continue wearing masks.
The removal of the outdoor mask mandate could help jumpstart tourism recovery in the Philippines
“With the recent improvement of the global tourism landscape as a result of immunisation, countries around the world have been instituting various measures such as the reopening of international borders, and relaxation of health and safety protocols and requirements, resulting in an immediate positive economic impact of these countries and faster recovery of their respective portfolios,” she said in a statement.
She noted that based on a comparative analysis of mask mandates, Covid-19 incidence, and tourist arrivals of the Top 5 ASEAN countries comprising Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, more liberal mask mandates did not appear to cause an uptick in Covid-19 cases.
She added that aside from ASEAN countries, the Philippines’ key markets in Asia and other parts of the world (Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong) have also started to lift mask mandates.
Citing the province of Cebu as a model in liberalising mask mandates since June 8, she stated that the province has maintained its risk classification at low levels.
Expressing optimism for the country’s tourism industry, Frasco said lifting the mask mandate “will give the Philippine Tourism Industry a better chance to regain its vibrant and booming operations”.
the environmental impact of in-person events have led to questions of whether the world should resume large-scale events
Guidelines available from a number of organisations to guide the global MICE industry forward in sustainable event management
Businesses can offer hybrid meeting options as technology is available, even as in-person meetings return with a vengeance
More sustainably-certified venus and suppliers are needed
The environmental impact of in-person events has led to questions whether the world should resume large-scale events
Demand for business events has returned, limited only by ongoing volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (abbreviated as VUCA) conditions like living with Covid-19, the continuing conflict in Ukraine, rising inflation and unstable geopolitics.
Fortunately, meeting planners and industry players have not lost sight of sustainability, and guidelines to educate, standardise, innovate and measure green practices continue to be developed since the conversation started.
Where it all began In 2012, UFI The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry launched ISO 20121, a sustainability event management system to help event organisers improve the sustainability of their activities.
Certified industry members in the region, according to UFI, include The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok; Marina Bay Sands (Singapore); Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (Thailand); Kingsmen CMTI (Thailand); Taiwan External Trade Development Council; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre; exhibition freight forwarder R.E. Rogers (India); and integrated logistics services company PS Bedi (India).
ICCA, in identifying significant trends and strategies, said sustainability had become “more of a high priority for the industry as a whole” with the focus on the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, held in November 2021, and more people being concerned about climate change and the environment.
The 2020 Kaohsiung Protocol is ICCA’s strategic recovery framework to guide the global meetings and events industry forward. Additional guidelines were included in the new version of the Global Association Meetings Protocol last year following a survey on what had changed.
Sustainability, equity and legacy were some of the pillars identified in the survey, ICCA noted.
Daniel Chua, who heads experiential communications agency Aonia, started the business 20 years ago incorporating sustainability practices in areas such as destination selection, sourcing locally and route planning.
Chua noted that “cost”, “availability of alternatives” and “sustainable exhibitions that are not boring” were ongoing challenges, adding it was tricky balancing what clients want – which were “green, wow and affordable”.
Procurement and collaboration had to be carefully managed, Chua continued. “It is easier to convince clients because they are asking for sustainability, but the challenge is vendors having to hold on to ageing inventory and keeping up.”
For business events entities with or without ISO certification, Chua said sustainability guidelines had to be “easy to apply”.
To assist organisations with limited resources, the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS), launched the MICE Sustainability Certification programme, based on the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) sustainability guidelines, in 2016.
According to Chua, STB held its first meeting with an industry committee on the Singapore Green Plan 2030 recently.
“Event technology innovation and social change are needed at all levels, and meeting planners must be able to provide ‘sustainable experiential expertise’ in order to boost the bottomline,” he opined.
Event sustainability in the long-term There is no doubt sustainability is a prerequisite for long-term growth in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN member states in 2015 which contains 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
For leading global exhibition group, Informa Markets (IM), investing in sustainability was a long-term bottomline goal, Benson Tang, executive director, corporate travel, told TTGmice.
The sustainability journey to attract investors and generate shareholder value started in 2000, and Tang shared that IM was ranked number one on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 2022 in the sector.
“Sustainability is costly to implement, monitor and audit and profitability may take a hit, but IM is willing to pay between two and four per cent more to support its sustainability goal,” he said.
Hong Kong-based Tang pointed out that Cathay Pacific, despite being one of the worst-hit airlines because of the pandemic, was in the process of changing to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and had invested in an SAF company in the US.
Personally, Chua is cutting back on trips and urged more to meet face-to-face for the “right purpose” because innovative technology, created during Covid-19, is available.
Businesses should not compel staff to travel and can offer hybrid options instead, he added, but agreed it was a “tough call now” for businesses trying to recover.
Finding a satisfactory middle ground GEVME, which provided clients with virtual and touchless events during the pandemic, said its “omnichannel event platform” offered live, virtual and hybrid events with sustainable online solutions for marketing, registration, badge-less entry and QR code business card exchange.
Its founder and CEO Veemal Gungadin said “economic drivers” and “policy change” had to be in place for industry players to embrace sustainability, use it as a competitive edge to make a profit and meet shareholders’ goals.
