Peter King, chief executive of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), has announced that he will leave his role after 11 years.
King will remain with MCEC as it manages this business transition. This time will allow for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust (MCET) to recruit his replacement.
Peter King
In 2018, King led the A$205 million (US$289 million) expansion of MCEC, this increased event space by 25 per cent and grew MCEC’s total size to 70,000m2, the largest centre of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
In recent years, King pushed MCEC to become a global leader in sustainability in business events. In 2018, MCEC became a partner in the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project which means the 20,000m2 expansion space at MCEC, is powered by renewable energy. In 2019, the business recovered more than 68 tonnes of food waste and donated over 74,000 meals to food rescue organisation, OzHarvest.
During his time at MCEC, King was focused on maximising MCEC’s impact for Melbourne and Victoria, and in 2019, the venue contributed a record economic impact to the state, exceeding A$1.1 billion.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 – King embraced the challenges and managed the transformation and diversification of the business. This included supporting the Victorian State Government’s vaccination rollout and adapting the space to attract partners such as The LUME Melbourne, Australia’s first permanent digital art gallery. He also oversaw a comprehensive business transformation to an agile operating model, to better position MCEC to serve customers in the wake of the pandemic. The organisation will see the benefits of this legacy for years to come.
Remote simultaneous interpretation (RSI) platform, Interprefy, has created a new division aimed at providing language and interpretation services to the audiovisual market.
Headed by Mark Breakspear, former project manager at DLC Events in Dubai, the UAE, the new unit will open up fresh avenues for audio-visual providers as well as their customers by providing access to remote language interpreters for any event and platform.
Breakspear will lead the new division that supports the audiovisual market
The Interprefy platform allows live event attendees to participate from anywhere in the world by providing access to interpretation services as well as a remote support team that monitor and assist with interpretation and audiovisual services.
Breakspear brings more than 15 years of experience from the audiovisual and conferencing industry. He has led a vast quantity of projects throughout Expo 2020 Dubai, many of which involved Interprefy as the chosen solution for simultaneous interpretation.
A highlight, Breakspear said, was delivering the interpretation for an interview with Thomas Pesquet, an astronaut on board the European Space Station, from French to English and Arabic to more than 1,500 attendees watching at the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, Al Wasl Plaza – all in real-time.
The gala and welcome dinner was hosted at the Philippine International Convention Center
Event brief
Hosting the 21st WTTC Global Summit 2022 in April was a momentous occasion for first-time host Philippines, considering how the event was postponed several times due to the pandemic.
Furthermore, the high-profile event was held just two months after the Philippines became the first in Asia to open its international borders – sending a firm message around the world that the country is ready and safe for tourists.
The Philippine national organising committee, chaired by tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, met weekly with private sector stakeholders. It also held regular meetings with the supportive WTTC.
A granular bubble was originally planned so that from the Manila international airport, delegates would be ushered directly to the nearby Manila Marriott Hotel and the adjoining Summit venue, Marriott Grand Ballroom. These areas would be cordoned off so as not to compromise the health and safety of delegates. All participants would be pre-registered, walk-in delegates prohibited, and slots would be allotted to local delegates.
However, the granular bubble was thrown aside as the country’s infection rate continues to ebb at an all-time low. Hence, participants joined pre- and post-tours, socials, gala and welcome dinner at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Museum of Natural History, Okada Resort Manila, and Savoy Hotel Manila.
Still, Marriott had retrofitted for the event, bringing in high-efficiency particulate air filters – commonly known as HEPA filters – that are used in hospitals to clear the air.
Quarantine upon arrival was not required. Foreign delegates only needed to show their vaccination cards and a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours of departure from their country of origin, or a negative ART result taken 24 hours before departure.
Health and hygiene protocols and guidelines were in place, including the wearing of masks at all times, and extensive outdoor activities.
WTTC member company, Global Rescue, deployed medical and security advance teams to Manila and were on-site for the event, ready to provide access to their industry-leading travel risk, crisis management and response service.
Memorable local touches
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Summit attendees and guests were treated to lively entertainment by local artistes
Local fruits, products and handicraft were showcased during the event
Event highlights
Empty for two years, the halls of the venues became alive with chatter and laughter. The air was rapt with energy from travel trade professionals grateful for the reopening of the Philippine borders and hopeful that the most prestigious event of the year heralds tourism revival.
The Summit was hybrid, with both virtual and physical speakers and attendees. Sessions featured carefully chosen panellists speaking on topics revolving around the theme, Rediscovering Travel.
The event was a great sell for Philippine tourism. It also showcased products and handicrafts that wowed international visitors – from exquisite souvenirs handcrafted from unique local materials to the Filipiniana dress, called terno, that Romulo-Puyat wore daintily each day, to the scene-stealing Yoda chairs by famed local designer Kenneth Cobonpue that were used at the main stage session and culinary delights whipped up by top Filipino chefs.
Challenges
The biggest challenge faced by the Summit was the lack of large event spaces in Manila. Although the Marriott Grand Ballroom is the newest and one of the biggest convention centres in metro Manila, many parts of it were congested during the event.
The ground floor lobby of the Marriott Grand Ballroom was converted into a lunch area – one that offered narrow spaces between tables.
Likewise, the long corridor outside the Grand Ballroom on the second floor became narrow when parts of it were used to host corporate exhibition booths and showcases for local products and handicrafts.
Event 21st WTTC Global Summit Organiser WTTC, Philippine government, and private tourism sectors Venue Marriott Grand Ballroom in Metro Manila Dates April 20 to 22, 2022 Attendance More than 1,000 foreign delegates and an estimated virtual audience of 30,000
Star Alliance members United Airlines and Singapore Airlines (SIA) are expanding their codeshare arrangements to include 19 new destinations in Asia and the US.
From April 26, United’s customers will be able to connect to nine new codeshare destinations in the SIA Group network, including Bandar Seri Begawan, Siem Reap, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Perth and Male.
United Airlines and Singapore Airlines are expanding their codeshare arrangements in Asia and the US
SIA customers may connect on United’s flights out of Los Angeles to 10 new codeshare destinations in the US, such as Austin, Baltimore, Boise, Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno and Sacramento, all of which complement existing connections.
This expansion is timely as more countries around the world ease border restrictions and demand for international air travel is on the rise, recognised both airlines.
The codeshare flights will be made available for sale progressively through the airlines’ respective booking channels, subject to regulatory approvals.
Do you need to reward your top achievers for their hard work during the pandemic?
Retain your best staff during ‘the Great Resignation’?
Reconnect with and revive staff members who’ve been limited to working online?
Choose a breath of fresh air and plan your next incentive in New Zealand. Escape the crowds on a trip full of exclusive outdoor activities designed to bond and inspire teams.
Revitalising comes naturally in New Zealand New Zealand’s stunning natural landscapes offer a wide range of incentive activities to suit anyone’s idea of a restorative trip and ensure your workforce returns refreshed and recharged.
Whether that’s sinking into a yoga pose on the beach at a five-star wellness retreat; sinking a fishing line off a luxury charter yacht into a pristine lake; sinking a putt on a cliff-top golf course; sinking a glass of Pinot Noir in a picturesque vineyard; sinking into the restorative waters of a geothermal hot pool; or even sinking some money at a high-end boutique, New Zealand can offer it all.
The Ultimate Escape
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Delegates can arrive at the destination in style, complete with an exhilarating helicopter ride and champagne
Witness first-hand Rotorua’s unique geothermal landscape, from simmering mud pools to gushing geysers
Land on a pristine, snow-capped mountain peak to take in magnificent views near Queenstown
Care and connection New Zealand is a place to make deeper connections: With nature, with our people, with your colleagues.
Immerse your group in the beautiful surroundings. Spot whales or dolphins, walk amongst native birds in the wild, or simply admire the fantastic scenery and make time for reflection and motivation.
Immerse your delegates in New Zealand’s unique Māori culture. Incorporating Māori values and activities into your itinerary not only creates a more authentic New Zealand programme but allows you to emphasise your own brand and team values.