Gungadin was seeing progress with tender requirement calling for certified sustainability providers, and sustainable event technology solution was gaining traction and fast adoption in Australia and the US.
For the region, sustainability solution adoption ranged between “one (pessimistic) and six (a dream)” on a scale of one to 10, he said.
While an international conference and exhibition show organiser was willing to make its events more sustainable, he said more certified venues and suppliers needed to come onboard.
But with many in the industry trying to get back on track, grappling with staff shortages and ongoing disruptions, business was far from “normal” and all companies were being affected, the show organiser observed.
“To be able to offer a unique proposition and bring value to a show, costs must be reasonable. We are looking at paying around five to 10 per cent more to put sustainable practices in place.
“Not everyone is out of the woods yet. But it is not doom and gloom. Practical solutions must be cost-effective to help businesses return to profit.
“And government funding, if given, needs to be easy to access,” the show organiser stressed.
There have been many tourism developments happening in the Gold Coast (pictured) throughout the pandemic
The Gold Coast is surfing on a new wave for business events, with a growing swell of new products and experiences it has been proud to reveal to event planners as Australia’s borders reopened.
“People who have been here before don’t know the Gold Coast of today because there’s been so much development with new or cool things to see and do,” said Destination Gold Coast’s head of business events, Selina Sinclair.
There have been many tourism developments happening in the Gold Coast (pictured) throughout the pandemic
“We spent A$1 billion (US$671.6 million) on new products and experiences for the city. There are new tour companies, bars, venues, restaurants and some 3,000 new hotel rooms constructed in the last two years. We’ve also seen a lot of investment by the theme parks.”
“With that, I feel we definitely stand out in the incentive travel space. But also when you look at the associations sector, the city has invested a lot in some major infrastructure developments,” she added.
For instance, the Gold Coast now boasts a new health and knowledge precinct, which brought 1,000 new researchers and more than 20,000 students to the city.
In addition to hospitals, the precinct includes Griffith University, ranked in the world’s top two per cent of universities, and Lumina, which is a 9.5-hectare site designated for start-ups and established businesses nurturing bright ideas and collaborations. Inventions to transform cardiology and spinal cord rehabilitation are among its current projects.
“Association sector events looking for a city where they can tap into speakers’ content, and developments in their field whether in education, health, or medical science technology can now find it on our doorstep,” said Sinclair.
“It’s really opened up our ability to host association events even more than before in the Gold Coast and it’s just one of the things that will only elevate the credentials of the Gold Coast to host associations and corporate meetings moving forward,” she continued.
Elevated experiences were certainly highlighted in June at This Is Gold Coast, the destination’s annual industry showcase. On one evening, event planners enjoyed a new sophisticated rooftop entertainment space in Cali Beach Club featuring an igloo bar, hot tubs, open fire pits, and a fire show.
The next day, they were transported by helicopter into the Gold Coast’s lesser-known asset — its hinterland, where they had lunch in a beautiful white-themed marquee at the top of the mountains at the Bower Estate.
It was also no coincidence that of the 80 guests, more than 30 per cent were international event planners from the Gold Coast’s top overseas markets of Singapore, Malaysia, the US, UK, New Zealand and Japan.
“International markets represent, in some ways, an untapped opportunity for us. What we’ve also seen (since borders reopened) is a huge influx of requests, particularly from the Asian markets, all looking for an incentive travel destination, with a high percentage coming from direct selling companies, and we are catering for that change,” said Sinclair.
“And now we’re starting to see the big associations coming back, saying their rotation is all mixed up and they’re looking for a destination, and they’re rebuilding for future years from 2023 and beyond,” she continued.
A performance during This Is Gold Coast, the destination’s annual industry showcase
Big events also see an advantage in the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), where a complete buyout is possible. The centre is currently attracting international business representing up to 10 per cent of its bookings, compared to about two per cent just five years ago, thanks to its growing presence and work to secure events on the global stage.
“We’ve always been highly successful with our size, because big conventions like the fact that they can take total ownership of our venue,” said general manager of GCCEC, Adrienne Readings.
“They can brand externally and internally, which is important to both associations and corporates. The centre’s design also allows us to open and shut as small or as large as we need, so we’re a multipurpose centre, not just a convention and exhibition centre,” she said.
The Gold Coast Airport will also double its size when it unveils an expanded three-level 30,000m2 terminal in September, with links to New Zealand, Singapore, Korea, Japan and Malaysia “ready to go”.
With ambitious moves on multiple fronts meeting the tide of a post-pandemic reset, the trajectory for business events on the Gold Coast seems to be as clear as the blue-turquoise waters it is famous for.
Just to recap, in March, it launched its new brand as Australia’s imagination capital at AIME. In June, its annual showcase invited its “first insiders” to see the new developments since Covid.
And stage three is underway: “(We’ve started to work) much more on a digital strategy, using LinkedIn as our main channel to push out a lot of the content that we’ve collected, to get in front of people we know are busy. (Beyond September), we’ll look to offer fam trips again,” said Sinclair.
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