Delegates can join in a cultural performance and be immersed in the unique Māori culture at Te Puia, Rotorua
R and R – return on investment and return on objective Rest and relaxation aside, New Zealand can tailor an incentive to best suit your objectives and exceed your expectations.
From a luxe and high-end reward programme, to focusing on team bonding and building loyalty, we can help you plan an itinerary that delivers.
In New Zealand, everything’s close, allowing you to add variety to a programme.
Accommodation options are many and diverse, from five-star global brand hotels to boutique luxury lodges. Food and beverage choices are fresh and fabulous and cater to any taste. Enjoy amazing local seafood and meat, delicious produce, and world-famous wine to celebrate your team’s achievements.
Gift top achievers a luxurious experience at one of New Zealand’s stunning wineries, like Chard Farm
Create an unforgettable experience unlike any other.
Ready for the incentive of a lifetime? For more inspiration, check out The Ultimate Reward – an incentive in New Zealand below:
To discuss an incentive itinerary tailored to your team and objectives, contact: Edward Kwek
Trade Manager Business Events Tourism New Zealand
Contact: +65 9152 9122
Email: Edward.Kwek@tnz.govt.nz
Website: businessevents.newzealand.com
It remains to be seen if the Wuhan flu outbreak will affect Chinese tradeshows
Two-thirds of venues say they will recover to 2019 meeting revenue levels in 2022 or 2023, with Danish and Australian venues predicting the fastest recovery, according to the International Association of Conference Centres’ (IACC) annual Meeting Room of the Future Barometer 2022.
Respondents globally reported that 2023 would be the first year to surpass 2019 meetings and business events revenue levels. Predictions did differ slightly by country, with projected revenues in Denmark to surpass 2019 levels as early as 2022 while the Americas had a slightly longer outlook with revenues not returning to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.
Respondents say the gradual return to meetings is weighted towards more in-person interactions, with just 19% of live meetings and events offering virtual access in 2022, compared to 90% in 2021
The study, which is financially supported by IACC’s partners Encore Global, Benchmark Hospitality, Flik Hospitality Group/Rapport and Aramark Conferencing, shows that in 2021, average meeting and business events revenue was 45% lower than 2019 levels but in 2022, this percentage is expected to shrink to just 8% below 2019 levels.
Sustainability continues to be an emerging topic, with some improvements made since the 2021 report. The report shows that, in general, there is more of a focus on environmental and social responsibility at venues in Europe and Australia when compared with North American venues. 46% of respondents to this year’s survey reported that they are receiving increased requests from clients to either state or provide social responsibility and environmental credentials.
There is one sustainable practice where venues have shown considerable improvement since 2020, and that is the ability to donate unused food to local community outreach programmes. More than 50% of responding venues report this option compared with only 23% of venues in 2020, and North American venues reporting a greater likelihood of offering healthy food options and the ability to donate unused foods than other regions.
The study further supports the gradual return to meetings weighted towards more in-person interactions. In 2021, 30% of respondents reported that more than 90% of their live meetings and events also offered virtual access. In 2022 this percentage has dropped to 19%. This is corroborated by IACC’s report, The Future of the Meeting Industry, from February 2022, which showed that the value of human interaction is ranked the highest of seven factors when considering attending an in-person meeting, above expanding one’s network, scheduling and cost of attending. Collaboration with colleagues is also highly ranked.
Talent shortages across industries have been dominating headlines and while the meetings industry is not immune to the challenges of attracting and retaining workers, operators are showing optimism that they will be able to find employees to keep their venues running successfully. The study predicts that talent shortages will be alleviated over time, and overall, respondents do not anticipate that workforce shortages will negatively impact their ability to meet client and attendee needs. As 2022 unfolds, 55% of respondents reported that their venue has or will return to full-staffing levels by the end of 2022.
The survey ran over a three-week period in March 2022, with 87 venue operators from three continents (Americas, Europe and Australia) taking part in the research study.
Short days after Thailand announced the removal of on-arrival PCR testing and relaxation of insurance demands on visitors from May 1, hoteliers in the destination say a positive impact on events is already visible.
Royal Cliff Hotels Group, which owns and operates a collection of luxury hotels and beach resorts in Pattaya, has “some exciting bookings lined up”, shared CEO Vitanart Vathanakul.
With travel barriers down, Royal Cliff Hotels Group is seeing the confirmation of more events, such as the Club 8ight Supercars gathering in June; Club 8ight Supercars event at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in 2019 pictured
They include the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in May, the Club 8ight Supercars event in June, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s International Conference on Family Planning in November.
“We hope (the International Conference on Family Planning) will attract up to 5,000 people,” said Vitanart.
Ross Park, director of sales & marketing at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, said the first two months following May 1 will be important.
“The hotel has seen a large number of enquiries in the MICE sector and incentive travel is returning very quickly, with many in-person meetings and events confirmed and re-booked. We expect to see the first large-scale overseas event within the first two months of the removal of Test & Go, and hope to continue to build from there,” he told TTGmice.
The Slate Phuket has also reported positive impacts from the relaxation of travel requirements – two incentive groups have confirmed their arrival in August, revealed general manager Claude Sauter.
While there has not been a surge in event bookings at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit, general manager Mark Bulmer said enquiries are trending up since the announcement.
But it is “too early to tell” the true impact of the deregulation, Bulmer added.
For Thailand’s business events industry to return to its previous levels of success, hoteliers concur that the Thailand Pass and compulsory travel insurance are barriers that must be removed. They state that it is still far easier for event groups to choose another destination where there are none of such restrictions.
International business events are returning to the Philippines as the country reopened her borders and permitted venue operations at full capacity since a couple of months ago.
“Event suppliers and organisers are starting to be confident enough to start investing in local events,” said Walid Wafik, senior vice president of SM Hotels and Convention Center, whose seven convention centers are all allowed to operate at full capacity.
Local business events are seeing more international participation; SMX Manila pictured
Wafik told TTGmice that although 90 per cent of events at SMX Convention Center Manila are local activations, they draw many international exhibitors.
While there are no international events in the immediate future, some enquiries are emerging.
Ex-Link Events business organiser, Orly Ballesteros, expressed intentions to “implement projects we suspended because of lockdown and capture more clients eager to be in the Philippines for their events”.
Angel Ramos Bognot, president, Afro Asian World Events president, confirmed that the first Global Women Empowerment Summit, postponed from last year, will be held for 12 days from May 29 to June 9 in Manila, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Enrique Florencio, new secretary general of Association of Development Financing Institutions of Asia Pacific, said ADFIAP’s 4th annual meeting will be held in Manila this October.
Among the events with foreign participation this year are the 4th Asian Defense and Security, Crisis and Disaster Management Exhibition and Conference starting April 27 and ending April 29; Philconstruct Manila in November, which adopted a hybrid format over the last two years; and Philconstruct in Clark in June.
understanding and mitigating the risks that come with opening up remain critical
Business travel is surging forward, international travel is returning, and despite new challenges, industry recovery is entrenched, observes the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in its latest April Business Travel Recovery Poll.
In addition, corporate travel policies are undergoing a revamp and employees are broadly willing to travel for business, found the survey.
Corporate travel bookings are up with more certainty and fewer cancellations
“We’re seeing significant gains in the return of business travel, especially over the past month or two. GBTA’s global data shows more companies are allowing domestic and now also international employee travel.
“Booking levels and travel spending continue to return, and there’s high levels of optimism and employee willingness to travel for business. This comes even as the industry faces challenges beyond Covid-19, including rising fuel prices, inflation, supply chain disruption and war in Ukraine,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA.
Double-digit increments, international travel jumps
Companies that report they at least sometimes allow non-essential domestic business travel has increased to 86%, up from 73% in GBTA’s February poll. International travel made a big jump with 74% reporting their company now allows it, up 26 percentage points from February.
Less cancellations, more travel
Companies continue to resume international business travel, with only 45% saying they have cancelled or suspended most or all international business trips, 27 points less than the 71% in February. In addition, only one in five respondents (20%) report they have cancelled or suspended most or all domestic business travel, compared to 33% in February.
Of the companies that previously cancelled or suspended most or all trips to a specific region/country, 75% plan to resume domestic travel and 52% international travel in the next one to three months.
Corporate travel bookings return
A majority (88%) of suppliers and TMCs report their bookings have increased in the prior month. This is much higher than the share that said the same in February (45%). On average, travel buyers say their company’s travel bookings are currently at 56% of the pre-pandemic level, up 22 points from February.
Spending trends up
When asked to characterise their company’s spending on business travel compared to 2019, on average, respondents expect their company will be back to 59% of their pre-pandemic spend by the end of 2022, and will reach 79% by the end of 2023.
Back in the office and on the road
Four in ten (41%) GBTA stakeholders say their company’s return to the office directly correlates to the return to business travel. Over half (55%) of respondents say their company has implemented a permanent back-to-office policy.
One-quarter (23%) report their employees will be full-time in-office, and over half (52%) will be hybrid. Twenty-six per cent report their company has not yet announced a permanent policy. A smaller segment (12%) say employees will have the choice whether to return to the office or not.
Travel willingness climbs
Nine in ten (94%) GBTA buyers and procurement professionals feel their employees are “willing” or “very willing’ to travel for business in the current environment, up from 82% in the February poll. No respondent in any region of the world feels their employees are not willing to travel for business in the current environment.
Changing policies
The pandemic has forced many companies to rethink their business travel program. A majority (80%) of travel managers report the pandemic has driven changes to their company’s travel policies in some capacity, including: fewer business trips overall (39%); employees take fewer business trips, but with more goals assigned to each trip (37%); more trip approval requirements (24%); and a re-evaluation of how employees travel for business (23%).
Inflation impact
Many companies are increasing their business travel spend in the wake of inflation. Forty-one percent report they have increased employee travel spending for air travel, 34% for hotel stays, 33% for car rentals, and 26% for ride share and taxis.
Sustainable considerations
Corporate travel managers recognizs sustainability will impact their travel programme. The most frequently cited expectations include fewer trips per employee overall (54%) and longer, multi-purpose business trips (43%), and more rail and multi-modal options (34%). However, most travel buyers (61%) do not expect their company will restrict the frequency of flying in business class.
Getting used to travel
As employees return to business travel, many have faced hurdles as they get back in the air and on the road. GBTA stakeholders most often report they and/or their colleagues have experienced confusion on travel restrictions/travel documentation (63%), are more anxious or stressed about business travel (45%), or have had challenges when navigating airports and security rules (36%).
Mask on planes – who should decide?
Global sentiment around mask mandates on commercial airplanes varies. Two in five GBTA stakeholders (41%) say governments should require passengers to wear masks on airplanes, while a third (32%) feel each airline should be allowed to decide on this. One in five (20%) feel governments should prohibit mask mandates, which is to allow passengers to fly on any airline without masks.
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Remote simultaneous interpretation (RSI) platform, Interprefy, has created a new division aimed at providing language and interpretation services to the audiovisual market.
Headed by Mark Breakspear, former project manager at DLC Events in Dubai, the UAE, the new unit will open up fresh avenues for audio-visual providers as well as their customers by providing access to remote language interpreters for any event and platform.
The Interprefy platform allows live event attendees to participate from anywhere in the world by providing access to interpretation services as well as a remote support team that monitor and assist with interpretation and audiovisual services.
Breakspear brings more than 15 years of experience from the audiovisual and conferencing industry. He has led a vast quantity of projects throughout Expo 2020 Dubai, many of which involved Interprefy as the chosen solution for simultaneous interpretation.
A highlight, Breakspear said, was delivering the interpretation for an interview with Thomas Pesquet, an astronaut on board the European Space Station, from French to English and Arabic to more than 1,500 attendees watching at the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, Al Wasl Plaza – all in real-time.